AV 28th June 2014

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Leicester Arson Attack:

Eight Found Guilty

Eight men have been found guilty of an arson attack in Leciester, that killed mother Shehnila Taufiq, 47 and her three children, daughter Zainab, 19, and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamal, 15, in their home on September 13 2013.

The trial, which took place at Nottingham Crown Court, reportedly stated that it had been part of a 'botched' plan for revenge.

Kemo Porter, 19, and Tristan Richards, 23, were found guilty of their murders. Shaun Carter, 24, Nathaniel Mullings, 19, Jackson Powell, 20, Aaron Webb, 20, Akeem Jeffers, 21 and Cairo Parker, 17, were found guilty of manslaughter on Tuesday 24 June.

Prosecutor Richard Latham QC said the

defendants planned to target the house of another man who they thought had stabbed their friend and football coach Antoin Akpom.

Latham reportedly stated: "They simply got the wrong house - a tragedy."

The fire was started in the early hours of Friday 13 September, by petrol poured through the letterbox and then set alight.

During the trial, the jury were shown CCTV footage from the night of the fire, which featured eight figures walking towards the house and then three later running away.

Giving evidence, the defendants, who are all from Leicester, said Richards had "terrified"

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A war crimes court in Bangladesh delayed a verdict against the top leader of largest Islamist party on Tuesday because of defendant’s ill health.

Doctors opined that the 71-year-old Islamist party leader Motiur Rahman Nizami could not be moved from jail due to his deteriorating health.

Nizami could face death penalty for alleged war crimes such as genocide during the 1971 independence war. He was told to stay in bed, few hours before the verdict, said a source.

A special tribunal was set to deliver the verdict for Jamaat-e-Islami chief, who faces 16 charges, including genocide, murder, torture, rape and destruction of property during the nation’s independence war against Pakistan.

He faces charges of personally carrying out or ordering the deaths of nearly 600 Bangladeshis.

The head of a threejudge panel, M Enayetur Rahim, said a new date for the verdict will not be set until the judges see a

raped 200,000 women and forced about 10 million people to take shelter in Continued from page 26

UNESCO recognises Raniki-Vav as world heritage site

34 Indians evacuated in Iraq

See Page - 25

See Page - 23

Passport Office accused of "profiting from public hardship".

Motiur Rahman Nizami

detailed medical report on Nizami. Rahim delayed the verdict after jail authorities told the tribunal that Nizami could not be in the court for the verdict because of his illness.

“We don’t think it will be logical to announce the

verdict under current circumstances,” Rahim said in the courtroom.

The war is still an emotionally charged issue, with Bangladesh saying Pakistani soldiers, aided by local collaborators, killed 3 million people,

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Keith Vazwith MP

Dr Nadia Khalid

Keith Vaz MP 5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

My Mother – my source of inspiration and unwavering support.

Dr Nadia Khalid is a medical doctor based in North-West London. She graduated from Imperial College London and also holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Humanities from the University of London. She has worked extensively with charity organisations on various health awareness initiatives and is an active supporter of the Acid Survivors Trust International. Nadia is currently working as a GP Registrar and has specialist interests in Medical Ethics, Forensic Medicine and Humanitarian Relief Work.

1) What is your current position?

Chair of the Muslim Doctors Association.

The Muslim Doctors Association is a non-profit voluntary organisation that is dedicated to inspire, to empower and to support individuals to live healthier lives in a faithsensitive and culturally sensitive manner.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

My proudest achievements are seeing the fruits of helping others. One particularly memorable event was helping a woman who was suffering from a miscarriage on a flight from London to Dubai. She was 11 weeks pregnant, travelling alone, terrified and in severe pain. I spent most of my time

by her side, assessing her and made a decision with the pilot that the passenger would need urgent medical attention at the transit stop.

I received a thank you card from the airline, along with some gift vouchers and a bottle of champagne that I respectfully declined!

3) What inspires you?

People, especially the elderly. I could talk to them for hours.

There is much wisdom to be learnt from a life that has been lived to the full.

4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?

Ignorance (and prejudice) can be challenging.

I have experienced occasional prejudice in my work, though overcoming this has been satisfying. As a Muslim woman that

has chosen to wear the hijaab (headscarf), I am visibly identified and recognised by others to be Muslim. I remember when working one night shift in a busy Accident & Emergency department, I was trying to help a man suffering from acute alcohol withdrawal. After making some prejudiced comments about my headscarf he then bit my arm as I was attempting intravenous cannulation.

Charming! He was dealt with appropriately by my supportive colleagues.

6) What is the best aspect about your current role?

Having the opportunity to meet and engage with various community organisations and charities who do some truly fantastic work.

We also have a beautiful sense of team spirit in the MDA team which I thoroughly enjoy being a part of.

7) And the worst?

Missing out on my lazy weekends at home!

8) What are your long term goals?

I have a keen interest in supporting women that have been victims of domestic violence, especially in Muslim and BME communities. These women often blame themselves for the

Passport Office accused of "profiting from public hardship"

The Passport Office has been accused of “profiting from public hardship” after it was revealed that it makes a £13 surplus on every passport issued.

MPs have been told that it is now having to spend nearly a £1m in a month on overtime as it attempts to deal with the chaos of 490,000 outstanding applications.

According to official detailed Passport Office figures, the closure of overseas passport posts has caused a significant increase in applications this year. Figures show that overseas applications have risen by 40,000 a month compared with a year ago, while those from applicants in Britain are only 20,000 higher than year ago.

"Over the last 10 days HM Passport Office has been gripped by what can only be described as chaos resulting in emergency measures being taken by

the government. It appears the Passport Office is making a surplus of £13 on each application. It should not be profiting from the public's hardship," reportedly said Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons home affairs select committee.

The figures provided to the select committee show that the extra demand for passports reached 727,067 applications last month – 57,000 higher than the year before. The largest part of the increase involves the renewal of 399,000 adult passports, normally the most straightforward to be processed.

The latest published figure for the average cost of processing a passport

application gives a 2012/13 figure of £59.40 per passport. A standard adult passport costs £72.50 so the Passport Office is making a £13 surplus on each passport issued.

Vaz reportedly said the £13 surplus made on issuing each passport should be used to employ more staff rather than paying out nearly £1m in overtime to process the backlog quicker. He also said the 70,000 surge in applications in January should have provided "the wakeup call" and it was surprising to hear why immediate action was not taken to stop the "impending disaster" that has swarmed the passport agency and angered many travellers, who are stuck without their passports.

On Wednesday, Home Secretary Theresa May was forced to apologise, for delays in processing passport applications and insisted the government is

doing all it can to deal with the situation.

"I am sorry and the government is sorry," she reportedly told MPs in a Labour-led Commons debate on the delays.

“There had been unusually high demand for passports,” she said.

Meanwhile passport staff were left angered on Monday 23 June, after it emerged the civil service boss Paul Pugh, who has been managing the passport chaos, was nominated as a 'leader of the year' at a respected awards ceremony.

Paul Pugh, who admitted to MPs that he considered resigning over the 500,000 backlog of passport applications which he has allowed to build up ahead of the summer getaway, was up for the award at the influential 'Investors in People' awards, which took place on Monday 23 June.

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DV, feel a sense of shame and are less likely to seek help. My goal is to work in conjunction with existing organisations to set up a helpline that is sensitive to the faith and culture of these women, to empower them that they can change their lives and do not have to live in fear. The goal is to be able to provide a safe haven and temporary accommodation for these women until they are able to find their own feet.

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

I would do more to tackle the low conviction rate of rape.

Between 60,000 and 95,000 people are estimated to be victims of sexual assault each year.

An average of 15,670 rape cases are reported annually to the police. Out of these, only 1,070 people are convicted of rape every year according to National Statistics.

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

Joan of Arc. I have been fascinated with her ever since I visited her memorial on a school trip to Rouen in France. She was a martyr, saint and military leader. She lived with strong faith and because of her unwavering belief, was burnt at the stake at the age of 19.

Conversion of Brent Town Hall into French school disappoints locals

Local residents of Brent Council are disappointed with the news that Brent town Hall in Wembley will now convert into a French school. Brent Town Hall holds sentimental value amongst many local Asians, who have had weddings there before the trend changed into hosting them at banqueting halls in luxury hotels.

The Grade II listed Art Deco building was sold by Brent council to the French Education Property Trust, which will run the school backed by the French embassy.

The new school will open in 2015.

The school, which is expected to be oversubscribed, will cater for pupils aged between 11 and 18. They will study the French curriculum and take the Baccalauréat.

French Ambassador to the UK Bernard Emié said: “This historic building provides an ideal space and enjoys the perfect location to house our future school, which will enable us to increase the reception capacity of French secondary education in London.” More than 120,000 French people are registered as living in London, but the true number is estimated to be much higher.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

COMMENT

Modi for taking Indo-Russian ties to higher level

Prime Minister hailed Russia as India’s “timetested and reliable friend” and said he intended to take their relationship to an even higher level.

He was responding to President Vladimir Putin’s greetings and message – conveyed by Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin - that Russia was keen to strengthen and deepen its “special and privileged strategic partnership” with India.. Mr Rogozin was on a two-day visit to India, where he also met with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. During four hours of talks between Sushma Swaraj and Dmitri Rogozin, the two sides agreed to explore the feasibility of a free trade agreement through India’s membership of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, also known as the Eurasian Union. India and Russia are to set up a study group to explore the subject and come up with a participatory scheme for India sooner rather than later. Vietnam and New Zealand have already joined the group, with Armenia, Tajikstan and Krygystan on the list of applicants. Hydrocarbons, nuclear energy, pharmaceuticals, and “strategic infrastructure projects”, were identified as areas of immediate importance for both parties. Sushma Swaraj informed the Russian Deputy Prime Minister of the successful operation of the first unit of the Russian-designed Kundakulam nuclear plant. It was now on stream, generating 1000 MW of power, with the second unit scheduled to go critical by the end of the year. India and Russia

are working on the modalities of the third and fourth units, which when completed, will bring the total power generation of the Kundakulam project to a massive 4000 MW. It is part of the larger plan to set up 14 to 16 Russian nuclear plants in India. As significant is the mooted gas pipeline from Russia to India – “one of the largest infrastructure projects ever conceived,” said Mr Rogozin, It could take shape as a possible extension of the giant Russia-China pipeline, a project Mr Putin hopes to discuss with Narendra Modi at the BRICS summit in Brazil next month. The logic of strategy, leavened by the grammar of commerce, is the alpha and omega of the Indo-Russian relationship, the source of its enduring strength in an increasingly turbulent world. The Middle East, with Iraq and Syria in the eye of the storm, is ablaze.

Afghanistan faces an uncertain future, as does strife-torn Ukraine. The Pakistani body politic is ruptured by the conflict between the Taliban and their former handlers in Islamabad, as a floodtide of refugees flee southward to escape the military’s land and aerial assault on North Waziristan. The possibility of a spillover of jihadi violence into India cannot be discounted.

The US and its Nato allies have sown the wind and are set to reap the whirlwind, as British jihadis in these trouble spots return home to further their blood-stained cause, British anti-terrorism experts have warned. Disaster could well turn into catastrophe. Prime Minister Modi and President Putin will have much to discuss in Brazil.

Cambridge University bestowed as honorary doctorate of science, on one of its most distinguished of living Indians, Padma Bhusan recipient Dr Yusuf Hamied, a sprightly 77, distinguished Mumbai-based scientist and entrepreneur was, until recently, Chairman of Cipla, the pharmaceutical company that made waves by producing a composite HIV/AIDS medicine that saved thousands of lives in Africa – the death toll an obscene 8,000 a day - among those stricken by this killer disease. Cipla’s antiretroviral fixed dose combinations was the telling point, as multinational drugs firms manufactured three separate medicines, which cost the patient $12,000 per year, well beyond the reach of the poor. After a multitude of trials and tribulation and unremitting effort, Cipla produced a single medicinal solution to stabilize the virus, which cost a mere dollar a day. It was the breakthrough that Africa and the world were waiting for; it shone a light where there had been only darkness. Dr Hamied’s career has been remarkable. His father, Dr K.A.Hamied, inspired

by Mahatma Gandhi’s call to produce affordable medicines for India’s poor, had founded Cipla before the Second World War. Then Master of Christ’s College, Cambridge, Lord Todd, a chemistry Nobel laureate, met the youthful Yusuf during a visit to Bombay (as it was then) in 1954, and admitted the 18-year-old, barely out of school, for the Chemistry Tripos, in which young Hamied

took a coveted First and went on to complete his PhD, before returning to Bombay in 1960, where he joined the family firm as a research scientist.

The rest is history.

In a colourful ceremony at Senate House resplendent with scarlet gowns with silver trimmings, the university orator, Rupert Thomson, with the University Chancellor and th UK Lord Chancellor on the dais, spoke these stirring words: “Twin pestilences are my theme: one a disease which especially ravages the poor, the other avarice which so twists the minds of the rich they put profit before the lives they ought most to help.” The orator excoriated the greed of international drug manufacturers, keen only to protect their monopoly under the principle: “You want the medicine, we set the price.” Dr Hamied has been a educational benefactor, having donated handsomely to Christ’s College, Cambridge, where, he says, the seeds of his scientific career were sown, the benefits, thankfully, reaped by the people he has helped throughout his illustrious life.

Talking to an Indian reporter, Yusuf Hamied said he was the son of a Muslim father and a Lithuanian Jewish mother – they had met in Germany, where her husband was a student, before the advent of Adolf Hitler - with most of his friends Hindu; he respected all faiths in the truest traditions of eternal India.

India’s railway network has long been guarantor of its unity, bringing every corner of a vast and diverse land of multiple tongues, ethnicities and faiths into a transcendent whole: a miracle of sorts, you could say. Keeping up with the times, catering to new needs and bulging expectations have long been the need of the hour. Only a significant financial transfusion could set the Indian Railways on the road to true modernization. With populism the guiding principle over the years, the issue was put on the backburner. Fares were kept under tight control. Better rolling stock,

improved services, faster trains, let alone bullet trains, remained an aspiration, an elusive dream. The BJP and its allies, in opposition, may have been as resolutely opposed to price hikes as the rest. In government with a transformational majority in Parliament, the Railway Minister has at last raised passenger fares by 14 per cent across the board and freight chargers by 6.5 per cent. Add to this cash flow, is a plan to permit foreign direct investment could at last make India’s ageing rail network fit for 21st century purpose.

Hurrah!

Cambridge honours an Indian son

Biting the bullet: Boost for Indian Railways

3

If things do not turn out as we wish, we should wish for them as they turn out - Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Baroness Zahida Manzoor CBE of Knightsbridge

Children, parents, and teachers deserve more The Trojan Horse schools in Birmingham have dominated recent headlines. The controversy has shocked the nation and unfortunately shown that some schools have risked depriving their students of an allrounded education.

Four out of the five schools in Birmingham placed under special measures were academies which, unlike other schools, have almost total freedom over the curriculum. For example, some of the academies in Birmingham had excluded critical subjects such as art, music and the humanities. In my experience these are all areas which allow us to see the world through many prisms and which enrich both the soul and mind.

Common enjoyment of the arts also aids community cohesion.

The details of this story reveal how important it is that we ensure a well-established and reviewed body of knowledge, a core curriculum, is taught in all schools, regardless of where they are and who they cater for. The Chief Inspector of Schools and Head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has reiterated this, recommending in his recent report the government “provide much greater clarity to all schools (including academies and free schools) on what should be taught in a broad and balanced curriculum.”

As a Liberal Democrat I support, in principle, the idea of Ofsted carrying out nonotice inspections where they have legitimate concerns. But I believe this should come alongside tougher content rules for academies and free schools. Also, my judge-

ment may biased by selfinterest - as my daughter has just completed her teacher training- but in my view, all teachers should be trained to teach.

I am instinctive supporter of freedom, diversity and choice; and the Liberal Democrats have always been and always will be the Party of education. We believe in giving schools more autonomy and teachers more freedom. In government, we have supported extra powers to innovate for free schools and academies and taken steps to extend autonomy for all schools. We have given all schools the freedom to attract, retain and reward the best teachers and have slimmed down the national curriculum so there is less direction on how to teach. Our new pupil premium, providing extra money to support disadvantaged children, is given to schools without strings attached because teachers know better than politicians how best to spend that money.

However, it’s crucial to balance freedom to innovate and experiment with the need to ensure that a core body of knowledge is taught in schools.

I am delighted that, the upcoming Lib Dem manifesto will include a commitment that by September 2016 every school will employ teachers that are properly qualified, or working towards a teaching qualification and deliver a core curriculum, set by independent experts, that sets out the essential skills and knowledge every child needs to succeed; whoever, or whereever they are. Children, parents, and teachers deserve more.

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Mother dies after asked to cure breast lump with primrose oil ointment

A young mother of 33, died from cancer after the hospital doctors reportedly told her to cure a lump on her breast with primrose oil ointment.

Samina Chaudhry went back several times to say the primrose oil treatment was not working. Two years later, doctors sent the biopsy for analysis but the cancer was so far advanced it could not be treated.

Samina had a mastectomy as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Throughout her illness, she even carried on her job helping parents and young children at a Sure Start centre.

However, in 2012 her condition deteriorated and Samina was admitted to a hospice. The mother of 2, decided to die at home and so the family living room was turned into a

Samina Chaudhry

A pair of Bulgarian brides recruited using skype to take part in sham marriages in the UK have been jailed.

A daily newspaper reported that Nadya Kamenova, 20, and Tamenuzhka Slavcheva, 21, were paid in total more than £4,000 to ‘marry’ two Pakistani men facing deportation. The young mothers were both flown to Manchester after being contacted online by sham marriage organisers.

Saleem, from Rochdale, Lancs, allegedly paid Slavcheva £1,000 to marry him after his student visa was rescinded.

The women were locked up alongside fake groom, Muhammed Saleem, 28, who married Slavcheva in a ceremony observed by undercover borders officials, called in by suspicious staff, at Manchester Register Office last February.

Four days earlier, Saleem acted as a witness in the fake marriage of Mohammed Shahbaz to Nadya Kamenova. Mr Shahbaz, who has so far

Tamenuzhka Slavcheva

own.

Following a legal action, the Northampton General Hospital has now agreed to pay the family damages, reported the Daily Mail.

Mango ban review gives hope to Britain’s Indian diaspora

Rt Hon Keith Vaz, the Leicester East MP has received a letter from the Prime Minister, David Cameron regarding the EU ban on the importation of Alphonso mangoes. The Prime Minister’s letter confirmed that support and advice will be given to Indian authorities by the Food and Environment Research Agency ahead of the audit in September.

Mr Vaz also spoke to the Health Commissioner Tonio Borg on 19th June 2014, who

Alphonso mango Muhammed Saleem

escaped arrest, is suspected of organising a number of other sham marriages.

Manchester Crown Court has heard that his bride Kamenova was recruited by her UK-based aunt, who is suspected of being another of the organisers, via Skype, and paid £3,400 for the job.

Recorder Bernadette Baxter, sentencing, ordered Kamenova and Saleem to serve 20 months behind bars, and Slavcheva to serve 12 months, saying the ‘extremely serious offences fundamentally undermine the legitimate immigration system’.

Bradford Business School rockets up rankings

Bradford University School of Management has soared 65 places up the Guardian University Guide 2015 rankings less than a month after being named one of the best in the country for teaching marketing skills in the

Husband Mohammed with sons Zeeshan and Usman

makeshift ward. Unfortunately within a month, Samina had died. Her devastated husband Mohammed is now bringing up their two sons Zeeshan, 13, and Usman, 11, on his

Pair of brides recruited for sham marriages jailed

Nadya Kamenova

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Complete University Guide. The school’s business, management and marketing teaching was ranked 34th in the UK in the new 2015 league, up from 99th place last year.

The prestigious annual survey revealed an

has confirmed that the audit in India will take place on 2nd September 2014.

Keith Vaz said: “I welcome the very important news from

increase in all of the test fields, with the biggest increases coming in student satisfaction with teaching, the courses and feedback. The Guardian’s overall score climbed from 43.3 in 2014 to 70.6 this year, putting Bradford in the top three in Yorkshire.

Last month,

The City Centre in Leicester marked the launch of the 7 day annual festival An Indian Summer with a group of dancers.

Currently in it’s 4th year, a group of dancers staged the unexpected performance in Gallowtree Gate to kick-off the annual festival.

With workshops, presentations and activities, the festival aims to bring a taste of India to the city’s Cultural Quarter.

Festival director Bipin Anand told a local paper: “The flash mob brought in a huge amount of attention – more than we thought it would.

“It was brilliant, such an explosive start to the festival.

“It was clear the dancers loved it and so did everyone who was watching.”

Festival visitors will be able to watch short films, take part in curry cooking classes and learn how to make an Indian cocktail.

Primary school Governor in B'ham on list of terror suspect

Keith Vaz

the Prime Minister which demonstrates the Government’s firm commitment to supporting and advising Indian plant health officials.

Commissioner Tonio Borg has now confirmed that if the audit in September proves successful, the European Commission will ensure a rapid review of the ban. It does not have to last until December 2015.

The end of this hugely damaging EU decision which is preventing us from eating our favourite mango is finally in sight.”

Council investigates false school applications in Leicester

Leicester City Council has launched investigations in 9 cases of suspected false school applications.

Three of these have so far proved to be unfounded but a further six are still being investigated.

A concerned group of parents allegedly wrote to the city council with the names and address of parents they believed had made false applications for places this September. It was claimed parents had used incorrect addresses and, in some instances, those of a relative such as grandparents who lived in the school’s catchment area.

An Indian Summer comes to Leicester

The group has questioned the integrity of the school admission system, saying it is easy to “defraud”, and urged the council to take immediate action.

In addition, the letter said that if no action was taken, the group would be forced to seek a “judicial review of the entire admission process” so that parents couldn’t get away with fraud in the future.

The allegations sparked latest investigation into five cases.

A city council spokeswoman confirmed that investigations were under way and the matter was being taken very seriously.

Bradford was ranked 14th for marketing out of all UK universities in a separate league. That research also revealed the school had improved rankings in all four listed subjects in the league, including Business & Management, Accounting & Finance and Law.

The Sunday Times has revealed that a British Muslim who has been accused by the US government of funding terrorism, is the Chairman of governors at a primary school in Birmingham.

Ghoma Abdrabba, pictured, who leads the governing body at the Birmingham Muslim School (BMS) that he once owned, is alleged by the US Treasury to have used a charity organisation to “transfer documents and funds for terrorist activities overseas”. Abdrabba, 56, of Libyan origin, has denied the claims.

He had been included on America’s specially designated nationals list in February 2006 for allegedly funding the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG).

Ray to celebrate Birmingham Day in Westminster

Adil Ray, the comedian behind hit BBC sitcom Citizen Khan, will be representing Birmingham at the House of Commons on June 25th, an exhibition to showcase the region's creative sector.

Adil Ray Also attending will be Tommy Nagra, head of business development for BBC Birmingham.

The event backed by MPs from all parties, including Edgbaston Labour MP Gisela Stuart, Tommy Nagra said the creative sector was key.

Soshi Games, based in Aston Science Park, will highlight the importance of the gaming industry to the West Midlands economy. The business creates games for mobile phones and tablets.

Other firms taking part include Maverick TV, the Birmingham-based production company responsible for show Embarrassing Bodies among others.

Representatives from the Custard Factory, which houses a range of creative firms, Birmingham City University and animation studio Yamination will also be taking part.

Present also will be representatives from the Law Society.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

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Worrying number of British-born teen jihadists flock to Syria Spriha Srivastava

Lalcap India organizes Modi debate slowly becoming posiThe government that tive. came into power with a Recently at an event thundering victory just a organised by Lalcap month back has already India, a number of dignistarted working hard to taries came together to ensure India gets its discuss if the results of name back of nations making economic India's Elections be the progress. The last ten "Game Changer" the years have been somecountry needs to put it what tough for India, back on the path of high with rampant corruption economic growth, and that drove away many foreign investors and brought a lot of criticism for the government and their policies. There were scams after scams and although the Commonwealth Games brought a lot of infrastructure development for Delhi, it also brought along its Prime Minister Narendra Modi own set of criticisms and scams. help the country achieve Well moving on to the its long-term potential? new government has An eminent panel, with brought a sense of optiover 150 combined years mism for Indian markets of experience in and its investors. The India/Asia, was put Indian rupee had weaktogether by Deepak ened quite a bit at the Lalwani for the 8th beginning of the year due annual India seminar. to domestic policy paralTheir views included the ysis and with the U.S. impact of the election Federal Reserve starting results on: politics and to wrap its monthly bond policies, economic growth, foreign direct buying programme, a measure that was introinvestments, financial duced to pump money markets and investor into the economy during sentiment for India. the crisis era. But with Chaired by Deepak L. the new RBI governor Lalwani, OBE, Director – Raghuram Rajan taking Lalcap & Consultant – over and then the much India, WH-Ireland, the awaited victory of Prime panelists included Lord Minister Narendra Modi, Desai, Jitesh Gadhia, the Indian markets and Senior Advisor, the general sentiment is Blackstone, Robin

Griffiths, Global Technical Strategist, ECU Group, James Kynge, Emerging Markets Editor, Financial Times, Ian McEvatt, Chairman, Himalayan Fund N.V and Nasser Munjee, Chairman, Development Credit Bank.

