AV 22nd September 2018

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side 22 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2018 - VOL 47 ISSUE 21

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22 - 28 September 2018

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FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

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Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

22 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2018 - VOL 47 ISSUE 21

MALLYA STIRS UP A HORNET'S NEST

inside: Modi praises Bohra community for its patriotism SEE PAGE 26

Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis come together to honour Home Secretary Sajid Javid SEE PAGE 13

Labour wants ban on foetus gender tests to counter South Asian gender bias Rahul Gandhi

Vijay Mallya

Arun Jaitley

Defunct business tycoon Vijay Mallya seems to kick up a fresh political controversy the moment he opens his mouth. He recently stirred a altercation claiming he had met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley before fleeing to London, only to backtrack a few hours later saying no formal meeting took place and that he only “happened” to meet the minister in the Parliament. In the little time he took to make allegations and pull it back, the political system in India had already created a loud and rather brash ruckus, with the ruling BJP blaming the Congress and vice versa.

The political fight only escalated

with Congress president Rahul Gandhi charging Jaitley with colluding in the liquor baron's flight from India. Not one to take the hit, the BJP promptly lashed back saying the UPA regime bent over to carve out a “sweet deal” for the fugitive businessman. The storm continues even after Mallya withdrew his statements, as Congress MP PL Punia claims to have seen a long conversation between the two in Parliament's Central Hall. Now, the Congress demands a thorough examination of the CCTV coverage.

The puppeteer and his puppets Talking to reporters outside London's Westminster Magistrates'

Court, Mallya said, “I left because I had a scheduled meeting in Geneva, I met the Finance Minister before I left, repeated my offer to settle with the banks... that's the truth.” He added that he had told the minister he was leaving for London. Just minutes later, his statement turned into a whirlwind of accusations and controversies, prompting Jaitley to react to the claims.

Quick to dismiss any official meeting, the Union Minister wrote a post on Facebook saying, “Statement is factually false in as much as it does not reflect truth.

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22 - 28 September 2018

onetoone WITH KEITH VAZ, MP

Kavita Mashru Kavita graduated from Sheffield Hallam University where she obtained an LLB Honours Law degree and then successfully completed the Bar Vocational Course at BPP Law School having obtained a scholarship to do so. Kavita is also an Accredited Police Station Representative.

Upon accepting the position of Practice Manager at Leslie Franks Solicitors Kavita accepted responsibility for all aspects of the successful running of a progressive criminal defence law firm. This includes diary management, fee negotiation, liaising with and instructing solicitors with regard to existing and new cases, and generally giving guidance to more junior members of the team. Kavita is directly involved in the implementation of the firm’s strategic plans, business development and the maintenance of quality and client care systems.

1

Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?

Although I live and work in London, home for me is where I was born which is the city of Leicester.

2

What are your proudest achievements?

I feel extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had in my career. My proudest achievement has to be successful completion of the Bar Vocational Course & being called to Inner Temple.

3

What inspires you?

People who work with integrity, the ability to innovate & have a strong work ethic are an inspiration to me.

4

What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

The biggest obstacle is perhaps returning to work in the legal field after a career break spent working in my family business.

Tenacity, hard work and determination helped me to overcome this.

5

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

The directors and partners with whom I have worked throughout my career have

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been one of the biggest influences in my career. They have all demonstrated that you can be a brilliant lawyer and highly successful while still being kind, compassionate & supportive.

I have been blessed with a supportive and loving family and a good education that has provided a solid foundation to build on. As the youngest child from a family of 4, I have been fortunate enough to have the support and guidance of my siblings throughout my career. They have always encouraged and assisted me to do what I loved and what mattered to me. They reassured me that I had the ability to reach those goals. I would not be where I am today without them.

6

What is the best aspect about your current role?

Working in a predominately legal aid based criminal defence law firm, I love the fact that I get to make a difference to people’s lives by providing fair and equal access to justice to those most at risk of being excluded from our legal system.

7

And the worst?

There is not an aspect I do not enjoy about my

current role. There are just not enough hours in the day for what I need to accomplish on a daily basis!

8

What are your long term goals?

Achieving success in whatever I do. I want to live as the best version of myself and continue progressing my career.

9

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

I would revolutionise public transport etiquette.

10

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

This is not an original answer but I have to say Mahatma Gandhi – his words “If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning” are truly inspiring. His inspirational work and wonderful achievements have always made a difference to me and it would be fascinating to hear first-hand about his life experiences.

Uxbridge High School vows to 'take appropriate action' in message to parents after youth violence One day after violence erupted in the town centre, parents of Uxbridge High School students were told the academy will "take appropriate action if required".

The High Street became a scene of a 70person brawl last Monday evening (September 10) which forced one store to lock its doors in response to a youth running to escape a larger group. A 48 hour dispersal order was in place until Wednesday evening (September 12) and three youths have been arrested following the "horrific and frightening" disorder.

The "chaos" was captured on camera, showing multiple youths dressed in different school uniforms and plain dress included in the crowds which, according to one witness "swarmed" the street.

Several schools in the area were contacted by police following the mass fight which injured one person. A reliable source, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed students from Uxbridge High School (UHS) and Swakeleys School for Girls initiated the fight.

While the head teacher of the girls' school denied the claim, the principle of

UHS has failed to respond to requests for comment.

However, in an email sent to pupils' parents last Tuesday which has been shared on social media principal Nigel Clemens vowed to "take appropriate action if required" and added police had not identified any students from the school as being involved in the fight.

Meanwhile, the head teacher of Swakeleys School for Girls, Sue Pryor denied claims her students started the fight or were involved in the violence at all. Following calls for "naming and shaming" and arrests, police announced last Thursday (September 13) that three youths were arrested for their involvement in the disorder.

A 16-year-old female has been released under investigation after being arrested on suspicion of affray and and causing actual bodily harm (ABH).

A 14-year-old boy remains in custody on suspicion of affray while a 17-year-old male arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH), affray and handling stolen goods has been released under investigation.

Setting off on a 'screwball trek' A trio of car enthusiasts are setting off on a rally through five countries in a car that noone would even give them £750 for. But this is no ordinary rally - it is the Screwball Rally, which only allows cars worth less than that amount to take part.

Next week three car loving friends from the Slough area will be setting off from Dover in a VW Golf Estate which will hopefully take them through Hanover, France, Holland and the Czech Republic - winding up at Warsaw in Poland. They will make up just one out of 80 teams taking part in the rally, camping out and relying on each other's technical skills to keep themselves and the car going.

There is a serious purpose to the fun.

Each team is fund raising for a favourite charity. Garage owner Majinder Bachu, 43, of Parlaunt Road, Langley - who is chairing one of the teams - lost his dad to cancer. His wife Pardip has been helping him get ready for the trip. His friend Jag Sandhu, 51, of Farnham Lane, Farnham Royal, has run the Motor Discount Centre in London Road, Colnbrook since 1985. His wife Sandra recently beat cancer - the couple have two grown up children.

Father of four Billy Hoonjan, 60, of Whitby Road, Slough makes up the trio. He is a mechanic and has lost members of his

Majinder Bachu, Billy Hoonjan and Jag Sandhu

family to the disease.

The three are raising money for Cancer Research. They have been friends for decades and are motor racing fanatics - regulars at Brands Hatch where Mr Bachu is a steward.

The Slough team settled on Cancer Research as the ideal charity early on.

Mr Bachu said: "It is about looking to the future on a subject that can affect us all."

To support the three visit https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page /majinders-giving-page

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22 - 28 September 2018

Global politics: Some confusion, some clarity There is poetic justice that September 2018 marked the tenth anniversary of the International financial crisis ignited by the collapse of the New York investment bank, Lehman Brothers, setting off a chain reaction that derailed Western economies and jolted those of India and China and South East Asia. Asia recovered more quickly from the crisis than the West, and learned a few critical lessons in the process. Diversify your markets, increase the range of your products, and be better prepared for the next convulsion.

With the zany US President Donald Trump increasingly prone to tergiversations, it would be rash to speculate the possible pitfalls that await us. President Trump, a compulsive twitterer, is inclined to shoot first and leave the rest in the lap of the gods. Threats and sanctions are his métier. He has lately threatened to withdraw the US from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and impose a range of crippling tariffs on Chinese imports, with China promising to retaliate in kind.

The P:resident’s Rottweiler, National Security Advisor John Bolton has spoken of dire consequences to the International Criminal Court at the Hague should it accept and pass sentences on US soldiers found guilty of torture in Afghanistan, charge Israeli forces of human rights violations against Palestinian Arabs, or make similar accusations, against any of America’s other allies.

There were grave instances of proven covert US torture of Iraqi prisoners in Baghdad and in Poland, Romania and Guantanamo.

The implication of Bolton’s statement refracts an apartheid vision of global order. The lesser breeds without the law are to inhabit designated Bantustans, while the master race inherits the earth. The International Court, for its part, dismissed the bluster with the utmost contempt. The natives are clearly rebellious. Hallelujah!

Moving on to related matters of moment, the Russian Economic Summit in Vladivostok evoked a massive regional response. President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, Indian Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu, a deft hand on the subject, among others, were present, together with hordes of businessmen from across Eurasia in search of Siberia’s natural resources and Russia’s gigantic Far Eastern market. They are big game

hunters out for copious big bucks.

Within the a day or two, Russia and China had signed 73 mega-development projects worth $100 billion or more. China needs Russian oil and gas, Russia could well do with large scale Chinese investments. Similar considerations apply to Japan. President Putin offered Premier Abe an unconditional peace treaty to bring formal closure to the Second World War between their countries, their territorial problems to be sorted later.

The ball is in Japan’s court.

The backdrop to the occasion was the massive military exercise across six time zones, from the Ural Mountains to the farthest reaches of the Eurasian landmass. China and Mongolia were participants in the drill with appreciably smaller contingents. [The numbers involved appeared in an earlier edition of Asian Voice] NATO and the US (despites its 800 military bases worldwide) well understand the score of any untoward adventures.

The Indian presence, although lower key, carried a message of its own. President Putin will be arriving in New Delhi in October for the annual Indo-Russian summit with Prime Minister Modi. His External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was warmly welcomed in Moscow by her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. The Indian Minister then proceeded to discuss way and means of taking the the bilateral relationship forward with newly appointed Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov, who has special responsibility on Indian defence issues. Both sides are in for the long haul. The economic development of Siberia and the Russia’s far eastern expanse is of particular interest to India.

In a parallel move, Indian foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale travelled to Kabul for trilateral talks with Afghan and Iranian ministers and officials..Security issues were high on the agendas but meshed in with these was the strategic development of the Iranian port of Chabahar by India as a railway hub for western Afghanistan’s access to the sea, and also as an Indian hub for the transport of goods and services to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, the terminus of the Persian Gulf, and thence through a rail network to Armenia, Kazakhstan, Astrakhan, Moscow and Belarus. Mutual trust has been an enduring feature of the India, Russia relationship.

UK minister’s reassuring words on India Britain’s Minister for International Trade, Graham Stuart, was in New Delhi recently for a Global Mobility summit.

On its sidelines, he shared a few thoughts on his country’s relationship with India with a local reporter. Minister Stuart handled the first question on why his government had allowed a Khalistani demonstration in London, against the wishes of the Indian government with conspicuous aplomb: free speech, declared, was permissible if peaceful. Islamist peer Lord Ahmed is in constant fever over Khalistan and Kashmir. It matters not a whit.

Terrorism in any shape or form on Indian soil, on the

other hand, is met, will be met, with an iron fist, for as long as it is necessary. That has been made abundantly clear by India at the United Nations General Assembly and other international forums.

Graham Stuart denied perceived British indulgence towards Indian fugitives from justice such as Vijay Mallya, living the life of Riley, or others of similar ilk. The Minister denied any such indulgence, claiming that IndoBritish relations were just fine. ‘The number of Indian students to the UK last year grew 32 per cent to 15,400.

There is no cap on the number of Indian students coming to the IUK,’ he said - encouraging news without a doubt.

Indian cricket in indecent exposure The ills of Indian cricket were brutally exposed in the Test series in England, which the home side won convincingly 4-1. Like the curate’s egg, the Indian performance was good in parts. The results could have gone the other way, but they didn’t. If they had, the ills would have been guaranteed a longer life span. Beating Sri Lanka or Afghanistan was all very well, but proof of genuine pedigree comes with victories over heavyweights England, Australia and South Africa. Only the Australian tour remains to salvage lost hopes. India’s pace bowling and slip catching were praiseworthy, assets for the future.

Odd selections overall, skewed selections on the day, coupled with dismal batting by peddled stars - occasional glow worms at best - led to the abyss. Virat Kohli was the brilliant exception, the standout batsman of the series on either side. His captaincy, alas, was less exalted. The ritual bombast of head coach Ravi Shastri was pure music hall absurdity. Truth is that India’s batting was unfit for purpose, devoid of the quality and commitment at this level of the game.. The enduring embrace of mediocrity has long been the curse of Indian selection. Youthful talents in the wings await the pleasure of veterans unwilling to exit the stage when their day is clearly done.

Experience, murmur the gurus – as if this were an inherited gift, rather than an acquired byproduct of the playing field. Little purpose is served pointing fingers at individuals, since they were selected by avowed experts; they didn’t walk into the team of their own accord. The treatment of batsman Karun Nayar – selected for the tour and not given a game – was utterly disgraceful.

The Fifth and final Test at the Oval was both an inspiring and a saddening spectacle for Indian supporters: inspiring because of the dazzling stroke play of K.L Rahul and the panache and precocity of 20 year-old left hander Risabh Pant: saddening, because it brought home the pain of what might have been; of the plethora of avoidable errors – some truly gross - on and off the field that cost India dear. Mindsets, shot selection and much else of managerial speak were left to stew in the disappointment of collective defeat. England fully deserved their victory, for which they were largely indebted to 20-year-old Test debutant Sam Curran, superlative with both bat and ball; to the fantastic, record breaking James Anderson and the gentlemanly, ever popular Alastair Cook, who made his last bow, having adorned cricket grounds the world over for around 165 Test matches.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.

- Desmond Tutu

Lord Bhikhu Parekh

Anti-Semitism My Lords, during the past few weeks members of the Jewish community, including MPs and Peers, have been subjected on social media to the most abhorrent and abominable abuse. I condemn this abuse and express my sympathy with the Jewish community.

That community’s contribution to all areas of British life has been greater than that of any other and its members have been at the forefront of the struggle against racism. I cannot think of any piece of race legislation passed during the past 40 years that has not been the creation of a member of the Jewish community.

Like the noble Baroness who spoke a little earlier, I find it very puzzling that the Holocaust should have happened at all, in Europe, in a country which was highly civilised, only 80 years ago. As somebody who grew up in India, I find it very bewildering and puzzling, but there it is.

I would like to provide some balance, given that the Labour Party Benches are a little under-populated—partly as if there is a sense of guilt. But there is none and I suggest that the Labour leadership’s handling of the whole controversy could have been much more expeditious, much more public and much fairer.

There is no reason why the leader could not have written an article or given a major speech, in which he could have explained why he found the definition unacceptable. What prevented him from saying that?

In the absence of that, there were a few remarks here and there, and then a complete vacuum. I wish, therefore, that Labour had been more active, not just in making soundbites but in explaining more fully what the definition would not allow him to say.

Nobody is going to say that that definition, or any definition, is perfect—no definition is. In this particular case, in fact, the Home Affairs Committee report on anti-Semitism says that the definition needs to be changed and has made two amendments to it. The Labour leader was right to suggest that the definition should be changed, although not necessarily the amendment that he was proposing. However, not to have explained why was certainly unacceptable.

What worries me most, as a Labour Party supporter, is simply this: in the course of this controversy there has been an unfortunate polarisation between the Jewish community on the one hand and the Labour Party, or the left, on the other. That is most unfortunate.

It is unfortunate, first, for the Jewish community, because one day Labour will come to power, as I am sure it will; and, secondly, for those in the Labour Party who have close friends in the Jewish community and would not dream of anything happening to that community.

I therefore suggest that the time has come for both sides to stop polarising the issue and to develop friendship and trust in a spirit of mutual understanding and forgiveness. In the heat of the moment, both sides may have said things that they regret, and therefore the time has come for reconciliation.

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Plan to create Leicester's first Sikh faith secondary school Parents, governors and trustees at Leicester’s first Sikh faith school are hoping to build a new secondary school for older children.

The proposal is being put to the Department of Education by the academy trust behind Falcons Primary School, which opened in Gipsy Lane, near Humberstone, just under four years ago. An application is being made under the government’s Free Schools programme. If successful, the new Falcons Academy would become Leicester’s first Sikh faith secondary school.

Jasbir Mann, headteacher of Falcons Primary School said the idea is being endorsed and supported by parents, members of Akaal Education Trust, local Gurdwaras, councillors and MPs. She said: “Parents have been incredibly supportive of our school and are now keen to see a Sikh faith secondary school in Leicester. When we opened in October, 2014, we had just 34 children but now have more than 340 pupils and a full capacity of 420

pupils from across Leicester and Leicestershire. Setting up a secondary Sikh faith school has always been our aspiration but we wanted to establish ourselves first and build on the success of our primary school.”

Chair of Governors, aGurinder Singh Josan said: “Governors considered a number of options, including partnering with other schools or trusts but

decided unanimously to apply to open our own secondary school following in the steps of our successful primary school. Falcons Primary School has gone from strength to strength and the school achieved an outstanding judgement in our first Section 48 (faith schools) Ofsted inspection and a good judgement in our first Section 5 (academies) Ofsted inspection.”

He added: “The time is now right to build on the success of Falcons Primary with a Sikh faith 11-16 Academy in Leicester. If successful, we hope Falcons Academy will open to Year 7 students in September 2020.”

According to the 2011 census there are almost 15,000 Sikhs living in Leicester and a further 8,000 across the county. Falcons Primary’s roster, however, has 30 per cent of pupils who are not Sikh. A number of sites across the city have been identified as a possible locations for the proposed school. Deputy City Mayor, Councillor Piara Singh Clair, is also backing the project. He said: “The primary school has been a huge success and I’m sure the secondary school will be the same.

Leicester is such a diverse city and I support the aspirations of the Sikh community to have a faith school for 11 to 16-year-olds, which will be one that also welcomes and embraces children from other faiths. I will do all I can to help them achieve this.”

Judge sentences Leicester 'spiritual guru', 76, for sexual assaults on young women A self-proclaimed spiritual guru who sexually assaulted two young women has been jailed for three and a half years.

Mohanial Rajani, 76 , told the victims he was their God and they should sacrifice their minds and bodies to him. He touched the women inappropriately- on at least ten separate occasions each - during 'spiritual massage sessions', at a place of worship in Leicester and at his home in 2008. The pensioner also sexually assaulted one victim in 2008 and did the same to the other woman four years later, between 2012 and 2013.

Rajani, formerly of Silverdale Drive, Thurmaston, Leicester, admitted four counts of sexual

assault, representing a course of conduct. Passing sentence at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Robert Brown said: "They became followers of you when you were their guru. They attended for prayers. It was a gross breach of trust. Their parents were aware they were seeing you and they trusted you too.

"You told them (the victims) you were their God and when they prayed they should imagine you. You had the trust, loyalty and devotion of those girls and you took advantage of them for your own sexual pleasure. Both have suffered psychologically; they've been damaged. In mitigation it's said you've led a good life apart from this offending and

have done good work in your community.

The court heard that Rajani, who has no previous convictions, has since been ostracised by the community, that he had served for 40 years. He later moved to London.

One of his sons told the court that Rajani was a loving and devoted father and grandfather who always put other people first and was remorseful of his actions and the shame he had brought upon the family.

"Your son talked about you being a loving and caring father and grandfather, putting the needs of others before your own.

He said that you and your wife made sacrifices to look after his

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Mohanial Rajani

children when his own wife passed away. When these matters came to light your wife's health suffered and she sadly passed away - and you blame yourself for her death because of these offences. I'm told you're deeply remorseful and the community has effectively ostracised you."

in brief HUSBAND JAILED FOR CAUSING £46K DAMAGE AFTER DRIVING CAR INTO JOHN LEWIS STORE

A husband has been jailed after causing £46,000 worth of damage by crashing his wife’s car through the doors of a John Lewis store in Solihull. The bizarre moment was captured on CCTV as Shahzad Rafiq made an initial attempt to ram the doors before eventually driving right through them and into the empty shop. Rafiq got out and then caused more damage with a garden fork before he was detained in the Easter Sunday attack.

DAD CLAIMS SCHOOL 'HUMILIATED SON' BY ORDERING HIM TO GET HIS HAIR CUT DURING ASSEMBLY AN angry dad has claimed his son was 'humiliated' in front of classmates after being ordered to get his hair cut - on the first day back at school. Security worker Noor Nawab, from Saltley, says nine-year-old Adam was left humiliated after being singled out during assembly.

The 31-year-old has cut up rough over the fact that Adderley Primary issued the edict in front of the entire school. And he has accused teachers of double standards as Noor claims other pupils have locks just as long. Adam has not had a haircut for years, his dad admits, and it is now beyond shoulder length. Noor has vowed that Adam will not be visiting the barbers.

Honour for Wolverhampton businessman A well-known Wolverhampton businessman has been honoured by the city’s University. Sham Sharma, owner of Zuri Coffee, received an honorary fellowship from the University of Wolverhampton.

The award, presented at a graduation ceremony on Thursday, 13 September, was made in recognition of Sham’s contribution to the University, and support of current students through a number of prizes and awards.

He said he was “thrilled” to be receiving the award and to be sharing the special day with graduates.

Sham had some words of wisdom for the graduates: “Success is not often measured by how much money you have; it can be determined in other ways. Think of being successful. Don’t be afraid of criticism or failure, it’s part of learning curve and we never stop learning.

As you journey through life, be open-minded and collaborate with others.”

Sham Sharma came to

Sham Sharma

the UK in 1969, aged 12, and learnt English at secondary school. In 1977, he enrolled at the University of Aston to study sciences and started a clothing business while studying for his degree – by 1987, he had nine successful outlets.

In the following decade, he became a member of the City Council’s Education Committee and was inspired to train as a teacher. He started Sunitek, an IT company, in 1997 and the business grew year on year, becoming a major supplier of hardware and software to schools and colleges in Wolverhampton.

During 2011 Sunitek was

hit by the riots and the business took a downturn as it lost a lot of stock. But through hard work Sham was able to build the business up again.

In 2012, Sham became chair of Wolverhampton Forum. He sold Sunitek in 2014 after opening the popular Zuri Coffee, serving Indian inspired street food, in 2013. He joined the city’s Economic Growth Board in 2015 and was appointed director of the Wolverhampton Business Improvement District in 2016.

Following the success of Zuri, he plans to establish a chain of coffee shops.

Honorary awards are presented by the University of Wolverhampton to people who have made a significant contribution to their field of expertise.

The University’s graduation ceremonies take place at the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, from Thursday, 13 September to Friday, 21 September 2018.

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22 - 28 September 2018

Call for Indian community in the UK to support Organ Donation UK's South Asian community is being urged by peers and MPs to spread awareness about the positives of organ donation in the community. Lord Gadhia hosted an event in the Parliament on 12 September 2018 which was attended by a large cross-section of leaders from various community organisations. Also present was Jackie Doyle-Price MP, the Health Minister.

While organ donation is not prohibited among some South Asian communities it is still a rarity. A survey suggests that 959 Asians were waiting for an organ transplant in March 2018. Sixty nine Asians donated a live kidney in 2017/18 and thirty seven did so after death. Eighty nine people from BAME background died while waiting for an organ transplant in 2017/18.

People from Indian background (most of whom will be Hindus, Sikhs or Jains) had the highest rate of sign ups to the Organ Donor Register, compared to other BAME groups, in 2017/18.

Lord Jitesh Gadhia commended the Minister for Mental Health and Equalities as a great champion for promoting organ donation and actively engaging with diverse communities.

Speaking at the event, he said,

Lord Jitesh Gandhi’s addressing the audience in the Parliament about organ donation

“We have just had organ donation week and even more significantly we have recently had the publication of the Government’s response to the Public Consultation on Deemed Consent – which supports legislation, backed by wide cross-party support – to introduce a system of opting-out rather than opting-in.

“There is very strong international evidence that moving to an opt-out system increases organ donation over time. For example, Spain and Belgium have climbed international league tables to

become leaders in organ transplantation since they introduced deemed consent.”

The Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities, Jackie Doyle-Price said, “We know that there is an urgent need for more people from Hindu and Jain communities to support organ donation.

Donation is a gift, but we must do all we can to tackle taboos and encourage people to have the conversations with loved ones.

We know that religious leaders support this important cause,

yet organ donation rates from these communities remains low.

That’s why we have recently launched a new community scheme that will support local leaders in the Hindu and Jain communities to raise awareness of this issue. I encourage everyone to spread the word and I am grateful to Lord Gadhia for putting together such an excellent event.”

The selfless stories that were heard on the day from Swati Bhagat, a kidney donor to her mother and Sina and Jay Patel’s own experience of organ donation

through their son Aari, who passed away at the age of three, left a strong mark amongst community leaders and called for further action.

Kirit Modi, a kidney transplant recipient and Life VicePresident of the NKF, set the scene by highlighting the desperate need for more organ donors after death and living kidney donors from the Hindu and Jain communities. He said, ”The Government’s plan to introduce ‘deemed consent’ from 2020 in England provides a unique opportunity for Hindu and Jain community leaders to step up by taking the lead in promoting organ donation in their communities.

