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Bollywoods “Tragedy King” dies V

eteran Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar aged 98 has sadly died in a Mumbai hospital after a prolonged illness. He was known as the “Tragedy King” due to the portrayal of serious roles. ... ...continued on page 5

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Traffic NANOTECH bulletin: M6 AND AI junction 10 provides bridge growth to beam lift Farming postponed industry

YOUNG Lee Sensational BOXER FROM Bloomfield Interview WARRING Promotes Deana AFGHANISTAN INVESTMENT Uppal IN locals’ HOMES

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housands of farmers have been protesting against the central government’s three agricultural laws near the Delhi border for more than five months......

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Editor’s Note Hello readers and welcome back to the 154th edition of Asian World Newspaper! We hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe from the claws of the deadly pandemic, Covid-19. Ramadan 2021 is approaching soon and we understand that some of you may not be able to spend this holy month with your loved ones!

To cheer you up, we thought we should share some exciting news stories and something totally different to the usual covid-19 updates.

This month we focus on the protests that are happening in India and Bangladesh, turn to our global section to read the latest updates. We are also focusing on keeping a healthy lifestyle, especially as the lockdown has made some of us lazy! Turn to our health section to find out how you can keep a healthy lifestyle during lockdown. If you are somebody that loves watching movies on Amazon prime, then visit our glam section to see some of the new upcoming film releases. Also, don’t forget to look at our wrap edition by the wonderful Al Khair Foundation Charity, where you can see some of

the excellent work done by the charity itself. As you know the travel industry has faced many distributions due to the pandemic, why not read all about this in our travel section. Of course, this month we have provided some information on what to eat during Ramadan to ensure that we are looking after our health while we fast.

Whichever section you turn to, there is a story that is suitable for everyone, whether you are into sports, business, or you just like to read the news. So, pick up a copy of the West Midlands’s No.1 South Asian paper and make sure you leave no page unturned. Take a look at the rest of this issue NOW! And remember to stay safe and stay alert. For the latest and most exclusive advertisement offers for 2021, please don’t hesitate to Contact us on 0121 771 4545 or email: sales@asianworldnews. co.uk Have a great read!

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Bollywoods “Tragedy King” dies

Front Page Story Cont’d...

Dilip Kumar was hospitalized twice last month after complaining of breathlessness but passed away early on Wednesday (7th June) in a Mumbai hospital. His family tweeted “with a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip saab a few minutes ago. We are from God and to him we return.” the announcement of his passing.

Shah Rukh Khan and a number of major Bollywood actors also visited Kumar’s residence to pay their respects.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was saddened to learn of Kumar’s death. “For my generation, Dilip Kumar was the greatest and most versatile actor,’’ he tweeted. As well as his fame in India he was also hugely popular among cinema lovers in Pakistan.

In 1998, he was awarded the “Nishane-Imtiaz,” which is Pakistan’s highest civilian honor, becoming the only Indian citizen to receive it.

Khan also mentioned Kumar’s generosity in helping to raise funds in Pakistan and London for a trust to set up cancer hospitals in his mother’s memory.

Kumar, whose real name was Muhammad Yusuf Khan, was born on December 11th 1922 in pre-independence India in the city of Peshawar, (now Pakistan). Kumar was born into a Hindko-speaking Awan family at his family home in the Qissa Khawani Bazaar area of Peshawar, a city in North-

“An institution has gone,” Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted.

“Whenever the history of Indian Cinema will be written, it shall always be ‘before Dilip Kumar, and after Dilip Kumar’.”

Photo Credit: indianexpress.com West Frontier Province, British India (present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan). He was one of 12 children whose father was a fruit merchant.

After moving to Bombay, now known Mumbai, Kumars acting career began in 1944 debuting in “Jwar Bhata”. Although his acting career began accidentally as ameans to make money, his films began receiving critical acclaim in the industry. Kumar never used his real name out of fear of his father who did not approve of his chosen career path.

Kumar first major hit at the box office was Jugnu in 1947 in which he starred alongside Noor Jahan. Followed by “Shaheed” and “Mela” in 1948. The

following year Kumar starred in “Andaz” which was the highest-grossing Indian film at the time. He played various different characters, a romantic hero in “Andaz,” a swashbuckler in

“Aan,” a dramatic drunkard in “Devdas,” a comic role in “Azaad.”

Kumar has co starred with many actresses in his time including Nargis, Nimmi, Meena Kumari and Madubala.

In 1966, 44 year old Dilip Kumar married actress Saira Banu, who was also 22 years then him. The couple went on to act alongside each other in “Gopi,” “Sagina Mahato” and “Bairaag.”

In the late ‘70s Kumar took a career break returned with a role in the major hit “Kranti,” in 1981. He also played key roles in films such as “Shakti” and “Saudagar.” His last film was “Qila” in 1998. The same year, Kumar received the highest honor for contributions to Indian cinema, “Dadasaheb Phalke” award. After being nominated for a six-year term, he served in the upper house of Indian Parliament Kumar was given state funeral led by a police band. He has been buried in a Muslim graveyard in Mumbai city.

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Homeowners with an empty driveway set to benefit from returning gig goers and sports fans

Traffic bulletin: M6 junction 10 bridge beam lift postponed Planned work to lift 44m-long steel bridge beams into place creating a new bridge at junction 10 of the M6 has been postponed.

Unforeseen changes to the planned delivery route for the bridge beams means that the operation to lift them into place cannot go ahead this weekend.

The M6 was due to be closed in both directions at junction 10 from 8pm on Friday (2 July) until 6am on Monday to enable the work to take place which would see a 50m-high crane dropping the 130-tonne beams into place.

It is part of the £78 million transformation of the Walsall junction which will replace the 50-year-old bridges currently in place across the M6 and double the number of lanes around the junction from two to four.

Highways England and Walsall Council, supported by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, have joined forces to fund the congestion-busting upgrade. Contractor John Sisk & Son is carrying out the work.

A new date for the beam lift is now being arranged for later next month and will be announced shortly.

The congestion at junction 10 was identified as one of the main transport issues facing the region in the West Midlands Strategic Transport Plan.

As well as work on the junction itself, the westbound carriageway of the busy Black Country Route is being widened from two to three lanes from junction 10 to Marshlands Way.

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90% of the UK is within 4 hours of Birmingham

Imminent planned unlocking of COVID restrictions will see many more gig goers and sports fans return to music and sports venues needing somewhere to parkResidents with an empty driveway near Wembley made almost £6,500 collectively per game with YourParkingSpace.co.uk during the recent England football matches at Euro 2020Government insists that unlocking will go ahead

in England on 19th July when all legal limits on social contact are expected to be dropped Homeowners with an empty driveway living near music and sports venues are set to benefit from the Government’s plan to unlock England from the last COVID social contact restrictions on 19th July.

Indeed, as music and sports venues

prepare to welcome fans back to prepandemic levels, online parking portal YourParkingSpace.co.uk is highlighting the additional revenue that can be made by renting out a driveway for gig goers and sports fans to park on.

And already driveway parking demand is on the increase with data from YourParkingSpace.co.uk revealing that residents living near Wembley were collec-

tively making in the region of almost £6,500 per game by renting out their empty spaces to England footie fans during the delayed Euro 2020.

Meanwhile, restrictions could be lifted in Scotland in early August, while in Wales lifting restrictions will be reviewed in mid-July and some rules are being reviewed in Northern Ireland in early July.

Harrison Woods, CEO at YourParkingSpace.co.uk, said: “A final unlocking of COVID social contact restrictions will lead to a surge in demand for prebookable driveway parking as music and sports venues fill up to pre-pandemic levels.

“It is a great opportunity for homeowners living near these locations to make an additional income by renting out their driveways as parking spaces.”

Further evidence from YourParkingSpace.co.uk also reinforces that significant sums can be made where there is a high demand for pre-bookable rented driveway parking.

The online parking portal’s research discovered that homeowners with an empty driveway in London and Brighton earned more than £2,000 on average over the last year by renting them out as parking spaces, while residents in Edinburgh, Bristol, Leeds, Oxford and Manchester broke the £1,500 threshold.

Harrison added: “Many households are feeling a financial squeeze through no fault of their own. Listing an empty driveway might be one way to lessen a monetary burden.”

NHS CHIEF HAILS ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ HONOUR FOR STAFF

Sir Simon Stevens hailed the “skill and compassion and the fortitude” of health service staff as the NHS was awarded the George Cross for 73 years dedicated service and the response to Covid by Her Majesty the Queen.

Welcoming the “unprecedented” honour, bestowed collectively for only the third time, Sir Simon said that the “dark times” of the coronavirus pandemic had brought out “the best” in health and care staff.

And the NHS chief paid tribute to all those in the NHS and beyond who had played their part in responding to the “greatest challenge this country has faced since the Second World War”.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: “This unprecedented award rightly recognises the skill and compassion and the fortitude of staff right across the National Health Service – the nurses, the paramedics, the doctors, the clean-

ers, the therapists, the entire team– who under the most demanding of circumstances have responded to the worst pandemic in a century and the greatest challenge this country has faced since the Second World War. “Out of those dark times have come the best of what it means to be a carer and a health professional.

“In the face of adversity we have seen extraordinary team work, not just across the NHS but involving hundreds of thousands of volunteers, millions of carers, key workers and the British public who have played an indispensable role in helping the health service to look after many hundreds of thousands of seriously ill patients with coronavirus.

“And so, as we congratulate staff across the health service on this award, we recognise that completing the NHS COVID vaccination programme which is in the final stages is now the surest way out of this pandemic and provides a sense of hope.”

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BIRMINGHAM SCIENTIST WHO LOST FATHER TO CANCER DEDICATES CAREER TO START NEW CANCER CURES

An hour of lifesaving cancer research costs £24. To help Worldwide Cancer Research start new cancer cures, please visit: www.worldwidecancerresearch.org/support-us/donate/

Roger, David and David’s wife in 2006

Professor speaks of his motivation ahead of Father’s Day A professor who has devoted his career to starting cancer cures, after losing his father to pancreatic cancer, has spoken of how his dad remains his motivation this Father’s Day. Fifteen years on from losing

his dad Roger, father of two Professor David Withers, who is currently funded by Worldwide Cancer Research, has shared his hope that research will help lead to treatment possibilities for all cancers, so no family has to face the struggle he did.David and his

team, based at the University of Birmingham, are trying to find out more about how our immune system and immunotherapies work against cancer. They hope that a better understanding of these processes will help to improve the current immunotherapies,

making them useful for more patients.

The project - one of 16 new projects funded by the charity in 2021 - was awarded £170,685 to track immune cells to improve immunotherapy for patients.

UK charity Worldwide Cancer Research has invested £200m into cancer research projects, delivering breakthroughs that have contributed to improved cancer survival rates, thanks to researchers like David.t The charity is currently funding 74 active research projects, with a total value of £15m, which are focused on 18 different types of cancer.

Professor David Withers, at the Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham said: “My father, Roger, died of pancreatic cancer in 2006.

He was 59 when it was discovered. Looking back, I think the worst part was that when the diagnosis was made, there were no treatment options left available to him. He was told there was nothing that could be done and he died less than five months later.

“This was very early in my research career, so focussing some of my research towards the immune response to cancer became something I really wanted to do. I hope that I can make a difference to other families facing the same situation as mine did when my father was diagnosed. I would like to think

that treatment possibilities for all cancers are not too far away as we learn to better manipulate immune responses.

“One in two people will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, and I think it is in the back of all our minds as we get older. I dream of one day knowing that all cancers have good treatment options, and for me, this is a really worthy goal.

It also feels like this should be obtainable given how quickly we are currently learning to exploit the amazing jobs different immune cells do!

“Our project will increase our understanding of how immune cells get to cancers, how they change once there and why. This is fundamental to develop therapies that reinvigorate the immune response – currently these work amazingly well in a minority of patients, but we need to understand why they don’t work better across the board. Through better understanding these changes we hope that new ways to boost the response of immunotherapies will be clear and can be rapidly translated into helping patients.