The panelists discussed the Impact of General Election results on the economy, investments and markets, global and domestic economic tailwinds and headwinds affecting economic growth, Outlook for Indian markets for next 12 months + drivers and risks and how foreign investors view India at the moment, especially after Modi’s thundering victory.

There is a lot of hope from Modi to replicate the Gujarat model where by attracting investment and building infrastructure in Gujarat, the state he has governed for more than 12 years, but that might not be such a straight forward task.

“The rules of the game will be different,” said one speaker adding that “many more lobbyists and strategic thinking will be necessary for Mr Modi to deliver on his agenda.” Well he definitely has time on his hands and now a strong team too.

Maharashtra during 18 January 2003 to October 2004.

Meanwhile, the President of the ICJ has been selected for “his exemplary and far-reaching contribution to the peaceful settlement of international disputes in accordance with principles of International law, and thereby avoiding conflicts and regulating the conduct of nations.”

The awards were presented in the International Conference of Jurists & Writers in London on June 23 in the presence of Chief Justices, Judges, Ministers, editors, writers and diplomats. Apart from Mr. Shine and Mr. Tomka, the Justice Minister of Qatar Mr. Hassan Lahdan Al Mohannadi, Amity University Chancellor Dr.

Ashol Chauhan and Spanish Chief Justice Gonzalo Moliner Tamborero were also honoured on this occasion for their contribution and works.

The event was organised by International Council of Jurists that is a body of jurists from different countries working together to establish a healthy development of justice and equality around the world. The International Council of Jurists is actively involved in organizing campaigns for legal awareness. Besides that, we have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect the rule of law and the social justice by making provision of free legal aid and by the maintenance of an efficient system.

International Jurists Awards announced

The President of International Court of Justice (ICJ) Peter Tomka and former Home Minister of India Sushil Kumar Shinde have been selected for prestigious International Jurists Award-2014 for world peace and law & order respectively. Mr. Shinde has been selected for “his fearless measures to combat terror and organized crime. His exemplary efforts have earned international distinction for making a far-reaching impact on the landscape of crime in his country.”

Sushil Kumar Shinde was the Minister of Home Affairs in the Manmohan Singh government, and the Leader of the house in Lok Sabha until May 26, 2014. He previously served as the Chief Minister of the state of

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at aveditorial@abplgroup.com

9/11-type attacks and murders of British citizens will soon come to the city of London, according to alarming threats made by fellow UK citizens fighting alongside Islam’s most violent terrorist group operating in Syria and Iraq, the Sunni militant group calling themselves the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ISIS) in Syria.

They allegedly promise that after they’re done there, Britain is next.

The message comes from three fighters, all youngsters in their teens and twenties, in a 13minute recruitment video, titled There is No Life Without Jihad, broadcasted on Thursday 19 June. This new propaganda campaign comes just two days after David Cameron warned of the threat posed by Britons returning from jihad. The video appears to have been shot in Syria several weeks ago.

The three Britons, who are joined by two other men identified as Australians, are shown sitting in a rural area holding AK47 rifles with al-Qaeda’s black flag flying behind them.

The Britons are shown calling on their “brothers” to martyr themselves for Allah, saying, “You are going to die anyway.”

They said they were about to cross from Syria into Iraq to join the war, and Nasser Muthana said they were ready to take the fight to Jordan or Lebanon.

Nasser Muthana, 20, a Cardiff medical student, is identified as one of the Britons seen on the video, attempting to recruit other future jihadists to Iraq and Syria.

“We are a state who is implementing the Sharia (Islamic law) in both Iraq and Sham (Syria), and look at the soldiers - we understand no borders,” he said, identifying himself as Abu Muthanna alYemeni, from Britain.

“We have participated in battles in Sham, and we will go to Iraq in a few days, and we will fight there, Allah permitting, and come back, and we will even go to Jordan

Reyaad Khan, Nasser Muthana and Raqib

and Lebanon, with no problems.”

His father, Ahmed Muthana, told a national Daily that Nasser’s 17year-old brother, Aseel, was also fighting alongside him. He claimed his sons were “brainwashed” in Britain and that watching footage of his son

martyrdom?

You are going to die anyway.”

Isis has become a magnet for jihadist volunteers and it is estimated that as many as 450 Britons have left the country to join the group’s ranks in one country or the other.

C o u n t e r - t e r ro r i s m

Aseel Muthana (left) and his older brother Nasser

made him cry.

"I wish I could hold him, hold his hand, ask him to come back," he reportedly said. "As a father I give a message, not only to Nasser, to all the people that go from Britain to Syria to fight please stop. Come back home."

A second Briton, who appears on the video, calling himself Abu Bara al-Hindi, was identified as Reyaad Khan, 20. He studied in sixth form with Nasser Muthana at Cardiff’s Cantonian High School.

Reyaad Khan said: “You need to fight for Allah. Sacrifice for Allah.

The cure for depression is jihad.”

The family of Reyaad Khan is also pleading for him to come home after he appeared in the chilling jihadist propaganda video.

The third Briton, who has been identified as Raqib, said: “A message to the brothers who have stayed behind: you have to ask yourself what prevents you from joining the ranks of the Mujahedin? What prevents you from obtaining

officers are searching for the jihadist masterminds who arranged for the British students to travel to Syria to fight.

This recent case echoes a previous case involving brothers Gurukanth Desai and his brother Abdul Miah, both also from Cardiff, who were amongst two other terrorists, who pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism by planning to plant a bomb in the toilets of the London Stock Exchange.

They were arrested in December 2010.

On a separate note, a British Muslim accused by the US government of funding terrorism has allegedly been found to be chairman of governors at a primary school in Birmingham, according to the Sunday Times.

Ghoma Abdrabba, who leads the governing body at the Birmingham Muslim School (BMS) that he once owned, is alleged by the US Treasury to have used a charity organisation to “transfer documents and funds for terrorist activities overseas”.

British actor Riz Ahmed racially abused by fellow England fans in Brazil British actor Riz Ahmed, who is of Pakistani origin, claimed he was racially abused while singing patriotic chants during England's game against Uruguay. The actor and musician suffered the abuse from fellow England fans

while supporting the team in Brazil that left him feeling unable to continue his patriotic chants. He was singing in support of England during the game at the Corinthians Arena in São Paulo on Thursday night when he was verbally attacked.

Riz Ahmed

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Conservative MP attacked for 'disgusting' comment toward female journalist

A Conservative MP faced strong criticism on Thursday 19 June, after he suggested he would punch a female journalist in the throat.

Michael Fabricant, the former Conservative whip, has apologised after he shocked Twitter users with the comment about the journalist .

Mr Fabricant said he said he would never appear on a discussion programme with Ms Alibhai-Brown as he would “either end up with a brain haemorrhage or by punching her in the throat."

Mr Fabricant, the MP for Litchfield, received hundreds of mes-

Michael Fabricant

sages criticising him for his comment. PM David Cameron publicly denounced the MP, reportedly telling LBC radio “this should never have been said in the first place.

It's not an acceptable

thing to say. Michael Fabricant knows that that is my view and I don't want to see this happen again." Mr Fabricant, who was referring to a discussion about being British on Channel Four News

between Ms AlibhaiBrown and Rod Liddle, another journalist has since apologised and said he would never “seriously threaten someone with violence” Mr Fabricant was previously sacked from his position as Conservative vice-chairman for making other inappropriate remarks on Twitter about the resignation of the former Culture Secretary Maria Miller.

Ms Alibhai-Brown, who was born in Uganda, reportedly rejected his apology as "useless" and said Conservatives like Mr Fabricant think "people like me should be ayahs or selling you curry".

treated for a life threatening illness or being admitted to hospital. A fake death certificate had also been made but there was no evidence the crematorium existed. The case was referred to the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (Ifed), which found Sanjay Kumar was in financial debt and that he had flown from India to the UK on 17 August 2012 under the name Sanjay Vig. Both Sanjay and Anju

Kumar were arrested in 2012.

On 28 April 2014 at Southwark Crown Court, Sanjay Kumar pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud by false representation while Anju Kumar pleaded guilty to two counts of the same offence. Sanjay Kumar was jailed for two-and-ahalf years and Anju Kumar was handed a five month jail term for count one and five months for count two to run at the same time and suspended for two years.

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

Heavily-in-debt couple jailed for £1.1m life insurance fraud

A man, who was heavily in debt and faked his own death and his wife, were sentenced to prison on Tuesday 17 June after being found guilty of claiming £1.1m from life insurance policies and investments.

Sanjay Kumar, 46, and his wife Anju Kumar, 47, came up with an elaborate plan to stage the death of Mr Kumar. Mrs Kumar told five insurers her husband had died of "brain fever" and had been cremated in India on 25 November

2011. Sanjay Kumar travelled to India some days before and sent her an email stating he had been taken ill. However, an investigation by Aviva and Scottish Provident revealed no record of Sanjay Kumar being

UK

7

Dewani trial date set for October four years after honeymoon murder Honeymoon murder suspect Shrien Dewani has appeared in court in South Africa and has been given a trial date of October 6. A judge in Pretoria set October 6 as the start date for his trial and ordered more psychological examinations to be carried out over 30 days to asses his fitness to stand, due to conflicting opinions from psychiatrists at Valkenberg Hospital, where he is being held.

Shrien & Anni Dewani

concerns for his mental health. He denies any involvement in the murder of his wife Anni on their honeymoon near Cape Town in 2010. The 34year-old from We s t b u r y - o n Trym is facing five charges, including kidnapping, murder, robbery and obstructing the course of justice.

Prakesh Dewani (front right), Shrien's Prosecutors claim father, leaving court with his brother Dewani that Preyen (top right) and family planned his wife's Dewani fought extradeath. dition for three years on Three men, Tongo, the grounds that he was Qwabe, and Mngeni, are suffering from post-traualready serving jail terms matic stress and depresin connection with the sion in relation to the murder.

The South death of his wife, Anni.

African authorities have However, he was extrabeen waiting for more dited to Cape Town from than three years to get Bristol in April. His trial Dewani into the dock. was due to begin last Dewani faces a minimonth, but was put postmum of 25 years if found phoned by the judge over guilty.

020 3757 4963

8

UK

Asian peers discuss issues raised in Queen's speech

Urja Patel Rupanjana Dutta

Earlier this month three of our most prominent Asian peers took part in a House of Lords debate which discussed issues touched upon in the Queen's speech. To continue our coverage of the issues raised in this discussion Lords Gulam Noon and Navnit Dholakia made salient points on issues including legislation, treatment of asylum seekers, modern day slavery.

Lord Noon spoke at length about the Serious Crime Bill using the sentencing of Mashudur Choudhury who was arrested on his return from Syria and whom a jury found guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation of terLord Noon rorist acts. Lord Noon pointed out that the Act was drafted as a consequence of the dreadful London Tube bombings on 7 July 2005, long before the Syrian uprising of 2011, and was not crafted to deal with the proliferation of terrorist training activity by British-born citizens overseas. He therefore welcomed the provisions in the Serious Crime Bill to provide for extraterritorial jurisdiction for the Section 5 offence and to extend the existing extraterritorial jurisdiction for the Section 6 offence making it much clearer to those who seek to join jihadi groups in Syria that they will face prosecution on their return to the UK but raised the issue of possibly increasing sentencing tariffs from the current 10 year term to something higher in the hopes of bringing these would-be terrorists to justice.

Lord Dholakia reminded the Lords of important Lord Dholakia improvements made by the Coalition government to the criminal justice system and welcomed the new legislative measures such as the modern slavery Bill and the Serious Crime Bill “to combat slavery, organised crime and child neglect”. He emphasised the importance of rehabilitation of prisoners by saying that the government has implemented reforms to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act reducing the scope for unfair discrimination against former offenders in the job market and, because employment reduces reoffending, will also increase public safety. He went on to point out that open prisons help to reduce reoffending Lord Dholakia stressed that reactions like this did nothing to help stop reoffending.

In regards to the issue of asylum seekers Lord Noon said that whilst they be kept in detention so that their backgrounds and claims can be properly investigated we must also treat them with dignity throughout that process. He cited the problems at Yarl’s Wood detention centre which included allegations of sexual abuse of vulnerable women by male guards, the failure of authorities to investigate the matters properly and the refusal to allow the United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women access to the detention centre during her fact-how the government intended to ensure that women were treated with dignity; that complaints they make are treated seriously and investigated properly; and that United Nations and any other appropriate monitoring officials are allowed free access.

Lord Noon also welcomed the news regarding the introduction of a modern slavery Bill and stated that slavery, in any

form, is abhorrent, and many fall victim to it through human traffickers who exploit the poor and vulnerable. He found it unbelievable that slavery could exist in Britain in the 21st century and highLord Parekh lighted the harrowing case of the 23 Chinese cockle-pickers who tragically died in Morecambe Bay a decade ago and suggested that Britain leads the world in the battle against slavery, exploitation and trafficking.

Speaking on the Queen's speech Lord Bhikhu Parekh emphasised on two aspects of it: Constitutional issues in Britain and Foreign relation between this country and India.

Talking about the strength of Narendra Modi's government in India, especially in administrative affairs, good governance, speedy decisions and business partnerships, Lord Parekh said: “Mr Modi has concentrated on good governance, administrative affairs and speedy decision-making. Most important of all, he has decided to concentrate on three issues: development and infrastructure projects of all kinds; university and preuniversity education; and good relations with neighbours, especially Pakistan. All three have profound implications for us.

The tremendous concentration on development opens up all kinds of opportunities for our businessmen and entrepreneurs. Pedagogical advice will be needed to fulfil the desire to expand education and create scores of new universities.

That is going to require an enormous amount of help from the rest of the world.

We can certainly capitalise on the opportunities that that offers.

“The Indian Prime Minister said that the Foreign Education Providers Bill will be passed. The Bill, which has lain quietly for four years in the lower House of the Indian Parliament, will enable foreign universities to set up their own campuses and provide a series of exchanges with their own satellite institutions. Given all this, we ought to consider urgently how to deepen our co-operation with India.”

Speaking further on Modi's initiatives on foreign relation, Lord Parekh went on to say, “Mr Modi has said that he would like to have closer relations with Pakistan and put an end to the rivalry between the two countries. Afghanistan may become more stable when the Americans leave provided that India, Pakistan and the UK adopt a sensible foreign policy towards it.

For all these reasons I believe that we should take the initiative in finding ways to expand and deepen co-operation between the two countries at various levels, as we did some months ago when we talked to Mr Modi on these issues.”

He also touched upon the controversies that have affected Modi's reputation, elaborating on the helpless situation of a newly appointed Chief Minister could face in wake of a riot, and how he has maintained communal harmony thereafter- a remarkable achievement in the history of Indian politics.

“My own feeling is that, although the communal violence that took place between Hindus and Muslims should not be forgotten, one should not be too obsessive about it either. Mr Modi’s role in that episode has not been proven.

The violence occurred when he had been the Chief Minister for hardly more than three or four months. He asked the neighbouring states for police help but it was not readily available. Similar incidents have happened in other parts of the country, including when Mrs Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister, but they were largely ignored. From my point of view, the more important consideration

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

As I See It

Educational Grooming for the Children of Today The birth of a child in any family, even single-parent families, is an enormous joy and tremendous responsibility, irrespective of the race, religion and other circumstances. A similar love, care and share is observed in insects and animals too.

When the child reaches the age of about 7, all parents have an increasing concern and anxiety, not only about the child’s well being, education, skills development, but external (from home) activities like schools, outings, peer pressure, company and in the modern age of technological revolution, social media, especially the Internet.

Such problems occur in all communities but according to a recent increasingly worrying report in the media, the followers of Islam, particularly have more acute problems or difficulties.

There are sadly some Islamic teachers with extremist views, Maulvis who excel in misguiding their folks, and the preachers of hate and violence based overseas who can reach the privacy of that young child's bedroom or screen without any hindrance.

Lord Noon was, as far as I can recollect, the first leader of the British Muslim Community, who warned about unqualified, uncontrolled Maulvis, who are allegedly on the front line for the brain washing of younger minds.

Not only did Lord Noon warn about the critical problems, he suggested close supervision in the selection

process of the preachers or Maulvis, regarding their teaching abilities and skills and proficiency in the English language. He also emphasised the need to have certain minimum knowledge of the British values and way of life for teachers, preachers and mosque management, right from the beginning.

Most Muslims are concerned about their offspring. Perhaps non-Muslims may not realise the agony and pain of an average Muslim mother, father, brother or sister.Even the darkest cloud has a silver lining of hope and expectation. Last week I saw a BBC news item where a bright, competent and confident Miss Saima Alwi, a Pakistani origin young teacher spoke about the problems and how a group of friends and well wishers of their organisation have been preparing for the last 4 weeks to prepare for the 6 week-long holiday. Such public spirited individuals and organisations have been planning a series of activities to keep their children busy and occupied and to inculcate in them through sports, art and culture and other efforts, basic information and even training to be a better citizen of tomorrow, along with the positive and correct inspirations from their faith and culture.

I am happy to have learnt that there are so many Muslim organisations and groups of such dedicated persons up and down the country. I wish more and more of them receive media attention and appreciation.

Naturally I am more in contact with the large Indian community especially Punjabis, Gujaratis, Nepalese and South Indians. One of the smallest Gujarati Hindu community (proportionately speaking) are the Lohanas of some 25,000 people in the UK. Knowing them more intimately, they perform exceedingly well in education, professions, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and particularly in community service.

As I will be away inVatican for the Ramayan Katha organised by the Lady Popat Foundation (see page 16 for full story), I will not be able to attend the grand opening of the Dhamecha Lohana Centre in Harrow (North West london). I visited the place last Sunday. It's a beautiful, well planned and purpose built centre.

I was especially inspired to see some thirty or so dedicated community members, especially youngsters and

women, discussing a broad gamut of activities, with which they would like to have their centre buzzing.

Such a small community have produced some giants in British politics like Baroness Shriti Vadera and Lord Popat. There are scores, if not hundreds, of millionaires, top professionals and generous philanthropists.

Lohanas' contributions, both financially in human resources, are eye catching. They are for spiritual and for human welfare in this country, India and East Africa. I have also noticed that proportionately they are least involved in crime, anti social activities and below the belt business practices. Why? For decades, ever since they were uprooted from East Africa, especially Uganda, there were dedicated leaders who acted like role models and groomed their young ones to become extraordinarily successful.

- CB

The Lohana Community

is that Mr Modi tried to reach out to the Muslim community after the events.

Therefore, it is not at all surprising that 22% of the Muslims voted for him in the last election. In the light of all that, I suggest that, although we should not forget what happened in 2002, we should put it behind us and concentrate on how best to co-operate with the Indian Government,” Lord Parekh added.

While discussing the constitutional issues in Britain, pained by the Scottish

referendum, Lord Parekh made the message to the Scots clear. He concluded by saying: “If you do this, there will be do defence work, there will be no participation in the pound, you might not be able to stay on in the EU—in other words, your economy will not be what it is and you will be worse off by 30% or 40%”, is counterproductive. We think it might frighten people into doing our bidding.

It does not do that. It has three consequences, none of which we would want to happen.”

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Leading Lights

Rani Singh, Special Assignments Editor

The First Indian- and Gujarati Origin British Ambassador Bharat Joshi was working, somewhat unhappily, in the hotel industry when his mother gave him an application form for the Foreign Office.

He was among a batch of eight chosen out of 17, 000 applications. He is now British Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai.

Bharat joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1995 and has had diplomatic postings to the Gambia, Bangladesh, Dhaka and Qatar. He was most recently British High Commissioner to Cameroon, and nonResident Ambassador to Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic. He was the first ever Indian origin, Gujarati origin, ambassador for Britain.

Before that he worked as a Private Secretary to two British Ministers, and in FCO Departments including the European Union Department and Press Office.

Bharat has experience

of crisis management and was deployed to the scene after the bombing of the British ConsulateGeneral in Istanbul in 2003.

Much of Bharat’s focus in Chennai is on enhancing trade and investment between the UK, and Tamil Nadu, and Kerala Pondicherry.

In exclusive interview at the UK-South India conference organised by Leading Light Sujit Nair a few weeks ago, he gave me an exclusive interview.

Bharat sees himself “Delivering the UK’s interests overseas in partnership. We work with countries across the world in order to make the world a better place to live in.

Whether that’s about increased prosperity, tackling security issues, terrorism, criminal networks,

Bharat Joshi

Ukraine, Syria, it’s about tackling those with our partners and get the best outcome for the United Kingdom, which most often is the best outcome for the world.”

I asked Bharat to tell me how he achieves a diplomatic deal.

“I look at problems from the point of view of the other person, which

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gives you some idea of where the solution may lie and certainly helps in the context of negotiation, for example. I’m able to empathise and put myself in the situation of the person I’m working with to work out where the best future benefit is; where we can do things together.

And I probably listen more now, because diplomats have to understand what other people are saying. Understand the nuances and understand the body language as well. I’ve developed that in this career.

If there are any positives, I would usually lead with those and try and set the context of the wider relationship, especially if there’s a partnership. If there’s a positive relationship, I recall the areas where things are going very well. Then I would raise the negative feedback in as open and constructive a way as possible. I wouldn’t dress it up. Diplomats have to raise difficult messages with their contacts all the time. It’s part of what we do; influencing countries, presidents and others to understand those negative messages, try and react to them. It’s an important part of the job. It’s impor-

tant that you make it clear that you are giving this message for the interests of the country in which you are working, and being quite open about it.

Not being brutal, but equally not trying to cover it in cotton wool. I think that’s deceptive. And it doesn’t help you. It comes across as being manipulative.”

I look at problems from the point of view of the other person, which gives you some idea of where the solution may lie He tells me empathy is important. “That ability to understand what the person I’m talking to is looking for from a relationship, from a conversation, and it’s how you then respond to that, how you frame or set the argument in their terms. So they see the benefit for them in doing something about it.”

Could he give me an example?

“In my last job, there was a long standing issue between our two countries that actually risked the relationship very widely.

We weren’t getting anywhere. And I was able to get in to see the Head of State and persuade the Head of State that they

9

had to change their policy on a particular issue because the alternative at some point in the future would be worse. That was successful, that worked.

This was in one of the five countries to which I was an ambassador.”

Bharat loves his job.

“Despite the long hours and the travel to dodgy places, I get to do things nobody else does and I know I have made life better for someone. We don’t spend a lot of time drinking gin and tonics on verandahs in nice places; we spend a lot of time in bad places seeing bad things. I spent half of my career in Africa, going to some of the poorest and least stable parts of that continent.

Diplomacy means understanding the dark side of a country as well.”

As I am aware, children of diplomats often sometimes suffer though there are privileges too.

How does he manage his family?

“For my children, it’s an unsettled lifestyle, changing schools and friends every few years.

We think continuity of education is important.

Wherever we go, the children travel too. That’s our rock. That’s our anchor.

That gives them a large amount of home stability and that helps them settle quickly.”

10

YOUR VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Indian vis-à-vis White students

Foreign universities in India

In a recent report, MPs have suggested that white, working class children need longer school days to boost their attainment and catch up with children from other ethnic backgrounds. They say that new guidance is needed on how extended school days can help youngsters from disadvantaged communities.

Figures show that 32% of poor white British children got at least five C grades at GCSE, including English and Mathematics last year, compared with 61.5% of poor children from an Indian background and 76.8% of poor children from a Chinese background. It is clearly evident that Indian and Chinese children did better than others in school examinations. However, the proposal has met with opposition from parents who say that rather then extending the school days, it a better option would be to have smaller classes and more qualified teachers. Extending the school day would also puts the children at risk in winter months when it gets darker sooner.