Hinduism and Jainism support organ donation and, by working in partnership with the Government and local hospitals, I am confident that we can make a significant contribution by increasing organ donors from our communities”.

Community leaders were invited to identify what actions they will take to increase organ donation within their community and make pledges. The aspiration of doubling the number of Hindu and Jain living kidney donors and donors after death was discussed at the meeting.

8 UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

www.asian-voice.com

22 - 28 September 2018

India and Brexit – On the ground feedback Speaking to dozens of Indian entrepreneurs – the real ones who have startups not the multi-nationals, the ones most likely to be affected by Brexit, the ones without political connections – this is what I found from my trip to Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad‌just a selection of comments: Of course the funniest were the ones questioning the intellect of the average Brexit voter.

My Indian guests found it hilarious how stupid the Brexiters could be. My guests from India were not shy or diplomatic in their language.

They then asked my views on a host of matters. Here is what I said, taking off my Government hat as UK Government Dealmaker representing the Department for International Trade.

Immigration

My view as a businessman, not in any Government role or statement, was that leaving the EU was about stopping unqualified immigrants to the UK from the EU. So surely that means more numbers from India.

That was just what logic told me. I did explain that does not mean open borders for India but the rules remain open for quality candidates.

Business

The whole point of Brexit I said was to

reduce red tape and make doing business easier. I will go by what Anand Mahendra said about it being good for Indian companies no longer being hampered by entering the UK market because of some regulation to protect, say, the Romanians from competition.

I explained in my experience Indian companies were coming to the UK not for the access to the EU alone, but ease of doing business and going global from Britain.

Access to EU

I explained I see it inconceivable that a bunch of capitalist free trading countries decide to suddenly become restrictive. It would be irrational. Britain does not have a union with America but both manage to trade openly.

Economy

I explained to the British Deputy High Commissioners and others that the windfall has been unexpected from the vote in some regards. The cost of borrowing for the British government has dropped to the lowest level ever. So it presents a great opportunity for the Government to borrow for 30 years fixed at zero percent cost and invest that money in infrastructure so we get a return on that investment.

Those were the top four questions and my answers to them.

Mayor of Redbridge’s charity festival raises nearly £2,500 The Mayor of Redbridge’s charity festival in Christchurch Park raised nearly £2,500 for her chosen charity. Hundreds of people turned out on Saturday (September 15) to enjoy all types of music from classical performances to Carribean steal drumming to raise money for ELHAP - the adventure playground in Woodford Green that is specially built for children and young people with disabilities. Performers on the day included: Chameli, Randip Rehinsi from London Entertainments and Bhangra dancers Jay and Barni.

Mayor of Bromley, Cllr Kim Botting, Mayor of Havering, Cllr Dillp Petel. Mayor of Redbridge, Cllr Debbie Kaur Thiara, Consort Cllr Mike Botting, Deputy Mayor of Redbridge, Cllr Taifur Rashid, Mayoress Redbridge, Sabrina Lakhan.

Marketing and Promotion Executive Exciting job opportunity in UK's leading media house

ABPL Group, publishers of Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar, the leading Asian newsweeklies from London, is looking for talented and energe c marke ng & promo on execu ve to expand reach of the publica ons in UK.

Requirement:

ÂŞ Excellent marketing and communications skills. ÂŞ Good market knowledge. ÂŞ Building relationship with retailers, distributors, business organization etc, promoting and seeking subscriptions. ÂŞ Preparing and delivering marketing plans within key objectives ÂŞ Involving key salesperson in producing the campaign for magazines and events, and reporting results once completed. ÂŞ Sourcing advertising opportunities for the publications and events organised by ABPL. ÂŞ Attending key events to manage ABPL booth. ÂŞ Monitoring competitor activity and generating leads for publication. ÂŞ Generating and executing marketing campaigns across social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin. ÂŞ Managing the production of marketing materials such as leaflets, flyers, posters, and newsletters. ÂŞ Prior experience in media industry will be an added advantage. Freshers can also apply.

Location: London

Reward Package: Attractive to commensurate with capability Apply with your full CV and covering Letter to: • ragini.nayak@abplgroup.com • Call: 0207 749 4080

Check us online @ WWW.ABPLGROUP.COM

Monty Panesar uses his MasterChef skills to cook for the homeless with GoDharmic Go Dharmic is thrilled to announce that English star cricketer and the Celebrity Masterchef 2018 participant Monty Panesar has teamed up with the charity to cook and serve food for the homeless.

Every Thursday in Central London a team of volunteers gathers to distribute food, drinks and a desert to the underprivileged from 5.30pm.

Often over 200 people line up to take receive the free meals.

Monty visited the Business Design Centre in Islington to help prepare the soup and joined the volunteers in serving the free vegetarian meals.

Go Dharmic is a volunteer movement for individual and social change founded by Monty’s childhood friend Hemal Randerwala. Who said ‘Over the last seven years, our platform supports people who want to come together to help people who need our help. The sole goal of the charity is to spread compassion through social action.’ Go Dharmic runs a number of social action campaigns among which is the shape a future campaign which has established 17 Libraries across India and Nepal in the most underprivileged schools.

Monty will be a sports Ambassador for Go Dharmic, encouraging more children to engage in sport whilst personally participating in the ‘feed people’ campaign.

The Business Design Centre in Islington has kindly been providing warm food for the distribution in conjunction with its catering

Monty Panesar, the former England spin bowler, is a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef

partner the Good Eating Company.

General Catering Manager, Liam Keating comments, “It’s great to support such an amazing charity doing work right here in London. I know providing hot food to Go Dharmic for their weekly distributions is greatly appreciated by those who receive it and is something we would love to see extended to our local borough.� “I’m delighted to be part of this project as it’s something that is close to my heart. After having some cooking experience on Masterchef, it changed my relationship with food and just made me appreciate it more. “Thousands of people go hungry across the UK every day and it’s easy for most of us to take hot foods for granted. Together with Go Dharmic, I’d like to show how important a hot meal and some compassion can be to someone’s wellbeing.� – Monty Panesar

Leading Asian businessman becomes first Indian to be awarded Royal Navy Honorary Commission A leading UK Asian businessman has become the first Indian-born recipient of the position of Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy.

The Navy’s first Indian Honorary Officer is Raj Aggarwal, a prominent Cardiff businessman who is India’s Honorary Consul in Wales.

The appointment, by Admiral Sir Philip Jones KCB, ADC, following approval by Her Majesty the Queen, means Raj is now granted the rank of Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy, equivalent to the rank of Major in the Army.

At Raj's investiture on Sunday 16th September was the Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns, head of the Royal Navy in Wales, Royal Marines Brigadier Graeme "Jock" Fraser, Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan Morfudd Meredith, HMS Cambria's CO Commander Steve Fry,

Raj Aggarwal

Cardiff's Lord Mayor Diane Rees, and representing the Indian Navy was Commodore Sameer Saxena.

Advertising Sales Executive Excellent Career in Media Sales

ABPL Group, publishers of Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar, the leading Asian newsweeklies, is seeking for an enthusias c and target oriented media sales representa ve.

Requirement:

ÂŞ A proactive approach in securing revenue through both face to face meetings and other mediums. ÂŞ Proper selection and prospecting of clients, with excellent communications skills. ÂŞ A track record of achieving targets and succeeding within a media sales environment. ÂŞ Committed team player with multitasking and leadership ability. ÂŞ Conduct follow-up meetings with clients ÂŞ Communicate with team on progress for ad sales ÂŞ Past experience in media sales will be an added advantage. Freshers can also apply.

Location: London

Reward Package: Attractive to commensurate with capability Apply with your full CV and covering Letter to:

• ragini.nayak@abplgroup.com

• Call:

0207 749 4080

Check us online @ WWW.ABPLGROUP.COM

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AsianVoiceNewsweekly

22 - 28 September 2018

auction

Commercial Auction 16th October 2018 To include 34 properties On the instructions of a Charitable Foundation Each of which is let to HSBC Bank PLC until 2023 (No Breaks) with annual rent reviews linked to RPI (Min 2.5%/Max 5.5% p.a.)

Guide Price £475,000+

Guide Price £375,000+

Guide Price £290,000+

Guide Price £525,000+

Upminster

Thirsk

Stourport-On-Severn

Retford

Let at £24,984.48 pa rising to £27,578.19 pa. in 2022.

Let at £37,147.97 pa rising to £41,004.41 pa. in 2022.

Let at £26,229.45 pa rising to £29,029.67 pa. in 2022.

Let at £52,598.90 pa rising to £58,059.34 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £475,000+

Guide Price £375,000+

Guide Price £265,000+

Guide Price £425,000+

Marlborough

Market Bosworth

Launceston

Guisborough

Let at £32,874.31 pa rising to £36,287.09 pa. in 2022.

Let at £29,586.88 pa rising to £32,658.38 pa. in 2022.

Let at £26,299.45 pa rising to £29,029.67 pa. in 2022.

Let at £46,024.04 pa rising to £50,801.93 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £400,000+

Guide Price £485,000+

Guide Price £275,000+

Guide Price £220,000+

Malvern

Gosport

Frome

Eastwood

Let at £34,846.77 pa rising to £38,464.31 pa. in 2022.

Let at £49,968.96 pa rising to £55,156.38 pa. in 2022.

Let at £23,012.02 pa rising to £25,400.96 pa. in 2022.

Let at £19,724.59 pa rising to £21,772.26 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £460,000+

Guide Price £340,000+

Guide Price £400,000+

Guide Price £350,000+

Dereham

Chepstow

Bridport

Bridgnorth

Let at £43,394.09 pa rising to £47,898.85p.a. in 2022.

Let at £26,299.45 pa rising to £29,029.67 pa. in 2022.

Let at £39,449.18 pa rising to £43,544.51 pa. in 2022.

Let at £30,244.37 pa rising to £33,384.13 pa. in 2022.

Ashton-Under-Lyne

Diss

Runcorn

St Austell

Let at £15,779.67 pa rising to £17,417.79 pa in 2022.

Guide Price £175,000+

Let at £40,764.15 pa rising to £44,995.99 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £425,000+

Let at £26,299.45 pa rising to £29,029.67 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £250,000+

Let at £36,161.74 pa rising to £39,915.79 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £350,000+

Warwick

Northwich

Windermere

Whitchurch

Let at £59,173.76 pa rising to £65,316.76 pa in 2022.

Guide Price £725,000+

Let at £24,326.99 pa rising to £26,852.45 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £260,000+

Barrow-In-Furness

Penzance

Let at £23,012.02 pa rising to £25,400.96 pa in 2022.

Guide Price £270,000+

Let at £16,437.16 pa rising to £18,143.55 pa in 2022.

Guide Price £175,000+

Let at £26,299.45 pa rising to £29,029.67 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £240,000+

Let at £39,449.18 pa rising to £43,544.41 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £425,000+

Workington

Wisbech

Beccles

Pontefract

Let at £43,394.09 pa rising to £47,898.96 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £450,000+

Let at £36,161.74 pa rising to £39,915.79 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £375,000+

Let at £39,499.18 pa rising to £43,544.51 pa in 2022. £380,000+

Let at £24,326.99 pa rising to £26,852.45 pa in 2022.

Guide Price £250,000+

Wellington (Shropshire)

Settle

Brecon

Prescot

Let at £32,874.31 pa rising to £36,287.09 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £310,000+

Let at £36,161.74 pa rising to £39,915.79 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £325,000+

Let at £59,173.76 pa rising to £65,316.76 pa in 2022.

Guide Price £575,000+

Let at £21,368.18 pa rising to £23,586.50 pa. in 2022.

Guide Price £260,000+

Auction sale:

Tuesday 16th October 2018 The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RL Telephone: 020 7543 6803 For EPC ratings, refer to website

JULY SALE - £87.6M raised - 80% sold

Bid in person

Bid online

Bid by phone

Bid by proxy

1. Where a guide price (or range of prices) is given, that guide is the minimum price at which, or range of prices within which, the seller might be prepared to sell on the date at which the guide price, or range of prices, is published. 2. The reserve price is the minimum price at which the property can be sold. 3. Both the guide price and the reserve price may be subject to change up to and including the day of the auction.

online auction catalogue: www.allsop.co.uk START TIME: 10.30 am

9

10 READERS VOICE

AsianVoiceNews

22 - 28 September 2018

Standing up for our Jewish friends As a Councillor in a predominately Jewish constituency, I very much welcome Lord Dolar Popat’s debate in the House of Lords last week to examine what steps the Government is taking to reassure the Jewish community over the impact of anti-Semitism in the UK. Lord Popat rightly mentioned that anti-Semitism is an issue relevant for all faiths and communities. The perception that anti-Semitism is solely a Jewish problem is wrong and misleading. Our society has no place for hatred or prejudice of any kind. Given the many commonalities that the British Indian and Jewish communities share, we should therefore stand up for our Jewish friends at their time of need to counter this injustice.

Last week’s debate which included a number of prominent speakers including the former Chief Rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks and Lord Alan Sugar was a timely reminder of the dangers of staying silent in the face of bigotry. After all prejudice knows no bounds; if it’s the Jews today – tomorrow it can be us.

Councillor Abhishek Sachdev Hertsmere

Friendship appreciated As a trustee of the Indian Jewish Association, it is heartening to see the lead played by Lord Popat, Dr Rami Ranger and the Indian community in combating anti-Semitism (“Standing shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish friends”).

Showing support and solidarity with the Jewish community at this worrying time is much appreciated. Levels of anti-Semitic incidents are on the rise. CST’s most recent annual report showed a total of 1,382 recorded anti-Semitic incidents in 2017, a 3% increase from 2016; and these are just the reported incidents.

Whereas fifty years ago, nearly all anti-Jewish prejudice care from the far right, it now comes from three sources: farright, new left and extremist Muslims. The growth of the internet provide a new way for spreading and disseminating hateful ideas.

Disturbingly, anti-Semitic ideas and language have found a welcome home in today’s Labour Party, from grassroots up to and including the leadership. Of course, criticism of the state of Israel is not always anti-Semitic, but too often attacking the only Jewish nation, masks deep prejudices and is hateful.

Anyone who says anti-Semitism is not real or exaggerated, should come to my synagogue or my daughters’ Jewish school where they ill find security guards on the gate. At times like these, you can count on true friends.

The Jewish and Indian communities share a special bond and the support shown by the Indian community at this anxious time is deeply appreciated.

Zaki Cooper Trustee, Indian Jewish Association

Double whammy At the time of writing last week, mother earth was being battered at its two extreme corners: The Philippines in the east, and California in the West.

Two monstrous storms, half a world apart, were causing havoc and disasters to its different parts, one a rich and prosperous country, the other not so rich.

One typhoon called Florence was lashing the east coast of the US while other named Mangkhut was threatening Hong Kong and surrounding areas.

The havoc caused by the heavy rains in the wake of, and in accompaniment of, Hurricane Florence has brought America, the world’s most powerful nation, to its knees. \ The incredible sight of the east coast of America submerged in deep waters makes you wonder how helpless man is against the wrath of nature.

But it has to be said, the culprit is man himself. These floods and earlier tsunamis, mudslides are Mother Nature’s cry for help in retaliation to the flogging we humans subject her to.

I would like to reiterate here what I have said before in this column – stop belching out poisonous gases in the atmosphere or else our posterity will have no earth to live on.

So what could be done to prevent such disasters from happening again? It is time for governments to do more to protect the environment.

This could be achieved by reducing global warming and conserving ecological balance by avoiding the depletion of natural resources like trees and forests – by creating sustainability.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit.

Please keep contributing as always.

If you are new, then write to Rupanjana at rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com - AV

Acid attacks: the worst kind of human depravity Acid attacks are recent phenomenon, imported from overseas where it is used against innocent women, mainly in divorce cases where husbands do not want divorce, makes sure if he could not have her, no one will. Although it is ominous to British culture, it is spreading like wild fire, especially in East London, as it is much easier to obtain corrosive substance than guns.

Here in Britain, such attacks are used for variety of purposes, in gang warfare, to settle personal score, vendetta and on hard working pizza delivery boys, to rob them of whatever small amount of money they may be carrying. It is so easy to steal scooter, to use in such attacks and then get rid of it, even dumping it in a canal or setting it on fire to destroy DNA evidence.

Some fifteen cases, fatalism, are reported every week and on the rise. But now, as diligent Home Secretary Sajid Javid has taken personal charge, giving police power in the proposed new laws, to search anyone suspected of carrying corrosive substance without valid reason, will hopefully turn the tide and spare the victims, especially young women, a fate worse than death, so often disfiguring their faces beyond belief, making them outcast, unable and unwilling to participate in social life. Their unbridled exhilaration extinguished for ever. The Home Secretary will now open public debate and seek our views before finalizing the laws and putting them before Parliament. It is the right time to tackle this heinous, evil crime before it becomes habituated, destroying families.

One reason for epidemic of such crimes that include use of guns and knives, may be the reduction of “Stop and Search” actions in England and Wales which have gone down from 1:5 million to just under 305,000 between 2008 to 2017, mainly due to pressure put on police not to stop any one unless they have solid evidence, as some section of the society feel they are made the scapegoat, unduly targeted, singled out by the police.

The Home Secretary will have to walk tight-rope, while giving police more power but at the same time not to upset or lose the confidence of ethnic minorities who are not only the victims but also perpetrators on many occasions. This den of inequality must be nipped in the bud, testing our resolves in time of adversity. But doing nothing, sitting on the fence is not the answer. Home Secretary must tackle the bull by the horn and make our streets safe for law abiding citizens.

Kumudini Valambia By email

Royal crusade for deprived children The gap in living standard between “Rich and Poor, Have and Have Not” is widening faster than ever since Victorian time.

We all talk, paying lip service but very few of the leading lights, influential people are willing to get involved, help these unfortunate ostracize families and their children to exploit their potential, being expedient and come out of the rot to lead a normal life, enjoying benefits of this modern day Britain that most of us take for granted. Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, to her credit, is willing, able and ready to tackle this thorny issue which will take considerable of her time, especially when she has to raise three little children of her own and perform other royal duties. She will have to walk a tight rope, as she may be mocked, even ridiculed by certain section of the society, especially anti royals, as coming from a privileged background with little realization of how the poor and the deprived live at the bottom of the financial, social and educational ladder.

The subject matter is politically fraught, need careful handling, as some blame budget cuts while others put the onus on broken Britain, even on parents and the society as a whole. Kate has realized that this is as serious an issue as climate change and polluting our oceans with plastic waste.

She will launch her initiatives in the New Year, with help and active participation of leading and knowledgeable personalities in the field of Mental Health, Social Environment, Child Poverty, Education and related matters. It is in the best interest of the nation if these children are rescued, supported with mental, emotional, financial and educational needs from an early age; they could become an asset rather than a drain on the society in their adult life, drawing from the pool of ancient wisdom and spiritual awareness that has helped this nation in time of adversity.

Britain is indeed blessed with talent in every walk of life.

Let us hope that this will encourage other leading, influential, rich and famous personalities, in sports, entertainment, media, culinary, fashion and press, like Madonna, Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, Helen Mirren, Joanna Lumley, J. R. Rowling, Paula Radcliffe, Delia Smith, Nigella Lawson and many more who could contribute and be an asset to this noble cause undertaken by Duchess of Cambridge. Perhaps the biggest help could come from the government if it shows the courage, conscience and prudence to divert tiny amount from ever bulging “Overseas Aid” for this noble cause to eradicate den of inequality, in a game changing crusade for the deprived children.

Bhupendra M. Gandhi By email

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UK

Former Harrow Council officer jailed for £100,000 benefit fraud A former council employee has been imprisoned for three years for stealing more than £100,000 in benefits.

Sancho Jayaratnam, aged 58 from Milner Court in Bushey, was caught redhanded in a joint effort by police and Harrow Council committing multiple acts of fraud. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by abuse of position at Harrow Crown Court, on August 9.

Jayaratnam, a former benefit assessor for the

council, worked with accomplices to create bogus payments from customer claims siphoning them directly into his collaborators bank accounts.

Morosan pleaded guilty to the same charge receiving an 18-month suspended sentence and 100 hours community service. He claims he was coerced by a criminal gang were given short shrift by the judge, who dismissed his story as fantasy and said he must return the cash he stole or face further jail time.

Harrow councillor 'honoured' to receive freedom of City

A councillor said it was an “honour” and a “pleasure” to receive the Freedom of the City of London.

Conservative councillor for Harrow Weald, Ramji Chauhan, was presented with the award on September 6.

Cllr Chauhan was joined by his friends and family at the Chamberlain’s Court at Guildhall for the Freedom ceremony presented by the clerk of the court, Murray Craig.

The Harrow Weald

councillor was given a copy of the “freedom” parchment inscribed with his name, together with a copy of the “Rules for the Conduct of Life”, which date from the mid-18th century. The clerk, Mr Craig, then extended the right hand of fellowship to Cllr Chauhan and greeted him as a “citizen of London”.

Cllr Chauhan told the Harrow Times it was a “honour and a pleasure” to receive the tribute.

Speeding killer driver jailed after fleeing city crash scene where friend lay dying A teenage driver fled has been jailed after crashing into a van while on the wrong side of the road in Birmingham - killing one of his passengers.

Hammad Amin had earlier hit speeds in excess of 80mph in residential areas after failing to stop for police who were alerted that the VW Golf he was driving was stolen.

After an initial pursuit through Sheldon the then 17-year-old went through a red light and nearly hit a pedestrian.

He went towards oncoming traffic along Coventry Road and forced other vehicles to take evasive action although he struck a taxi on his way through.

In the interest of public safety, the pursuit was abandoned.

The Golf was then spotted on the A4040 Church Road where it mounted the central reservation to get away from police.

The car went the wrong way down the dual

carriageway where it then hit a Mercedes Sprinter van.

Amin ran off in an attempt to flee the scene but he was promptly arrested in a nearby park.

A 17-year-old passenger who was in the back of the car suffered a serious head injury, and sadly died soon after.

Amin pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced to six years in a young offenders institute at Birmingham Crown Court.

Amin, who is now aged 18 and of Coventry Road, Small Heath, was also banned from the road for eight years.

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EDUCATION

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

11

22 - 28 September 2018

Grammar schools are state Further education college finances face double whammy sponsored segregation Grammar schools are a form of “state sponsored segregation”, the Lib Dem education spokesman has said.

Layla Moran told Lib Dem activists that grammar schools did ‘’nothing to drive social mobility’’ and that they were a ‘’waste of money’’.

In a blistering attack on the Government’s education policy, the Oxford West and Abingdon MP also called for the abolition of Ofsted, an overhaul of league tables and primary school exams and a pay rise for teachers.

Ms Moran, speaking at the Lib Dem conference, said: “It says everything that only 3% of children on free school meals go to grammars. How, when we know they do nothing to drive social mobility, does the Government push them to expand? What a waste of money.

“How, when we know families spend thousands of pounds on private tutoring to pass the 11+ can the Government claim that they are accessible to all?”

She added: “So what I do want to do – what I would like to see us do as a party, hand in hand with the communities that this affects –

Layla Moran, Liberal Democrats education spokesperson, delivers a speech at the party's Autumn Conference in Brighton

is take on the harmful, antiquated tradition of the 11+ exams and indeed all barriers to entry in the state system.

“I’m especially talking about those areas where families have no choice whatsoever about taking the exams. Where creaming off the middle classes is demonstrably stifling social mobility for those worse off.

“In those areas, grammar schools are in effect state sponsored segregation.

It is wrong and it needs to stop.”

Ms Moran also accused the Tories of allowing “educational purging”, she said: “It beggars belief that we insist on continuing to pub-

lish league tables which cultivate a damaging system where schools compete so ferociously that they forget their true purpose: to improve education for all.

“Low performing pupils from poorer families were scrubbed from the roster to make the school look better, following a policy encouraged by the Government.

“Theresa May is literally scrubbing out those children’s futures. I call this educational purging. And it is a disgrace.”

Ms Moran, speaking to a packed conference hall, ended by calling on Lib Dems to support her “radical” vision for education reform.

Cross-party MPs call on government to take ‘urgent action’ to stop nursery closures A cross-party group of 71 MPs has called on the government to take “urgent action” in protecting funding for state-run nursery schools, warning that many could face closure.

The MPs – including 12 Conservatives – have signed a letter calling for the funding of almost 400 maintained nursery schools across England to be safeguarded beyond 2020.

Nursery schools provide specialist support to the most vulnerable children – including those with special educational needs and disabilities, the letter to education and treasury ministers says.

“We call on you to continue providing the resources they need for that vital role, and to recognise the urgency of doing so now,” the MPs say.

Among the signatories is MP Robert Halfon, Tory chair of the education select committee, as well as ministerial aide Craig Tracey, and former ministers Tim Loughton and Dan Poulter.

Since 2016, the government has committed to supplementary funding of around £59m a year for nursery schools – but this is only guaranteed until 2019.

MPs are calling for a commitment to funding past 2020, warning that “warm words will not pay the bills”. They say a loss of this funding would repre-

sent a 31 per cent cut to the nurseries budget.

“With many maintained nursery schools at risk of closure, a long term funding solution is now urgent and cannot await the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review,” the letter says.

It adds: “Over the last few years, most maintained nursery schools have already undertaken extensive efficiency savings including restructuring and making staff redundant. The ability of maintained nursery schools to provide the exceptional quality of teaching, leadership and support for vulnerable children and families is being seriously undermined.”

Former shadow educations secretary Lucy Powell, who co-ordinated the letter as chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on nursery schools, said: “If the government isn’t careful, many nursery schools will close by stealth waiting for

help that many never come.

