Asian World September 2021

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NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN AFGHANISTAN M

any new developments have happened in Afghanistan in the past few weeks. Some of the notable developments include the Taliban taking control of the Panjshir Province and announcement of new government. Moreover, universities are opened and it is returning to normalcy... ...continued on page 15

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September 2021

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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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The NHS Covid vaccination programme has protected more than 700,000 people from ethnic minority backgrounds since rolling out the Grab-A-Jab campaign.

An analysis of one Grab-A-Jab weekend in July found that 2 in 5 of the 80,000 walk-in doses administered were to people from ethnic minority groups, significantly more than the proportion in the wider community.

People have been able to turn up and ‘grab a jab’ at festivals, mosques, town halls, football grounds and other convenient sites since the campaign began earlier this summer.

The fastest growth in vaccinations was from people of mixed Asian and white backgrounds between 20th June and 22nd August, with numbers growing by a quarter from 81,000 to 101,000, closely followed by mixed white and Black African groups.

There was also a significant increase in people from Black communities getting the jab with 142,000 people receiving their first dose of the life-sav-

Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS medical director of primary care and deputy lead for the vaccination programme, said: “Increasing vaccine confidence has been at the heart of the NHS rollout and staff who know and care for their local communities are continuing to go above and beyond to set up sites that meet their patients’ needs.

“This hard work is paying off and we are protecting people that were previously reluctant to get the vaccine, building on work we have already done, such as tackling misinformation online, translating materials into more than 20 languages and working with faith and community leaders to promote the vaccine’s safety.

“The vaccine is safe, effective and could save your life, and if you have any lingering questions or concerns, please come forward and speak to a trusted healthcare professional.” ing vaccine. More than 3 in 5 of those were Black African, with the number of people getting a first dose increasing by 20.9%.

Meanwhile, the increase in vaccinations among white people was 11.1%.

In all, more than 3.8 million first doses have been delivered since the NHS launched its first grab-a-jab weekend at the end of June, which is more than 400,000 a week.

England’s top GP said the figures show increasing confidence in the vaccine and greater accessibility meeting the needs of different communities.

The NHS has also been offering all 16 and 17-year-olds a single dose of the vaccine in line with updated JCVI guidance issued on 4th August and anyone in this age group can now find their nearest centre through the ‘GrabA-Jab’ NHS online walk-in finder, with more sites becoming available every day.

The NHS outlined its action plan to tackle vaccine hesitancy in February, which included tackling misinformation online with social media firms, translating materials into more than 20 languages, and working with faith and

community leaders to promote the vaccine’s safety.

The NHS also committed early on to publishing a regular breakdown of stats among ethnic groups and worked with local systems to make the vaccine as accessible as possible such as through pop-up clinics in places of worship and extended opening hours during Ramadan for “Twilight” clinics.

The NHS made history when Maggie Keenan received the first Covid jab outside of a clinical trial in December.

In the eight months since then the largest and fastest vaccination programme in NHS history has protected more than 40 million people.

Nine in 10 adults have had at least one dose of the vaccine, with more than three quarters fully protected with both doses.

In all, more than 75 million vaccinations have been delivered by the NHS in England.

The NHS outlined its action plan to tackle vaccine hesitancy in February, inspiring uptake to treble among ethnic minorities over the following two months and eligible people continue to come forward all of the time.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:

“

It’s fantastic to see the positive impact NHS England’s Grab-A-Jab weekend has had in driving vaccine uptake amongst ethnic minority groups in particular.

Our wonderful NHS staff and volunteers have gone above and beyond to make the vaccine as accessible as possible, rolling out the programme at a variety of sites including places of worship, festivals, and sporting venues.

The vaccines have already saved over 100,000 lives and prevented 24 million infections. I urge everyone to get vaccinated in order to help keep yourself, your family and your community safe as we return to normal life.

“

NHS Covid ‘Grab-A-Jab’ Initiative Boosts Ethnic Minority Vaccinations

September 2021

On the 4th anniversary of the genocidal military offensive against Rohingya civilians, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is still refusing to act to hold the Burmese military accountable for their crimes.

Dominic Raab refuses to support referring Burma to the International Criminal Court, and refuses to join the genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

“Not only is Dominic Raab failing to act to support accountability for genocide of the Rohingya, he is actively resisting cross-party pressure on him to do so,” said Anna Roberts, Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Dominic Raab refuses to join the genocide case at the International Court of Justice, despite cross-party support for him to do so. His failure to act makes no sense either in terms of promoting accountability, or politically for himself and his own reputation as an embattled Foreign Secretary who says he wants to support human rights.”

On 25th August 2017 the Burmese military launched a pre-planned attack against ethnic Rohingya civilians in Rakhine State, Burma.

Around 800,000 Rohingya were forced to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. Thousands of people were killed and raped. The majority of the Rohingya forced to flee were children.

UN investigators have concluded that what took place was genocide and called for Burma to be referred to the International Criminal Court, but despite Foreign Office Minister Mark Field stating in October 2017 that the UK would support a referral if the UN supported that approach, the British government is still refusing to say it supports a referral.

At the same time Dominic Raab is refusing to join the genocide case at the International Court of Justice. While claiming international leadership on addressing human rights in Burma, it was in fact Gambia which brought the genocide case to the court, with Dominic Raab watching from the sidelines and resisting cross-party pressure in the UK to join the case.

AW Facts Did you know?

90% of the UK is within 4 hours of Birmingham

A Birmingham man was sentenced to 4 years imprisonment at Birmingham Crown Court on 23 August 2021 after pleading guilty to 26 offences for manufacturing and selling fake designer clothes.

Inderjit Sangu (67), formerly of Sandwell Road, Birmingham, had previously pleaded guilty to 26 offences under the Trade Marks Act 1994.

Mr Sangu – who owned a clothing manufacturing business in Park Road, in Hockley, Birmingham – was producing tens of thousands of counterfeit goods and distributing these to market stall and online sellers across the UK. On 27 August 2019 – as part of Operation Beorma – officers from the National Trading Standards Regional Investigation Team (RIT), Birmingham Trading Standards and West Midlands Police executed search warrants on Mr Sangu’s factory and home address.

Operation Beorma is an ongoing investigation led by the National Trading Standards RIT and Birmingham Trading Standards into organised crime groups involved in the importation, manufacturing and distribution of counterfeit goods.

Members of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (made up of brand representatives) examined the stock at the Hockley factory and confirmed they were counterfeit goods.

Trading Standards officers seized the fake designer clothing with a street value of approximately £500,000, as well as approximately 40,000 counterfeit branded clothing labels.

The fake designer labels seized by Trading Standards included brand names such as The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, Nike, Moncler, Versace, Givenchy, Stone Island, Super Dry, Prada, Lacoste and Canada Goose.

Three large industrial embroidery and sewing looms were found at the unit and there was clear evidence indicating counterfeit clothing being manufactured at the premises on a large scale.

In sentencing Mr Sangu, the judge, Mr Recorder Brandreth QC, told Mr Sangu that there had been ‘serious planning and pre-meditation’ in the counterfeiting operation as well as a ‘pattern of sophistication for which you are the leader’. He concluded by saying that ‘only a custodial sentence could be justified’.

Lord Toby Harris, Chair of the National Trading Standards Board, said:

Graham Mogg, Intelligence Co-ordinator for the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, said:

Trading standards officers and other partners are tackling this criminal activity. Consumers risk being misled and parting with hard earned money to pay for fake products. We will continue to work together to disrupt the organised crime groups and clamp down on criminals who sell counterfeit goods to unsuspecting members of the public. We urge people to be vigilant and report any examples of sales of counterfeit goods by calling the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.

The potential loss to industry was estimated at being more than £5 million. Each of the 40,000 labels seized would have been used to create a counterfeit item.

Whilst some may have been used to create a T-shirt that sold for between £40 and £50, others such as the counterfeit Canada Goose and Moncler labels would have been used to counterfeit clothing worth more than £1,000 per item.

“

“

Councillor Philip Davies, Chair of Birmingham City Council’s Licensing and Public Protection Committee, said: “This was one of the largest operations ever to be disrupted in the city. People may think counterfeiting is a victimless crime, but it’s not.

“

Counterfeiting is often linked to organised crime, drugs, modern slavery and child labour. They are ripping off the consumers, legitimate businesses and Inland Revenue. Birmingham Trading Standards will do everything they can to disrupt these organised crime groups who are involved in this illicit business.

“

Raab Refuses to Act on Accountability

BIRMINGHAM MAN SENTENCED FOR RUNNING A COUNTERFEIT CLOTHING FACTORY

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Rohingya Genocide 4th Anniversary

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BID NOW FOR SECOND ROUND OF CELEBRATING COMMUNITIES FUNDING

Residents and community groups now have a second chance to bid for a slice of a £2million council fund created to help people celebrate the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The Celebrating Communities Small Grants Funding Scheme has been assembled by Birmingham City Council to maximise the benefit and legacy of being the Proud Host City for the Games.

Ideas are being welcomed from all 69 of the city’s wards to ensure everyone feels involved with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – regardless of whether they have a competition or cultural event in their neighbourhood or not.

Grants will be available to run initiatives which deliver against one of three themes: ‘Get Active’, ‘Ready, Steady, Fun’ and ‘Celebrating Culture’ – which are described as follows: Getting Active – encouraging communities to get out and get active by participating in sports and recreational activities. The overriding aim should be to encourage residents, of all abilities and ages, to engage in physical activity and improve their health and wellbeing. This could, for example be

anything from running to gardening and walking – it isn’t restricted to traditional/organised sport.

Ready, Steady, Fun – delivering community projects to ensure a local area is Games ready (e.g. by improving communal space, and hosting community celebrations to connect people and foster civic pride).

Celebrating Culture – developing community-led cultural events and initiatives that encourage intergenerational activities. Proposed schemes should harness the power of culture to bring people together, celebrate their identities, Birmingham’s place in the

Commonwealth and the culture, heritage and stories of their communities.

The scheme will allocate funding across the city’s wards using a formula that takes into account local deprivation data and the size of the ward.

Wards with one councillor will receive between £11,100 and £17,500. Wards with two councillors will receive between £22,200 and £35,000.

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Our aim is for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to be a Games for everyone, bringing people and communities across the city together.

“Through this fund residents and community groups can play a big part in a city-wide celebration.

“We want everyone to embrace our status as a Proud Host City and, thanks to this funding, there are lots of ways for communities to get involved and show how bold Birmingham really is. We hope Celebrating Communities will help unlock some of the local excitement and help make the events of 2022 memorable for the people of Birmingham.”

The deadline for Round Two applications is 30 November 2021. Ward Forums and community voting will then take place to select the successful bids between February and March of next year, with projects then commencing in April 2022.

The successful Round One applicants are set to be named in the coming weeks – those who have bid in Round One are welcomed to resubmit their initial ideas, but if successful in Round One, the same scheme will not be considered again when finalising the Round Two awards. This means an organisation could be successful with two different bids in the two rounds.

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September 2021

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September 2021

There’s A Better Way campaign launched

‘There’s A Better Way’ campaign to tackle begging and promote giving launched at digital sites across the city Birmingham City Council has launched ‘There’s a Better Way’ campaign across the city in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Over the next two weeks two digital posters will be displayed prominently at key points around the city making the point that ‘There’s a Better Way’ than giving to someone who is begging on the street or at the road side. Instead of giving money to someone begging, the ‘better way’ posters are asking the public and local businesses to donate to Change into Action hrough www.changeintoaction. org.uk Speaking at the launch Councillor Thompson, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Homelessness said ‘As Councillors we know only too well how emotive it is being asked for money on the street by someone who may appear to be

homeless. We also know that the people of Birmingham are generous and want to help, but sometimes it is not easy to know how

best to help or what the true circumstances of the individual are.

So, we are not telling people what to do but are highlighting that we

believe there is an alternative, a better way to help those in most need.’

By donating directly to Change into Action the public can be sure that their money will directly and personally help someone who has been sleeping rough. Trusted local charities and street outreach teams work with anyone who has been sleeping rough to identify those things that can really make a change to their life. All the funds received go directly to help an individual. None will go to the Council.