Parents of students from Indian background give more importance to their children’s education and sacrifice time and money after their children’s education. They scrimp and save in order to send their children to private schools.

Our children cannot change the colour of their skin so the sure way to progress is to achieve higher educational qualifications. In a society where covert or even overt discrimination still persists, our children need to be better qualified than others otherwise their chances of acceptance, success and promotion will be jeopardized.

The present government under the leadership of Modi is considering allowing foreign universities to set up campuses in India and BJP itself pro-West and believe in capitalism is going to allow them to come to India. Already higher education institutions in India are like supermarkets for producing degrees.

Higher education should be made available to sections of the people at reasonable cost. This is not case in India.

Private colleges owned by politicians from different parties are making a mint out from students with the help of the corrupt government officials and banks.

In Tamil Nadu one college charges £9000 per year for tuition fees for medical course and another charges £7,000 per year. In addition these colleges charge £40,000 as capitation fee or donation which is not accounted far.

The fact is more than 70 per cent seats in government medical colleges are reserved for O.B.Cs, Dalits, Muslims, Christians and politicians and they charge only £120.00 per year. Poor upper caste Hindus especially Brahmin children who get more than 80 per cent of marks are denied seats in government medical schools.

Most of the private colleges and universities recruit students with less qualification and they help the students to get loans from the banks and there is collusion exists between the two.

Readers of this letter and sympathisers of new government should inform Modi government to overhaul the higher education system in India and stop factories producing cheap and worthless degrees in India. The present government should treat every person in the same way irrespective of caste, religion or creed.

Dinesh Sheth Newbury Park, Ilford

Football in India

I read with great interest in the Asian Voice on Modi being invited to watch the World Cup final in Brazil. For 70 years, just under 2 billion people in the Indian sub-continent have either played cricket or watched cricket.

Football is a much faster moving game than cricket where all the 22 players are fully energized for ninety minutes.

Each player has to run like an athlete in splendid coordination and teamwork with great stamina. It is very sad that the SAARC countries have not encouraged football for the past 70 years.

I would urge Mr Modi to attend this event to give football the boost it needs in India. The final is two days before the BRIC summit in Brazil. It is time to begin to teach football to Indian children from age 6 in every city and ever village.

They will also benefit from physical exercise.

The Purchasing Power Parity GDP, that takes differences in living costs in account, in the four BRIC countries in billions of US Dollars is: India: 5,000; 13,400; Russia 2,600 and Brazil 2,400 billion US Dollars. A combined BRIC PPP GDP of US$ 23,400 billion. World PPP GDP is US$ 86,000. So BRIC’s share of world PPP GDP is just over 25%.

With such economic clout, one urgent

Arun Vaidyanathan By email matter the BRIC countries could discuss is an exchange rate snake system similar to the pre-Euro system in Europe where exchange rates between member countries were not allowed to fluctuate more the 2.5 per cent.

Nagindas Khajuria By email

Harrow Council elections

Local elections throughout London have resulted in some of the most unexpected results. While Brent has become virtually one party borough, Barnet has retained Conservative administration by skin of the teeth, mainly due to esoteric Indian sleep-voting Labour!

Labour was expected to triumph in Harrow; although IGL’s erroneous (Independent Labour Group) threat never materialized. Break-away groups, either at national or local level are ostracized and rarely throw spanner in the outcome. It seems unpopularity of Conservative government have played its’ part, in spite of improving economy and enhancement of job prospects nationally but not much in evidence in London where most employed people earn below

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ASIAN VOICE

Voting and politics

First mangoes, now paan

Hot on the news of 40 unfortunate Indian construction workers kidnapped in Iraq and the PMs assertion to do 'whatever necessary' to stop these bunch of ungrateful British men who have threatened to kill the non-muslims in one of their blogs, the British Hindus must take due care of the unfolding events in the Middle East.

Mr Blair took us to an unjustified war based upon filmsy evidence, his government then ploughed money in the failed 'prevent' strategy which farcically diverted some of the funds to the very fundamentalists who they were supposed to tame and now there is open talk of disaffected youths flying to Turkey and taking up arms to fight their cause.

We have to question why is it especially when a Labour council is involved, in this case Birmingham, that the issues such as recent Trojan horse saga occurred. We may have the odd Labour MP coming to our functions and saying Kem Chho but it does not wash with their policy of appeasing and blatantly using certain groups as vote bank at the behest of rest of us. Look at the voting irregularity in Tower Hamlets not to mention to employ a Bengali interpreter to help the voting process and even in my own borough a Labour candidate was actually handing over leaflets to the voters just outside the polling station in clear violation of the rules and shouting the box numbers to cross.

Also it is difficult not to notice that Hindus living in boroughs with a Labour majority tend to fare worse in their religious and social aspirations let alone having to put up with halal meat in schools.

The forthcoming general election is not too far so we ought to vote tactfully and ensure that the party which will in holistic way will protect the Hindu rights and look no further than our own motherland with an equation Congress = Labour.

This is worrying news for paan / mango fans, and businessmen who profit from these healthy practices. It seems that such campaign had been ongoing for last 6 or more years, but timing the ban with global Modi euphoria stinks of covert efforts to damp blanket for Indians.

To add salt to injury, Diwali has been rejected as public holiday. It will be in order to rope in pro Indian MPs and lords to overturn and nip in bud this anti Indian trend. Following need to be brought to notice of law makers.

The law making and enforcement sections are helpless against scourge of binge drinking and drugs addiction.

Many educated popular personalities indulged in these till ending in suicide.

Yet laws are stretched to accommodate these lethal vices. Imported bananas bring deadly spiders and scorpions, yet no banana import ban is planned.

Whereas, no deaths are reported from mango or paan eating in Britain or in India.

Unsuitable bacteria in mangos and salmonella in paan can be easily combated by warning/monitoring sources in India. It can also be enforced by strict inspection of mango and paan sellers in UK. Coverage about paan by Rupanjana Dutta is marvellous. Paan eating and mango eating are not only traditional customs but cultural heritage mascot too.

national average.

It was also disappointing to see some of our most hardworking and dedicated candidates like Ansuya Sodha, Kanta Mistry, Anjana Patel and Jayant Patel, all Conservatives lose out.

Harrow’s local Conservatives have played their part in their downfall, selfinflicted wounds, plausible excuse by selecting candidates late, shifting candidates around rather than giving them party tickets on home turf.

Election strategies should be planned, worked out well in advance, party tickets distributed at least six months before election date, to pertinacious candidates thus giving them time and opportunity to personify and make themselves known.

Next election will be an interesting one, with economy improving by leaps and bounds, opinion polls putting ponderous Miliband way behind in popularity chart. When PM’s office is at stake, voters are more orthodox than voting at local elections.

Bhupendra M Gandhi By email

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai, India

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Police attacks innocent citizens

Instances of attack by the police on innocent citizens and misuse of power by them are reported in the media almost every day. The police have vast powers, but these are supposed to be used for maintaining law and order and rendering assistance to the people and not falsely implicating and arresting them.

In April 2014, Agnelo Valdaris, a Reay Road, Mumbai resident was brutally tortured, killed and his body thrown on the railway tracks by the Wadala railway police to show that it was a suicide. As of today, still no action has been taken against the policemen who tortured and killed him. And the worst thing is that the CID officers are siding with the corrupt police officers who killed Agnelo Valdaris. Agnelo’s two friends were brutally tortured by the railway police as well and a false case was also implicated against them. There are black sheep in every profession and the police are no exception. They take the law into their own hands just because they are supported by goondas and corrupt politicians.

What is however a matter for concern is that the number of black sheep in the police force is more than what it is in other professions! The Indian police have earned a very bad name in foreign countries by the way they behave. Shame on them! And the worst thing is that our corrupt judicial system supports them.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Gurkha cleared of causing couple's death after suffering sneezing fit at wheel A former Gurkha has been cleared of killing a married couple in a car crash when he suffered a sneezing fit whilst driving 74mph.

Leading Gurkha Sergeant Major Harry Gurung, 45, sneezed four to five times as he overtook a car at 74mph on his way back to his barracks.

He was accused of killing pensioners David and Mary Marshall when he clipped the rear of their Ford Ka - but a top expert on the common cold supported his claim that sneezes could be to blame.

Professor Ronald director of Eccles, Britain’s Common Cold Centre, said it was 'impossible' for people to sneeze with their eyes open. And a jury found Gurung not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and by careless driving.

Career soldier Gurung was driving back to his barracks in Brecon, Powys, after an all-day Army event when he suffered the sneezing fit.

Gurung reportedly told police: 'I put my

right indicator on and as I overtook I began sneezing in rapid succession. I was trying to keep my eyes on the road - I was trying all I could to control my vehicle. That was the last memory I have, it all happened so quickly.'

Retired RAF Flight Sergeant Mr Marshall, 79, was killed outright in the crash. His wife, Mary, 73, died four days later.

Gurung denied two charges of causing death by dangerous driving and two alternative charges of causing death by careless driving. He was found not guilty by the jury at Newport Crown Court.

Ex-ICICI bank worker seeks £1.5m damages over back pain An ex-employee of ICICI Bank is seeking more than £1.5 million in compensation for “crippling” back injuries that she reportedly said she suffered as a result of putting heavy pamphlet boxes away in a cupboard.

Shilpa Pattani, 32, of Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, reportedly said that she was left in “unbearable pain” after moving 200kg boxes of promotional brochures that had been “dumped” on and around her desk while working at the Knightsbridge branch of ICICI Bank UK, a bank offering services to the

Indian community in Britain.

She is asking Mr Justice Phillips, a High Court judge, to order her ex-employers to pay her damages of more than £1.5 million, including more than £1 million in lost earnings.

Her legal team said that she had to leave her job in June 2009 due to her back problems. The bank is strongly contesting the case, insisting that all the lifting she did and any stress that may have worsened her problems was expected and was part of “normal office activities”.

Today’s teenagers are the most driven in 100 years The teenagers of today are the most ambitious, career-minded generation in the last century, according to a report that disagrees with the myth that modern youngsters are lazy and disengaged, spending all their time on Facebook. New research

on seven generations of Britons, including those who are now centenarians, reveals that today’s 13 to 19-year-olds, known as “generation citizen”, say that excelling in their career is one of the most important things in life for them.

Leicester Arson Attack: Eight Found Guilty

Continued from page 1 them and had a "reputation". They said he had poured the petrol and started the fire using a lighter given to them by Porter. The other six defendants said they had not known of any plans to

set fire to the house and claimed they had only intended to throw bricks at the property. The jury found them not guilty of murder.

All eight defendants were due to be sentenced on Wednesday 25 June.

UK

11

Migrants use EU to gain 'back-door' entry into UK

Migrants, desperate to come to the UK, are gaining citizenship of other EU states, in order to take a 'back-door route' into Britain, ministers were warned last Thursday.

A report by the chief inspector of borders and immigration highlighted how it was easier to gain citizenship in Italy and Germany than in the UK. Migrants are then able to move to Britain to work and access public services.

Sham marriages to EU citizens living in Britain are also growing as nonEuropeans try to get round government controls aimed at cutting overall immigration.

Yet only a small number of these cases are prosecuted unless criminal gangs are involved and many hinder attempts to remove them from the by lodging country appeals, the report said.

John Vine, the chief inspector, reportedly said: “Our findings suggest that the European citizenship route is becoming an

increasingly important way into the UK for those whose origins lie outside the European Economic Area, particularly now that the immigration rules have been tightened.

Attempted abuse by nonEEA nationals applying on the basis of sham marriage or civil partnership with a European citizen was significant”.

The report by the chief inspector is the most recent attempt to highlight the deficiencies in the operation of the immigration system and is a further setback to the Home Office in a week in which it has been forced to apologise to the public for the chaos surrounding passport applications.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration Watch UK, which campaigns for lower immigration, reportedly, said: “This a very serious loophole in our immigration system which can be exploited by thousands of bogus applicants. It is yet another issue to be renegotiated.”

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12

MEDIA WATCH

Narendra Modi gave serious thought to the country he would prefer to visit first since becoming India’s Prime Minister. His choice of Bhutan was spot on. India was bound to Bhutan by a treaty signed in 1910 during the British raj. Thius was revised in 1949, following India’s independence from British colonial rule. Under this arrangement Bhutan undertook to be guided in its external relations by India, while retaining full control of its internal affairs. In 1970, India sponsored Bhutan’s membership of the United Nations as a fully sovereign country.

Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Bhutan has been steadfastly true to its relationship with India, one that has been remarkably trouble-free. It has valued its ties with its giant neighbor to the south, anchoring its faith in transparency and mutual goodwill. Bhutan has transited from a monarchical government to to a parliamentary democracy based on the rule of law. On his first foreign trip to this bewitchingly beautiful country in the high Himalayas, whose inhabitants and rulers have always been worthy of the pure air and lush landscape in which they dwell, the Indian Prime Minister reaffirmed, in an eloquent address to the Bhutan’s National Assembly, in Thimpu, that Bharat and Bhutan and Bhutan and Bharat, “B2B,” is how he labeled the relationship, had been close friends down the years and would draw even closer under the new dispensation in Delhi.

India and Bhutan have a vital economic and security relationship – a cursory look at a map will explain why – which rest on the pillars of trade, investment and hydroelectric power cooperation. A strong Bhutan, said Mr Modi, was a vital Indian interest, to the cheers of Bhutanese MPs, led by Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. Equally, a strong and prosperous India would be a source of wealth and assurance to the people of Bhutan. India would increase its educational grants for Bhutanese students and Bhutan, for its part, assured India that no hostile groups would be given shelter on its territory. Mr Modi described his visit to Bhutan as “extremely successful.” He had previously stated that India would accord high priority to its relations with neighbours, under the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) umbrella.The message will hopefully resonate in the other regional capitals.

There is much to be gained by all when swords are turned into ploughshares.

IB report exposes foreign subversion

An Intelligence Bureau (IB) report, submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office for Narendra Modi’s perusal, has laid bare the foreign [read Western] funding

of Indian NGOs committed to sabotaging Indian economic projects calculated to enhance the country’s development in a big way. The report names activists Achin Vainak, Praful Bidwai and Medha Patkar, not to speak of the Aam Aadmi avatar lawyer Prashant Bhusan, in the lead role. Vainak, a Khalistani and jihadi sympathizer, and Bidwai, are opponents of India’s civil nuclear energy programme, while Patkar has striven might and main to derail the Narmada Dam scheme for irrigation and power across the States of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan with the specious argument that the livelihood of farmers would be put at risk.

India’s Supreme Court monitored every state of the project to see that no injustice was done by way of adequate compensation for displaced farmers and that no illegal evictions occurred.

Foreign-funding helped anti-nuclear activists stoke a local agitation against the Russian-designed Kundakulam reactors, the money routed to Chennai via London.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Narmada Dam to be raised

The Narmada Dam is to be raised by 17 metres. The Narmada Control Authority has approved the proposal to do so from its present height of 121.9 metres to 138.7 metres, which will make it the second-highest dam in the world after Grand Coulee in the United States. A higher dam will optimize hydropower generation and water supply capacity and is expected to benefit not just Gujarat but the adjacent States of Rajasthan, Pradesh and Madhya Maharashtra as well. The water held in the dam will increase four-fold from the present 1million cusecs to 4 million cusecs.

Medha Patkar has threatened to ignite a people’s movement against this change, but it is likely to be a damp squib (Times of India, Hindu June 13)

China border projects prioritized

Defence infrastructure projects along the border with China have been prioritized above possible objections by environmentalists and kindred lobby groups.

“Construction of roads within 100 kilometres of the Line of Actual Control will be given fastapprovals,” said track Environment Minister Prakash Jayadekar. The new policy will ensure faster clearances without compromising environmental issues.” Around 80 roads and infrastructure over 5,000 kilometres in Assam and Arunachal had been put on hold under the UPA regime for environmental reasons, reducing progress on vital projects to a slovenly crawl (Times of India June 13)

India joins Washington Accord

In a major boost for technology and technologists, India has become a participant in an elite international accord on engineering and the mobility of engineers. “The signatory status [in the 17-member Washington Accord] will substantially

Above party politics

We are not into party politics here. The Intelligence Bureau had alerted the Manmohan Singh government to the source of the funding of the antiKundakulam agitation. A number of European nationals involved in the movement were asked to leave India. The Indian leader in this instance was S .P. Udayakumar, who subsequently became a big cheese in the Aam Aadmi party and contested the general election, coming sixth with a derisory 15,000-odd votes. Then Prime Minister Singh coordinated a Tamil Nadu State and Central government response, with Chief Minister Jayalalitha reversing her previous sympathies with the agitators when she realized the harm that would ensue to Tamil Nadu’s industrialization if Kundakulam were to be aborted.

After a year’s delay, Kundakulam went ahead as planned and two units generating 1000MW of electricity are now fully operational (Times of India June 14)

HRD Minister Smriti Irani

increase global employment opportunities for technical and engineering graduates,” said India’s Minister for Human Resource Development Smriti Irani. The 17-nation group of leading engineering nations “will ensure the highest quality of assurance standards to be supplemented which would ensure a minimum quality of attainment for their engineering graduates,” explained the Minister.

She went on: “Graduates having degrees

which have been so accredited, would have substantial international equivalence of their achievement levels across the signatory nations. This will substantially enhance their employment opportunities around the world,” she said.

Congratulations, says previous minister

Former HRD minister Pallam Raju tweeted: “Congratulations to Minister HRD, after a sevenyear effort…..India has gained membership of the Washington Accord!” Recognition across party lines makes for healthier political discourse. (Business Line June 14)i

Vikramaditya in full glory

INS Vikramaditya, India’s largest and most modern warship – the second in service after INS Viraat - was graced by the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during its voyage off the west coast in the Arabian Sea. With a displacement of 45,500 tonnes, with decks the size of three football fields and a height of a 26 storey building, INS Vikramaditya is a Russian-built aircraft carrier with an eventual complement of 45 MiG-K supersonic aircraft – the main combat arm of the ship -and a range of attack helicopters, including the Indiadesigned and manufactured, Dhruv, plus missiles, radars, and an advanced high tech command and control operations room and much else. “The blunt message: India has taken a big step forward in the geopolitical power projection game, with carrier’s motto itself proclaiming ‘Strike Far, strike Sure,’” reported the Times of India (June 15)

Naval reach

There are a total of 44 warships on order in India, a significant move toward the creation of a three dimensional blue-water navy equipped to protect the country’s interests from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca Strait. No Indian Prime Minister been privileged to command the vastness of the view. Addressing the officers and crew, Narendra Modi said, “This is a proud moment for India.

INS Vikramaditya will add tremendous might and strategic power to our Navy,” he said, dedicating the newly acquired Russian-built carrier to the nation. If India had the potential to match any country in the world, it was because of the “capability of our soldiers, airmen and sailors who give us the strength to do so.”

angle of fire etc, over the Swedish system, this new Indian howitzer is being produced at the Jabalpur Gun Carriage Factory of the Ordinance Factory Board. The Indian Army and OFB are “quite excited” at this development, as India has been without an effective artillery system – an essential component of modern warfare for a number of years (Times of India June 20)

Sikka new Infosys CEO

In a major break with tradition, India’s second largest IT company, Infosys, has appointed an outsider, Vishal Sikka, as its CEO, the first appointment since the company was founded in 1981. Sikka, formerly Chief Technology Officer and board member of technology giant SAP AG, will be a whole-time Infosys director. He takes over from S.D. Shibulal, who will step down as Infosys CEO and Managing Director on 31 July.

Sikka comes in at a time when Infosys boardroom convulsions have led to a number of departures. The company’s revenue performance has lagged behind rivals Tata Consultancy Services and Cognizant.Sikka said: “I will learn about the company, figure out improvements in the way software can be delivered and put together an amazing plan.” Meanwhile, Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy and Executive Vice Chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan have stepped down from the board (Business Line June 13)

RIL investment surge

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Mukesh Ambani’s flagship company, is to invest Rs 1.81 lakh crore ($30 billion), over the next three years, in a

Upgraded howitzers pass user trials

India-upgraded howitzers, an improved version of the famed Swedish 155 mm Bofors guns, which were purchased decades ago, are almost ready for production after having undergone stringent seasonal trials at the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan, and in the mountains of Sikkim.

Christened “Dhanush,” which, it is claimed, has an improved all-round performance of 20-25 per cent, including range, (now 37 kilometres), accuracy, low and high

Mukesh Ambani

range of business enterprises across petrochemicals, refining, retail, and telecom, to stake a place in the list of Fortune 50 companies. “The next three years will be transformational in RIL’s journey,” Ambani told shareholders. You bet it will.

UK

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

13

Police search for suspect of murdered Muslim student from Essex

Take the Poorest Students If You Want The Best

I was never afraid of competing with the rich students. I didn’t care how many text books they had, whilst I would return mine to the local library, or keep the receipts and take them back to the shop, careful not to bend the spine. I was always afraid of competition from the poor students. Because they were made of the same stuff as me, and I feared its invincibility.

One thing in my experience is that the poor have the greatest reason to be educated – because they are poor! When at the age of 13 I was switched from state school to a private school, my family could barely afford my school fees.

They would work from 6am to 10pm to meet those fees. They did not know that at the start of each term I would sit at the top of the stairs listening to them discuss how they would meet that term’s school fees.

I can tell you, more than anything, hearing those conversations of simply not having the money ensured I moved from near bottom of my class to winning every prize from best performance to subject prizes to getting straight As and beating every other student and a decade later becoming an Oxford Don. Money does not motivate. The lack of it does. And the Principals of my alma maters at both Oxford and London Universities have asked me to assist them in attracting more Indian students.

Years later, my wife would only agree to marry me once discovering I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth; she felt character is usually moulded by a furnace not cotton wool.

We have to make Cathedrals out of our schools. Our schools have to be temples for the gurus who teach in them. There are not nearly enough teachers in our classrooms.

Not nearly enough.

When you read this I will have hosted in Parliament and then at Madame Tussauds a collection of the very best Indian colleges keen to attract British students to study there.

But I also write to you as I am about to meet the Deputy Prime Minister in my capacity as Co-Chair of the Loomba Trust which helps educate orphans in India. You see when the poor are educated, they remember their own.

The poorest will always make the best students. My message to all these best private Colleges is find the poorest students, not the wealthiest. For every student whose parents can afford it, bring one whose parents cannot.

I have been caught up in a student protest. The sting of tear gas in my eyes, the choking as the green putrid fumes lunge down my throat blocking all air. And then running into any safe house as the police charge with sticks. It was not frightening. It wasn’t frightening because I was only nine, and with my father. It was 1980 and Gujarat, Baroda to be exact. We had taken a wrong turn from home – onto a main road to find the police on our left and the students on our right, with the route behind us blocked by more students.

Students were protesting, for the right to better education. They risked their lives for it.

That’s how badly they wanted education and they pleaded with the state to provide it.

So worry not that poor will drop out of education – they will be your best students – as long as the money goes into providing outstanding infrastructure for them and teachers.

If you want our best and brightest, make sure you take our poorest – the one’s whose parents work from 6am to 10pm to make ends meet.

Police and detectives are investigating the horrific murder of Saudi Arabian student Nahid Almanea, on Tuesday 17 June, in Essex and have arrested a 19-year-old man for an attempted assault on a female jogger less than a mile from where the student was killed.

Nahid Almanea, 31, was stabbed 16 times in a reported “frenzied� attack as she was walking along a path in Colchester, Essex, on Tuesday.

Essex police arrested a 19-yearold man shortly after midnight on Friday morning following an attempted attack on a woman while she was jogging in Colchester.

The man had attempted to grab the jogger but she was able to fight him off and contact police.

A police spokesman reportedly said: “A woman reported that while she was jogging yesterday evening a man approached her and lunged at her. She was able to push him away and made her way home. Police immediately searched the area and a man was located who fitted the description provided by the victim.

He was arrested and is currently in police custody.�

The spokesman confirmed that the man was then later arrested in connection with the murder investigation.

Detectives have also said they are investigating potential links between the death of Ms Almanea and the similar murder of Jim Attfield, who was stabbed more than 100 times in a Colchester park in March.

The spokesman added: “Because of the circumstances we will be looking at it very closely.

There is nothing to link it at this precise moment, but the detectives looking at both of the murders will be looking to see whether there is anything to link the man to the two murders.�

Ms Almanea was found on Tuesday with multiple stab wounds, two of which proved fatal, on a footpath near the University of Essex, where she had been taking an English language course.

