Asian Standard Bradford - 23 May - 29 May 2020

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BY THE PUBLISHERS OF ASIAN SUNDAY

BRADFORD / 23 - 29 MAY 2020 / FREE

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BY THE PUBLISHERS OF ASIAN SUNDAY

BRADFORD / 23 - 29 MAY 2020 / FREE

@ASIANSTANDARD / WWW.ASIANSTANDARD.CO.UK

REAL LIFE STORIES COVID-19: WITHIN A MONTH I LOST MY FATHER AND GOT MY BROTHER BACK FROM DEATH’S DOOR inside

ASIAN STYLE 8 PAGE PULLOUT: EXCLUSIVE WITH PAKISTANI HEARTHROB

BILAL ASHRAF

PAGE 8

CHILDREN’S COMMISIONER WADES INTO SCHOOL ROW AND APPEALS FOR MINISTERS AND TEACHING UNIONS TO ‘STOP SQUABBLING’ PAGE 10

#EIDATHOME / STAY SAFE / STAY HOME / SAVE THE NHS

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WELCOME FROM EDITOR over the years, with digital news platforms taking away a large chunk of regional advertising revenue and now with the coronavirus pandemic the struggle is doubled.

As weeks have progressed and we get deeper into lockdown, the demand for news and responsible journalism is growing. Particularly as fake news is at its prime. As a respected media outlet, we have always been at the forefront of news focusing on the local South Asian community and I believe the need to continue championing the voices of the British South Asian community is needed now more than ever.

Since lockdown was announced on March 23, my team and I took the difficult decision of closing all our print publications but maintaining our journalism online.

With safety of paramount importance delivering newspapers under the circumstances was not a risk we wanted to take.

In addition to this, regional media had already taken a hammering

our door to door distribution need Sunday off. So, we will be replacing our Sunday newspaper, Asian Sunday with our weekday title Asian Standard. You can continue to expect the same quality of articles and news catering to the local South Asian community and anyone who has an interest in learning more about one of the UK’s largest ethnic community.

I hope you like the new look and will welcome the edition and continue offering your support.

don’t give up.

Finally, for our Muslim readers, I just want to applaud your efforts during the month of Ramadan, it can’t have been easy fasting and performing prayers alone. Even though we are locked away from visiting family and mosques the spirit thanks to a united community who through kindness and great charitable work is still visible.

As we start entering the month of June,

lockdown may be easing, but remember we still need to keep safe and keep our loved ones safe, so keep observing the social distancing rules and remember to wash your hands regularly and keep your spaces clean and sanitised.

May I take this opportunity to wish all our readers who celebrate, a very blessed and safe Eid Mubarak! #StayatHome #EidatHome #SaveLives #ProtecttheNHS

I want to thank all our readers and advertisers for their unconditional support during these testing times.

I also want to take this opportunity to offer our business community some strength and assurance to keep going.

It is a challenging minefield to sustain your business, but now is the time to get out of your comfort zone and look However, instead of picking up the at restructuring and adapting your newspaper from local businesses and community centres we will be delivering business to deal with the threats your direct door to door into more than 8000 organisation is faced with. After all, households across the city every week. as business owner’s problem solving is something, we do on a day to day This means, we won’t be able to basis anyway. So, stay strong and continue producing a Sunday edition, So, I am pleased that following some major restructuring and lots of innovation my team and I are now back with your regular weekly print newspaper.

COUNCIL URGES PEOPLE TO BE RESPONSIBLE IN THEIR USE OF GREEN-SPACES people can drive to beauty spots to exercise or enjoy the scenery, Bradford Council is encouraging people to continue to walk to local parks and green-spaces in preference to driving to ones further away.

This is in line with the Government’s campaign messages which still encourages people to stay at home as much as possible, but now says that they can take part in more outdoor activities.

CARE TRUST RELAUNCHES NHS CHARITY ‘BETTER LIVES’

time. Also, people must pick up after their dogs and dispose of litter and PPE responsibly. They should either put it in a bin or take it home with them and dispose of it there.

A Team of Wardens and Youth Workers will be out and about in parks and green-spaces across the district promoting the social distancing guidelines.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “The easing of restrictions now allow people to spend more time outdoors Whenever people are and also allow a greater choice outside the home they should continue to maintain of places to visit and activities social distancing by keeping to participate in. However, Bradford Council has people must continue to follow 2m from those they don’t reopened a number of its the Government messages of live with and not gathering countryside car parks after staying at home as much as in groups of more than two the easing of some of the possible, and if they go outside, except with members their Government’s restrictions they must keep 2m apart from household.

If you or anyone around controlling the those not in their household. in your household has spread of the coronavirus, People must not gather in coronavirus symptoms you and it is urging people to use groups. must stay at home. these spaces responsibly.

“Our parks and green-spaces The message from the The local authority has are open for people to use, council is that if a car park taken a phased approach but we ask that people use and it opened 16 of its car is closed or if it is full you these responsibly and show must drive on.

Do not park parks on Thursday 14 May to consideration for others by not allow members of the same in passing places, entrances parking irresponsibly, keeping to fields or property or on household to visit together their distance and disposing or to exercise or to enjoy the verges or places where dog mess and rubbish properly.” parking is restricted such as scenery. double yellow lines. If parks Visit Bradford Council’s Although the guidance on and green-spaces are busy website at www.bradford. exercise and visiting outdoor you must try somewhere gov.uk/coronavirus for more spaces now means that else or go at a less busy information.

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust has relaunched its charity, Better Lives, with the aim to support patients and staff across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale, Craven and Wakefield.

The charity, formally known as Bradford District Care NHS Trust Charitable Fund, has been renamed ‘Better Lives’, to reflect the charity’s vision to create better lives by improving the physical and mental wellbeing of patients, service users and families across the communities through charitable activity.

The charity aims to use its resources to help improve patient experience and outcomes; further enhance its care (or caring) environments; and support the wellbeing of its staff, during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, and into

the future.

The Trust has recently experienced some moving examples of generosity from local and national businesses, as well as donations from individuals who have put the charity’s aims at the heart of their activity. Dr Zulfi Hussain, Non-Executive Director on the Trust Board and Chair of Better Lives said, “We are so grateful for the donations we have received over the last few weeks as mental health and community services can sometimes get overlooked.

We are keen to work with our local communities to identify opportunities for individuals and businesses to get involved in our fundraising activities. I would encourage people to think about supporting Better Lives, as the smallest things really can make a big difference.”

supporting Better Lives, as the smallest things really can make a big difference.”

The Trust itself operates as a Corporate Trustee for the Charity and the responsibility for the management and use of the funds held lies with the Board of the Trust.

Dr Zulfi Hussain, Non-Executive Director

If members of the public would like to get involved in helping to support the charity, donations can be made via the new Better Lives JustGiving page. To fundraise, or if a business or organisation would like to support the charity, please email: betterlivescharity@bdct.nhs.uk

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HEALTH EXPERTS URGE BRADFORD RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TO ‘STAY HOME’ Health experts urge Bradford residents to continue to ‘stay home’ and put their own and others’ safety first STAY home as much as possible – that continues to be the key message from public health experts to people living across Bradford District.

Bradford Council has joined other local authorities across West Yorkshire in encouraging residents to put their own and others’ safety first by going further than the Government’s “Stay Alert” message.

Bradford’s public health experts say it’s important not to divert from the original “Stay Home” message until the region starts to see a bigger decline in the spread of coronavirus infections.

New figures have revealed that the R value – the rate at which the virus is transmitted - for Yorkshire and North East is the highest in England (0.8), double the number for London (0.4). The bigger the number, the faster the virus is spreading in the community.

The Government’s repeated objective has been to get the rate of infection below 1.0, before any revisions of lockdown would be considered.

“We are determined to take whatever proactive steps we can to protect our community and keep

people safe and well,” said Bradford’s Director of Public Health, Sarah Muckle. “And that includes maintaining our ‘stay home’ focus.

Avoid public transport if possible

“We were concerned that some people may interpret this week’s gradual relaxing of lockdown measures to think that lives have gone back to normal - but they have not.

Always keep your distance in public (at least 2 metres apart)

“Stay home as much as possible, and stay safe, remains very much the right message for our community right now.

“It is a clear message that is commonly understood, and puts us in the best possible position to continue to reduce the health risk from this infection.

“It is vital that we all continue to follow it, especially with the forecast of a dry and warm week ahead, and work together to lower the risk of people spreading or catching the virus.

“To protect our community, it’s a message that will stay in force until our infection rate starts to come down to the levels that other parts of the country are now witnessing.”

Local parks and green spaces are available for your daily outdoor exercise

Wash your hands regularly And if you or anyone in your household has coronavirus symptoms, you must all selfisolate As of 15 May, there have been 1,128 confirmed cases and 415 deaths relating to COVID-19 in Bradford District. A total of 371 people have, been discharged by doctors and nurses from Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust after being successfully treated for COVID-19, while 190 have so far returned home from Airedale NHS Foundation Trust after recovering from the virus.

WORK FROM HOME IF YOU CAN AVOID PUBLIC TRANSPORT IF POSSIBLE LOCAL PARKS & GREEN SPACES FOR YOUR DAILY EXERCISE ALWAYS KEEP YOUR DISTANCE ATLEAST 2M AWAY

Acting on advice from its WASH YOUR HANDS REGULARLY local public health, the council has also reinforced IF YOU OR ANYONE IN YOUR six key actions that residents HOUSEHOLD HAS COVID-19 are being urged to continue SYMPTOMS YOU MUST SELFto support: ISOLATE Work from home if you can

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COMPLAINTS AND CORRECTIONS Asian Standard Newspaper and Asian Style Magazine always aims to report accurately and responsibly.

However, occasionally human error can mean mistakes can slip in. If you spot any incorrections please email us at corrections@asianstandard.co.uk If however you wish to make a formal complaint about our work or a news story, then email our editor at editor@asianstandard.co.uk.

Please allow 72 working hours for a response.

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CRIME

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TWENTY SEVEN ARRESTED IN ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION INVESTIGATION Twenty seven males have been arrested in an operation dedicated to tackling online child sexual exploitation in Bradford District.

Detectives from Bradford’s Policing Online Investigation Team (POLIT) executed warrants at addresses across the district in response to information about people suspected of using devices like computers and mobile phones, to contact children or being in possession of indecent material of children.

More than 60 devices were seized for further investigation and safeguarding measures put in place for 26 children.

The arrested males, aged between 16 and 57, were questioned and later released under investigation, or bailed to allow for further enquiries to be made to establish the extent of offending.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Weekes, said: “Targeted operations like these demonstrate that we take the online sexual exploitation of children in Bradford District seriously and that we will take action against offenders and safeguard those children they have attempted to exploit.

“We urge parents and carers, particularly in the current climate where children are spending more time at home, to regularly monitor their children’s devices and report any concerns to the police or partner agencies, so these can be investigated fully.

APPEAL: SERIOUS ASSAULT, BRADFORD Police investigating an assault in Bradford which left a man with a serious head injury have released images of two males they would like to identify.

It happened at about 6.40pm on Thursday, 23 April in Lower Westfield Road.