No one need sleep rough in Birmingham, and we have seen a marked reduction in the number of people sleeping rough in the last 2 years.

Birmingham City Council funds street outreach services 7 days and nights a week as well as health and treatment services and accommodation to ensure there is always a bed available.

Councillor Cotton, Cabinet Mem-

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity Celebrates Air Ambulance Week 2021 in the West Midlands

Air Ambulance Week 2021, is took off across the UK from Monday 6th to Sunday 12th September, raising awareness of the lifesaving work of air ambulance charities across the UK, like Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, which covers the West Midlands.

During the national awareness week, organised by Air Ambulances UK, Midlands Air Ambulance Charity will also be joining other air ambulance charities around the country in a campaign called Every Second Counts and Every Penny Matters.

The campaign highlighted how air ambulance charities rapidly deliver advanced, lifesaving pre-hospital emergency care directly to some of the most seriously ill and injured patients across the UK. Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is one of 21 air ambulance operators that brings the hospital to the patient when every second counts towards survival.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity attends an average of 13 lifesaving missions a week across the Midlands, forming an important part of the emergency service and healthcare provision across the West Midlands, and

John Walton: Midlands Air Ambulance supporting the NHS. Each air ambulance mission costs, on average, around £2,500 and each of Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s critical care car missions costs an average of £224.

All of the charity’s daily lifesaving missions are funded by public donations, meaning every penny matters.

Midlands Air Ambulance Charity is calling on people all over the West Midlands to support the charity during Air Ambulance Week to ensure it can continue to save the lives of people like John Walton, from Dudley. John was playing a game of squash with a

friend at his local leisure centre, when after 35 minutes, he became unwell rather quickly, his breathing became laboured and his heart went into cardiac arrest. John then collapsed as he went to hit the squash ball and fell, bruising his face.

Two ambulances and a paramedic officer from West Midlands Ambulance Service arrived on scene and continued CPR which had already been started by the sports centre. In addition, a critical care paramedic for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity was deployed to the scene on the organisation’s

critical care car.

John explains: “I just don’t want to think what could have happened had it not been for Clive, the team at the leisure centre, and Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s enhanced care.”

To celebrate Air Ambulance Week, Air Ambulances UK, Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland and Raffolux, the online raffle company, have partnered to launch the ‘Every Second Counts’ prize draw, where people can enter to win an Audi Q3 and support their local air ambulance charity. For more details and to play please visit www.everysecondcountsraffle.co.uk.

Emma Gray, chief operating officer for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity explains: “Air Ambulance Week is always something that we, at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, are keen to get involved with and support.

“Following the success of our Air30 Rapid Response Raffle, earlier this year, which funded 120 lifesaving missions, we are pleased to be supporting Air Ambulances UK’s Every Second Counts prize draw, which will see our service and the wider air ambulance community supported for future lifesaving missions.”

ber for, Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities said ‘We know that many people who beg on the streets are not sleeping rough but are often vulnerable for other reasons, and for them there is also the offer of help. We are especially concerned about individuals begging at roadsides and amongst traffic as they are putting themselves and the public at risk.’

If people are concerned that someone may be sleeping rough then they need to report it through www.streetlink.org.uk The notification will go directly to the councils street outreach team who will follow up with an offer of help.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Change into Action has helped make a real difference to those rough sleeping or at risk of doing so in the West Midlands, and I want to thank all the residents and businesses who have donated so generously to the scheme knowing the difference it makes.

“With Change into Action directly supporting and funding specialist homelessness charities and street teams, I hope people will continue to show their support and donate money.”

Councillor Thompson added ‘We know that it is hard to know what to do for the best when approached by someone begging but we believe there genuinely is a ‘a better way’ than giving money directly. By giving to Change into Action you know that your money will be used wisely, and it will directly benefit someone who has slept rough. Already through the generosity of the people of Birmingham and local businesses over £90k has been raised and this has provided grants to over 400 people to support their move off the street’ Council Cotton added ‘All donations are welcome, big or small.

To give you an idea of what your money can buy we have put together a simple guide. Donating £4 provides a day’s bus pass to go to appointments with homelessness services, £10 basic kitchen items when moving into self-catering accommodation and £50 will buy new clothes that fit and give confidence to their new owner, and £450 buys the basic furniture for a flat.’

To help to spread the message about the Change into Action campaign the council is also asking people to send the ‘There is a Better Way’ images to family and friends using social media. The council wants to get the posters seen by as many people as possible so that the message reaches all communities.

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September 2021

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September 2021

New Garden of Memory unveiled at restored Jewellery Quarter cemetery Cllr John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, who unveiled the memorial stone, said:

“

This project has been over 10 years in the making and seeing the difference these works haves made to these historic cemeteries is amazing.

With the transformation of Key Hill and Warstone Lane cemeteries, the stage is now set for a new era for these historic green spaces for the local community, families and visitors to appreciate for many years to come.

“

Image Source: birmingham-jewellery-quarter.net

Josie Wall, Activities Programme Manager for the Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries Project, said:

“

The unveiling was a chance to celebrate the culmination of two years of restoration work in the cemeteries. These works have been a huge collective effort and this was our chance to say thank you to all involved including the funders, contractors, volunteers and community stakeholders.

It was also a great opportunity to look back at all the successes of our activities programme so far and look forward to upcoming events before the project ends in December.

Campaigners were outside the Library of Birmingham today, Wednesday 1 September, to protest about Amazon’s treatment of workers and to expose price gouging at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Unite, Britain’s leading union, has submitted the first formal complaint to the CMA (Competition & Markets Authority) against Amazon for abuse of its market position in relation to price gouging at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Vulnerable and older people who had to stay at home and those who relied on home deliveries would have been particularly exposed to inflated prices for essential items on the Amazon website.

Unite is calling for Amazon to repay the overcharges.

For example, Carex antibacterial hand lotion usually costs around £1. In March 2020 the price on Amazon increased to £26.41. The price of a Braun Thermoscan 7 digital thermometer shot up over £100 – going from £39.99 to £149.99.

Campaigners continue to raise awareness of Amazon’s poor working conditions and anti-trade union tactics. The union is calling on Amazon to sign up to a declaration of neutrality, which includes commitments that recognize workers’ rights to unionise.

As part of the Action on Amazon campaign, Unite research has uncovered compelling evidence of price gouging throughout 2020 (A copy of the formal complaint is available on request). 50 different items have been identified that

were being sold on the Amazon site for at least double their usual price from March 2020 to November 2020 onwards.

They include soap, antibacterial spray and wipes, washing up liquid, hand wash, bleach, thermometers, face masks, toilet paper, disposable gloves, sanitary products, vitamins, toothpaste, sudocream, tea and tinned food.

Sharon Graham, Unite General Secretary said

“

Amazon is steeped in corpor ate irresponsibility, from its anti-union tactics to tax avoidance. Now Amazon stands accused of profiting from price gouging on its website at the height of the pandemic when vulnerable people were most at need.

It’s time for Amazon to be held to account.

“

Protest over Amazon’s pandemic profiteering

“

The results of a £2.3m project to restore historic cemeteries in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter were unveiled during a special ceremony this week.

A memorial stone was revealed as part of the new Garden of Memory at Warstone Lane Cemetery, which has also seen its historic catacombs restored as part of the Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries Project, on 31 August 2021.

The scheme - funded in partnership between the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Birmingham City Council and Jewellery Quarter Development Trust - also saw restoration works carried out at Key Hill Cemetery.

With Key Hill established in 1836 and Warstone Lane in 1848, these are the city’s oldest garden cemeteries and both are listed for their historical importance.

This ceremony marked the end of the project’s capital works programme which saw gates, walls, railings and catacombs restored as well as improvements to the cemeteries’ landscaping, pathways, drainage and chapel footprint garden – including the memorial stone.

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September 2021

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September 2021

Director of Council Management is appointed Becky Hellard has been named as Birmingham City Council’s Director of Council Management, as the organisation’s reshaping continues.

Having joined the council as Interim Director for Finance and Governance in October 2019, Becky has overseen the delivery of financial improvement plans across the council, strengthening the strategic approach to the council’s budget, and delivering financial resilience.

Progress on these fronts was recently recognised as exemplary in a report from CIPFA and Becky joins Rob James (Managing Director – City Operations) and Julie Griffin (Managing Director – City Housing), who were appointed to the new council structure in April of this year.

Becky is a qualified accountant and has worked in local government approaching 30 years, having held permanent and interim positions in Core Cities, metropolitan authorities, county unitaries and London boroughs.

The Director of Council Management role has overall responsibility for the council’s engine room and support services as well as front line services including revenues and benefits and customer services.

In addition the post covers aspects such as performance improvement, programme delivery, IT & digital, financial management, assurance and governance arrangements. The Director will also be the council’s statutory section 151 officer.

Commenting on her permanent appointment, Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Becky is a vastly-experienced, well-respected officer who has already overseen significant progress and helped us navigate the financial uncertainty created by the pandemic over the last 18 months.

“We still face many challenges as result of COVID-19 and we must also ensure that our recovery benefits people and communities right across Birmingham.

I’m confident Becky has all the qualities required for this key role as we look to create opportunities and shared prosperity for the people of this city.”

Becky added: “I have started a journey with Birmingham and I am really pleased that I can continue the significant improvements that we have already delivered.”

Kick the Burmese Military Attaché out of the UK – Burma Campaign UK

Burma Campaign UK is calling on Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to expel the Burmese military attaché from the UK. Captain Soe Aung, representing a military responsible for genocide and child rape, lives in a multi-million pound home in South London.

The military attaché was responsible for the military takeover of the Burmese embassy in London in April, when Ambassador Kyaw Zwar Minn was locked out of his own embassy.

Members of the Burmese community in the UK have told Burma Campaign UK that his presence makes them concerned for their security and the security of their families in Burma. These concerns have grown since the FBI in the US uncovered a plot to assassinate the Burmese Ambassador to the UN, who has sided with Burma’s democracy movement.

“Why is a serving member of the

Burmese military able to operate freely in the UK?”, asked Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Captain Soe Aung gets his orders directly from the military, and is a potential security risk to the Burmese community in the UK. There is no good reason to allow Captain Soe Aung to stay in the UK.” The purpose of military attaches is to promote military to military contacts, and they can act as useful channels of communication. This is not the case with the Burmese military, where military to military relations were ended following the genocidal military offensive against the Rohingya in 2017. The British government does not have a military attaché in Burma.

Soe Aung, a Captain in the Burmese Navy, is currently living in a luxury home in Wimbledon, South West London, in an area where homes have an average value of around

£2 million. He works from a separate house in Wimbledon in an area where average house prices are more than £7 million. The homes are owned by the government of Burma.

“It make no sense to impose visa bans on some members of the military while allowing another member of the same military to operate freely in the UK,” said Mark Farmaner. “Allowing the military to keep an attaché in the UK is sending the wrong message to the military, that we accept the military and that they are welcome in the UK. Dominic Raab needs to kick the Burmese military attaché out of the UK right away.”

Burma Campaign is asking supporters to write to Dominic Raab asking him to expel Soe Aung.

For more information contact Mark Farmaner on 07941239640.

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SHAKESPEARE’S WORKS ‘INSPIRATION’ FOR TERRORISTS INCLUDING 9/11 AND GUNPOWDER PLOT CONSPIRATORS, NEW RESEARCH REVEALS

New studies by Dr Islam Issa, Reader in Literature and History at Birmingham City University, examined how terrorists throughout the centuries have responded to Shakespeare’s writings, and why the iconic playwright’s work has been linked to acts of terror, or influenced terrorists.

Among those found to have been influenced by the work of the Bard, are some of history’s most infamous terrorists including Osama Bin Laden, Guy Fawkes and the Nazis.

The research reveals how Bin Laden made weekly visits to Shakespeare’s birthplace as a teenager, which he saw as a symbol of the West and its political ideology, and details how the gunpowder plotters included family friends of Shakespeare and held strong links to Stratford-upon-Avon.