“They cannot wait for the spending review. We need action now to safeguard their future in the short term, whilst a long term fix is found so these schools can thrive and grow.”

Tracy Brabin MP, shadow early years minister, said: “Maintained nurseries do extraordinary work closing the gap between the most disadvantaged children and their peers, often in areas of deprivation and with particular expertise in supporting children with special educational needs or disabilities.

“Only this week, I have heard from nursery heads who have been told their schools will have to bake cakes or take in laundry to make ends meet. This is deeply shortsighted.

“To close the disadvantage gap you need quality teaching in the early years and the government needs to act to safeguard it.”

Amid rising concern about the numbers of further education colleges needing emergency government bailouts, new analysis shows how far their budgets have been squeezed.

The money allocated for 16 to 18-year-old college students has dropped 8% since 2010, says a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Last year £57m of emergency funding was provided to help colleges in England.

Ministers say they will protect further education until 2019-20 in cash terms.

Luke Sibieta, co-author of the report, said further education colleges had been left doubly exposed by the drop in 16-to-18 funding coinciding with a huge fall in over-19s taking courses and a consequent reduction in income from the government.

"All parts of an FE college's business have seen

cuts in funding, both 16 to 18 and adults," he said. "It's very hard to deliver a high quality of education with dwindling resources."

Funding for the same age group in sixth forms has fallen by 20% in real terms, but from a higher base. The financial position of some colleges is so weak that the government has had to step in to keep them afloat.

Notably, Hull College Group announced significant job losses after racking up a £10m debt. It received £21m in the last academic year in exceptional support from the government's Education and Skills Funding Agency.

The University and College Union says between 2010 and 2017 more than 23,000 posts have been lost in FE colleges in England, amounting to a third of the teaching staff overall.

UCU general secretary

Sally Hunt called the situation completely unsustainable.

"If the government really wants to ensure that everyone can access the skills they need to get on in life, it must urgently invest in further education institutions and their staff," she said.

Colleges and unions are expected to launch a funding campaign this autumn.

The pressure on colleges could gain further political prominence through a review set up by the government to look at funding after the age of 18.

The government's main hope for the review is to help find a political solution to the university tuitionfees debate. But in a recent speech, Philip Augar, the former banker leading the review, said the big issue was the skills gap, "mainly at the technical level".

Fresh call for smacking to be outlawed in the home Smacking is harmful to children's mental health and should be banned, school psychologists say.

The Association of Educational Psychologists has tabled a motion to the TUC Conference calling for physical punishment to be outlawed.

Presently, although corporal punishment is banned in schools, parents can "smack" or physically chastise a child as long as it is deemed "reasonable".

Psychologists say there are many better ways of teaching right from wrong.

Member of the AEP national executive committee, John Drewicz, will tell the conference in Manchester: "Smacking is harmful to a child's mental health, it models aggressive behaviour and it says to them that it is OK to use violence." The motion also notes that the Welsh gov-

ernment is taking steps towards removing the defence of reasonable chastisement for parents.

But some campaigners have argued that parents would be criminalised if a smacking ban were to be passed.

Psychologists cite research suggesting that when force is used by parents, there are changes in

their brain activity which mean the degree of force used on the child can escalate. They argue that physical chastisement also leads to a lower quality of parent-child relationship, poorer mental health in childhood and adulthood, as well as higher levels of aggression in the child and more anti-social behaviour.

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SCRUTATOR’S The deepening concern over the parlous state of Kolkata’s bridges shows no sign of abating. Poor maintenance and neglect, studied deafness to dire warnings from experts, have been pinpointed as the principal causes of the recent disaster in which a key bridge collapsed, leading to the loss of life and destruction of property, not to speak of the severe disruption of traffic in goods and services all the way to the Hooghly estuary port of Diamond Harbour, and the shipping thereof in the Bay of Bengal.

companies added 24,047 numbers to their workforce in the first quarter of the current fiscal [AprilJune], compared to the 13,772 additions during the entire previous fiscal, leading experts to conclude that the industry is on track to record its highest growth in three years.

Star performers This turnaround has been led by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Cognizant, Technology Solutions Corp, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies. One reason behind this buoyancy is Fortune1000 companies using data analytics platforms offered by IT vendors to contribute significant efficiency to their clients’ companies. ‘For all the five companies, digital is now a fourth of total revenue…the heartening thing is that quality of revenue is improving,’ said an IT executive (Mint September 12).

warplanes at the stipulated prices.

The quality and numbers of the aircraft were badly needed, as the IAF squadrons were down to 31 as compared with the 42 required and approved by the government in any possible two-front conflict with Pakistan and China. The Air Chief Marshal affirmed that the Rafale and Russia’s five S-400 Trumf defence shields will plug the IAF’s overall capability (Hindu, Times of India,, Mint September 13).

Defence Minister puts it straight In an interview with Rajat Pandit, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ruled out talks with Pakistan’s new government headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, until it took steps to bring the jihadi terrorists responsible

Director, Tata Power. The company has executed the world’s largest rooftop at a single location and India’s largest carport at Cochin International Airport (Business Line September 12).

New procurement policy for farmers Government has announced a Rs 15,053 crore scheme to ensure that farmers growing oilseeds, pulses and copra get the minimum support prices for the yearly production of their crops. Apart from the financial two-year guarantee, the Cabinet approved an additional government credit guarantee of Rsa16,550 crore for agencies undertaking procurements. The government stated minimum support prices for 23 crops every year. About onethird of the harvest of the two

Missile tracking ship ready for trials Collapsed Kolkata bridge

The wakeup call appears to have energized the PWD minister and bureaucrats and the Bengal State government generally, with festive season closing in and election vote banks to consider. The can-do spirit found its truest expression in the local gurdwara, where volunteers provided free meals to members of the larger community in keeping with the noblest tradition of the Sikh faith.

Newspapers found no space for reports of such social service even as their pages bulge with junk; and press freedom reduced to rancid cliché.

Rajan’s warning Dr Raghuram Rajan, one of the world’s foremost banking experts, whose prediction of a global financial crisis proved correct with the collapse of Lehman Brothers in the United States in 2008, served for a time as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. Now back to his University of Chicago

primarily a referee and not a player.

Recommendation As such Government should refrain from setting ambitious credit targets and waiving loans; the pressing need is an empowered institution to clean up banks. The background to such concern may be the continuing decline in value (by 24 per cent) of the rupee, which is likely to affect investor confidence. Press editorials advised the government to heed Professor Rajan’s warnings (Hindu, Business Line, Times of India, Mint September 12, 13).

Nizam Museum theft solved Hyderabad police, acting on a tipp-off arrested two history students, Mohammed Ghouse Pasha, 23, and his relative Mohammed Muheen, 24, and recovered the stolen antiques, including a gold tiffen box inlaid with diamonds and rubies weighing 950 grams. Numerous other priceless artefacts, part of the haul, were recovered. The two thieves had hidden the collection in a well near their house. Fifteen police teams worked on the case since the theft on September 2 (Hindu September 12).

Built by the state owned Hindustan Shipyard Ltd at Visakhapatnam, India’s first missile tracking ship is shortly to undergo sea trials, following which it will be inducted into the Indian Navy - expected to be at the end of the year. Considered a ‘topmost secret project’, which cost Rs 750 crore, it contains state-of-the art technologies and weapon systems, surveillancd and communications equipment available only to a select club of countries. The ship, still to be formally named, will be manned a 300 crew of officers and ratings (Hindu September 12).

Tejas mid-air refueling tested India’s first indigenous warplane Tejas, has successfully tested its mid-air refueling capability of 1,900 kg from an IAF IL-78 tanker.

The exercise was carried out at a an altitude of 20, 000 ft. With this test, India joins the select group of powers with this capability. The entire exercise was closely monitored in every aspect of flight performance. Wing Commander Siddharth Singh piloted the plane, which thus took a significant step forward for its Full Operations Clearance certificate for combat readiness in the Indian Air Force (Business Line September 11).

Air chief supports Rafale deal

Jihadi fugitive snared

Raghuram Rajan

redoubt, Professor Rajan has issued a dire warning to the Indian authorities of a crisis in the making arising from the profligacy of ill-considered bank loans to the unorganized micro and small businesses. He pinpointed over optimism of promoters and banks, growth slowdown, delay in statutory approvals, loss of interest in delayed projects, malfeasance among bankers and frauds. In this context, he averred that the Reserve Bank of India is

A special anti-terrorist unit of the police arrested two N.P. Noshu alias Rasheed alias Mankavu Rasheed, 44. A one-time resident in the Koshikode district of Kerala, Rasheed had absconded for 20 years as the primer suspect in the serial bomb blasts in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on February 14, 1998, which killed 50 people and injured over 250.

Rasheed was living in Qatar.

Detectives arrested him on his arrival in Chennai on the flight from the Gulf kingdom (Hindu September 12).

Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa has come out strongly in favour of the government’s decision to acquire 36 French Rafale

for the attack on Mumbai on November 26, 2008 to book. She said she had made India’s position on the export of jihadi terrorism clear in the 2+2 talks she and Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj had had with her US counterpart General James Mattis and his colleague Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New Delhi, who well understood India’s position. In all other aspects, with the national interests of both parties intact.

Defending Rafale deal The Minister also defended the Rafale deal with France, was scornfully dismissive of Congress party charges of malfeasance.

Rajat Pandit could have posed the issue of the IAFR’s dwindling combat squadrons, and of the Russian offer of its latest MiG-35 with full technology transfer, but tactfully avoided the subject, presumably because the planes were Russian and not American his newspaper’s long held preference (Times of India September 13).

Tata’s solar retail push

IT bounce back India’s top five software

External Affairs Minister Sushma, Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defence Secretary General James Mattis at the 2+2 talks in New Delhi

B.S. Danhoa

Tata Power has taken its solar retail business to the next level with the launch of a comprehensive residential rooftop solution in Delhi and Mumbai.

Tata Power Solar, the subsidiary of Tata Power, affirmed that its solar solution can help consumers save Rs 50,000 annually over 25 years. ‘There is huge potential to scale it up and being the number one player in this segment. Tata Power Solar is taking this solution to the next level,’ said Praveer Sinha, CEO and Managing

main food-grains of wheat and rice are at the minimum support price for sale in ration shops.

(Hindu, Business Line, Times of India September 13).

Retail inflation, Rupee rallies Retail inflation in August eased to 3.69 per cent, driven by cheaper food product prices such as fruits and vegetables, eggs, pulses, sugar and confectionery items, fell below the Reserve Bank of India’s target of 4 per cent. The Rupee rallied on hints of steps to curb volatility, and by the US invitation to China for talks on their differences on economic issues, most notably tariffs (Hindu September 13) Kofi Annan dies Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General died in a Swiss hospital last week, aged 80. Mr Annan commanded immense respect with Former UN Secretary his dignified General Kofi Annan bearing and courteous speech. He was first person from Sub-Saharan Africa to hold this prestigious post and made a distinctive contribution to the UN’s efforts at conflict resolution across continents. His natural aptitude for conciliation was a feature of his diplomacy. Mr Annan’s body was flown to his native Ghana for a state funeral.

Conducted by the country’s Archbishop.

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Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis come together to honour Home Secretary Sajid Javid A brainchild of business tycoon Dr Rami Ranger, co-chair of the Conservative Friends of India (CFI) who was joined by his counterparts

Home Secretary Sajid Javid with Dr Rami Ranger and Cllr Reena Ranger along with other guests (Pic courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, PrMediapix)

Rupanjana Dutta

er to celebrate the appointment of the first-ever Asian Indian, Pakistani and to such a senior cabinet post Bangladeshi groups came and applaud Asian success as together on a rare occasion well as unity between to celebrate current Home Indians, Pakistanis and Secretary Sajid Javid’s Bangladeshis in this counappointment.

The try.”

Conservative Friends of Bajloor Rashid urged the India, Pakistan and minister to look into the criBangladesh organised a spesis faced by Britain's curry cial evening on Thursday industry also said that 13th September at the Javid’s appointment made an Asian Prime Minister in Britain a possibility.

He spoke about a shift of votes in the Bangladeshi community and said, “Traditionally, the Labour party was seen as the natural home for Asians but that trend has changed as more and more Asians turn towards the Flags of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh on each table repreConservative party. So, senting the communities in the UK watch this space.” honouring Sajid Javid (Pic courtesy: About the curry criRaj D Bakrania, PrMediapix) sis he added, “We are struggling to recruit the Sheraton Grand, Park Lane. right staff but there has The evening started been no hint of policy with a greet and meet folchange from the govlowed by a sit down dinner. ernment. We finally Brainchild of Britain’s have a louder voice in renowned entrepreneur Dr Parliament.”

Rami Ranger, the evening Tory party chair Sajid Javid celebrating wife Laura’s birthday with mother on the stage by cutting Brandon Lewis categorsymbolised the ‘united a cake India’ that his dead father ically stated that the had envisioned. Dr Ranger, aim was to ensure that the co-chair of the the Labour leader Jeremy Speaking at the event Sajid and his siblings. His Conservative Friends of Corbyn was in no way electJavid attributed his success appointment as the Home India (CFI) was joined by his ed as the future Prime to his parents who raised Secretary came right after counterparts – Bestway's him to be what he is today.

Amber Rudd’s resignation, Minister. Urging the comChief Executive, Zameer Saluting the efforts of the when the Windrush scandal munities present in the Choudrey from the organisers he said, “This is a broke. room, he said, “We need Conservative Friends of Rami Ranger commendmembers from your comfine example of all our comPakistan (CFP) and ing the many key conservamunity to ensure that munities working together Bangladeshi-born British tive party members and MPs Jeremy Corbyn never gets as the very best of friends. restaurateur and philansaid, “We have come togeththe key to Downing Street.”

We are bigger than the culthropist Bajloor Rashid from the Conservative Friends of Bangladesh (CFB).

The event was compered

by Cllr Reena Ranger.

It was also the birthday of Minister Javid’s wife Laura, and it was celebrated with a cake-cutting ceremony, which was organised by the host. Javid was joined by his brothers, children and mother.

tural heritage we represent.

We are a core part of the country's offering and an indispensable asset to British society."

Javid, is the son of a Pakistani bus driver who migrated to Britain in the 1960s and was named ‘Mr Night and Day’ for the incredible hard work he had put in at various jobs all day and night long, to bring up

22 - 28 September 2018

UK

13

Do not send your business to the wood chipper Many years ago I was referred to a new client who owned a wood merchants business in the North of England. His sales manager had just walked out taking with him half of the major contracts and the owner was blaming everyone for the business failing including the current accountant.

The company had gone from turning over £1 million a year down to £650,000. My client was James Backhouse also struggling for cash and could not pay his suppliers on time which was having an impact on his ability to supply his customers, leading to him losing further orders.

I was introduced to him as I acted for a friend of his, who could not understand why his old accountant was only producing the accounts and was not helping him in his time of need.

We had a meeting in his office. Before the meeting I had analysed his accounts and management information. I asked him a simple question, “Why is your business struggling?. He said it was simple, the sales guy had left and taken over half the business.

I then asked him if that was why they have no cash in the business? He gave the same reason. I proceeded to ask him who did the chasing for money that was owed? He said the sales manager used to do it but now everyone was paying their invoices on time. As the business was smaller he did not believe that he needed to chase the outstanding invoices .

I then showed him the management information, and the actual reason he had no money in his business. It was very simple, the reason was the sales manager had left and no one was now doing the credit control.

Before the sales manager had left invoices were being paid by customers in 30 days. Now that no one was chasing clients they were taking 75 days to pay. However the company was not getting any additional credit from its suppliers. This meant they had to fund an extra 45 days of credit.

Within 2 days of the meeting I had a factoring company meet the client and refinance the business by buying the companies debts. This then injected the cash back into the business. This client now has a very profitable company.

Your accountant should be your first port of call if you are having cash flow issues. The answer is not always increasing the overdraft or taking out a loan.

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Labour wants ban on foetus Theresa May hints EU, non-EU gender tests to counter South nationals to face similar postAsian gender bias Brexit immigration rules The Labour Party on Monday called for a ban on sex determination tests for pregnant women to counter a gender bias amongst South Asian communities in favour of male babies. Indian-origin Labour MP Tan Dhesi said gender determination tests during pregnancies should be controlled to ensure the "social evil" of aborting female foetuses can be kept in check in Britain.

Britain’s first turbaned Sikh MP said: “Communities in South Asia have made huge strides in tackling this social evil.

That's been primarily through legislation, banning gender determination clinics. In the UK I think we need to be doing likewise, with regards to the private sector as well.”

Choosing an abortion for gender reasons is illegal in the UK but it is difficult to detect as women often cite other reasons for having the procedure.

The UK's Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT) is used by the state-run National Health Service (NHS) to test for genetic conditions, but people can pay for it privately to discover a baby's sex for around 200 pounds.

Pakistani-origin Labour MP Naz Shah, who is the shadow women and equalities minister, said it was morally wrong for people to use the test to abort pregnancies based on the outcome.

"NIPT screenings should be used for their intended purpose, to screen for serious conditions such as Down's Syndrome. The government needs to look

into this exploitative practice and enforce appropriate restrictions," she said. An investigation by the BBC found thousands of pregnant women in the UK using online forums to discuss the discovery of their baby's gender through NIPT testing. Jeena International, a charity supporting women from ethnic minority communities in the UK, said some women were forced into abortions because they became pregnant with a girl for a second or third time. Charity founder Rani Bilkhu said: “No wonder they're resorting to sexselection abortion because they've got no choice. They don't want to be homeless, they don't want their marriage to fail all because they couldn't give birth to a boy.” she said. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics, a UK government advisory body, has warned that increasingly widespread private NIPT testing in the UK could lead to the country becoming a haven for "sexselective" abortions.

Dr Tom Shakespeare from the Nuffield Council warned: “Countries like China and India have recognised the problem of sexselective abortionso if we allow it, people will come here as tourists.”

A spokesperson for the UK government's Department of Health and Social Care commented: "The pre-natal test is never meant to be used for gender. We will continue to review the evidence".

Nottingham Hindu community celebrates 50th anniversary and honours founding and long service members The first Hindu Temple in Nottingham started in 1968 from a small front room of a building on Gregory Boulevard will on the 16th September 2018 celebrating 50 years of success.

The immense efforts of a few dedicated people that took up the pledge and worked tirelessly to purchase the current Temple building will also be honoured. The new building on Carlton road has two large halls and a beautiful purpose-built inner temple pagoda based on actual Indian Temple designs houses the main Hindu deity families.

Mr Nath Puri’s generous support enabled the building of the new hall and renovation of the existing prayer hall. On the 16th September 2018, the Temple will pay homage to and honour the : founding members (some

posthumously), member and volunteers with long service. There will also be a launch of a publication “A Brief History of the first Hindu Temple in Nottingham.”

Mr Rajesh Sharma, Chairman of the Hindu Temple and Cultural Community Centre said “I felt that the history of the Hindu Temple needs to be documented as at present there is nothing at all. The immense selfless service of many people needs to be acknowledged and recognised. This is the first time that we are holding such an event and I am sure more information, pictures, and deserving people will be identified – so maybe this could potentially become an annual event.

I am really excited and looking forward to meeting the families and friends of some of the pioneers who are no longer with us.”

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Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday gave the first major indication that immigration rules for non-EU citizens such as Indians are set to be closely aligned with those for European Union nationals once Britain has left the economic bloc by next year.

The UK is at present bound by the EU's freedom of movement rules, which offers nationals from the 27 EU membercountries an automatic right to work and PM Theresa May Priti Patel settle in Britain. On the other hand, nonthe economic bloc.

EU countries like India are subject to a Priti Patel, former UK Cabinet minister strict visa regime and quotas under specific and a prominent pro-Brexit campaigner categories. In an interview with the BBC, commented: "The pressures being put on the prime minister said that the vote in our services by immigration from the EU favour of Brexit in the June 2016 has meant that tough limits have been put referendum was a vote to end this dual in place on immigration from outside the system of migration.

EU. This means that our relatives struggle "The message from the British people to get visas to come to the UK for family was very simple. It was they didn't want a celebrations, restaurants cannot employ situation where they could see people skilled chefs from abroad, our temples coming from the European Union having cannot bring in priests, and we cannot those automatic rights in terms of coming bring people in for business, cultural or here to the United Kingdom, and a set of sporting events as well as the thousands of rules for people outside the European talented professionals like doctors, teachers Union. What we will be doing is putting and engineers. Once we take back control forward a set of rules for people from the of our borders and 'Vote Leave', we can have European Union and people from outside an immigration system that is fair to all and the European Union," May said in response allows us to bring in the brightest and the to a question about the UK's post-Brexit best from across the world," she said. immigration plans.

Other Indian-origin pro-Brexit MPs, The government is set to publish its including Rishi Sunak – the son-in-law of detailed immigration proposals in the Infosys chief Narayana Murthy, and Goancoming months, which is widely expected origin Suella Fernandes had joined Patel in to be a general toughening of stance on signing an open letter in the lead up to the controlling the numbers that come into the Brexit referendum making similar country in line with the Conservative arguments on immigration, which marked party's target to reduce migration. one of the most contentious issues in the May has so far refused to rule out any Brexit debate. post-Brexit preferential treatment for EU Meanwhile, former foreign secretary migrants, one of the issues which has Boris Johnson fired his latest attack on her deeply divided MPs and ministers within plan in his weekly newspaper column, her own party. claiming it would usher in "foreign rule" for However, the idea that EU and non-EU the first time since the Norman conquest in migrants would get a level playing field in the 11th century. He said the talks with the terms of immigration was the central plank EU were on course to end in a "spectacular on which many of the leading Brexiteers political car crash". campaigned for a vote in favour of leaving

Durga Pujo “bhashaan” in London One of the most emotional moments f or a Bengali during the Durga Puja is the “bhashaan” which marks the end to the five-day Durga Puja festivities with the immersion of the idols into the river or other waterbodies. According to the age old tradition, this is the ritual of bidding adieu to Maa Durga by chanting “asche bochor abar hobe” while she returns back to her husband with her children . The beautiful festival which is usually compared to the Rio carnival, is believed to bring Kolkata to a halt for those 5 days and it concludes with “bhashaan” which is mixed with the grandeur of sindur khela and emotions of farewell to Maa Durga.

London Sharad Utsav, which has always been known for bringing the age old Bengali rituals to life in London – be it IFA shield East Bengal vs Mohun Baagan or Khunti Pujo , this time came up with “mock-up bhashaan” in Thames near Putney in London. Usually the non-resident Bengalis in London miss out on this pulse of the Durga Pujo celebration. Even though there are quite a few Durga Puja in London and elsewhere in the UK, bhashaan is usually not part of the curriculum due to various environmental reservations. Hence, London Sharad Utsav took one step forward and shaped the “mock up bhashaan” concept - the first time ever in London! The organising committee used their old idol to perform a mock-up of the whole concept of bhashaan while this was photographically captured by internationally acclaimed photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten.

The Thameside near Putney was brightened up by the women of London Sharad Utsav, donning their traditional fashion with white saree red border - the signature get-up of bhashaan while men were in their traditional punjabi pyajama .

The men were seen holding the last year’s idols and mocking up the scene of immersion, while the ladies stood near the riverside with “borondala” to bid adieu to the Goddess. The atmosphere in Putney was no different than any ghats of Hooghly river on the Durga Puja bhashaan day.

According to Anirban Mukhopadhyay, president of London Sharad Utsav “This is a very unique experience in our effort to take every ritual of Durga Pujo to a global platform – this time it was the bhashaan on Thames!”. There were a considerable number of local spectators who stopped by to witness this magnificent set up by the Thames – for whom the take-away-home would surely be a very inquisitive and enjoyable experience of what Durga Puja might be. The photographs captured by Julia will be featured in the Totally Thames festival of next year.

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22 - 28 September 2018

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MAAJID NAWAZ TRACKS DOWN 'LIFE-SAVER' AFTER 25 YEARS

Aisha Osman: Modern Mental Health, and Awareness in the BAME Community Sunetra Senior

Maajid Nawaz as a teenager and today

A political activist has tracked down an anonymous "hero" who was stabbed and beaten for defending him from a racist mob 25 years ago. Maajid Nawaz, a British-Pakistani born in Essex, was 15 when he was confronted by a group of skinheads armed with hammers and knives. A passer-by intervened but was attacked by the mob at a fair in Southend.

Mr Nawaz, who is now a radio presenter for LBC, said he plans to meet up with the man on Thursday. The antiextremism campaigner told the BBC: "I was on the verge of tears speaking to him. He told me was a serving army officer at the time and was used to stepping in when he saw bad things happening all over the world, and he saw something wasn't right. This is clearly a man used to doing he right thing out of a sense of duty."

Despite being physically unharmed in the attack in 1993, Mr Nawaz said it had a huge impact on his life. He said it led him to "segregate" himself from his "white friends" and when he was 16, Mr Nawaz joined the London-based Islamist group, Hizb ut-Tahri. He was imprisoned in Egypt for four years but released after being adopted by Amnesty International as a "prisoner of conscience".

Mr Nawaz then renounced his extremist views and returned to the UK to launch a foundation to tackle extremism, Quilliam. The memory of the man who saved him played a key part in his transformation, he said.

Mr Nawaz hopes to convince his "hero" to go public.

"Everything this guy represents could help heal the divides in this country," he added.

COUNTER-TERROR POLICE RAID BIRMINGHAM HOMES OVER EXTREMISM IN INDIA Counter terror cops are raiding homes in Birmingham in connection with extremist activity in India and fraud offences.

West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit have targeted homes in the city, Coventry and Leicester with the support of East Midlands Special Operations Unit – Special Branch (EMSOUSB). No-one has been arrested so far during the operation.