The victim, a man in his forties, was assaulted by males with weapons who arrived and fled in a silver vehicle, which has since been identified as a VW Passat.

Detective Inspector Mark Taylor, of Bradford District CID, said:

“We would also warn anyone attempting to contact children online that they cannot hide behind their mobile phone or internet use and that we will take action to make sure children can use the internet more safely.”

Councillor Adrian Farley, Executive Member for Children and Families, said: “It’s a good result that the police have made these arrests. It sends out a strong message to anyone thinking of committing these sorts of crimes that grooming children online will not be tolerated, particularly at this time when children are spending more time online because of the Coronavirus lockdown. It also shows that when partners and the public let the police know of potential offences, action can and will be taken.”

“The Policing Online Investigations Team in Bradford is committed to tackling this area of criminality in the district and will continue to work with partners and the public to identify and arrest suspects.

TWO CHARGED WITH SERIOUS ASSAULT, KEIGHLEY Two men are have appeared in court in connection with a serious assault in Keighley in which a man suffered a fractured skull.

Junaid Mahmood, aged 23, of Devonshire Street, Keighley and Badar Yusuf, aged 28, of Spencer Street, Keighley have both been charged with wounding with intent and remanded in custody to appear before magistrates in Leeds.

The charges relate to an incident which occurred in Devonshire Street on Saturday, 2 May.

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“This was a serious assault which left a man with potentially life changing injuries.

“Following further enquiries we have since identified two males who were in the area at the time of the attack, and we are keen to identify them so we can progress our investigation.

“We believe that people in the local community will know who these males are and would ask anyone with information about either, or both of them, to contact our detectives.

“We would also appeal to anyone who may have overheard discussions about who was involved in this incident to pass on this information, so we can bring those responsible to justice and provide some comfort for the victim’s family.”

A 28-year-old man arrested in connection with this incident has since been released on bail pending further enquiries.

If you can assist this inv estigation then please contact Bradford District CID on 101 or via the West Yorkshir e Police website.

The crime reference is 13200202240.

Information can also be reported anonymously to the ind ependent charity Crimestoppers.

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REAL LIFE STORIES COVID-19 WITHIN A MONTH I LOST MY FATHER AND GOT MY BROTHER BACK FROM DEATH’S DOOR

BY FATIMA PATEL / editor@asiansunday.co.uk

The figures are grim as the UK has now lost more than 33,000 people to the deadly covid-19 virus and the numbers continue to increase each day.

The victims are mums, dads, grandads, grandmas, brothers, sisters, friends, husbands, wives, children, cousins and more. With ages ranging from five to over 100 and many of them brave NHS workers who died treating the sick.

It is a blunt and hard reminder of how precious life is.

To really understand the impact of Covid-19 we heard the heart-breaking account of a son who lost his father and how within a space of a month he almost lost his brother to the deadly Covid-19 disease too.

Faisal Khan is a popular Business Relationship Manager for NatWest Bank and is a pillar of the British Pakistani community actively fundraising for needy causes.

He lives in Bradford with his wife and twins. With courage

Faisal spoke exclusively to Asian Sunday to share his account of what it has been like to lose a father to Covid-19 and to have a brother return from death’s door to the pandemic.

“My father was 71 years of age, he was retired and suffered from type 2 diabetes and had an angioplasty. He used to go out for shopping and had the keys for our local mosque and would enjoy going there to pray in congregation.” Said Faisal “But then when news of this pandemic was announced, we stopped him from going out. The final piece for us really was when two of my father’s friends died, and he became really ill thereafter.”

Faisal is the eldest with three siblings - his brothers Khurram and Omar, and sister Mariya who is the youngest from them.

The family reside in Bradford and are a very sociable and close-knit family. The Khan’s have had a painful month going through a roller coaster of emotions, grieving for their father, but

also staying strong for their brother.

Faisal told Asian Sunday what a challenging month it has been for him: “It’s been the toughest month of our lives and I want to let people know what we have gone through, so that it might help them and hopefully they will get strength too and cope with this pandemic.

The father of twins confessed that when his father became severely ill, he and his brothers did visit him.

“We know we may have broken the rules of lockdown, but he is our father and he was severely ill, how could we not go visit him” Faisal’s father died peacefully at home on the morning of 9th April to covid-19.

The funeral was conducted with just ten people, but thanks to a page on social media called the Janaza Announcement relatives and friends were able to participate in the funeral virtually.

The Khan family. L-R Faisal, Mariya, Father, Mother, Khurram and Omar

Sadly, tragedy was not over for Faisal and his family, as days later second eldest -Khurram, started getting a temperature and was coughing.

His symptoms became severe within days and his wife had to call for an ambulance.

Khurram was immediately taken to ICU. “We had just passed ten days of grieving for dad and then we find out brother has been taken in and put on ventilators. It was all getting a bit too much.” Said the bank manager “My immediate thought was for my mother who just lost her husband and now

oxygen had been reduced and the hospital had to intervene by putting him into an induced coma” The strong professional recalls how he too almost broke down, if it was not for his wife, who kept him strong and told him to stay positive and with assurance that Khurram will pull through.

“I decided that day to have faith in the Almighty and I kept my first fast and prayed and asked all my network to pray for my brother” The next few days, messages started circulating across social media and WhatsApp messages to pray for Khurram, which went global resulting in prayers

“Dad has gone, and we have to stay together now as a family - I need you with me. Don’t you leave us.” the thought of losing her son – As the eldest I had to be strong for her and my siblings.

“However, just when I thought I could handle this, three days later at 3am in the morning, I received a call from my sister in law.

Faisel with brother Khurram in hospital

“Her voice was panic stricken and emotional. She informed me that Khurram’s

flooding in from all corners of the world, including from their close family friends the Dutt family, who are Christian Pakistani’s.

Faisal’s family are Muslim and share an awfully close bond with the Dutt’s.

This unity of faith is what he believes has been an enormously powerful and positive force in assisting with Khurram’s recovery.

“It’s hard to stay positive, but prayer and belief in the Almighty helps.” Faisal affirmed Prayers seem to have started to be answered as a few days later the hospital got in touch to invite a family member to visit Khurram in hospital.

As the eldest of the family Faisal was chosen to visit Khurram.

“There were a million things going on in my head, as I was the only one allowed, I was thinking is my brother about to die!” He said.

Faisal describes his visit to the hospital as surreal. He told Asian Sunday he was told the night before to have a clean shave and was given a time slot to visit.

On his arrival he found the hospital unusually quiet and was taken into a room where there were nurses and a councilor.

He was asked how family were coping and if they needed any support. He was then told what to expect when he goes in to see his brother. There was also a video that he was supposed to watch, but it was not playing at the time, so he did not get to watch it.

Following this process, Faisal was led downstairs and dressed into PPE. Faisal had not seen his brother in more than ten days and

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the thought of his brother possibly dying was just about sinking in.

Faisal was led into a cubicle by two nurses where he found Khurram knocked out in an induced coma lying flat on his tummy.

“He had every machine connected to him – I was emotional inside, but on the outside, I was doing my best to be strong” Said the father of two.

Every visitor is allowed 30 minutes with the patient.

Faisal spent most of this time talking to the nurses, who told him that Khurram was 90 per cent reliant on his ventilator and so anything is possible. Elder brother was encouraged to talk to Khurram as it is good for coma patients to hear a familiar voice.

Faisal told his brother: “Dad has gone, and we have to stay together now as a family – I need you with me.

Don’t you leave us.”

positive energy that dada is going to come home, and I couldn’t look them in the eye to say he might not.”

Fortunately, the positivity of the children and many others worked and Khurram did come out of his coma.

During this time, it has not been easy for Faisal and his family to stay positive about Khurram surviving covid-19.

Rumours have been rife, particularly within the South Asian community not to send family members to hospital as it’s claimed that the higher death rate among black, Asian and other ethnic minority patients is because they are being killed off by the very hospital staff meant to help them.

Faisal dismissed these rumours immediately.

“I too got told this by a few people.” He said

After his visit Faisal went home, where his wife asked him how the visit was, and he simply could not get his words out.

“They said now that my brother is in hospital then there is no hope, you may as well start planning his funeral, but the hospital couldn’t do enough and my family and I are ever so grateful for all that they did during these testing times”

“When you see your brother’s kids, they have this

There were plans in place to get the best treatment

ASIAN STANDARD / BRADFORD

available for Khurram had he not come out of his coma.

Faisal told Asian Sunday about the Ecmo treatment, which only 5 hospitals in the whole of the UK have access to, along with looking at treatments from successful trials done overseas. So Khurram’s name was down for many other trials which showed he was getting the best care, and this gave the family many assurances.

Luckily, these treatments were not needed as Khurram came out of his coma, at which point Faisal was invited to visit Khurram in hospital again.

This time Faisal met Khurram sat in a chair, still with all his PPE and all the machines connected to him, but in happier spirits.

“He told me he was with our late father. He saw himself and my late father holding hands and walking on this long road. Dad was also holding a mithai box as he loved mithai’s. They were both dressed in white and had white prayer caps on.

They were not alone though, there were these men in black guiding them. They walked until they got to this beautiful place. On arrival my father found a bench and said to my brother: “I’m happy with this place, so I am going to stay here, but you need to go now as it’s not your time.” Dad let go of my brother’s hand and the men dressed in black guided my brother away” It surely was an emotional moment.

“As I reached hospital the nurses told me he is looking forward to seeing you and is going to punch you. I laughed knowing that that is the Khurram I know.

In no time Faisal then had the whole family on a video call who were all excited and brimming with positivity.

Nurses and doctors had also gathered around sharing this positivity.

“As I walked in and Khurram saw me he burst into tears.

He had not seen me or any family, for more than two weeks. I asked him what he remembers from when he was in a coma.

“Nineth May, exactly a month from when my father left us was when my brother was discharged and like we clap for the NHS every Thursday, they clapped for my brother as he left hospital. I can’t

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Khurram with his wife and children, aged eleven and two

thank the NHS enough and people really need to stop believing all the negative stories about them.”

however he believes there was a reason for all this.

Khurram is delighted to be reunited with his family and is recovering well at home.

He celebrated his birthday on 11 May, with a video message from loved ones across the globe.

“Maybe this experience was to bring us all even closer together and to appreciate each other more. I think now is a new era and to press the reset button – it really makes you realise just how precious life really is – that’s the reminder from God”

Faisal concludes that the whole journey has been emotional, heart-breaking, and often challenging trying to stay positive when there is so much negativity out there,

“God does things that we don’t understand” He said.

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CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER APPEALS FOR UNITY ON SCHOOLS REOPENING

BY GRAHAM ANDERSON / graham@asiansunday.co.uk

The children’s commissioner for England has led the call for ministers and teaching unions to ‘stop squabbling’ and work together to facilitate the reopening of schools across the country.

Anne Longfield’s comments follow a week of turmoil in the education sector in the light of the announcement primary schools Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 should look to open from the start of next month.

Union representatives said they had been left with more questions than answers, with one leader describing the scientific evidence as “flimsy at best”.

General secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, Patrick Roach said: “Teachers needed clear evidence schools would be “Covid secure” and would not pose a risk to public health.”