It also shows how Shakespeare’s writing has been used to justify terrorism including how the Nazis used the Merchant of Venice and Hamlet to support their ideology, that the swastika was once flown over Stratford for Shakespeare’s birthday celebrations, and how soldier Lee Rigby’s murderers cited Shakespearean symbolism in the aftermath of their Woolwich attack in 2013.

“There are some extremists who have hated Shakespeare and what he represents so they’ve used that to advance their ideologies or in some cases attacked theatres and actors”.

Dr Islam Issa

The findings have been published in a new book titled Shakespeare and Terrorism, written by Dr Issa and published by Routledge this month (30 September).

Dr Islam Issa, Reader in Literature and History, said: “Ever since his own day and all around the world, Shakespeare’s work has been interpreted in different ways and with different agendas.

“Then you have some extremists who have found Shakespeare’s violent and usurping characters inspiring and used that admiration as direct justification for their terrible ideologies or actions.

“The book records many of these events and anecdotes, but writing them also forced me to ask important questions about the role of the arts in how we build identities and opinions.

Fiction in all its forms also serves as a type of release, so people gravitate towards watching violence in theatre and film because they get something

out of it.”

Studies also bring to light how terror attacks have taken place at Shakespearean performances including attacks from the Taliban in response to a performance of Love’s Labour’s Lost in Afghanistan – the first performance of Shakespeare in the country since the Soviet invasion.

Links between the Bard’s plays and assassinations are also uncovered, including an attempt on Adolf Hitler’s life in 1944 influenced by Julius Caesar. Led by three German Army figures the failed attempt led to arrests and revelations that one of the figures had a copy of the play about the Roman statesman’s assassination on his desk with lines from key antagonist Brutus underlined.

The play is also shown to have influenced John Wilkes Booth who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln during a theatrical performance in 1865.

The research was gathered from trips around the world to gain a greater understanding of readings of Shakespeare and his influence, including to Stratford-upon-Avon, the United States, Denmark, Algeria, Palestine and Qatar.

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AFGHANISTAN

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*According to Islamic eschatology, the ‘Black Flags of Khorasan’ will proceed from this location, ‘marching to liberate Palestine’.

A millennium ago, a flame would illuminate aloft the minaret. A beacon of light to benefit humanity; promoting harmony, hope, mutual respect & tolerance ~ unifying Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Shining a light, literally, on what the Abrahamic faiths have in common, rather than their differences.

In October 2016 ~ during the Autumn Season of ‘Off The Shelf Festival of Words’, I was seated amongst a predominantly large female audience in a packed University of Sheffield lecture theatre. The speaker Melissa Benn author of, ‘What should we tell our daughters?’ discussed the importance of equality, women’s rights, education and, elaborated on how, during the 1970s women for the first time in British history constituted over 50% of university & college enrollments.

A landmark to be “celebrated” for sure.

During Question Time, I raised my hand and asked; “Why is it that we don’t celebrate the founder of the modern degree granting university ~ al-Qarawiyyin, { a UNESCO Heritage Site } established in the 9th century?” I pointed out that the university was founded by “Fatima al-Firhi”, a Muslim woman! Melissa looked surprised and, admitted that she had never heard of the name, and would duly find out more about Fatima al-Firhi as she plays an important historical role ~ worthy of being celebrated universally of course.

We live in a digital age where moral panic and mass hysteria fuels the agitated, confused and angry where political leaders steal, monopolise, and saccharinise feminist rhetoric to denounce indigenous cultures when it most suits their self serving interests and political agenda. A parallel example being that of Lord Cromer, con-

“

The world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate.

“

It was the Persian philosopher Zaraϑuštra, 6 Century BCE who bestowed the title “land of the high flags” to the rugged mountainous country we all know today as Afghanistan.

An ancient crossroads and linguistic, cultural, ethnic, and commercial meltingpot that saw parallel developments with the once rich, egalitarian civilisations of Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley.

A land that produced Malalai of Maiwand an Afghan folk heroine, rarely heard of outside of Afghanistan, { there has been no mention of her at all in the British mainstream media }.

When a leading flag-bearer was struck down by a British bullet Malalai raised the fallen flag, calling upon her people to fight ~ an act of bravery that spurred on her countrymen leading to “the biggest defeat for the Anglo-Indian army in the Second Afghan War”. The Battle of Maiwand, 27 July 1880. Afghanistan has been ravaged & torn by a continuous and persistent flow of invasions, imperialist adventures { all ending in retreat and calamitous failure }, wars & inner conflicts for the past two centuries.

The Afghan people have, paradoxically, also witnessed a total of 30 different flags in just over a century! 20 years ago, the first generation Taliban damaged & defaced two statues/carvings of the Buddhas of Bamiyan. There was worldwide condemnation. But, all the while, towering high and far above all of the angry political rhetoric and threats stood a beautiful 12 Century ‘monument to peace & religious pluralism’. Nestled deep in the heart of Afghanistan’s mountains and, still standing tall is the Minaret of Jam, one of the tallest minarets in the world.

The minaret’s ornamented shaft is described as “a dazzling display of virtuoso brickwork, with geometric forms incorporating Islamic eightpointed stars and Kufic lettering”. The intricate calligraphy alternates between Kufic & Naskhi ~ telling us the story of the Virgin Mary and Jesus from the Qur’an, Chapter 19, ‘Maryam’, ‘... the greatest/ most honoured of all women’ venerated by Muslims and, of prophets ‘Abraham and Isaac’* both of whom hold an exalted place as prophets within Islam.

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Edward W.

sul-general of Great Britain in Egypt responsible in developing colonising policies.

Cromer vehemently opposed, hated Muslim culture, prefer-

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ring to force western civilisation onto British colonial subjects. Back in Britain, Cromer also opposed Suffrage and lambasted women’s rights.

Between the 1920s and the 1970s Europe produced at least 30 fascist dictatorships.

The crucial question one must ask is this : Is cultural progressiveness and tolerance written in our own ( European ) DNA? Today, there exists a country that dictates what a woman should and should not wear,

*There is a Jewish cemetery also nearby. otherwise she cannot enter into a place of higher education to study, and cannot be employed if she does not conform or adhere to the rules set by the state. Women are fined and are even facing imprisonment ... this isn’t Afghanistan, but a ‘progressive, liberal country’ ~ France. Michel-Ange Flori is being sued for the offence of “insulting the president of the Republic”. Because of a

crudely caricatured Emmanuel Macron appeared on posters aimed at questioning “... democracy where decisions are taken without discussion ...”

So, ... Let us learn to deconstruct the world from around us, the world that has been pulled over our eyes, and, look beyond the sophistry and smoke & mirrors espoused by so many of our politicians and media channels.

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September 2021

Hidden air pollutants on the rise in cities in India and the UK Levels of air pollutants in cities in India are on the rise, according to scientists using observations from instruments on satellites that scan the global skies every day.

Researchers used a long record of data gathered by space-based instruments to estimate trends in a range of air pollutants for 2005 to 2018, timed to coincide with well-established air quality policies in the UK and rapid development in India.

The study was led by the University of Birmingham and UCL and included an international team of contributors from Belgium, India, Jamaica and the UK. The researchers published their findings in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, noting that fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), both hazardous to health, are increasing in Kanpur and Delhi.

Delhi is a fast-growing megacity and Kanpur was ranked by the WHO in 2018 as the most polluted city in the world. The researchers speculated that increases in PM2.5 and NO2 in India reflect increasing vehicle ownership, industrialisation and the limited effect of air pollution policies to date.

This contrasts with trends in the UK cities London and Birmingham, which show modest but ongoing declines in PM2.5 and NOx, reflecting the success of policies targeting sources that emit these pollutants.

They also found increases in the air pollutant formaldehyde in Delhi, Kanpur and London. Formaldehyde is a marker for emissions of volatile organic compounds that include a large contribution from ve-

hicle emissions in India, and, in the UK, an increasing contribution from personal care and cleaning products and a range of other household sources.

Karn Vohra, study lead author and PhD student at the University of Birmingham, commented: “We wanted to demonstrate the utility of satellite observations to monitor city-wide air pollution in the UK where ground-based measurements are in abundance and in India where they are not. Our approach will be able to provide useful information about air quality trends in cities with limited surface monitoring capabilities. This is critical as the WHO estimates that outdoor air pollution causes 4.2 million deaths a year.”

Study co-author Professor William Bloss, also from the University of Birmingham, commented “We were surprised to see the increase in formaldehyde above Delhi, Kanpur and London – a clue that emissions of other volatile organic compounds may be changing, potentially driven by economic development and changes in domestic behaviour. Our results emphasise the need to monitor our air for the unexpected, and the importance of ongoing enforcement of measures for cleaner air.”

“There is more than a decade of freely available observations from instruments in space to monitor and assess air quality in cities throughout the world. Greater use of these in the UK, India, and beyond is paramount to successful air quality policies”, stated Dr Eloise Marais, Earth observation expert at UCL and conceptual lead of the study.

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September 2021

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN AFGHANISTAN Key Government positions include:

1. Mohammad Hassan Akhund as Acting Prime Minister 2. Mullah Baradar serves as Deputy PM 3. Mullah Yaqoob serves as Defense Minister

Front Page Story Cont’d...

Many new developments have happened in Afghanistan in the past few weeks. Some of the notable developments include the Taliban taking control of the Panjshir Province and announcement of new government.

Moreover, universities are opened and it is returning to normalcy.

According to Zabihullah Mujahid, Panjshir Province is completely under the control of Taliban. It was the last area in Afghanistan under militia. He said that we are now completely out of war quagmire after this victory. Moreover, he assured that the people of Panjshir are fully protected and there will be no discrimination against them. He furthermore added that we all are brothers. Photos of Taliban members standing at the door of Governor Panjshir’s residence are doing rounds on social media. Many Taliban fighters were witnessed capturing eight areas of Panjshir Province.

An Interim government has been announced in Afghanistan which includes veterans who ruled in the 1990s and fought with the US-led coalition for 20 years. Key Government positions were declared by the Afghan Taliban after taking control of the country in last month and overthrowing the previous regime.

Mullah Mohammed Hassan Akhund, who was included in the United Nations sanctions list, was

declared as the acting prime minister. Taliban co-founder Abdul Ghani Baradar and Abdul Salam Hanafi, who recently participated in the Doha peace talks, will serve as a deputy. The internal operations and leadership of the Taliban have long been kept secret-even when they ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

Another important development in Afghanistan is the reopening of universities and the return of students to universities in Afghanistan. Some students are worried about their future, while others are happy to return to their classes despite the new rules imposed by the Taliban. For the first time since the Taliban took control of the country, university students are returning to classes all over Afghanistan. After the detention of the Taliban, Afghanistan’s already fragile economy, which is heavily dependent on foreign aid and foreign resources, is struggling to survive. Most of the dollar inflows have been cut. This has had a serious impact on the country, as much of government spending and humanitarian aid comes from international organizations and Western partners. Since then, many Afghans have lost their jobs, while others have not received their salaries for months. Nevertheless, Afghans hope and pray for a prosperous Afghanistan.

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www.asianworldnews.co.uk

DACIA ANNOUNCES BRAND Wellness at Work DIRECTOR FOR UK AND IRELAND Jacqueline Dobson of Barrhead Travel said that the independence of the wellness champions was a key aspect of the support that Barrhead Travel was offering.

We know that people sometimes don’t want to talk to their manager or to HR. The fact that our wellness champions are independent means that more of our team members feel able to chat to them and seek support. We are working with a local college on providing the necessary training for this important contribution to the wellbeing of our people.

Luke Broad after appointment made a statement:

Leading travel company to appoint a wellness champion in every store Leading UK travel company, Barrhead Travel, plans to have a “wellness champion” in every store by the end of the year. The initiative, which was originally launched two years ago, is accelerating to deal with the knock-on effects of the pandemic.

The rollout of the key plan to help the company’s people follows the valued experience of existing champions in the business’s stores and offices. The business launched their original Wellness Steering Programme in 2019 as it pledged to prioritise the health and wellbeing of its employees across the business.

During the pandemic, wellness

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I’m very excited to be appointed as Dacia Brand Director for the North Territory.