A statement on West Midlands Police website said: “Detectives are searching a number of properties as part of a West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit (WMCTU) investigation. The residential addresses in Coventry, Leicester and Birmingham are being searched today (Tuesday 18 September) by WMCTU with the support of East Midlands Special Operations Unit – Special Branch (EMSOU-SB). “The searches are in connection with allegations of extremist activity in India and fraud offences. No-one has been arrested.”

FAST GRANTS AVAILABLE TO IMPROVE LOCAL COMMUNITIES Oldham Cares is inviting residents and community groups with a great idea to improve their local area, to apply for a Fast Grant. Amounts available range from £50 - £500 and can be spent on – • Improving a local area • Running activities such as stay and play groups and arts and craft group • Developing local talent and skills • Or encouraging the community to be fit and healthy These grants are designed to bring communities together and anyone with an idea which will have a benefit for Oldham can apply.

The Fast Grants have been made available through the Thriving Communities programme which focuses on building on the strengths that already exist within our communities.

Councillor Zahid Chauhan, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said “Often the best medicine is to enjoy community facilities and activities such as walking, gardening and support groups.

“Helping everyone to enjoy all the community has to offer also reduces isolation and loneliness by connecting people.“ Councillor Sean Fielding, Leader of Oldham Council added “I’d encourage anyone with a great idea or who wants to make a difference to their community to apply for a grant. It’s a really simple process and only takes five minutes.”

Applicants can apply for a Fast Grant by visiting www.oldhamcares.com/fast-grants or by emailing thriving.communities@oldhamcares.com

health issue is twice as likely to seek and receive treatment for their mental health as someone from an Asian or black background.”

Aisha went on to state that “this is not helped by the fact that there are significant language barriers in the mental health service.” She suggested cultivating a better institutional knowledge of the challenges faced by respective cultures to facilitate their ability to approach mental health: “this would encourage otherwise overlooked individuals to utilise the NHS, feeling more secure in seeking treatment.” The mental health specialist has also volunteered in Tanzania to diversify her work in the profession, which further convinced her of the “proactive change” that could be achieved through an intersectional filter. “This includes more nuanced multicultural focus in national campaigns that would help reach more people. It is possible to remain respectful of beliefs but also gradually provide different communi-

ocal yet assured, TMS technician Aisha, at mental health clinic, Smart TMS, is the perfect spokesperson for an exciting, new therapeutic treatment that she currently helps administer.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a non-invasive approach for treating depression. Unlike older more invasive treatments, TMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate the nerve cells and activate the region of the brain involved in mood control without physical harm and minimal side effects. An electromagnetic coil is placed against the relevant point on the head, painlessly delivering a magnetic pulse that has been proven to improve mood: “it’s such a great feeling to know that you are helping individuals progress,” Aisha told Asian Voice, ahead of Suicide Prevention Day (10th September), “and to see them through their particular journey. People might be a little apprehensive to begin with but with proper communication between patient and doctor, I’ve seen people relax and really get better.”

Of course, what is required for each person coming into the clinic varies, as Aisha made sure to emphasise: “it is important to remember that mental health is not a onesize-fits-all approach, and what might work for one person sufferties the knowledge to realise that mening a particular disorder, whether it is tal health is more complex.” Thus, by depression or another condition introducing a personal dimension via entirely, does not work for the next. It’s passionate example, the tireless techniimportant to use your voice, and go at cian embodies the humanistic angle of your own pace in the sessions.” Indeed, which she speaks. “A great way to creTMS specifically is only recommended ate change for the better is certainly to if prescribed medication and talk therhave BAME representation in positions apy does not take effect. Osman has of authority in the NHS. I have been training in the latter and holds able to relate to patients who a MA in Psychiatric share my background thus Research. circulating therapy more A *** effectively: I have a betAs well as being part ter connection to my disproportionate of a progressive patients, using my number of people clinical change, the knowledge to familyoung campaigner from BME communities iarise them with the also speaks out on treatments. I’m can suffer from mental the importance of do my part so a health illnesses, but being socially formental health issue ward-thinking is not left untreated. are less likely to when it comes to the Leaving an illness to speak openly wider issue of mental fester can have a severe health, both within the impact on one’s wellbeNHS and across BAME ing.” With the most comcommunities. She talked of petent expertise available an interesting overlapping cultural then, it is of the utmost importance stigma between many minority groups: that we consciously, and collectively, “I am from an African background, and do more to allow the public to accordif someone was suffering a mental ingly benefit. “The best marker of this,” health issue, it would be relegated to Aisha finished, “would be BAME indithe spiritual realm. For example, my viduals successfully seeing through grandparents believed that if you just treatment, and speaking proudly on prayed, the problem would go away. As their stories. This would prove to otha result, I was witness my father’s ers that they are not isolated, and gives heart-breaking struggle to give voice to real hope.” what he was going through. Even today, there is a trend in which men of What other social barriers might BAME backgrounds, in particular, find there for those of BAME backgrounds it difficult to seek and accept the seeking help? required help.” In general, “research Financial Barriers: Statistics suggests that a disproportionate numdemonstrate those of minority backber of people from BME communities grounds are still earning less, and it can suffer from mental health illnesses, but be harder to seek time off work to are less likely to speak openly about receive the right help etc. their worries. NHS figures show that a white person suffering from a mental Do you feel part of the problem

V

of seeking help is that it’s still still hard for the community to see psychological matters as a legitimate medical concern?

Yes, it goes back how people generally perceive mental health: it’s an invisible illness so it’s hard for people across the board to feel compassion.

Perhaps they should give more talks to the public, for example in schools, to raise more awareness.

What advice might you give to those wanting to seek help but are feeling discouraged within SouthAsian or minority communities?

Gather information so you know what questions to ask, and approach it from the point of view of your culture – if that’s relevant. Keep the right support system around you. Reach out to friends and work colleagues so that you don’t feel alone when dealing with your issue.

What can we do to change the way we view mental health in the Asian community?

Having better campaigns within the BAME community while increasing diversity in the mental health sector and educating people who deliver these therapies and interventions to the BAME community.

What advice might you give to protect against falling into depression which is unfortunately endemic in western society?

Keep a healthy lifestyle: eating healthily; exercise; have enjoyable hobbies that motivate you to think more positively; be around people who support you and love you and give you good energy; speak up if you’re feeling really low.

A topical question: an increasing number of people are discussing the issue of narcissism as a huge problem.

We do also live in a society that rewards the traits of shallowness and self-absorption that aggravate this.

It’s a sort of reverse of stigma where the condition is actually indulged. Do you have comment?

Unfortunately, social media plays a huge part and there’s no cure. It’s caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. However, there are good treatments available: psychotherapy and CBT. This helps the individual maintain healthy relationships and tolerate criticism and failures without lashing out.

Finally, where do you recommend individuals who are suffering any sort of mental health issue go to seek advice and receive diagnosis?

Don’t go to Google! Talk to a friend or family member as well as your GP to seek professional support and receive a diagnosis.

16

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18TH ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS

WINNERS

AND THE WINNERS ARE!!

Professional of the year – healthcare entrepreneur and CEO of Ohri Dr Anil Kumar Regent’s Park Healthcare Sports personality of the year Anoushé Husain – paraclimber and public speaker Achievement in media, arts and culture Babita Sharma - BBC News anchor and documentarian Achievement in community service Poppy Jaman OBE - CEO and co-founder of Mental Health First Aid England Uniformed and civil services Neil Basu - National Head of Counter Terrorism and Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Entrepreneur of the year Adarsh Radia – Co-founder of Indian restaurant chain Dishoom and eyewear startup KITE Woman of the year Trishna Bharadia - multiple sclerosis and disability awareness campaigner Business person of the year Rishi Khosla - entrepreneur and CEO of ACORN OakNorth bank Lifetime achievement Dr Hasmukh Shah BEM – the honorary secretary of the Welsh Division of British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO).

Business of the year Atul Lakhani - Managing Director and CEO of Sanjay Foods Editor’s Choice Award for Philanthropy & Community leadership Joginder Sanger – entrepreneur and hotelier Pre-eminent personality of the year Vraj Pankhania – property developer & Philanthropist

Top honours for inspirational British Asian role models were presented at the 18th annual Asian Achievers Awards on September 14th at a glittering gala at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane.

Professional of the Year category winner Dr Anil Kumar Ohri with Vice Admiral Tony Radkin and Raghavendra Rao of State Bank of India UK

Vraj Pankhania was awarded the Pre-eminent Personality of the year award.

Since its inception Asian Achievers Awards have helped raise close to £1.5million for various charities. This year they helped raise a significant amount to Oracle

Cancer, a leading charity funding research into head and neck cancer. The charity auction was hosted by Lord Jeffrey Archer.

The after party had celebrity singer Navin Kundra performing his hit numbers that enthralled the audience.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID We had a really good time at the AAA and we met some really interesting and wonderful people. I know that events like these involve a great deal of hard work and organisation, so I would like to say that it's very much appreciated!

- Trishna Bharadia It was superbly arranged and very professionally executed.

It has certainly been the highlight for me in terms of my career awards to date.

Achievement in Community Service Award winner Poppy Jaman OBE with Julian Sawyer of Starling Bank and Kanya King CBE Asst Commissioner Helen Ball accepting the award on behalf of winner Asst Commissioner Neil Basu for Uniform and Civil Service category with Lord Jitesh Gadhia and Merul Patel of Asian Voice.

Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture winner Babita Sharma with Lord Swraj Paul and Suresh Vagjiani of Sow & Reap

Business Person of the Year award winner Rishi Khosla with Deputy Mayor Business Rajesh Agrawal, Zishan Nurmohamed from EY

Pre-eminent Personality of the Year winner Vraj Pankhania with G P Hinduja and Sir Malcolm Grant

Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the Metropolitan Police's National Lead for Counter Terrorism and the Head of the Met Police's Specialist Operations; paraclimber Anoushé Husain; serial entrepreneur Adarsh Radia; Rishi Khosla, CEO of unicorn start-up OakNorth; mental health campaigner Poppy Jaman and BBC news presenter Babita Sharma were the proud winners.

The awards celebrated outstanding British Asian talent across arts & media, sports, community service, the professions, uniformed services and business.

The event was attended by around 800 eminent guests including billionaire GP Hinduja, Lord Swaraj Paul; Lord Dolar Popat; Deputy Mayor of London for Business, Rajesh Agrawal; Prof Sir Malcolm Grant CBE, Chairman of NHS England and an array of celebrities, entrepreneurs, MPs, industry leaders, senior professionals and members of the uniformed services.

The awards, launched in the year 2000, are widely recognised as the premier awards to honour UK's highachieving British Asians. They are hosted by Asian Business Publications Ltd, the publishers of 45-year-old print and online news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar.

The gala was hosted by

Lord Jeffrey Archer the auctioneer for the evening

year after year and once again we received an overwhelming number of nominations, which is an indication that the success of the British Asian community in various fields continues unabated."

In her message for the event, Prime Minister Theresa May said, “I am proud to have appointed peo-

With your Asian Achievers Awards in their eighteenth year you have done so much to recognise the talents and achievements of so many people across the Asian community in the UK. The Awards have done so much to raise the profile of our community and the contribution we make across all walks of life in the UK.

- GOPICHAND P HINDUJA, Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group Eastenders star Nitin Ganatra and KISS FM's Neev Spencer.

Earlier in the year the call for nominations to the awards received an overwhelming response from readers of Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar and the wider community, to which CB Patel, Chairman of the hosts ABPL Group said, “The awards have grown in stature

ple from a diverse range of backgrounds to leading positions. There is no doubt that we have much further to go, but I am determined to ensure the government looks more like the country it serves, and to see a new generation creating opportunities for people across the whole of the UK." Speaking at the awards

gala, ABPL Chairman CB Patel said: “Our awards recognise unsung heroes within the Asian community, many of who arrived here as migrants. They have made great strides, not only within their communities and professional sectors but also within the wider British society and the UK economy.”

Multimillionaire, hotelier, trustee of the Balaji Temple in Birmingham and Chairman of the Bharitya Vidhya Bhavan, Joginder Sanger was presented the Editor's award for philanthropy and community leadership.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to long serving NHS professional and philanthropist Dr Hasmukh Shah BEM. Atul Lakhani, CEO of multi-award winning catering and event management specialists Sanjay Foods was presented the Business of the Year award.

Renowned property developer and philanthropist

- Dr Anil Kumar Ohri It is wonderful to be recognised for the work I have done in the community. As a British Bangladeshi I am proud to represent mental health. Events like this bring to fore issues that the South Asian community need to become more aware of and talk about.

- Poppy Jaman OBE

OUR SPONSORS

These awards are an important celebration of some of the most outstanding achievements of the UK’s Asian community. I am extremely proud and humbled.

- Rishi Khosla I feel incredibly honoured to receive this award. For every aspiring journalist I hope this award shows with hard work and a passion to follow your dreams, despite the knock backs and the challenges, you can get there.

Lifetime Achievement Award winner Hasmukh Shah BEM with Lord Dolar Popat, and Viyay Wason from Edwardian

- Babita Sharma It is humbling to receive such a prestigious award like this.

With this award I want to honour all those unsung heroes out there who are trying hard, failing, getting up and doing it again.

Sponsored Charity

- Adarsh Radia I feel privileged to have been nominated for the 18th Asian Achievers Awards. Having now occupied every role from local police constable to national lead for counter terrorism, I can say with confidence that being a police officer is a vocation; an incredibly rewarding job and one of the finest careers for making a positive contribution to society.

- AC Neil Basu

Editor’s Choice Award winner Joginder Sanger with CB Patel, Lord Jeffrey Archer and Girish Sanger

www.asianachieversawards.com Twitter:@ABPL_GROUP Instagram: @AsianAchieversAwards Facebook: Asian Achievers Awards Linkedin: AsianAchieversAwards

Angela Pereira accepting the Sports Personality of the Year award on behalf of Anoushe´ Husain with Naynesh Desai of DDO Solicitors and Major General Duncan Capps

Entrepreneur of the Year winner Adarsh Radia with Air Marshal Michael Wigston CBE and Selva Pankaj of Regent Group

Woman of the Year award winner Trishna Bharadia with Pragnesh Modhwadia of Axiom Stone Solicitors and Bianca Miller of BE Group

Nitin Ganatra and Neev Spencer, the comperes

Business in Community winner Atul Lakhani with Navin Shah AM and Lord Raj Loomba

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, PrMediapix & Team Vineet Johri, V Kumar Photography

16

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17

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

22 - 28 September 2018

22 - 28 September 2018

18TH ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS

WINNERS

AND THE WINNERS ARE!!

Professional of the year – healthcare entrepreneur and CEO of Ohri Dr Anil Kumar Regent’s Park Healthcare Sports personality of the year Anoushé Husain – paraclimber and public speaker Achievement in media, arts and culture Babita Sharma - BBC News anchor and documentarian Achievement in community service Poppy Jaman OBE - CEO and co-founder of Mental Health First Aid England Uniformed and civil services Neil Basu - National Head of Counter Terrorism and Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Entrepreneur of the year Adarsh Radia – Co-founder of Indian restaurant chain Dishoom and eyewear startup KITE Woman of the year Trishna Bharadia - multiple sclerosis and disability awareness campaigner Business person of the year Rishi Khosla - entrepreneur and CEO of ACORN OakNorth bank Lifetime achievement Dr Hasmukh Shah BEM – the honorary secretary of the Welsh Division of British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO).

Business of the year Atul Lakhani - Managing Director and CEO of Sanjay Foods Editor’s Choice Award for Philanthropy & Community leadership Joginder Sanger – entrepreneur and hotelier Pre-eminent personality of the year Vraj Pankhania – property developer & Philanthropist

Top honours for inspirational British Asian role models were presented at the 18th annual Asian Achievers Awards on September 14th at a glittering gala at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Park Lane.

Professional of the Year category winner Dr Anil Kumar Ohri with Vice Admiral Tony Radkin and Raghavendra Rao of State Bank of India UK

Vraj Pankhania was awarded the Pre-eminent Personality of the year award.

Since its inception Asian Achievers Awards have helped raise close to £1.5million for various charities. This year they helped raise a significant amount to Oracle

Cancer, a leading charity funding research into head and neck cancer. The charity auction was hosted by Lord Jeffrey Archer.

The after party had celebrity singer Navin Kundra performing his hit numbers that enthralled the audience.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID We had a really good time at the AAA and we met some really interesting and wonderful people. I know that events like these involve a great deal of hard work and organisation, so I would like to say that it's very much appreciated!

- Trishna Bharadia It was superbly arranged and very professionally executed.

It has certainly been the highlight for me in terms of my career awards to date.

Achievement in Community Service Award winner Poppy Jaman OBE with Julian Sawyer of Starling Bank and Kanya King CBE Asst Commissioner Helen Ball accepting the award on behalf of winner Asst Commissioner Neil Basu for Uniform and Civil Service category with Lord Jitesh Gadhia and Merul Patel of Asian Voice.

Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture winner Babita Sharma with Lord Swraj Paul and Suresh Vagjiani of Sow & Reap

Business Person of the Year award winner Rishi Khosla with Deputy Mayor Business Rajesh Agrawal, Zishan Nurmohamed from EY

Pre-eminent Personality of the Year winner Vraj Pankhania with G P Hinduja and Sir Malcolm Grant

Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the Metropolitan Police's National Lead for Counter Terrorism and the Head of the Met Police's Specialist Operations; paraclimber Anoushé Husain; serial entrepreneur Adarsh Radia; Rishi Khosla, CEO of unicorn start-up OakNorth; mental health campaigner Poppy Jaman and BBC news presenter Babita Sharma were the proud winners.

The awards celebrated outstanding British Asian talent across arts & media, sports, community service, the professions, uniformed services and business.

The event was attended by around 800 eminent guests including billionaire GP Hinduja, Lord Swaraj Paul; Lord Dolar Popat; Deputy Mayor of London for Business, Rajesh Agrawal; Prof Sir Malcolm Grant CBE, Chairman of NHS England and an array of celebrities, entrepreneurs, MPs, industry leaders, senior professionals and members of the uniformed services.

The awards, launched in the year 2000, are widely recognised as the premier awards to honour UK's highachieving British Asians. They are hosted by Asian Business Publications Ltd, the publishers of 45-year-old print and online news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar.

The gala was hosted by

Lord Jeffrey Archer the auctioneer for the evening

year after year and once again we received an overwhelming number of nominations, which is an indication that the success of the British Asian community in various fields continues unabated."

In her message for the event, Prime Minister Theresa May said, “I am proud to have appointed peo-

With your Asian Achievers Awards in their eighteenth year you have done so much to recognise the talents and achievements of so many people across the Asian community in the UK. The Awards have done so much to raise the profile of our community and the contribution we make across all walks of life in the UK.

- GOPICHAND P HINDUJA, Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group Eastenders star Nitin Ganatra and KISS FM's Neev Spencer.

Earlier in the year the call for nominations to the awards received an overwhelming response from readers of Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar and the wider community, to which CB Patel, Chairman of the hosts ABPL Group said, “The awards have grown in stature

ple from a diverse range of backgrounds to leading positions. There is no doubt that we have much further to go, but I am determined to ensure the government looks more like the country it serves, and to see a new generation creating opportunities for people across the whole of the UK." Speaking at the awards

gala, ABPL Chairman CB Patel said: “Our awards recognise unsung heroes within the Asian community, many of who arrived here as migrants. They have made great strides, not only within their communities and professional sectors but also within the wider British society and the UK economy.”

Multimillionaire, hotelier, trustee of the Balaji Temple in Birmingham and Chairman of the Bharitya Vidhya Bhavan, Joginder Sanger was presented the Editor's award for philanthropy and community leadership.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to long serving NHS professional and philanthropist Dr Hasmukh Shah BEM. Atul Lakhani, CEO of multi-award winning catering and event management specialists Sanjay Foods was presented the Business of the Year award.

Renowned property developer and philanthropist

- Dr Anil Kumar Ohri It is wonderful to be recognised for the work I have done in the community. As a British Bangladeshi I am proud to represent mental health. Events like this bring to fore issues that the South Asian community need to become more aware of and talk about.

- Poppy Jaman OBE

OUR SPONSORS

These awards are an important celebration of some of the most outstanding achievements of the UK’s Asian community. I am extremely proud and humbled.

- Rishi Khosla I feel incredibly honoured to receive this award. For every aspiring journalist I hope this award shows with hard work and a passion to follow your dreams, despite the knock backs and the challenges, you can get there.

Lifetime Achievement Award winner Hasmukh Shah BEM with Lord Dolar Popat, and Viyay Wason from Edwardian

- Babita Sharma It is humbling to receive such a prestigious award like this.

With this award I want to honour all those unsung heroes out there who are trying hard, failing, getting up and doing it again.

Sponsored Charity

- Adarsh Radia I feel privileged to have been nominated for the 18th Asian Achievers Awards. Having now occupied every role from local police constable to national lead for counter terrorism, I can say with confidence that being a police officer is a vocation; an incredibly rewarding job and one of the finest careers for making a positive contribution to society.

- AC Neil Basu

Editor’s Choice Award winner Joginder Sanger with CB Patel, Lord Jeffrey Archer and Girish Sanger

www.asianachieversawards.com Twitter:@ABPL_GROUP Instagram: @AsianAchieversAwards Facebook: Asian Achievers Awards Linkedin: AsianAchieversAwards

Angela Pereira accepting the Sports Personality of the Year award on behalf of Anoushe´ Husain with Naynesh Desai of DDO Solicitors and Major General Duncan Capps

Entrepreneur of the Year winner Adarsh Radia with Air Marshal Michael Wigston CBE and Selva Pankaj of Regent Group

Woman of the Year award winner Trishna Bharadia with Pragnesh Modhwadia of Axiom Stone Solicitors and Bianca Miller of BE Group

Nitin Ganatra and Neev Spencer, the comperes

Business in Community winner Atul Lakhani with Navin Shah AM and Lord Raj Loomba

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, PrMediapix & Team Vineet Johri, V Kumar Photography

18 FINANCE - UK

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22 - 28 September 2018

Consultant Editor Financial Voice Alpesh Patel Dear Financial Voice Reader, A few years ago I wrote “I write to you having returned from India, Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore. I visited our High Commissions in Delhi, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

On my return I have just done a BBC interview. Let me tell you why I am optimistic and hopeful about being in the UK.” So now with Brexit and a Trump Trade War, am I just as confident? How much from that article is still true?

Surprisingly, despite Brexit – almost all of it. There was only one part of one sentence that needs a strikethrough. Have a look: We have in the UK for centuries invested in infrastructure. Infrastructure that is the envy of business persons who want electricity, rail, road, airports, office space, all the things we take for granted. But all the things which if you are a Tata, who invests in the UK, helps you achieve massive profits. You don’t after all pay for this infrastructure. It is historic sunk cost. Written off. Paid by generations long gone. Any businessman will tell you, such assets that you get for free allow your profit and loss to be very healthy. Indeed one way you create wealth is to sweat assets you bought for nothing. Again, just ask Tata.

So why do the entrepreneurs I met in these countries want to invest in the UK when opposition parties talk down the country (whichever political party – its job in opposition is to talk down the country sadly.)?

Our workers do actually work. They do not siesta. Our workers are well educated and innovative. Our universities are outstanding at innovation. Why? Years of investment. A business wants return on investment. We are part of the EU’s $12trillion GDP market, but not part of the Euro. We are the fifth largest economy in the world. We are a good place from where to export. I know because when I speak to UKTI colleagues in the Embassies and High Commissions around the world – I see it.

I am not seeking your vote. So I am not saying this other than it is true. What then of America? Make no mistake America is our competitor and also thankfully our business collaborator. We do best when we work with them and the Chinese or Koreans or Japanese – to tap into outstanding markets and make the best products.

As a government, you can spend on investment which fuels future growth or you can spend on consumers. The former is better because it also brings investment from abroad and this too boosts growth in the longer term. But we have to ensure the projects are likely to generate growth.

And growth is not just about physical infrastructure but human infrastructure - in other words we have to invest in education and entrepreneurship skills. This is too often overlooked. We want not just foreigners to make profit from being in the UK, and repatriating those profits, but also the domestic population to profit.

Because in 40 years time, I will write about how the world still wants to invest in the UK. For a free online trading course visit www.alpeshpatel.com

UBS 'rogue trader' gets last-minute reprieve Kweku Adoboli, the banker convicted of the UK’s biggest fraud, has been given a last-minute reprieve from deportation as a judge awarded a judicial review of his case. Adoboli, 38, was found guilty in 2012 of fraud that lost his employer UBS $2.3bn (£1.8bn), and he was due to be deported to Ghana on Tuesday. He was facing deportation because he had never applied for British citizenship despite having lived in the UK since he was 12.

Under UK law, if a foreign national has been sentenced to more than four years in jail “the public interest requires deportation unless there are very compelling circumstances.” Adoboli, who left Ghana when he was four, was sentenced to seven years for the fraud and served half that time. Adoboli’s deportation appeared all but sealed earlier on Monday when the immigration minister, Caroline Nokes, refused to intervene to review the deportation order, despite appeals from 132 MPs and a petition signed by more than 73,000 people. Nokes said the decision to deport Adoboli had been “upheld independently, at several stages, by the courts” and it would be inappropriate for her to act. With the hours ticking down to his departure, Adoboli’s lawyers submitted an application for a judicial review of his case in a last-ditch attempt to prevent his “banishment” from his friends and family in the UK.