The Saudi Arabian student was wearing a dark blue, full-length abaya (robe) and a patterned headscarf but Essex Police have discouraged claims that the attack was religiously-motivated.

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UK

14

Cocktail reception hosted for Royal Jaipur Polo Team

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Britain celebrates Noor Inayat Khan's centenary birthday

Noor Inayat Khan's centenary birthday was observed on last Monday (16 June) at the Royal Overseas League, London in presence of dignitaries from all over the UK including the famous English novelist and political commenta-

has also been the most prominent promoter of modern polo and was instrumental in forming the Federation of International Polo (FIP).

Many world famous dignitaries and leaders visited Jaipur during his time, including the Prince of Wales.

H.E High Commissioner has introduced Narendra Singh, the FIP ambassador for

India to the guests.

Narendra Singh briefed about the age old tradition of Polo, its popularisation and institutionalisation, and took pride in the fact that today World Cup Polo has come to be known as Jaipur World Cup, which was established by the late Maharaja Bhawani Singh.

Narendra Singh’s 15 year old son is also joining him in the game.

Remembering Yash Chopra

Shefali Saxena

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, Prmediapix

“60 years in the film industry! 53 years actively directing films, perhaps which is the longest to be credited to any director in the world, 22 films old and 80 years young - the legendary and one and only Mr. Yash Chopra,” is how superstar Shahrukh Khan described Yash ji on his 80th birthday, who passed away a few weeks later on October 21, 2012.

London Asian Film Festival organised a special evening to rejoice and remember the late director at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in London.

Chaired by Prof.

Rachel Dwyer, Professor of Indian Cultures and Cinema at SOAS, University of London, who is also the biographer of Yash Chopra, the event included the screening of Yash Chopra’s documentary, directed by filmmaker Vinky Singh.

This short film was based on the relativity of his movies to Navrasas, enacted by Pandit Birju Maharaj.

Though the auteur of romantic cinema in India, made the careers of many successful heroines, but, Pamela Chopra remained the only heroine of his life on which she gladly said, “His life was all about films, food, and family.”

Enchanting the audience, Pamela Chopra, who is recognised to be a shy person, sang ‘Tere Liye’ from Veer Zara. Mrs. Chopra unfolded insights about the personal life of Yash Chopra and how she met him in Delhi for a

Rachel Dwyer, Pamela Chopra and Anupam Kher

matrimonial meeting arranged by their families.

She confessed that she did not think that things would work out between them after they first met, but their second encounter was filmy and changed everything. “For the first time in his life he missed his flight,” she said, as she remembered him dressed in a maroon kurta and she fell for the charm of this extraordinary but simple man.

Veteran actor Anupam Kher who has worked with Yash Chopra in successful films like Lamhe, Darr, DDLJ, and Veer Zara, reminisced the breakfasts he used to have with him and believes he was his best friend. He said, “Yash ji could talk about travel, cinema, poetry, women romance, sarees, flowers and food!

You could discuss with him any topic. How many people can you do that with?”

Calling him “Hilarious” his biographer Rachel Dwyer said,

“He was such an ordinary guy in many ways. He loved the money and the success but it never was the goal for him. He was quite humble. There was a BAFTA event where he did not want to go on his own. I accompanied him.

He got to the hotel and suddenly felt his pockets to find the ticket and rushed back to his room to get it. I told him that the event was for him. But he insisted that I must be professional!”

Along with Rachel who feels that Yash ji had an obsession for telephones, everyone agreed that no one could ever say ‘Bye’ to him over the phone because he would quickly finish what he wanted to say and hang up the phone abruptly.

Apart from glimpses of Yash Chopra’s personal life, the event unravelled some secrets behind the successful music of Yash Raj Films.

Joking how Yash ji could transform any song into a bhajan, Anupam

Noor Inayat Khan

tor Frederick Forsyth as the Chief Guest. Noor Inayat Khan was born on New Year's Day 1914 in Moscow to an Indian father and an American mother. She was a direct descendant of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century Muslim ruler of Mysore.

Frederick Forsyth told the audience: "What is so remarkable about Noor Inayat Khan is that she owed us nothing; she didn't have to go.

"When it came to being recruited for the SOE ( S p e c i a l O p e r a t i o n s Executive), she could have said 'thank you but no'...but she volunteered. There must be something of the old tiger in her genes. It is recorded that she fought like a tigress...Noor absolutely did not die for nothing. She is an amazement, a remarkable and extraordinarily brave woman who did what she did for a country to which she owed nothing.”

arrested shortly afterwards but she chose to remain in France and spent the summer moving from place to place, trying to send messages back to London while avoiding capture.

In October, Khan was betrayed by a Frenchwoman and arrested by the Gestapo.

She had unwisely kept copies of all her secret

signals and the Germans were able to use her radio to trick London into sending new agents straight into the hands of the waiting Gestapo.

Khan escaped from prison but was recaptured a few hours later.

In November 1943, she was sent to Pforzheim prison in Germany where she was kept in chains and in solitary confinement. Despite repeated torture, she refused to reveal any information.

In September 1944, Khan and three other female SOE agents were transferred to Dachau concentration camp where on 13 September they were shot.

For her courage, Noor Khan was posthumously awarded the George Cross in 1949.

B a r o n e s s Christine Crawley, who has campaigned for the contribution of women agents in the war to be commemorated said: "She combined the rational side of her personality with her hatred of injustice and became one of our greatest heroines. My hope is that she would have gone back to that inner life that sustained her."

A bust in Noor's memory, that was unveiled in 2012 by Princess Anne, now stands at Gordon Square in central London, a stone's throw from the home she briefly lived in.

said, “His heart understood music but he was a very bad singer.” Pamela told that Yash ji used to visit Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan in Jalandhar which made him love music. “Because he was a fan of poetry, he became a fan of music as well,” she said.

Pamela also discussed a totally astonishing side of Yash ji when he showed a streak of jealousy in an innocent way. After their eldest son Aditya Chopra (current YRF head honcho) narrated the script of DDLJ to them, she told him, “One day he’ll be a bigger and more successful filmmaker than you.”

However, Kher

believed that it was commendable for a successful director like Yash Chopra to behave as the assistant director for his son’s debut film.

London based Bollywood singer Ash King who is popularly known for his songs like I love you (Bodyguard) and Aunti ji (Ek Main Aur Ek Tu) paid a musical tribute to Yash Chopra by singing the unplugged version of Kabhi Kabhi, which is yet another Yash Chopra classic.

Talking about the latest addition in the Chopra family, the newly wedded bride, Rani Mukherjee, Pamela said that Yash ji was very fond of her. “She

makes my son happy, so I am very happy,” she said.

Pam confessed that Yash Chopra was always worried about their younger son Uday, whose latest venture Grace of Monaco was screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

Kher acknowledged how Uday attributed his success to his late father who would have been very happy on this achievement of his son. “My dad is too much. He went up there and fixed that also,” Kher shared Uday’s sentiments.

He added, “He made brilliance very easy. He was my best friend. I personally feel he’s still alive.”

HE Ranjan Mathai welcoming Narendra Singh and his team

His Excellency High Commissioner of India Ranjan Mathai has hosted a cocktail reception for the Royal Jaipur Polo Team who arrived in London for their game on 21 June.

Polo was hugely popularised under Maharaja of Jaipur H.H Bhawani Singh’s auspices and his son-in-law Narendra Singh is currently leading the team. The late Raja

Khan's father was a musician and Sufi teacher. He moved his family first to London and then to Paris, where Khan was educated and later worked writing childrens' stories. Khan escaped to England after the fall of France and in November 1940 she joined the W A A F ( Wo m e n ' s Auxiliary Air Force).

The memorial event was organised by the Noor Inayat Khan Memorial Trust set up by Ms Shrabani Basu –a journalist and author of Noor's biography 'Spy Princess'. It coincided with the dates of June 16-17, 1943, when Noor – under her codename Madeleine – was flown to the landing ground in Northern France. Many members of the SOE network were

Shrabani Basu

Frederick Forsyth

UK

Priti Patel slams BBC over its dismissive response to Indian General Election coverage complaint

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Priti Patel MP – the Prime Minister’s UK Indian Diaspora Champion – is calling on the wider Indian community to continue registering complaints to BBC Director Lord Tony Hall after receiving the BBC’s dismissive and complacent response to their concerns about the recent Newsnight coverage of the recent Indian General Election.

The BBC’s response – offered by the Newsnight Editor Ian Katz and not Lord Hall himself – maintains that the Newsnight coverage offered viewers a broad and balanced view on the elections. The Editor goes on to reject the suggestion that Newsnight tarnished the image of India, and that Newsnight presented a thorough and balanced account of the issues facing both the country and its leader. Despite the Hindu community’s deep concerns about the coverage, the Editor – and Lord Hall by extension – made no efforts to apologise for any offence caused. The only apology offered was for the delay in responding.

Priti said, “While the response is extremely disappointing, it is not sur-

erage of the elections adds to the insulting way in which India and the largest democratic elections in the world have been portrayed.

“To continue representing the views of those concerns, I have written to the Secretary of State for Culture to ask that he raises the BBC’s smug response directly with Lord Priti Patel MP Hall, and I urge prising that the BBC has all those concerned to dismissed the concerns of continue writing directly many within the world’s to Lord Hall to demand Hindu community about better from the BBC.” its recent Newsnight covWhen other Peers and erage. There is not the MPs were contacted by slightest hint of an apoloAsian Voice to know what gy to anyone that was they feel about this issue, offended, and there is no Lord Navnit Dholakia, mention that BBC Deputy Leader of the Lib Newsnight will even conDem party said, “Priti sider changing the nature Patel is right to express of its reporting when it is concern about bias in met with such deep disapreporting the outcome of proval. The BBC should be Indian Elections. I am askashamed of not only its ing Priti and other parliashoddy journalism, but the mentarians to join me in a way it responds to critidelegation to meet the cism. This response along Director General of the with the programme’s covBBC. It is not good

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I myself had doubts but was has pleased me so much is that when I Googled him I found he had said much earlier that "save the girls" and I was so pleased to hear the ratio between girls and boys has improved in Gujarat since then. I heard Narendra Modi's acceptance speech in Hindi and he also referred to our mothers and our sisters.

That is more than any other politician has bothered about. Any politician who focuses on the unacceptable treatment of women in India I feel encouraged.

I also watched Pakistani channel who were going on and on about the poor Muslims in

India, how badly they are treated and how its going to get a lot worse. I think it makes us feel that they have their own country now. If things are so bad in India they can always go to their own republic which they asked for. I know that is not the way you want India to develop but it gets very annoying when they have practically got rid of all the Hindus and we have more Muslims that Pakistan and poor things, they are having such a bad time!”

Want to let Lord Tony Hall, Director of the BBC know what you feel about this issue? He can be reached at tony.hall@bbc.co.uk. BBC Broadcasting House, 2-22 Portland Place, Fitzrovia, London W1A 1AA.

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enough to simply listen to Ian Katz's explanation. It is time Tony Hall listened to the informed opinion of the Indian community here and ensure that no bias creeps in reporting future events. I have had similar problem with Channel 4 in the past and did not hesitate to seek a high level meeting with them.”

Baroness Shreela Flather, speaking about PM Narendra Modi's recent appointment told us, “I haven't been in this country, but I have read comments and I read the piece in the Economist. As you know there are some reservations but on the whole I feel that the coverage has been very positive particularly because the alternative was utterly

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UK

Well-respected Hair Salon owner becomes first Gujarati Mayor for Harrow

- Tanveer Mann

A familiar, well-respected hair salons owner has become the first Gujarati Mayor of Harrow.

Councillor Ajay Maru, of the Labour ward Kenton West, became the First Citizen of the Borough on Thursday 12 June at Harrow Council's Harrow Civic Centre. First elected in 2010, his rapid succession to Mayor perhaps is due to his practical nature and his close proximity with the community.

The father-of-two spoke of his new position exclusively to Asian Voice and said, “It feels great and has been extremely interesting so far. I'm looking forward to a wonderful year, working to bring communities together.”

Reflecting on some of the issues he would like to target, Mr Maru said, “Every borough has its own problems/issues but I think the areas most needing attention in Harrow is the issue of housing, schools and the elderly.”

He added, “To tackle these issues, I will make sure I attend a lot of community events across the board irrespective of religion or caste and try to talk to various communities and centres, ensuring that we are singing the song of the Harrow community as a whole, rather than you being seen as black, white or brown.”

Mr Maru grew up in Kenya, where his family were one of the oldest and respected in the country.

He has been part of the hairdressing industry for the last 32 years, stemming from his grandfather to his father, whom he refers to as his 'guru'. In 1992, he married wife Dina and the couple have a son and a daughter both studying in Harrow.

Moving to the UK in

1999, he pursued a in Masters Hairdressing and has since opened up two hair salons in Kenton and one partnership salon in Ruislip, as well as maintaining the family businesses in Kenya.

Speaking of his passion for Politics, Mr Maru said, “I've always had a passion for Politics from back home.

I've always been involved indirectly in Kenya. A lot of the high profile MPs and councillors have been our customers from my father's time and that followed through to me.

Also, I've always wanted to make a difference to people at large and hence I did a lot of social work and community work that I started at a young age.

“When I came from Kenya to Kenton in 1999, I started off on my own, then working alongside other lobbying members in other charity organizations and supported them from a business point of view, as well as with sponsorships. Then became an activist in 2005.”

He is currently an active member of the Cooperative Society, trade union GMB, Kenton Traders’ Association and is a Safer Neighbourhood team member.

When asked if he faced any challenges along the way, as an Asian in particular, he replied, “Challenges are always there in life, we all go through them but we just need to overcome them by thinking positively. The advantage I have is that the ward I represent, Kenton West, I have a lot of affiliation with the local residents in my ward or neighbouring wards. A lot of the ex-Kenyans know of

Ajay Maru

me from back home on a personal basis and are now based on the main Kenton Road where my businesses are so that kind of helped me well. But like anything it was difficult to breakthrough initially but ultimately, it worked out pretty well due to the support of people.”

Mr Maru has chosen the charity Coram for his mayoral year, of which he speaks extremely highly.

“Coram is an adoption charity, which is something very close to my heart. Supporting children and helping their wellbeing and welfare is extremely important.”

On maintaining the local budget, particularly after the previous Mayor allegedly overspent by £43,000, he cautiously said, “I am going to treat this year like a business year and I hope that future mayors will follow suit.

You only invest where you need to invest and absolutely treat it like a business model so only necessary expenses, short but sweet but give effective presence as and when its required. Also, work with the quality rather than quantity.”

Why Labour? He said with a smile, “Pretty simple, I'm a labourer myself!

So I would absolutely want to support the Labour market!”

UKFI announces new nonexecutive directors

UK Financial Investments Limited has announced the appointment of three new non-executive Directors, completing the process to refresh its Board of Directors.

The new Directors joining the board on 13 July are: - Marshall Bailey, who has extensive capital markets and Financial Institutions experience gained over 20 years at UBS, Royal Bank of Canada and State Street Bank, and currently holds President and non-executive roles in other organisations; - Jitesh Gadhia, who has over 20 years' investment banking experience, having held senior positions at Barclays Capital, ABN AMRO and Baring

Jitesh Gadhia

Brothers, and is currently a Senior Adviser to Blackstone Advisory Partners; and - Jane Guyett, who gained extensive banking, regulatory and governance experience in her capacity as Chief Operating Officer Global Markets and Managing Director at Bank of America. She holds a number of non-executive

roles both in the public and private sector.

James LeighPemberton, Executive Chairman of UKFI, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Marshall, Jitesh and Jane to the Board of UKFI. The Board will benefit from the breadth of their knowledge of capital markets and financial institutions, and their experience as nonexecutive Directors elsewhere. They bring the skills and expertise to help UKFI continue in the successful execution of its mandate. I look forward to working with them in the coming years”.

Of the current UKFI Board, Philip Remnant, Kirstin Baker and Lucinda Riches will remain in their roles as non-executive

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Hindu spiritual leader takes his message of peace to Rome A unique event bringing together the teachings of Hinduism and Catholicism and promoting the positive impact of interfaith dialogue is being held in Rome later this month.

World renowned spiritual leader Morari Bapu from Gujarat in India has chosen Rome to host his next Ram Katha – a nine day recital of one of the holiest scriptures in Hinduism, The Ramayan. Rome has been specifically chosen as the residence of His Holiness Pope Francis and the historic home of the Catholic Church.

The aim of the recital is for Hindus across the globe to gain a better understanding of Catholicism and the contribution it makes in people’s lives all over the world. The recital -which runs from Saturday 28th June until Monday 6th July- is expected to attract over a thousand Hindu pilgrims and is being broadcast live around the world.

A Ram Katha is a nine-day recital of one of the most revered Hindu scriptures, the Ramayana.

The Ramayana or Shri Ram Charit Manas, a great Hindu epic about Lord Sri Ram is not simply a biography. It has many similar teachings to the Bible and other scriptures of eminence, and it explains the role of humans during our short life span.

Sri Ram was an ideal son, brother, husband, father and ruler. It is said no injustice ever happened during his era.

Today thousands of Hindu’s listen to Ram Katha every day. It is believed that by listening to Ram Katha, people are more easily able to implement Ram’s teachings in their life.

Morari Bapu is a world-renowned exponent of the Ram Charit Manas and for over fifty years has been reciting Ram Kathas around the world. The overall ethos

Directors.

Michael Kirkwood and Peter Gibbs will step down from the Board on 12 July. James Leigh-Pemberton said: “I would like to thank Michael and Peter for their dedication and contribution to the UKFI Board since its inception. The process of achieving UKFI’s overarching objectives is well underway and Michael and Peter have played integral roles in the work of the Board over the past five and a half years.

All of us at UKFI wish them all the best for the future”.

sheer love and admiration for the teachings of Christianity.

“The Ramayan is as relevant today as it was when it was written four centuries ago. In fact, in the modern world divided by hatreds, blasphemies and callousness, the values or Ram Katha – Love, Truth, Compassion are needed more for the world in which we live.”

Bapu has milMorari Bapu lions of admirers of his Katha is universal across the globe includpeace and spreading the ing Conservative peer message of truth, love Lord Popat of Harrow and compassion. While who has been devoted the focal point is the follower for over 30 scripture itself, Bapu regyears. His work for the ularly draws upon examBritish Government has ples and parables from led to several meetings other religions and between Bapu and the invites people from all Prime Minister David faiths to attend the disCameron. courses.

Kathas Previous During the event have been held in Bapu will be visiting the notable locations includVatican as an invited ing Jerusalem, the guest of Cardinal Tauran Amazon rain forest in President of the Vatican’s Brazil, the Himalayan interfaith Council Mountains in Nepal and (PCID) and, in return, Mount Kailash in the the Cardinal is planning Tibet as well as smaller to attend the Katha on events in Washington behalf of the Pope.

DC. While Bapu has been The Lady Popat reciting from the sacred Foundation (LPF) will Hindu scriptures for over be hosting the event and 50 years he often draws involved in putting upon examples and paratogether the proposed bles from other religions programme. The Lady and invite people from all Popat Charitable faiths to attend the disFoundation was formed courses. in 2014 with the view to Bapu said he felt the hosting and supporting need to hold his next the Katha in 2014.

Katha in Rome on The family behind account of the spiritual The Lady Popat vibrations and the Foundation was fortusacred memories of nate enough to host Christian faith. The Morari Bapu’s Ram Katha’s message of Katha at Wembley embodying Truth, Love Arena, London in 1999 and Compassions blends which had 95,000 guests well with Christian valover the 9 days. ues and verities.

In addition to sup“The Vatican city is porting the proposed the land of sacrifices and Ram Katha, the suffering by the Saints Foundation will support and Prophets. This procauses related to health, vides the best possible housing, sanitation, eduenvironment for cation, and microfinance Universal Peace and with an initial emphasis amity among nations. on financing projects in This Ram Katha is being the UK, India and organized because of my Africa.

Nick Clegg issues statement on British values and the Muslim faith With Operation Trojan Horse and echoes of British values dominating the media, Nick Clegg issued a letter, addressed to the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council for Britain, about the role of British Muslims in public life, on Saturday 21 June.

He wrote, "There is absolutely no doubt that the overwhelming majority of Muslims in the UK are patriotic citizens who hold values that entirely accord with the traditions and

values of our nation, not least through the rejection of all forms of intolerant extremism.” He then explained the contribution of Muslims across the country and concluded by discussing worries about growing Islamophobia. He said, “As you will know the Government takes Islamophobia extremely seriously and is committed to working with the Muslim communities of the UK to do all we can to tackle it."

FEATURE

17

Preity Zinta - Ness Wadia: Love & hate affair

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Bollywood actress Priety Zinta’s charges of verbal and physical abuse against ex-boyfriend and co-owner of the Kings XI Punjab team Ness Wadia has created a sensation following intervention of gangster Ravi Pujari. Preity accuses Ness, scion of Wadia Group of pulling her arm and mouthing obscenities at her in full public view at the IPL Qualifier 2 held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 30, 2014.

The episode gets a twist when gangster Ravi Pujari allegedly intervened on her behalf and threatened the Wadias.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria is investigating the case. Maria came across similar case pertaining to

Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia

Priety in 2003, when he was Mumbai Crime Branch head. At that time she testified against gangster Chhota Shakeel in the Bharat Shah case of Bollywood's nexus with the Mumbai underworld. The police put her into witness protection and kept her out of the public eye for two months. She was the only

Ashish Thakkar – a Leicester born African business magnate

The 32-year-old founder and Managing Director of Mara Group, Ashish Thakkar is truly global citizen. A serial entrepreneur, he is having roots in Africa and strong connections in India. He is a British national born in Leicester.

At the age of 15, Ashish expressed his desire to leave school in Uganda to start a business. He got loan of $ 5,000 with a warning from his father to join school again in the case of failure in the business. However, he didn’t require going back to school. On the contrary, he created a conglomerate after starting an IT firm where he bought and sold computers in 1996 and transitioned from a high school student to a full time entrepreneur.

Today Mara Group is known as an African conglomerate that recently gained greater prominence by linking up with Bob Diamond, the former chief executive of UK bank Barclays.

Initially, the teenage boy Ashish started out reselling computers, which involved flying to Dubai each weekend to buy motherboards and hard drives that he would shift to customers in Africa.

Under his leadership, Mara subsequently diversified into a broad range of activities, including call centres, property and cardboard packaging. It has operations in 22 African countries including Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and Rwanda.

Thakkar values his

Ashish Thakkar group at “slightly above” $1bn. That would make him Africa’s youngest dollar billionaire. He, however do not like the title given to him – “Africa’s-youngest-billionaire”. He is keenly interested in Tennis and Squash. He is also a follower of spiritual leader Morari Bapu.

He is planning to attend Morari Bapu’s interfaith recital to be held in the vicinity of Vatican city.

He was born in 1981 in the English city of Leicester after his parents were forced to leave Uganda in the early 1970s. He returned to Africa with his family to settle in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, months before the genocide.

After fleeing from Kigali to Bujumbura, the capital of neighbouring Burundi, and from there to Kenya, the family finally resettled in Kampala months later. The first decade of running his interlocking enterprises was not easy.

“Every business was leaning on each other and that’s how you grow, initially you don’t have a choice,” he says. “I really took a large risk . . . to fund it I just basically leveraged everything I could.”

witness not to turn hostile, testifying to the Mumbai Sessions Court. However, Preity was quoted, “Though I had aged 10 years in those two months, but feeling very proud to be fearless.”

This time, situation is different but investigation is being done under monitoring of the same cop -

Maria. Unlike previous case, Preity is distraught, emotional, and self-admittedly fearful for her life. The actor skipped out of the public eye hurriedly, taking off to her home in Los Angeles after filing a midnight complaint on June 12 at the Marine Lines Police Station in Mumbai.

Ness Wadia has countered the claims saying the two had a spat caused by her refusal to save reserved seats for his mother, Maureen Wadia, and nephew, as Preity did not want to sit next to them.

“The Wadias had arrived late as it was Ness's birthday and found their seats occupied by Preity's entourage.

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“Negotiations are on to buy out Preity's 23 per cent stake in Kings XI Punjab, which turned profitable in 2014 for the first time and was estimated to have a brand valuation of $32 million by Mumbai-based firm American Appraisal; the franchise was valued at $76 million when it was first bought in 2008,” said a source close to the development claiming that Preity is looking to sell and move to the US. Though relationship between Ness and Preity ended five years back, they are still partners in Kings XI Punjab. How did a onetime fairy-tale romance between a bubbly actor at her peak and a most eligible

bachelor reach such divisive and disastrously public proportions?