Having spent my entire professional career with the Group, I am proud to lead a brand that offers reliable and robust vehicles, all for the best value. Our brand is moving in an exciting direction, most recently announcing our new identity and the All-New Dacia Jogger, our seven-seat family car. I’m looking forward to working with the team as we progress the brand towards its next chapter.

“

Dacia has appointed Luke Broad as its Brand Director effective from 1 October 2021. Luke will have overall responsibility for leading and achieving Dacia’s strong ambitions across the brand’s North Territory which includes the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta. He is tasked with delivering volume, profit, quality, and market share objectives.

Starting his career in 2010 with an internship, before progressing as a graduate, Luke has worked across many different areas of the Renault Group.

Continuing through to senior positions, he is already familiar

with the brand having worked as Dacia Brand Manager and Dacia Head of Sales in the UK. Commenting on Luke’s appointment, Xavier Martinet, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Operations said: “I am pleased that Luke will be taking on this senior position and challenge with Dacia. Luke’s career progression in the Group is testament to his tenacity, leadership values and results-driven track record. I look forward to working with Luke in his new capacity and continuing to collaborate with the Dacia team and all those that support across the Group in the North Territory.”

champions undertook a crucial role as the business moved its entire retail operation to virtual homeworking. Their champions have been supporting people with personal challenges as lockdown and new ways of working have unfolded.

Each of the champions is equipped with a Mental Health First Aider qualification and they are backed by a series of wellness initiatives across the business including company-wide wellness events and a monthly newsletter. Barrhead Travel say the initiatives are driven by employeefeedback and were designed to ensure everyone felt “connected and supported” during the pandemic.

The company has acted to tackle

“

what has been recognised by business leaders as a significant problem for many businesses and industries affected in so many different ways by Covid-19 and what it has brought in its wake.

The scale of the issue across the UK has been highlighted in recent research with one survey, commissioned by Lime Insurance, showing that about half of respondents (51 per cent) said they felt under pressure to put on a brave face at work, while four out of ten said they felt less resilient since Covid struck.

Jacqueline Dobson, Barrhead Travel’s President, said that the company’s teams had experienced their own issues and that it had decided to act to extend the existing wellness support.

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Pooja Entertainment screens Bellbottom at the highest theatre in the World!

Pooja Entertainment’s ‘BellBottom’ marks the beginning of the cinemas in the hilly regions of Ladhak.

‘BellBottom’ was screened for the very first time at Ladhak’s premier mobile digital movie theatre at an altitude of 11,562 feet which makes it the highest theatre in the world.

To bring cinema watching experience to most remote areas, a mobile theatre was introduced in the Paldan area of Leh in Ladakh by Picture Time Digiplex. It is now the highest theatre in the world.

BellBottom was screened not only for the audiences’ but also for the army out there.

Actor Akshay Kumar and producer Deepshikha Deshmukh took to social media to share this news.

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BISHI RETURNS WITH HER THIRD STUDIO ALBUM ‘LET MY COUNTRY AWAKE’

‘Let My Country Awake’ is the third studio album by BISHI, visionary London musician, producer and founder of WITCiH. The album is due to be released on her own label Gryphon Records on CD and all major streaming platforms on 15th October 2021.

Part- inspired by groundbreaking essay collection, ‘The Good Immigrant’ and Tagore’s Nobel winning poem exploring borderless identity, the album features revolutionary use of her trademark electric sitar and four octave vocal range.

Originally commissioned by National Sawdust, in Brooklyn, it’s co-produced by Bishi and Jeff Cook. The album features sampled interviews from Nikesh Shukla, Salena Godden and Darren Chetty. The album’s themes focus on dual-identities, anti-racism and a call to find empathy in a divided world.

BISHI is a singer, electronic rock-sitarist, composer, producer, and performer born in London of Bengali heritage, One of the most iconic London born musicians & multi-instrumentalist, she has been trained in both Hindustani and Western Classical styles, studying the sitar under Gaurav Mazumdar, a senior disciple of Ravi Shankar.

During the album’s recording she trained on voice retreat with Meredith Monk, a titan of the New York avantgarde. facebook.com/bishiofficial

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“If you don’t know Bishi, you need to get to know because the woman is incredible” said Gemma Cairney, BBC Radio 6 Music.

BISHI is celebrated for the use of ground breaking technology in her performances, from interactive bodysuits, controlling sound & vision live onstage to live coded audiovisual environments.

BISHI started off as an alt-folk artist with The London Symphony Orchestra performing her debut album, has recently released music produced

by Tony Visconti, and recorded with the likes of Sean Ono Lennon and Jarvis Cocker. She’s performed on the Southbank for Yoko Ono’s Meltdown, and with the City of London Sinfonia as a soloist on Jonny Greenwood’s ‘Water.’ As an indie artist, fiercely charging her own path, she has released two solo albums, on her own label, Gryphon Records, to much critical acclaim.

BISHI’s interest in pop mediums exists through a fundamental understanding of the experimental, avant-garde, performing arts traditions of many centuries. I live for her” Nico Muhly, composer In 2016, BISHI founded WITCiH, the women in technology creative industries hub, a platform to elevate the voices of womxn and non binary practitioners in tech, and in 2020 she launched the podcast ‘Creative Women in Tech,’ starring Hannah Peel & Anna Meredith. In 2021, she curated the festival WITCiH Digital, which was headlined by Laurie Anderson. A passionate advocate for equality and inclusion, BISHI is an ambassador for The FAC, Imogen Heap’s Creative Passport and on the board of the F List For Music. During lockdown she has been working closely with mixed reality company Volta hosted masterclasses for tech giants such as Ableton, Delic, Cisco as well as joining the LANDR Pro network and producing their first electric sitar soundpack.

Full Album listing 1) Language Is An Ocean feat. Nikesh Shukla 2) Passport is a Palace 3) Teardrops 4) Shade feat. Salena Godden 5) Good Immigrant feat. Darren Chetty 6) Let my Country Awake Full Live Tour dates across the UK and EU - 2021 13 Oct Album launch, The Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London 3 Nov Anoushka Shankar’s Reflektor Festival, Hamburg 11-14 Nov Ludic Rooms, Coventry City of Culture 17 Nov support slot for Garbage, Bournemouth NEC 30 Nov Spitalfields Music, London 2 & 3 Dec Music Mark Festival, Brighton

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September 2021

FIRST LOOK OF LEANDER PAES AND MAHESH BHUPATHI’S BREAK POINT REVEALED THE 7-PART ZEE5 SERIES IS HELMED BY AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER DUO ASHWINY IYER TIWARI AND NITESH TIWARI ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest platform for South Asian content, is all set to bring the intriguing and untold Lee-Hesh Bromance to Breakup story to your screens. ZEE5 Global has partnered with award-winning filmmaker duo Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari to helm BREAK POINT, a 7-part series based on the iconic oncourt partnership between living legends, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi and their off-court lives.

The makers revealed the first poster of the ZEE5 Original series and looks like the many questions that fans had regarding the Lee-Hesh relationship and breakup will soon be answered!

Commenting on helming BREAK POINT, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari in a joint statement said, “It’s great to bring to screen a series like this on a home-grown video streaming platform like ZEE5. Working with icons like Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes has been surreal and to bring their untold story to screen is something that we will cherish forever.”

Leander Paes shares, “I enjoyed this walk down memory lane shooting for ‘BREAK POINT’ with wonderful storytellers like Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Nitesh Tiwari in collaboration with ZEE5. While Mahesh and my oncourt partnership was widely covered,

and our off-court chemistry was largely speculated. This is the first time that our fans will get to see and hear it all, first-hand. Mahesh and I worked really hard to put India on the top of world tennis and we are glad that we are getting a chance to present our story to the world, like never before. Enjoy our journey.”

Mahesh Bhupathi shares, “It is no secret that I am reserved when it comes to communicating, so this is a big step for me to relive the journey and put it all out there in the most candid and honest manner. But, at the same time, I am happy that our fans will get to see our journey which was a mix of sweat, perseverance, brotherhood and at times blood and tears as well. This is surely going to be a treat for all, and I am thankful to Ashwiny, Nitesh and ZEE5 for giving it everything.”

For decades, Indians have celebrated the country’s biggest tennis heroes who made India proud by winning many iconic matches and have also speculated about their much public split. However, for the first time, the speculations will be put to rest as Paes and Bhupathi get candid and honest about their bromance and breakup and tell the world – what happened, how it happened and why it happened!

BREAK POINT will not only construct their epic tennis matches but

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also deconstruct their relationship, both on and off the court.

BREAK POINT is a telling narrative on their friendship, brotherhood, partnership, belief, hard work and ambitions which made them one of the most feared doubles pair during the late 1990s, and even ranked world number 1 in the year 1999.

But it also throws light on their bitter breakup and how they couldn’t hold on to their meteoric rise. Above all, it’s a tale of two friends who had planned for success but not for life after success.

BREAK POINT marks ZEE5’s first partnership with filmmakers, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari under their banner Earthsky Pictures who are known for their exceptional movies such as Dangal, Panga, Chhichhore, Nil Battey Sannata, and many more. This is also the first time that Ashwini Iyer Tiwari and Nitesh Tiwari will be co-directing a project.

The seven-episode series will be exclusively available on ZEE5 soon.

Users can download the ZEE5 app from Google Play Store / iOS App Store, on Roku devices, Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TVs, Android TVs, and Amazon Fire Stick.ZEE5 is also available on ZEE5.com.

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AMAZON PRIME VIDEO RELEASES THE MUSIC ALBUM OF THEIR UPCOMING ORIGINAL – MUMBAI DIARIES 26/11 Legendary artists such as Naseeruddin Shah, Jubin Nautiyal have voiced various songs from the album.

Amazon Prime Video released the music album of their upcoming original – Mumbai Diaries 26/11. The music album consists of ten soulful and heartfelt soundtracks.

The tracks have been composed by popular music composer and producer – Ashutosh Phatak. Lyrics for the songs Yeh Haalaath, Tu Dafn Bhi and Paar Hoga Tu are by Neeraj Iyengar and have been sung

by Jubin Nautiyal & Zara Khan (Yeh Haalath), Naseeruddin Shah & Altamash Faridi (Tu Dafn Bhi) and Anand Bhaskar (Paar Hoga Tu). The powerful tracks, which are in sync with the show’s theme, deliver powerful and impactful messages and will directly strike a chord with music enthusiasts. The tracks are launched ahead of the show’s global premiere on September 9th exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

For the uninitiated, directed by Nikkhil Advani along with Nikhil Gonsalves, Mumbai Diaries 26/11 is a fictional medical drama set against the backdrop of 26/11 attacks starring Konkona Sen Sharma, Mohit Raina, Shreya Dhanwantary and more. The series is an account of events that unfold

The music album consists of the below ten soulful and heartfelt soundtracks: »» Yeh Haalaath »» Tu Dafn Bhi »» Paar Hoga Tu »» Mumbai Diaries Title Theme »» Ananya’s Theme – Inner Strength »» The Departed »» The Aftermath »» Flashing Back »» Dia Theme – On Thin Ice »» Prophets of Doom

in the Emergency Room of a government hospital, while exploring the challenges faced by the medical staff at the hospital as well as other first responders across the city of Mumbai in dealing with a crisis of immense magnitude. It brings to fore the stories of doctors, nurses, paramedics, and hospital staff. Mumbai Diaries 26/11 shows you what a government hospital looked like on the night of terror attacks. You can watch It exclusively on Amazon Prime Video from 9th September 2021.

ZEE5 RELEASES ENGINEERING GIRLS 2.0 TRAILER WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO YOUR COLLEGE DAYS!

September 2021

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DISTROTV DEBUTS FREE SOUTH ASIAN CHANNEL BUNDLE, DISTROTV, IN THE US, UK, AND CANADA DistroTV, the largest, independent free ad-supported streaming television platform, continues to expand its content offerings to cater to a growing and diverse global audience. The platform today announces DistroTV Desi, initially offering 15+ premier South Asian channel content for free -- no subscription or registration necessary.

This bundle is expected to grow exponentially over the coming weeks and will be available across the US, UK, Europe, and Canada and offer viewers a variety of diverse content focusing on news, entertainment & lifestyle geared towards the Desi (South Asian - Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan) population abroad.