IMF chief highlights recession risk of no-deal Brexit A stark report issued by the International Monetary Fund states that the UK economy would rapidly start to contract in the event of disruptive exit from the EU next spring.

Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the IMF, said there would be “dire consequences” from a disorderly exit but added that there would be costs to the UK under any outcome. She said, “If that happened there would be dire consequences. It would inevitably have consequences in terms of reduced growth, an increase in the deficit and a depreciation of the currency. In relatively short order it would mean a reduction in the size of the economy.”

She warned that there is no conceivable Brexit deal as beneficial for the economy as staying in the European Union. “Whatever the deal is, it will not be as good as it is at the moment,” Lagarde said. Just last week, the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney gave a

Christine Lagarde

briefing to the Cabinet last week in which he reportedly said the adoption of the Prime Minister’s Chequers plan

could boost the economy by around 1 per cent. The IMF's warning came in the preliminary findings of its annual health check into the UK economy.

Chancellor Philip Hammond responded to Lagarde's remarks, citing them as proof that the UK had to strike a deal that would safeguard jobs and prosperity. “As the IMF has said, no deal would be extremely costly for the UK as it would be for the EU. Despite contingency planning, it would put at risk the significant progress made over the past 10 years in repairing the economy,” he said.

“Let me be clear, compared with today's smooth single market, all the likely Brexit scenarios will have costs for the economy and to a lesser extent as well for the EU. The larger the impediments to trade in the new relationship, the costlier it will be. This should be fairly obvious, but it seems that sometimes it is not,” Lagarde said.

India miffed over UK decision in Nirav Modi extradition case Indian investigative agencies pushing for the extradition of Nirav Modi were dealt a twin blow by the British authorities as they were informed that their letter of request could be shared with the fugitive diamantaire. The letter of request contains details of the probe, all the evidence and witness testimonies with the agency.

Indian investigators are said to be miffed with the decision as these details could be used by Modi in court to delay proceedings when the extradition matter comes up, according to a newspaper report. Multiple Indian agencies, who sent the requests, have asked their counterparts in UK not to share the letters with Modi. UK’s Serious Fraud Office, which probes financial frauds, has also claimed that Modi may not have transferred the proceeds of the over £1.3 billion Punjab National Bank fraud to London, saying

that it could have been transferred to “Dubai, Hong Kong and the UAE” but not to the UK. “Is there any evidence to suggest that criminal proceeds have been transferred to the United Kingdom? If so, can you please provide full particulars?” the SFO asked in a written communication. An official, who is involved in the probe, said that the SFO’s stance shows Britain was reluctant in taking action against Nirav Modi, who is hiding in London since June. “This could also be one of the reasons that they are not detaining him despite his presence there being confirmed almost a month back,” he said.

Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi have been accused of defrauded PNB

Three-day week for 2,000 Jaguar Land Rover staff Jaguar Land Rover has announced that about 2,000 staff will move to a three-day week at its Castle Bromwich plant in the West Midlands, only hours after the carmaker was accused of “scaremongering” about the impact of Brexit by a Conservative MP. JLR, owned by the Indian conglomerate Tata, said it had made the decision to reduce production as it wrestles with difficult conditions in the automotive industry, caused by Brexit and slumping sales of dieselpowered cars. Staff are expected to work reduced hours until at least Christmas.

A spokesperson said: “In light of the continuing headwinds impacting the car industry, we are making some temporary adjustments to our production schedules at Castle Bromwich.

“We are, however, continuing to over-proportionally invest in new products and technologies, and are committed to our UK plants in which we have invested more than

£4bn since 2010 to future-proof manufacturing technologies to deliver new models.”

The chief executive, Ralf Speth, has previously cited uncertainty over Brexit and confusion over government policy on diesel engines as factors limiting JLR’s prospects, after it cut 1,000 jobs at its Solihull plant in April.

He also warned last week that tens of thousands of jobs in the automotive sector would be at risk if the UK crashes out of the EU without agreeing an exit deal with Brussels. The company, which employs 40,000 people in the UK, has previously warned it would have to reconsider £80bn of UK investment over five years in the event of a no-deal Brexit because a disorderly departure from the EU would hinder access to the single market and disrupt the flow of car parts into the UK. The Castle Bromwich site makes the Jaguar XF, XJ and XE saloons and the F-Type sports car.

Nirav Modi

for years by raising foreign credit using fake guarantees. The international police agency, Interpol, had in July issued a request to find and arrest Modi. The ministry of external affairs had in August first week confirmed that the home ministry had sent an extradition request to the High Commission of India (HCI), London, for onward transmission to the UK authorities. The MEA had also revoked the passport of Modi on February 16, 2018. Both Modi and Choksi have denied wrongdoing.

Cairn Energy 'confident' of winning tax case in India Oil and gas explorer Cairn Energy reports it has a “high level of confidence” it will win its long-running tax dispute with the Indian government. The Edinburgh-based group said it would bring back $10 million in dividends it claims are due from Vedanta Ltd, who acquired assets of Cairn India.

It also confirmed it is seeking damages worth £1 billion from Vedanta, based on damages equal to the value of its remaining 9.8 per cent shareholding in Cairn India it had expected to sell but was blocked by the Indian government.

In a statement submitted to the stock exchange, Cairn said it would seek “full restitution for Treaty breaches resulting from the expropriation of its investment in India in 2014, the attempts to enforce retrospective tax measures and the failure to treat the company and its investments fairly and equitably.” Cairn said the Indian government had through the international arbitration tribunal, ordered $53 million in dividends due from Cairn India Ltd were no longer restricted and has requested immediate release of the money.

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Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap London Property Investment

22 - 28 September 2018

At the moment, we are focusing on the deceased; or more accurately those who administer the deceased person’s estate. This can provide a lucrative source of business, and until someone can find a way to stop death, there will always be a supply from this sector.

I believe there are three targets one should focus on in this market.

One, is the 3 Ds. Another, is to purchase in areas which are set to rise heavily over the next 5 – 7 years. These will be bread and butter areas, where the average property price is below the £300K threshold.

However, who is actually benefitting from these rates? If you were to apply for a standard BTL mortgage, the rates you will be getting will not have much correlation with the base rate.

Those who are benefiting from these low rates are those who were fortunate to go on base rate trackers prior to the credit crunch.

So, how does one invest in a market which is likely to go down further?

Or, does one simply sit back and wait until there’s blood on the street; and then re-enter? That’s certainly one option.

The other obvious focus should be on yield. If you can work a property by adding value, to give you a 10% yield, who cares which way the market goes? Your money is coming in every month; there is no speculation required as to where the market will go in the future.

When the mass of buyers have been scared off from the market, you will find properties which are on the market because they need to sell.

They do not have the luxury of choice. We have covered these types of sellers in earlier articles,

People like simple statistics. To say the market is going to drop 30% is too broad a brush to paint the property market with. For example, a £10m home could drop to £6m, fuelled by a divorce – and I have actually come across such a

DO NOT CRITICISE We live in a world that is very polluted. However, we do not often reflect upon the prevailing sound pollution and what this does to our hearts and minds.

The "blame" culture affects people's behaviour, souring the prevailing mood and spreading fear.

Clearly, we must discriminate.

We need to decide who to spend time with, and with whom to do business. However, our air waves and e-waves are a

maelstrom of abuse, criticism, anger and vitriol. We are so inured to this modern reality that we have become undisturbed by a malevolent culture that has crept us and overtaken us.

Q: My tenant has signed a tenancy agreement and is due to move in soon. But, his references have not come through yet.

What should I do?

situation. And a small property near a Crossrail station, could go up from £250K to £275K. The former drop would swallow the small gain made by the smaller property, and skew the statistics. This is how averages work.

There are some areas which are so desirable, that as soon as a property comes up it is pounced on. The liquidity in these locations is very low. Will these patches be affected in the same way? I think not.

Property demand varies, according to locality and sector. I suspect properties below £300K, which are priced at entry level for first time buyers, will be less affected. This is because, they are satisfying a basic human need. A need for shelter.

Where I can directly impact a situation with constructive feedback to the right person at the right time then I will. This is, however, targeted and appropriate and will result, I hope, in a positive result for all concerned.

A good life comes from a clear mind, and a joyous heart. My experience is that eliminating the listening to and partaking in criticism significantly improves my quality of life, my happiness, my well-being and effectiveness.

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the 3 Ds, the deceased, divorced and distressed.

Currently, there are many doom and gloom stories regarding where the property market is going to go in the next few years. There is talk the market could drop by as much as 30%, and that a further drop in Sterling, caused by the instability of Brexit, would mean interest rates will need to rise. This would cause havoc in the property market, as we have been having an over extended honeymoon with low rates.

19

Most prevailing criticism, however, consists of the aimless slinging of arrows of hatred that penetrate our hearts, often unknowingly, poisoning our psyches, draining our energy and sapping positivity.

The good news is that we have control over this and, if we are conscious, we can improve our lives by controlling what enters our ears and what comes out of our mouths.

A: I would always recommend for agreements to be signed only once the tenants have passed references.

If you have an agent working for you, now is the time to apply the pressure and give them a call.

They should not have allowed this to happen. If you are handling the referencing, the first step would be to inform the tenants that they can’t have access to the property until they achieve a pass. Inform them of what is outstanding and get them on the case as well as you.

I do not recommend that you let them move in without the references. If the references do not come back in time, I suggest that you tell the tenant they are not starting the contract on the agreed date, and you will have to redraft another agreement.

Sometimes, a tenant might offer to pay two or three months in advance; however, don’t bite their hands off at this time, as this might be the last payment you see from them once the money has run out! Without references you have no idea who you are letting in.

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20 FINANCE - INDIA

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Mehul Choksi’s properties face seizure Investigating agencies suspect that diamond merchant Mehul Choksi has started speaking up as his summons before the court under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act approaches close. Wanted in the Punjab National Bank fraudulent LoUs case, Choksi has been directed to appear before the court on September 26. In case he fails to comply with the court directive, his assets can be confiscated and disposed.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) moved applications before a Mumbai special court, requesting Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi be declared fugitive economic offenders, and if they fail to appear in response to court summons, their assets located in India, UK and UAE be confiscated.

Taking cognisance, the court summoned Modi and Choksi to appear before it on September 25 and 26. The ED claims to have found a significant part of the entire money trail behind the PNB scam. In Choksi's case, it has so far established a money trail in the US, the UAE, Thailand, UK, Hong Kong, Japan, Italy, and Belgium, amounting to £325.7

Mehul Choksi

million. It has also identified 16 identities from which funds were diverted. Six of them are based in the US, while four are in the UAE. It was unearthed lately that PNB funds were also diverted to US-based A Jaffe and Firestar Diamond Inc in the form of LoUs, to Firestar USA, Belgium and Hong Kong from six dummy companies in Hong Kong, and to jeweller and nephew Nirav Modi, his father

Deepak Modi and sister Purvi via the dummy firms.

Sources said the Hong Kong and UAEbased companies were controlled by Choksi through dummy directors. ED alleges that he knew about the fraudulent means used to get credit facilities from the PNB without proper collateral and on nominal interest rates. A senior official said, “Investigations revealed that there was no manufacturing activity in any of the overseas companies located in Hong Kong and the UAE, only bogus import/export and sale among the group companies were carried out. The import/export invoices were overvalued to get more credit.” The official added, “The transactions were rotational. The jewellery exported from India was dismantled and diamonds/pearls were taken out of it. The gold/silver was melted and re-exported to Dubai or India. Diamonds/pearls were also separately re-exported to India. The whole process was only for inflating the turnover of Indian companies, to maximise credit worthiness.”

government approvals.

The board approvals are seen as a formality after which the details of the share swap ratio will be worked out. The financial services secretary also assured the banks of providing capital till the deal was completed.

The name of the new entity is yet to be decided, Jaitley said. This is the fourth major restructuring in the financial sector initiated by the Narendra Modi government.

Jobs will be protected, FM assures bank staff It kicked off with the merger of State Bank of India’s five associate banks with their parent along with the Bharatiya Mahila Bank. Then, the government announced the merger of three state-run general insurers, while allowing LIC to acquire a majority stake in troubled lender IDBI Bank.

While announcing the amalgamation of BoB, Dena and Vijaya Bank, Jaitley sought to assure employees that their jobs will be

protected and service conditions won’t be diluted. “No employee will face a service condition that is in any way adverse to his present ones. On the contrary, the SBI experience has been that among the merging and new entities, the best of the service conditions continue to apply to all of them,” the minister said.

The government believes that the merger will improve the operational synergy of the three banks and is part of a plan to create larger Indian lenders instead of smaller entities vying for the same business.

Public sector players have been grappling with a mounting pile of NPAs or bad loans and several of them are in the red and have seen massive doses of equity infusion from the Centre to stay afloat. In fact, Dena Bank is amongst the weakest in the country with its fragile financial position forcing RBI to impose restrictions on its lending.

Curb imports to arrest Re fall, say experts The Indian rupee fell by 65 paise against the dollar to close at 72.51 on Monday as against its previous close of 71.86 on September 14 as markets were not assuaged with the government’s measures to boost dollar inflows. Also, sentiment against emerging market currencies turned negative after the US made it clear that it would impose tariffs on $200 billion of imports from China.

The rupee had slipped to 72.69 during intraday trade - close to its last week’s record low of 72.91. Over the weekend, the finance minister had announced a set of measures to

ease pressures on the country’s current account deficit (CAD). The measures included allowing Indian manufacturers to raise up to $50 million through one-year external commercial borrowing. The government also eased the ceiling on investment in government bonds by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and extended tax breaks on rupee denominated foreign currency bonds or Masala Bonds.

The market was, however, expecting a stronger set of measures such as opening a separate window by the RBI to enable oil

21,00,000 COMPANY DIRECTORS FACE AXE The government of India has decided to deactivate the Director Identification Numbers (DINs) of 21,00,000 directors of total 33,00,000 active directors who were asked to furnish their KYC (Know Your Customer) details as part of the government's efforts to crack down on shell companies to stop illicit fund flows.

Only 12,16,000 directors fulfilled the KYC criteria, a statement said. A DIN is a unique number that is allotted to those who are directors on the boards of registered companies. Last year, the government had barred over 3,00,000 directors from holding directorship over their failures to furnish KYC details. Reports said that those who have failed to comply with the guidelines may face action, and their accounts will be reactivated only after a fee payment of Rs 5,000 along with the requisite form. This means they will not be able to sign any compliance document on behalf of their company until they furnish KYC details

AMUL SET TO ACQUIRE MANUFACTURING PLANT IN US

3 banks to merger to create third largest lender in India Three state-run banks - Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank – will be merged to create India's third largest lender. The decision was taken by a ministerial panel comprising finance minister Arun Jaitley, railway minister Piyush Goyal and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman. “Aspirations of the fastest growing economy have to be supported by stronger and globally competitive banks, with increased choices to the stakeholders. The boards of Vijaya Bank, Dena Bank and Bank of Baroda have been advised by the Alternate Mechanism (the ministerial panel) to consider the proposal (for consolidation),” financial services secretary Rajiv Kumar said. The dates for the board meetings have not been fixed yet as the banks will await a formal communication from the government. But officials said the process will take six months or so including shareholder, regulatory and

in brief

companies purchase dollars without disrupting the market. Also many felt that the central government might have to resort to raising of debt from non-residents through a bond issue. “Our conviction is that there is no easy solution to manage a currency ‘crisis’.

Abstracting from specific policy choices, the broad thrust of the response will involve belt tightening by the country. The specific choice will be whether to spread the pain throughout the economy or impose deep costs on narrow segments,” said A Prasanna of ICICI Securities Primary Dealership.

India's Amul Dairy is all set to start its own dairy unit in the US, three years after it set foot in the western world. Amul is seriously exploring acquisition of a dairy plant in Wisconsin to start its own operations.

Presently, Amul is manufacturing three dairy products including Paneer, Ghee, and Shrikhand through a tripartite agreement between Amul Dairy, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, and a local partner in the US. A top official said, “We are looking at options to expand our US operations so that we can service the market there better. Presently, from Waterloo facility, we can at best service the eastern coast. The best option is to start our own operations there.” A team of eight board of directors from Amul Dairy is already in the US to scout for a dairy plant for acquisition.

TCS WINS £50 MN CONTRACT FROM THOMSON REUTERS Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has won an around £50 million contract from mass media and information company Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters' annual IT outsourcing spend is around $500 million and it counts TCS, IBM, Microsoft and SAP as its key IT partners. Wipro and IBM, along with Mphasis, were strong contenders for the deal. Some two years ago, Thomson Reuters teamed up with Mphasis to offer wealth management solutions for its brokerage processing solutions Beta. There was no official comment on the deal from either TCS or Thomson Reuters.

Can we now finally trust RBS again?

Abhishek Sachdev

This has been an extraordinary few weeks for RBS. On the one hand, RBS said earlier this week that it may use £4bn of surplus capital to return to shareholders. It was the Chairman, Howard Davies, himself, who said that if shareholders pressed

for this, it may well be possible to pay 33p per share.

Given that you, I, and the rest of the hard-working taxpayers in this country own 62% of RBS; this ought to be good news for us.

But, with RBS, things are never that simple. The CEO, Ross McEwan has been effectively accused of ‘lying’ to the Treasury Select Committee, which is very concerning for us all, given our stake in RBS. What happened?

In May 2016, a manager within the RBS’ notorious Global Restructuring Group

(GRG) took voluntary redundancy. Then in October 2017, Police Scotland received evidence from a customer alleging that this manager had demanded cash bribes in return for ‘help’ whilst the customer was in GRG. In January this year, (during a Treasury Select Committee meeting), Alister Jack MP asked Ross McEwan a straightforward question; If there had been any criminal activity within the bank. Mr McEwan said that there were no reported incidents and nothing that the police were looking at.

Then, in July this year, The

Times revealed that Mr McEwan did in fact know about the Police Scotland investigation. We all make mistakes; and perhaps the scrutiny of a live hearing took its toll. But even after this, Mr McEwan tried to defend what he had said by writing subsequently to the Treasury Select Committee, but the Chairwoman of the Committee, Nicky Morgan MP, said that she found his explanations ‘unconvincing’ and that he ‘withheld information of relevance and interest’. This GRG conduct did not occur during Mr McEwan’s tenure, but he is

wholly responsible for the current actions by the Bank and being honest to MPs and the FCA. Nor is this the first time RBS has done this to MPs. In June 2014, Chris Sullivan (then Deputy CEO of RBS) and Derek Sach (then head of GRG) again, also effectively lied, by repeatedly telling this Committee that GRG was not run as a profit centre; but then later admitting, in writing, that it was in fact a profit centre.

So, that means that the both the current CEO and the (then) Deputy CEO, have been misleading the

Treasury Select Committee.

How then, can mere, small business customers possibly have confidence that they will be treated fairly by RBS reviewing it's past GRG practices?

The FCA is shortly set to reveal it's final report about GRG (5yrs after Lawrence Tomlinson published his findings). I’ll let you ponder about how likely this report will be to help GRG victims...

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22 - 28 September 2018

in brief

PAKISTAN-BANGLADESH

INDIA-BORN SIKH INDUCTED IN TRUMP’S SECURITY

Imran vows to give Pak citizenship to Afghan, Bengali refugees

Ludhiana-born Anshdeep Singh Bhatia has become the first Sikh to have been inducted into the security detail of US President Donald Trump. Anshdeep was inducted last week after he completed his gruelling training in the United States. His family moved to Ludhiana from Kanpur during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He lost his uncle and a close relative after the frenzied mob stormed their house in Kanpur’s KDA Colony in Barra. Anshdeep’s father Devendra Singh was also injured in the attack and had received three bullet wounds. His grandfather Amreek Singh Bhatia, manager with Punjab and Sind Bank, opted for a transfer to Ludhiana. His father, who was into the pharmaceutical business in Kanpur, married in Ludhiana and moved to the United States with his family in 2000.

Anshdeep was 10 at that time. Anshdeep who dreamt of making to the President’s security was told he would have to change his looks. But Anshdeep moved the court against the riders and the decision came out in his favour.

INDIAN IN DUBAI KILLS ROOMMATE FOR TALKING LOUDLY An Indian man is facing murder charges in a Dubai court for allegedly killing his roommate for talking loudly on his mobile phone, according to a media report. The 37year-old construction worker has been charged with murder and consuming alcohol without a licence at the Court of First Instance, Khaleej Times reported. The Indian worker, who was drunk, stabbed the victim during a farewell party on March 30 in Al Qusais, a witness alleged. During the party, a brawl ensued between the accused and the victim over latter talking loudly on his mobile, the witness was quoted as saying.

72 stranded Indian pilgrims rescued from Nepal A total 72 pilgrims who were stranded while returning from the Muktinath temple in Northern Nepal were rescued after the Indian mission stirred into action. The pilgrims who were from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharastra and some NRI's were caught in flash flood while returning from Muktinath temple.

Indian mission in Nepal requisitioned the help of small helicopters for the rescue operation. The rescued pilgrims were first taken to Pokhara and then to capital Kathmandu. "The pilgrims were given initial medical attention upon arrival in Pokhara, and now the pilgrims have left for Kathmandu,” a mission spokesman said.

KARACHI: Pakistan premier Imran Khan has vowed to give citizenship to some Afghan refugees and Bengali immigrants who have lived in the country for decades.

Pakistan, one of the world’s largest refugeehosting nations, is home to roughly 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees, some of whom have lived in the country since fleeing the Soviet invasion of 1979. There are also roughly a quarter of a million Bengalis, many of whom arrived during Pakistan’s civil war in 1971, when East Pakistan broke away to declare independence and become Bangladesh.

Khan, who visited Karachi, told a fundraising dinner that his government would take steps to grant nationality to those who had been there longest. “The first thing I will do going back (to Islamabad), God willing, is that we will get those people from Bangladesh, who are perhaps living here for more than 40 years and their children have grown older, issued passports

and national identity cards,” he was quoted as saying.

“And those Afghans whose children have grown older here, who were born in Pakistan, they would also be issued the passports and ID cards,” he continued. “When you are born in America, you get the American passport. It is the practice in every country in the world, so why not here? How cruel it is for them.”

However, he also noted that Bengali immigrants and Afghan refugees have created an “underclass” in Karachi that has helped fuel street crime in the mega city of more than 20 million people.

Officials confirmed Khan’s comments and said a draft policy would have to be prepared for cabinet before legislation is made and debated in parliament. Pakistanis have long viewed Afghan refugees in particular suspiciously, with police accusing them of harassment and extortion. Many say they have overstayed their welcome. In

Imran Khan

2016, a wave of forced repatriations sparked fears of a humanitarian crisis, with Human Rights Watch issuing a scathing report describing Pakistan’s “coercive” approach. It accused the government of arbitrary detentions and other violations.

The United Nations refugee agency welcomed Imran's announcement. “We will continue to work closely with the Government of Pakistan on this issue in the coming weeks,” spokesman Qaiser Khan Afridi said.

Dhaka seeks global pressure on Myanmar over Rohingya DHAKA: Bangladesh has urged the international community to put more pressure on Myanmar to provide a permanent solution to the Rohingya refugee crisis and ensure their safe return. Over 700,000 members of the mostly-Muslim Rohingya minority fled sectarian violence in Rakhine state in western Myanmar in August 2017 following a Rohingya rebel attack on government outposts and a subsequent military crackdown.

"Our past experiences suggest that Myanmar does not fulfil its obligations unless pressurized by the international community," Bangladesh's deputy minister for foreign affairs Shahriar Alam said during the presentation of a report on Rohingyas by Oxfam in Dhaka. The report was titled "One Year on: Time to put Women and Girls at the Heart of the Rohingya Response".

"We believe the strong public opinion around the world that seeks accountability of the perpetrators would help Myanmar

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address the root causes of the Rohingya problem and take effective measures for ensuring basic needs of the Rohingyas when they return to their homes," he said.

Repatriation process has yet to start International pressure led Myanmar and

Bangladesh to sign a deal on November 23 to repatriate Rohingyas, according to which the return of the refugees should have started on January 23. The formal repatriation process has yet to start nine months since the deal was inked.

22 WORLD

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AFRICA-SRI LANKA-NEPAL

Military campaign was not against Tamils: Rajapaksa NEW DELHI: In a public speech delivered last week, former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa reached out to the Tamil community and said that the war of 2009 was against terrorism of LTTE and not against the community. Rajapaksa hit out at his international critics and said that allegations of human rights abuse against the victorious Sri Lankan military is “false”.

“We did not at any time, wage an ethnic war: the military action was certainly not directed against the Tamil community. It must not be forgotten that the reach of this terrorist organisation was not confined to Sri Lanka, but extended to Indian soil where they assassinated Rajiv Gandhi and many others,” Rajapaksa said at the speech organised by Virat Hindustan Sangam led by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy.

The public speech, the first ever delivered by any Sri Lankan political figure in recent years dealt in detail with the war that began after the peace negotiation between the Sri Lankan government led by Rajapaksa, and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) broke down in 2006.

“Eradication of terrorism was not for the

Mahinda Rajapaksa

sole benefit of one community, or even for one country,” said Rajapaksa arguing that not completing the military campaign that led to the killing of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, would have amounted to “betrayal of coming generations.”

The leader who is keen on a political comeback after being ousted by current President Maithripala Sirisena in 2015, said that the Sri Lankan military saved 300,000

Tamil civilians who were trapped in the last stage of the war from a narrow strip of land in the east. “Extravagant numbers reaching up to 40,000 have been recklessly bandied about as the alleged scale of fatal casualties.