It began in 2005, when Preity and Ness met in a party. The Bollywood actress was at her pick at that time after three stunning hit films – “Koi Mil Gaya,” “Kal Ho Na Ho” and “Veer-Zara.” Ness, a scion having colourful background was considered as the most eligible bachelor. In 2007, singer-actor Suchitra Krishnamoorthi blamed Preity for her own split with director-husband Shekhar Kapur, claiming the two had had an affair.

Apart from this incident, another incident in which Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai’s names also involved shook the base of their relationship.

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Fourth, know you can trade with as little as one pound per point. Five, always only trade with small sums to begin with and be patient and only trade with money you know you can afford to risk.

Sixth, educate yourself – watch the free videos on www.alpeshpatel.com or read the free articles on www.investingbetter.com Seven, practice different trading strategies, for instance some people I know will try to gain around five points then close the trade. They will trade in the direction of the trend so the odds are in their favour. If they lose five points, they buy some more because they know the trend is in their favour.

Other I know try only to make one or two points profit and close out – their view is the less time you are in the market, the less risk, and so you pinch a few points every few minutes.

Eight, just observe the market moves on the price charts and see how it moves to get a great understanding. Nine, think about using a demo account – it is risk free. Remember always limit how much you could ever lose. In the above example, if you could lose say 10 points, then that should be no more than 2% of all the trading risk capital you have set aside. So if you set aside £1,000, then 10 points loss should be £20.

Ten, practice loads, trading is an education and a skill. The more you practice with small sums the better and more you will learn by doing. Most accounts take five minutes to open. Finally, pick a good broker. I partnered with one of the world’s largest companies in setting up mine:http://inter.trademind.com

Modi govt takes steps to control inflation

The new government led by Narendra Modi imposed export restrictions on certain farm commodities and ordered a crackdown on hoarding to control rising food prices, a day after wholesale price inflation hit a five-month high.

A jump in prices of potatoes and onions last month drove inflation to 6.01 per cent from 5.20 per cent in April, contributing to a sell-off in financial markets. Prime Minister Modi has made tackling inflation his top priority.

Forecasts of weak monsoon rains that irrigate much of India's food production have added to

inflation fears, and volatile vegetable prices have risen by double digits.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who held a meeting to decide steps to control food inflation, said the government was keeping a close watch on the price movements of 22 commodities and would offload additional rice stocks in the market to prevent a buildup in inflationary expectations.

The government also imposed a minimum export price on onions to discourage overseas shipments and Jaitley said a similar curb would be imposed on exports of potatoes.

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Jaitley to present budget on July 10

India’s new finance minister Arun Jaitley will present his maiden budget on July 10.

The railway budget will be presented on July 8 while the economic survey will be tabled on July 9. The budget session of the parliament will begin on July 7 and end on August 14.

There will be 28 sittings during the month-long session and several key bills including some of the ordinances are expected to be taken up for Arun Jaitley approval.

A new been swept to power on Budget for 2014-15 has to the promise of reviving the be approved by Parliament economy and the finance before the vote-onminister is expected to account lapses on July 31. announce steps to revive The Modi government has

growth, signal fiscal consolidation and unveil measures to attract investment.

Growth has been slowed below 5% for two consecutive years and business confidence has taken a knock. High inflation and interest rates have hurt investments and burdened households with higher interest outgo on loans.

The Budget comes against the backdrop of rising global crude oil prices, a result of the violence in Iraq, which threatens to widen the losses of state oil marketing companies and push up the subsidy bill.

Modi has already indicated that “bitter medicine” has to be administered to rescue the economy from the choppy waters. The government is burdened with the lack of funds and will have to devise innovative measures to reduce wasteful government spending and cut down on unwieldy subsidies.

Investors are anxiously waiting for Jaitley's Budget to get a sense of the government's commitment to reforms and specific steps to tame inflation and revive investments. Global rating agencies have said they would see the government's move on fiscal consolidation and measures to repair government finances.

The Indian economy is expected to grow at 5.5 per cent in the current financial year and 6.3 per cent in 2015-16, the World Bank said. According to the "Global Economic Prospects 2014" report released by the World Bank, India's economic growth is estimated to accelerate to 6.6 per cent in 2016-17.

"With a rising global demand, we expect that a rebound in domestic investments and a pick-up in manufacturing activity will help India move from two years of sub-5 per cent

growth to over 6 per cent in the next year," said Onno Ruhl, World Bank Country Director, India.

"Removing bottlenecks in energy supply, improving the business climate, and unlocking stalled PPP contracts are some of the key areas that could be addressed in the short term to bring India back to a high growth trajectory," Ruhl said.

Unlike most developing countries, India's recent growth has been well below potential, which provides space for economic activity to accel-

erate without building inflationary pressures, the report said.

"This comes at a time when the outlook for most other developing countries is largely flat as they have by now recovered from the crisis and are growing close to potential," the report said.

Ruhl suggested shortand medium-term priorities that could help India regain its growth momentum and improve progress in poverty reduction.

Removal of immediate bottlenecks to growth will be crucial. Improving the

business environment by reducing the regulatory and compliance costs for firms could help remove some of these hurdles.

Revitalizing the power sector, by improving the performance of distribution utilities, and ensuring that players in the sector are subjected to financial discipline is another step.

Further investments in infrastructure, including re-pricing stranded PPP contracts and developing an integrated logistics strategy could address missing links in the transport system, he said.

ment of former State Bank of India Managing Director Hemant Contractor for the vacant post of Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA) chief. Both Mundra and Contractor were the choices of the previous UPA government.

“Mundra’s name has been cleared by the finance minister. CVC has cleared Contractor’s appointment. The files have gone to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval,” said a government official.

The ACC, headed by the Prime Minister, usually doesn’t turn down the recommendation of the finance minister. Former finance minister P Chidambaram had proposed Mundra’s name to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the last few weeks of the UPA government.

However, Singh had returned the file, along with many others, saying the next government should take a call on all those appointments.

The post of RBI deputy governor is lying vacant since April this year, following the exit of KC Chakrabarty -two months ahead of the completion of his term. PFRDA became headless in November last year when the finance ministry cut short the term of Yogesh Agarwal due to his “autocratic style”. The government got over 80 applications for the post of the pension regulator, including from former top bureaucrats.

India’s no-frill carriers, SpiceJet and IndiGo have been placed among top 10 cheapest airlines in the world, with Firefly of Malaysia emerging the cheapest, a survey by a US travel website said.

Firefly took the top spot by offering a one-way flight tickets, including 20 kg of checked-in baggage fees, at an average of 30 euros.

SpiceJet, which was placed at the second spot, was offering a one-way ticket at an average of 52.24 euros, while the cost of one-way ticket of IndiGo, placed in the eighth position, came to 68.37 euros.

Onur Air of Istanbul (Turkey) secured the third position with average ticket fare being 55.70 euros, while low-budget Malaysian carrier AirAsia, which has recently launched its operation in India, was placed fourth on the list.

Indian economy to grow at 5.5 pc this fiscal: World Bank

BoB chief Mundra tipped to be next RBI deputy governor

India’s finance minister Arun Jaitley has approved the name of Bank of Baroda chairman SS Mundra for the appointment as the next Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Jaitley has also given the go-ahead for the appoint¿ЬєઅЦ´ ╙¾» ¶³Ц¾¾Ц ╙¾¥ЦºЪ ºΝЦЦ ¦ђ?

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REAL ESTATE VOICE

The half lawyer

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Suresh Vagjiani

Sow & Reap A Property Investment Company

19

A city based solicitor came to see me to pitch for some business.

They gave the usual spiel on how good the firm is and how committed they are to conveyancing. I mentioned we have tested many firms and have only ended up being happy to work with two to three; and not because they’re the cheapest, on the contrary they charge through the teeth or at least attempt to.

The main issue with taking on new firms is the partner comes and does a good pitch and then when it comes to the actual transaction we are allocated some fresh just qualified conveyancing lawyer, whom we have to very often coach through the transaction, and too be frank it’s very annoying.

This was a common problem we encountered when we started dealing with new firms. The partner assured me she was very much desk based and hands on with all the cases her firm undertook.

I explai ned to h er that the oth er i ssue was that there was a real lac k of expertise and knowledge wi th some of th e fi rms we h ave interacted with . I then asked h er a question: ‘if a c ase was put through where someone was purch asing a h ouse f or £1. 1m wh ich c ont aine d t en fl at s, what wo uld t he st amp dut y b e o n t his t ransact io n?’ She aske d ‘ would th is be o n a f ree ho ld title?’, I replied ‘yes it would’. Her answer of 5% put the nail in th e coffin of any possib le future b usiness.

When I told her this transaction would attract a stamp duty of only 1% she tried to dig herself out of the hole and replied that this was very interesting and many of her clients would find this information useful! Then claimed they always check the transaction by HMRC anyhow.

A poor come back and needless to say they won’t be getting any business.

A few weeks prior a client asked my advice on the purchase of a block of flats, I mentioned to him to make sure the lawyer charges only the 1% stamp duty and no higher, they emailed me to ask for firm confirmation this was the case as their lawyers hadn't heard of this. So I supplied it from the HMRC website. It is frightening how many lawyers are unaware of this and are overpaying stamp duty on behalf of their clients.

On another topic we have recently exchanged on a beautiful building on Portland Place, this is a road which runs off Regent Street and is in very close proximity to Langham Hotel. The property is currently used as an office building though according to the lease it can be used as residential too. The building is a long lease property which has over 900 years on the lease, it consists of 13,000 sq. ft., and is Grade two listed externally and internally. This road is also home to both the Russian and Chinese Embassies. Notably the Chinese Embassy always has a protester for the persecuted Falon Gong Movement doing their qigong practice opposite the embassy.

The building has a lot of character with extremely high ceilings on a couple of floors. The pounds per sq. ft. doesn't always do a building justice, as the heights are ignored as well as the other attractive features of which this building has many.

It would make an ideal embassy, office or house. With recent trade press articles of companies guzumping each other for office space this seems like it will attract a lot of attention if it hits the open market even as an office building without consideration of the development angle.

The property was acquired in a totally off market and discreet deal, it was offered through a private contact whom we have done a fair amount of business with previously.

Gi ven o ur l ow buy in co st o f £14.75m whi ch eq uat es to £1,134 a sq. f t. f or thi s building and th e pri me locati on and grandeur of the b ui lding, it is anticipat e d t ho se who have invest e d in th is building, and the fund which is already 18% up since December 2013, wil l gain much from this deal.

Recently Galliard Homes has sold off all of its new build flats for around £2,500 per sq. ft., probabl y th e majority to overseas buyers.

The Real Deal

Using this as a house is also an option, the original property was built as a house hence the lease already allows for this possibility. Planning will still be required from the council though.

The interesting angle for someone using this as a home will be the freehold of the property, if planning is granted by the council for a home after a two year period the leaseholder will have a right to purchase the freehold of the property. Given the already long length of the lease, it will not cost much more. The cost of the freehold is worked out partially on what the freeholder will lose as a consequence of giving up the freehold. The freeholder will lose the ground rents which get paid annually, they will also lose the premium due at the end of the lease period. In this case this will be a lump sum paid close to the end of the lease to renew the lease.

The present value of a string of ground rent payments and the lump sum at the end of the lease will be used to work out the cost of the freehold. Payment for the renewal will be almost negligible as it is almost 1000 years away. So in this scenario it will only be the present value of the ground rents which will carry the weight in deciding the cost of the freehold.

Incidentally our lawyer wanted to charge us £44k just for this transaction; I think he wanted to upgrade his car just from this one deal.

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Tips of the Week l Warren Buffett says: "Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful." Right now the market is fearful, it's the time to strike if you get the right deal.

l Investing in bricks and mortar means the investment is real, hence it cannot simply disappear like non tangible investments such as stocks and shares.

20

LEGAL VOICE

India’s mandate for bold economic reforms looks to the UK

Maximum governance, minimum government. India's new Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was forming a cabinet based on this principle. He would seek to shrink the "top layers of government". In doing so, he would prioritise the speed of government decision-making, which has slowed development over the past few years.

This week, a delegation of senior Indian business leaders to the UK sought to capitalise on the momentum created by the new government, by forging greater economic links between the two countries.

To forge these links, India itself first faces significant challenges in lifting itself to a path of higher sustained growth. India needs to alleviate food inflation through better production and distribution. The central bank governor Raghuram Rajan has himself identified this as a top priority.

India needs to build confidence for business - investors need to believe in the "India Story" once more. This is crucial to meet the $1 trillion target for infrastructure spending in five years. The government needs to cultivate a nonadversarial, conducive and fair tax regulatory environment, where retrospective taxes, such as the hugely damaging Vodafone tax dispute, are avoided.

India needs effective decisionmaking and implementation at the highest level, aided by technology.

Seconds after being sworn in as Prime Minister on 27 May, the PM's website was relaunched by Modi, while his Facebook Page hit 1 million Likes within days of going live.

Rajat Gupta goes to prison

Indian-American business icon Rajat Gupta began a two-year jail sentence for insider trading, having exhausted every court of appeal in a case that has transfixed corporate board rooms in US and India and beyond. When Gupta, 65, drives up to the minimum security satellite camp of the Federal Medical Center-Devens in Ayer, Massachusetts, he would have spent more time (almost three years) fighting the case than he will spend inside prison. The IIT and Harvard alumnus, a former director at McKinsey, Goldman Sachs and other storied firms, is expected to serve approximately 85% of his 24month sentence but he will be eligible for transfer to a halfway house prior to his release date. The expectation is that he will be back home by the end of 2015.

Still, it is a devastating blow to illustrious corporate honcho who counted the high and mighty of India and US, including the Clintons, among his friends. But when the long arm of the law, represented among others by New York Southern District Attorney Preet Bharara, reached out, no connection could save him from jail time.

India needs job creation. The average Indian will be 29 years old in 2020. This is the world's greatest resourcing opportunity - ever. But only if India successfully skills 50m people a year between now and then.

These five synthesise the arguments outlined by Siddarth Birla, President of FICCI, during this delegation visit. While there is an acknowledgement, there are significant challenges ahead and the skyhigh expectations may have to be moderated in the future, business groups have welcomed the positive start by the new government.

But there are significant downside risks to Modi's plans.

Appreciation of India's rupee could erode the country's competitiveness and slow down exports.

India's external debt is far higher than its level of currency reserves.

Unfavourable El Nino weather patterns may hit agricultural growth and therefore food inflation this year. Persistent public sector deficits must be tackled. Labour laws and other factors of production are in need of reform.

India's first major delegation of senior business leaders post-elections discussed many of these themes at a hugely well-attended

event co-hosted with the UK-India Business Council, as well as several closed-door interactions with the Indian High Commission, ministers and FICCI's UK India Advisory Group. UKTI's new Chief Executive Dominic Jermey and UKTI's India Director-General Kumar Iyer both addressed the delegation at different gatherings which were well received.

The delegation was led by Dr Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and Managing Director of Bharat Hotels and herself a large investor in the UK, committing £40m to London's economy recently.

Part of the visit included the Global India Business Meeting (GIBM), the foremost annual gathering of Indian business leaders and their global counterparts, which FICCI co-organises. The meeting gathered 300 senior decision makers from business and government. It is part of the UK's most significant international trade and commerce showcase since 1951, with more than 250,000 visitors from over 100 countries over 50 days coming to Liverpool to build closer economic ties.

Ever since Prime Minister David Cameron went to India in July 2010 and promised a doubling of trade between the two countries by 2015, the relationship between the two has been on an upwards trajectory. But the hope is that with a more growth-orientated government, such trips can be used as catalysts for bringing about a step change not just in trade and investment growth, but encompassing the rich history and true global potential of the bilateral relationship.

India, other markets no longer 'Fragile Five'

Brazil, South Africa, India, Indonesia and Turkey are no longer “Fragile Five” but much more appealing to investors. The analysts at Morgan Stanley earlier dubbed them as Fragile Five. Some have taken actions to strengthen their economies. Others have gone through political changes that have bolstered investor confidence. At the same time, slower growth in the US has made investing overseas more alluring.

"These countries have done some homework to reduce their fragilities," says Jorge Mariscal, chief investment officer for emerging markets at UBS Wealth Management.

"They have helped themselves a bit."

The "Fragile Five" raised interest rates to draw investors' cash back into their countries. India, for example, lifted its rate from 7.25 per cent in September to 8 per cent in March; Brazil hiked rates from 7.5 per cent in May of last year to their current level of 11 per cent.

Higher interest rates are appealing to investors in the US, where the

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Maria Fernandes

Sponsorship licences: A licence to kill?

Come the next election, all parties will be vying to be the ones that cracked the immigration issue.

The immigration rules for non-EU citizens have become so strained that the newspapers are littered with warnings by CEOs of very large companies of the threat of businesses relocating elsewhere and taking jobs with them. For some businesses however there is very little alternative but to operate in the UK and to rely on non-EU staff to do the skilled work that is essential to the nature of the business.

Take the care industry; residential, nursing and homes that specialise in mental health services.

Over the last few years skilled staff have been squeezed out in various moves and this has had a significant impact on the standard of care offered.

This by itself has been a blow for employers who want to offer these services. If this is not bad enough, things are now steadily getting worse.

This time it is not only a change of law but a change and a sense of brutality in which the sponsorship system is being managed. It is one thing to make employers take responsibility for checking the status of its employees and quite another thing for them to take up the role of immigration officers. This seems to be the way it is all going. Initially the visiting officers would advise people to improve their systems where there were

minor issues. Now there are regular visits, many unannounced ones, in which employers are assumed to be liars and cheats. Their systems are pulled apart and if there are shortfalls which by themselves are insignificant but cumulatively are used as an excuse to suspend licences and in extreme cases revoke them. The worst part is that the officers often get things wrong. They visit without having done their homework, there are tendencies tend not to raise issues with the employer at the meeting thing but to reach conclusions.

There are numerous examples of decisions reached because officers simply did not understand the issues or the law, or misunderstood an issue or quite often there is an internal miscommunication. They are then forced into a defensive position adding another layer to the regulation they are already subject to. A worrying similarity of all these cases is that they are owned by Asians. A similar fate was experienced by members of the restaurant industry who were unable to fight off the changes. Now it is the turn of the care industry.

The landlords will be the next to encounter these difficulties. The trouble with laws is that are created for one purpose; introduce bureaucracy which when operated can produce bizarre and unintended results.

The law of unintended consequences. A licence to kill?

To contact Maria Fernandes, please email at: info@fernandesvaz.com

Federal Reserve has held its benchmark lending rate at close to zero for more than five years, and where bond yields remain low.

In India, the government has also raised duties on gold. The metal is India's second-biggest import behind oil, and purchases have soared in recent years as incomes have risen there. The increased buying has sped up the flow of money out of the country, and weakened its currency.

Last month, Narendra Modi and NDA notched the most decisive Indian election victory in three decades. Modi marketed himself as a leader capable of shaking the nation from its economic slumber, and his clear win should allow

him to reform the economy.

Developing economies should also benefit as global growth, led by an improving US economy, begins to pick up later in the year, says Mauro Ratto, head of emerging markets at Pioneer Investments, a fund manager.

The shifts are reflected in the financial markets.

Gains in the US stock market over the last month are smaller than those in emerging markets. The Standard & Poor's 500 index has climbed 12 per cent since closing at its year low on Feb. 3. The MSCI India, a broad index of Indian stocks, has surged 30 per cent over the same period.

Corruption remains key challenges for India Inc

Fraud, bribery and corruption remain key challenges for Indian Inc even as majority of senior executives surveyed justified 'unfair actions' undertaken to tackle the economic downturn, says a report.

According to Ernst & Young's global fraud survey, 71 per cent of senior executives surveyed in India consider fraud, bribery and corruption as significant concerns of corporates.

The survey revealed that unethical behaviour still persists, with a majority of respondents justifying unfair actions undertaken to survive the

economic downturn.

"Personal gifts, cash payments and offering entertainment to win or retain the business, and mis-stating the company's performance has emerged as consistent problems in the corporate environment," the report noted.

The survey was conducted among over 50 CEOs and senior executives in the country across functions such as finance, internal audit and sales among others.

As per the survey 55 per cent of respondents are more concerned about cybercrime perpetrated by employees or contractors as compared to hackers.

CURRENCY VOICE

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

21

Foreign Exchange

Paresh Davdra is the Dealing Director of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.

US Manufacturing Sector Showing Growth Growth across Germany's firms slowed to an eight-month low this month, but remains rather stronger than in France.

Germany’s overall composite output index, measuring factories and service firms, fell to 54.2 from 55.6 in May. German firms reported that new business continued to increase, with export orders up for the 11th month running and firms kept hiring new staff. A good sign that Germany is benefiting from the upturn in the euro area this year.

However French manufacturing PMI tumbled to a sixmonth low of 47.8, down from 49.6 in May showing French manufacturing falling deeper into negative territory. June’s PMI data painted a picture of subdued economic performance in France, with output down for a second successive month, orders falling slightly and the sharpest cut in staffing levels for four months Wolfgang Schaeuble, Germany's finance minister, has refused to speculate about any further measures the European Central Bank may

consider to tackle the threat of deflation. Earlier this month the ECB cut interest rates to a record low, imposed negative rates on bank deposits, and announced €400bn (£319bn) of cheap funding.

In contrast to this statement Austrian Central bank chief Ewald Nowotny stated over the weekend that the European Central Bank is unlikely to raise interest rates until at least 2016. With inflation at 0.5% and well below the target rate of 2% interest rates

will remain low to help encourage inflation in the Eurozone There are signs that UK mortgage lenders are preparing to tighten mortgage lending availability, for those with small deposits. The latest Bank of England credit conditions survey, show that lenders expected to offer fewer high loan-to-value loans in the third quarter of this year. This is likely a response from the banks to the prospect of the BoE raising rates within the year, and possibly taking new

steps to cool the housing market later this week.

Government borrowing was £13.3bn in May, higher than May 2013 when it was £12.6bn. This was also much higher than forecasts suggested. Treasury coffers were partly boosted by surging stamp duty land tax revenues, which were 28% ahead of last year at £1.2bn and underlined the sharp rise in the number of house sales over the past year.

The US manufacturing sector reported some very positive results, with output, new orders and job creation all rising strongly in June.Markits PMI jumped to 57.5 in June, up from 56.4 in May. That shows that the sector grew at its fastest rate in four years. New orders grew at the fastest pace since April 2010 and Firms kept hiring more staff with payroll numbers at manufacturing firms increasing for the twelfth successive month in June.

These positive figures are a good sign for the US economy that will help to push up inflation and unemployment figures.

Weekly Currencies

As of Tuesday 24th June 2014 @ 3pm

GBP - INR = 102.17 USD - INR = 60.12 EUR - INR = 81.87 GBP - USD = 1.70 GBP - EUR = 1.25

EUR - USD = 1.36 GBP - AED = 6.24

GBP - CAD = 1.82

GBP - NZD = 1.95

GBP - AUD = 1.81

GBP - ZAR = 17.91

GBP - HUF = 381.50

www.rationalfx.com

Information provided by RationalFX. None of the information on this page constitutes, nor should be construed as financial advice. The exchange rates used are the commercial foreign exchange rates provided by RationalFX. For a live quote or to find out more about how RationalFX can help you, call us on 0207 220 8181.

22

PAKISTAN - LONDON

Pak Shias fear fresh Sunni attacks

Quetta (Pakistan): Shias who claim to make up one-third of Pakistan’s population have been living in fear for years. Now they fear a fresh wave of sectarian violence against them from hardline Sunni Muslim militants. They have suffered a lot in the past. With Sunni extremists extending their hold over parts of Iraq and Syria, and Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia reported to be seeking renewed support from Pakistan’s large army, Shias fear they will be caught up in a new wave of attacks by Sunnis in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Human Rights Watch said more than 800 Shias had been killed in targeted attacks in Pakistan since 2012. Some hardline Sunnis often regard Shia as deviants and apostates, and the rift has been deepened by the centuries-old aversion of Shia to monarchical Sunni regimes such as those in the Gulf.

Couch potato lifestyle increases cancer risks

London: A search has shown that the couch potato lifestyle will significantly increase the risk of certain cancers as well as heart disease and diabetes.