Lord Blunkett Important Data Ms Longfield pointed to data suggesting NHS nurseries open during the lockdown had not suffered any outbreaks of coronavirus.

She added: “We cannot afford to wait for a vaccine, which may never arrive, before children are back in school.

“It’s time to stop squabbling and agree a staggered, safe return that is accompanied by rigorous testing of teachers, children and families.”

Stalemate The row escalated further following an inconclusive meeting between teaching unions and Government scientific advisers in the hope of reassuring staff it was safe to return to school. This, despite the presence of Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty, and the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance.

Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme in the week, former Labour education secretary Lord Blunkett waded into the debate expressing surprise at the attitude of union leaders. He said: “I am being deeply critical of the attitude. It is about how can we work together to make it work as safely as possible.

Anyone who works against that in my view is working against the interests of children.”

Reaction to Schools Announcement Following the Prime Ministers announcement last Sunday Mr Brown, headteacher at Hadrian Primary School in South Shields posted on Facebook: “We hope to learn more from the government over the coming days and weeks and will update you as soon as we know more, so we can tell you what this will mean for our school.

“In the meantime, school will remain open only for vulnerable children and those of key workers until the end of May.”

Nichola Fullard, headteacher at Town End Academy in Sunderland said while awaiting further advice: “As you know the safety of pupils, staff and the wider community of Town End is always my priority and this will be at the forefront of any plans we make. In the short term, nothing has changed.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said: “In the absence of clear scientific advice and a safety plan, the Government has not demonstrated it is in a position to start planning for the wider safe opening of schools, or given any reassurance to parents, teachers and pupils that they will be safe.”

Scientific Advice Research from the Health Information and Quality Authority has suggested despite limited evidence, children are not significant contributors to the spread.

The group’s deputy chief executive and director of health technology assessment Dr Mairin Ryan said: “One study suggests that, while there is high transmission of COVID-19 among adults aged 25 years or older, transmission is lower in younger people, particularly in those under 14 years of age.”

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Dr Jenny Harries, has said: “There’s a lot of anxiety I think around this but people need to think through – in an average infant school with 100 children the likelihood of anybody having this disease is very small and diminishing with time.”

This flies in the face of the British Medical Association – which has said schools should not reopen until the numbers of coronavirus cases were much lower.

And in its first public statement The Bradford Science Collective, formed ‘to counter government propaganda about the coronavirus, untainted by political influence’, made it clear reopening schools early would be crazy, and could cause a surge in deaths, forcing Britain back into full lockdown again.

Council Concern Many Council leaders believe schools should be allowed to make their own decisions about reopening – especially in areas with a higher proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic

residents. In fact, several have made it clear they will defy central Government if schools are told to open their doors.

The Local Government Association has demanded the Government should urgently publish the scientific evidence underpinning the decision to reopen England’s schools.

Meanwhile, Farnham primary school In Bradford, a member of Pennine Academies Yorkshire, have been monitoring the situation each day since lockdown was announced back in March.

Asian Sunday has learned in a letter to parents dated 16th May the school said: “I hope you are all safe and well and looking after your loved ones as we now enter the 8th week of lockdown.

The Government yesterday did not announce a date for schools to open. They suggested the 1st of June as an aspirational date as long as the safety measures are met. These have not been met yet.

For this reason, Pennine Schools are not planning for a June 1st opening. We cannot plan to open schools until we have further clarity from the Government and that we can guarantee staff and pupil safety.

We will of course continue to meet the needs of key workers and children the Government refers to as ‘vulnerable’ using our Hub school, Hollingwood Primary.

In the meantime, keep those routines going at home which are so important for mental health and well-being of children. Teachers are continually updating the Home Learning and Classes pages on our website.

For now, nothing has changed so please keep social distancing, wash hands frequently and stay safe at home.”

Clear Message from Government A DfE spokeswoman said: “Plans for a phased return of some year groups from 1 June, at the earliest, are based on the best scientific and medical advice. The welfare of children and staff has been at the heart of all decision making.

In Saturdays Downing Street press briefing, the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson made it clear the government will look at the R rate in great detail and schools “will only return if five tests have been met”.

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EEDITOR’S DITO DITOR ITOR’S COLUMN COLUMN

Fatima Patel

Mondays tend to be a day where I kick start my motivation and set out to conquer the world (well my world anyway) – Monday 6th April was no different.

I promised myself over the weekend I would be up early and go for a run and exercise around my local park, and then walk to the supermarket for some fresh fruit and veg to get back in time to sit at my home based office and get some work done.

The day started amazingly well, glorious sunshine and plenty of happy faces at the park doing their routine exercises, with more than two-metre spaces between us all.

The air felt clean and I felt good. After all, I achieved what I set out to do that morning (well so far anyway) – up for morning prayer (which for us Muslims is called Fajr (the pre sunrise prayer)) and then a good hours exercise in the park with plenty of fresh air for my lungs, followed by a walk to the supermarket for my groceries.

This morning essentials were all in prep and to get me focused to tackle the mountain of emails and WhatsApp messages waiting for me at my home-based office. Little did I know my plans were about to change. As I walked back home, I could feel an uneasiness and my throat getting very dry. Immediately on arriving home I took a paracetamol and gulped down a glass of clean Yorkshire water.

By around lunch time, I could feel discomfort around my chest area and stomach pains. The throat had become worse and the dryness resulted in coughing. I didn’t have a temperature though, so put it down to dehydration.

By around 3pm that day, I was unable to focus on any work and decided to lie down and rest. My body at this point felt restless and extremely tired.

When I woke up at around 10pm that day, it was with very heavy chest pains, heavy cough and stomach pain.

The cough and stomach pain, along with throat ache were not alien to me, but the extreme fatigue and dryness all over my body, made it seem as though my body was dying.

After an unsettling night I decided to log on to 111 and check my symptoms with the hope the diagnosis would be related to a previous medical condition I’ve had. That would have felt strangely fine as it’s one I know and therefore, wouldn’t

BATTLING COVID-19 IT’S NOT A CONSPIRACY. IT’S REAL need to burden the NHS and I could deal with it at home.

· Diarrhoea and stomach-ache · Headache and brain fog

The conclusion from completing the online form was I should call my GP immediately. At first, I thought I will wait for a while and see if the pain and cough calm down, so I made myself a hot lemon and ginger herbal drink. A few hours later, I didn’t feel any different and the pain started getting worse.

If you or anyone in your family has these symptoms, they should stay at home for at least seven days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home. This applies to everyone, regardless of whether they have travelled abroad.

So, I painstakingly picked up the phone to my GP. The receptionist asked me the reason for my call, and I explained the message on the 111 online system. She informed me to stay at home and that she will get a doctor to call me back.

You should also look on the dedicated coronavirus NHS 111 website for information and take the online questionnaire to check your symptoms. If you get worse or your symptoms last longer than seven days, you should call NHS 111. People will no longer be tested for the virus unless they are in hospital.

Within a couple of hours my doctor called, and it took her less than two minutes to tell me: “You have covid-19 symptoms. You MUST self-isolate for seven days and if your breathing gets worse call 111 immediately.”

I was in denial at first as I explained that diagnosis was not possible. I live alone and I haven’t been in contact with anyone and neither do I have a fever, but the more I challenged those words my doctor continued to repeat the diagnosis with more assurance. It was very hard to digest I could have Covid-19.

As my GP went on to advise me on how I can help deal with the symptoms, her words: “you have Covid-19 symptoms”, continued to repeat in my head and all her useful advice was going over it.

Nevertheless, medical support was prompt, and immediate because once I had finished on the phone within seconds, I received a text message from my GP with a link giving me useful advice and tips on dealing with Covid-19 and selfisolation.

The next 72 hours were the most challenging.

The fatigue really set in, my mind wouldn’t focus making it hard to even reply to a simple text or WhatsApp message.

The cough became worse, with a bit of wheezing and so did the heavy feeling around my chest.

My daily sleep went from six to 18 hours, and the worse part of it was losing complete appetite for solid foods. Those who know me, will know how much I love my food; and will know that nothing can keep me away from it, but this Covid-19 (if it was) did.

The toughest challenge you will probably be faced with if you do get these symptoms, is your loved ones can’t be there to come and care for you. In Asian families there is usually a barrage of relatives visiting to offer prayers, food and the social family banter. But that’s not allowed now as there’s a danger of you passing the illness to them.

But this is where technology comes into play and it worked wonders for me, especially my mental wellbeing. I’m a strong believer if your mind is strong, it can make your body strong too. My amazing family, neighbours and loved ones reached out with their positive and strong messages on my phone, reading them made me laugh and cry, giving me the strength and motivation for the fight to free myself from ill health.

Traditional South Asian treatments also came in handy. I am not sure whether they cured me, but they helped strengthen my immune system besides due to them being 100% natural and void of any chemicals, the remedies truly did not do me any harm.

Here’s what I had during the first 72 hours of my illness.

A glass of water upon waking up followed by two paracetamols to help with the headache.

Boiled egg with lots of pepper for breakfast then back to sleep for around six hours.

Upon waking another glass of water, which then lead to a mug full of the family traditional herbal drink.

Other symptoms can include:

The main components of the drink are: turmeric (fresh is better but I used powder), fresh ginger, honey and some cloves. Bring to boil in water, strain and drink once lukewarm. I sipped on that during regular intervals and would go back to sleep.

By day four the chest pain had reduced, any wheezing had gone, and I started having some solid food, other than boiled egg, such as fruit, soup and bread. The herbal drinks continued, and my cups of tea became routine again too.

The fatigue and the dryness are what really pained me. The illness is like a flu, minus the runny nose, but worse. The tightness round the chest, the dryness all over your body (and trust me it’s bad), both sides of my hands were completely dry – even after day eight I still have very dry skin on my face, making my eyelids droop like heavy bags above my eyes, giving me chapped lips and broken skin around the corners of my lips.

· Fatigue · Loss of taste and smell

The cough persists, and I could literally fall asleep at any time anywhere, as tiredness is constant.

For those who still aren’t sure what Covid-19 or coronavirus is, then let me explain.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses able to cause infections ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).

The virus attacks the respiratory system, causing pneumonia-like lung lesions.

According to WHO about one in six people, become seriously ill. As this is viral pneumonia, antibiotics are of no use. The antiviral drugs we have against flu will not work, and there is currently no vaccine. Recovery depends on the strength of the immune system.

The most common symptoms are: · Dry, persistent new cough · Fever · Shortness of breath

Nevertheless, I am now capable of writing this blog, so that shows I have come a long way and am battling back to good health.

While my GP diagnosed the Covid-19 symptoms, I haven’t been tested, so will never know if this really was Covid-19, but if it was then my advice to everyone out there is if we all stay strong, have faith and start building our immune system each one of us has a good chance of fighting and beating it.

If there is one thing, we MUST all learn from this, it is HEALTH is everything.

That accounts for physical and mental well-being.

What got me through was the natural treatments I took, such as the home-made herbal drinks and water is most definitely a lifeline. Drink plenty of it, but not by gulping it, but respecting the clean and pure water we have and enjoying every sip slowly, so it has a chance to enter our body in the most, healthiest of ways.