This is false and malicious propaganda...the number of casualties, including terrorist casualties, would probably not have exceeded, 8,000,” he said in response to the international campaign for justice for the persons affected by the war.

Earlier, introducing the speaker, Swamy said: “Mr Rajapaksa is the frontrunner for the next government and hopefully he will be President of Sri Lanka soon. He took decisive action against terrorism and cleaned up the country. As a result Sri Lanka is today a favoured destination of international investment.”

Rajapaksa criticised the current government of President Sirisena saying that it undermined the sovereignty of his country and said that Colombo under the present rule co-sponsored a move at the Human Rights Council in Geneva blaming Sri Lanka and its Armed Forces for the consequences of the conflict.

Nepal, Bhutan have to be inclined towards India: army chief Rawat PUNE: India's army chief General Bipin Rawat on Sunday said countries like Nepal and Bhutan "have to be inclined towards India because of geography." In his reply to a query on the growing closeness between Nepal and China, Rawat said ties between nations change along with the global scenario. "Countries like Nepal and Bhutan have to be inclined towards India because of geography," Rawat said on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the Bay of Bengal initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation-Field Training Military Exercise (BIMSTEC-MILEX) at Aundh Military Station in Pune.

"Geography favours inclination towards India and as far as alliance (with China) is concerned, it is a temporary thing," he added. Citing the example of Pakistan and the US, the general claimed that the dynamics of ties between nations keep changing along with the scenario at the global level.

"The best example of this is the relation between America and Pakistan. It is not the same as what it used to be 70 years ago.

Therefore, we need not be bothered about all these issues. We need to concentrate on how to keep our country strong," he said. Rawat said the leadership in India believed in developing relations with its neighbours. "We are a bigger country and if

Bipin Rawat

we take the lead, everybody will follow suit.

That is why we stepped into this (by organising the military exercise)," he said. He claimed that India looked at China as a competitor because of "economics". "They (China) are looking for a market and so are we. There is competition. Whoever does it better will win the race," Rawat said. Another senior army officer said any country desiring economic growth was bound to explore bilateral and multi-lateral ways of cooperation especially with a stronger nation like China.

However, the countries that have taken financial assistance from China are realising that "nothing comes for free". "There is caution in the minds of those who have taken money from them (China) that nothing

comes for free," he said. Addressing a press conference, Rawat said terrorism was becoming a global phenomenon and India's neighbourhood was one of the most affected regions.

"Particularly in our neighbourhood, all the BIMSTEC nations are affected by terrorism. Terrorists operate in a trans-national scenario. It is not that they do not have linkages with one another," Rawat said. "The purpose of MILEX 2018 is to coordinate on these issues, understand and learn from each other's best practices. Intelligence sharing is one of them," he said.

While contingents of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan took part in the week-long military exercise, Nepal and Thailand skipped it and sent observers instead. Among those who attended the closing ceremony at the Aundh Military Station included Shahidul Islam, secretary general of BIMSTEC, services chiefs of BIMSTEC nations, and senior Indian military officers among others. The tactical drills showcased during the validation exercise included a hostage rescue drill by insertion of troops from helicopters, a room intervention as well as house-clearing drill as part of a "cordon and search" operation, a raid on a "terrorist hideout" and neutralisation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Uganda on high alert as Ebola devastates DRC areas KAMPALA: Uganda is on high alert following reports that Ebola has claimed three lives in Butembo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - just 51 km from the Ugandan border in Mpondwe. Lying west of the Virunga national park, Butembo is a busy trading centre with a population of around one million people and an important commercial centre with large markets, often frequented by traders from Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 137 confirmed and probable cases and 92 deaths in the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has mainly devastated the areas of North Kivu.

Following the confirmation of deaths in the area, the ministry of Health has procured five

walk-through scanners to detect travellers' temperatures. The scanners will be placed at border crossings, according to Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the senior public relations officer of the ministry of Health.

Right now, two of the five scanners have been placed at Entebbe International Airport and at Mpondwe border post in Kasese district. Others will be placed at the VIP lounge at the airport and the other two at

border crossings. Ainebyoona says that all posts are now on high alert monitoring the situation closely in districts that border the DRC. Last month, Health minister Jane Ruth Aceng announced that emergency vaccination against Ebola will be carried out on people in high risk situations such as health workers. According to the Health ministry, up to Shs 3 trillion is needed in Uganda's efforts to combat Ebola.

The country has been on alert since outbreaks of the disease were announced in North Kivu in early August. The ministry and other partners like Red Cross, WHO and UNICEF are carrying out surveillance in the five districts of Bundibugyo, Kasese, Ntoroko, Bunyangabu and Kabarole that are close to North Kivu.

in brief FILM ON INDIAN RURAL WOMEN AWARDED AT TORONTO FESTIVAL London-based documentary maker Sandhya Suri's directorial "The Field" has won the ICW best international short film award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Shot in rural north India, the documentary highlights the tough life of rural farm woman Lalla (Mia Maelzer) and her longing for a different life. Suri, whose 2005 documentary "I For India" won many awards, says she was inspired to do this documentary out of empathy because she saw the hardships of rural women while running the film unit at Oxfam. Awarding the film, the TIFF jury said: "It offers a unique and refreshing glimpses into female desire within rural India. It is aesthetically lyrical and features tender performances and has emotional impact which is far greater than its short format." In her acceptance message, Suri said: "The film was thought in London, co-financed in France, shot in India and now getting awarded in one of the world's greatest film festivals and we are truly grateful for that."

11 KILLED AS MAN GOES ON STABBING SPREE IN CHINA Eleven people were killed and 46 others injured when a man drove his SUV into a crowd and later went on a stabbing spree in China's Hunan province. The attack took place as people had gathered in a square by the river in Hengdong county. The driver, Yang Zanyun, 54, first ploughed through the people with his vehicle and later got out of it and went on a rampage attacking people with a knife. Nine people were killed and 46 others were injured, state-run Global Times reported. Yang was detained by the police, who said he has a criminal record and has been jailed several times. Knife attacks by disgruntled people in public places and schools to highlight their grievances periodically occur in China.

PAK PM’S HOUSE TO BECOME EDUCATION INSTITUTE The Pakistan PM’s House will be turned into a campus of a postgraduate institute, said a minister while divulging governments plans to utilise official buildings for public use.

Education minister Shafqat Mehmood said the public was fed up of the previous governments’ “royal” ways of living. He said government officials should live in a way that does not waste public money, which is why PM Imran Khan has decided that he would not stay in the PM House and governors will not stay in Governor Houses to cut down on costs, he added. According to the minister, the annual expenditure of PM House was Rs 470 million. It has been decided that the PM House will be turned into a educational instate, he said.

AIRLINE TO RECRUIT SAUDI WOMEN PILOTS Riyadh-based carrier Flynas has announced plans to recruit Saudi women to work as copilots and flight attendants for the first time, just months after the kingdom lifted a decades-long ban on female motorists.

Women are not legally barred from working in the aviation sector, but jobs as flight attendants with Saudi carriers have largely been held by female foreign workers from countries such as the Philippines. Nearly 1,000 Saudi women have applied for co-pilot positions with Flynas in the past 24 hours, a spokesman for the airline said.

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in brief SHARIF AND MARYAM SENT BACK TO JAIL Pakistan's former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law were sent back to the jail on Monday after the end their fiveday parole to attend the funeral of Begum Kulsoom who died last week in London after battling with cancer. Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (retd) M Safdar, currently serving jail terms in the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after being convicted by an accountability court in a corruption case in July, were granted fiveday parole. The Sharifs had been sent to the jail two months ago in the corruption case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in Avenfield House in London. The three left their Jati Umra residence in the afternoon for the Lahore airport amid high security. A special plane transported them to Nur Khan airbase Rawalpindi from where they were shifted to the Adiala Jail.

US IMPOSES SANCTIONS ON N KOREAN IT FIRMS The US has imposed sanctions on two North Korean-controlled information technology (IT) companies based in China and Russia, accusing them of moving illicit funds to Pyongyang, the media reported. "These actions are intended to stop the flow of illicit revenue to North Korea from overseas information technology workers disguising their true identities and hiding behind front companies, aliases, and third-party nationals," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said. The department designated the China-based China Silver Star, its North Korean CEO Jong Song Hwa and its Russiabased sister company Volasys Silver Star as such fronts, the Voice of America News reported. The sanctions come at a time when the US is maintaining pressure on the North Korean government in its negotiations to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

EX-COMEDIAN BECOMES SLOVENIA’S PM Slovenia’s new PM used to make people laugh.

Handling the disparate demands of his five-party coalition government is unlikely to leave much time for jokes. Once a satirist who impersonated prominent politicians, Marjan Sarec has taken the helm of a largely centrist government - a rare phenomenon, at least recently, in Central Europe where populists have been on the march from Italy to Poland. Sarec, who has become Slovenia’s youngest ever premier at 40, will face a tough job keeping the minority government afloat.

BEAR ON STREETS SENDS CANADA CAPITAL INTO CHAOS The Canadian capital Ottawa was thrown into confusion as police closed in on a bear spotted roaming the streets just a stone’s throw from the parliament building. The black bear was first sighted by bypassers overnight near the city’s Byward Market, a tourist spot that is also home to the US embassy. They alerted police who sealed off the area and called on residents to stay in their homes as they tracked the animal, which was quickly nicknamed Byward Bear on social media. Pictures on social media showed forest service officials tranquilising the bear and removing it from the city. It was the second incident involving a bear loose in the capital in a 24 hour period.

Modi is a friend of mine... I like him very much: Trump WASHINGTON: US President Trump described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his friend who told him that the US has got nothing out of Afghanistan, according to Bob Woodward’s new book “Fear: Trump in the White House.” The President has said the book is “fiction.” “Prime Minister Modi of India is a friend of mine, he (Trump) said.

I like him very much,” Trump is quoted as saying in the book. According to Woodward, Trump made this comment during a Situation Room meeting in the White House on July 19 last year, nearly three weeks after he had a successful meeting with Modi on June 26.

“He (Modi) told me the US has gotten nothing out of Afghanistan. Nothing.

Afghanistan has massive mineral wealth. We don’t take it like others - like China,’ Trump is quoted as saying.

Modi wanted Camp David dinner with Trump Modi wanted to have his first meeting with Trump in June 2017 at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, according to Woodward's latest book. The President

has said the book is “fiction.” “Modi wanted to go to Camp David and have dinner, bond with Trump,” the author writes. The event ended up as a “‘no-frills’ cocktail reception” and a “working dinner” at the White House, writes Woodward. Modi’s June 2017 visit was preceded by two highprofile heads of state whom Trump had hosted after taking over as President in January. The President had hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago, a resort he owns in Florida, in April 2017. In February 2017, he had hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe there.

Counterweight to Pakistan “…Modi, who has been courted assiduously by Obama, was coming for the visit to..see Trump. India was the counterweight to Pakistan, which was giving the new administration as much trouble as it had given previous ones by hedging maddeningly on terrorism,” Woodward

writes. When Reince Priebus, the then chief of staff, said the Camp David meet was “not in the cards”, McMaster is said to have flown into a rage. “He [McMaster] understood the strategic importance of India, a sworn enemy of Pakistan. Outreach and strong relations were essential,” the author writes.

While McMaster was apparently trying to stitch together a strategy for Afghanistan in the face of stiff opposition from Trump to continuing military presence there, Modi fanned Trump’s instinct, according to the book. Modi, apparently, told Trump that the US was getting “nothing” from Afghanistan.

Trump’s argument has always been that.

That Trump quoted Modi to buttress his argument against continued engagement in Afghanistan in White House meetings.

8,30,000 Indians migrated to US between 2010 and 2017 WASHINGTON: Statistics released by the US Census Board show that immigrants (both legal and illegal) comprised nearly 14% of the US population. In other words, one out of seven US residents is foreign born. In terms of numbers, the foreign-born population, based on findings of the American Community Survey (2017), rose by almost 8,00,000 in 2016 to stand at 44.5 million in July 2017, which is an increase of 1.8%. America is touted as a land of immigrants, but this share of immigrants in the total population is the highest in over a century. The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), which is viewed an anti-immigration think-tank, terms this as a record increase.

“As recently as 1980, just one out of 16 US residents was foreign born,” CIS points out in its report.

CIS has done an extensive analysis of the data. According to its report, the ‘sending’ countries with the largest numerical increase in immigrants between 2010 and 2017 were India (up by 8,30,000), China (up by 6,77,000) and the Dominican Republic (up by 2,83,000). The percentage increases for

these countries between 2010 and 2017 were 47%, 31% and 32%. Nepal showed the highest percentage increase in immigrants since 2010. With 1,52,000 Nepalese in US, as of July 2017, it showed a percentage increase of 120% since 2010. Pakistan showed a percentage increase of 31% in terms of inflow of migrants to US to stand at nearly 4,00,000 in number. Of the immigrants who have entered US since 2010, 13% came from Mexico, by far the top sending country.

However, because of return migration and

natural mortality, the overall Mexican-born population actually declined by 4,41,000 between 2010 to 2017. According to the US Census Board, the term foreign born, refers to individuals who were not US citizens at birth. It includes those immigrants who later obtained US citizenship, green card holders, temporary workers (such as those on H-1B visa) and international students.

The report by CIS points out that between 2010 and 2017, 95,00,000 new immigrants settled in the US. New arrivals are offset by roughly 3,00,000 immigrants who return home each year and an annual natural mortality of an equal number. As a result, the immigrant population grew 46,00,000 from 2010 to 2017.

Recent protectionist measures may, in the coming years, result in a gradual decline in the number of foreign-born in the US, owing to a number of factors, such as increase in denial of work visas or extensions to temporary workers, slowdown in hiring of immigrants, dip in the number of international students and deportation of illegal immigrants.

Typhoon pounds South China after killing 65 in Philippines HONG KONG: Typhoon Mangkhut weakened to a tropical storm as it moved deeper into southern China on Monday, leaving death and destruction from Hong Kong to the Philippines. The storm was still affecting southern China's coast and the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan and rain and strong winds were expected to continue.

Hong Kong residents were told to stay away from the coastline and be on alert for occasional gales. Bus, ferry and rail services were suspended and almost 900 flights were canceled at the city's airport. Reports said Hong Kong's hospitals had to use backup power due to outages caused by the storm.

Mangkhut earlier lashed the Philippines, sparking landslides and building collapses that killed at least 65 people, with another 43 missing. Authorities reported four deaths from falling trees and building materials in Guangdong, China's manufacturing hub.

The Hong Kong Observatory reported Mangkhut was the most powerful cyclone to hit the city since 1979, packing maximum sustained gusts of 195 km per hour (121 mph).

2.4 million people evacuated More than 2.4 million people had been evacuated in southern China's Guangdong province by Sunday evening to escape the typhoon, state media said. "Prepare for the worst," Hong Kong Security Minister John

Lee Ka-chiu urged residents. That warning followed Mangkhut's devastating march through the northern Philippines on Saturday with sustained winds of 205 km per hour. Landslides caused by the pounding storm hit two villages in Itogon town in the mountain province of Benguet.

Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said that at the height of the typhoon's onslaught, dozens of people, mostly miners and their families, rushed into an old three-story building in the village of Ucab. The building was obliterated when part of a mountain slope collapsed.

Three villagers who managed to escape told authorities what happened. "They thought they were really safe there," the mayor said. He expressed sadness that the villagers, many of them poor, had few options to survive in a region where big corporations have profited immensely from gold mines.

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SOUTH INDIA

Plea to free Rajiv killers not sent to Centre: Governor CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit denied media reports claiming he had forwarded a State Government recommendation to the Union Home Ministry stating that all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination be released. A statement issued by the governor's office said, “A section of media has been reporting that in the matter of the release of the convicted prisoners undergoing life imprisonment for involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, a reference has been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.”

It added, “It is clarified that no reference has been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the matter. The case is a

From left : Nalini, Peraivalan, Murugan and Santhan

complex one and involves the examination of legal, administrative and constitutional issues.” The statement also said that a decision on the matter would be taken in a “just and fair manner” in accordance with the Constitution. The Tamil Nadu Cabinet had recommended the release of all seven Rajiv case

convicts, incarcerated since 1991, on September 9. The Raj Bhavan said it was still receiving records from the Palaniswami Government in connection with the issue, and court judgments on related matters were handed over to it only on September 14.

The statement said, “All efforts will be taken to process

the papers scrupulously.

Necessary consultation may be carried out, when required, in due course. The decision will be taken in a just and fair manner and in accordance with the Constitution.” Back in 2014, when late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had attempted to release the seven convicts in 2014, the Centre had opposed on grounds that the case was still being investigated by a national agency. Later, the Union Home Ministry responded to a mercy petition filed by a convict saying that showing leniency to those accused of such a “heinous and brutal crime” would “set a very dangerous precedent and lead to international ramifications by other such criminals in the future.”

PUNJAB-HARYANA

SC to review its verdict in Sidhu road rage case NEW DELHI: In a major setback for Punjab Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Supreme Court has decided to review its own judgment letting him off with a Rs 1,000 fine in a 30 year old fatal road rage case.

On May 15, the SC had acquitted Sidhu of culpable homicide in the case, finding him guilty of the lesser offence of voluntarily causing hurt under Section 323 of the Indian Penal Code.

Written by a Bench led by Justice J Chelameswar, the judgment reasoned that the crime was 30 years old and there was no former enmity between Sidhu and his victim, Gurnam Singh.

Navjot Singh Sidhu

Justice Chelameswar found that a payment of Rs 1,000 by the

Mamata to visit Italy, Germany to attract investments

Punjab Minister would “meet the ends of justice.” The bench had also said that roadside brawls were a “very common sight in this part of the country.”

Unhappy with the judgment, Singh's family decided to return to the Supreme Court for a rare remedy, a review of its own judgment, through an open court hearing. A Bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul decided there was merit in the family's plea. They found that the May 15 judgment did indeed require a relook.

The review bench admitted the family's petition and issued notice to Sidhu to

respond on why the quantum of his punishment should not be changed. They held in an order dated September 11 that, “Issue notice restricted to quantum of sentence to respondent number 1- Navjot Singh Sidhu.” The former cricketer may face a prison sentence of one year if the court decides to swap the Rs 1,000 fine for a jail term under Section 323 IPC. While the SC conceded that Sidhu had given a single blow to the man's head, it said that medical evidence was “absolutely uncertain” about the cause of Singh's death shortly after the run-in.

WEST BENGAL

China moots bullet train to Kolkata via Bangladesh, Myanmar

OPPOSITION SEEKS PRESIDENT'S RULE IN TELANGANA Opposition leaders from the Congress, TDP and Left parties have met the Telangana Governor and demanded that President's Rule be imposed in the state to hold free and fair elections. In a significant gathering of opposition leaders (except BJP) at Telangana Raj Bhavan, the delegation met Governor ESL Narasimhan and gave representation against caretaker Telangana Rastra Samiti government and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The delegation consisted Telugu Desam Party (TDP) state unit head L Ramana with Congress state chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, Professor Kodand Raam's party TJS and Left parties met the Governor and alleged that the KCR is misusing power as the caretaker CM. They demanded that election be held in the state under the President's Rule.

RIVERS, WELLS DRY UP IN FLOOD-HIT KERALA With mercury levels rising and abnormal drying up of rivers and wells, the Kerala government has decided to conduct scientific studies on the post-flood phenomenon in the state. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed the State Council for Science, Technology & Environment to carry out studies on the phenomenon after floods across the state and suggest possible solutions to the problems. There is widespread concern in different parts of Kerala following a series of issues including soaring mercury level, unprecedented dip in water level of rivers, sudden drying-up of wells, depletion of groundwater reserves and mass perishing of earthworms. Several rivers including Periyar, Bharathpuzha, Pampa, and Kabani which were in a spate during the days of flood, have now dried up.

CLASS X TOPPER ABDUCTED, RAPED IN HARYANA A teenager was abducted from a bus stand in Mahendergarh, drugged, and taken to a field at Naya Gaon in Rewari, where 12 men allegedly raped her for several hours. The suspects drove her back to the same bus stop, dumped her there and alerted her family. Meanwhile, the police arrested Nishu Phogat, identified as the main suspect. The development came after two others – the owner of the tubewell where the incident occurred and the doctor, who treated the girl initially – were arrested.

The 19 year old, a state topper in Class X boards some years ago, and a promising baseball player, had taken a bus to Kanina in Mahendergarh for railway exam coaching when the unfortunate incident occurred.

WEST BENGAL BJP CHIEF ATTACKED KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is on a visit to Italy and Germany to draw investment to the State.

Her first stop was in Milan, where she discussed investment into West Bengal's leather industry. A second summit was held in Dusseldorf, Germany. The events titled 'Biswa Bangla Business Summits', scheduled from September 16 to 28, are return visits to countries that joined the Bengal Business Summit in Kolkata in January. Mamata said, “The Bengal Business Summit has drawn £95 billion investment proposals. And work on projects worth £36 billion has already started.” She was also invited by Poland, but sent one of her ministers instead.

KOLKATA: Chinese Consul General in Kolkata Ma Zhanwu has announced that his country was mooting a bullet train service between Kunming and Kolkata, traversing through Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Speaking at a conference, Zhanwu said with joint efforts of India and China, a high-speed rail link could be established between the two cities. “It will only take a few hours to reach Kolkata from Kunming if the rail link becomes a reality,” he asserted.

He also said that Myanmar and Bangladesh would benefit from the project.

“We may have a cluster of industries along the route. That increases the possibility of economic development of countries involved in the 2,800 km-long project,” he maintained. The project had also found mention at the Greater Mekong sub-region meet in Kunming in 2015.

Zhanwu said the rail route was aimed at boosting trade flow in the BangladeshChina-India-Myanmar corridor, adding that his country has been striving for the revival of Silk Route to increase connectivity from Kunming to Kolkata.

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh and five of his supporters were injured when they were allegedly attacked by members of the Trinamool Congress in East Midnapore. The BJP leader was quoted as saying that he was going for a public meet when attacked. Members of the BJP had organised a motocycle rally to accompany Ghosh to the venue of the meeting. Ghosh accused TMC leader Dwivendu Adhikari of organising the attack. The charges were, however, dismissed by Adhikari. According to a report, TMC started showing black flags to BJP members as the motorcycle rally began. Miffed over this, the TMC members were confronted by BJP workers, leading to a scuffle between members of the rival groups.

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A Punjabi’s Tryst with Manipur • •

Reluctant IAS official became CS of the state and served four PMs Jarnail prescribes taking the leaders to the court to deter Bandhs

H

e was reluctant. It was rather a penal posting for a young man from Punjab who was a Jat Sikh born, brought up and educated in Punjab.

Confesses Sardar Jarnail Singh after serving 35 years in Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in Manipur Tripura cadre: “When the officer announced Manipur Tripura cadre for me, I was shocked! A total of three officers were allotted Manipur Tripura cadre. While P. L. Thanga belonged to Manipur, V. Ramnath and I were ‘outsiders’. All I knew about Manipur was that it was in the North East near Nagaland.

The allotment of any North Eastern cadre was considered bad.”

This was in November 1974.

Even after so many years the knowledge about the North East is limited among most of the people living in western India.

After resuming his duties gradually Jarnail Singh, trained as an Engineer, not only fell in love of Manipur but also found his beloved wife, Seraphina D. Lolia, a local woman, here with whom he married spending just Rs.660 taking half day’s casual leave from the office! He became the Chief Secretary of Manipur state in 2004, served in this capacity till 2008 and later as an Advisor to the Chief Minister. Jarnail Singh was fortunate to serve as a Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister from 1996 to 2004 under four PMs. In Manipur, some of the officials considered him as the PMO man and kept watch on him too.

“My first impression of the people in Manipur was very positive. People were friendly and smiling. While going from the airport to the State Guest House, I saw some ladies catching fish from the roadside ditches with a strange net I had not seen earlier.

I did not know Manipuri language and it was difficult to converse with people,” Jarnail Singh writes in his book “My Tryst with Manipur: A Memoir” published recently by K.P.R. Nair of Konark Publishers. The book is

had not worked for six months just to appeal. I was sure that those who call bandhs and blockades would not bother about government appeals,. But the filling of case for recovery of loss would have permanently an honest account of an deterred the persons who indulge Indian Administrative in economic blackmail and Service officer who enforce bands and blockades.” landed in Manipur not In the last chapter, Jarnail out of choice, therefore Singh gives golden tips to be literally walked into good civil servants on the basis unknown, and how of his own experience. “I feel that ultimately grew to love to be a good civil servant, one the place and came to should have the following consider it a mission to qualities in addition to others work for the betterment which one may have: Be of its people. Every page absolutely politically neutral, Be of his memoir narrates a determined person, Quick different story but his decision making, Innovate human touch remains wherever you can, Be helpful and constant. Even as Subkind to your colleagues, Divisional Officer, he subordinates and public, Work was keen on helping out with dedication, Never give the deserving poor and Jarnail Singh, a Punjabi who became Chief Secretary of Manipur political advice to a politician, rural people. Even when would, more often than not, with Naga and Kuki clashes. As a Listen to public representatives he was Secretary or Chief negotiate rather than incurring no-nonsense officer, he presents carefully, Pursue mid-career Secretary, he focused on evolving the picture of his efforts to study options, Learn Public innovative schemes to serve the strengthening the bureaucracy Policy Analysis and Project people quite efficiently. Even even when the warring groups of Management skills, Be while dealing with Naga the militants were active in the proud of knowledge but do insurgents, he was hardly scared. state. not be arrogant, Share The book presents historical Jarnail Singh left Manipur in knowledge with as well as socio-political picture March 2017 as a most satisfied whomsoever you can, When of Manipur. It has humour too. person who had served the people you leave a post, leave with Jairnail Singh describes his of the state with a missionary good memories behind.” experiences as a liaison officer zeal. Out of the twenty six “We, as bureaucrats, with Raj Narain, who became chapters of the book, the chapters may have our person liking Union Health Minister in Morarji “Bandhs and Blockades” as well as for a political person or Desai Ministry after defeating “Some Qualities of a Good Civil party, but we must perform the then PM Indira Gandhi. He Servant” touched and attracted with same zeal under all had gone to Manipur to lay the the most. He simply does not governments.