According to the findings of the research, every extra two hours spent sitting was associated with a 10 per cent increased chance of developing cancer of the womb lining in women, while bowel and lung cancer risk was raised by eight per cent and six per cent respectively.

This suggests that even in people who are generally physically active, sitting down for too long can increase cancer risk.

Scientists came to the conclusion after studying pooled data from 43 studies with more than four million participants and almost 70,000 cancer cases. This kind of research -"metaanalysis" - can uncover trends that might be hidden from individual studies recruiting small numbers of people.

DG

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All the studies analysed lifestyle habits related to activity such as TV viewing and sitting time at work.

Comparing the highest and lowest levels of sedentary behaviour revealed significant increased risk for the three cancers.

Study authors Daniela Schmid and Dr Michael Leitzmann, from the University of Regensburg in Germany, wrote in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute: "That sedentariness has a detrimental impact on cancer even among physically active persons implies that limiting the time spent sitting idle may play an important role in preventing cancer."

Concerns have previ-

ously been raised about Scotland's couch potato lifestyle, with around 60 per cent of people classed as overweight. Along with diet, it is thought to lead to high rates of cancer, which affects around 30,000 people every year, and type 2 diabetes, which affects more than 200,000 Scots.

TV viewing time was most strongly associated with bowel and endometrial cancers - possibly because watching TV is often accompanied by eating junk food and drinking sweetened beverages, said the researchers. The scientists pointed out that the link between sitting time and lung cancer was only marginally statistically significant. In the studies analysed, the least amount of time people spent sitting down was about two or three hours. Each two hours per day increase in sitting time above this level was said to raise the risk of bowel, endometrial and lung cancer.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

In Brief

The ignorant Britons

London: A study has asked Britons to guess which great inventions that have transformed lives were invented in Great Britain. The results suggest classic ignorance. Only three out of five people can identify the telephone as British, the brainchild of Alexander Graham Bell. Around the same number know that the TV was first demonstrated here. A little more than half identify the jet engine as British. Only a minority could identify the electric motor, the hypodermic syringe, the electric kettle and the cashpoint are British invented. Only half of those questioned believed Britain is good at inventing and manufacturing.

Yoga gains much popularity

London: Yoga has gained much popularity after Tim Tompkins, a yoga enthusiast and president of Times Square Alliance and Douglas Stewart, a leading yoga instructor, organised a yoga session at the intersection of city’s Seventh Avenue and Broadway in 2003.

Couples can soon get divorce over the counter

London: Britain’s most senior family judge Sir James Munby is pressing for reforms so that couples will soon be able to get divorce over the counter. But critics warn that it would make finalising marriage breakdown like “discarding an old carrier bag” and devalue the institution of marriage. Sir James Munby wants measures to take most of the 120,000 divorces a year out of the courts altogether. Instead, people would obtain a divorce at a handful of centres, and eventually at a single national processing centre.

NOMINATION FORM

The prestigious Asian Achievers Awards is hosted every year by UK’s leading news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar to honour British Asians par excellence. If there is someone you know who has broken boundaries and deserves recognition for their unique contribution to the community and the nation then please nominate them for one of the awards listed below.

Make sure that you fill in this application form and send it on or before 14th July, 2014 by post, fax or email to Mr. L George, Tel: 020 7749 4013, Fax 020 7749 4081, Email: aaa@abplgroup.com. If you are sending it by post the address is Mr. L George, ABPL Group, Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW.

Please tick the appropriate category Entrepreneur of the Year ....................................................

Uniformed and Civil Services ............................................

Awarded to an entrepreneur with a proven track record of operating a successful business enterprise.

For outstanding achievements in uniformed and civil services or contribution to the community through any of the above services.

Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture ....................

Professional of the Year ......................................................

Someone who has made a mark in media including print and broadcast media; cinema, art and culture.

Achievement in Community Service................................

Professionals in the field of medicine, law, education, banking, finance and others, who have scaled the heights of their chosen profession.

International Personality of the Year ............................

In recognition for an individuals service to community.

Awarded to those who have acclaimed popularity internationally for his/her contribution in any particular sector and is recognised for their timeless philanthropic activities.

Sports Personality of the Year............................................

Awarded for excellence in sports.

Woman of the Year ................................................................

The award will recognise and honour a woman who has made a significant mark in any chosen field.

Business Person of the Year ..............................................

Awarded to a business person who is a success in every sense of the word and can demonstrate a genuine passion for social issues.

Lifetime Achievement Award ............................................

To honour those individuals, who during their lifetime, have made immense contributions in any given field. This remarkable individual can be marked as an example for the younger generation.

Application Form

Name of the Person you are Nominating: __________________________________________________________________________

Contact Details of the Nominee (Tel & email):_______________________________________________________________________

Present Occupation of the Nominee:_______________________________________________________________________________

Please attach the Nominees's CV which includes the following information (Please do not exceed a limit of 1000 words) (1) Personal background (2) Most important career achievements till date.

(3) Nominee's contribution to the community and nation.

(4) Future Plans, ambitions and visions.

(5) Any notable obstacles in the Nominee's career that has helped him/her to reach where they are today.

Summary- (Please include a summary in not more than 150 words why the nominee is worthy of winning the particular award in a separate sheet) Nominator’s name and contact details: ____________________________________________________________________________ Nominator’s current Occupation/Company: _________________________________________________________________________ Tel/Mobile: _________________________________ Email: __________________________________________________________

NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS This is a unique event where readers nominate and an independent panel of judges comprising of eminent personalities selects the winner. Judges’ decision is final. ABPL Group will not entertain any dialogue with members of the public regarding the judging process. In order to ensure a high degree of transparency and fairness, the management and members of the staff of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar will play no role in the nomination or judging process. You may use an additional sheet if the space provided is insufficient. The winners will be announced at the AAA Awards ceremony on 19th September, 2014. Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar will publish the names of the short listed candidates and winners after the event. The winners names will also appear in our e-edition www.abplgroup.com You can nominate yourself if you wish to.

Nominations and entries must follow the prescribed format. All nomination forms must reach our offices on or before 14th July, 2014

Junk food blamed for rise in Crohn’s disease

London: Junk food has been blamed for the steep rise in the number young people being treated in hospital for Crohn’s disease.

The condition, which attacks the intestines and is thought to be triggered by problems with the immune system, appears to be becoming more common.

One cent stamp sold for £5.6m

London: A one cent stamp issued for British Guiana in 1856 was sold for £5.6m at Sotheby's auction, setting a new record for the most expensive stamp sold at auction and the most valuable object by weight and size. Recently owned by an American millionaire who died four years ago in a prison cell, the stamp was one of an emergency printing of several denominations by the local Official Gazette newspaper in British Guiana in 1856, when storms delayed a shipment from the UK and the postmaster was in danger of entirely running out of stamps.

3.5 mn Britons face surprise tax bill

London: Following inaccurate calculations by HMRC, over 3.5 million workers face a surprise tax bill of around £300 over the next year. Those who owe HMRC extra tax will pay it back through the Pay as You Earn (PAYE) system next year. Overall, around 5.5 million paid the wrong amount of tax, meaning around 2 million paid too much and will get a rebate.

The major errors occurred over the 2013-2014 tax year and the tax man has pledged to improve the accuracy of the tax system.

LONDON - WASHINGTON - IRAQ

34 Indians evacuated in Iraq

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

In Brief

Londoners pay 10 times more stamp duty

London: House owners in London pay more than 10 times stamp duty than a householder in Wales or East Midlands. High house prices mean home owners in London have been hit hardest, where 99 per cent of buyers now pay the tax compared with 77 per cent in the West Midlands and 66 per cent in Wales. Lloyds' research shows that in London, the bill for stamp duty is three and a half times the average, at £38,048. In the South East, the lifetime cost is £16,500, followed by the South West with £11,526. The lowest stamp duty costs are in Wales, where the average lifetime cost is £3,718.

India targets Prince Charles' aide in war on Greenpeace

London: India's intelligence agency has targeted an adviser to Prince Charles and British activists in a campaign against Greenpeace and other foreign groups it claims are a threat to its economy. The Indian government last week banned direct foreign funding of local campaign groups, after a report by its Intelligence Bureau warned that organisations funded by Greenpeace and other international institutions were growing throughout the country and "spawning" mass movements which now pose a "significant threat to national economic security."

1 mn public sector workers likely to lose govt payroll

London: The government is drawing up radical measures which will see widespread privatisation and at least one million public sector workers cease to become government employees by the end of the decade. The Treasury has now ordered the Cabinet Office to prepare an “ambitious” new programme of efficiency savings stretching deep into the next parliament after the 2015 election.

Corrupt postman allowed to stay in Britain

London: A corrupt postman who stole dozens of letters and parcels as part of a £500,000 credit-card fraud cannot be deported to the Ivory Coast because he has children in Britain. Despite committing a serious breach of trust, Harnault Hospice Kassi convinced an immigration tribunal that his removal would breach his right to family life. The ruling is the latest in a growing number of cases of foreign-born criminals using human rights laws to prevent their removal from Britain.

Ministers trying to ease parking fines

London: Ministers are trying to ease parking restrictions as they believe it often makes driving to shops too difficult and force people to go out of town or online. So they are planning to ban councils from using CCYV cameras and spy cars to enforce parking restrictions.

Hundreds of thousands of drivers are caught by cameras each year. The ban on CCTV, both fixed cameras and so-called “Orwellian spy cars,” will become law through the Deregulation Bill this autumn.

Police raid on Labour peer Lord Janner’s office

London: The police raided the offices of Lord Janner’s office following child sex abuse claims against the Labour peer. Leicestershire police swooped on the office of Greville Janner as part of an ongoing inquiry linked to children’s homes in the county. Officers took the highly unusual step of entering Parliament to raid his office and seize computer equipment just weeks before submitting a dossier on the peer to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Sting’s children won’t inherit his fortune

London: Rock star Sting has risen from an impoverished childhood and amassed a fortune of £180 million. Now Sting says that his children won’t inherit anything from his fortune as he wanted them to earn their own way. The former Police frontman said he expected his three sons and three daughters to work.

New Delhi: At least 17 more Indian nationals were evacuated from the war-stricken zones of Iraq with the help of local authorities. The sources in India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that till Tuesday total number of those rescued so far reached to 34.

Reports emanated from Iraq hinted that Indians hostages taken by Sunni rebels could be used as human shields, while MEA confirmed that all its nationals in the warstricken country were safe and no effort was being spared to ensure their safety.

“Out of 120, we have removed 17 Indians from the conflict zone,” confirmed Syed Akbaruddin, the Official Spokesperson of MEA. He also said that the Indian nationals in captivity remain unharmed. The ministry had earlier evacuated 17 Indians from the country

Sikh group challenge immunity to Manmohan

Washington: A US court has asked the US government to respond by July 10 to a Sikh group's challenge to "suggestion of immunity" to former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh in a human rights violation case.

"The United States may have until July 10, 2014, to respond to plaintiffs' response to its suggestion of immunity," a federal district court here said in a June 20 order on a motion filed by the rights group, Sikh for Justice (SFJ).

Obama administration has sought immunity for Manmohan Singh saying that it was in "the interest of the United States" for the "implementation of its foreign policy and in the conduct of its international relations, to recognize Prime Minister Singh's immunity from this suit while in office."

SFJ has opposed the "suggestion of immunity" on the ground that the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act (FSIA) does not cover acts committed by foreign officials in their "official capacity" and "Manmohan Singh is not Prime Minister of India any more".

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while 39 Indian citizens still remain in captivity.

Regarding the Indian nurses stranded there, he averred, “The 46 nurses in Tikrit are safe. We're in touch with them.” But the safety and security of Indian nationals in Iraq remains to be a concern for the government of India, he added.

With regards to the diplomatic measures taken

by India to rescue those stranded in Iraq, he quipped, “We are proceeding systematically, and various doors are open now.

We are working to ensure

that rest of the Indian nationals in conflict zones moved out of there.”

The MEA had received over 120 requests for evacuation, he said, adding that though there was more than 500 people in Basra this was not a cause for concern as the Iraqi town was away from the eye of the conflict. “We have received 120 requests in Baghdad and 300 in our control room in New Delhi for assistance of various types,” the MEA spokesperson informed.

Amnesty International India also said that it had

23

spoken with some of these workers and that they had not been paid their salaries for months. The ISIS has massacred hundreds of people since the start of the offensive, and captured huge swathe of Iraq in a drastic way. Some 500,000 people have been internally displaced, according to UN estimates.

The kidnappers are believed to be from Sunni militia — the ISIS — which took control of Mosul and Tikrit earlier this month killing hundreds of Iraqi soldiers.

Most of the over 10,000 Indians in Iraq are located either in Kurdistan, which is extreme north and northeast of the country or in Shia-dominated areas south of Baghdad.

According to Amnesty International, hundreds of Indian workers are stranded in Najaf as their employers had refused to return their visas.

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The reasons are the largest paid circulation, our ethics of rejecting astrology or harmful and misleading adverts like black magic and fake healings besides comprehensive range of contents and continuous community connectivity .On one hand ABPL is loosing £1000 per week, yet we do believe, that is a small price to pay for the welfare of the communities.

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Experience itself is not necessary but a deep desire for success, pleasant personality, willing to work hard and approach prospective clients , commitment to provide reliable after sales service and self confidence are necessary traits in this vocation.

Don’t hesitate to send your resume / CV to L. George with your contact details to Email: george@abplgroup.com or write to Asian Voice/ Gujarat Samachar Asian Business Publication Ltd 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW

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24

INDIA

Jaya, Karunanidhi oppose Modi govt’s ‘use Hindi' directive

New Delhi: The BJP-led government's directive asking central government employees to use Hindi while posting tweets or messages on social media has not gone down well with a number of political leaders.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief Karunanidhi opposed such a move and termed it as the beginning of imposition of Hindi. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Vaiko, Paattali Makkal Katchi leader S Ramadoss and Communist Party of India (Marxist) also expressed reservation against the government's

move.

Terming the Centre's move on use of Hindi as being "against letter and spirit" of the Official Languages Act, 1963, Jayalalithaa wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to suitably modify the instructions to ensure that English was the language of communication on social media.

Prioritising Hindi is "a

Chennai introduces taxis only for women

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

highly sensitive issue, causes disquiet to the people of Tamil Nadu who are very proud of and passionate about their linguistic heri t a g e , " Jayalalithaa said, adding, “Hence, I request you to kindly ensure that instructions are suitably modified to ensure that English is used on social media."

Meanwhile, Abdullah said that India is a diverse country as far as religion and languages are concerned. The imposition of one language must not be acceptable, added Abdullah.

Slamming the govern-

ment's advisory, PMK founder S Ramadoss said the BJP in its election 2014 manifesto, had promised to develop all languages with rich history and culture.

Attempts to 'impose' Hindi in the past have been successfully resisted with, though attempts were later made to do the same, he said while terming the latest move as a "softer version" of the imposition of Hindi.

Vaiko, the leader of BJP ally Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, also slammed the directive saying, imposition of Hindi is a threat to national integrity.

He further cautioned the government from “waking up a sleeping tiger”, saying, “Tamil Nadu has shed blood on imposition of Hindi”.

Pro-Tamil Lankan film taken off screens

Chennai: Chennai has introduced air conditioned taxis for women to be driven by women only. These women dressed in bright pink uniforms will drive Penntaxi, the brand new fleet of taxis that caters exclusively to female passengers.

The pink fleet is the brainchild of the Duchess Club of Chennai, which funded the initiative and even trained the women drivers. The group, in a bid to expand its business, is now trying to tie up with schools, colleges and IT companies.

"This job will give them an assured income to pay off their loans. We wanted to empower them economically by turning them into entrepreneurs" said Shyalaja Chetlur, a member of the Duchess Club.

Nagomi, a former private security guard and a

driver with Penntaxi, says, "I have suffered while riding in auto rickshaws. The drivers would smell of tobacco and sometimes, they would be drunk. Now I am glad I will be able to offer safe rides for women.” “I want to expand this into my own fleet of many cabs," says A Devaki, the most enterprising of the lot.

The small but noticeable pink brigade has already generated quite a buzz.

Lydia David, a student, says, "Given the crimes against women, I would be more comfortable travelling in women-driven cabs.

They will understand our fears better".

In a further boost to the initiative, a city-based company has now come forward to install GPS-based vehicle tracking system in the taxis, to safeguard the safety of the passengers as well as drivers.

Chennai: The screening of Sri Lankan film “With You, Without You” was cancelled in the city after officials at two multiplexes received threatening phone calls from Tamil groups. The film is an Indo-Sri Lanka collaboration directed by acclaimed Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage.

Vithanage and Rahul Roy, a documentary filmmaker from Delhi and co-producer of the movie, have urged chief minister J Jayalalithaa to intervene and ensure the film is screened in the state.

“The film is a sensitive portrayal of post-war Sri Lanka and the consequences of denial of justice to the Tamil people. But we are facing opposition here, not support. Some people have

decided - without watching the film that it is against the interests of the Tamil people. The film, in fact, is a scathing account of the suffering the war unleashed," Roy said.

The film, set in Sri Lanka in the months after the civil war, features Indian actors Anjali Patil and Shyam Fernando as a married couple. Patil plays a Tamil girl who marries an older man, not knowing he was a Sri Lankan army soldier. The film shows the changes in their lives after a visit from an old friend.

Vithanage said he had received positive feedback from the audience. "I have been raising my voice for minorities in Sri Lanka. I believe in a multi-cultural society,” he said.

Jalandhar: With SAD-BJP ties in Punjab set to hit another low following the recent uncomfortable statements issued by leaders of the two parties, the state BJP leaders are also gearing up for a reshuffle in the party and its ministers in the state cabinet.

The churnings in SADBJP alliance started following poor performance by the allies in the recent Lok Sabha polls in which BJP's top leader Arun Jaitley was defeated by Congress's Captain Amarinder Singh in Amritsar.

Sources in BJP revealed that reshuffling of party ministers was being considered by the central leadership and state party affairs in-charge Shanta Kumar is expected to hold a meeting with party MLAs and state leadership to collect feedback on the performance of ministers.

"When BJP is trying to

put SAD in the dock over the poor show in elections, there is a strong feeling in the party that the departments headed by BJP ministers were also not doing well and their functioning was not above board," said a senior Punjab BJP leader.

Central leadership of the party is seriously considering a reshuffle of its ministers, he said. Some ministers are being criticised for their below-mark performance in their departments and constituencies.

After forming the government in 2012, departments of ministers were shuffled by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in 2013 and in June 2014. In the 2013 changes, BJP legislature party leader Chunnni Lal Bhagat had lost the coveted local bodies department to another BJP minister Anil Joshi, who is facing a lot of flak now for Jaitley's defeat.

Chandigarh: In an order with huge ramifications, especially on Punjabi youths marrying foreign nationals, the Punjab and Haryana high court has held that a marriage solemnized by a youth with a foreigner woman as per Sikh ceremonies is null and void if it is not registered under the Special Marriage Act. A division passed these orders, after hearing a petition filed by Sarabjit who had married Californiabased woman Lourdes Serrato in 2000 as per Sikh rites.

According to Sarabjit, both of them lived together at Mudki, but Lourdes left for California after 20 days of marriage and declared her intention of not coming back.

When Sarabjit failed to bring his wife back, he filed a divorce petition at a Ferozepur court on March 7, 2012 which dismissed his

petition saying, "Sarabjit's move to approach for divorce after a prolonged silence of 12 years does not inspire confidence of the court."

Sarabjit approached the high court. Hearing the petition, the high court noticed that Sarabjit was mentioned as "Sikh Unmarried" and the wife as "Christian Unmarried" in documents prepared by them before performing their marriage as per the Sikh ceremonies. The high court finds the matrimonial alliance between the two parties as "no marriage in the eyes of law."

HC clarified that marriage performed under Sikh rites is covered under the Hindu Marriage Act (HMA). The court said as per the HMA, both parties should be Hindus, Buddhists, Jains or Sikhs by religion, and if they are not, the marriage is void.

BJP may shuffle its Punjab ministers

Sikhs should registers their alliance with foreigners

South Brief

'Amma' tea to hit TN market soon

Udhagamandalam (Tamil Nadu): After 'Amma water' and 'Amma salt,' the Tamil Nadu Government is set to introduce 'Amma tea'. It will be a product of the state-owned Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation. The corporation, which is likely to get an ISI certificate for its produce, purchased 28 new machines recently to produce different types of tea, including the high-quality 'green tea' and 'organic tea'. With more than 10,000 acres of tea plantations in the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts, the corporation is one of the biggest black tea producers in India.

Solar plant to power Chennai airport

Chennai: Solar power could soon drive Chennai airport. Airports Authority of India is planning a solar plant that will meet the airport's requirements and the surplus power supplied to the grid. The move is part of a plan to install solar power plants at 30 airports across the country and an MoU was signed between AAI and Solar Energy Corporation of India in May. The project is expected to generate a total of 50 MW in the first phase. This will save on power bills and also reduce carbon emissions.

AP to seek Rs 1,320 bn from centre for losing Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Chandrababu Naidu government has decided to seek a staggering Rs 1,320 billion from the centre as compensation for losing Hyderabad. According to sources, the TDP government zeroed down on this amount for what it feels is the centre's way of repaying the Seemandhra region for the investments its people had made in Hyderabad and its surroundings over the last five decades.

"A resolution to this effect will be passed by the AP assembly," said a source.

North Brief

Punjab to compile database of students studying abroad

Chandigarh: The Punjab government has decided to compile database of students of Punjab studying abroad on study visa with an aim to ensure their safety and check their exploitation by travel agents. The database will also come handy to provide help in any kind of crisis situation. NRI affairs minister Tota Singh approved the blueprint and said a fool-proof mechanism would be developed to collect data of all students on study visa.

Resumption of Amritsar-San Francisco flight demanded

Chandigarh: North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for early resumption of Air India's Amritsar-San Francisco flight and expediting clearance of international flights from Mohali airport for facilitating the NRIs, especially Punjabis living in United States.

NAPA executive director Satnam Singh Chahal, in a letter sent to the PM, Union civil aviation minister and Punjab CM has urged them to initiate early steps to resume the direct flight between Amritsar and San Francisco.

Panjab University among Times' top 100 Asian universities

Chandigarh: Ten Indian institutes have made it to the top 100 in the Asia University Rankings 2014 published by Times Higher Education. In 2013, only three institutes were in the top 100.

Panjab University led the Indian tally at 32nd place, followed by the IIT-Kharagpur (45) and IIT-Kanpur (55). Jadavpur University (76), Aligarh Muslim University (80) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (90).

Sikhs of Maharashtra oppose All India Sikh Gurdwara Act

Amritsar: In a blow to Shiromani Akali Dal's efforts to revive the Panthic agenda, Sikhs of Maharashtra have opposed the SAD initiative for enactment of All India Sikh Gurdwara Act. A meeting of Sikh leadership of Maharashtra was held to oppose any effort by SAD (B) to impress upon its alliance partner BJP for the enactment of the Act, said member of the administrative committee of Takht Hazur Sahib Ranjit Singh Kamthekar.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

TRAVEL - INDIA

25

3 Gujaratis travel from London to Ahmedabad for charity

Manvir Patel, Hiten Patel, Kirit Patel

Mauritius Heaven on Earth?

he Indian Ocean is swimming with spectacular floating paradise Islands T all fringed with the softest of sands and

the bluest of seas. However, there the similarities end. Each island has a unique quality and ambience. One thing is for sure all the Islands are ideally placed to offer almost year round sunshine.

Now, dear reader, come close and let me tell you a little secret. The secret is: Mauritius. The secret to what? You may ask, well the answer is simple. Mauritius

is the secret to relaxation. There are some very busy islands in the Indian Ocean, where you feel compelled to get active. Not in Mauritius, here you can take life at your own pace and just enjoy natures magnificence. There are, of course, some amazing activities if you choose to partake. The crystal clear waters are perfect for glass-bottom boatrides, mini-sailings and kayaking. Try snorkeling in the lagoons and discover why its coral reefs are so famous, filled with an abundance of exotic fish and sea life. For the more adventurous, there are

diving tours available, so you can swim with a dazzling array of tropical fish including barracudas, king fish and eagle rays.

It was writer Mark Twain who said: “You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first and then heaven was copied after Mauritius”. While you are sitting on one of the numerous beaches, you will no doubt question whether you are in face in heaven!