“Being able to do research

for a career is a huge privilege and is only possible thanks to the enormous support of charities such as Worldwide Cancer Research that provide so much of the funding involved in science.”

Dr Helen Rippon, Chief Executive, Worldwide Cancer Research said: “The past year has shown us the vital role research plays in improving the lives of people across the world, with the global research community coming together to deliver COVID19 vaccines at phenomenal pace.

“It has also demonstrated what can be achieved when dedicated and wellfunded scientists with the brightest minds come together to solve a problem.

For many cancers, like pancreatic cancer, survival rates still need to be improved which is why continuing to start new cures for cancer is so vital.

“We’d like to say a massive thank you to David for sharing his powerful story on Father’s Day, and for his important research into improving immunotherapies.

We won’t stop until cancer does.”

Burma Campaign UK Welcomes UK Sanctions on Timber, Pearls and SAC

Burma Campaign UK welcomed new sanctions imposed by the British government on the Burmese military and its economic interests.

The British government has sanctioned two state-owned entities which now provide revenue for the military since the coup. They are Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE) and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise (MPE).

They have also sanctioned the State Administration Council (SAC), the military appointed body attempting to run government institutions.

“This latest round of sanctions by the British government is very welcome and another step

towards cutting the economic lifeline of the military,” said Anna Roberts, Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK. “The British government is following the right approach by continuing to identify and sanction more revenue sources for the military. There is still a lot more that can and must be done,

identifying every possible economic pressure point, and working with the EU and USA to help cut oil and gas revenue.”

The British government is taking welcome steps sanctioning the economic interests of the military, and lobbying for more countries to impose arms embargoes. However, there has been no significant progress in British government support for justice and accountability, with Dominic Raab still refusing to support referring Burma to the International Criminal Court, and still refusing to join the Rohingya genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

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Birmingham residents receiving vaccinations at Millennium Point exempt from Clean Air Zone charge Birmingham residents are able to get a ‘walk-in’ vaccination at Millennium Point from this week and are also exempt from Clean Air Zone charges if driving a non-compliant vehicle.

Walk-in (no appointment) Covid vaccinations are available this week from today (Wednesday 23 July) to Sunday (27 June) for people under the age of 40 at Millennium Point. Birmingham residents aged 18 and over can attend, without appointment, between 10am and 4pm.

The Millennium Point mass vaccination centre also comes under Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone medical exemption voucher scheme. The scheme provides visitors who drive a non-compliant vehicle to attend an appointment at Millennium Point, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Bath Row Medical Practice and Badger Medical Centre with a voucher that exempts them from the daily charge.

The vouchers provide a code for a duration of a single Clean Air Zone payment day period (midnight to midnight) and voucher recipients will need to input the code on the Brum Breathes website which will then give them a 24-hour exemption for that period.

Councillor Paulette Hamilton, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care said: “It is so important people get vaccinated and the council is working with NHS colleagues and other partners to try to increase uptake, especially in those areas

of the city where uptake is low but case rates are higher than elsewhere.

“While we want to encourage people to use alternatives to driving when they can, we know it is difficult for some so it is absolutely right that we make exemptions for non-compliant vehicles for people getting vaccinated. So please do at-

tend these centres if you can and get your CAZ voucher if you qualify.”

Councillor Waseem Zaffar MBE, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment said: “The Clean Air Zone has set the wheels in motion to create cleaner and safer air in our city. We have always understood the need to provide key groups of people with additional support as part of our journey towards cleaner air.

“As our city begins to recover from the pandemic, we are urging everyone to get vaccinated and it’s important we support those in non-compliant vehicles by providing them with this exemption.”

A voucher will only be required for vehicles which do not meet the emission standards. Vouchers can be redeemed 6 days in advance of a visit, the day of a visit, or 6 days after. A new voucher will be required each day so any drivers who regularly attend the medical centres and hospitals will be able to get a voucher each day they visit. The vouchers will be available to collect from reception and must be redeemed online. To find out more and input a voucher code, please visit: www.brumbreathes.co.uk/info/29 /exemptions-3/21/apply-exemption/7

MAK HALAL EXPANDS FURTHER IN BIRMINGHAM

After the great success of Mak Halal restaurants in Hall Green, Small Heath and Alum Rock, Birmingham’s most vibrant restaurant chain has just opened a new branch at 310-312 Ladypool Road.

The new branch will boost the local economy by creating newjobs in this challenging period.

It will also enhance the city’s food scene by bringing the taste of authentic halal pizza and burger to the area.

The business has enjoyed steady growth since launching in Birmingham in 2016.

It now has fouroutletsand that number is expected to doubleby the end of 2021.

The process of opening new branches has already begun and along with Ladypool Road, a new branch in Walsall is coming on stream later this summer.

Mak Halal’s great success story is based on attention to detail combined with the dedication to customer satisfaction. The company’s moto is “come hungry, leave happy.”

Mak Halal’s mouth-watering menu provides food lovers with a wide variety of flame grilled burgers using 100% prime beef, cooked to perfection.

It also includes a great range of pizzas and paninis along with vegan options to ensure there is something for everyone.

Among them is the Mak Halal signature

Pizza which is made with afresh cream base and provides pizza lovers with a choice of 3 toppings to create a unique gourmet food experience.

Managing Director Abdulwahab Omar said: “Our rich halal menu includes not only freshly baked pizzas and burgers but also a great selection of sandwiches and two flavours of tiramisu that are hard to resist.”

The new branches are open from 12 noon to 11 pm seven days a week and are partnered withUber Eats, Just Eat and Food Hub.

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July 2021

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Birmingham bids for more than £60 million to regenerate key parts of the city

Birmingham City Council has bid for circa £64 million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund to support four major schemes in the city.

“

After over a decade of austerity, Birmingham has some of the highest levels of unemployment and deprivation anywhere in the country and our communities should be at the heart of the levelling-up agenda.

Birmingham City Council has a bold strategy for an inclusive recovery that will address long-standing inequalities that have been made worse by the pandemic and these schemes have the potential to create the jobs and opportunities that will drive that economic recovery.

“

The selected schemes had been consulted on extensively and were identified as having a strong strategic case for investment opportunities. They include: Erdington High Street – redeveloping the Central Square Shopping Centre and creating a new public square; transforming the former swimming baths in to a community hub; upgrading the public realm, footpaths and lighting to make it safer and more accessible.

A457 Dudley Road Improvements – major transport improvements to help reduce congestion, encourage active travel (walking and cycling), provide better facilities for public transport users and improve connectivity to new housing developments where more than 2,000 new houses are currently being built.

Moseley Road Baths and Balsall Heath Library – to allow for the next phase of restoring the Grade II listed Edwardian swimming pool and library.

Remediation of the former Birmingham Wheels Site (Bordesley Park) – remediation, treatment and clearance

Leader of Birmingham City Council, Councillor Ian Ward said:

Photo Credit: www.birmingham.gov.uk

work to transform the space in to an attractive area for future employment and training opportunities.

The Government announced a £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund (LUF) as part of the Spring Budget in March 2021. The fund will provide investment into infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK, including regenerating town centres and high streets, upgrading local transport infrastructure, and investing in cultural and heritage assets.

A decision on the funding allocations is expected to be announced this Autumn.

Melody Masters International Presents EID MILAN PARTY!!

Melody Masters International are holding an Eid Milan party on Sunday 1st August 2021. The aim of the annual event is to bring the community together to celebrate two Eid festivals which took place under lockdown conditions.

A great line up awaits us, we are proud to showcase local talent in a night to remember through the best music and entertainment. There will be stalls with fabulous items to buy and consume as

well as an auction to add even more excitement to an already jam-packed evening of fun.

Charity never stops, MMI continued providing support to the most vulnerable people in society at a time when services were overstretched. This would not have been possible without the support of the key MMI volunteers. We will be honouring and appreciating these volunteers that demonstrated their commitment to

MMI during the hardest times of MMI’s history. In addition, we will be commemorating fallen MMI heroes whom we sadly lost as a result of the covid pandemic.

A delicious 3 course meal is included in the ticket price.

Please contact Nas for all general enquires on 07850138971

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July 2021

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NANOTECH AND AI COULD HOLD KEY TO UNLOCKING GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY CHALLENGE Climate change, increasing populations, competing demands on land for production of biofuels and declining soil quality mean it is becoming increasingly difficult to feed the world’s populations.

The United Nations (UN) estimates that 840 million people will be affected by hunger by 2030, but researchers have developed a roadmap combining smart and nano-enabled agriculture with AI and machine learning capabilities that could help to reduce this number.

Publishing their findings today in Nature Plants, an international team of researchers led by the University of Birmingham sets out the following steps needed to use AI to harness the power of nanomaterials safely, sustainably and responsibly: Understand the long-term fate of nanomaterials in agricultural environments – how nanomaterials can interact with roots, leaves and soil; Assess the long-term life cycle impact of nanomaterials in the agricultural ecosystem such as how how repeated application of nanomaterials will affect soils; Take a systems level approach to nano-enabled agriculture – use existing data on soil quality, crop yield and nu-

trient-use efficiency (NUE) to predict how nanomaterials will behave in the environment; and Use AI and machine learning to identify key properties that will control the behaviour of nanomaterials in agricultural settings.

Study co-author Iseult Lynch, Professor of Environmental Nanosciences at the University of Birmingham, commented: “Current estimates show nearly 690 million people are hungry – almost nine per cent of the planet’s population. Finding sustainable agricultural solutions to this problem requires us to take bold new approaches and integrate knowledge from diverse

Give with an Open and Happy heart.

It is that time of the year again when we will all be researching on where to give our Qurbani. This beautiful act of devotion commemorates the sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim was prepared to make of his beloved son at the command of God. It also reminds us that we should be prepared to give up those things that we love in the world for the pleasure of our creator.

However, whilst the majority of us fulfil this compulsory act of worship, we have forgotten its true essence and the spirit of this great act. When deciding on where to offer our Qurbani, many of us search for the cheapest Qurbani – this needs to stop. We should be offering our Qurbani according to our desire to please God, not our desire to save money. We should be offering our sacrifice according to our financial means, not our desire to find the cheapest price.

Over 800 Million people across the world do not know where they get their next meal from.

This year Al-Khair Foundation are planning to deliver their Qurbani programme in over 21 countries and will benefit over 4 million people. These are some of the poorest people on the planet and they do not have the means to purchase meat due to poverty. Make sure you offer your Qurbani and choose wisely when deciding where you will be offering your sacrifice.

For further information please visit: alkhair.org or visit our branch: 210 Ladypool Rd, B12 8JT or call: 0121 7530300.

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fields, such as materials science and informatics.

“Precision agriculture, using nanotechnology and artificial intelligence, offers exciting opportunities for sustainable food production. We can link existing models for nutrient cycling and crop productivity with nanoinformatics approaches to help both crops and soil perform better – safely, sustainably and responsibly.”

The main driver for innovation in agritech is the need to feed the increasing global population with a decreasing agricultural land area, whilst conserving soil health and protecting environmental quality.

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The research team, which includes experts from the Hellenic Military Academy, in Vari, Greece and Novamechanics Ltd, in Nicosia, Cyprus, note that nanotechnology offers great potential to enhance agriculture in four key ways: • Improving production rates and crop yields; • Boosting soil health and plant resilience; • Improving the efficiency of resources, such as fertiliser, and reducing pollution; and • Developing smart sensor plants that can alert farmers to environmental stresses.

Intensification of agriculture has resulted in extremely poor global NUE, which poses a serious threat to environmental quality as large amounts of nutrients are lost to water and air – warming the planet, with nearly 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions coming from agriculture.

Of particular concern is the emission of the ‘laughing gas’ nitrous oxide as a result of excessive nitrogen fertilization of land, which is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide in inducing global warming. Some 70% of the anthropogenic source nitrous oxide

emissions into air are contributed from the agricultural sector.