The other and most important factor is the care, compassion and love from others, they keep giving you faith, and strength by telling you to stay strong and keep going. Keep telling your mind the same, stress will make the breathlessness worse and panic will not help recovery. Always keep a positive frame of mind.

Finally, for me faith. Having faith helps with everything. Spiritual guidance helps you build positive energy and this in turn helps with the healing process.

These are the things that worked for me and I anticipate they will be different for everyone, as we are all unique and have our own ways as does our body of taking to things.

The key thing to remember though is that you must have it within you to fight it off, no one else can do that. The frightening thing is the battle is yours and yours alone.

Sadly, some of us will win this battle and some of us won’t. It’s important for those of us who live through it though to take good from this. Blaming or finger pointing doesn’t help, there is a time and place to ask questions. Right now, though we should remember we are in this together and our ultimate focus should be on how we heal together.

If you must go out, please ensure you keep to the two-metre rule not just for yourself, but to others you meet. That includes friends and family members you might meet while out during your supermarket shop. You may all look well, but if one of you is carrying the virus and is healthy, your friend or loved one might not be so lucky.

Just don’t take any risk and follow the rules.

Stay at home, stay safe and let’s protect our most valuable asset – the NHS.

s i h t n i e r ' e W ogether! t

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ASIAN STANDARD / BRADFORD

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GENEROUS SIKH COMMUNITY DONATE MORE THAN £40K TO HELP HOSPITAL FIGHT COVID-19 The congregation of the Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara has donated a generous £40,400 to Bradford Hospitals’ Charity’s Intensive Care Unit Fund to help medics in the fight against Covid-19.

I am grateful and thankful to the local community for the great generosity shown in supporting this appeal.”

Bradford Hospitals’ Charity – the charitable arm of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – will use the donation to fund additional equipment for the ICU at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The money will help fund an additional mobile ultrasound machine, which has specialist probes to help clinicians monitor and treat the most poorly patients in ICU, and two rehabilitation chairs, which provide out-of-bed mobilisation to critically ill patients.

The President of the Gurdwara Management Committee, Ajit Singh Gill said:

Karanjeet Kaur, Chair of the Gurdwara Trustees, added: “Our board of trustees supported this work and I am delighted that the Sikh community came together to raise this money.

“We highly value and respect the work carried out by all the staff at Bradford Teaching Hospitals.

“I hope this continues to show that the Sikh faith is one that will always help in times of need.”

“Many of our congregation have and will continue to benefit from great level of treatment they provide and therefore, within the space of a few days, the congregation have rallied to raise funds to benefit Bradford Teaching Hospitals to provide this life saving equipment.

Mel Pickup, Chief Executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals, said: “We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Guru Gobind Singh Gurdwara and everyone in its congregation who donated.

“Our critical care staff are highly skilled in treating the most poorly patients in our hospitals. The equipment we can purchase with this donation will enhance the already high quality treatment and care they provide.”

The donation has been welcomed by the community and netizens who have read the story.

Spokesperon and trustee Balvinder Singh Bains, who also works for the NHS, told Asian Sunday the outpouring of thanks and appreciation has taken him back. He said: “The local Sikh community and congregation of the Gurdwara considered it their duty to assist the NHS in their fight against this pandemic during these unprecedented times.

“After reaching out to Bradford Hospitals’ Charity, they made us aware that this equipment would really enhance the level of treatment the Trust provides both now and in the future.”

LABOUR COUNCILLOR FASTS FOR THE FIRST TIME TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH HIS MUSLIM FRIENDS DURING LOCKDOWN Labour Councillor Fasts for the first time to show solidarity with his Muslim friends in lockdown Ramadan for millions of Muslims around the world has been vastly different this year. With the covid-19 lockdown being the new normal, Muslims have become accustomed to praying and enjoying Iftar at home. That is not to say that meeting up with friends and family for Iftar gatherings or participating in evening prayers with the congregation at mosque has not been missed. For most it has sorely been missed.

Such get togethers also help non-Muslim friends and colleagues who want to experience keeping a fast too. The spirit of meeting up and opening fast together with your Muslim friends for Iftar (opening of fast) is one to be experienced.

Sadly, that is not meant to be this year, however that did not deter Councillor Richard Dunbar from keeping his very first fast this year.

“I’ve always wanted to keep a fast, but never got round to it.”

The Thornton and Allerton ward councillor told Asian Sunday.

“One of my friends asked if I would join in a solidarity fast and with lockdown, I thought why not.”

Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, where they abstain from food and drink, (not even a drop of water) for 30 days. This year if you are fasting in the UK, daytime is around 18 hours. That is a pretty long time to be without food and drink.

So how did first timer Cllr Dunbar find his fast?

“Going without food really made me think how difficult it must be for those who have very little. It gave me a chance to get into their head space.”

On being asked if he found the fast difficult: “Well the toughest part was when it got to 7pm, I was conscious about not eating and drinking and decided to distract myself with a trip to the supermarket. However, I was lucky I got a lot of support from my mum, who called me a few times during the day to check in on me and my council work kept me busy most of the day, so it went relatively quickly.”

Cllr Dunbar admits, that after abstaining from food for so many hours, he planned to ‘eat a lot’ when his fast opened, but apart from his guilty pleasure of a chocolate bar, he only managed some pasta during Iftar.

Reflecting back on his day he said: “It’s a bit of a shock when I look back and realise, I’ve gone without food and water for 18 hours. The reactions from my Muslims friends and others has been so endearing.

“To get support and validation from Muslim colleagues and others, it makes it worthwhile and I would most definitely do it again.

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ASIAN STANDARD / BRADFORD

@ASIANSTANDARD

MEET THE FACES OF KINDNESS DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

BY FATIMA PATEL / editor@asiansunday.co.uk

Therefore, it’s more important than ever to try and bring in some news that’s heartening and smothered with positivity.

Thank goodness there is bucket loads of it and we don’t want to waste any more time in telling you about the selfless acts of kindness that is proving humanity is triumphing over adversity and how the power of caremongering will help get us through this global pandemic.

Let’s start with the food and hospitality industry. Despite having to close business and suffer thousands of pounds of losses, it hasn’t stopped restaurants and food businesses such as My Lahore, International Restaurant, Aziz Catering and Howdy from donating and distributing food to frontline NHS staff and those most vulnerable.

It’s a surreal, scary and strange time, with mass gatherings barred, people across the country being forced to stay at home, with strict measures like social distancing and self-isolation in effect the world is on its knees enduring the Covid-19 pandemic.

Salon owner Prity Farooq, is also at the forefront when it comes to giving. While her award-winning salon is closed, she chose to put her time to good use and cook a huge pot of biryani and bake lots of cake which was distributed to police officers working long shifts during these lockdown measures.

As the stream of news filters in we try to navigate between fake news (yes, there’s lots of it out there) and the equally terrifying real news as we tentatively listen out for the figures, with abated breath, on the casualties of covid-19.

Food isn’t the only form of support that is being dished out. Thanks to award winning vehicle customisation company, Enkahnz the distribution of support to the most vulnerable can keep moving thanks to their new drive.

Their aim is to help with logistics to ensure support reaches the most vulnerable and in need. Philanthropist and founder of Enkahnz, Naveed Khan upon lockdown announcement, put his team to work immediately where they transformed a Barugzai Range Rover into a Covid-19 response vehicle, which has been busy as soon as it went on the road delivering and supporting those most in need.

Mr Khan said: “The response has been huge. We’ve been inundated with calls and messages of help. I am so glad we can help.”

Faith organisations have also been lending their support, with the Bradford Hindu Council, sending in palettes of supplies to Bradford Food Bank and Salahadin mosque on Little Horton Lane sending in donations for Bradford NHS and Yorkshire Ambulance Service. A brand new initiative called the Volunteering Interfaith Programme (VIP) was also launched specifically, which sees faith leaders from Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Christian come together to help the vulnerable with food delivery, shopping, well-being support and friendly phone calls, aiming to support local people as well as relieve some of the pressure on the NHS. The initiative is run by Strengthening Faith Institutions (SFI) in conjunction with Age UK. Javed Bashir, facilitator of the programme, said: “Every day we are getting bad news about the increasing number of people affected by the coronavirus, this programme highlights the goodness of human nature as different faith communities are coming together to help the Age UK to support the most vulnerable in the district – elderly. That’s what this programme is really about”.

The continued efforts of charities and community organisations such as Bradford Community Kitchen, Bradford Foundation Trust, The Curry Circle have also stepped up to proactively offer support, source donations and food items to deliver to the vulnerable and elderly.

Inspirational Shadim Hussain of My Foster Family came up with an initiative to help the approximately 1000 refugee and asylum seeking families in Bradford who don’t have internet access, with devices and internet access, so that they can home school their children and significantly improve their life chances well beyond Covid. Shadim and his team have been working closely with schools to identify families most in need.

Volunteer led Bradford 4 Better Group have also been extremely proactive in not only helping the vulnerable but have been leading a huge campaign to support our little furry friends. They’ve been leading on a campaign to get pet food for abandoned pets and have been successful in gaining support from many pet food suppliers.

Politicians seem to be playing their part too, with MP Philip Davies donating thousands to a local mental health charity. The Shipley MP, who is often in the firing line for his controversial views has been praised for his kind donation of £2000, from a winning auction bid for ITV’s racing commentator Stewart Machin’s colour chart, which he donated to The Cellar Trust.

These are just a handful of communities, charities and individuals who have been brought to Asian Sunday’s attention, we are sure there are many more who are truly showing how the power of kindness during a global pandemic can help us win the battle against covid-19.

We say keep on #caremongering

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FILM / FASHION / BEAUTY

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‘MALANG ’ MAKERS WORKING ON SEQUEL Mohit Suris recent hit “Malang” is all set to have a sequel, the makers have confirmed.

Anil Kapoor, The musical romantic action thriller, starring u, had a Disha Patani, Aditya Roy Kapur and Kunal Kemm over Rs g earnin year, this r earlie run ice successful box off was recently 59 crore at the domestic box-office. The film rm) released on OTT (over the top – digital platfo such a shown have who nce “We are thankful to the audie the theatres, after g’ ‘Malan film our to nse respo l mena pheno g’ on Netflix , now on OTT. While people are enjoying ‘Malan are working Luv and Mohit .

2’ g ‘Malan with up g comin we are said ” soon, follow will s on the sequel and more detail producer Ankur Garg. his film is Mohit is currently thrilled with the response film’s primary getting. He took to Twitter to congratulate the cast and crew. ing In Top 10 In “Malang Is Winning Everyone’s Hearts. Trend @AnilKapoor ng !Mala g Malan ! g Malan Stay ries!

Count 12 mu @ElliAvrRam #AdityaRoyKapur @DishPatani @kunalkem em_arora @ @ase ankur @garg ranjan @luv_ lm angFi @Mal @TSeries Films @Luv i raman hewak itsBhushanKumar @jays or. direct the ed tweet ” ra, anDar @Kar Aditya Roy A few days ago, “Malang” stars Anil Kapoor, a virtual reunion.

Kapur, Disha Patani and Kunal Kemmu had e The film is a revenge saga set in Goa and, despit y catch has it ce, violen of ome moments grues g tunes composed by multiple music directors.