I have foundation stone of the district preach. He practiced and asked noticed some bureaucrats hospital at Porompat. When the others to follow him. Frequent have rigid thinking and likes Minister came to know that Bandhs and blockades called by and dislikes and have Jarnail Singh was a vegetarian, he different organizations or Joint difficulties. We should show became informal and was happy.

Action Committees were leading same respect to all political “At night when we reached Raj to economic disaster of the state. persons.” Jarnail Singh Bhawan, it was late and past 10 He got the losses due to Bandhs recollects the advice given p.m. After reaching Raj Bhawan, and Blockades calculated. The to him as IAS probationer by he said he would sleep only if total loss to the economy due to Habib-ul-lah, the then someone massaged his head. We bandhs and blockades during Secretary of the Department were at our wit’s end. Luckily, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 of Personnel in the one officer brought a barber from (till 31,1,2007) was Rs.246 crore, Government of Manipur: Teli Pati area. It was around The cover-page of Jarnail’s book “ My Tryst with “Never cross the path of a Rs.553.23 crore and Rs.520.73 midnight when the barber Manipur-A memoir” senior bureaucrats in your massaged Raj Narain’s head for service career. If you ever do, Next Column: about half an hour.” Since Raj the wrath of a group or you will suffer. If you antagonize Vithalbhai Patel: The Narain was wearing a turban like community by going for a court any politician at any stage, You green cloth on his head and Singh Forgotten Hero of India case. When Jarnail Singh may be able to patch up with was also wearing turban, some prepared a note for the crore respectively. The total loss him, but not with a bureaucrat.” had the impression that he was government suggesting legal to state economic stood at Rs.1, Jarnail’s relative. Singh was sent battles against bandh organizers, 319. 96 crore. twice to the Harvard University senior ministers were against He was keen to file a case to on study leave. He describes how taking a confrontationist recover the loss from organizers Dr. Hari Desai he tried to implement his approach. “At that stage, I lost of any bandh or economic innovative ideas for the (The writer is a Socio-political Historian. interest. I felt disheartened. We blockade. The political leadership betterment of people. He deals E-mail: haridesai@gmail.com)

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Modi praises Bohra community for its patriotism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending Ashara Mubaraka – Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Imam Husain (SA), organised by the Dawoodi Bohra community, at Saifee Masjid, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Dawoodi Bohra community at a mosque in Madhya Pradesh, last week, where he praised the community's patriotism, calling it an example for the entire country. In Indore to attend Ashara Mubaraka, the commemoration of the death anniversary of Imam Hussain, Modi also met religious head of the Bohra community, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.

“The Bohra society lives with the message of peace and it is this message of peace that separates our country from the world.

Bohra society's patriotism is an example for the entire nation. Even Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin speaks about the love for the motherland in his discourses,” Modi said.

The event was organised by the Dawoodi Bohra community.

During his address, Modi said Imam Hussain had raised his voice against injustice in the society and this is an important message for today's world. “We consider the world as one family, we believe in the tradition of taking everyone along. This strength of the Indian society and its legacy is what sets us apart from the rest of the world,” he said. Speaking about his relationship with the community, he said, “My relationship with the Bohra community is very old. They supported me at each step when I was the chief minister of Gujarat.”

The PM's visit to the mosque holds weight as Assembly polls for the BJP-ruled state inches close. Madhya Pradesh boasts around 2,50,000 Dawoodi Bohras, who are estimated to live in the state, mainly in Indore, Ujjain and Burhanpur districts.

India's PSLV puts 2 UK satellites into orbit

The Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) workhorse, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) put two UK earth observation satellites, NovaSAR and S1-4 into the orbit in its 44th flight. Both satellites together weighed around 889 kg and the commercial launch was carried out under an arrangement between Surrey Satellite Technologies Limited (SSTL) and Isro's commercial arm Antrix Corporation Limited.

Just hours before the launch, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre director S Somanath said, “When I joined Isro in 1985, the PSLV was still on paper, and the only rocket we had was SLV-3, the ASLV was struggling with people ridiculing us and asking when it will reach space. It had earned the moniker of Always Sea Launch Vehicle as it kept failing and landing in water. To see PSLV grow from and idea and to become

Isro's workhorse is a great feeling.”

The launched satellites, NovaSAR is an S-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite intended for forest mapping, land use, and ice cover monitoring, flood and disaster monitoring; while S1-4 is a high resolution Optical Earth Observation Satellite, used for surveying resources, environment monitoring, urban management and for the disaster monitoring. Only the thid launch of PSLV after a rare failure in August last year, the PSLV-C42 took off at 10.08 pm, the first stage separated two minutes after that, while the fourth stage separated 17 minutes after the take off. The satellites separated 17.44 minutes after the launch before being placed in the desired Sun Synchronous orbit, about 583 km away. This was Isro's first dedicated commercial in several months.

India’s first woman IAS officer dies at 91 back then, it was her insistence India's first female IAS officer and perseverance that helped after independence, Anna her join the civil forces.

Rajam Malhotra died on She went above and beyond Monday at the age of 91. Born to convince the then chief in Ernakulam, Kerala, she minister of Chennai, C pursued higher education in Rajagopalachari, who was in Chennai and later married principle against women RN Malhotra, who served as entering public service, and Governor of the Reserve argued with him to give her a Bank of India from 1985 to Anna Rajam Malhotra chance to prove herself. Malhotra was 1990. Anna joined the civil services in 1951 trained in horse riding and shooting, and and opted for the Madras cadre. Despite was first posted in Hosur as a Sub Collector. being coaxed to join the Foreign Services

MALLYA STIRS UP A HORNET'S NEST Continued from page 1

Since 2014, I have never given him any appointment to meet me and the question of his having met me does not arise.” He went on to describe when he did actually meet Mallya, adding that he “misused his privilege as a Rajya Sabha member.” Following Jaitley's response, Mallya turned around on his words, instead blaming the media for misrepresenting facts.

Soon, as events played out, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi demanded a probe into Mallya's comments while BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said that by this token, former Congress leaders should be in jail as they not only met Mallya, but even helped him get loans from public sector banks. With nothing substantial to pin against the ruling government, Rahul Gandhi immediately lapped up Mallya's claims and began a series of baseless attacks on the NDA. As if on cue, Gandhi stepped up his attacks on the BJP, accusing Jaitley of colluding with a “criminal” and not informing the probe agencies, despite having information about the liquor baron's plan to leave the country. “Why did Jaitley allow

Mallya to escape, or was it an order from the Prime Minister?” he asked. “This is a clearcut case of collusion. There is some deal between them. Finance Minister Jaitley must resign and this should be investigated,” Gandhi said.

Meanwhile, PL Punia, who claimed to have seen Jaitley and Mallya talking “discretely”, said, “On March 3, we heard from the media that he fled the country on March 2. I have clearly stated about this in each of my interview with the media. There are CCTV cameras, we can all see that for proof. If I am wrong, I will resign from politics,” he said. Punia added that the meeting lasted for 15-20 minutes.

While the political back-and-forth continues, one can't help but wonder why Gandhi and his members of otherwise capable and smart leaders never pause to think over their political strategy and instead resorts to blind verbal attacks on a government that has only proved them wrong ever since taking up the office. Every time Mallya goes to court or address reporters, the Congress party finds and twists words to attack the BJP. The irony,

this is the very party that helped Mallya and his Kingfisher Airlines stay afloat when in power itself.

CBI Detention Letter Controversy In bad timing, the first lookout notice issued for Mallya in November 2015, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was revealed, in which the bureau had stated that the businessman's detention was not required. It had also asked police to “inform the advance arrival/departure of the subject discreetly.” Following a ho-ha on the nature of the letter, and the fact that the agency had taken the case so lightly, CBI stated the dilution of the 2015 lookout circular against Mallya from detaining him to merely being informed about his entry/exit was an “error in judgment”.

It said allegations that its Joint Director AK Sharma weakened the lookout circular against the liquor baron to allow him to flee India were baseless. “As has been stated a number of times earlier, the decision to change the lookout circular was taken because at the time there was not sufficient

grounds for the CBI to detain and arrest him.” Dated October 16, 2015, the agency had filled out the LOC form checking the box “prevent subject from leaving India”. A second circular was dated November 24, 2015, the night Mallya landed in Delhi. The circular had a covering letter sent to the Special Branch of the Mumbai Police. The agency had checked the box “inform originator of arrival/departure of subject” in this form.

Mallya has been on bail on an extradition warrant since his arrest in April last year, and is fighting extradition to India on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to around £900 million. The extradition trial that opened at the London court on December 4 last year, is aimed at laying out a prima facie case of fraud against Mallya. It also seeks to prove there are no “bars to extradition” and that the tycoon is assured a fair trial in India over his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines' alleged default of over £900 million in loans from a consortium of Indian banks. London's Westminster Magistrates' Court has fixed December 10 as the date to deliver its verdict on the case.

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22 - 28 September 2018

Study finds the 'wonder pill' aspirin doesn't lower heart attack and stroke risks, and can increase bleeding Popping an aspirin pill everyday doesn't help older people to live longer and it may even have the opposite effect, a new study reveals.

Researchers found that a daily dose of the so-called 'wonder pill' didn't prolong healthy life free of dementia.

The clinical trial followed thousands of healthy older people, who hadn't previously suffered a stroke or heart attack, who took a daily low-dose of aspirin.

Those that took aspirin were also at 'significantly ' increased risk of bleeding, primarily in the gastrointestinal tract and brain, it was revealed.

The study, involving 19,114 older people - 16,703 in Australia and 2,411 in the

United States - began in 2010 and enrolled participants aged 70 and older.

The participants were followed for around 4.7 years and could also not have dementia or a physical disability and had to be free of medical conditions.

Dr Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) in the US, said: 'Clinical guidelines note the benefits of aspirin for preventing heart attacks and strokes in persons with vascular conditions such as coronary artery disease.

'The concern has been uncertainty about whether aspirin is beneficial for otherwise healthy older people without those conditions.

'This study shows why it is so important to conduct this type of research, so that we can gain a fuller picture of aspirin's benefits and risks among healthy older persons.' Among the people randomly assigned to take aspirin, 90.3 per cent remained alive at the end of the treatment without per-

sistent physical disability or dementia, compared with 90.5 per cent of those taking a placebo.

The group taking aspirin had an increased risk of death compared to the placebo group- 5.9 per cent of participants taking aspirin and 5.2 per cent taking placebo died during the

Surgeons warn Fitbit fad is putting extra pressure on the NHS Health technology threatens to pile pressure on the NHS by sending the ‘worried well’ into hyperdrive, leading surgeons warn.

Trendy new gadgets, such as Fitbit exercise monitors, personalised DNA tests and sophisticated health apps, could ‘overwhelm’ people with health data, says the Royal College of Surgeons.

This vast amount of information threatens to cause people undue alarm, triggering unnecessary visits to already-straining A&E units and GP surgeries.

The criticism is a major challenge to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has made championing technology his key priority since he started the job in July. Richard Kerr, chairman of the Royal College of Surgeons’ commission on

the future of surgery, said NHS services will need to change to support patients overwhelmed by the new technology.

He said the report, due to be published later this year, will warn that while new technologies will offer better opportunities to diagnose and treat patients before their illnesses become severe, there is also the potential for them to cause patients unnecessary alarm.

Mr Kerr, a consultant neurosurgeon in Oxford, said: ‘The “worried well” will be sent into hyperdrive.

‘GP practices and A&Es will undoubtedly see more patients who are concerned about what this information means for them. Right now, most patients see their doctor when they fall sick or unexplained symptoms

prompt them to seek medical advice.

‘However, very soon there will be an immense amount of health information available to patients, whether through data recorded by personal wearable devices and sensors, or a greater understanding of our genetic predisposition to future illnesses.’

Mr Kerr, who will present early findings of his report at the IDEAL surgical conference in Bristol today, added: ‘As health professionals, we will need to help patients navigate this proliferation of information and

provide tailored support so they can understand their risk of illness, as well as their treatment options, should their concerns lead to diagnosis.’

A Norwegian study in 2016 found that those with the highest levels of ‘health anxiety’ are more than twice as likely to develop heart problems later in life.

Scientists suspect hypochondriacs put their body in a state of high alert, constantly on guard for any symptom of illness. But this constant checking and the resulting stress puts them at high risk of heart disease.

UK has 13th highest rate of cancer in the world – world cancer league table reveals Australia is the worst hit by the disease The UK has the 13th highest proportion of cancer patients in the world, a global report has revealed.

Data from the World Health Organization shows 9.6 million people worldwide will die of cancer this year, with Western countries racking up the most diagnoses.

More people in Australia and New Zealand get cancer than in any other country, with the United States ranked fifth and the UK 13th. Rates are lower in African and Asian countries but patients are more likely

to die there because of poorer healthcare.

Globally, one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer at some point during their lifestyle, and it is expected to become the leading cause of death.

Experts say the new figures reveal an 'alarming' rise in the impact of cancer around the globe and show more needs to be done to tackle it. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, this week ranked 185 countries by how many cases of cancer

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We are publishing these items in good faith, kindly consult your Doctor before you try to implement any advice. We do not hold any responsibility for its efficacy...

they have. And the figures come as the global health watchdog predicts there will be 18 million new diagnoses of cancer in 2018 and 9.6 million people will die of it.

The cancer threat has risen by 28 per cent since the 14 million cases and eight million deaths predicted in 2012, when the IARC data was last updated.

All the 10 countries with the highest levels of the disease are in Australasia, Europe or North America, while the 10 lowest are in Africa and Asia. Some 468 people per 100,000 are expected to get cancer in Australia this year – approximately 112,000 people – which is the most of any country worldwide.

In New Zealand this fig-

ure is 438 per 100,000, in the US 352, and in Britain 319.

In the UK, prostate, breast and lung cancer are the most common, with lung cancer being the biggest killer. Brits will see 446,942 new cases of cancer diagnosed in 2018, and 178,473 of those patients will die, the IARC predicts.

Experts say that despite improving treatments and early diagnosis, cancer is still on the rise because people are living longer and making unhealthy life choices.

Eating unhealthy diets with processed foods, not exercising, drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco are all major – but avoidable – causes of cancer.

study. The researchers said that has not been noted in previous studies and caution is needed in interpreting the finding. A small increase in new cancer cases was reported in the group taking aspirin, but the research team said the difference could have been due to chance.

Significant bleeding - a known risk of regular aspirin use - was also measured. The researchers noted that aspirin was associated with a significantly increased risk of bleeding, primarily in the gastrointestinal tract and brain.

Clinically significant bleeding - hemorrhagic stroke, bleeding in the brain, gastrointestinal hemorrhages or other hemorrhages that required transfusion or hospitalisation occurred in 3.8 per cent on aspirin and in 2.7 per cent taking the placebo.

As would be expected in older people, cancer was a common cause of death, and 50 per cent of those who died in the trial had some type of cancer.

Heart disease and stroke accounted for 19 per cent of the deaths and major bleeding for five per cent.

28 BOLLYWOOD

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22 - 28 September 2018

Sonam says husband Anand Ahuja is not ‘imaginative’ in bed

One of the new IT couples in Bollywood, Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja's chemistry is one that makes us green with envy. While their Instagram PDA is proof enough that the two are perfect for each other, Sonam recently gave us some insight into their marriage. In an interview, the 'Veere Di Wedding' actress gave several interesting tidbits, one of them being that she prefers an “orgasm” over a “foodgasm”.

She asked several fun questions like her favourite role play scenario, and the kinkiest piece of clothing in her wardrobe. Sonam said Anand does not have “much of an imagination” in bed, and that her corsets are the kinkiest items in her closet. However, the most absorbing answer came when the actress revealed that Ahuja had initially tried to set her up with a friend. She also revealed that he,

Salman’s 'Loveratri' dragged to court Muzaffarpur Court, Bihar has given orders to file an FIR against Salman Khan and seven other actors after a complaint was filed by an advocate against him and his production 'Loveratri'. Advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha had filed a complaint on September 6, in a Bihar court, alleging that the title of the film hurts by deriding the festival of Navratri.

The complaint was heard by sub divisional judicial magistrate Shailendra Kumar on September 12. Ojha said the film's scheduled date of release, October 5 is close to Navratri festival this year and it would hurt Hindu sentiments.

The complaint is filed under IPC sections 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship), 298 (uttering words with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings), 153 (want only giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153B (assertions, imputations prejudicial to national integration) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy).

The movie is due to launch Salman's brother-in-law Aayush Sharma, and newcomer Warina Hussain. Both of the debutants have also been made party to the case, along with director Abhiraj Minawala, and veteran actors Ram Kapoor and Ronit Roy.

when he proposed marriage to her, didn't even have a ring.

“It was supposed to happen sometime in October but a few months before that we were in New York and this one day I was being a brat having a crappy day. I was complaining about how there was no good person in New York when he was biking and I was walking alongside. He just got off and got on one knee and asked if I wanted to marry him.” She said he just had a moment and spilled it out. On the work front, Kapoor is busy shooting for her upcoming film 'The Zoya Factor' with south star Dulquer Salman. She is also prepping for her upcoming release 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga'.

Anushka Sharma finds memes hilarious Lately, the internet was flooded with memes of a crying Anushka, a still from her upcoming movie 'Sui Dhaga'.

When asked about her reaction to becoming a successful meme, she said she does not mind it. “I found them hilarious. If such things happen organically, then it means that the trailer has spread widely and deeply and that's why people are talking about it. The picture is so realistic, the character is so real that you can make a meme on it. Usually, this is something that is far remote from Anushka. I take it as a huge compliment. It is a great plus point,” Anushka said.

The actor said she even shared some memes with her co-star from the film, Varun Dhawan. Directed by Sharat Kataria of 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' fame, 'Sui Dhaga' revolves around a lower-middle-class couple who decide to become self-reliant against odds.

Arjun Kapoor trolls an internet troll Actor Arjun Kapoor has absolutely no tolerance for online trolling, especially when it concerns issues like gender sensitivity. Just recently, the 33 year old actor practically obliterated a troll, whose callous comment was not only disgusting, but also insensitive. His fellow actor Parineeti Chopra recently shared a post on their upcoming movie 'Namaste England', when a Twitter user commented, “Is it only me or Arjun Kapoor looks like a molester in the pic”.

Arjun promptly replied, “When terms like this are used lightly it signifies lack of basic human understanding of how big a deal it is to make sure we don't make women's safety lightly or as a joke.”

Following his tweet, the troll was “spammed” with hate messages from Kapoor's fans, all who bashed them in strongly worded tweets. The offensive tweet was soon removed.

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22 - 28 September 2018

Rana Daggubati plays AP CM Naidu in NTR biopic

Rana Daggubati unveiled his look from a biopic on former actor and Andhra Pradesh chief minister NT Rama Rao. He will portray NTR's son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu in the biopic. Tweeting about his character, he wrote, “What an honour it is to play the role of the Honourable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Mr N Chandrababu Naidu in the 'NTR' biopic. Thank you sir for giving us your valuable time.”

Daggubati tweeted a still from the film, showing it's a replica of Chandrababu's younger days. The CM married NTR's third daughter Bhuvaneswari in 1980. Directed by Krish J, the movie will be jointly produced by N Balakrishna, who plays the titular role in the movie, Vishnu Induri and Sai Korrapati.

Actress Vidya Balan has been roped in to play NTR's wife Basavatarakam.

Also in the project is Bengali actor Jisshu Sengupta, who plays LV Prasad in the biopic. “It's a huge honour to be able to represent such a sincere visionary as LV Prasad. As a producer, his films had the signature of telling catastrophic romances with theatrical characters backed by some memorable music,” Jisshu said. Makers plan to release the film on January 9, next year.

'Charlie Chaplin 2' rights sold to Sun TV

Satellite and digital rights of Prabhu Deva's upcoming film 'Charlie Chaplin 2' have been bagged by Sun TV Network. The deal is reportedly worth Rs 2.75 Crore. Directed by Sakthi Chidambaram and produced by T

'The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir' wins international award

TIME

16:00:00 17:00:00 17:30:00 18:00:00 18:30:00 19:00:00 19:30:00 20:00:00 20:30:00 21:00:00 21:30:00 22:30:00

TIME

18:30:00 19:00:00 19:30:00 21:00:00 22:00:00

TIME

TV PROGRAM NAMES

RASOI SHOW THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 2 INTERNETWALA LOVE RADHA PREM KI DEEWANI UTTARAN DIL KI PUKAR SWARAGINI ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN INTERNETWALA LOVE BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE SHAITAAN - A CRIMINAL MIND ZINDAGI KI HAQEEQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA

SATURDAY 29th September TV PROGRAM NAMES

UTTARAN DIL KI PUKAR INTERNETWALA LOVE - CATCH UP EPISODES ZINDAGI KI HAQEEQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA SHAITAAN - A CRIMINAL MIND

SUNDAY 30th September

TV PROGRAM NAMES

17:30:00WEEKEND KA MAHAEPISODE (ONE HOUR SPECIAL) 18:30:00UTTARAN 19:00:00DIL KI PUKAR 19:30:00SWARAGINI - CATCH UP EPISODES 21:00:00ZINDAGI KI HAQEEQAT SE AAMNA SAAMNA 22:00:00SHAITAAN - A CRIMINAL MIND

SATURDAY 22nd - SUNDAY 23rdh September TIME TV PROGRAM NAMES

* Schedule is subject to change

16:30 17:30 18:30 20:00 21:30 22:30

CID Comedy Circus Indian Idol Indian Idol Comedy Circus Crime Patrol

MONDAY 24th - Thursday 27th September

TIME

18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:30 23:00

TIME

18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 23:00

TV PROGRAM NAMES

Vighnaharta Ganesh Mere Sai Dil Hi Toh Hai Porus Main Maayke Chali Jaaungi Kaun Banega Crorepati Yeh Un Dinon Ki Baat Hai Crime Patrol

FRIDAY 28th September TV PROGRAM NAMES Vighnaharta Ganesh Mere Sai The Kapil Sharma Show Porus Main Maayke Chali Jaaungi Kaun Banega Crorepati Crime Patrol

* Schedule is subject to change

MONDAY 24th - FRIDAY 28th September

19:00:

SAVITRI DEVI COLLEGE & HOSPITAL

20:00:

SHAKTI ASTITVA KE EHSAAS KI

19:30:

UDANN

21:00:

TU AASHIQUI

BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12)

22:00:

SILSILA

23:00:

ROOP

22:30:

BEPANNAAH

Wednesday September 26, 2018 00:34 Film : Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar 05:00 Film : The Perfect Girl 07:00 Film : Udaan 09:41 Film : Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan 12:22 Film : Fareb 14:48 Film : Vivah * Schedule is subject to change 18:11 Film : Star Stop 19:00 Film : Chaar Din Ki Chandni Sunday September 23, 2018 21:51 Film : Four Pillars Of Basement 00:15 Film : Inteha Thursday September 27, 2018 05:00 Film : The Perfect Girl 00:10 Film : Utthaan 07:00 Film : Ram Balram 05:00 Film : Login 10:25 Film : Mr. India 07:01 Film : Jheel Ke Us Paar 14:01 Film : Jab We Met 10:00 Film : Kalyug 17:14 Film : Agneepath 12:12 Film : Rama Rama Kya Hai Dramaa 20:26 Film : Welcome Back 14:53 Film : Main Khiladi Tu Anari Monday September 24, 2018 18:25 Film : Star Stop 23:30 Film : Gunaah 19:02 Film : Shaitan 01:42 Film : Saaya 21:40 Film : Ankur Arora Murder Case 05:00 Film : Future Toh Bright Hai Ji Friday September 28, 2018 00:13 Film : Jahan Tum Le Chalo 07:10 Film : Hiraasat 05:00 Film : Bas Ek Tamanna 10:00 Film : Naraaz 07:05 Film : Jurm 12:27 Film : Luv Shuv Pyaar Vyar 09:33 Film : Krishan Avtaar 14:55 Film : Kaun?

12:40 Film : Chaalbaaz 16:55 Film : The Shaukeens 15:51 Film : Besharam 19:30 Film : Vivah 19:00 Film : Ghayal Once Again 22:56 Film : Madhoshi 21:48 Film : Shaitan Tuesday September 25, 2018 Saturday September 29, 2018 01:15 Film : Chor Bazaari-Ek Atrangi Prem Kahani 00:25 Film : Hey Bro 05:00 Film : I Don't Luv U 05:00 Film : Bezubaan Ishq 07:17 Film : Majaal 07:25 Film : Inteha 10:30 Film : Jeet - Born To Win 10:32 Film : Gangster 13:40 Film : Jashnn 12:52 Film : Main Khiladi Tu Anari 16:27 Film : Ankur Arora Murder Case 16:15 Film : Welcome Back 19:18 Film : Mere Dost Picture Abhi Baaki Hai 19:04 Film : Jazbaa 21:54 Film : Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara 21:32 Film : Dastak

SATURDAY 29th September

TIME 20:30:

deliberation.”