Nano fertilizers offers the potential to target crop fertility, enhance NUE and reduce nitrous oxide emission, which can thus help support the net zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050 targets under the UK Climate Change Act. Co-author Dr Peng Zhang, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, commented: “Computational approaches including AI and machine learning will have a critical role in driving the progress of nano-enabled agriculture.

Such approaches are already starting to gain regulatory acceptance for safety assessment of nanomaterials, allowing the development of safe-by-design nanomaterials for consumer products and medicine.

“Integrating AI and nanotechnology into precision agriculture will play a vital role in probing the design parameters of nanomaterials for use in fertilizer and pesticide delivery to ensure minimal impacts on soil health coupled with minimal nanomaterial residues remaining in the edible tissue portions – helping to ensure safe and sustainable agriculture.”

LOCAL 4-11

GLOBAL 12-14

BUSINESS 15-16

GLAM 17-19

WEDDINGS 20-21

HEALTH 22-23

FOOD 24-25

TECH 26

TRAVEL 27

MOTORING 28

SPORTS 29

July 2021

13

ICONIC ON-COURT PARTNERS LEANDER PAES & MAHESH BHUPATHI TEAM UP TO TELL THEIR OFF-COURT STORY ON ZEE5 WITH BREAK POINT ZEE5, the world’s largest streaming service for South Asian content, is all set to present the untold story of the titans of tennis Leander Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi, their partnership and the bitter break-up with ‘BREAK POINT’. ZEE5 has partnered with the award-winning filmmaker duo Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari to helm this sports docu- drama based on the on-court glory and off-court lives of the living legends.

A hint of BREAK POINT was conveyed through a Twitter banter between the duo, on 4th July 2021, the 22ndanniversary of their ionic Wimbledon win.

The series is a telling narrative on their friendship, their passion for the sport, the intricacies of their relationships and the strains on it in the context of unparalleled success. The duo were one of the most feared doubles pair during the late 1990s, and even ranked world number 1 in the year 1999.

Expanding the width of content offerings on the platform with extraordinary and relatable storytelling, BREAK POINTis a firm step towards providing viewers with a ‘mosaic of content’ on ZEE5.

The story is designed to appeal to every viewer eager to know about the humans behind the tennis legends. A story of belief, hard work, ambitions, conflicts and controversies, but above all a story of hope which keeps us together despite all odds. The show will also mark ZEE5’s first partnership with filmmakers, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari under their banner Earthsky Pictureswho are known for their exceptional movies such as Dangal, Panga, Chhichhore, Nil

Battey Sannata, Bareilly Ki Barfi and many more.

Speaking about the offering, Mr. Punit Misra, President – Content and International Markets, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited said, “Our Content design philosophy is simple – Build a deep understanding of viewers as people, not just as consumers of content. Build a bank of insights about the people, their culture, what interests and inspires them, what are their fears, hopes and aspira-

tions. And powered with these insights, tell stories that connect, inspire, entertain and energize. To tell these powerful stories in an impactful way, we want to partner with the best creative leaders. I am very proud of our partnership with Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari, to tell the amazing story of Lee and Hesh, true champions of our great country. ‘BREAK POINT’ is our effort to bring to our countrymen and to the world the told, but more importantly, the

untold story of these adored champions of India.”

Mr. Amit Goenka, President – Digital Businesses & Platforms, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “At ZEE5, consumer delight and a seamless user experience have been an integral aspect of our approach. We have been taking concerted steps to enhance the value proposition of ZEE5 with compelling content offerings on one hand and an exceptional customer experience on the other. This strategy has enabled us to consistently deliver value to all our partners which further strengthens ZEE5 as the platform of choice. With ‘BREAK POINT’, we are set to further delight our viewers with a gripping story that drove one of the most famous partnerships in sports from India. We see this story opening the floodgates to a new format of narrative and the breadth of content we have on ZEE5.”

Commenting on the partnership with ZEE5, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari in a joint statement said, “BREAK POINT is an emotionally moving human story of India’s biggest sports legends and their incredible journey through the ups and downs in their professional and personal life. Through this show, we will witness an exemplary story of hard-work, conflict, belief, emotions and ambitions and showcase some of the most iconic moments of Indian tennis. We are both thrilled to be bringing this interesting story through ZEE5, the world’s largest streaming service for South Asian content.”

“Our 20-year journey has been a sensi-

tive mix of achievement, conflict, success, disappointments, and friendship.

There is no one better to document this than Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari. I look forward to seeing this unfold on ZEE5”, shared Mahesh Bhupathi.

“I’m really excited to share our story with everyone. There’s been a lot of talk about Leander and Mahesh over the years, but the idea of inspiring the next generation, and sharing the moments with those who have supported us through the years, by telling our story, is what persuaded me to say yes to BREAK POINT. Friendships are what enrich our lives, and in BREAK POINT, people will witness the tests a true friendship needs to go through to survive. I can’t wait for everyone to witness it unfold on ZEE5”, added Leander Paes.

With customer centricity at the core of its design thinking, ZEE5 is leaving no stone unturned when comes to keeping the audience entertained, be it through blockbuster films like Radhe, Kaagaz, Nail Polish, Silence…Can You Hear it? or web shows like Rangbaaz, the State of Siege franchise, Sunflower and more The web series will not just take the tennis lovers on a tour, but it will also have a unique concept called fan box; a medium where the fan’s point of view is recorded and placed in front of Lee-Hesh. They would be made to answer some of the most direct questions from the fans and thus capture not just perspective of players and coaches but also fans. This would allow tennis fans to become part of the narrative and not just be passive viewers.

14

July 2021

Hindus feel slighted as Edinburgh Council defends Edinburgh Festival in mockery of Hindu gods

Hindus are heartbroken as City of Edinburgh Council refused to halt the funding to Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) for what Hindus saw as “collaboration in the mockery of Hindu gods”.

Lindsay A. Robertson, Council’s Culture Strategy Manager, in an email (on behalf of Council Chief Executive Andrew Kerr) to Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who spearheaded the EIF defunding request, wrote that Council “respects programming independence, artistic rights and freedom and does not expect to control or direct what is presented by the c i t y ’s cultural sec-

tor. Therefore, there is no plan to remove Council funding from the Edinburgh International Festival.”

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was sad to see the Council let a minority religion be ridiculed at the public-square despite its tall claims of “Inclusiveedinburgh” and stated commitment “to improving equality, inclusion and diversity across Edinburgh”. Is this Edinburgh’s strategy to stay as claimed “cultural capital of the world”? Zed asked.

City governments should not be in the business of using taxpayer’s money to fund projects which patronize sacrilege, blatant belittling of “other” traditions and ridiculing entire communities; Rajan Zed had pointed out.

Publicly funded charity EIF, which claims itself as “world class cultural event”, recently refused to drop “Hindu Times” play (August 20-21) as requested by Zed, who called it “highly inappropriate” as it reportedly trivializes immensely revered Hindu deities Brahma, Vishnu and Lakshmi.

Rajan Zed had also urged other EIF funders-partners-supporters like Scottish Government, British Council, UK Government, Culture Ireland, University of Edinburgh, Australian High Commission, Austrian Cultural Forum,

Rajan Zed

Canada, Germany Consulate General, Edinburgh Napier University, etc.; to earnestly think about pulling-out their support of EIF if it continued to corroborate in trivializing the deeply held beliefs of “others”. Zed also requested HRH The Earl of Wessex to rethink about his patronage of organization like EIF. Rajan Zed had said that Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and goddess Lakshmi were meant to be worshipped in temples and home shrines and not to be thrown around loosely or dragged around unnecessarily through the streets of Dundee reportedly looking for booze and breaking into a closed shop for it.

Zed had indicated that BrahmaVishnu-Lakshmi were divine and entertainment companies were welcome to create projects about/ around them showing their true depiction as mentioned in the Hindu scriptures (no Hindu scripture

mentions their visit to Dundee).

Inappropriately reimagining Hindu deities/concepts/scriptures/ symbols/icons and redefining Hinduism for commercial or other selfish agenda was not okay as it hurt the feelings of devotees.

Rajan Zed had stated that Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the adherents.

Besides hurting the sentiments, any misrepresentation created confusion among non-Hindus about Hinduism. Insensitive handling of faith traditions sometimes resulted in pillaging serious spiritual doctrines and revered symbols; Zed had remarked.

Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.2 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously.

No faith, larger or smaller, should be mishandled, Rajan Zed had noted.

According to reports, Lakshmi and Brahma use F-words in the play. “Hindu Times” review in The Guardian stated: “Gods Vishnu, Lakshmi and Brahma become street-smart hedonists...”.

EIF; established in 1947 and which showcases dance, opera, music, theatre, etc.; is being held this year in Edinburgh from August 07 to 29. “Hindu Times”; written by Jaimini Jethwa and directed by Caitlin Skinner; has been scheduled at The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

LOCAL 4-11

GLOBAL 12-14

BUSINESS 15-16

GLAM 17-19

WEDDINGS 20-21

HEALTH 22-23

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July 2021

15

T: 0121 771 4545 BUSINESS First students graduate UK government allotted from Birmingham-Guangzhou a contract to Entrust education partnership

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

The first students have graduated from an innovative partnership between the University of Birmingham and Jinan University that saw them receiving degrees from both institutions.

Eighty-seven successful students received their University of Birmingham degrees in a special online ceremony organised by the Jinan UniversityUniversity of Birmingham Joint Institute (J-BJI).

University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Eastwood joined proceedings by video link to make a welcome speech alongside President of Jinan University, Professor Song Xianzhong, as students celebrated the completion of their degrees.

Senior Birmingham colleagues Professors Jon Frampton, Stephen Jarvis, and Chris Good also spoke in the online ceremony, which included a traditional University of Birmingham graduation procession.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Eastwood commented: “It is wonderful to see our first students graduate from the Jinan University-University of Birmingham Joint Institute. This year’s cohort has performed exceptionally well - a sign of the quality of education provided by our partnership as, together, we train the next generation of China’s mathematicians.

“J-BJI’s programmes give students in China the opportunity to achieve high-quality dual degrees, whilst experiencing the teaching and study methods used at the University of Birmingham - part of the Russell Group of elite UK universities and a global top 100 university.”

President of Jinan University Professor Song Xianzhong

commented: “You (students at J-BJI) have successfully obtained two degrees in four years from two century-old universities in China and the United Kingdom, and you are the pioneers at Jinan University!

“You (students at J-BJI) have a good starting point and you are already at the forefront of the pioneering process. From now on, you must keep trying and put into practice the old saying “faithfulness in words and respectfulness in deeds.”

The partnership between the University of Birmingham and Jinan University was founded in 2017 allowing students to study in China and receive degrees from each university.

Subsequent postgraduate taught programmes have been linked to the innovative education programme and J-BJI students graduating today can progress onto taught postgraduate programmes in Mathematics-related subjects and programmes in the College of Medical and Dental Sciences in Birmingham.

The partnership already offers students the opportunity to earn high quality degrees from both Universities. There will be 280 places available for students in September 2021 and J-BJI will reach a steady-state of 1,200 students by 2024.

J-BJI offers dual degree programmes to students with four different specialisation options: Statistics with Economics Economics Information Computing Science Applied Mathematics Programmes are based on the Jinan University campus and taught by both Jinan University staff and a team of top Univer-

sity of Birmingham mathematicians.

Students experience a UK-style education in China. Each of the four-year programmes includes innovative modules designed to develop problem-solving and team-working skills. These skills will build their ability to apply mathematics to realworld problems.

Ten Birmingham alumni and staff have received Nobel Prizes. Professor David Thouless and Professor Michael Kosterlitz, two of the winners of the 2016 Nobel Prize for Physics given for work in Mathematical Physics, were members of the School of Mathematics at Birmingham in the 1970s.