MINDY KALING TO CO-SCRIPT ‘LEGALLY BLONDE 3’ Actress Mindy Kaling will be co-writing the script for Reese Witherspoons “Legally Blonde 3” along with Dan Goor.

Witherspoon is also attached to the project since 2018 and is set to return as sorority girl-turnedlawyer Elle Woods. She will also produce the film through her banner, Hello Sunshine production company.

Mindy and Goor aren’t working on a “makeover, nor are they doing touch-ups”. They will add a fresh spin to their version of the screenplay, reports deadline. com.

“Legally Blonde”, which followed the life of a sorority girl who tries to win her boyfriend back by getting a law degree from Harvard University, was a huge success when it released in 2001.

The first film also starred Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, Jennifer Coolidge and a Chihuahua named Bruiser, owned by Witherspoon’s character.

Mindy and Goor are also partnering on Mindy and Priyanka Chopra’s upcoming wedding comedy.

Recently, Mindy earned applause for her OTT comedy series “Never Have I Ever”, which she co-created with Lang Fisher.

For “Never Have I Ever”, Mindy has used her “relationship with being Hindu” and the experience of “Straddling the lines of two cultures” to narrate the story of 15-year-old Devi, a firstgeneration Indian American, and her desperation to feel that she belongs in the society, and her journey to shed her reputation as “unf***able nerd”.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA STARRER ‘FASHION’ TO GET A SEQUEL? Priyanka Chopra, Arjan Bajwa and Kangana Ranaut starrer ‘Fashion’ was a massive hit in 2008. Directed by Mad hur Bhandarkar, the film gave a glimpse of the glamorous world of fashion and the life of models. Speaking to a new s portal, Arjan revealed that Priyanka and he had been persuading Madhur Bhandark ar to work on ‘Fashion 2’ and write a story but seems like the filmmaker is taking his time to work on the sequel.

‘Fashion’ earned Priyanka Chopra her first National Award and Kangana Ranaut was also honoured with a National Award for Best Supporting Actress performance in the film. Priyanka Chopra earned massive fame in Bollywoo d and is not a global force to reckon with.

She is not just working in Hollywood films but is also producing some interesting content in regional cinema in India. Priyanka Chopra was last seen in ‘The Sky Is Pink ’, co-starring Farhan Akhtar and Zaira Wasim. She is yet to announce her next Bollywood film.

With Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan and Richa Moorjani leading the cast, the coming-of-age story examines Indian culture, its values and grief through the story of Devi as she navigates the ups and downs of high school.

MGM released its sequel “Legally Blonde 2 Red, White and Blonde” in 2013.

ADAM SANDLER STARS IN ‘HUSTLE’, CO-PRODUCED BY LEBRON JAMES Actor Adam Sandler will star in “Hustle”, to be directed by Jeremiah Zagar.

In the Netflix film, Sandler will play an American basketball scout who is “unjustly fired after discovering a once-in-a-lifetime player abroad”.

He then decides to bring the player to the US “to prove that they both have what it takes to make it in the NBA”, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

Taylor Materne and Will Fetters are on board to write the script. Sandler will be backing the project with his banner, Happy Madison, alongside basketball superstar LeBron James’ SpringHill Entertainment and Roth/Kirschenbaum Films.

The news comes after the streaming platform extended its partnership with the actor and his

Happy Madison Productions with a commitment to produce four more films.

Sandler recently found critical and commercial success with “Uncut Gems”, a crime thriller about a jeweller in New York, who risks everything in hopes of staying afloat and alive.

In a rare departure from comedy, Sandler in “Uncut Gems” is seen as a debt-ridden gambling addict named Howard Ratner. The movie, which is directed by brothers Josh and Benny Safdie, was in making for 10 years. It finally released on Netflix.

The actor’s latest production under Happy Madison, titled “The Wrong Missy”, released on Netflix recently. Sandler does not feature in the star cast of the film, starring David Spade, Lauren Lapkus and Molly Sims.

ARIANA GRANDE, JUSTIN BIEBER REACT AFTER TEKASHI 6IX9INE ACCUSES THEM OF BUYING THEIR BILLBOARD NO.1 STATE). they are ride or ST die mother***kers and I thank tha god every day that I have them in my life. not h just jus when they fight for us to win (even when I ask them the not to as I did this week) but because they’re we some of the greatest so people I know. sales count pe for more than streams. u can ca not discredit this as hard ha as u try.”

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine is learning first hand that Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber’s fandoms yield some serious power in the music world.

According to E!News, the 24-year-old rapper publicly accused Ariana and Bieber of fraudulently climbing their way to the top of the Billboard charts with their recent collab, ‘Stuck With U.’ On Monday, Tekashi (whose song ‘GOOBA’ fell short of the top spot to land at Number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100) put out a video

on Instagram claiming that his team launched an “investigation” and discovered that “six credit cards” were used to purchase 30,000 units of the song.

Tekashi alleged in the video, “When we asked where was those six credit cards linked to, Billboard said we can’t disclose that information.”

Both Ariana and Justin staunchly denied the allegations.

Ariana wrote in a lengthy Instagram statement, “my fans bought the song.

JUSTIN’S fans bought the song. OUR fans bought this song (never more than four copies each, AS THE RULES

Without calling out Wi Tekashi by name, the T 26-year-old Grammy winner Grande added, “to anybody that is displeased with their placement on the chart this week or who is spending their time racking their brain thinking of as many ways as they can to discredit hardworking women (and only the women for some reason.....), I ask u to take a moment to humble yourself. be grateful you’re even here. that people want to listen to u at all. it’s a blessed position to be in.”

“I’ve had a lot of ‘almost number ones’ in my career and I never said a g*ddamn thing because

I FEEL GRATEFUL TO EVEN BE HERE. TO WANT TO BE HEARD AT ALL... and you should feel that way too.

Congratulations to all my talented ass peers in the top ten this week. even number 3,” she wrote.

Bieber also called Tekashi’s credit card claims a “lie” in his own statement posted to Instagram Stories, writing, “The rules are clear. One credit card can buy max 4 copies. Anything over that the entire amount gets thrown out. Nielsen checks this and found all our sales were legit because our fans are amazing and bought them.”

“This is my song with Ariana Grande and I’m honored to work with her to help raise money for a great cause. If [you’re] gonna say her name make sure you say mine because it’s our song,” he concluded.

The ‘GOOBA’ rapper Tekashi didn’t heed Justin’s warning, instead, he posted another video

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to address Ariana directly.

He said, “I don’t want you to think that I’m coming at you. I’m not saying that you’re not talented and I’m not saying you can’t sing. You’re a beautiful singer. You just don’t understand my pain. My frustration is for Billboard.

I speak for the millions of kids that come from nothing. I want you to understand that I come from a different, different background than you.”

In early April Tekashi was released from prison was several months earlier than scheduled and placed under house arrest due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier, Ariana and Justin dedicated all net proceeds from the streams and sales of ‘Stuck with U’ to the First Responders Children’s Foundation.

Funds will go toward grants and scholarships for children of healthcare workers and other front line responders fighting against the coronavirus pandemic.

SUNIEL SHETTY: THE TEAMINTENDS TO MAKE ‘HERA PHERI 3’ BUT SOME DIFFERENCES HAVE TO BE IRONED OUT FIRST Suniel Shetty: The team intends to make ‘Hera Pheri 3’ but some differences have to be ironed out first Suniel Shetty, who took a break from acting to spend time with his ailing father, returned to films as the antagonist in the Sidharth Malhotra-led actionthriller, ‘A Gentleman’. Soon after, he crossed over to the South film industry. After playing Sudeep’s mentor in the Kannada sports drama, ‘Pailwaan’, the 58-year-old actor signed up for a face-off with Rajinikanth’s cop in AR Murugadoss’s Tamil action thriller, ‘Darbar’. Now, he is gearing up for the release of Priyadarshan’s Malayalam period-drama, ‘Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea’.

“Films like ‘Bahubali’ and ‘KGF’, and digital platforms, have bridged the gap between the Hindi audience and films from other regions. Language barriers don’t matter anymore,” Suniel explains his foray down South, adding that he was also drawn to them because of the projects, the money offered and the respect he got there. “’Darbar’ and ‘Pailwaan’ are in

line with myy stature stature. I’d rather make an impact with a big film, even if it doesn’t revolve around me, than sign up for junk.”

The actor also has the Hollywood film ‘Fraudsters’, to be dubbed in Telugu as well, and another HindiTelugu bilingual, in the offing. Priyadarshan’s film, fronted by Mohanlal, was to release on March 26 before the nation-wide lockdown was announced.

Instead of sighing over the delay, Suniel chooses to rave about the action done by an international team with its production values. He is sure it will appeal to a wider audience.

One of his most iconic comedy films, ‘Hera Pheri’, completed 20 years on March 30. It is frequently in the news with talks of a sequel. “Everything is on hold for now. The film’s team intends to make ‘Hera Pheri 3’, but some differences need to be ironed out first. The film is a big hit on television as well as in the meme world and we are all aware of the anticipation among the audience for the film,” Suniel signs off.

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SONAKSHI SINHA TO AUCTION 10 PAINTINGS TO PROVIDE RATION TO FRONTLINE WORKERS

SANJAY KHAN TO RE-LAUNCH SON ZAYED KHAN IN A WAR DRAMA

Bollywood’s Sonakshi Sinha has revealed that she has been supplying Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to frontline workers in the fight against COVID-19 and appealed to her fans to contribute towards the healthcare system.

The actress, who likes to paint when not shooting, announced on her social media that she will be auctioning some of her artwork and the proceeds will be used to provide money and ration to the needy.

“My art is my sane space, my solace. It helps me channelise my thoughts and brings me happiness. I want to use it to bring relief to those for whom the lockdown has been a nightmare,” the actress said in a video.

Actor-filmmaker Sanjay Khan is all set to direct a biopic on Brigadier Mohammad Usman. The period drama will feature his son, actor Zayed Khan as the 1948 war hero.

Sonakshi, who has been sketching and painting while at home, is fascinated by the process.

“You start from nothing and end up creating something beautiful. It’s like meditation. I want to use my time productively,” she smiles, adding that most of her work includes pen sketches.

“Three canvas paintings, four sketches and three prints are being auctioned. I want my art to reach out to as many as possible, so that we can collectively make a difference in the lives of those who need it the most,” Sonakshi informs, saying that she is exploring new forms every day, polishing her skills and creating art she is proud of.

This is the father-son duo’s first collaboration. In an interview with Mid-Day, Sanjay said, “I am working hard on the script because I want to make it as authentic as possible. I want to depict the Indian Army’s bravery, and how they fought despite not being armed with sufficient artillery and equipment. The brigadier’s story is one of courage and principle.”

Calling it his duty to re-launch Zayed Khan, Sanjay Khan told the publication, “He is one of the most handsome actors in the film industry. As a father, it is my duty to make a film for him. The audience will rediscover him in the movie.” Zayed was last seen in Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene (2015).