With the DistroTV Desi Bundle, DistroTV aims to serve a massive underserved audience, who are lacking authentic entertainment from their home countries. DistroTV fills that void by offering these culturally rich channels in a free bundle so that diverse audiences can stream and enjoy content that might have otherwise been locked behind a subscription or paywall.

“We’re thrilled to provide our diverse and growing global audience with the content they crave, without any subscription fees,” said Navdeep Saini, co-founder and CEO of DistroScale, parent company of DistroTV. “No longer will Desi communities in these major markets feel that they cannot access their favorite shows or channels, or feel restricted by associated costs. Our mission at DistroTV is to provide content for every viewer, on every device. And that’s exactly what we’re accomplishing with this latest bundled offering.”

DistroTV is always growing and diversifying its 150+ channel content

library. The platform’s strong programming lineup includes a mix of popular film and television shows, such Bloomberg, EuroNews, People TV, Magellan TV and TD Ameritrade network, as well as independent channels like Black Enterprise, as well as Kweli TV, which spotlights the rich history and global diversity of the Black community; Canela TV, featuring Spanish programming; Latido Music, the leading channel for Latin music; and more.

As part of ZEE5 and TVF’s partnership, the first series to get a premiere date is Engineering Girls 2.0. Set to premiere on 27th August, Engineering Girls 2.0 is a fresh take on modern-day Engineering college drama, set in a girls’ hostel. Season 1, which premiered in June 2018, was a massive hit and Season 2 is also looking relatable and fun, with a fresh take on friendships, love lives and last year of college fun.

The trailer perfectly captures the essence of this season – ‘Sapnon ki theory, Life ke Practicals’. While Maggu, Sabu, and Kiara are stressing about career, placements and jobs as it is the final year of Engineering, they also don’t want to miss out on one final year of fun, bonding and making forever memories. So, the new season follows their daily adventures and misadventures, and how they solve their way out of every situation to make their dreams come true, coming together, better and stronger in the end.

Talking about the trailer Barkha Singh said, “Shooting for ‘Engineering Girls 2.0’ was so much fun but at the same time, it made me nostalgic about my final year of college where I too was eager to make memories to last a lifetime. This

show has been special to all of us, and we hope that the audience give ‘Engineering Girls 2.0.’ double the love they gave to the first season”.

Sejal Kumar said, “I have been getting so many messages for Season 2 since the time the last season ended. So, here it is, our final year of Engineering filled with adventures and misadventures. I hope that our fans love it as much as we loved putting it together”.

Kritika Avasthi shares, “Living Maggu’s life was very exciting. Barkha, Sejal and I shared a lovely bond. We three were not only shooting together but living together and we had a lot of fun.

This reminded me of my college friends and I wish I could go back to it. This series and the people are really special to me, and we all have put in a lot of effort and love into making this. I hope that the audience can relate to it and relive their college days via this series”.

In addition to Engineering Girls 2.0, ZEE5 has an exciting and exclusive line-up of new seasons of widely popular and critically acclaimed TVF shows such as Pitchers Season 2, Tripling Season 3, Humorously Yours Season 3, and The Aam Aadmi Family Season 4.

“This is just the beginning, we have many more channels in the pipeline. Smaller South Asian audiences with regional language roots like Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, and Malayalam who have been largely ignored by mainstream media platforms can now watch their favorite channels in their regional language on DistroTV Desi, without having to depend on dodgy boxes and pirated apps,” said Rajesh Nair, Vice President of Business Development & Content Acquisition at DistroScale, parent company of DistroTV. Audiences can enjoy these channels for free anywhere across a wide array of CTV and mobile devices, as well as on the web by visiting Distro.tv - no registration or signup required. To become a viewer and / or understand which channels are available for live and / or Video-onDemand (VoD) access in the various countries, visit https://www.distro. tv or install DistroTV for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, Samsung TV, Sony TV, iOS or Android.

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September 2021

LOCAL 2-12

GLOBAL 13-15

BUSINESS 16-17

GLAM 18-20

WEDDINGS 21-22

HEALTH 23-24

FOOD 25-26

TECH 27

TRAVEL 28

MOTORING 29-30

SPORTS 31

September 2021

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HEALTH Alcohol and other substance use play complex roles in young people’s experience of attempted suicide T: 0121 771 4545

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In a new study, published in PLoS ONE, researchers from the University’s Institute of Mental Health and School of Psychology investigated in depth the lived experiences of a group of seven young people between the ages of 16 and 25 who had made attempts to end their life and subsequently recovered.

Participants described their use of alcohol and other substances on occasions as a way to escape unwanted and overwhelming emotions, or memories; and to cope with other

mental health experiences such as voices and mania that may cause them to struggle to connect with people around them.

At the same time, however, alcohol and other substance use can also contribute to an increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviour. The study participants all identified

NEW SURVEY REVEALS WINTERBOURNE IS ONE OF BIRMINGHAM’S MOST POPULAR PLACES TO ‘TAKE A BREATH’

The survey, commissioned by Taskforce for Lung Health, invited local residents to name their favourite city location where they can enjoy their own breathing space, as part of a brand-new awareness campaign around lung health.

Winterbourne, part of the University of Birmingham, came fourth in the poll. The Edwardian house and garden were bequeathed to the University in 1944, by the house’s last owner, John Macdonald Nicolson. Over the years the garden became the University’s Botanic Garden and the house performed many functions, from accommodation to teaching space. The garden first opened to visitors on occasional days in the 1990s and following the restoration of the house, the site we know today was fully opened in 2010.

Today the garden contains plants from around the globe and provides interest and colour for thousands of visitors throughout the year.

The Taskforce for Lung Health survey found Birmingham Botanical Gardens was the most popular choice overall, with 21% of the vote. This was followed by city locations Cannon Hill Park (19%), canal-side at Mailbox (17%), Winterbourne Gardens (10%) and St Paul’s Square (10%).

Tessa Lovell, Visitor Experience Manager at Winterbourne, said: ““Fresh air and exercise is obviously so important for health. Our beautiful and historical gardens, house and tearoom have provided a haven for visitors for many years and even more so over the challenges of the past 18 months.

We are delighted to hear that local people have voted for us as one of Birmingham’s top five breathing spaces, in Taskforce for Lung Health’s recent survey.”

Taskforce for Lung Health is encouraging people in the city to look after their lungs, as well as increase their understanding of the challenges faced by the 1 in 5 people in the UK who live with lung disease.

It is estimated that over 55,000 people in Birmingham & Solihull and Sandwell & West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – a group of lung conditions that causes breathing difficulties. Both areas are in the top fifth of CCGs in the country for prevalence of the condition.

Dr Alison Cook, Chair of Taskforce for Lung Health, said: “We’re encouraging people in Birmingham to take a moment to think about and appreciate their lung health. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted many of us

to reflect on the importance of taking a breath and the feeling of being able to breathe freely – something that can often be taken for granted in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.

“We want to highlight that this simple action can be a real challenge for the 1 in 5 people in the UK who live with a lung condition, and that action must be taken to help improve the treatment, care and quality of life for every person affected.”

The survey also revealed that 58% of respondents have paused to ‘take a breath’ more often during the COVID-19 pandemic, with people’s most popular reasons being to relax (43%) and clear their head (38%).

Having peace and quiet (40%) and clean air (27%) were voted the most important elements to have in a breathing space, with 44% of respondents being more aware of their lung health when they do pause to ‘take a breath’ in the city.

However, the survey highlighted that there is still a wider lack of awareness around lung health, with only one fifth (21%) being able to correctly state that 1 in 5 people in the UK will be diagnosed with lung disease in their lifetime. And only 8% of respondents were aware that 700,000 hospital admissions in the UK are linked to lung disease each year.

Study co-author, Dr Maria Michail, in the University of Birmingham’s Institute for Mental Health, says:

“

The views of people with lived experience should be at the very heart of suicide prevention policy. On Friday (10th September) is World Suicide Prevention Day with charities worldwide working to reinforce the message that suicide can be prevented. In this context, we hope our ongoing research will support organisations working to deliver improved services for young people who are at-risk of suicide.

“

Alcohol and other substance use play complex roles in suicidal behaviour among young people. Gaining a better understanding of these impacts can help services better support young people, according to experts at the University of Birmingham.

this ‘double-edged sword’ of alcohol and other substance use. In particular, participants described the ways in which alcohol contributed to intensify sometimes overwhelming emotions, which in turn led to increased levels of distress.

Some participants also reported that their suicide attempts were impulsive and often fuelled by the consumption of alcohol or other substances.

Rebecca Guest, a study coauthor in the University of Birmingham’s School of Psychology, said: “Our study is

the first to explore in such detail young people’s experience of attempted suicide in the context of alcohol and substance use and offers a greater understanding of this complex relationship.”

“All of our study participants identified that alcohol and other substances had a negative effect on their mental health, or personal relationships – but at the same time they turned to them as a way of managing emotions and interpersonal conflict.”

Professor Alex Copello also a

study co-author in the University of Birmingham’s School of Psychology, said: “The insights based on young people’s experiences are really valuable in developing better interventions to prevent suicide. For example, health practitioners should aim to identify not just whether a young person is drinking alcohol, but to understand what motivates that use to assess the young person’s risk of suicide and to identify what support is needed.”

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September 2021

TIME FOR CHANGE AS NEW DRINK-DRIVE RELATED DEATHS PLATEAU FOR NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

REDUCE MEAT CONSUMPTION

Could you reduce your meat consumption?

Many red and processed meats are high in saturated fat. Too much saturated fat in the diet can raise the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood. The NHS recommends a daily meat intake of no more than 70g.

Reducing your intake of red and processed meats will not only benefit your health, but it is also good for the environment.

We have some tips to help you reduce your red and processed meat consumption.

What are red, white and processed meats?

Red meat includes beef, lamb and pork and it tends to be higher in saturated fat. White meat, such as chicken and turkey are lower in total fat and saturated fat. Processed meat includes smoked, cured and preserved meats, such as bacon, salami, sausages and ham.

Take a break from red and processed meat every week Don’t feel pressured to cut out all meat from your diet. If you tend to eat red and/or processed meat most days, why not challenge yourself to

one meat-free day every week? Try searching online or in cookbooks for meat-free recipes. You can also get some inspiration by visiting: www.meatfreemondays.com/ Switch to white meat or fish If you cook with a lot of red and processed meat, or if steak is your usual option when eating out, try switching to chicken, turkey or fish instead. This will help to reduce your saturated fat intake. Aim to eat two portions of fish every week, one of which should be an oily fish. Oily fish, such as salmon, sardines, and

mackerel, contain omega-3 fatty acids which help to keep your heart healthy.

Try some vegetarian alternatives Meat substitutes, such as vegetarian sausages, mince and burgers are lower in saturated fat than equivalent meat products. Keep an eye on food labels as some meat substitutes are high in calories and salt. If you’re not a fan of ‘fake meat’ you could try products made with beans, pulses, and nuts as these are all good sources of protein.

The UK’s largest independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, is calling for new initiatives from the Government to drive down the number of drink-drive related deaths on UK roads. This follows figures released from the Department for Transport confirming yet another year of stagnation in annual drinkdrive statistics, highlighting nine years of zero progress.

Final estimates for 2019 in: Reported road casualties in Great Britain: final estimates involving illegal alcohol levels: 2019, revealed 230 people died in crashes where at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit.

Over the same period, an estimated 7,800 people were killed or injured when at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit. This represents an average of around 21 deaths or injuries a day. However, this only constitutes a minor fall of 10% from 8,680 in 2018.

Worryingly, the total number of crashes where at least one driver was over the alcohol limit was 5,350 in 2019, an average of around 14 crashes a day.

IAM RoadSmart is calling for a smarter package of measures from Government to reduce the number of drink-drive related incidents, including a further lowering of the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to match Scotland, wider use of drink-drive rehabilitation courses, fitting of alcolocks, longer running high-profile education campaigns and seizing the vehicles of repeat offenders.

Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart, said: “While there has been a small reduction in the number of drink-driving related deaths and injuries, once again it represents little progress in reducing the carnage on UK roads caused by drink drivers.