Established in 1906, Jinan University is one of China’s elite group of the “211 Project” Universities. Jinan University carries out the mission of continuing the legacy of past sages whilst establishing the best disciplines to grow as a top university for future generations to benefit from one of the most prestigious universities in China. Mathematicians have been working with their Birmingham counterparts since 2011 on a range of teaching partnerships.

Professor Chris Good, Deputy Dean J-BJI and Head of the School of Mathematics at the University of Birmingham, said: “This close collaboration between our two universities is testament to the University of Birmingham’s growing reputation in China. By working in partnership to deliver highquality education with a global impact, we are giving Chinese students skills that are highly sought after by international graduate employers.”

After cooperating with a company that commended changing vaccine passports into documents that serve various purposes, the UK government was indicted of secretly implementing the National Identity Card program.

Entrust, an IT company that claims to be a “global leader in identity, payment and data conservation” allotted an agreement from the Ministry of Health and Social Care previous month to be responsible for the UK’s Covid-19 vaccine certification system. According to sources the company received £250,000 (US$346,000) to dispense cloud computing services for the government’s Covid status certification program. The agreement terminates in March 2022, but the government can choose to extend it for another year.

Last month, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that international travel will require evidence of vaccination, and in past weeks there have been news that the UK government may made it mandatory for public to provide documents for participation in sports related or other crowded events.

From Entrust’s own position on this matter, the government might be planning some more enthusi-

astic plans for digital certifications.

Jann Markey – Director of Product marketing at Entrust – said in a blog post that this emergence of vaccine passports is a part of new normal infrastructure and it must be considered as chance.

“Consider a national ID strategy: With the infrastructure and investment needed to ensure that vaccine passports are viable, why not redeploy this work to a national citizenship ID program that can be used for multiple functions, including the safe provision of government Services, safe cross-border travel and vaccination documents”, the blog discusses vaccine passports in the “post-pandemic world.”

It is worth noting that the USbased company has helped Albania, Ghana and Malaysia deploy national ID systems.

Entrust’s partnership with the British government has aroused the vigilance of civil liberties organizations and legislators.

Tory MP David Davis, a member of the Covid Anti-Block Recovery Group, has asked the government for an explanation.

Moreover, he said that it is “extraordinary” that the health department can sign agreements

with these companies without first obtaining parliamentary approval.

Former Conservative Party leader Sir Ian Duncan Smith also expressed similar dissatisfaction, asserting that the contract contradicted “the established position of the government” and should be cancelled.

The privacy and civil liberties organization Big Brother Watch stated that the Entrust contract represents an attempt by the government to issue ID cards “through the back door.”

“The fact that the government has entered into an agreement with Entrust that openly plans the route from vaccine passports to digital ID cards only underscores how serious a threat Covid would pose to our civil liberties and privacy,” Research leader Jake Hurfurt warned.

A spokesman for the health department insisted that the NHS application used to verify vaccination status should not be used as a national identification system, describing the system as a “simple and secure tool” to allow international travel. When contacted Entrust, it refused to comment.

16

July 2021

HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS MUST PRIORITISE INVESTMENT IN RESIDENTS’ HOMES Lee Bloomfield CEO - MHA AW Facts Did you know?

Starbucks’ round tables were created specifically so customers would feel less alone

Safeguarding the health and wellbeing of residents should be the “absolute priority” for housing associations, the Chief Executive of Bradford-based Manningham Housing Association (MHA) has argued.

Lee Bloomfield was speaking after National Housing Federation Chief Executive Kate Henderson responded to a series of ITV News reports about social housing residents living in homes with damp, mould and other types of serious disrepair.

In an interview, she said the affected residents had been “let down” by being forced to live in conditions which were “just not acceptable, not only because of the levels of disrepair in these homes but also because the residents have not felt listened to.”

Mr Bloomfield, who has led MHA since January 2018, said in a time of an acute shortage of social and affordable homes, housing associations are hungry for growth to help meet this shortfall however some larger housing associations were “placing growth ahead of maintaining and improving their existing properties.”

In a statement, Mr. Bloomfield said: “The ITV reports were shocking and having spoken to senior colleagues in other housing associations, I know there is a feeling of widespread revulsion across the sector about what was uncovered. It is fair to say that the majority of larger housing associations strike a balance of providing new homes whilst maintaining and improving their existing stock.

“I have long been of the view that some large housing associations have been focussed almost to the point of obsession on building up their stock portfolios at the risk of allowing the quality of their existing properties to deteriorate.

“In contrast, smaller housing associations with lower stock numbers often tend to focus their resources on organic growth and maintaining their existing stock to higher standards.

“MHA undertook a comprehensive stock condition survey in 2017 which confirmed that our more than 1,400 properties are in good condition.

“Since then, we have invested a further £2.5million in these homes including upgrades to kitchens and bathrooms.

“Our corporate strategy contains four key objectives including a steadfast commitment to looking after our existing homes.

“When we consulted with residents in Bradford and Keighley in 2019 about the association’s growth plans, they supported our desire to build new properties but not at the expense of existing homes falling to lower standards.

“The most recent residents survey, carried out in May this year, saw satisfaction levels with our repairs and maintenance service rise to 91%.

That is a positive outcome, although I still want this figure to rise further.

“MHA’s determination to look after the needs of our residents is matched by many other housing associations around the country. However, cases like those highlighted on the news over recent weeks reflect badly on the sector.

“A valuable lesson would be to strike the correct balance of properly investing in current stock whilst achieving unit growth.”

do in india, it required many politicians signatures and piles of paper work to be completed. I set up a office in Jaipur and built a strong team of now 10 people. I decided to name the trust Kindness Diaries as I want the charitys main focus to be that we all should just be kind to each other. Kindness can solve so many problems in the world.

Modelling:

Charity:

One of your many credits and accomplishments are exceeded by your philanthropic contributions as founder of ‘DKU Kindness Diaries Charitable Trust’ Now that it has been registered and running for well of a year, how would describe your individual experience of your established charity trust?

When I moved to Mumbai, India in 2010 from the UK, seeing the poverty was extremely shocking for me. As time went by I started to understand the social structure of india and understand how people living in poverty survive. I decided I wanted to help in some way. I started to donate a percentage of my earnings to buy families I had met in India their food and essential needs. As my time went on in India I decided I wanted to do more and set up my own charity trust. I waited until the time was correct in my life to start the charity. I wanted to start it when finances where good in my own life and also when I felt at the best place in my life to be able to dedicate a large amount off time to the charity. I researched how to set up a charity and learnt it requires a lot of hard work, dedication, support from good people that also believe in the cause, a strong team, selfinessness, passion and also a good business mind to be able to sustain the charity and make sure donations are spent in the correct way. It took me 8 months to register the charity, it was a very difficult process to

You have had many consistent fashion & cover shoots as a model, having started as a model at the age of 16 how has the industry differed from then to the now present?

I feel the Industry now has improved as its more diverse . Now there is catorgaries for models that are plus size, darker skin models are now being selected more in india and also now there is a huge demand for instagram influencers. When I began modelling there was hardly any social media and the typical model had to be a size 8 or below. I also feel now more asians have entered the modelling industry as where 15 years ago it was more of a taboo.

What importance do the titles Miss India UK 2012 hold to you and did they help as a stepping stone to your career?

It holds an importance to me because it is an achievement that I will always remember and it did help me gain status especially in Mumbai. However even though I won the title, I never believe that I am better then anyone else because off that. Pagents can be a confidence crusher for the girls that didn’t win. Its important to look at a pagent as an experience and confidence builder.

Film & TV:

You directed, produced and hosted your very own documentary ‘India’s Forgotten People’, how did you find doing all three roles?

I always wanted to get into documentary filmmaking and even studied film making at London Film Academy. I had learnt how to make films from being on sets of when I was acting to when I was directing music videos. I decided I wanted to make a film where I was fully in control of everything from the shooting to the release. The only way to do this was to become the producer as well as the director. Shooting this documentary was the hardest project I’ve worked on up until now. I went to the villages in Rajasthan for one year and shot with my small team off 6 people. It was the most

w e i v r e t In difficult film to shoot but also the most rewarding.

How accomplished do you feel having the titles of ‘Host’, ‘Producer’ & ‘Director’, would you consider others aspects of cinema such as cinematography I do feel proud that I managed to do these three roles and get a good film completed and for it to be sold. Through out the process I had to plan everything from finances, hiring the crew, the story line of the film, the editing and also the distribution. Being a first time film maker and taking on so many roles was a challenge, but I am so happy how the film came out and also that the film has been sold to amazing high viewership channels.

Fitness / Health:

You enjoy a variety of exercises & activities such as mountain climbing, sky diving, cycling and yoga.

Have you always been this active?

I started karate at the age of 6 and went for 12 years. I gained my blackbelt. This set me from a early age to enjoy sports. I love any activity outdoor and everywhere I travel to I try to incorporate fitness activities.

How do you maintain such fantastic shape and fitness?

It is actually very difficult for me to maintain my shape as I love eating sweets. I can not get through out the day without eating a chocolate bar! So to balance my sweet tooth and stay in shape I have to work out a lot. I work out with my trainer 3 times a week, I run 10km once a week and also go to boxing classes.

Travel & Fashion:

Which country are you currently residing in and how are adapting?

At the moment I am residing in Dubai because off the bad situation in India. However I still have a base in London. I always used to avoid Dubai and found it very superficial and fake when I used to visit. However I’ve learnt living here is different. There is so much to do here and its a very safe country to live.

l a p p U a n Dea

From the various destinations you have visited which would be in your top 3?

For holidays I love Maldives - I go with my mother every year. I love Greece to go with friends and I also loved Cape Town its very beautiful

Business / Property:

What does DKU World comprise of and how do you feel having your own brand created solely by yourself?

I created DKU world as a way off putting my businessss into one. I am currently working in a few different sectors and diversified to investing in different sectors such as beauty, property and manufacturing.

What motivated you to step into the business field and what has been the hardest and easier aspects of building your own business?

Even though movies was my passion I realised that my main strength was actually business. I realised I had to concentrate on what I was good at and build a income stream so I could live comfortably. I think its very important to reconigize your strengths and weaknesses and be realistic with your self, even if it means changing your path in life.

Lockdown/Mental Health:

There is not doubt you are a fearless and independent person, you have experienced and spoke of the troubles you faced in both personal and work life. Many readers and followers experience those subjects that you have spoke on in the past and there is real sense of empathy and understanding developing in the world, what advice would you give regards of the importance of mental health and its awareness?

I feel its important to take time and recognise how you are feeling everyday. If you feel down and sad don’t egnore it. Sit alone and think where are the feelings coming from and work to heal it. I think when you try to ignore your feelings they can multiply and become worse. When I came out of big brother I drifted into severe depression and didn’t leave my home for 6 months, it was only when I made the decision my self to heal my self I was able to slowly recover.

Ending: Do you have any future projects or ideas in the pipeline?

I am now working on getting a script I have wrote made into a film. I will continue to expand Kindness Diaries Trust.

18

July 2021

TODUN TAAK! THE FIRST SOUNDTRACK FROM TOOFAAN IS A HIGH-OCTANE ANTHEM THAT PAYS TRIBUTE TO ALL THOSE WHO WIN AGAINST ALL ODDS Featuring ‘India Ke Toofaan’ - decorated boxers from across India, the video for Todun Taak is scripted and directed

by Navzar Eranee, Produced by Walkabout Films Toofaan is presented by Amazon Prime Video in association with Excel Entertainment and ROMP Pictures. Toofaan is produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar The film stars Farhan Akhtar, alongside Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur and Hussain Dalal in pivotal roles and is directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Prime members in India and across 240 countries and territories can stream Toofaan exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, in English and Hindi, starting July 16, 2021Mumbai, 5th July, 2021: After impressing audiences with the power packed trailer of Farhan Akhtar starrer, Amazon Prime Video today unveiled yet another impactful video for the film’s song - Todun Taak. The highoctane music video emboldens the audience with the power of one’s inner strength, willpower and the courage to fight against all odds and features “India Ke Toofaan” - boxing champions from across the country.