LOCKDOWN DIARIES: HRITHIK ROSHAN FASTS FOR 23 HOURS Hrithik Roshan has been spending the lockdown with his ex-wife Sussanne Khan, who has temporarily moved in with him to take care of their two sons -- Hrehaan and Hridhaan. in Apart from indulging himself r intense workout sessions, acto in ves belie also han Hrithik Ros fasting.

Hrithik recently took to his has Instagram and shared that he hour “23 rs. hou 23 for fast on n bee fast. #HealthyLiving #Resilience wrote. #DisciplineEqualsFreedom,” he seflie in Along with it, Hrithik posted a . wink a g which he is seen givin e Recently, Hrithik shared som ‘lockdown tips’ with his fans. He in D to suggested a daily dose of vitam the ng duri lth hea tal take care of men lockdown. ding the Hrithik Roshan has been spen sanne Sus ife ex-w lockdown with his ed in mov rily pora tem has who n, Kha sons two r thei of with him to take care n. haa Hrid and aan -- Hreh ned Recently, Sussanne Khan ope ther. up on their decision to stay toge days the that on y earl ““We realised oup our ahead would require us to regr nity sere ting crea ards energies tow

ght for one another. With that thou , we in mind, and a heap full of love e. ntur adve n dow lock our started on days in The idea was to structure our minds, such a way that we grow our bodies warm our hearts and keep our no have we re whe ng— fit and stro y and option but to use a little creativit out a with days our y enjo to n innovatio ugh,” sense of monotony seeping thro Sussanne told a daily. to “It’s a wake-up call for all of us ng learn from, as well as an awakeni t poin t eren diff a from to look at things we of view. To cherish the bond that work share with our loved ones and ice of colleagues. To strive to be in serv and , can we re whe people when and acts to practice selfless and random dful of kindness, and to be more min more of those around us. And to give ories,” time to making beautiful mem she added further.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: KATRINA KAIF REFLECTS ON THE OUTBREAK; SAYS, ‘IT HAS CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE ABOUT LIFE’ Katrina Kaif will be next seen in Akshay Kumar starrer Sooryavanshi.

The film also stars Jackie Shroff, Gulshan Grover, Jaaved Jaaferi and others in pivotal roles.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world down to its knees. It has changed almost everything - especially people’s perspective of looking at life. Katrina Kaif isn’t feeling anything different. “The pandemic, followed by the lockdown has surely left many of us introspecting, on how blessed our lives are and how much we take for granted in our normal lives. Also, with the alarming number of cases, I feel we all should work towards at having better immunity through our food habits and lifestyle. It also changed my perspective about life in some ways,” Katrina told IANS.

She also shared how she gets worried about the situation at times, and she shares a few tips on how to control anxiety during the lockdown. “I take one day at a time but, yes, there are days when I miss being on a shoot. Sometimes I also get worried about when will life go back to normal again.

But I understand the crisis the world is dealing with, and the importance of everything that is being practised to defeat the pandemic.

“Anxiety is a serious issue, I would suggest that everyone keeps calm, meditate or perform yoga, and think of the brighter side. Think about the days to come after this phase and how to not repeat the mistakes we have been making towards the environment. In this phase whenever I have felt low, I have resorted to meditating, doing yoga, or watching a movie or a show that cheers me up,” Katrina added. Not only this, the

crisis has helped the actress polish her housekeeping skills, in the absence of caretakers.

“This phase has helped me polish my cooking skills and kitchen skills in a big way. It has helped me improve in managing many household chores at once and has also given me a newfound respect for the homemakers who do it on a regular basis,” she expressed.

Also, Katrina has contributed her bit in the fight against the coronavirus. Her make-up brand Kay Beauty has partnered with De’Haat to support dailywage earners in rural areas of Maharashtra.

DR QURESHI REVEALS HER TOP TIPS ON COMBATING ACNE

FILM FASHION BEAUTY

FIVE

To really get a taste of the knowledge, expert advice and practical solutions on offer Asian Standard enrolled the help of Dr Uzma Qureshi from My Skyn Clinic to offer some useful advice on acne. Over to you Dr Qureshi.

It is believed that about 95 percent of people aged 11 to 30 in the UK are affected by acne to some extent, with most cases usually starting in puberty due to a surge in hormones. Oily skin is another major cause for acne and spots.

Spots can take on many forms – blackheads, whiteheads, papules (small red lumps under the skin), pustules (like papules but filled with pus), nodules (painful hard lumps under the skin), and cysts (large pus-filled swellings) During lockdown an increasing number of people are noticing that they are experiencing breakouts due to stress and eating unhealthy foods.

This blocked pore then can bulge outwards – creating the ‘spot’.

Normal bacteria that exist on the skin surface, usually causing no problems, are attracted to the blocked pore and cause it to become infected – causing the painful inflamed spot.

Dr Qureshi says that acne is no more common in South Asians compared to other ethnicity, however due to darker skin types South Asians are more likely to experience scarring and pigmentation where they have had spots.

As a qualified doctor and GP practising for more than a decade Dr Qureshi offers some treatment options.

So, what causes acne?

Well, if you think acne is caused due to a poor diet, or is caused by ‘dirty skin’, or that only teens get acne and that by squeezing a spot this helps a spot clear up faster, then these are just some myths you need to know have been completely disproved.

Acne actually starts from the sebaceous glands.

Sebaceous glands are located next to the hair follicles in the skin. They are responsible for producing oil to help keep our skin moisturised.

She advises always see a medically qualified professional to assess and advise on treatment because it is easier to treat acne before scarring or pigmentation occurs.

The purpose of treatments is to address the causes behind why the acne has happened i.e – unclog the pore, reduce the hormones, reduce the amount of bacteria on the skin.

Depending on stage/degree of acne you may be offered:

If you have pigmentation Dr Qureshi recommends the following:

· Medicated creams containing benzyl peroxide, retinol – unclog the pores and remove dead skin · Oral antibiotics – reduce bacteria · Chemical peels – unclog the pores · Contraceptive pills – reduce hormone levels · LED therapy – reduces bacteria · Oral retinoids – only dermatologist can prescribe this and reserved for severe acne due to the risks attached with the medication, but works really well in most cases

· Chemical peels. This will help to exfoliate and lighten skin · De-pigmenting creams. This can help reduce the melanin in the pigmented areas and improve overall skin tone · Topical prescription strength retinol. This helps to unclog pores, reduces oil production and increases skin turnover

Dr Qureshi advises that If you have scarring you can try: · Micro needling – this is where tiny needles penetrate skin and stimulate new collagen to help plump out scars · Or surgical procedures. This is advised for more sever scarring. This procedure helps release the scars or can be filled with dermal fillers

Aside from practical treatment emotional care is also recommended due to the psychological effect of acne Dr Qureshi says there is plenty of research and evidence that tells us that acne sufferers can experience problems with self-consciousness, embarrassment, self-esteem and self-image.

Interestingly the degree of psychological issues is not related to the severity of acne, i.e mild acne can have profound effects on a person’s mental wellbeing.

So seeking treatments for acne shouldn’t be seen as a cosmetic /vanity issue but should be encouraged.

They are stimulated to produce excess oil by hormones, typically testosterone. The oil then mixes with dead skin cells and blocks the pore that the hair follicle exists from.

Why not visit Dr Qureshi and her expert team at MySkyn to learn more! They can conduct a medical assessment and advise on which treatments are suitable.

Bradford's leading Doctor led aesthetics clinic CQC registered, doctor-led medical aesthetics clinic. We provide a full range of cosmetic dermatology, laser, aesthetic and minor surgery treatments all under one roof. A combination of scientific anti-ageing treatments with our team’s expertise allows our comfortable yet private clinic to deliver bespoke treatments tailored to your individual needs.

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SIX

FILM FASHION BEAUTY

LOCKDOWN WITH

BILAL ASHRAF “We all really need to go back to basics. I think technology, it’s great. Science is great but maybe things were moving too fast, and I think it’s a time to go back to basics. Like baking your own bread, for example, or making your meals.”

FILM FASHION BEAUTY

SEVEN

Bilal Ashraf is one of Pakistan’s leading men on the big screen. His last film, Superstar, where he starred opposite Mahira Khan, has gone on to become one of Pakistan’s highest grossing films of all times. Ayesha Babar spoke to the multi-talented actor, about how he is taking care of his mental health during the lockdown, what he feels the future holds for the Pakistani film industry and a very special message for Asian Style readers.

Ayesha: The past few weeks and months have been a difficult time for all of us. What has been the most challenging part during this time for you?

Bilal: Alhamdulilah, it has not been so bad for me personally. But I do find it hard to sit in one place, so it is a big challenge. I need to go out all the time. Not going out partying but I do enjoy just being out. I used to literally eat one meal at home and the rest would all be outside. I would usually end up meeting with friends literally every day, sitting out, having a coffee - all of that.

Now with the lockdown, I can go for a drive but that’s about it. So that has been kind of tough. We have all had travel plans cancelled too.

I guess what it really is, is that you realise just how much you take for granted. And that is why, when I go to my roof now, I really appreciate the sky, the trees, everything a lot more because we can’t move around as freely as we were earlier on able to do.

Ayesha: Ramadan is almost coming to an end could you please share with our readers what Ramadan is usually like for you and how it has been different this year?

Bilal: Well, Ramadan for me has not been so different because usually I try not to work in Ramadan. Last year was an exception, as we were working on Superstar and we had a very tight schedule. Ramadan for me is literally a lot of sport, and fasting.

I keep my fasts and then I play cricket for the Karachi Gymkhana, it is a Twenty 20 tournament that takes place from 2-6pm and then I break my fast and then I go for volleyball at night or night cricket.

It is basically a lot of sport for me.

So, the one thing that is missing this year is the sport part of it but then I am doing that at home. I am training, I am working out, doing a lot physical stuff at home, shooting some basketball hoops at home.

That’s the major difference for me workwise or going out. I usually like to be at home in Karachi during Ramadan so I’m grateful.

Ayesha: For a lot of people this lockdown has been a difficult time in terms of mental health, so how have you looked after your own mental health, during this time?

Bilal: Yeah, of course. Not just mental health, I was reading a lot of different articles about the levels of certain kinds of domestic abuse going up too, especially in Pakistan.

And I agree, it is a tough time. The

way I deal with it is that I do a lot of research. There’s a lot of stuff on the Internet, now on our fingertips.

There are some great experts who have got their own blogs and channels on YouTube. If you just sit and listen to them it makes a lot of sense, it is very relaxing.

There are also some great yoga exercises that I’ve started doing, which are really helping me. A little bit of meditation always helps.

During this time, I have also come to realise that I don’t need a lot of things that I was dependent on. I really need to, I guess we all really need to go back to basics.

I think technology, it’s great.

Science is great but maybe things were moving too fast, and I think it’s a time to go back to basics.

Like baking your own bread, for example, or making your meals.

These are the few things that have helped me.

Ayesha: Talking about good things, Eid is just around the corner.

How are you celebrating Eid, this year? How is it going to be different to normal years?

Bilal: Again, for me, it will not be that different. My Eid is usually spent at home - I cook, I have friends over, or I go over to a couple of friends’ places to meet them.

Yeah, the only difference is this time, what I’m going to do is I’m going to do a lot of cooking for Eid and I will pack all that food and I will send it to my friends. But I will literally just be home. And usually I’ve just been home, I mean, I am home on Eid [laughter]. So, for me it will not be that much different but yes it will be different in some ways.