“There is no one simple answer to reducing these figures, but IAM RoadSmart believes a much smarter package of measures is needed from the Government including a lower drinkdrive limit to reinforce good behaviour, fasttrack of evidential roadside testing machines to release police resources and tailored approaches to help drivers with alcohol problems.

“Rehabilitation courses work, and we believe all those convicted of drink-driving should be sent on one automatically rather than having to opt in. More use of alcolocks – which requires the driver to blow into a mouthpiece on the device before starting or continuing to operate the vehicle – and extra penalties such as vehicle forfeiture could all be part of a more joined-up approach to the problem. Hard core drink-drivers are simply not getting the message, and these figures will not improve until policy changes.”

Overall drink-driving accounted for 5% of collisions in Great Britain which varied from region-to-region. With the highest number of casualties, nearly 7%, due to drink-driving occurring in Wales, followed by England and Scotland at around 5% each. Regionally, casualty rates varied from nearly 8% in the East Midlands to just under 4% in Greater London.

In 2019, 78% of drink-drive related casualties involved male drivers or riders. Further, a higher proportion of casualties in drink-drive accidents were aged between 25 and 59 than in all reported accidents in 2019 (63% in drinkdrive accidents compared to 56% in all accidents). Drink is also over-represented among people aged 16 to 24 (23% in drink-drive accidents compared to 19% in all accidents).

To help combat the prevalence of drink driving among young people, THINK! is bringing back its Pint Block campaign, with the aim to spread the message to 17–24-year-old male drivers that a mate doesn’t let a mate drink drive.

Neil concluded: “We welcome THINK!’s decision to reintroduce their ‘Pint Block’ campaign to coincide with the temptation to take a summer drink. Drivers aged 17–24 are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than male drivers aged 25 or older. Such tailored education programs are effective in communicating to young adults that drink driving should be given the red light.”

LOCAL 2-12

GLOBAL 13-15

BUSINESS 16-17

GLAM 18-20

WEDDINGS 21-22

HEALTH 23-24

FOOD

FOOD 25-26

TECH 27

TRAVEL 28

MOTORING 29-30

SPORTS 31

September 2021

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T: 0121 771 4545

Asian World’s Kitchen

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Chef Kirk Westaway “Reinventing British Classic Cuisine”

By: Rida Khan ( Aviation Author )

Chef Kirk Westaway (Instagram A/c: chefkirk_w ) is an executive Chef of “JAAN by Kirk Westaway” located at Swissôtel The Stamford, an iconic hotel destination in Singapore. A British native, who made his mission to put a definitive mark on British Cuisine by using the finest ingredients to reinvent British classics through a modern and innovative lens so that it gains credence and appreciation amongst guests across the continent. His restaurant became the hallmark of the multi-award winning restaurant.

Q.) How did the idea of establishing a British Cuisine restaurant in Singapore come to you?

Chef Kirk : As an English native, British cuisine is in my roots. As such, when the opportunity presented itself for me to evolve JAAN, it made perfect sense for me to carry out my vision of a Modern British concept that remains true to my heritage. I wanted to showcase my interpretation of the food that I grew up eating in the UK and to change people’s perceptions of British cuisine.

Q.) Tell us something about British Cuisine.

Chef Kirk : British Cuisine is defined by easy, simple comfort food that is delicious and elevated with passionate craftsmanship. At JAAN , we focus on harnessing the finest produce from the UK and presenting our unique interpretations to our guests. There is an incredible array of excellent English produce

AW Facts Did you know?

Apples give you more energy than coffee

from organic and artisanal farms which we champion at JAAN. This includes dairy products from Devon, such as Devonshire butter and cheese.

Q.) Please explain the concept of the “Reinventing British” philosophy in your dishes.

Chef Kirk : ‘Reinventing British ’philosophy revolves around reinterpreting British classics through a modern and innovative culinary lens. At the heart of it, it encapsulates my creative inspiration and a produce-driven culinary style that celebrates the quality and natural flavours of the very best produce sourced from all over the UK, including artisanal and craft producers.

Q.) What inspired you to cook?

Chef Kirk : Growing up in a seaside town of Devon in South West Britain, I was surrounded by the very best produce and food experiences. My family home had a garden where we grew our own vegetables, and this taught us to respect how the crops are harvested, and pay close attention to its growth, to get the most out of it. We also had access to some of the finest dairy and an abundance of seafood at our doorstep. Naturally, this cultivated my ardent love for

fresh produce and sparked my interest and passion in cooking.

Undoubtedly, it also paved my journey into the culinary world where I’ve had the privilege of honing my skills in some of the best kitchens in the world, alongside culinary masterminds like Chef Antonin Bonnet of The Greenhouse, Chef Alex Atala of D.O.M., and Chef Julien Royer of Odette – all of whom have shaped and inspired by culinary approach.

Q.) What thing makes your restaurant different and special from other restaurants?

Chef Kirk : JAAN is grounded in a ‘Reinventing British’ philosophy to showcase British cuisine through a modern and innovative lens. Its perpetually evolving menu remains true to the integrity of the finest seasonal produce whilst nature’s best is translated into culinary masterpieces. Adopting a produce-driven culinary approach, my creative inspirations are inherently rooted in my childhood in the UK to evoke nostalgia and captivate the imaginations of guests through familiar yet elegant flavours.

Furthermore, every aspect of JAAN’s dining experience is personally curated

to enthral and educate diners on the intricate nuances that Modern British dining has to offer. Beyond conceptualising the culinary direction, I also select the gourmet suppliers as well as bespoke tableware and furniture.

Thanks to an exceptional team, JAAN delivers an exquisite and impeccable service that has become the hallmark of our fine dining experience.

I emphatically believe these aspects set JAAN apart from other restaurants.

Q.) Qualifying for Michelin Star is a prestigious recognition which is a dream of every chef. What do you have to say about it?

Chef Kirk : It is an incredible honour to earn a Michelin Star for JAAN as it attests to our enduring commitment to putting a definitive mark on modern British cuisine. The accolade also celebrates the passion of my teams who strive to deliver the highest culinary service standards

to create the best dining experiences.

Q.) How do you feel after receiving so many awards by your restaurant?

Chef Kirk : Every accolade is a reminder not to rest on my laurels. In fact, they have only propelled me and my teams to push ourselves further and scale greater heights to ensure JAAN leaves an indelible mark on our guests’ dining experience.

Q.) Any advice for the upcoming chefs who want to join the restaurant business?

Chef Kirk : Cook for enjoyment and never for glory. Choose to work in a restaurant that you like the style of and ensure you devote yourself for at least two years to garner experience and gain knowledge. The journey will be fraught with challenges but the spirit to have is to embrace it all and remain committed.

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September 2021

FROM GUJARAT WITH LOVE 100 Vibrant Vegetarian Recipes. New Cookbook out next month.

Welcome to Gujarat Revered as the jewel of western India, Gujarat is renowned for its vibrant vegetarian cuisine infused with sweet, spicy and sour flavours. ‘From Gujarat with Love’ features a cherry-picked collection of one hundred authentic vegetarian dishes, to celebrate and savour; all carefully chosen and modified to suit the western home cook. From refreshing yogurt raita to traditional dal, from a savoury cashew curry to sweet dumplings in rose syrup, this cookbook is a celebration of classic Indian vegetarian cuisine and invites everyone to introduce authentic Gujarati flavour to their tables.

For those who are new to the cuisine, Vina Patel provides essential ingredients and basic recipes - such as the ubiquitous Coriander-Cumin powder. Some of these dishes acknowledge her friends and family, others honour those who have passed down recipes over the years. But most importantly, this book is a tribute to Gujarat: a place the author called home for more than twenty years.

Gujarat’s history is as rich and vibrant as its culture. Strolling through local streets anywhere in Gujarat can only be described as a welcome assault on all the senses. Sweet, bold aromas, vibrant colours and the tasty food to be enjoyed at every corner is paradise for those who truly appreciate unique cooking styles.

Gujarati cuisine is elaborate; the flavours multi-dimensional.

With easy-to-make recipes for essential spice blends, pastes and pickles; salads, appetizers, dals and curries; rice dishes and breads, and so much more – everything you need is here for a delicious vegetarian feast!

With recipe photography by renowned food photographer Jonathan Lovekin.

Vina Patel grew up in Gujarat and learned to cook by observing the culinary traditions of generations of women before her. She is passionate about this bright and colourful cuisine and shares her deep knowledge with family, friends and the broader community. She is based in Silicon Valley, California.

Vina is available for interview.

‘From Gujarat with Love: 100 authentic Indian vegetarian recipes’ publishes on 14th October. RRP £20.00 To feature/request a press copy, please email Kom Patel on kpatel@pavilionbooks.com

HEART RESEARCH UK HEALTHY HEART TIP, WRITTEN BY DR HELEN FLAHERTY, HEAD OF HEALTH PROMOTION AT HEART RESEARCH UK

Eating healthy lunches at home Many of us are spending more time at home due to COVID-19 and this can mean reaching for the comfort foods when we feel bored, stressed or need cheering up. On busy days, it is easy to pop to the kitchen and grab a quick lunch without thinking too much about whether it is good for you.

We have some tips for planning and preparing healthier lunches at home.

Include plenty of fruit and veg Fruit and vegetables are packed with nutrients and fibre to help keep your heart healthy. Find healthy salad or vegetable soup recipes online or in recipe books to include in your lunch plan. Finish off your lunches with a portion of fruit and a lowcalorie yoghurt.

Increase your fibre intake A diet that is high in fibre can reduce your risk of heart disease. Good sources of fibre include fruit and vegetables, beans and pulses and wholegrain foods. Try to

regularly include a portion of wholegrain food in your lunches, such as brown bread, wholemeal pita, wholemeal pasta or brown rice.

Include lean sources of protein in your lunches Foods that are high in protein can help you to feel full for longer and this can prevent you from snacking on less healthy foods during the day. Lean sources of protein include grilled skinless chicken or turkey, canned tuna, soybeans, tofu and low-fat dairy products.

Plan your lunches in advance Planning your lunches in advance will allow you to put a little more thought into what you are eating as well as saving you time and money. Try creating a weekly lunch plan before the start of the week and shop for ingredients in advance.

Prepare your lunches the night before to save time during busy days or try cooking large quantities of home-made soups and store single portions in the freezer.

LOCAL 2-12

GLOBAL 13-15

BUSINESS 16-17

GLAM 18-20

WEDDINGS 21-22

HEALTH 23-24

FOOD 25-26

TECH 27

TRAVEL 28

MOTORING 29-30

SPORTS 31

September 2021

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TECHNOLOGY THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM PARTNERS WITH SIEMENS TO CREATE THE SMARTEST UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN THE WORLD

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The University of Birmingham, in partnership with Siemens, is combining digital sensor and analytics technologies, artificial intelligence, decentralised energy generation and storage, renewable energy and concepts that help change users’ behaviour to transform the University’s Edgbaston and Dubai campuses into the world’s smartest global campus, creating a ‘Living Lab’ where research, teaching and learning all benefit from access to new data and connectivity.

The ‘Living Lab’ will capture data from the University’s building technologies, estates infrastructure and energy plants and use it for innovation, R&D activities, as well as teaching.

Scrutinising energy demand and production – from systems to individual consumers/producers (prosumers) – with live data from across the sites provides a unique opportunity for applied learning for students and creates a platform for cutting-edge research.

Siemens will sponsor a team of PhD studentships at the University based in the UK and Dubai.

Their research projects will be co-designed by Siemens and the University to address important challenges in data, technology,

urban systems and the NetZero goal.

This year, the University of Birmingham will become the first university in the world to roll out Internet of Things (IoT) technology at scale. Starting in Autumn 2021, the first phase of this major energy efficiency project will include the roll out of 23,000 Enlighted IoT sensors across the University estate.

“As one of the largest universities in the UK – with a global community of more than 38,000 students – the university is already an energy prosumer and these technologies will be further optimized in the system we are now working on together,” said Matthias Rebellius, managing board member of Siemens AG and CEO of Smart Infrastructure. “Partnerships like this are extremely important for gathering new insights, testing and developing new technologies and creating efficient and sustainable energy infrastructure. The university’s campus in Dubai will be a global example of sustainability at the rescheduled Dubai Expo 2020.”