The four-minute video features the real heroes of Indian boxing including

- World Championship Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalists Laishram Sarita Devi, Sonia Chahal, Kavita Chahal, two-time Youth World Champion Nitu Ghanghas and Indian International Boxing Championship Gold Medalist Thulasi Helen along with threetime WBC Asia Title Holder - Neeraj Goyat and State Championship Silver Medalist - Aman Jhangda, the All India Federation Cup Medalist - Gagan “The Pitbull” Sharma, National Boxing Championship Gold and Bronze medalists - Arbind Kumar Prasad and Binod Kumar Prasad and East Zone National Boxing Championship Gold and Silver medalists - Swayam Mallik and Binit Gurung.

The video was filmed with the support of the boxing community and academies like Bhiwani Boxing Club (Haryana), Sarita Regional Boxing Academy (Manipur), Balaji Boxing Club (Kolkata), Bhowanipur Boxing Association (Kolkata), Najafgarh Boxing Academy (Delhi) and Ryûko Training Center (Las Vegas).

The song Todun Taak is brought to life by eminent rapper D’Evil aka Dhaval Parab & music producer Dub Sharma.

Todun Taak is an ode to fighters and a call to ‘fight’ even in the face of annihilation and imminent defeat. Those that fight inside the ring so that they

can have a better life outside of it. The fight our warriors face is often against oppression, sexism, bullying, poverty, towards self-defence, a better chance at life. The video aims at bringing glory to the fighters who almost got knocked out but also got back on feet.

Inside and outside the ring. Ab sahi mein toofaan uthega!

The action-packed and adrenaline pumping video has been edited by Anushka Manchanda and Sachin S. Pillai, who has also shot the video.

Produced by Walkabout Films along with Ananya Dasgupta as Executive Producer, the video is scripted and directed by Navzar Eranee and opens with the voice of Toofaan, Farhan Akhtar.

Presented by Amazon Prime Video in association with Excel Entertainment and ROMP Pictures, Toofaan is an inspiring sports drama produced

by Ritesh Sidhwani, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar.

The film features an all-star cast, led

by Farhan Akhtar in the lead role along with Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur, Hussain Dalal, Dr. Mohan Agashe, Darshan Kumaar and Vijay Raaz. Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the film’s high-octane trailer takes us through the journey of a local goon, Ajju Bhai becoming a professional boxer, Aziz Ali. Toofaan is a tale of hope, faith and inner strength fuelled by passion and perseverance.

Toofaan will also be the first film to simultaneously premiere on Amazon Prime Video in Hindi and English starting July 16, 2021 across 240 countries and territories.

Toofaan Synopsis: Under forced circumstances, an orphan boy born from the streets of Dongri, grows up to be a local goon. His life changes when he meets a bright and a compassionate young woman named Ananya who guides him to take the right path. With love and guidance, he finds his calling in sports and takes up the journey into becoming a world class Boxer. This is an inspiring story. Even the poor and marginalized, beaten by life circumstances, can become the heroes of the nation by giving up the other part of life and adopting the right path.

Toofaan is set in Bombay. The city of Bombay is like the third character of the film. Bombay is Megapolis and one of the greater cities in India. It is a true cosmopolitan city and a melting pot for various cultures and religions. Mumbai runs on the spirit of Mumbaikars. This “spirit” is indeed Mumbai’s proudest possession which we also see in our film through our characters.

AW Facts Did you know?

Raj Kapoor’s ‘Mera Naam Joker’ was the first Hindi movie to have not one but two intervals

LOCAL 4-11

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July 2021

19

July 2021

R BALKI & GAURI SHINDE’S HOPE PRODUCTIONS BRINGS ON BOARD PRANAB KAPADIA AS CO-PRODUCER

Celebrated Bollywood film makers Gauri Shinde (Writer/Director - English Vinglish & Dear Zindagi) and R. Balki (Writer/Director Cheeni Kum, Paa, Shamitabh, Ki & Ka & Padman; Writer/Creative Director - Mission Mangal) have partnered with media business veteran Pranab Kapadia as coproducer for the upcoming films to be made under their production company - Hope Productions.

Founded in 2011, after the success of Cheeni Kum and Paa, Hope Productions was born of an idea to create and shape quality content, launch promising

new talent and provide a platform for original storytelling, without any compromises. The first film under the Hope Productions banner was the superhit English Vinglish.

The production house has many successful titles credited to its roster including critically acclaimed English Vinglish, Padman, Ki & Ka, Dear Zindagi, Mission Mangal to name a few. And is also responsible for a wide gamut of popular television commercials.

An experienced media professional, Pranab Kapadia boasts of a career spanning over 22 years in

the industry. Starting off at Zee, Pranab enjoyed his next stint leading the UK Subsidiary of Relianceowned Adlabs, and eventually moving on to Eros International as President Distribution - International. In 2020, he also founded Moviegoers Entertainment Limited - a UK based Media Distribution Company, that will continue to pursue other Film & TV business opportunities of Overseas Distribution of Content, Business Development of OTT Digital Aggregators and Music Publishing monetisation activities etc.

Commenting on the association, Pranab Kapadia said,

“

I am honoured and delighted to collaborate with India’s finest, most talented, creative powerhouse duo of Gauri Shinde & R Balki. Their unique style of storytelling, creating entertaining content and commercial success out of subjects that are considered taboo, is remarkable. After successfully producing award winning feature films and commercials, collecting several accolades at prestigious Film Festivals around the world, their production company Hope Productions is now at the cusp of growth and I am excited to lead this.

“

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“Gauri and I are absolutely delighted to announce that Pranab will be partnering with us in our future ventures, beginning with a thriller directed by me that begins filming in July this year, followed by three films planned for 2022. We have known Pranab for about 10 years now, and have always admired his desire to make films & content that not only break the barriers of convention but also tell newer stories, which is well complemented with his sound business acumen.

Pranab has always be-

lieved that we need to keep earning the right to tell the stories we want to, and that syncs with our philosophy, bringing about this partnership. With his vast business experience and his inherent love for the movies there can be no better person than Pranab to help grow Hope Productions.” said R Balki.

A natural and symbiotic collaboration between Gauri Shinde and R. Balki with Pranab Kapadia is expected to bolster the visionary and ambitious endeavors of Hope Productions.

ZEE5 ANNOUNCES PREMIERE DATE OF STATE OF SIEGE: TEMPLE ATTACK

AKSHAY KUMAR ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE for ‘BELL BOTTOM’!

AKSHAY KUMAR DEDICATES ‘RAKSHA BANDHAN’ to Friend

ZEE5 LAUNCHES IN THE USA as NEW ERA OF SOUTH ASIAN ENTERTAINMENT

ZEE5 Global, the largest OTT platform for South Asian content, has presented Originals across languages and genres with meaningful and purposeful content. State of Siege; each with two seasons highly appreciated by the audience and critics alike and would be slated to premiere on 9th July on ZEE5 Global in select countries.

We see Akshaye Khanna back in the uniform after many years, Vivek Dahiya back as an NSG commando after State of Siege: 26/11 and Gautam Rode. Contiloe Pictures (Abhimanyu Singh), the dream team who created State of Siege: 26/11, is back to produce the film which will be directed by Ken Ghosh who helmed the hugely popular and successful Abhay 2 as well. Lt. Col (retd.) Sundeep Sen who was a consultant on both State of Siege projects.

International megastar Akshay Kumar announced that his much-awaited blockbuster Bell Bottom will release on 27th July. In what is expected to be one of the biggest films this year, Bell Bottom is a thrilling espionage drama set in the 1980s where Akshay Kumar will take on the lead role alongside, Vaani Kapoor, who will be the leading lady. It was originally due to be released in April, but the pandemic meant that the decision was made to delay the date, so that fans would be able to enjoy it on the big screen.

Directed by Ranjit M Tewari, Bell Bottom will be one of the most unique Bollywood films of all time due to the fact it was the industry’s first film to shoot at an international location after the nationwide lockdown last year, being filmed in the UK.

Akshay Kumar dedicates ‘Raksha Bandhan’ to his ‘first friend’ sister, Alka Bhatia. International megastar Akshay Kumar has melted fans’ hearts on social media with a touching dedication for his sister as he begins shooting for Aanand L Rai’s highly anticipated film ‘Raksha Bandhan’.

‘Raksha Bandhan’, which will also star Bhumi Pedneka, is being billed as a special tale which celebrates “relationships in the most beautiful way”.

A dedicated family man, Akshay Kumar has never been one to shy away from expressing his love for those closest to him. His sister, Alka Bhatia, is one person he has always been close with and he took to social media to declare her his ‘first friend’.

Platform unveiled at a mega event with Priyanka Chopra Jonas as a special guest.

ZEE5 subscribers can stream the largest selection of Originals and Movies across Indian languages, including upcoming Blockbuster film RRR, and Library Titles from Zee Network channels along with Pakistani and Bangladeshi shows Existing library of 130,000 hours of content; Announced 50+ Theatrical releases and 40+ Originals this year ZEE5, the world’s largest streaming service for South Asian content, launched today in the U.S., opening up a world of multicultural entertainment for the South Asian diaspora and mainstream audiences across the United States.

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HEALTH

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Gardening for Good Health

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

Stress relief

Gardening is a fantastic stress reliever and can cultivate feelings of empowerment, connection, and calm. Being in touch with nature and the great outdoors can help you feel more removed from the daily stressors of life.

Get the kids involved

It can sometimes be a challenge to get children to eat healthy foods and enjoy them. Growing vegetables not only teaches children valuable lessons about the work that it takes to grow them, but it can also help them to gain a keen interest in eating them too.

Grow your own

There is nothing quite like eating your own fresh home grown produce! Not only are many fruits and vegetables very easy to grow, but they are also more nutrient-dense, free of pesticides and tasty. By growing your own, you are also helping to preserve the environment.

Happy gardening!

You can find lots more tips, recipes and health advice at https://heartresearch.org.uk/

Work with what you have

Whether your patch is large or small, a raised bed, a community garden or window box – make the most of it by researching the best plants for your space and sunlight exposure. You can grow a range of things with very little space and maintenance, whilst still reaping the benefits.

Work out

Gardening is exercise and working in a garden can use every major muscle group in the body. While activities such as raking and cutting the grass may be light exercise, shovelling and digging can be counted as vigorous exercise.

10 WAYS TO OVERCLOCK BRAIN ACTIVITY

1. Physical exercise.

Physical exercise strengthens your brain. Exercise benefitsyour brain cells.

The blood vessels inside your brain dilate and increase blood flow when you engage in regular exercise. Exercise helps to elimin toxins and allows oxygen and other nutrients to flow into your brain strengthening your brain cells.

2. Mind exercises.

Concentration and clear thinking are more or less automatic once you remove distractions. Learn to stop and watch your busy mind. As you notice things that are subtly bothering you, deal with them. This might mean making a phone call you need to make, or putting things on a list so you can forget them for now. With practice, this becomes easier, and your thinking becomes more powerful.

3. Healthy breakfast.

Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Skipping breakfast affects your brainpower and performance at home, school or work. Minimize your eating during the day to mostly live raw fruits and veggies and their juices. This will help you detoxify and nourish your brain with essential nutrients and antioxidants to protect your brain from

daily free radicals assaults.

4. Increase Water Intake.

Given that your brain is about 80 percent water, the first rule of brain nutrition is adequate water to hydrate your brain. Even slight dehydration can raise stress hormones, which can damage your brain over time. Drink at least 84 ounces of water a day. It is best to have your liquids unpolluted with artificial sweeteners, sugar, caffeine, or alcohol.

You can use herbal, non-caffeinated tea bags, such as raspberry or strawberry flavored, and make unsweetened iced tea. Green tea is also good for brain function as it contains chemicals that enhance mental relaxation and alertness.