But it will be nice, InshAllah.

Ayesha: In the entertainment industry you can’t really work from home or maintain social distancing.

What do you think the new ‘normal’ for the industry is going to be when you do get back on set?

Bilal: Look, there are a lot of people who are thinking of going back on set and I think, in Pakistan, there are a couple of productions which have started already. I do think that going back is not going to be that simple, it is not going to be easy. I think that cinema in Pakistan for now has taken a hit, which is really unfortunate.

Right now, everyone is thinking, the vaccine needs to come and then after the vaccine is here, the paranoia needs to go away. And that is going to take time. It will take a while for people to feel confident.

As for the cinema owners, the

unfortunate thing is that even if they are running their cinemas at 25-30% capacity, they are still paying 100% electricity, 100% bills, 100% salaries, right? So, it’s not going to be that easy.

As far as shooting is concerned, honestly, it is going be risky, because we can’t wear masks when we’re acting, and there is only so much you can do. So, I think at the end of the day, we are down to an individual’s own mental ability to want to do that or not or just to kind of lay low till all of this settles. I was called to do a shoot, which I said no to, because I was just not comfortable, but then having said that, I’m pretty sure 2-3 months down the line, I might go and do something eventually.

And it is a risk. And the only thing I can then do is, for example, if I do step out, and when I come back, I isolate myself, I stay away from my parents, and I take all the strict protocols of cleaning my shoes, sanitising etc.

Ayesha: What is the first place you’re going to visit when this lockdown ends and we can all travel again?

Bilal: I think I’m going to go to London [laughing]. I was actually just there in March and was supposed to be back there again in April for some work. And just generally, because I love London.

Ayesha: Great! What would be your message for our readers who have been observing Ramadan at home, and who will not be able to spend Eid with friends and family this year?

Bilal: I would like to say, just stay healthy and stay safe because if you are healthy, you can travel again. Once all of this is over, whatever your businesses are, whatever your losses are, you can earn the money back. You can even mend relationships, if any relationships have kind of broken down during this time. You can do all that only if you’re healthy. If you’re alive, if you’re not, you can’t do anything, right? So, stay safe, and stay positive.

Ayesha: You also stay safe. And Eid Mubarak in advance. Thank you for your time, Bilal.

Bilal: Likewise, Eid Mubarak to your readers. Thank you so much for the interview. It was fun.

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23

HOUSE OF COMMONS OPENS APPLICATIONS TO FIND NEXT GENERATION OF BAME LEADERS Following a successful pilot of the Pathway to Success leadership and development programme last year, the House of Commons alongside Operation Black Vote and in collaboration with Oxford University’s Magdalen College, Blavatnik School of Government and Lloyds Banking Group has opened up applications for this year’s programme.

The House of Commons is committed to increasing the representation of BAME (Black, Asian and Ethnic-Minority) people within its workforce and in Parliament more widely and aims to tackle under-representation at senior levels in the House of Commons by 2020 through the delivery of its comprehensive Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

As part of the strategy, it committed to launch the Pathway to Success Leadership and Development programme, a groundbreaking new initiative now in its second year working to equip BAME individuals with the tools and knowledge required to stand for political office and leadership roles.

Participants are selected based on their proven leadership skills and will undertake a week of intensive coaching and master classes to build their confidence, know-how and

familiarity with senior leadership settings around politics, governance, community, business and civic environments.

Alicia Flemming, a participant of the pilot programme in 2019 said:

The programme aims to send out the message that diverse leadership is essential in politics, civil society, universities, business and wider society. The programme offers participants first-hand experience of Parliament and an enhanced understanding of the political landscape, as well as the skills to continue their careers in frontline politics and leadership roles.

“The day in Parliament was fantastic, it was both informative and valuable. I would recommend this course to everyone interested in politics.”

In light of the current Coronavirus crisis, partners are committed to ensure that the programme goes ahead when it is safe to do so.

Clerk of the House of Commons, John Benger said: “At the House of Commons, we believe that Parliament should reflect the democracy it serves. That is why we are proud to launch the 2nd year of the “Pathway to Success” leadership and development programme. Addressing underrepresentation in senior roles within the House of Commons is one of the priority actions of our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 20192022 and I look forward to welcoming the next generation of BAME leaders to Parliament”.

Participants will stay in Magdalen College, Oxford for a week and will take a trip to London to visit the Houses of Parliament.

The Blavatnik School of Government and Operation Black Vote have developed a comprehensive programme to build an indepth understanding of major political, civic and business ideas through discussion, group activities and input sessions.

Members of Parliament across all parties will be involved to act as panel members, alongside contributors from the Civil Service, politics and the business world, who can share their experiences, journeys and insights.

For more information about the Pathway to Success Leadership Development Programme and how to apply, visit the OBV website here: https://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/ recruiting-now-pathway-success-2020-programme.

Council for Mosques guidance on Eid prayers during lockdown.

On 18th March, Council for Mosques advised that congregational prayers and gatherings at Masjids and madrassas across Bradford & Keighley should be suspended to limit the spread of COVID-19. The following week, the government placed the whole country in a strict lockdown, banning any gathering of more than two people who were not resident in the same household. The early advice of Council for Mosques was rigorously adhered to by its members and, by the grace of Allah SWT, Bradford’s Muslim community has been spared the worst of the pandemic so far.

The blessed month of Ramadan has been a particularly testing time for Bradford’s Muslim community. But, we have remained steadfast in adhering to Government advice, serving to save more lives and suffering. As we enter the last week of the blessed month of Ramadan, we have now begun to consider how we can conduct our Eid prayers.

In normal circumstances, Eid prayers would be held in Mosques and in some cases, open spaces. However, due to the Coronavirus, Government regulations stipulate that places of worship should remain closed to the public. Religious gatherings of more than two persons from two different households are also prohibited.

According to the most recent modelling carried out by Public Health England and the University of Cambridge, both the North East of England and Yorkshire currently have the highest infection rate in England.

In light of this, allowing Eid prayers in mosques, parks or open spaces would place attendees, their families and friends at increased risk from the Coronavirus. It would also be in breach of Government regulations.

The advice being issued regarding the congregational Eid prayer from various Islamic networks overwhelmingly suggests that in the current situation, which remains unprecedented, congregational Eid prayers are not possible. We must continue to heed government guidance and medical advice.

In keeping with all of the above and after considering the advice from Bradford Council and NHS partners, Council for Mosques strongly recommends that all Eid congregational prayers in mosques, parks and open spaces should not be held under any circumstances.

This is a decision that the Council for Mosques does not take lightly but reflects the continuing risks to the health of the Muslim community.

For further guidance regarding what prayers you may be able to do in the absence of congregational prayers at mosques with the members of your family in the privacy of your home, please take guidance from the Imam of your local mosque.

Stay at home. Pray at home. Save lives.

FURLOUGH SCHEME - SO FAR SO GOOD, BUT BEWARE Barry Smith ACCOUNTANT (FCCA)

Since the coronavirus pandemic caused thousands of businesses across the UK to close overnight in March, millions of people have been left perplexed and concerned about where their next pay cheque will come from. The word “furlough” – which until now has never been used in English employment law – is the go-to term for employers in crisis who want the government to foot their staff salaries during the crisis.

Over the next 4 weeks there were regular updates giving additional details as to who the employer could claim for, how the claims should be calculated and there was some tweaking to the scheme itself.

Requests for state aid to temporarily pay staff wages during the coronavirus crisis have flooded the government’s furlough scheme, which opened officially on April 20. The scheme has since been extended till October, where the government will continue to pay 80 per cent of people’s wages until the end of July, but from August the scheme will continue for all sectors and regions of the country but with greater flexibility to support the transition back to work

Staff up and down the land were furloughed and

But the speed at which the package was announced, and the complexity of it, has left many confused, so we caught up with Barry Smith of Yorkshire based Accountancy firm, Adam & Co Financial Management, who have been servicing businesses for more than four decades to provide our readers a first hand account of the accessibility and impact of the Furlough scheme. Over to you Barry.

I cannot image that before 20 March 2020 many conversations will have focussed on the furloughing of employees. In fact, not many people will have used the word furlough.

All that changed on 20 March 2020 when the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced a package of funding initiatives to support businesses during the Covid-19 crisis.

Initially it was a temporary scheme for a three-month period from 1 March 2020 to support employers who could

not maintain their workforce because operations had been severely affected by the coronavirus.

Employees could be furloughed for a minimum of three weeks and provided all conditions were met, employers could obtain a grant that would cover 80% of the employee’s usual wage, up toa maximum of £2,500 per month, plus associated Employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contributions on that wage.

THE BEST VIDEO CALLING APPS STAY CONNECTED DURING LOCKDOWN With the country in lockdown, more and more of us are relying on technology to keep us connected with the outside world.

So, we’ve taken a look at the top four video calling apps, to help you discover which app is the best for you.

I had visions of the system crashing and claims been delayed.

Running a small practice that deals with sole traders and companies that have few employees, I have often felt frustrated with the way HMRC has dealt with this type of

I am so pleased, and very pleased for those who have made the claims, that the scheme has worked and claims have been paid out within the time scale stated. For some businesses the grant has been the difference between survival or folding. The grant has been received within the 6 working days and I have no evidence of claims been rejected.

I am so pleased, and very pleased for those who have made the claims, that the scheme has worked and claims have been paid out within the time scale stated. For some businesses the grant has been the difference between survival or folding. The grant has been received within the 6 working days and I have no evidence of claims been rejected.

employers waited for the date when claims could be submitted. HMRC were having to design a portal that could deal with the claims and were having to do this at a time when their own staff numbers would be reduced due to selfisolation and staff having to work from home.

After what seemed an eternity, and in a period when businesses were been seriously affected by the

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Video calling apps such as Whatsapp, Zoom and Houseparty have seen an increase in demand for their services.

However, for those of you who aren’t tech savvy the choice of services on offer can be overwhelming.

lockdowns, HMRC announced the portal would be launched on 20 April 2020.

MESSENGER ROOMS

client. There has been a lack of consistency in the way HMRC has dealt with queries, correspondence and general matters which led to this frustration and gave me doubts as to how the new portal would work.

Would the portal be able to handle the volume of applications?

Would the claims be paid out in the 6-working day turnround promised by HMRC?

HMRC are to be complimented on their approach to paying out the grant.

The furlough scheme has now been extended to the end of October and this will be a lifeline to so many businesses and will mean employees keeping their jobs.

Over 7.5 million workers and 1 million businesses have so far benefitted from the scheme.

A word of caution So far, making a claim has been relatively straight forward.

However once the scheme is finished, HMRC will have a five-year period to audit claims.

You will need to make certain that your claims have been made in accordance with the

latest regulations provided by HMRC, bearing in mind some of the earlier details were a guidance on how claims should be made rather than the actual legislation.

You will need to keep records showing how you have calculated the claims and these records should be kept for fiveyear period.

One common mistake has seen employers claiming employer national insurance when the company has no employer national insurance liability as a result of the annual employment allowance.