Professor Tim Jones, Provost and Vice-Principal of the University of Birmingham, explains the University’s ambitious vi-

sion: “Our goal is to deliver the campus of the future, using cutting-edge technologies to make our campuses in Edgbaston and Dubai the smartest globally. This will enhance our student experience, create new research and innovation opportunities, whilst significantly reducing our carbon footprint. As we approach COP26 in Glasgow this autumn, it is clear we are into the ‘decade of delivery’ for NetZero targets.

University-Industry strategic partnerships, such as ours with Siemens, are important for helping to identify pathways for turn-

ing targets into reality.”

Carl Ennis, CEO Siemens, GB & Ireland said: “We are excited to be working with the University of Birmingham on this project and confident that together we can develop a clear pathway to the University becoming a smart campus and net zero. Our goal is to apply the University’s strategic vision to their campus. We will uncover where carbon savings are possible by managing resources more efficiently, in a system that is adaptable to changing demand.

All of this can be achieved with a combination of connected digital technologies, artificial intelligence, decentralised energy generation and storage, renewable

energy and ideas that help change users’ behaviour.”

In addition, Siemens will deliver a 10-year bureau for Energy and IoT services to ensure that the University reaps the full potential of both the technology and industry expertise. The University has already made significant progress in making its operations more sustainable, including achieving its 2020 target of reducing carbon emissions by 20% and is constantly looking to improve the environmental performance of its buildings including a reduction of 2,856 tCO2 annually, equivalent to 5% of the University’s current emissions.

NEW STUDY WILL USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO IMPROVE TREATMENTS FOR PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE LONG-TERM CONDITIONS The NIHR has awarded £2.5 million for new research led by the University of Birmingham that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to produce computer programmes and tools that will help doctors improve the choice of drugs in patients with clusters of multiple long-term conditions.

Called the OPTIMAL study (OPTIMising therapies, discovering therapeutic targets and AI assisted clinical management for patients Living with complex multimorbidity), the research aims to understand how different combinations of long-term conditions and the medicines taken for these diseases interact over time to worsen or improve a patient’s health.

The study will be led by Dr Thomas Jackson and Professor Krish Nirantharakumar at the University of Birmingham and carried out in collaboration with the University of Manchester, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, University of St Andrews,and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

An estimated 14 million people in England are living with two or more long-term conditions, with two-thirds of adults aged over 65 expected to be living with multiple long-term conditions by 2035.

Dr Thomas Jackson, Associate Professor in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Birmingham, said: “Currently when people have multiple long-term conditions, we treat each disease separately. This means we prescribe a different drug for each condition, which may not help people with complex multimorbidity which is a term we use when patients

have four or more long-term health problem. “A drug for one disease can make another disease worse or better, however, presently we do not have information on the effect of one drug on a second disease. This means doctors do not have enough information to know which drug to prescribe to people with complex multimorbidity.”

Krish Nirantharakumar, Professor in Health Data Science and Public Health at the University of Birmingham, added: “Through our research, we can group such people based on their mixes of disease. Then we can study the effects of a drug on each disease mix. This should help doctors prescribe better and reduce the number of drugs patients need.

This will lead to changes in healthcare policy which would benefit most people with complex multimorbidity.”

The research is one of a number of studies being funded by the NIHR’s Artificial Intelligence for Multiple Long-Term Conditions (AIM) call, which is aligned to the aims of the NHSX AI Lab, that combine data science and AI methods with health, care and social science expertise to identify new clusters of disease and understand how multiple long-term conditions develop over the life course.

The call will fund up to £23 million of research in two waves, supporting a pipeline of research and capacity building in multiple long-term conditions research.

The first wave has invested nearly £12 million into three Research Collaborations, nine Development Awards and a Research Support Facility, including the University of Birmingham-led study.

Improving the lives of people with multiple long-term conditions and their carers through research is an area of strategic focus for the NIHR, with its ambitions set out in its NIHR Strategic Framework for Multiple Long-Term Conditions Research.

Professor Lucy Chappell, NIHR Chief Executive and chair of the AIM funding committee, said: “This large-scale investment in research will improve our understanding of clusters of multiple long-term conditions, including how they develop over a person’s lifetime.

“Over time, findings from this new research will point to solutions that might prevent or slow down the development of further conditions over time. We will also look at how we shape treatment and care to meet the needs of people with multiple longterm conditions and carers.”

To date NIHR has invested £11million into research on multiple long-term conditions through two calls in partnership with the Medical Research Council, offering both pumppriming funds and funding to tackle multimorbidity at scale.

AW Facts Did you know?

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

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September 2021

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Sail Away: Barrhead Travel launch first hybrid cruise booking event

By: Rida Khan ( Aviation Author ) The travel group held virtual events during pandemic to continue to “inspire and inform” their customers. Following positive feedback from virtual event attendees, the Glasgow-based travel agency is easing back to face-to-face events with a hybrid concept for its flagship summer cruise event.

Pre-pandemic, the agency hosted annual exhibitions in its Glasgow city-centre superstore, which would welcome between 300 and 500 customers throughout the course of each event. During lockdown, the travel group invited customers to join them for a virtual exhibition, bringing inspiration and expertise to living rooms across the country.

Barrhead Travel say the introduction of virtual event technology has allowed them to invite customers from all over the country to join the exhibition.

The virtual event this weekend will see a blend of on-demand content with specialist appointments also available in all of its local stores as well as video appointments for customers who would prefer to enjoy the holiday booking experience from the comfort of their own

homes.

Jacqueline Dobson, President of Barrhead Travel, said that lockdown has left customers with an appetite for adventure – and cruising is top of the list: “During lockdown, people were planning and dreaming of the trips they were longing to take.

And, the cruise industry plays a significant role in fulfilling bucket-list breaks and dream getaways. With hundreds of brandnew itineraries and plenty of new ships on the horizon, cruising is more exciting than ever and holidaymakers are booking voyages as far in advance as 2024.

“This summer, the ‘seacation’ was one of the most popular holiday types as customers flocked to local ports for their first postlockdown getaway. These coastal cruises gave many new-to-cruise customers the chance to try out their first ever cruise and this has

resulted in an increase in demand for future cruise bookings for a whole new market.

“Cruising suits every single type of holidaymaker – and you really can explore anywhere in the world through rivers and oceans.

We know travel might look a little different but our team are fully trained in all travel, cruise and destination guidance to ensure a seamless and enjoyable booking experience for every customer.

Our cruise experts and partners are really looking forward to helping our customers bring their worldwide cruise plans to life next weekend at our exhibition.”

Barrhead Travel’s Sail Away Sale will launch virtually on Friday 27th August with informative online sessions and Q&A panels. In-store appointments can be booked and Barrhead Travel is offering exclusive discounts, prizes and added-value for those booking a cruise holiday this weekend. Every holiday booked with Barrhead Travel also comes with full financial protection. Visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk/events/ cruise-event-show for more information or call 0141 222 2223.

Sustainable Aviation Concept By Boeing

By: Rida Khan ( Aviation Author ) Boeing and Airbus are two famous aircraft manufacturing companies who rule the sky and one of their missions is to save the earth through the products which they manufacture. As Airbus is already working on the Zero Emission Concept , Boeing recently issued their Global Environment report based on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) offering the reductions in waste, water, emissions, energy consumptions. Boeing’s main aim is to build the products while conserving resources and reducing the waste.

According to Dave Calhoun, President and CEO of The Boeing Company said, “ Boeing throughout history always looked for ways to improve sustainability . We take into account various actions to help protect the world for future generations. This is the lens through which we view our Environmental , Social & Governance (ESG) efforts. The report focuses on 4 pillars – People, Products & Services, Operations and Communities.

People :- Boeing company is a leader in aerospace industry , they have multiple responsibilities with respect to protect people. They are equally passionate about protecting 1,40,000 teammates , their families & communities where they operate or influence social interactions.

Products and Services : For over a century Boeing has been privileged to bring air travel to the world, every product they build and service they provide inevita-

bly affects the earth atmosphere.

By using sustainable aviation fuel by 2030 they will equally help their customers around the world finding new ways to accelerate the replacement of older , less fuel efficient aircraft.

Operations : Boeing continues to seek ways to make their work more energy efficient. Each day they collaborate with approxi.

12,000 suppliers who help to design , build & service their products and apply core set of principles throughout their supply chain . They pay careful attention to vetting, selecting , and supporting their suppliers who share the passion of creating a more sustainable environment.

Communities : Boeing through their investment programs in education, veterans care, cultural organization making efforts to support the next generations of STEM leaders.

Boeing is the pioneer of creating new technologies, In January 2021 Brian Moran , Boeing’s Vice President announced that , “all Boeing commercial airplanes will be capable and certified to fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuels by 2030.” Through innovative technology Boeing always tried to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases. Over the last 10 years the company invested more than $60 billion in innovative technologies.

The newly appointed Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Raymond said , “Our purpose is to protect , connect, explore our world and beyond safely and sus-

tainably . So we are partnering across industry to reimagine and ultimately decarbonize aerospace in the second half of this century .

By 2050 we see a world where air travel will safely carry 10 billion passengers a year , support 180 million jobs; support science/ technology/ engineering/math education and generate nearly $9 trillion in economic activity all while minimizing impact on our planet. We are focused on and investing in both SAF & alternative energy solutions but SAF is in regular use today and offers the most immediate and largest potential to reduce carbon emissions over next 20 to 30 years across all the aviation segments.

In 2020 we achieved net zero at our manufacturing and worksites by expanding conservation and renewable energy. The next generation of aircraft incorporates the latest digital design , test and production tools as well.”

At the end the goals are set for the future to save the earth and also provide better services to the passengers by Boeing because the “World will continue to Fly.”

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Jet lag feels worse if you travel from west to east

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Motorists are being encouraged to check their vehicles before setting off this August Bank Holiday.

Only one in six drivers remembered to check their tyres before setting off on a long journey, according to research commissioned by National Highways (formely Highways England).

Yet one in five motorway breakdowns are caused by worn or incorrectly inflated tyres and nearly a third of drivers confessed that they’re not confident checking tyre pressure.

And with National Highways lifting almost 990 miles of roadworks this bank holiday, meaning around 98 per cent of England’s major A-roads and motorway network will be free from roadworks, the message is to plan ahead and carry out some basic vehicle checks before setting off.

Dave Harford, Traffic Officer for National Highways, who patrols the M5, M42, M50 and other major routes said:

“

This is the last bank holiday of the summer, so we expect the roads to be busy with people looking to make the most of a long weekend.

But the last thing anybody wants on the way to their destination is to have a vehicle breakdown. It’s really important people spend a few minutes checking the condition of their tyres before setting off.

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MOTORISTS URGED TO CHECK TYRES BEFORE SETTING OFF THIS BANK HOLIDAY

“

The advice from National Highways is simple; check your tyre pressure, tread depth and tyre age including the spare, before you set off on a long journey.

Look out for cuts or wear over the full width of the tyre and don’t forget to check the sidewall.

Dave added: “Although the legal limit for tyre tread depth is 1.6mm, we recommend you don’t let the tread get that low. Changing the tyre at 2mm in summer and 3 mm in winter is good practice and maintains overall good tyre performance in all conditions. To check your tyre pressure, visit most fuel and service station forecourts, which have an air machine for checking and inflating your tyre pressure.”

If you are stopped by the police and found with illegal tyres, you could re-

National Highways traffic officer Dave Harford is calling on motorists to check their vehicles before setting off. ceive a £2,500 fine and 3 penalty points per tyre.

National Highways says simple checks are a way to make sure the vehicle is roadworthy. Things to consider are: Tyres: Ensure tyre pressures are suitable for the load and check the condition of tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear across the whole tyre including sidewall.

Engine oil: Check oil levels regularly and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual Water: Always keep your screen wash topped up with a good ratio of water and

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screen wash to maximise the cleaning efficiency so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen easily.