5. Keep journals and notebooks.

All the smart people write down their ideas, thoughts and observations. Writing things down lets, your brain know that you value “it’s” ideas. How does it reward you? By providing more ideas and better ideas. Writing things down creates a feedback loop that makes you smarter. You objectify your thoughts onto paper and that helps you think about them in a more powerful way.

This is a great way to improve your brainpower.

6. Think positively.

Thinking positively enables you to access your higherthinking abilities.

When you are positive and feeling good, your mind functions smoothly.

Ask yourself emotion-leading questions like, “What am I grateful for right now?” and “Who do I love and who loves me?”

7. Make sure you sleep enough.

Your brain is rejuvenate during those sleeping hours. Research from the University of California suggests that if you have been awake for 21 hours straight, your abilities are equivalent to someone who is legally drunk. Sleep allows

your brain to process new memories, practice new skills and solve problems.

Therefore, a good night’s sleep is essential to boost your brainpower. How many hours sleep constitutes a good night’s sleep will vary between individuals, but between 6 – 8 hours, sleep is normally considered sufficient.

8. Creative Visualization.

Use the power of Creative Visualization. Creative Visualization is a technique that involves the use of mental energy to transform and improve the life of the individual who uses the technique. You can use your brain’s mental

energy to improve your life because your imagination is incredibly powerful and, when used correctly, can enhance your life by creating what you really want. Creative visualisation can be used to accelerate learning, improve memory and motivation, and of course, improve brainpower!

9. Develop your creativity and your intuition.

Creativity gives power to your thinking. Raw computation can be done by computers now, but humans provide the creative thought that shapes our world. Intuition can be an important part of brainpower. Einstein and others have relied heavily on their intuitive hunches.

10. Make a brainpower plan.

It takes about twenty to thirty days of repetition to establish new habits, many psychologists will tell you. This means that when you create your plan for improved brainpower, be sure you plan to use that new problem solving technique, or eat those new brain foods for at least three weeks. You can use many of the brain boosters here and get immediate results, but it is creating new habits that will give you the most brainpower.

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RAY OF HOPE Applying sunscreen to South Asian children under the age of two could increase their risk of skin cancer later in life, one of the world’s leading experts warned.

A ‘self-tanning’ mechanism that protects the skin against the sun’s rays could be prevented from developing properly or be “significantly” weakened through the use of an artificial barrier too early in life.

The process, which develops naturally after birth, strengthens the outermost ‘horny’ layer of the skin, known as the ‘stratum corneum’, by increasing its tolerance to ultra-violet radiation.

Though the same process occurs in white and lighter skin, it is more effective in black and dark skin because it is naturally rich in melanin, which gives skin its pigment and protects against UV radiation, and has more melanosomes – cells which produce melanin.

If this natural ‘shield’ is not left to fully mature, typically over a period of two years, it may never do so – leaving individuals unknowingly more susceptible to melanoma.

This poses a greater risk to those with darker Indian sub-continental or Afro-Caribbean skin because they are less likely to use sunscreen as they grow up.

As dark skin – types five or six on the Fitzpatrick scale, the pigment classification chart – rarely burns, it is assumed that additional protection from the sun is not required.

But in cases where their natural UV protection is low, individuals who do not apply sunscreen are unwittingly increasing their risk of fatal cancers.

The warnings were issued by Dr Sharad Paul, New Zealand’s most decorated skin cancer expert and one of the world’s preeminent authorities on the subject.

They come just weeks before the summer holidays, when tens of thousands of Britons will be basking in the sun at home or abroad.

Dr Paul – a holder of the Chair’s Award, the NZ Medical Association’s highest honour, for his research and services in the field of skin cancer – and a senior lecturer on skin cancer at the University of Queensland, advises par-

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ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES TO BACK PAIN THAT WORK

By Dr Sharad Paul Skin cancer expert

ents with dark-skinned children to avoid applying sunscreen until they are at least two years old.

He said parents should instead cover up their children to protect them from the sun during peak hours.

He said: “Though using sunscreen is definitely proven to prevent sunburn and one study showed it can reduce the risk of melanoma, it could possibly increase the chances of developing the disease if applied too early in life especially in people with a natural ability to tan.

“With babies, the skin is adapting to the environment outside the uterus and is learning how to tan in response to the sun.

“Studies have shown how this tanning mechanism improves between six and 18 months, as the skin adapts to life outside the womb, and the standard medical recommendation is to refrain from using sunscreen with children under six months to allow the tanning response time to mature.

“It is my hypothesis, however, that it could take longer for the tanning mechanism to mature in darker-skinned children.

“Though darker skin types don’t sunburn and dark-skinned adults have a very low risk of skin cancer, using sunscreen in darkerskin children up to two years old may actually make that skin more susceptible to skin cancer later in life.”

Malignant melanoma is now the UK’s fifth most common type of cancer, with around 13,300 people being diagnosed with the disease each year.

In young adults aged 15 to 32, it is now the second-most common cancer.

According to Cancer Research UK, the incidence of malignant melanoma in Britain is now five times higher than it was in the 1970s – with the huge increase blamed on the rising popularity of cheap package holidays since the late 1960s.

By understanding and using sun protection better, Dr Paul believes the 2,100 deaths each year in the UK from malignant melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer – could be reduced.

Studies suggest that getting sunburnt once every two years can

triple the risk of developing the disease, while those at most risk include people with pale skin, lots of moles or freckles, a history of sunburn or a family history of the disease, and those that have used sunbeds.

To reduce the risk of skin cancer, experts advise spending more time in the shade, covering up and using at least an SPF15 sunscreen – though paediatricians advise not to use sunscreen on children under six months of age.

He said: “It is already recommended that babies under six months avoid sunscreen as it can weaken the tanning response and is too risky to use in children so young.

“The problem with this advice is that it is a catch-all statement that does not take different skin types into account.

“Admittedly, it’s a complex topic with many variables and a lack of comprehensive medical research into sunscreens in darker skin types, but as the natural tanning shield takes longer to form in darker-skinned children it seems plausible that sunscreen, especially those with higher SPFs, should be avoided until they are at two years old.”

Dr Paul – whose book, ‘Skin: A Biography’, has just been republished in the UK – also says that the British public is “poorly educated” about skin protection in general.

Holidaymakers, especially, need to better understand their skin type to take the right steps to protect themselves rather than relying on the “marketing gimmicks and myths” of sunscreen manufacturers.

“All sunscreens come with some small risk because of the chemicals they contain, but doctors don’t know the long-term risks as they have not been evaluated,” he said.

“With babies that risk is greater as the skin is thinner, but I would advise anyone to tailor their sunscreen use based on their skin type and outdoor activity, which is something my book delves into.

“Different skin types have different levels of natural protection against UV radiation and differing burn times, but this is not widely understood – even in the medical community – and many people are blindly smothering themselves in sunscreen when they simply don’t need to as they may be indoors all day.”

Come to think of it, a lot of people suffer from back pain these days without finding any cure with orthodox medicine, maybe because of incorrect diagnosis or ineffectiveness of the prescribed drug or drugs, so the pain becomes a part of most people’s lives.

However, for a lot other people who have not been able to obtain a exact diagnosis of their back pain problems, seeking alternative means of obtaining relief has become their immediate concern. It is becoming a big problem finding solution to back pain with orthodox medicine, back pain treatments are no long yielding the results that are expected. So the none-medical alternatives are coming to the rescue as follows: 1) Acupuncture: Acupuncture is an alternative treatment for back pain that has been in

existence for sometime now.

Rooted in ancient civilizations of Asia, acupuncture involves the insertion of needles into specific parts of the body for the purpose of taking away the pain.

Acupuncture has been proved to work for chronic pain. It has provided short term relief from back pain for a great deal of people.

2) Massage therapy: The art of massage has been used for years as a tool of relief and relaxation. An experienced masseuse can massage

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the points of pain in your back, especially if it is caused by a strained muscle. People have been known to attain a state of painlessness after undergoing a well executed massage therapy. Some people argue that acupuncture or pressure point massage may be more effective than Swedish massage.

3) Physical therapy and exercise: Under the keen eye of a licensed physical therapist, you can stretch and exercise your back

pain away.

Exercise and physical therapy as a whole has been known to work well with chronic back pain sufferers than with acute back pain sufferers. Most back pain sufferers have also found relief from the education of the psychosocial factors of back pain.

You can end your suffering from back pain by finding a cure with alternative medicine because of incorrect diagnosis or ineffectiveness of the prescribed orthodox drug or drugs, so that the pain does not become a part of your life.

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FOOD

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Asian World’s Kitchen

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The Delectable Cuisine of Mexico

By : Rida Khan ( Aviation Author)

Chef Mely Martínez ( Instagram A/c : mexicoinmykitchen ) was born and raised in Mexico , she used to be a school teacher and for the last 12 years she has been blogging about Mexican Cuisine at www.mexicoinmykitchen.com . She is an author of Cookbook “The Mexican Home Kitchen.”

Chef Mely Martínez ( Instagram A/c : mexicoinmykitchen ) was born and raised in Mexico , she used to be a school teacher and for the last 12 years she has been blogging about Mexican Cuisine at www.mexicoinmykitchen.com . She is an author of Cookbook “The Mexican Home Kitchen.”

Q.) What is Mexican cuisine all about?

Chef Mely: Mexican cuisine is an influence of a mix of diverse cultures, including European, African, Asian, Middle Eastern and Native American. It is one of the few gastronomes in the world recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage

by UNESCO because it has recipes that are unique in both the ingredients and the way on how they are prepared.

Q.) What is the best time of the year for food lovers to visit Mexico?

Chef Mely: One of the best qualities that Mexico has to offer to the world traveler and food lover is that they can visit México all yearround and always find hundreds of dishes to enjoy. For example, dishes that are created with ingredients that are seasonal, and those dishes that are only available in that particular time of the year. Summer is an excellent time to find abundance

AW Facts Did you know?

Apples give you more energy than coffee

of fruits & vegetables, while Winter is a time to enjoy the traditional Holidays, and the foods we cook to celebrate them, like atole, hot chocolate, steamy soup, and tamales. Our famous tacos and street food are found and enjoyed every day of the year. Really, the best time to enjoy Mexican food is all the time.

Q.) Why are corn and beans the main ingredients in the Mexican cuisine?

Chef Mely: Corn & beans has been the main staple of not only Aztecs, Olmecs or Mayans, but all natives of North America. However, it is México where corn was transformed in many ways, like tortillas, atole, and corn dough from which we make hundreds of different antojitos, like empanadas, sopes, garnachas, enchiladas, chalupas, different types of tamales, flautas, corn cakes and many, many more treats. That is why corn is recognized as the main ingredient of Mexican cuisine. Together, corn & beans create a balanced meal. The same way that other cultures have wheat and lentils or chickpeas, we have corn and beans.

Q.) Do 3 Mexican cultures Mayan, Aztec, Spain have any effect on the Mexican cuisine now also?

Chef Mely: Yes, Spain was the European country that invaded, conquered, dominated, not just Mexico but also central and South America, for more than 300 hundred years, and they influenced every aspect of our society, including some of the food we eat in modern days. But, Mexican cuisine is the byproduct of more than just Aztec, Mayan and Spain influences, it also inherited influence from Olmecs, Otomíes, Náhuatls, Zapotecas, Mayos, Chichimecas and other foreign cultures like Jews, French, Chinese and African too.

Q.) Suggest any Mexican restaurants where travelers can have the traditional Mexican food.

Chef Mely: There are many, many restaurants that I can recommend, but if we are only limited to three, I would pick “El Cardenal” in México City, “La Parroquia” in the port of Veracruz, and “El Rey del Cabrito” in Monterrey. They are quite 3 different experiences. But there are many options.

Q.) How Mexican food changed with time?