Earlier in Paris, not only the movie, but also Dhanush received an excellent response at a premiere show. Inspired by the novel, 'The Extraordinary Journey of The Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe', the film begins in Mumbai and tells the story of Ajatashatru, played by Dhanush, who sets on a mission to find his missing father. His search takes him to places like Paris, Spain, Rome, and Libya.

Dhanush's 'The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir' has won an award at the Norwegian International Film Festival.

Director of the international project directed, Ken Scott tweeted the exciting news. He wrote, “The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir won the prize “Ray of Sunshine” at the Norwegian International Film Festival! The topic of human dignity is front and centre in every vibrant frame of this picture, the jury stated in their

* Schedule is subject to change

MONDAY 24th - FRIDAY 28th September

Siva, under banner Amma Creations, shooting for the film has already begun.

The team also released the first single track from the film released on September 14.

'Chinna Machan' released on the internet and went viral within hours.

Choreographer, director, and actor, Prabhu Deva seems to have had a good year, bagging films like 'Kalavaadiya Pozhuthugal', 'Gulaebaghavali', 'Mercury', 'Lakshmi'. He also has a handful of upcoming projects like 'Yung Mung Sung', 'Pon Maanickavael', 'Thael', and 'Khamoshi'.

TV PROGRAM NAMES

SUNDAY 30th September

TIME

TV PROGRAM NAMES

18:00: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12)

18:00: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12)

20:00: NAAGIN - SEASON 3

20:00: NAAGIN - SEASON 3

19:30: DESI BEAT 3.0

21:00: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12) - WEEKEND KA WAAR

22:30: KAUN HAI?

19:30: BREAKFAST WITH CHAMPIONS 21:00: BIGG BOSS (SEASON 12) - WEEKEND KA WAAR

22:30:00 KAUN HAI?

30 UK

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22 - 28 September 2018

Police force unveils more modest Eleven students join global uniform for female Muslim officers community of BAFTA scholars A police force has created a less revealing uniform for Muslim women which is 'designed not to show the female form'.

West Yorkshire Police hopes that the looser fit will result in more ethnic minority recruits.

Many forces already allow female officers to wear the hijab, or headscarf, but the new uniform is believed to be a UK first.

Assistant Chief Constable Angela Williams said: 'For the last month we have been trialling a new uniform for women which is designed not to show the female form.

'This was suggested by a Muslim female officer and was designed by our Clothing Manager in conjunction with the officer.

'The tunic is a looser and longer fit, and has full sleeves. This has been wellreceived from officers in the force and we have now made further supplies of this uniform for other officers to trial it if they wish.

'I hope this uniform will encourage people from underrepresented groups to consider a career in policing if they had previously been put off joining the force due to the uniform.

'We are open to suggestions from all communities on how our uniform can be

PC Firzana Ahmed models the longer, looser fitting tunic for Muslim female officers

styled to better suit their needs.'

Pc Firzana Ahmed became the first to wear the new kit and says it has brought 'positive feedback from the local community' in Bradford.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel had quizzed police chiefs on Friday about what they were

Coming Events

l Lohana Community South London and Brahmin Samaj UK jointly host Navratri celebrations this year, from October 10 to 18, and Sharad Poonam celebrations on October 24, at PV Raichura Centre, Church Road, Croydon CR0 1SH. l Nehru Centre UK to hold 'Khayal: Musioc & Imagination', khayal vocals by Rahul Mishra, on September 26 and 'Bharatnatyam Recital' by Pranita Shreen Choudhry on September 27, at the Nehru Centre UK, 8 Audley Street, London, W1K 1HF. l Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan presents Gujarati comedy play 'Pappa Ni Kamaal Mummy Ni Dhamaa' on September 27.

Punashcha School of Rabindra Sangeet presents 'Chitrangada' and 'Shyama', dance dramas on September 29, both at 4a Castletown Road, West Kensington, London.

Sneh Joshi

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the names of eight British and three Chinese students who will receive BAFTA scholarships this year to study film, games and television courses in the UK. In addition to financial aid, the BAFTA Scholars will gain free access to BAFTA events and receive one-to-one mentoring from BAFTA members, award-winners and nominees.

The scholarships support talented individuals in financial need, and aim to encourage cross-cultural collaboration. The eleven students join three BAFTA Scholars from both countries who BAFTA is supporting for a second year, as well as 20 others from around the world who will study in the US awarded through BAFTA Los Angeles and BAFTA New York, as previously announced in July.

The new scholarship recipients will be welcomed at a reception at BAFTA’s headquarters, 195

Piccadilly, on Monday 17 September, attended by key industry figures and supporters.

The BAFTA Scholarship Programme is made possible by the generous support of a number of individuals, foundations and partnerships. For a fifth year, three of the British students will receive the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Games and Television, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros., which are awarded in the name of HRH The Duke of Cambridge in his role as President of BAFTA. For the first time this year the Reuben Foundation and Tinopolis are also named supporters of the programme.

Amanda Berry OBE, Chief Executive of BAFTA, said: “Over the years we have seen the BAFTA Scholarships programme evolve into a truly global initiative. Becoming a BAFTA scholar offers incredible opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration as well as giving this

Bus driver was driving dangerously A bus driver who crashed into a shop, killing two people, was driving dangerously when he caused the deaths, a trial of facts has found.

The double-decker bus driven by Kailash Chander smashed into a Sainsbury's supermarket in October 2015.

Rowan Fitzgerald, seven, and Dora Hancox, 76, died when the bus crashed in Trinity Street, Coventry.

Mr Chander, 80, from Leamington Spa, was judged unfit to plead or stand trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

The former town mayor

was diagnosed with dementia after the crash.

The court heard Mr Chander had been warned about his "erratic" driving by bus company Midland Red after four crashes in the previous three years.

He had worked for more than 70 hours in the week leading up to the accident.

Mr Chander mistook the accelerator for the brake before the fatal smash, prosecutors said.

He had also been the subject of eight warning letters triggered by a "spy-inthe-cab" system installed by Midland Red in 2014 to monitor braking, accelera-

tion and speeding.

Seven months before the fatal crash, Mr Chander was referred to the company's driving school, which sent an anonymous assessor to report on his driving.

The instructor said the journey was "uncomfortable and erratic" and "would not have been good enough" to pass an initial training driving test.

The UK’s leading Vedic writer and TV personality

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20 Whether you’re single or

attached you’ll have to go through a lot, as deep psychological transformations are taking place in all types of relationships. Don’t be afraid to experiment, trust your hunches, go with your gut feeling. Solutions to minor problems should be considered very carefully.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 Relationships look great as

Venus and Jupiter help to enhance your personal magnetism and put you in a gregarious mood. There are subtle transformations taking shape in you life and a feeling of helpful influences in the background.

There is much to suggest that you are in tune with your inner self.

You are endowed with a level GEMINI May 22 - June 22 of determination that others

sometimes find formidable. Once you set your mind on a goal you stay the course no matter what obstacles you encounter.

Saturn's placement in your opposite sign often denotes a phase of restriction, sometimes frustration, in one's life.

It’s all about communications, as they take centre stage this week. Regarding love there will be a struggle between devotion and freedom.

You need to feel completely consumed by the passion of your lover, and yet you need personal space to explore your own thing.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

doing to boost the number of black and minority ethnic (BAME) recruits.

Chief Constable Dee Collins said for some women, concerns about the existing uniform’s design could be preventing them from signing up.

Panel member Roger Grasby said the force had seen some success in boosting the number of staff who were female, disabled or lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) but 'less so with BAME'.

The percentage has crept up from five per cent in 2015 to 5.6 per cent this year but there are still concerns candidates are being put off.

Miss Collins said: 'Is it a confidence issue? Is it a trust issue? Possibly around things as simple as uniform.'

She had already showed off the new uniform to the Muslim Women’s Council in Bradford, she revealed, adding: 'I am absolutely determined we will continue to improve these figures,' she said. 'We need to, we absolutely need to.'

talented group of people every possible chance to succeed in the film, games and television industries.”

Speaking about the Prince William Scholarships, Josh Berger CBE, President & Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland & Spain, said: “For several years now, Warner Bros. has been proud to partner with BAFTA in this important scholarship programme, giving students the financial support, mentoring and access they need to pursue their passion, and we’ve seen some remarkable achievements from our talented alumni, many of whom now work regularly on major feature films, TV shows and in games development, or have won awards for their own creative content. I am very proud that through our own Warner Bros. Creative Talent programme, of which these scholarships are part, we are providing support and practical opportunities for the next generation of talent in our company and the industry as a whole.”

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This week you will make your best progress by focusing your mental and physical energies on what you want to achieve. Intense focus is what is needed now. The underlying trend seems to be pulling you into a much wider social circle now. This is bound to enrich your life and give you a deeper sense of purpose. The prevailing pattern of planets gives you a marvellous opportunity - take advantage.

Activities and interests that involve co-operation and teamwork are very much in the spotlight. You will be able to further your special aims and objectives by communicating and working closely with others. You are likely to experience some tension in close relationships - it may be a time to take stock of things.

The need to push ahead with personal interests and to assert yourself with added force will take precedence over everything else for some time to come. Mentally you will be in top form, perhaps feeling quite passionate about expressing your ideas and views. Indeed, for many aspiring Librans there is much to suggest that a goal you have been striving towards will at last be reached.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 It is essential that you adopt a very open attitude now for this is a time of lucky opportunity and a chance to greatly enrich your working life and at home.

New windows on the world are about to open and this will have a maturing effect on you. There is a rather secretive aura surrounding new romance.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

Mercury and Sun transit your solar second house. During this cycle, you are likely to see and enjoy benefits to your earning power and this will boost your own sense of security and wealth. Money problems from the past may clear up, if you manage your resources properly.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 With Venus and Jupiter traversing your sign for some time to come, it will put you in the right mood to indulge your pleasure-loving instincts. Venus, the planet of love and romance throws a pleasing light on affairs of the heart. Existing emotional differences can be easily sorted out now. Your creativity is also riding high.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20 Responsibility is your key word, especially at work. Set your own goals, rather than trying to meet those set by someone else. Your ability to manage what you have on your plate earns respect from others around you. You will benefit in every way if you learn to selfdiscipline and pace yourself wisely.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 It is a particularly favourable time for dealing with financial interests with a long-term basis, such as investments, insurance and pension schemes, legacies and all jointly held resources. You will be able to sort out any difficulties by taking immediate action. There may be a certain amount of unfinished business to be dealt with.

Therefore you will need to adopt a fairly flexible policy in order to accommodate the odd twists and turns of everyday life.

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22 - 28 September 2018

in brief SARDAR RETIRES FROM INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY

Former India hockey captain Sardar Singh decided to call time on his illustrious career, saying he had played enough in the last 12 years and now it’s time for the youngsters to take over. Sardar said he made the decision after a disappointing Asian Games where India failed to defend its title and returned with a bronze medal.

With age and speed not on his side, Sardar’s performance in the Games came under the scanner. “I took the decision after consultation with my family, Hockey India and my friends. I think it’s the right time to think about life beyond hockey,” he added. Interestingly, during the Asian Games in Jakarta, Sardar said he still has hockey left in him and desires to play one last Olympics in 2020 Tokyo. However, he had a change of heart amid speculation that he was forced to retire after his name was dropped from the 25-strong core group of national campers announced by Hockey India.

102-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WINS GOLD IN 200M MEET

ICC Test rankings: India still on top, Kohli remains No.1 batsman India captain Virat Kohli finished as the number-one ranked batsman in the world in the latest ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after the completion of the five-match series against England at London. In the Test team rankings, India continued to be at the No.1 position but England grabbed the fourth spot.

Kohli, who amassed 593 runs at an average of 59.3 in the series which the visitors lost by 1-4 margin, had started the series 27 points behind Australia’s Steve Smith and finished one point ahead of his closest rival. Kohli had first reached the top after the Edgbaston Test and then reclaimed the top spot after the Trent Bridge Test. He will now defend his number-one ranking in the two-Test home series against West Indies, which starts on October 4.

India’s KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant also made big gains in the latest rankings with the opener advancing 16 places to 19th position after his knock of 149.

Pant also moved up 63 places to 111th position after his 114 in only his third Test match.

Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 86 in the first innings has helped him gain 12 places to reach 58th among batsmen while he has also moved up one place in the all-rounder’s list to second position.

Cook finishes career in top ten Among others, England opener Alastair Cook signed off from international cricket on a

remarkable note, moving into the top-10 of the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen after a Player of the Match performance in the final Test at The Oval. The left-hander’s scores of 71 and 147 made him only the fifth man in history to notch a century in his first and last Test matches, and also helped his side win by 118 runs to complete a 4-1 win in the fivematch series. This memorable performance lifted the 33-yearold 11 positions to 10th in the latest rankings.

Cook had achieved a careerhigh ranking of second in September 2011 after he had scored a Test best 294 against India at Edgbaston. This was the same year when Cook won the prestigious ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award. The former England captain has ended an impressive career with the thirdbest ranking for a retiring England batsman after Wally Hammond (fifth) and Geoff Boycott (eighth).

However, he has finished in a higher position than any of the batsmen who scored more runs than him in the Test format.

Jacques Kallis hung his boots in 12th position, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid both ended their careers in 18th spot and Ricky Ponting finished in 26th place. Apart from winning the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award in 2011, Cook was named in the ICC Test Team of the Year in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 (as captain).

He also made his way in the

Virat Kohli

Alastair Cook

ICC ODI Team of the Year in 2012, the year in which he reached his career-best fifth position in ODIs during the month of June.

In other movements amongst the batsmen, captain Joe Root has moved up one place to fourth position after a fine knock of 125 in the second innings while other England batsmen to gain in the rankings include Jos Buttler (up nine places to 23rd) and Moeen Ali (up five places to 43rd).

In the ICC Player Rankings for Test Bowlers, England fast bowler James Anderson started and finished the series with the number-one ranking. After the Lord’s Test, Anderson reached a career-high 903 points. He had started the series with 892 points and finished just one point shy of the coveted 900point mark.

Other bowlers to make an upward movement after The Oval Test include Ben Stokes (up one place to 27th), Adil

Rashid (up six places to 44th) and Sam Curran (up four places to 51st) all advancing after taking three wickets each.

India lose points after 4-1 loss India had started the series at 125 points but the series loss meant it is now on 115 points.

India had lost the five-match series after conceding a 1-3 lead to hosts England after the fourth Test. The visitors lost the fifth and final Test by 118 runs.

England began the series in fifth position and 97 points but the emphatic victory over topranked India has resulted in a big gain of eight points and lifted them to 105 points as they surpassed New Zealand. Joe Root’s England side are now just one point behind South Africa and Australia, who are both on 106 points with the former marginally ahead on decimal points. With New Zealand not far behind on 102 points, there are now four teams within a space of five points of each other on the points table.

India lose Davis Cup tie to Serbia Man Kaur may be 102 but she is showing no signs of stopping. With a plethora of medals during her 100 years, she added one more feather to her cap with another victory. She won gold at the World Masters Athletics in the 200m event. What an achievement indeed. Born in 1916, this lady leads a disciplined life which is the reason for her being so healthy even at this age.

Needless to say, her achievement did not go unnoticed and Twitter was full of praise for this stupendous feat.

SWAPNA TO GET ‘SPECIAL’ SHOES India's Asian Games gold-medallist Swapna Barman will have customised shoes for her 12-toed feet soon as the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has tied up with footwear company Adidas to ensure speciallydesigned gear for the heptathlete. “After coming to know about Swapna’s case, the sports minister immediately directed us from Jakarta to get customised shoes made for her. We have taken up the matter with Adidas and they have agreed to provide the footwear,” SAI director general Neelam Kapur said. Born with six toes in both her feet, Swapna’s plight came to light only after she became the first Indian athlete to win an Asiad gold in heptathlon in Jakarta last month. After her victory, the athlete made an emotional appeal for customised shoes and the SAI immediately sprung into action after Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore directed the concerned authorities to take up the matter on an urgent basis.

India ended the Davis World Group Play-off tie against Serbia without a single win, losing 0-4, in Kraljevo on Sunday. Since the tie was already decided in favour of the hosts, who had taken an unassailable 3-0 lead, India fielded Balaji in place of Ramkumar Ramanathan. Serbia also changed the nomination, playing Krstin in place of Dusan Lajovic.

Balaji, who is more focussed on the doubles, lost 3-6 1-6 in 66 minutes. The two sides agreed not to play the fifth rubber. “It was not a bad match for me. In every service game I had game points but I was not sharp enough to take them. Even most of the return games were close.

The scoreline look easy for him but we had long games,” Balaji said. “Before going into the tie,

we thought we had a chance of beating them. But they came up strong in every match.”

Serbia did not have the services of Novak Djokovic and injured Filip Krajinovic in their line-up but still India could not take advantage of it. India now

have lost four out of five meetings with Serbia, whom they had defeated way back in 1927 when the country was Yugoslavia. Since new Davis Cup reforms have been introduced, India will not have to go back to the Asia/Oceania

Group immediately.

Instead, India will compete in a 24-team qualifying event (home and away format) in February next year to qualify for the 18-team Davis Cup Finals.

The year-end event to crown Davis Cup champions will be held either in Madrid or Lille from November 18-24, next year. The 12 winners will qualify while four semi-finalists from the 2018 season will get direct entry. The ITF will award two wild cards for the inaugural Davis Cup finals.

The Indian team is ranked 20th but effectively it is 16th, considering that four semifinalists will not be part of the qualifying event. The two worst teams in the qualifiers will go back to the zonal competition.

Gold for Mary Kom, Manisha lands silver The seasoned M C Mary Kom (48kg) collected her third gold medal of the year with a display of tactical brilliance while Manisha (54kg) settled for a silver in the 13th Silesian Open Boxing Tournament for women in Gliwice, Poland. Five-time world champion Mary Kom, returning to the ring after recovering from some niggles that kept her out of the Asian Games, prevailed 5-0 against

Kazakhstan’s Aigerim Kassanayeva to pick up India’s lone senior category gold at the event on Saturday. Her other two gold medals this year came in the inaugural India Open in Delhi and the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. She also won a silver at the prestigious Strandja Memorial Tournament in Bulgaria.

The 35-year-old former Olympic bronze-medalist was in

her elements against a taller opponent, displaying a brilliant counter-attacking strategy. The nimble-footed Indian showed sharp reflexes and did not allow a clear shot to Kassanayeva through the bout. “Mary was terrific in executing her strategy, it was a flawless performance,” India coach Rafaelle Bergamasco said from Gliwice.

The Manipuri, a 2014 Asian Games gold-medallist, took full

advantage of her rival’s hesitation and went full throttle in the final three minutes to strike some good body blows.

Her strong right hand worked well for her and she never allowed the southpaw to settle.

Manisha was next to take the ring against Ukraine’s Ivanna Krupenia. The Indian went down 2-3 even though she came across as the more aggressive of the two boxers.

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Kenya's Kipchoge smashes marathon record Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge smashed the marathon world record in Berlin on Sunday, beating the previous best set by Dennis Kimetto in 2014 by one minute and 18 seconds. The 33-year-old broke the world record by the biggest margin since Derek Clayton beat it by two minutes and 24 seconds in 1967. Kipchoge’s time was two hours, one minute and 39 seconds.

“It was hard,” Kipchoge said. “I am just so incredibly happy to have finally run the world record as I never stopped having belief in myself.” Kipchoge was able to make the record with limited use of pacemakers, people who swap in for the runner in different intervals. He ran solo for the last 17 kms of the race after his pacemakers dropped out much earlier than expected.

Kipchoge’s world record is a victory 15 years in the making. The Kenyan first tasted gold at the 2003 world championships over 5,000 metres when he was 18, then claimed silver and bronze medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, respectively. Since moving to the marathon in 2012, Kipchoge was won 10 of 11 races over 26.2 miles, including gold in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

He is regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time and is referred to as “the boss man” by his fellow athletes in Kenya. In 2017, he lost out on becoming the first athlete to run the marathon under two hours by 26 seconds, but it was not considered a world record because he was helped by a team of 30 pacemakers.

Initially all went to plan as Kipchoge passed the 10km mark in 29:21 – 22sec inside world-record pace.

But shortly after 15km two of the three pacemakers were suddenly unable to continue. The third, Josphat Boit, dropped out at 25km. The Kenyan had gone through halfway in 1hr 01 min 06sec. But now he was alone and his hopes of shattering the record appeared to be in the balance. Yet it transpired

that his pacemakers had been holding him back: Kipchoge ran the second half in 60min 34sec – or 4min 37sec per mile.

After that most mortals would have slumped over the line. However, Kipchoge still had enough energy to leap into the arms of his coach and mentor, Patrick Sang, a former steeplechaser who provided him with his first training plan as a teenager. It has been some journey for both of them since.

Moeen Ali finds Australian India women win series despite losing 3rd ODI vs Lanka cricketers rude England all-rounder Moeen Ali after winning the man of the match award for his performance against India at Kia Oval, talked about his faith, family and cricket. Ali, a deeply religious man, was born in a mixed race family- English mother an Pakistani father and had a challenging childhood. His father Munir sacrificed his career to create time to allow him to help the cricketing ambitions of his sons, Kadeer, Moeen and Omar. Ali's serious conversion to Islam came after he had a meeting with a man called Ray Walee.

His role model is the great South African cricketer Hashim Amla. “I was a bit reluctant until I saw Hash. Hash made it much easier for me. I thought 'if he can do it, why not me.

Religion is more important than sport to me.

I work hard at my game like everyone else.

Yes, you have faith in something or someone, but it doesn't mean that if you are playing poorly he doesn't like you. You have to be very careful with that,” says Ali. Rude behaviour Reflecting on his struggles on the last Ashes tour of Australia, Ali admitted: “I found it very difficult in Australia to switch off. It was my first Ashes tour and I was desperate to do well and was really looking forward to it. I worked so hard on the short ball before the series began, maybe too hard.

Then (Nathan) Lyon kept getting me out. I found that very hard to deal with. I never thought that I was a poor player of spin but I really struggled against him. I wasn't getting any wickets either. Things just got tougher and tougher.”

On his impressions about Australian cricketers, Ali said that he finds the whole

Moeen Ali

team 'rude' and did not have any sympathy for the banned cricketers. “Everyone you speak to ... they are the only team I’ve played against my whole life that I’ve actually disliked. Not because its Australia and they are the old enemy but because of the way they carry on and (their) disrespect of people and players.” He said, “the first game I ever played against them, in Sydney, they were not just going hard at you, they were almost abusing you. That was the first time it hit me. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but the more I played against them they were just as bad, the Ashes here (in 2015) they were worse, actually. Not intimidating, just rude.”

Australian cricket was thrown into turmoil earlier this year when captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft were banned after a ball-tampering scandal during a Test in South Africa. Ali said he felt no sympathy for Smith, Warner and Bancroft. “I’m someone who generally feels sorry for people when things go wrong but its difficult to feel sorry for them.” The ball-tampering scandal was also seen as a watershed for the sport in Australia with the Cricket Australia announcing a root and-branch review and ordering a charter governing player behaviour.

Sri Lankan women registered a threewicket win over the Indian eves in the third ODI played at Katunayake on Sunday. On the back of hundred by captain Mithali Raj and useful contributions from Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, Indian eves posted 253 for 5. Sri Lankan captain Atapattu played an important knock helping Sri Lanka to chase down the target despite losing wickets.

Sri Lankan captain Chamari Atapattu won the toss and decided to field first.

India got off to a worse start losing the wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues on the second ball. Smriti Mandhana and Captain Mithali Raj showed positive intent scoring 45 runs in first 10 overs. Both of them continued to pile pressure on Sri Lankan bowlers with attacking stroke-play.

Smriti Mandhana reached her half-century off 58 balls. Soon after completing her 50, Mandhana was dismissed by Sri Lankan captain Atapattu for 51. Mandhana and Mithali added 102 runs for the second wicket. Captain Mithali reached her half-century off 76 balls. Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali added 45 runs for third wicket. Harmanpreet Kaur scored 17 while Hemalatha made 6.

Mithali continued to play well and reached his century off 126 balls while Deepti Sharma played a cameo knock scoring 38 off 44 balls.

Deepti Sharma was dismissed in the last over. Jhulan Goswami came to the crease and smashed a six.

Chasing a target of 254 runs to win, the Sri Lankan openers Chamari Atapattu and Hasini Perera started steadily with 31 runs in first 10 overs. Both of them continued to put pressure on Indian bowlers with their stroke play. Sri Lankan captain Atapattu reached her half-century off 61 balls. Poonam Yadav got the breakthrough dismissing Perera for 45 runs. Both the openers added 101 runs in 23.1 overs.

Chamari Atapattu continued to play with positive intent reaching her century off 117 balls. Sanjeewani also played well by scoring 22 and added 55 runs for the second wicket. Jhulan Goswami picked the important of Sanjeewani. Captain Atapattu was dismissed scoring 115 off 133 balls. De Silva made a quick fire 15 off 9 balls. Indian eves could not earn any points from the match but they won the series 2-1.

Indian women take unbeatable 2-0 lead Taniya Bhatia and Mansi Joshi starred as India clinched a 7-run win to capture the one day international series against Sri Lanka in Galle. India defended 219 in the second match to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. India also earned two additional points as the match is a part of the ICC Women's Championship. Batting first, India were all out for 219 in 50 overs on a slow track where young wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia's 68 off 66 balls turned out to be a match-winning knock.

In reply, the visitors bowled out the hosts for 212 in 48.1 overs with seamer Mansi Joshi taking 3/51 and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad chipping in with 2/37.