Apart from the vision of heaven, what sets Mauritius apart from other Island retreats? A little style, a little chic and a little “je ne se quoi”. The Grand Island has been a destination for those in the know for quite a while now. It has understated luxury hotels and spa resorts all well versed at giving visitors just what they are looking for. Many of the hotels are set on their very own private lagoons with fantastic settings. Palm fringed beached abound with views of the reddest of sunsets. While there are many new and trendy resort islands, Mauritius has glamour and refinement akin to the traditional design houses of yore, sophisticated and established.

So, what price do you put on such luxury? Price starting from a mere £979 per person with flights, 7 night’s accommodation and half board at the Merville Beach Hotel. Call Brightsun Travel on our dedicated tour line 0208 819 0531 or visit www.brightsun.co.uk.

Three Gujaratis travelled all the way from London to Ahmedabad in an SUV for a charity which works for the welfare of pharmacists in the UK. They are Kirit Patel, chief executive of Day Lewis Pharmacy, Manvir Patel, managing director, Manichchem Ltd and Hiten Patel, managing director, PharmaPlus Ltd. They drove 20,000 km through 16 countries over 61 days while braving war like situation in Ukraine to chilling cold at Everest camp in Tibet only to promote 'Pharmacy Charity' supported by Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (PSGB).

All the three Patels own different chain of pharmacy shops in the UK with Kirit Patel being the owner of over 250 shops.

The trio was accompanied

by Englishman Peter Cattee who stayed back in Delhi to visit Red Fort and Taj Mahal. The Patel trio reached Ahmedabad last

week after a five-hour drive from Udaipur.

Interestingly, all the three belong to different villages in Kheda district and are settled in the UK for over 30 years.

However, they have kept ties with India alive. They spent over 40,000 pounds on the journey.

"We planned our journey six months in advance and got all the necessary permissions for entering different countries. We also made duplicate passport for the trip. We began the journey on April 12 from London and on many days drove over 500 km a day," said Hiten Patel whose wife accompanied him from Nepal onwards.

It was one tough journey for the trio as they faced many challenging situations like crossing border from Ukraine to Russia, language issues in China, cold in Tibet and hot weather in India. "We took it up as a challenge as

we wanted to do something concrete for the charity. Our families were very worried while we were driving through Ukraine and reached Russia. There was a lot of military activity going on and we saw number of tanks as well," said Manvir Patel. They also had a harrowing time to acclimatize with the weather at Everest camp at 17,000 feet in Tibet. The group visited all the famous and historical monuments and places during their journey including Nazi's camps.

The group plans to raise money for the charity after they reach the UK and finish their task. The money which comes in will go into the welfare of pharmacists who are suffering from stress and depression as well as those who are economically not doing well.

For more information see www.roadtripuktoindia.co.uk

peak of Gujarat-style architecture.

The intricate carvings of ‘Apsaras’ (beautiful ladies), sculpted walls depicting different incarnations of Lord Vishnu and the Goddess Durga slaying demons make the monument worth visiting. The stepwell entered the tentative list of Unesco's world heritage list in July 1998. It was in 2012 that an Archaeological Survey of India team led by former superintendent archaeologist of Vadodara circle, KC Nauriyal, prepared a

dossier for the stepwell for Unesco's approval.

Nauriyal was also part of the Indian delegation at Doha. After the submission was made, an International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) team, the Unesco's WHC advisory team, visited Patan in October last year and conducted a study . It even talked to locals on how they perceived the stepwell and what it meant to them.

The ICOMOS team was led by professor Zhang Jie of Tsinghua University , China.

UNESCO recognises Rani-ki-Vav as world heritage site

AV Correspondent

Ahmedabad: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared 11th century Rani-ki-Vav in North Gujarat town Patan as a world heritage site. Last week UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee (WHC) named included the historical stepwell in the coveted list.

This is the only second heritage property in Gujarat after ChampanerPavagadh archaeological park included in the WHC’s list of world heritage site. The stepwell bears testimony of queen Udaymati's love for her beloved husband King Bhimdev I of the Solanki period and was built between 1063 CE and 1068 CE. Barely a twohour drive from Ahmedabad near Patan town, this subterranean stepwell symbolizes the

26

INDIA - LONDON

How Shishukunj helps others

Sunita Dhanani

At Shishukunj, we believe that a child should have a well-rounded experience so that when adulthood is reached, the child is more than the sum of his/her parts. In order to achieve this we have established a fourth objective as an organisation: relieving distress, poverty and sickness in children around the world.

Our children, born in Britain, have everything that they could ever wish for but in reality three quarters of the children in the world do not have access to health, food, shelter or education. As I am sure everyone will agree, these four things are the bare minimum necessary for anyone to survive.

So my question is ‘How does a child learn that he/she is fortunate in all that they have?’ Answer: by showing them those who do not.

This facet is very important in a child’s development because if one is ignorant of other people’s needs then how is a child expected to gain the virtues of compassion, sincerity, humility and humanity? These qualities have to be nurtured from a young age so that helping

others becomes a natural instinct. Our charitable giving arm is known as Shishukunj International Projects (SIP) but do not be fooled by the word international. Anywhere where there is a need, even Britain is not immune, SIP helps. Shishukunj aims to primarily help children but if their families benefit then that is a bonus.

Our achievements are many and varied and it is not all a question of giving money. Shishukunj has a ‘Care N Share’ project where we collect anything from schoolbooks, furniture, stationary, clothes, wheelchairs, Zimmer frames, hospital beds whenever there is a request. Our ‘waste’ is

someone else’s life line.

In Shishukunj, we try to find organisations that have high aspirations but little resource. Shishukunj prides itself on helping the grandmother whose adult children have all died from HIV/ AIDS and now looks after the grandchildren and the orphaned children of a remote village, or the elderly lady who runs an orphanage for the blind, where these ‘outcasts’ of society not only find shelter but education, love and hope. The couple who collect children from the slums and give them an education and all the money comes from their own pockets. The woman, who gathers disabled children (often the most neg-

lected in society) and gives them and their families’ immeasurable joy and selfworth.

Shishukunj is not averse to working with well-established organisations. We have worked on many projects where coming together is more beneficial to a cause than working alone. The smile and gratitude that one sees on the face of a child who has nothing, when given something, is forever etched in our hearts. If one has never given to the needy or even recognised that there is a need, then the world would be a sad place indeed. Our hope is that our children are better prepared and equipped to recognise someone less fortunate than themselves and to do something about it.

The future: We do not live in a science fiction world where there is no conflict, no poverty, hunger or disease. We live with fact and until the need is eradicated Shishukunj will always be there to lend a helping hand so that those are we lucky enough to serve will have a better chance in life and will in turn try to help others.

For more information please visit www.shishukunj.org.uk

Helping the Poor in India, Ramesh Vaish Moradabadi is on his way to India for his annual eye-camp for the poor and disabled. It starts at 8 am and goes on until 6 pm and it is open to people of all faiths. He chooses rural areas, but sometimes Government hospital facilities are taken into account.

He says, “unless and until you have a passion or a burning spirit, your efforts will fail. Dr K. M. Munshi, who was the Governor of UP used to say that you want some one to spread carpet of roses in your path. It is not done, you have to pull your fingers fast if you want success and good result.

Gujarat will host the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) celebrations from January 5 to 9, 2015 at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar to mark the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's return to India.

The Prime Minister's Office has approved Gujarat government's proposal to host the event. PBD is celebrated on January 9 every year to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community in India's development. It was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest `pravasi', returned to India from South Africa, led India's freedom struggle and changed the lives of his countrymen forever.

Sources in the Non

Resident Indian (NRI) division of Gujarat government said, “We have started preparations for the grand event which will be jointly organized by the ministry of overseas Indian affairs (MOIA), Government of India and the Gujarat government. Gujarat will host the event for the first time after its inception in 2003.''

In 2013, Narendra Modi, as the state's chief minister, had first proposed that the PBD be held in Gujarat to mark the 100th year of Mahatma Gandhi's return from Africa.

He had addressed the Gujarat session of event in the presence of then Union minister for overseas Indian affairs Vayalar Ravi.

He said, “Mahatma Gandhi

came back to India in 1915.

The nation will celebrate 100 years of Gandhi's arrival from Africa in 2015.

And we in Gujarat want to mark this occasion by hosting the PBD function in our state. I have requested the Centre to give us an opportunity to hold this event in Gujarat in 2015. I welcome you all to join it.”

Sources in Gujarat government said: “The event has been merged with the seventh Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2015 scheduled to be held in mid-January when a number of NRIs and NRGs visit Gujarat.

We plan to hold several events at Gandhian sites like Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Porbandar and Dandi.”

Continued from page 1 refugee camps in neighboring India during the ninemonth war.

Meanwhile, in anticipation of the verdict, the authorities had deployed thousands of extra security officials across Bangladesh.

A spokesman for the elite anti-crime force Rapid Action Battalion said 8,000 members were deployed in Dhaka and other cities to stop any violence caused by the verdict, as previous verdicts have triggered violence in a country where politics are extremely divi-

sive.

Two special tribunals set up by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to try people for war crimes have delivered nine verdicts in which 10 people have been convicted. One senior leader of Jamaat-e-Islami party has already been hanged for his role in killing people in 1971.

Nizami was a Cabinet minister during former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s last term from 200106, and he was sentenced to death in January in a huge arms cache case.

Switzerland has finally agreed to share the list of Indians holding accounts in various Swiss banks in the name of trusts or other entities. The development has come as a shot in the arm for the government which set into motion a special investigation team (SIT) to probe black money stashed abroad as its first decision after it came to power.

Government sources said the list would help in prosecution of offenders and bringing the estimated

billions of dollars stashed abroad.

SIT vice-chairman Justice Arijit Pasayat said, "Swiss authorities are preparing the list and will hand it over to the government which will then forward it to us for scrutiny. We have discussed the matter with other members of the SIT. Our job will be made easier if it comes out to be what it looks like and we will take suitable action.

This is a breakthrough development in the fight against black money.

Young Shishukunj volunteers entertaining orphans at an ashram in India

Gujarat to host Pravasi Bharatiya Divas next year

Bangla court delays verdict on war crimes

Switzerland to share list of account holders with India

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Rememberance

Vijay Kumar Bhandari: 1945 to 2014

Sweet Remembrances An educationalist to the core, a philanthropist at heart, a noble man.

Vijay Kumar Bhandari passed away peacefully at home and left for his heavenly abode on 13th June 2014. He was a dearly loved husband to Veena, devoted father to Samrat Bhandari and Vishv Priya, a doting father-in-law to Ritu and Sameer, loving grandfather to Sara, Dev and Jai and a much loved brother, uncle, and genuine friend to many.

Vijay Kumar Bhandari had a passion to bring education to all as a fundamental right for every human being. He strongly believed that the lack of education was amongst the greatest scourges afflicting humanity even today. It has left an unimaginable numbers of adults disadvantaged, vulnerable and impoverished and continues to claim millions of new victims from the ranks of the world most vulnerable citizens – the children. He spent his lifetime working on educational projects and raising the awareness of this special gift bestowed to mankind – Education.

MR SUSHIL KUMAR MALHOTRA 10 August 1941 – 14 June 2014

Feltham and Heston MP Seema Malhotra has paid tribute to her "amazing father" Mr Sushil Kumar Malhotra, of Aplin Way, Osterley who has died from cancer aged 72. He passed away peacefully on Saturday 14th June, the day before Father's Day with his family by his side.

Mr Malhotra came to the UK from India in 1963 and lived in Ilford, Shepherd's Bush and Acton before moving to Hounslow in 1972. In his early life he was an engineer, where he gained a reputation for pride in his work, and his ability to coach and support others. He later opened a family shop Ramsons of Osterley on Thornbury Road and was well known in the local community. The shop was unique in its day, selling school uniforms, jewellery as well as arts and crafts imported from India. He went on to become a financial advisor until his retirement 7 years ago.

Seema Malhotra said, "He was a wonderful father, and always put family first. He taught us about family values through the way he cared for our grandmother, our mother and us. He was incredibly supportive and encouraged us to work hard and always be happy in life. He loved to meet people and help people, but never wanted anything in return. We have been touched by all the messages of support at this time. He lived a simple life, and he was deeply loved.”

Mr Malhotra leaves behind his older brother Mr S.D. Malhotra, his wife Usha Malhotra, daughters Renu, Kumud, Neeraj and Seema, and son Sundeep, and four grandchildren. The funeral was held at the South West Middlesex Crematorium on Friday 20th June followed by a service at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Alice Way, Hanworth Road Hounslow, at 11.30am.

Readings at the funeral included a speech by Sundeep Malhotra with a tribute to his father's life, a speech by House of Commons Speaker John Bercow on how he had come to know Mr Malhotra, and contributions from other members of the family. The family have asked for any donations in his memory to be made to "Meadow House Hospice" at Ealing Hospital where he passed away.

One of the corresponding editors of Ambit and a columnist in several Indian publications, Dr Satyendra Srivastava, who lectured at the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Cambridge for 44 years, philologist of the Hindi language, best known as editor of the Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, a standard reference work published in 1993 has passed away last week.

He authored two collections of poems in English: Talking Sanskrit to fallen leaves and Between thoughts. He has also published eight collections of Hindi poetry, plays and radio plays.

Satyendraji'is funeral will be held on Thursday 26 June at 12 noon at Golders Green Crematorium.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

HEALTH STOP

Health & Wellness

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and rehydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people

find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness.

It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

help to regulate your blood sugar levels. This has two particularly great potential benefits - weight loss and diabetes prevention. It's also said to help the latter by decreasing oxidative stress.

High in Omega-3: Pumpkin seeds are one of

the most notable plantbased sources of obtaining omega-3. This is a fatty acid that's essential to metabolism health, as well as brain and cognitive performance.

Energizing: Pumpkin seeds are full of iron, which will give you a fantastic energy boost throughout the day. This is a great alternative to sugary snacks that will only give you energy for a short period of time before resulting in a sugar crash.

Lowers cholesterol: In addition to omega-3, pumpkin seeds are also rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid. This helps to lower bad LDL cholesterol and therefore helps prevent stroke and coronary artery disease.

The health benefits of eating bananas ananas contain three natural sugars – B sucrose, fructose and glu-

cose combined with fiber.

A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.

Add to daily diet: Energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a survey undertaken amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

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Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure so much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain power: Two hundred students at a Twickenham school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power.

Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Wondrous benefits of pumpkin seeds

umpkin may not be a favourite vegetable for many but its seeds have an abundance of amazing benefits that will do wonders for your health.

Healthy heart: Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, which is imperative for adequate physiological body function. This includes the proper pumping of your heart, as well as tooth and bone formation, DNA synthesis and bowel function. Magnesium is also a

To Our Readers

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

natural relaxant.

Sleep: Being high in the amino acid tryptophan, pumpkin seeds help you to have a restful night's sleep. They're literally nature's sleeping pills.

Stablilising blood sugar: Due to being high in protein, pumpkin seeds

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Male Hair Loss What can you do?

Sushma Bhanot Pharmacist, Ayurvedic and Homeopathic Consultant, Lecturer and Author. Heads Research and Development at Coolherbals

Rob, a 33 year old investment banker is concerned about his hair. He has noticed it thinning at the top. Am I going to lose all my hair in the next few years? My father lost his at a young age.

Rob there are various reasons for hair loss. Try our six points.

1. Hormonal and nutritional imbalances. Rob surprisingly enough hair loss due to hereditary has more to do with your maternal grandfather rather than your paternal early hair loss rather than father .

Hormone related hair fall may be a result of an increased sensitivity of hair follicles to male hormones or due to greater number of male hormone receptors attached to hair follicles.

This is the component that is inherited through the genes — termed as Pitta energy in Ayurveda.

An increase in Pitta energy is found in hair loss or hair thinning.

This can be changed from the diet or by adding supplements which contain Pitta energy reducing ingredients.

The best supplements for men contains all the protein, vitamins, minerals contain botanicals such as Amla, Fenugreek and Saw Palmetto.

Saw Palmetto fights the hormone DHT which can contribute to hair loss. Fenugreek is believed to work by increasing the blood flow to the scalp. The improved blood circulation improves nutrient supply to the scalp.

Indian Gooseberry or Amla is a rich source of Vitamin C and essential

minerals like calcium, iron, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B complex necessary for healthy growth of hair.

2. Ensure that the scalp is healthy.

Recent research indicates that dandruff or flaky scalps increases rate of hair shedding. Use a shampoo without Sodium Lauryl Sulphate and has anti fungal ingredients such as Tea Tree Oil or Lavender.

3. Increase intake of protein and minerals.

Hair is around 97% protein. Make sure you are getting all the amino acids, the building blocks that make protein. One of the most important factors in preventing hair loss is adequate iron storage, which is called Ferritin.

This helps to maximise hair growth, low levels will cause hair shedding.

It may also be necessary to buy a vitamin B12 supplement and/or iron.

4.

Tight hair styles, ponytails, h a r d brushing, hair extensions can all lead to traction hair loss – that is hair loss due to constant pulling on the hair follicles. Make sure hair is treated gently and wide toothed comb used to remove tangles.

5. Excessive weight-loss or inadequate diet can cause hair to thin. Your hair is not a vital tissue, like bone marrow, nor is it a vital organ, like your heart, liver or kidneys.

Even though your hair is important to you psychologically, your body is much more concerned with keeping its internal organs healthy. If your body is feeling deprived and hungry on a crash diet or restrictive diet this can affect growth and health of hair. This starvation of the follicles causes your hair go into the telogen (resting/falling) phase prematurely, and many hairs at the same time.

6.

Remove toxins through regular exercise and massage.

For a FREE personalized plan for your hair thinning or hair loss contact Sushma Bhanot.

Do you suffer from hair loss, hair thinning or hair fall?

Do you want a beautiful, healthy thicker head of hair?

Use Nutrigro Hair Food Capsules

Coolherbals Ltd. 386 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex, IG3 9JU

www.coolherbals.com

Tel: 020 8597 9039 Email: sushma@coolherbals.com

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

Priyanka’s cousin to foray into Kollywood B

ollywood actress Priyanka Chopra made her silver screen debut with the Tamil film “Thamizhan” that was released in 2002. Later she ventured into Bollywood and the rest is history.

Now Priyanka's cousin Barbie Handa has silently made her debut in Tamil films. Nagendran, the director of the film “Neeyellam Nalla Varuvada” starring Vemal

and Samtuhirakani has confirmed that Barbie is dancing for a birthday song in this film. The director added that they wanted a refreshing face for the song and she was found to be perfect for the same.

Barbie has made her debut in Telugu and her Hindi debut “Zid” is getting ready for release. It is to be noted that Meera Chopra, another cousin of PC has acted in Tamil films and was credited as Nila in films like “A Ah,” “Marudamalai” and “Lee.”

'Brasil' - A Tamil film on Football

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amous stunt choregrapher 'Stunt' Silva turns an actor with “Brasil,” a film based on football. The film is inspired by a true story about boys in their early teens, leading their lives under the bridge of the bustling metro. They have nothing to lose except a football and posters of Brazilian football player Ronaldinho. They have never thought that football is going to take them to places where they have never imagined, with the help of three antagonists. This story is also about three antagonists from 80s, 90s and 2000 and portrays a poignant story through their flashbacks. In a nutshell 'Brasil' is a racy entertainer full of struggle, chase, music, action, adventure, love and redemption. Brasil is the first film of the 'Football Triology' from filmmaker Amjath.

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hile fans across the Tamil Nadu celebrated the 40th birthday of their matinee icon on June 22, actor Vijay was not in Chennai. Sources reveal that the actor was stationed in Andhra Pradesh for the shoot of his upcoming film 'Kaththi' that is being directed by A R Murugadoss. A communique has been sent on behalf of Vijay's official fan club requesting the fans of the actor not to visit Chennai, to meet and greet him, since he won't be available in the city.

Meanwhile, celebrations on account of Vijay's birthday reached an all time high with the first look release of 'Kaththi' in the official fan page of the star.

The music for the film is being scored by Guru Prasad who is from the IT industry. A unique title promo song has been composed and recorded. Popular VJ and RJ Bhavna Balakrishnan has rendered her voice for the title promo. The shooting is in progress.

Sunny Leone to act as a teacher

fter her much hyped debut in Tamil with JaiSwathi starrer “Vadacurry,” popular porn star Sunny Leone is marking her entry in Telugu film industry.

While she danced to an item number in her Tamil debut, the “Ragini MMS 2” girl is acting in the role of a teacher in the Telugu film “Current Theega” that has Manchu Manoj and

‘Ek Villain’

No birthday break for Vijay

Ek Villain is an upcoming romantic-thriller directed by Mohit Suri.

Starring Sidharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead roles, R i t e i s h D e s h m u k h makes his debut as an antagonist with this film. It is produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor under Balaji Motion Pictures and ALT Entertainment.

Sidharth Malhotra was reported to be doing a lot of action sequences for the film and this will be his first film where he is playing a character with grey shades. Riteish described his character as a “radical depature” from the comic roles he is renowned for. Mohit Suri had to hunt a lot to find a lead actress for the film before signing Shraddha.

Actresses Richa Chadda detained at Delhi airport

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ctress Richa Chadda, who was returning to Mumbai was stopped and questioned for two hours at the Delhi airport for carrying a skincare product that aroused the suspicions of customs officials. A source added that since she is following an Aryuvedic beauty treatment, she was carrying a talc in her bag. The custom officials saw that beauty item and interrogated her as it was a suspicious item for them. She was only allowed to fly once they were convinced after questioning her for two hours. The actress is apparently shaken up as she never suspected that she will be detained for something as frivolous as talcum powder. Confirming the news, she said that since she did not want her beauty products to be confiscated, she had to go through the two-hour gruelling session.

Rakul Preet Singh in lead roles.

“Current Theega” is the remake of SivakarthikeyanSridivya starrer, Tamil blockbuster “Varutha Padadha Valibar Sangam.” Sunny will be playing the role played by Bindhu Madhavi in the original.

Jagapathi Babu has been roped in to reprise Sathyaraj's role of the heroine's father in the Tamil version.

Bipasha upsets ‘Humshakals’ producer

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pset with Bipasha Basu, Vashu the producer of Bhagnani, “Humshakals” has decided not to work with Bipasha in future. Directed by Sajid Khan, "Humshakals", which also features Riteish Deshmukh, Saif Ali Khan, Ram Kapoor, Esha Gupta and Tammannaah Bhatia, hit the theatres on Friday. "I will not work with Bipasha in future. I should not give such statement, but I would try not to work with her," Bhagnani said. The dusky beauty, who has been missing from all the promotional events of the film, stated that she was dissatisfied with the end result of her role in the film.

Bhagnani says that he never misled Bipasha about her role. "I myself asked Sajid to cast Bipasha. She is a lovely lady.

But I don't know what is her problem.”

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Huma Qureshi to marry in 2018?

ctress Huma Qureshi has been romantically linked to celebrities like Anurag Kashyap and Shahid Kapoor in the past and continues to say she's yet to be committed to someone.

But if one goes by a palm reader, she will get married in 2018.

The "Dedh Ishqiya" star was recently in Italy, where she met a palm reader who predicted her marriage. "On Love n Link ups Found this palm reader near Piazza Navona who told me I'm getting married 2018.. I told him errr No Thanks .. That's my response to all the alleged engagements I'm supposed to be having #NoBoyInLifeYet," the 27-year-old tweeted. On the work front, she will be soon seen in Sriram Raghavan's directorial titled "Badlapur", which also features Varun Dhawan.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

‘Punjab 1984’ to take Punjabi cinema to new heights ilmmaker Anurag Singh’s “Punjab 1984” recounts F the tragic episode in Indiaʼs

history that affected thousands of families across Punjab. The story is set against the backdrop of Punjab in the year 1984, when the state was going through a turbulent time of political unrest and terrorism. The film depicts the desperate search and longing of a mother for her son who has been

labelled a terrorist amid the clashes, and how he eventually fights for his rights and to prove his innocence, desperate to return to his home and mother.

Kirron K h e r essays

Sangeeta Bijlani opts out of Onir’s film

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he 90s diva Sangeeta Bijlani, who was all set for a comeback and to play the role of a fashion patron in Onir’s next, has decided to opt out the film. After her marriage to cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin, Sangeeta quit Bollywood but now after she separated from him, Sangeeta was ib lookout for a perfect comeback film and she decided to do Onir’s film where she plays a high society diva.

However, the actress got cold feet when she was asked to do some intimate and kissing scenes during an acting workshop for the film. She expressed her inhibitions to filmmaker Onir and they decided to part ways amicably.