Chef Mely: While the roots and traditions of Mexican food remain unchanged, we cannot fail to recognize that with globalization, the internet and growing number of international visitors, there are new culinary trends that are finding their way into our culture. New culinary schools are surfacing in México City and other major cities, and new generations of chefs are discovering new and innovative ways to cook some of our traditional, home style

dishes, with different cooking techniques and using a variety of traditional Mexican ingredients. However, if one visits the countryside of México, the towns and villages where most of the population lives, you can conclude, without a doubt, that our true authentic Mexican food remains alive and deeply rooted in our daily lives.

Q.) Define Mexican style of cooking.

Chef Mely: Mexican cooking is define by itself, it is a cuisine like no other; but if I was compelled to create a definition I would say that it is a wholesome cuisine that emerged from a rich mix of cultures where ingredients find a new way to express the flavors and aromas of exotic spices, fine herbs, veggies, fruits, poultry, fish and meat, creating recipes that are unique to our country.

Q.) Tell me something about Mexican desserts.

Chef Mely: Mexican desserts are a whole universe by itself.

From the popular Tres leches cake (that is also found in other Latin countries), flan, a custard-

like dessert, many sweets made using fruits, rice puddings, gelatins, and pastries. I also need to mention our sweet breads. Mexico has an extensive array of sweet breads sold at bakeries nationwide.

Q.) Mexican street food is very popular. Why is it so and what are the famous street foods of Mexico?

Chef Mely: Mexican street food is very popular because it is delicious, easy to prepare, it can be found almost everywhere and you can eat it in the morning, at noon and in the evening.

It includes tacos, tamales, gorditas, quesadillas, tostadas, chalupa, elote, tlayudas, cemitas, pambazos, empanadas, and tortas, as well as fresh fruit, beverages and soups such as menudo or pancita, pozole, etc.

Q.) Any food advice for the travelers who visit Mexico.

Chef Mely: Just be open minded and be prepared to be pleasantly surprised by the spiciness, sweetness and exotic flavors of the rich, vast Mexican cuisine!

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The best to worst ice lollies ranked by the nation

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For Aisha Halal baby food launches into UK Independent stores!

As nation enjoys a heatwave, a hotly contested debate can finally be settled for once and for all: the UK’s favourite ice lolly is officially Magnum.

Research from GalaBingo.com has delved into the sweet world of ice lollies, pops and bars (namely any frozen treat that isn’t eaten with a spoon), and can reveal the nation’s favourite (and least favourite).

The UK’s best to worst ice lollies ranked are: 1. Magnum (34%)

12. Fruit Pastilles (2.5%)

2. Cornetto (11%)

13. Mini Milk (2%)

3. 99 (8%)

14. Rocket Lolly (2%)

4. Feast (7%)

15. Bounty (1.5%)

5. Solero (5%)

16. Maxibon (1.2%)

6. Twister (4%)

17. Crunchie Blast (1%)

7. Choc Ice (4%)

18. Screwball (1.%)

8. Cadbury Dairy Milk (3%)

19. Smarties (1%)

9. Fab (3%)

20. Zap (0.9%)

10. Nobbly Bobbly (3%)

21. Ice Pop (0.8%)

11. Calippo (2.5%)

22. Ribena Lolly (0.6%)

Clearly the nation’s favourite lolly, the Magnum finds many of its fans amongst pensioners, with almost half of Brits over 65 listing it as their favourite iced dessert (45%). However, for younger ice lolly fans, a Calippo is also a popular snack, with one in 10 people aged 18-24 calling it their favourite (10%).

When it comes to gender, while it came as the nation’s 5th favourite ice lolly, Solero is much preferred by women, with one in 17 listing it as their top choice (6%) compared to just 1 in 25 men (4%).

Commenting on the research, Karina Adrian, Head of Brand Marketing at GalaBingo.com, said, “There are not many things more summery than sitting in the sun with a nice ice lolly! It’s great to be able to reveal once and for all, the nation’s favourites.

“But whichever cold treats you prefer, just make sure you find some time to go out and enjoy the summer. With the long, cold winter we’ve had, we definitely deserve it!”

After 7 years of serving Muslim households via the major UK Supermarkets, For Aisha announces its long-awaited launch into UK Independent stores and local pharmacies. Having sold around 6 million meals and winning more than 20 major food awards, the brand now has a solution to deliver to UK Independents – this will be by courier and fulfilled via their Ecommerce provider, UK Brand Sales.

From early May, retailers will be able to order For Aisha infant meals simply via a forthcoming trade option link at www. foraisha.com/trade and the meals will be delivered straight to their business outlet. For Aisha meals are all ambient and come in convenient shelf ready packaging. The company is also looking to include free delivery within their service.

Mark Salter, founder of For Aisha said,

“We’re excited to finally have a solution to service the UK Independent Sector.

Many Muslim families like to shop locally for their Halal foods. We’ve always wanted to launch in this sector but (until now) finding a way to service regular small orders to each Independent retailer has been a challenge. Now with the rise of courier services and the growth and simplicity of online ordering, this will be possible for the first time. We very much look forward to serving local Muslim communities across Britain from June onwards. This is excellent timing as travel restrictions ease and parents need convenient meal solutions for their busy lives.”

The For Aisha launch is being supported via heavy-weight activity with leading Independent retail print and online publications.

For Aisha meals are Dietitian approved and made with only natural ingredients.

They’re also free-from dairy, soya, gluten and eggs.

The 10 strong recipe range is specially crafted with a wide range of healthy, exotic ingredients that will broaden the taste repertoire for little ones; encouraging them to develop their palate and to eliminate fussy eating.

The meals are suitable for little ones from 7 months and 3+ years of age.

For Aisha is currently sold in the UK by Euro Food Brands to leading supermarkets such as ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and is set to launch this summer with Morrison’s.

It’s also sold across the globe in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore, France and Belgium.

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Birmingham secures funding for electric bikes

“

It’s great to see that this funding will be used to support cycling provision for harder to reach groups including those with long-term health benefits, specific mobility requirements, and low incomes.

Photo: www.birmingham.gov.uk Cycling Minister Chris Heaton Harris said: “As we build back greener from the pandemic, this Government is committed to enabling as many people as possible to boost their health and fitness and help reduce emissions by hopping on a bike and taking up cycling for shorter journeys.

“Today’s announcement will help make this happen, with a total of £1.48 million going towards fantastic initiatives in areas right across the country to promote the use of e-cycles. So, whether you’re new to cycling, or would like to try a cycle that does some of the legwork for you, these initiatives will help more people to have access to active forms of travel.”

The Council will use the funding to continue the Council’s work in supporting projects that provide access to groups likely to be excluded from cycling.

Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Councillor Waseem Zaffar MBE said: “We are being bold in our efforts to reduce carbon emissions from transport, encourage active travel and improve air quality. This funding will further support our plans, and directly demonstrate the potential of ecycles to replace different types of car trips.

“E-bike projects will improve access to E-bikes for all our residents, particularly people who may have otherwise been excluded.”

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, who leads TfWM, said:

“

We are delighted to incorporate more E-bikes into the West Midlands Cycle Hire Scheme.

The scheme has already proven to be immensely popular across the West Midlands – not least in Birmingham – and I know E-bikes will only add to that popularity.

“

Electric bicycles, or E-bikes, offer similar health and environmental benefits as regular bicycles but have a batterypowered ‘pedal assist’ which reduces stress on knees, and allows you to make longer journeys in a faster time.

The Council applied for funding through the Department for Transport’s (DfT) E-Cycle Extension Fund in December 2020. It was announced today that almost £1.5 million will be made available to nine local authorities through the fund, with Birmingham City Council set to receive £199,000.

Birmingham’s Bicycle Mayor, Chris Coyle said:

“

Birmingham City Council will roll-out the electric bicycles later this year in partnership with local organisations, to help increase cycling provision for vulnerable people and the wider community.

The Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS) is set to receive 9 E-bikes for their ‘cycling on prescription’ scheme. The scheme links the use of e-bikes to health benefits, working with local GP surgeries to provide people with long-term health conditions cycle training and bikes to help with their physical and mental wellbeing.

E-Bike Brum, based in Erdington are also set to receive 6 E-bikes which will be leased to people in deprived areas of the city, who otherwise would not have access to cycling.

Midland Mencap will also receive 4 adapted E-bikes to expand their city-wide park ride cycling provision for disabled users and their families.

Some of the funding will also be used to provide 16 e-bikes to the West Midlands Cycle Hire scheme in Birmingham, increasing the fleet size by 20%.

AW Facts Did you know?

More people in the World have access to a mobile phone than a toilet

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Brits planning to drive 200 miles further for their staycations this year

UK motorists are planning to drive an average of 212 miles further for their UK holidays than they have in previous years, as staycations continue to boom.

A study1, conducted by Euro Car Parts, found that a third (33%) of drivers will drive further this summer, due to the restrictions of international travel, and are also happy to spend more on their UK holidays than normal (30%).

Brits are also planning to use this summer to explore more of the UK, with over a quarter (27%) saying they would be visiting different parts of the country more often than usual, and another 27% planning to go on multiple staycations.

In comparison, less than one in ten (8%) drivers said they’d be looking to stay close to home this summer, whilst just 11% of those surveyed are planning on visiting the same destinations that they would normally.

The research revealed that drivers of green vehicles are the most likely to be planning to drive further for their holidays. Electric car motorists are the

most willing to embark on longer distances for their getaway, with nearly two thirds (64%) saying they are happy to visit destinations further away than normal.

However, it is hybrid car owners who are planning to drive the greatest distances for their getaway, at an average of 268 miles more than previous summers (June-August).

On average, how much further Brits are willing to drive for their UK holidays (by fuel type):

1.

2.

3.

4.

Hybrid – 268 miles Electric – 225 miles Diesel – 211 miles Petrol – 208 miles

For those looking to drive further than usual this summer, here are three expert tips for maximising fuel efficiency.

1. Manage your revs Keep an eye on your revs when changing gear. The most fuel-efficient RPM to change up a gear is 2,500 for a petrol car and 2,000 for diesel. So, monitor the revs count, stick to that number and the pennies you’ll save will soon stack up.

Additionally, try to avoid dropping your revs too low, as this could cause unnecessary strain on the engine and waste fuel. Staying above 1,500 revs in petrol and 1,300 in diesel cars should comfortably avoid this.

2. Slow down on high-speed roads Driving at high speeds down dual carriageways and motorways means your engine is operating at a higher RPM than it is on slower roads.

However, by simply slowing down a little on those fast roads you could end up saving a lot of money. The most

efficient speed to drive at is between 55-65mph, so driving at lower speeds could help you to conserve fuel.

3. Don’t overfill your tank Although it seems counter-intuitive, brimming your tank will lead to extra fuel being used to transport the extra weight, and by only filling it up halfway you can save money in the process.

UK holiday parks are also seeing a rise in people travelling from further afield for their UK breaks this year. Lisa Williams, Director of Marketing and Holiday Sales at UK holiday home park, Park Leisure, said: “Brits are definitely making the most of their summer staycations this year. We’re noticing a trend for customers wanting to experience different parts of the UK and they are travelling further away from home and staying for longer when they’re there. Whereas in previous years we’d expect to see a lot of bookings for long weekends, we’re noticing more enquires for one and two week stays.

Across the UK, Londoners are anticipating the longest drives, with nearly half (46%) stating that they are happy to drive further than usual for their summer break. Bristolians meanwhile are planning to travel the most, with 37% saying they would be venturing on more than one UK escape.

The 10 cities willing to drive furthest for their UK holidays are: 1. London – 267 miles 2. Southampton – 224 miles 3. Newcastle – 220 miles 4. Liverpool – 217 miles 5. Edinburgh – 199 miles 6. Cardiff – 199 miles 7. Manchester – 188 miles 8. Birmingham – 187 miles 9. Glasgow – 170 miles 10. Norwich – 169 miles

Helen Robinson, Corporate Communications Director at Euro Car Parts, said: “With international travel likely to be off the table for many families, more and more people are looking to explore the amazing holiday destinations that the UK has to offer, and from our research it’s clear that Brits are far more willing to look at destinations in Britain that are further afield for their getaways.