Advice would be, recheck your claims to make certain that the claims are in accordance with the latest legislation.

Any mistakes, either speak to HMRC or adjust the over claim on a subsequent claim.

In summary, an excellent scheme, a user-friendly portal for claims and a speedy payment of the grant.

But beware, you might have to explain your claims at some time over the next 5 years, so make certain you can justify your calculations.

One of Zoom’s standout features is the geniu s tiled view, so that you can see multiple partic ipants at the same time, as well as its voice activation feature. When using Zoom the “tile” of the person speaking is magnified so you can easily see the speaker in question. This one is loved by workplaces with more than half of Fortune 500 companies reportedly used the programme for their video calls in 2019.

Despite recent criticisms, Houseparty has emerg ed as one of the most popular video messaging apps of 2020.

Owned by reputed online gaming company Epic Games, which also created Fortnite and Assassin’s Creed, downloads of the Houseparty app rose from an average of 130,000 per week in February to two million per week throughout March. This app combines video messaging with interactive gaming so you can use it to play trivia in groups. Friends of friends can join your conve rsation like at a house party, enabling users to meet new people.

This is one to download if you’re feeling social .

Think of Viber as Skype’s younger cooler cousin . The video calls are high quality and the servic e is also accessible across multiple devices, including blackberry, Android, iOS, Windows 8 and MacBooks, makin g it a popular choice if you want to send emojis without fear they won’t display because of incompatible softwa re. It’s free to download, you can also use it to share files and the servic e prides itself on privacy and security of its calls.

You probably already have WhatsApp on your phone, but did you know you can make group calls within the app? As of 2020 the app registered over two billion users worldwide, so the fact that most of your contact book is already linked up to the service sets it apart for its ease of use. Until recently, it was only possible to make group WhatsApp video calls with four people.

But a recent update expanded this limit to eight people at once.

Now Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, is testin g a way to expand this further. If they manage it, then it may become serious competition for the others.

Steadily climbing up the ladder of popularity are Messenger Rooms, which only launched last month and are a clear bid to rival Zoom, Microsoft’s Skype, Apple ’s FaceTime and Google Meet. – all of which have seen a recent popularity surge.

A GUIDE TO NAVIGATE PAST THE LOCKDOWN Rehan Ahmed

RESTRUCTING & INSOLVENCY SPECIALIST

Much of the world as we know has come to a standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses have been forced to close for more than a month now, however there are talks of lockdown relaxing and for businesses to open up – but what would a post lockdown economy look like? What are the tips for survival?

We asked Rehan Ahmed a restructuring and insolvency Partner at Quantuma, a specialist independent business advisory firm, to offer his expert advice on the changing face of businesses in a post-lockdown world. Here’s what he had to say: As we enter week seven of lockdown, this is definitely a moment in history that will change the way we live our lives going forward. As an advisory firm, we have been working with a number of businesses on their options during this period: advisory and restructuring work through to formal insolvency appointments.

Pivoting a business In the public domain, we have already seen many businesses close their shops due to the enforced lockdown and, unfortunately, the reality is they may never reopen. That said many businesses have done phenomenally well during this pandemic. Some have been able pivot their business to open new routes to their customers, whilst others have seen demand increase due to changes in customer spending habits.

Luke Patel

What we are seeing Apart from ‘you must be really busy right now’, the most common question we have been asked here at Quantuma is ‘what can businesses do to survive and thrive during this period?’

I believe we are now entering what I call phase two of the pandemic. Phase one was the initial shock of the lockdown where we were advising businesses not to panic and explore all their options including government support that has been introduced. Phase two is about planning ahead for the duration of this pandemic and life after the lockdown. Here are some pointers as to what businesses should be doing during this period.

Tips on navigating this pandemic and beyond 1. Cash management:

PARTNER AT BLACKS SOLICITORS LLP

As the classic saying goes cash is King. Given we are now into week seven of the lockdown businesses need to manage cash more effectively and ensure they are not wasting valuable cash reserves. · Review and have sight of costs in all departments. Break down all costs and categorise them to the relevant departments – Sales, Finance, Supplier, HR, Operations etc. · Depending on the size of the business, allocate one department to someone to ensure the costs are being managed and make sure everyone is clear on what they are doing. · Review each expense and the following questions will dictate what needs to be done with that expense – is it needed?

Is it critical? Can the business survive without this? Can the service be reduced and still survive? Can we get a holiday

on this expense during the pandemic? · Keep in constant contact with the team and review your payment plans on a regular basis as some payments may change from critical payments to none critical payments so priority of payments may change.

2. Diversify your offering Entrepreneurs are always creative and innovative – this time is no different. Businesses should be looking at what can they be doing differently in the current climate to generate income within their business.

Pivoting the business could be a lifesaver in this climate especially during the lockdown period. I have heard of some fantastic success stories where a business has changed and remodelled themselves. An example would be that of a high-end restaurant whose takings have doubled to what they normally would have in the shop just through doing it through a delivery service with less staff. Think of ways your business can diversify and if possible do not just look at this as a short-term lockdown solution.

Luke Patel is a Partner at Leeds law firm Blacks Solicitors LLP specialising in commercial dispute resolution and heads up that team.

Gareth Bull won £41m on the Euromillions Lottery in 2012. Mr Bull then bought a villa in Tenerife where he met Donna Desporte who ran a bar on the island. Mr Bull subsequently separated from his wife and began a relationship with Ms Desporte. Following the ending of the relationship, Ms

This period is a great time to assess your business in depth.

There are some essential questions businesses should be asking themselves right now when reviewing the business: 1. Can processes be improved?

2. Are people within the business in the right role?

3. Is the whole business focused on the current strategy and is it working?

4. Can we use technology to improve efficiencies?

These questions would be a starting point for businesses to assess where they are, and each business will develop further questions as a result of this exercise. One of the interesting questions worth asking yourself right now is what would you do if you were to set up your business today? If your answer is different to what you are doing right now, then change it.

4. Do not panic and seek professional advice Do not panic and make rash decisions during this period.

Going down an insolvency route

might well be the best option for a business at some point but make sure you explore all your options before making a decision.

This brings me nicely on to my final point of seeking professional advice. That classic phrase of ‘my mate said…’ has been replaced by ‘I saw a post that said…’ It would be advisable not to be sucked into listening to social media and basing your important business decisions on what you heard on various forums. Speak to specialist advisors in that area.

Whether you need to speak to an employment solicitor on advice on staffing issues or your accountant on how to deal with HMRC debts or an insolvency practitioner of options to restructure your business, these professionals will give you the right advice tailored to your business. The worst thing you could do is not take the right advice which could end up haunting you later on.

For more business advice and tips you can contact Rehan at Quantuma by email on rehan.ahmed@quantuma.com or visit the website at www.quantuma.com

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION DOES NOT EXTEND TO KISS & TELL BOOK

Luke was the winner of the Best Professional in Business award at the Asian English Business Awards 2013. Described in the Legal 500 as “exceptional” he primarily acts for individuals, owner managed businesses and SME’s in a wide range of sectors.

In the case of Bull v Desporte the High Court granted a lottery winner a permanent injunction preventing his former partner from publishing details about their relationship.

3. Taking the time to improve processes

Desporte wrote and published a book entitled “Google Me No Lies” and it was largely about her relationship with Mr Bull.

Mr Bull issued proceedings against Ms Desporte for misuse of private information and for infringement of copyright.

The misuse of private information claim concerned 36 passages in the book which included four categories of private information: · Details of Mr Bull’s sexual relationship with Ms Desporte;

· Mr Bull’s relationship and divorce from his wife; · Mr Bull’s children; and · Mr Bull’s physical health.

The claim for copyright infringement related to the inclusion in the book of a number of photographs taken by Mr Bull which he had then sent to Ms Desporte privately during their relationship.

Mr Bull applied for a permanent injunction to restrain Ms Desporte from publishing the private information in the

36 passages as well as the photographs and in addition to which he sought damages.

The Court found that Mr Bull had a reasonable expectation of privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in respect of the information regarding his children, his health, his sex life with Ms Desporte and details of his relationship with and divorce from his former wife. Balancing the competing rights to privacy and freedom of expression,

the judge concluded that the balancing exercise came down in favour of Mr Bull. Publication of the information had been, and would continue to be, a violation of his and his family’s Article 8 rights causing serious harm and distress. The nature of the information involved made it particularly worthy of protection, and there was very little, or no, public interest in publishing it.

In respect of the claim for copyright infringement, the judge found that although Mr Bull had given the photographs to Ms Desporte it did not amount to a grant by him of permission for her to publish those to the world

and therefore that claim also succeeded.

Mr Bull was granted a permanent injunction preventing the publication of the four categories of information and he was awarded £12,500 in damages against Ms Desporte.

This case illustrates that the right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the ECHR will not extend to so-called “kiss and tell” stories.

If you are involved in any privacy or intellectual property dispute then Blacks Solicitors can assist.

Please contact Luke Patel on 0113 227 9316 or by email at LPatel@LawBlacks.com.

ASIAN STANDARD / BRADFORD

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Gried Pan r Parcels Me od

1. . To make the grilling paste, tip your herbs into a food process or blender along with the garlic, ginger, chilli, lemon juice, oil, garam masala and 1 tsp salt. Process until fine and smooth, then stir in the yogurt, carom and double cream. Adjust any of the seasonings to taste as needed.

2. . Cut each block of paneer into 3-4 pieces, then piece with a fine skewer. Coat the cheese in the grilling paste then leave to marinate in the fridge for as long as possible, preferably around 1 hour.

3. Heat the grill or griddle pan and prepare two sheets of foil. Place four pieces of paneer on each, then top with the chopped red onion and a knob of butter. Bring the foil together to create a parcel.

4. Place the parcels straight onto your grill or griddle pan and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the paneer is hot and slightly charred on the bottom. Serve immediately in the hot parcels, with the chaat masala sprinkled on top.

Recipes sponsored by www.desikitchen.co.uk

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Ingredients • 1/2 red onion, chopped finely • 25g butter • 1 tsp chaat masala • 2 x 225g blocks of paneer For the grilling paste: • 25g mint leaves • 85g coriander leaves, with stalks left on • 1 clove of garlic • 3cm piece of ginger, • • • • • • •

peeled 1 small green chilli 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp garam masala 2 tbsp double cream 3 tbsp greek yogurt 1/2 tbsp carom seeds (ajwain)

EID MESSAGES FOR BRADFORD DISTRICT #EIDATHOME

We are grateful that we are able to reap p the blessings of Eid even in difficult times. es.

This is an opportunity to reflect upon and appreciate being able to enjoy Eid although in a limited way. We bein hope ho individuals and families can make the best of celebrating this auspicious occasion safely.

EID MUBARAK FROM THE

KHIDMAT CENTRES

WISHING YOU GOOD H HEALTH AND BLESSINGS ON THIS SPECIAL OCCASION FROM ALL OF THE POSITIVE A ACTION TEAM AT WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE

Sova Healthcare wishes all readers Eid Mubarak

Here at the Yorkshire Asian Business Association we would like to wish all who celebrate a very special

Wishing everyone a safe and blessed Eid

and blessed Eid Mubarak

eid mubarak

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