Salman Khan a big fan of Zeenat Aman

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the role of a heartfelt mother dealing with the angst and emotion and pain of a missing son, Dosanjh, and the desperate lengths she goes to in order to secure his safe return home.

Pavan Malhotra, Sonampreet Kaur Bajwa, Manav Vij, Rana Ranbir Vansh, Arun Bali and Gurcharan Channi play the supporting role. Soundtrack is provided by composers Gurmeet Singh, Nick & Jatinder Shah. The film will be released worldwide on 2 7 t h June.

Shraddha Kapoor out to conquer Bollywood

hraddha Kapoor, who is three films S old in Bollywood,

wants to “conquer” a lot more and is willing to work hard.

Shraddha, daughter of popular actor Shakti Kapoor, made her acting debut with ‘Teen Patti’ alongside megastar Amitabh Bachchan, R Madhavan and others.

Her next release was ‘Luv Ka The End’ with Y-Films, which is a subsidiary of Yash Raj Films. However, both the films failed to garner much attention.

It was her third release, ‘Aashiqui 2′ which turned out to be a huge success.

“After the success of ‘Aashiqui 2′, I feel I need to conquer a lot more. I am constantly working towards it and I will work harder.

Nobody expected ‘Aashiqui 2′ could do so well as it had two new faces. It changed so many lives; of

ollywood superstar Salman Khan revealed that he is a big fan of veteran actress and Former Miss Asia Pacific Zeenat Aman.

He said, "I have always been a big fan of Zeenat Amanji and even still today I am her big fan." Zeenat Aman who went on to win the prestigious title of Miss Asia Pacific in 1970 made her Bollywood debut in 1970 but got noticed in 1971 when she starred in 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna' as Janice, a troubled hippie. She was the first leading lady to truly and fully express her sexuality on the big screen in the 1970s. She was a fashion icon to reckon with and she set the standards for the new brigade of sexy actresses who dominate Bollywood today. At 62 the stunning diva is still making many hearts flutter and till date remains Bollywood's original glamour girl.

mine, Mohit Suri’s (director) and also that of Aditya Roy Kapur’s, besides singers and composers,” Shraddha said.

Shraddha feels the success ‘Ashiqui 2′ has received is like a “crazy phenomenon”.

For Shraddha, the kind of appreciation that came from all quarters post the release of ‘Aashiqui 2′ was overwhelming. “For me, actually be remembered as ‘Arohi’ (the name of character) was the biggest compliment.

Whenever I go out people s c r e a m Arohi… that is the effect o f ‘Aashiqui 2′,” the actress said.

Uday Chopra- Nargis Fakhri part ways!

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fter playing hide and seek about their relationship status for over two years, Uday Chopra and Nargis Fakhri have finally decided to part ways. The reason behind this is basically a long distance relationship and commitment issues. While Nargis wishes to focus on her career, Uday Chopra wanted commitment.

Alternatively, Nargis Fakhri has found a close friend in Salman Khan soon after the break up. Salman and Nargis have become really good friends and the actor has also suggested Nargis' name for a special number in “Kick.” Now whether their this 'status' will remain unchanged or whether Uday Chopra will come back with yet another gimmick on social media, only time will tell!

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Pitbull loves to work with Shah Rukh Khan

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merican rapper Armando Christian Pérez, popular by his stage name Pitbull, shook a leg with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan during the opening ceremony of Indian Premier League (IPL) in Kolkata last year. SRK even taught him a few Bollywood moves but the musician wants more than that.

Remembering his performance in India, he said: “I had an amazing time during my IPL visit to India.

The kind of love and affection that I received was overwhelming. The people of India are really warm. I really enjoyed performing in front of such a huge and welcoming audience,” Pitbull told IANS in an email interaction.

He shared the stage with Shah Rukh Khan and says he would like to team up with him someday. “I got to learn a few Bollywood footsteps, thanks to Shah Rukh. He is an amazing performer, full of energy.

There is nothing as of now, but I would definitely love to work with him in the future,” Pitbull said. If he gets a chance to associate with Shah Rukh, it will be his second collaboration with a Bollywood celebrity after recording “Exotic” with “Barfi!” star Priyanka Chopra in 2013.

Riteish Deshmukh likely to equal Shah Rukh record

ollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh is on course to equal Shah Rukh Khan’s record of being the only actor in recent times to enjoy 10 straight success. Currently, Riteish stands at seven successes in a row and with the release of “Humshakals” last week “Ek Villain” this week and his Marathi film “Lai Bhaari” on 11th July, there are good chances of one of the nicest actors in the industry to manage this feat.

Picture this - Shahrukh Khan's last film which didn't do too well was “Paheli” (2005) and that was almost a decade back.

Ever since then, he has enjoyed plus outings in the form of “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna,” “Don,” “Chak De! India,” “Om

Shanti Om,” “Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi,” “My Name is Khan,” “Ra. One,” “Don 2,” “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” and “Chennai Eepress,” hence making it 10 in a row.

Now, Riteish Deshmukh is on course for matching this record as well, though the fact is that most of his films have been multi-starrers. Still, ever since the release of “Houseful” (2010), he hasn't looked back.

As a leading man, he has seen continued successes with F.A.L.T.U., “Double Dhammal,” “Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya,” “Houseful 2,” “Kya Super Kool Hain Hum” and “Grand Rand Masti” continuing the winning streak, hence making it seven in a row.

30

UK

Pujya Swami Paramatmananda Saraswati visits UK

Pujya Swami Paramatmanandaji, a student of Param Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, has been teaching regularly all over India and abroad for last 30 years.

Pu. Swamiji possesses a unique ability to teach the whole cross-section of the society from School and College students to Corporate Executives.

Apart from conducting seminars and workshops for various Public Sectors and Private Corporate Houses, Swamiji have been awarded a special five days residential programme to teachers by HRD Administer, Govt. of India in which more than 3,500 teachers have been trained so far. He has also a visiting Faculty in Universities and various educational institutions.

He has fervour & commitment to Indian traditional values and has a deep sense of concern towards the society which gets reflected in his work.

His talks reveal clarity and a deep understanding of human life. Swamiji has a unique ability to expound the profound truths of scriptures in very simple language.

In order to keep alive our rich heritage and bring about renaissance of basic human values, Swamiji has been working in the society by taking up various issues for the benefit of the people and partici-

pating and representing in various national and international seminars/conferences such as representing Hinduism and G8 World religious Leaders’ Summit at Canada in June 2010, Representing Hinduism at New York in the seminars of American Jewish Community and holding discussions at Capitol Hill with representatives from US Presidency, Inaugurating World Hinduism Wisdom Meet at Bali in April 2014 etc.

Swamiji’s Programme in UK Thursday 26 June: Discourse on Bhagwad Gita at Hindu Temple, Leicester Friday 27 June to 29 June: Full day Workshop on Vedanta discriminative understanding between “I and Not I”. Doctrine of Karma, Understanding of Ishwara and Maya with regard to Brahmn at Thatcham organized by organized by Berkshire Meditation Group Thursday 3 July 2014: Discourse on Bhagwad Gita at Patidar Hal.

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Ex-Pakistani PM Bhutto's home goes on sale for £10m

The former home of the assassinated ex-PM of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, has been put on the market for £10 million.

The Rockwood Estate, which became a venue for sex parties, is situated in Godalming Surrey.

Asif Zardari, Ms Bhutto’s husband, bought the estate in 1995 and installed a bomb-proof master bedroom and built a replica of the Dog and Feather, the local pub, in the basement after an

offer to buy it failed.

The residence, which is set in 350 acres, has more than 30 rooms, including 11 bedrooms, five bathrooms and an 115ft terrace overlooking a pond.

The politicians always denied buying the mansion, which Pakistan authorities believed was paid for by corruptive means.

Ms Bhutto, who was killed in 2007, claimed never to have visited it.

Coming Events

l Saturday 28th June 2014 – Charity Empowerment Through Education's Inaugural fund raiser event at Cinnamon Club, Raw Spice, Hendon Broadway, London NW9 7BP. l Saturday 28th June 2014 – Loving Grace: Album Launch and Kirtan Music Video Premier with Vrajdevi from 7.30pm onwards at Lululemon Islington Showroom, 41-51 Barnsbury Road, N1 1TP. l Saturday 28th June 2014 -A live musical tribute to the legend Mohammad Rafi at 7pm at Harrow Arts Centre, Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, Middx HA5 4EA. Contact: 02084168989. l Sunday 29th June 2014 – Hindu Forum's AGM at the Goshala of ISKCON Temple, Watford from 2-6pm. l Tuesday 1 July 2014 – 3rd Pathostav of Shree Goverdhannathji Prabhu celebration from 6.30 – 7.30pm at Shreejidham Haveli, 504, Melton Road, Leicester LE4 7SP. Contact: shtinidhi@yahoo.co.uk. l Wednesday 2nd July 2014 – 3rd Pathostav of Shree Goverdhannathji Prabhu Flag Raising ceremony from 11.30am – 7.30pm at Shreejidham Haveli, 504, Melton Road, Leicester LE4 7SP. Contact: pushtinidhi@yahoo.co.uk. l Friday 4th July 2014 – Rock on Music presents 'Sufi ki Sultana' by Harshdeep Kaur at Demontfort Hall, Leicester.

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www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

You have everything to gain by following creative inclinations. If you have new ideas, now is the time to put them into practice. Whatever your present interests you are likely to find that new doors open and the way ahead offers increased scope for expressing your real self. A great time to meet and interact with people.

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 Although all kinds of opportunities are coming your way, there are many obstacles between you and the fulfilment of any of these. As you clear your path you will get closer to achieving your dreams. Relationships and romance are both under scrutiny by the presence of Saturn in your 7th house.

Your thinking is inspired, so listen to your thoughts. This may be a time of expansion and improved opportunity and it would be unwise to let yourself become complacent. A good time for restructuring and rethinking your aims and interests.

Affairs of the heart are likely to flourish.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22

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 is bound to have a maturing effect on you from now into the future. There is a rather secretive aura surrounding new romance, which could turn into something very special.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23

This is a good time to get away from usual routines and seek a retreat for a few days. All the better if you are interested in such things as meditation, yoga and therapies that help you to get in closer touch with your inner self. This will have a beneficial effect on your physical and psychological well-being.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

The opening up of a more diverse social life is a point in favour of romantic attachments, if this is what you most desire. 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. The general pattern of things continues on a progressive and buoyant theme.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23

Jupiter is transiting your solar tenth house for some time to come. During this transit, you have the chance to make lots of money and improve your standard of living. You are likely to feel more confident and enthusiastic about life. Your personal relationships are still going through a period of reassessment.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 Your horizons are most certainly expanding. Your philosophical thoughts will make your mind run wild. With Jupiter transiting your 9th house, there will be many opportunities.

Your financial affairs are looking up. Do not miss out on ways to better yourself in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21 It is a good time for dealing with financial interests with a longterm basis, such as investments, insurance and all jointly held resources. You will be able to sort out any difficulties by taking immediate action.

Therefore you will need to adopt a fairly flexible policy to accommodate the odd twists and turns of everyday life.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

The prevailing astrological trend indicates increasing vigour and stamina. At an ordinary everyday level you can expect this to be a pleasant time, indulging in the good things of life. At a deeper level, there does appear to be a new energy stirring within you. This will urge you towards creating greater independence in your lifestyle.

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 Life appears to be focusing your mind on practical matters. So you will need to organise your time carefully if you are to avoid an "all work and no play" situation. Resist making any hasty moves when it come to finances this is a time to focus on consolidation of current assets rather than attempting to make any new investments.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20

The pace of everyday life will gather momentum and there may be times when you find it hard to keep your act together. Any obstacles that have stood in the way of your heart's desires should melt into the background soon. Your self-confidence will be extremely high and this will be helped by various encouraging events.

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

India to play Tests, ODI series in Australia before World Cup 2015

Ahead of the ICC World Cup 2015, Indian cricket team has been scheduled to play a 4-match Test series with the hosts followed by a tri-nation One Day International tournament, involving England.

The defending champions will be looking forward to make full use of this opportunity to get used to the conditions before the all-important World Cup kicks off on February 14.

Confirming their schedule, Cricket Australia released a statement saying that India will play the first Test match at Brisbane on December 4, which marks the Indian side’s return to the venue after a gap of 12 years.

"The fans in Brisbane will see the India Test team for the first time since 2003-04," Cricket Australia said in a statement. India will also be seen in action at Adelaide (December 12 to 16), Melbourne (December 26 to 30) and Sydney (January 3 to 7) in whites before switching to their

colored outfits for the triseries that begins on January 16. With England joining in, each team will face the other twice, before the top 2 teams advance to the final to be played on February 1 at Perth.

On Australia’s high profile international schedule that gets rolling on November 5, against South Africa, Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said: "The next 12 months will have something for

3 convicted for plot to fix English football matches

Michael Boateng, Krishna Ganeshan and Chann Sankaran

Three men have been found guilty of conspiring to fix English football matches in the first convictions of the modern era, following an investigation by The Telegraph.

Chann Sankaran and Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan, businessmen from Singapore, and Michael Boateng, a former professional footballer, were found guilty after a sixweek trial. Sankaran and Ganeshan have links to the notorious international match fixer Wilson Raj Perumal, and were said to be attempting to establish a network of corrupt footballers in Britain.

The three were convicted after the National Crime Agency began a major investigation based on information provided

by The Telegraph, which has now been given exclusive access to the NCA’s undercover inquiry.

Sankaran claimed to be able to fix matches in the English lower leagues for £70,000. Detectives followed him and Ganeshan as they travelled to meet Boateng and other players to discuss plans to throw two matches.

One game, on Nov 26 last year, involved

Wimbledon AFC and Dagenham and Redbridge.

Another, on Nov 30, involved Brighton-based Whitehawk FC, for whom Boateng, a former Bristol Rovers defender, was playing at the time.

There is no suggestion that anyone from Wimbledon or Dagenham was involved in match fixing. The plot ultimately failed but detectives believe it was the start of a scheme to create a network of corrupt footballers. Sankaran, 33, and Ganeshan, 43, were described as the “central” figures in the plot, while Boateng, 22, of Croydon, south London, was a “willing recruit”.

The trio will be sentenced after they were found guilty of conspiracy to commit bribery following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court. The convictions are the first for match-fixing in this country since the 1960s.

Richard Warner, an NCA branch commander, said: “The NCA is in no doubt that Ganeshan and Sankaran were at the very beginning of a concerted attempt to build a network of corrupt players in the UK.

ball.

"The 2014-15 schedule looks very different to previous summers due in large part to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 that we are co-hosting with New Zealand for the first time in 23 years.With a Test series against India, ODIs against the top teams in world cricket, the ICC Cricket World Cup and another strong domestic calendar, this year promises to be even bigger," Sutherland added.

Schedule: Warm up matches: Nov 24-25: 1st warm up game – Cricket Australia Invitational XI v Indians, Adelaide Nov 28-29: 2nd warm up game – Cricket Australia Invitational XI v Indians, Adelaide Test series: Dec 4-8: 1st Test – Australia v India – Brisbane Dec 12-16: 2nd Test – Australia v India – Adelaide Dec 26-30: 3rd Test – Australia v India – Melbourne Jan 3-7: 4th Test – Australia v India – Sydney Triangular ODI-series: Jan 16: Australia v India – Melbourne Jan 18: Australia v England – Sydney Jan 20: England v India – Brisbane Jan 23: Australia v England – Hobart Jan 26: Australia v India – Sydney Jan 30: England v India – Perth Feb 1: Final – Perth.

Divock Origi sent Belgium into the last 16 of the World Cup when the teenager struck an 88th minute winner to secure a 1-0 victory against Russia in a largely lifeless Group H match at the Maracana on Sunday.

The striker rifled in following great work from Eden Hazard just minutes after Kevin Mirallas crashed a free kick against the base of the Russian post to give Belgium six points from two games.

Portuguese substitute Silvestre Varela scored deep into stoppage-time to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw with the United States in World Cup Group G on Sunday and keep his team's hopes alive. Just as it looked as though the Americans had pulled off a come-frombehind victory to qualify for the second round and eliminate their opponents,

Varela converted a Cristiano Ronaldo cross with a powerful flying header. The result of another wildly entertaining World Cup match means that after two games the US are in second place, level with Germany on four points.

Portugal are joint bottom with Ghana on one point and face a tough task to make the next round.

Costa Rica produced another huge upset to reach the knockout stages of the World Cup for the second time on Friday with Bryan Ruiz's goal securing a 1-0 Group D win over Italy that also ensured England were eliminated.

Ruiz headed powerfully home a minute before halftime to leave Costa Rica fans dancing in the sunshine at Recife's Pernambuco arena. "We

kept up our heads. It was a beautiful match... The people of Costa Rica deserve this. They supported the team and me. This was for them," said ecstatic coach Jorge Luis Pinto. In making the last 16 for the first time in 24 years, the Central Americans ensured England became the latest team to make a surprise early exit, leaving at the group stages for the first time since 1958.

One of the greatest dynasties in modern football came to a shattering end when champions Spain lost 2-0 to Chile on Wednesday and crashed out of the World Cup with their glory days consigned to the history books. On the day

when Spain's King Juan Carlos signed his abdication papers, the country's footballers were forced off their throne as first-half goals from Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz earned Chile a stunning victory.

everyone.

It contains some refinements from last season that benefits both players and fans.

Never before have we had so much high quality cricket to offer a r o u n d Australia, whether it's international or domestic, men's or women's, or played with a red or white

Late Origi winner puts Belgium into last 16

Portugal grab last-gasp equaliser to stay alive

Costa Rica reach last 16 with Italy win, England out

Spain reign ends as Chile prove too hot to handle

SPORT WORLD

31

Bestway Ascot Charity Race Day 2014

Sir Anwar Pervez Last Friday saw the 20th Annual Charity event at Royal Ascot held by the Bestway Group. This year, the sun shone down on the 6 races of the day, with several thousand pounds raised for the chosen charity Action for Children, which works with over 300,000 children, young people, parents and carers. Hundreds of retailers, suppliers and manufacturers were present at the event, hosted by Bestway Group, with chief executive Zameer Choudrey, and chairman, Sir Anwar Pervez, who readers will recognise as one of the Asian Achievers Award winners in 2004.

Australia hires Murali as spin consultant

Australia has hired leading test wickettaker Muttiah Muralitharan as a spin bowling consultant as the team prepares for October's test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. The world's top-ranked test side boasts one of the world's strongest pace attacks but has struggled to unearth a world class spinner since the 2007 retirement of Shane Warne. Offspinner Nathan Lyon, who has 112 test wickets at an average of 32.99, is currently Australia's leading slow bowler, but will be given some special tips by Murali, who took 800 test wickets over an 18-year career. "Nathan Lyon has been bowling brilliantly but hopefully I can help him a little bit on how to bowl in these subcontinent conditions, on how to use the conditions and how to set up the field," the 42-year-old Murali said on Cricket Australia's website (cricket.com.au). "I have bowled to most of the Pakistani batsmen in the past so hopefully I can help a bit."

World cup football 2014 point table

Country GP W D Group A Brazil 3 2 1 Mexico 3 2 1 Croatia 3 1 0 Cameroon 3 0 0 Group B Netherlands 3 3 0 Chile 3 2 0 Spain 3 1 0 Australia 3 0 0 Group C Colombia 2 2 0 Côte d'Ivoire 2 1 0 Japan 2 0 1 Greece 2 0 1 Group D Costa Rica 2 2 0 Italy 2 1 0 Uruguay 2 1 0 England 2 0 0 Group E France 2 2 0 Ecuador 2 1 0 Switzerland 2 1 0 Honduras 2 0 0 Group F Argentina 2 2 0 Nigeria 2 1 1 Iran 2 0 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 0 0 Group G Germany 2 1 1 United States 2 1 1 Ghana 2 0 1 Portugal 2 0 1 Group H Belgium 2 2 0 Algeria 2 1 0 Russia 2 0 1 Korea Republic 2 0 1

L

GF

0 0 2 3

7 4 6 1

2 1 6 9

5 3 0 -8

7 7 3 0

0 1 2 3

10 5 4 3

3 3 7 9

7 2 -3 -6

9 6 3 0

0 1 1 1

5 3 1 0

1 3 2 3

4 0 -1 -3

6 3 1 1

0 1 1 2

4 2 3 2

1 2 4 4

3 0 -1 -2

6 3 3 0

0 1 1 2

8 3 4 1

2 3 6 5

6 0 -2 -4

6 3 3 0

0 0 1

3 1 0

1 0 1

2 1 -1

6 4 1

0 0 1 1

6 4 3 2

2 3 4 6

4 1 -1 -4

4 4 1 1

0 1 1 1

3 5 1 3

1 4 2 5

2 1 -1 -2

6 3 1 1

2

1

GA GD

3

-2

PTS

0

32

SPORT

www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 28th June 2014

India win ODI series against Bangladesh

The third and final ODI between India and Bangladesh was abandoned after frequent rains marred play on a day the visitors put up another shoddy batting display.

Having won the series 2-0, a third stoppage due to heavy downpour during the Indian innings ensured there was no chance of a clean sweep for the Men in Blue. Weather had played spoilsport in all the matches but on Thursday last it became the decisive factor as even an efficient drainage system couldn’t ensure the start of the proceedings after India were reeling at 119/9 in 34.2 overs with the match being reduced to 40 overs a side.

While the play had started after the earlier rain delays, a third spell of shower was enough for the umpires to call off the match. It was another pathetic batting display by Indians where their technique against pace and swing along with the temperament to fight it out came under scanner.

Cheteshwar Pujara (27) again turned out to be a failure in the shorter for-

mat. It was another battle of attrition for the Indian top-order which was found wanting in the adverse conditions. Uthappa (5) went for an expansive drive and was caught by Nasir Hossain off Mashrafe Mortaza’s away going fuller delivery. Rahane (3) closed his bat face to a delivery from Al-Amin which reared up awkwardly taking a leading edge to Nasir at the slip.

Rayudu’s (1) questionable technique against pace was again exposed as

rookie Taskin Ahmed got one to nip back sharply after taking off from short of good length. Rayudu could only glove that delivery to Mushfiqur Rahim behind the stumps as India were left tottering at 13 for three. It soon became 16 for four as Manoj Tiwary (2), getting his first chance in the series, wasted a golden opportunity by chasing an Al-Amin delivery way outside the off-stump, offering a simple catch at second slip to Anamul Haque Bijoy.

Binny helps India defend 105 to beat Bangladesh by 47 runs In the second ODI, a dream debut for 19-yearold fast bowler Taskin Ahmed was undone by Bangladesh batsmen who failed to chase a paltry total of 105 after Stuart Binny's record-breaking spell of 6 for 4 sparked a collapse that kept Bangladesh from winning their first ODI of 2014. In the end, the hosts were bowled out for an embarrassing 58, conceding the

match by 47 runs and the three-match series 2-0.

Stuart Binny, who recorded the best ever figures by an Indian in ODIs, came on to bowl when Bangladesh were 44/2 and looked settled, but from that point on, Binny and Mohit Sharma combined to pack up the hosts in 17.4 overs after rain during India's innings reduced the match to a 41-overs-a-side affair. Sent in to bat, Indian batsmen produced a below-par performance to be bowled out for a paltry 105 runs in rain-truncated game.

But the pace combination of Binny and Mohit (4 for 22) saved India from humiliation as they bundled out Bangladesh to help the visitors defend their lowest score against the hosts.

The Binny heroics came after Bangladesh pacer Taskin scalped five wickets for 28 runs on his debut to bowl India out for 105 in 25.3 overs. But if India's 105 was much less than their previous low of 191 in Port of Spain during the 2007 World Cup, then

Bangladesh also sank to a new low as their previous lowest against the Men in Blue was 76 in 2003 at Dhaka.

Mohit, who was the proud owner of the 'Purple Cap' in the recently concluded IPL for Chennai Super Kings, started the rot for Bangladesh after sending openers Tamim Iqbal for 4 and Anamul Haque for nought.

Binny soon joined forces to send innings topscorer Mithun Ali back in the pavilion for 26 and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim for 11. The rest of the batting fell like a pack of cards as Binny and Mohit had little time to celebrate between wickets.

Earlier, put in to bat, the stunning Indian collapse was triggered by Taskin, who returned with figures of 5 for 28, making it the best debut bowling performance by a Bangladesh player.

Skipper Suresh Raina's 23-ball 27, laced with three fours, was the best that an Indian batsman could manage under overcast conditions.