We hope that our fuel saving advice helps holidaymakers to save money on their journey, so they can instead spend it at their destination.”

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learner drivers in Coventry plugged in to electric vehicles thanks to Highways England funding Learner drivers are benefitting from a super-charged green incentive funded by Highways England that allows businesses to try electric vehicles for free before they buy.

Coventry-based Smart Learner Driving School is just one of several businesses taking advantage of the £2.3m scheme, supported by Coventry City Council, that is designed to encourage a shift to cleaner, lower carbon vehicles.

The incentive works by offering the businesses a free trial of electric vehicles for up to two months.

Driving school owner Tommy said: “It’s a fantastic incentive between Highways England and Coventry City Council because it creates a synergy between students learning in an electric vehicle and then going on to purchase one.

“We know from experience that generally whatever vehicle students learn in, they tend to go and purchase either a petrol or a diesel car as it’s familiar to them. So, for me it’s about educating the drivers of tomorrow and changing habits so that we don’t live in the past tense anymore.”

Employing 55 instructors, covering Coventry, Warwick and Leamington Spa, Tommy, has been running his business around 15 years. He said that the opportunity to learn more about electric vehicles has been hugely beneficial for him and his colleagues.

He said: “Being able to spend time in an electric vehicle has been a hugely educational experience. There was one instance where I recall picking it up and I was worried it would run out of charge before I got home, but I popped to the supermarket to use one of the charge points, grabbed a coffee and when I came back to the car it had gained 30 miles of range which was easily enough to get me back home.

“The electric car has all of the main features you’d expect in a petrol or diesel car, but the main difference is that it’s actually much quieter and we’ve found that students are now keen to learn in this vehicle compared to the other cars we have in our fleet.

“I’d urge other businesses to take part in the trial because it’s an excellent opportunity to find out more about electric vehicles and to dispel some inaccurate myths around them. The future is definitely pointing towards electric cars and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

Tommy Sandhu and students Jamie Bateman and Meg Bancroft are enjoying using an electric vehicle funded by Highways England

Following a successful pilot with the Energy Saving Trust and a launch with Leeds City Council last year, Coventry City Council is among the beneficiaries of the investment alongside Kent and Nottingham, who have schemes operating as well as Sheffield and Bristol, who are setting up their own schemes.

In Sheffield, local businesses can trial an electric van for two months for free, to let them “try before they buy”. The aim is to reduce the air pollution from small commercial vehicles on the strategic road network, with 30 Nissan e-NV200s vans available to trail.

It is among a host of measures Highways England is taking to improve air quality and tackle carbon emissions from road transport as the UK takes steps to become a zero-carbon economy by 2050.

The scheme has been made possible by Highways England’s Designated Funds programme designed to benefit people, the economy and the planet with an overall investment of £936m between 2020 and 2025.

Highways England’s Customer Services Director, Melanie Clarke, said: “This is a fantastic initiative for businesses in Coventry and we’re keen to play our

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part in helping to improve air quality and tackle carbon emissions.

“Our work with Coventry City Council is just one example of us working with local authorities across the country to encourage businesses to make the switch to electric vehicles and we expect many more to start using electric vehicles when they experience the savings possible.

“We are using designated funds to benefit the environment and communities around our roads as well as the people travelling and working on them.”

Councillor Jim O’Boyle, who is the Cabinet Member responsible for jobs, regeneration and climate change in Coventry, said: “The trial schemes are absolutely vital to help win hearts and minds of businesses and private car users, especially as the city continues to open up after the challenges of the Covid pandemic.

“We already have more electric charging points in Coventry than in any city outside of London. Plus, we are also gearing up to become the first city in the country to run an all-electric bus fleet.

“At the same time, there has been a real interest among businesses in taking part in the free trial scheme and in testing out electric vehicles, and it’s great to see how

it has been working with Smart Learner Driving School.

“I know that Coventry University is testing four vehicles out and I hope that more businesses will get in touch and try one out.

“As a city we are applying a whole series of approaches to address air quality and climate change and we are always at the front of the queue to apply innovative solutions.”

Highways England’s Designated Funds programme has already delivered more than 2,000 schemes between 2015 and 2020.

The electric vehicles will contribute to improving air quality in cities and towns, and help reduce carbon emissions. They have also been put to good use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Electric vans used for the trial scheme in Leeds have been driven more than 10,000 miles as part of the city’s emergency coronavirus response. The vehicles were used in a number of ways including delivering local food parcels to those selfisolating or shielding, transporting key council key workers and supporting the work of vital third sector organisations.

More than 50 vehicles, mostly vans, are

currently operating as part of the scheme in Coventry including three iconic LEVC black cabs which are still proudly made in the city itself along with three Nissan Dynamo taxis.

Highways England’s Designated Funds programme is divided into four funding streams aimed at making the biggest difference and delivering lasting benefits; environment and wellbeing, users and community, safety and congestion and innovation and modernisation. Between 2015 and 2020 the programme has: Ensured over 95 per cent of England’s motorways and major A-roads are within 20 miles of a rapid electric vehicle charging point.

Reduced the impact of noise for around 50,000 people living alongside motorways and implemented measures to reduce air pollution at identified hotspots.

Delivered more than 160 cycle schemes including upgraded crossings to improve connectivity with local communities.

Tackled 260 locations vulnerable to flooding with improved drainage and ecology.

Other achievements include 124 biodiversity initiatives, 150 safety improvements on single carriageway roads to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured and over 6,500 lights and traffic signals converted to LED. Elsewhere, Highways England will be cutting around 250 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year following the acquisition of seventy-two new state of the art Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).

The new PHEVs maximise Highways England’s traffic officer fleet, providing 4x4 capability and supporting a target to clear 86 per cent of motorway incidents in one hour, while reducing the company’s carbon footprint from patrolling England’s motorways and major A-roads to help keep motorists safe.

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YOUNG BOXER FROM WARRING AFGHANISTAN TO VICTORY IN BRADFORD

(Image Courtesy: The Yorkshire Post)

Hamed Ghaz moved to Bradford at 11 years old after suffering a difficult childhood in Afghanistan. The boxer whos record stands at 17-0 is yet to be defeated in the ring. 25 year old Hamed first put on a pair of boxing gloves at the age of 12. He has had successful amateur career before getting into the professional ranks at 18. Last month, Hamed competed in an English lightweight title eliminator against Liam Shinkwin – a Youth Olympics silver medallist and former national amateur champion. Hamed's success came in the 3rd round as he knocked out Shinkwin.

Hamed is now setting his sights on English champion Myron Mills to get further on the title trail. Although his life in Bradford is turning out pretty well, it could have been a very different story if he had stayed in his home country Afghanistan, which has been blighted by war for decades.

Hamed is grateful to his father who had come to England to work and earn enough money so the rest of the family could join him. In Afghanistan Hamed played Taekwondo but had to give that up as it was too dangerous to travel to the local gym. In Bradford

he couldn't find a Taekwondo club so started boxing which has given him his success.

“I was 11-years-old when I moved here. Growing up in Afghanistan, it was a difficult life for a young lad, with the war,” Hamed told The Yorkshire Post. “My Dad came here before the rest of my family to work and try to give us a better life. “There was a period of time where he was working 20-hour days, just to make sure we could get here and have a better life. “Over there, things were so difficult. The education, the security – everything. My Dad sacrificed so much of his life so we could get here. “When I was 12, I started boxing. “Since then, I have been living in Bradford and I have grown up here.

England has given me so much opportunity to achieve my dream. Boxing has been my life. “In Afghanistan, me and my brother did taekwondo but for security reasons we had to stop.

“We didn’t have a car and we would have to walk for miles to get to the gym, so we had to quit because there were bomb blasts everyday. “For that reason, my parents stopped us going

there. “When we got to Bradford, we couldn’t find a good taekwondo gym but one of my Dad’s friends introduced us to boxing. “I had so much anger, frustration and energy in me and I wanted to take it out on something. “The day I walked into the boxing gym, I said ‘this is it’ – I wanted to be the best at this and achieve something really, really big. I wanted to make my family proud and my Dad proud because he sacrificed so much for us. “From that day onwards, I started boxing and set a goal to become a world champion.”

Hamed's professional fights have all been in Yorkshire. Although most boxers dream would be of competing at venues such as Wembley or in America, Hamed’s ideal venue is more closer to home. “My dream venue would be at Valley Parade. Hopefully one day, if I could get a world title then I could defend or fight for it at Valley Parade,” he said. “That would be amazing. There aren’t many big fighters that have come out of Bradford. I want to make the city proud." He told The Yorkshire Post.

The Keto Diet:

how using a keto breathalyser can improve your workout The primary purpose of working out is to keep fit. But for different people, the definition of being fit is one of two things. One: having a body that is rid of excess fat and has just the right amount of fat, sugar and muscle bulk. Two: having a huge muscle bulk and a lot of latent strength. Regardless of how you define fitness, to achieve that fitness, you need to workout and while working out, you will be burning fat.

This is where a specialist device, such as the Ketoscan Mini breathalyser, comes in. For people who are trying to get their bodies in a state of ketosis, it is usually achieved by following two main principles – by following a keto diet and working out to burn excess fat and sugar from the body. Despite what many people think, following a keto diet alone is not enough to get your body into a state of ketosis. You also need to exercise and, while doing this, you need to monitor the amount of fat you are burning. This is the reason a breathalyser is crucial to ensuring your workout routine is at its optimum level.

A breathalyser will help you to identify the rate at which your body burns fat in

ers that use electronic semi-conductors, this device uses an electrochemical cartridge, which measures ketones in the breath in real-time, making it one of the most effective ways to monitor ketosis.

It can be easily carried in a bag or pocket allowing accurate readings to be taken anytime you choose.

It is currently the cheapest and most accurate way to monitor your body’s state of ketosis in real-time making it great value for money.

Using a keto breathalyser comes with a lot of benefits, not only for your workout sessions but also for all the major areas of your ketowatch. real-time, thus enabling you to personalise your keto diet and workout routine.

Based on the data provided by the device, you can predict the rate at which you’re going to lose fat in the future, enabling you to tweak your routine as required to make it more focused and effective.

The device will help you identify which exercise routine helps to burn more fat and which one helps to waste more time without achieving much. Based on the

data you gather, you will be able to cut away the less productive routines and focus on the more constructive routines.

The Ketoscan Mini, which is distributed by AlcoDigital, can be linked via bluetooth to a variety of health applications on mobile phones such as Google Fit, iOS Health and Samsung Health apart from its original mobile app. It is the world’s first portable cartridge-based analyser and, unlike ketone breathalys-

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What is Qurbani/Udhiyah?

Udhiyah is an Arabic term, which means ‘sacrificing an animal’, and ‘Qurbani’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘Qurban’ which literally means an act performed to seek Allah’s pleasure. It is technically used for the sacrifice of an animal slaughtered for the sake of Allah.

Why do we perform Qurbani?

There is nothing dearer to Allah during the days of Udhiya than the sacrificing of animals. The sacrificed animal shall come on the Day of Judgment with its horns, hair, and hooves (to be weighed). The sacrifice is accepted by Allah before the blood reaches the ground. Therefore sacrifice with an open and happy heart. (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)

Who has to perform Qurbani?

Qurbani is obligatory on every Muslim who is sane, mature, and owns 612,36 grams of silver or its equivalent in any form beyond one’s basic needs and debt on any of the three days of Qurbani (It is not necessary that this amount is in one’s possession for a complete lunar year).

When do we perform Qurbani?

Qurbani is normally performed after Eid Salaah on the 10th of Dhul Hijjah and ends at the setting of the sun on the 12th of Thul Hijjah.

How many Qurbanis do I need to perform?

In the Hanafī Madhab, the sacrifice of a small animal (goat, sheep) will only suffice for a single individual. A large animal (cow, buffalo, camel) will suffice for seven individuals, each holding a share no less than one-seventh with the intention of reward.