Lights: If your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, your vehicle may fail its MoT

Fuel: Before setting out make sure you have enough fuel to get to your destina-

tion. Running out of fuel can put you, your family and other road users at risk unnecessarily.

If you experience problems with your vehicle and you can’t leave the motorway you should always try to go left – to an emergency area, a hard shoulder, motorway services or slip road hard shoulder.

But if that is not possible and you have stopped in a live lane or feel your life is in danger you must stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt and hazard lights on and call 999 immediately.

Drivers should also take a few minutes to plan their journeys in advance.

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Audi is creating an ecosystem for electric and autonomous driving. With new physical and digital offerings, the premium brand will enrich the customer experience and meet the growing needs and demands for the mobility of the future.

Digitalization offers an opportunity to rethink the automobile and for that reason, it is an essential driver of transformation.

The ecosystem around the vehicle makes an essential contribution to networked, sustainable premium mobility. The software unit CARIAD is playing an important role in that. It is developing a car operating system for the entire Volkswagen Group and creating the conditions for the next autonomous driving functions. In the meantime, Audi is aggressively developing new business models and sales potential – in retail, in the vehicle, and via innovative mobility services. And not least of all, the internet of things, the new 5G mobile communications standard, and artificial intelligence are making production and logistics processes more efficient. As part of Audi Media Days during IAA MOBILITY 2021, Spotlight Digitalization provided an overview of the core digitalization activities undertaken by the company with the four rings.

Audi models will increasingly become personal experience devices. The experience in the interior while driving from point A to point B is coming more clearly into focus. It is transforming into a living and working space – calibrated precisely to specific needs – with completely new possibilities and free spaces for the occupants.

Number one in customer experience A personalized website, improved myAudi app features, and additional consultation options: Audi is pushing the digitalization of marketing, sales, and aftersales further. In the process, the brand is pursuing a clear vision: interested parties and customers should be offered the possibility of a seamless, emotional, and intuitive brand experience – online as well as offline, across all contact points, from initial interest in an Audi model to the utilization phase. The website, which was relaunched in spring 2021, is the point of entry into Audi’s digital offerings. It provides interested parties and customers with personalized information on all models and services. At its heart is an interactive car configurator with highend visualizations and detailed information. At any point during the configuration process, the user has the option of saving their selected configuration online using a code, downloading it in the form of a brochure, switching directly to an online consultation, or scheduling a test drive at a local dealership. myAudi and the digital ecosystem around the car The myAudi app remains the key to Audi’s digitally connected world. By using the app, customers can access important vehicle data and digital services.

After the app’s relaunch with a new design, new vehicle-related functions will be available to users. With functions on demand, Audi customers will be able to retroactively book additional options via myAudi to align the car more precisely with their individual needs. For that, different durations and booking options will be available. This means that customers will have the opportunity to initially familiarize themselves with a function by booking a one-month test phase. Likewise, the available Audi connect packages can be extended and new Audi connect features can be booked using myAudi. Here as well, the customer will be able to choose different durations for individual digital products. To do that, AudiPay functions as a safe and convenient global payment and billing platform

AUDI IS CREATING A UNIVERSAL DIGITAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

for supplemental digital offerings. In the process, the transition between the functional world in the car and the outside becomes fluid.

Linking the best of two worlds Digitalization is also moving forward and offering new possibilities for on-site consultation at dealerships. For example, the customer experience in the new flagship store in Munich’s Trudering district is getting better and better thanks to interactive modules and large-scale visualizations. Using the most up-to-date configurator, Audi models are presented there interactively in photorealistic depictions. That way, the desired configuration can be shown in 3-D as well as in-stock cars with similar equipment from other locations, all in real time.

Supplementary to that is the possibility of Audi Live consultation, in which employees are directly linked with customers via data glasses and as a result, can be advised on products and services completely regardless of the online user’s location. Digital consultation is already in use across Germany in more than 40 partner businesses as well as Audi City in Berlin. Additionally, in the months and years to come, Audi will further develop its digital sales along with its retail trade.

Our goal is a central e-commerce platform on which customers can find all the services that they are looking for built-in – from new and used vehicle purchasing to maintenance packages to leasing and financing. That is how Audi is bringing the strengths of online sales together with stationary dealerships.

The interior of the future The vehicle interior is increasingly becoming a personal “experience device,” in which living and working spaces are merged. Infotainment offerings will play a critical role in the interior of the future.

A variety of assistance systems and networking with other road users and infrastructure will increase safety and comfort while new technologies like holoride will revolutionize in-car entertainment starting in 2022. In the future, the high bandwidth of 5G mobile communications will make an essential contribution to an infotainment experience in the car that is typical for the brand. Smooth and high-resolution multi-channel audio and video streaming, video conferencing, and immersive gaming via a VR headset will all be possible. Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) will make high

data rates possible for applications that require a lot of bandwidth. This will significantly increase not only comfort, but also safety. In addition, further developments right up to the “empathetic car,” which knows its occupants, their habits, and their needs and increases comfort, safety, and wellbeing through artificial intelligence, are conceivable.

New data-based business models The car’s progression toward being a software-based product creates the conditions for new business models based on data – for instance, new charging and energy services and on-demand functions.

Using data, we can better analyze customers’ desires in order to derive product optimizations, new digital services, or business models. This means that our model portfolio and services can be precisely adapted to different markets and individual customer needs. Additionally, is a developing possibility of expanding business models to new fields, such as traffic reporting and data-based services for safe and relaxing travel, entertainment offerings, or personalized telematics information for insurance products or fleet services. Transparency and security are important for that, which is why customers should be able to determine for themselves how and which data are used at any time. Likewise, what is known as privacy mode, which enables the customer to limit data streams directly from the vehicle, is anchored in the car.

Car2X and C-V2X – more safety and comfort through networking Nonetheless, digital applications and technologies are not only significantly increasing comfort, but also safety. On the road to the “smart city,” Audi is already networking its models with traffic lights.

And with the start of 5G in China, Audi is once again proving its role as an innovation leader in the field of connected cars. Currently, Car2X and C-V2X technologies are the central pillars in that effort. For Car2X, mobile communications technology is permanently installed in each vehicle. The car sends and receives information from other vehicles and components of the traffic-engineering infrastructure – things like traffic lights or intelligent road signs. Car2X communication happens in real time. The data is sent anonymously to the communication network, where they are only saved for a short period.

C-V2X is based on the 5G mobile com-

munications standard and transfers data directly to appropriate receivers within the sender’s environment with the least possible latency and the highest possible reliability. Since 2017, Audi models have already been able to alert each other to accidents, service vehicles, traffic jams, slippery road surfaces, and limited visibility. The car-to-X service “Local Hazard Information” assesses various vehicle data for that purpose. In Europe, more than 1.7 million vehicles from the Volkswagen Group will provide the “Hazard Information” service with current data in 2021 and in 2022, that number will be more than three million. In worldwide pilot projects, Audi is testing its hazard warning system for road construction sites or how vehicles can communicate with school buses more safely in order to avoid accidents with schoolchildren. The Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory (GLOSA) service calculates the optimal speed for a “green wave” through traffic lights. Through the ConVex project, Audi is working with Ducati to test CV2X technology in three situations that are as common for motorcyclists as they are likely to cause accidents: pulling into an intersection, turning left, and sudden braking by the vehicle in front.

Stronger partners: CARIAD software company One essential success factor for designing the mobility of the future more individually, intelligently, and safely is our technology partner CARIAD. The software company, which combines the digital competencies of every brand in the Volkswagen Group, will be the Group’s backbone in a few years. The new organization’s structure brings the software-development mindset together with the experience of one of the world’s largest auto manufacturers. CARIAD’s cross-brand software development is making an enormous scaling effect as well as customized solutions possible for Audi as a brand. At the heart of that is the development of our own operating system as well as a uniform and scalable software and technology platform for every brand in the Group. That assures the company of short development cycles and customized customer offerings.

As part of Automotive Initiative 2025 (AI25), Audi is expanding its Neckarsulm location to include a leading factory for digital production and logistics in the Group. Partners like the Fraun-

hofer Institute for Industrial Engineering, the Technical University of Munich, SAP, and Capgemini are supporting that process. AI25 is an interdisciplinary network for factory transformation. Within it, the Audi site in Neckarsulm plays a pivotal role as a pilot factory and realworld laboratory for the digital transformation. Solutions will be tested and developed there until they are ready for series production. One core element of our digitalization efforts is the Digital Production Platform (DPP), in which the data from all the machines, facilities, and systems from all the factories in the Volkswagen Group are brought together in the world’s largest IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) platform. Over the medium to long term, digital solutions for the factory of the future will be developed here and transferred into series models in vehicle production and logistics – with the ultimate goal of designing them more efficiently and flexibly.

Audi is particularly using the expertise in small-series and volume production at the Boellinger Hoefe facility and the Neckarsulm factory. In the next step, Audi will roll out its digital solutions in Group locations worldwide.

In Supermarket 2.0, Audi is reversing the sequencing principle in the field of intralogistics by using driverless transportation systems. Here, goods come to the employee rather than the other way around. This is possible thanks to innovative control software developed by Audi experts together with Ingolstadtbased start-up arculus. The Predictive Maintenance project in Neckarsulm makes upkeep on production facilities more efficient and reduces downtime in production. AI is used in the field of quality assurance, for example in recognizing the smallest cracks in sheet metal parts. Using VR glasses and controllers, employees from various specialities and locations tested assembly processes completely virtually. The basis for those tests is 360-degree scans, which provide a three-dimensional indoor map of the virtual space as well as VR software that Audi developed itself. That technology was used for the first time in preparations for production of the Audi e-tron GT* at the Neckarsulm location. Several applications are currently being tested in the Audi production lab under real production conditions in order to be able to formulate what challenges Audi’s manufacturing environment will present to 5G technology. An exclusive frequency spectrum – a 5G campus network within the factory – has been in use in Ingolstadt since mid-2020. This local frequency is an important condition for successful 5G deployment in smart production.

At a higher level, the Audi Academy offers a wide range of training in the futuristic digitalization field and thereby prepares its employees for the future.

Audi has also been actively pushing this area forward through its vocational training for several years. Among other things, prospective mechatronics technicians can receive additional training in 3-D printing and trainees from factory logistics can practice routine activities via VR.

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New decade-long deal set to secure indoor athletics events for city

The long-term future of indoor athletics in Birmingham is set to be secured through a proposed 10-year partnership agreement between UK Athletics and Birmingham City Council.

A decade-long deal, due for discussion by the council’s Cabinet this month, would see Birmingham host the Indoor Grand Prix and British Indoor Championships on consecutive weekends annually from February 2022 to February 2032.

Previously, the city shared indoor hosting duties with Glasgow on a bi-annual basis and the new partnership also commits both the council and UKA to develop an athletics strategy for the city, in order to explore further opportunities for outdoor events such as Diamond League meetings from 2023

onwards and other major events at the redeveloped Alexander Stadium.

Historically the two indoor athletics events that are the focus of the new deal have supported the local economy by bringing more than 7,000 people to the city with almost 1,000 hotel bed nights being booked as a result by those in attendance.

The 2019 Indoor Grand Prix event alone attracted attendees from 112 difference postcode areas, with 97 per cent of those surveyed saying they would return to the city for a future athletics event.

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “This is a significant deal which underlines our undoubted status as the home of athletics in the UK. “Our recent commitment as a

council to purchase a new indoor track for use at Arena Birmingham showed how serious we are about sport and the positive impact of major events in the city.

“This partnership also supports jobs because it will provide a much-needed boost to our events and hospitality sector in a postpandemic Birmingham and is another element of the Commonwealth Games legacy, as we will now have the clear support of UKA when seeking to secure Diamond League and other major events for the city.”

The new deal also aligns with the council’s recently approved Major Events Strategy, which revealed that major sporting events delivered more than £75million of economic benefit to the city in the last pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Over the next decade UK Athletics and the city council will work together to maximise investment into Birmingham athletics events by continuing to develop existing stakeholder relationships with UK Sport and Sport England.

The report to Cabinet also details that UK Athletics will retain their headquarters in the city at the Alexander Stadium and that at the end of the ten years, Birmingham will have the first option on renewal of the annual events.

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