Asian world july 2017

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Issue 116

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he aspiring model was left with life-altering scars after she and a cousin were targeted in a vicious hate crime in London. ...continued on page 5

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Capital Poverty Business Hub propelling launches first Pakistan’s illegal kidney networking event trade

100,000 Muslims gather for Eid prayer

By Zaima Khaliq

Editor

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housands of Muslims gathered in Small Heath Park for the largest Eid celebration of its kind.

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BUSINESS

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octors were caught mid-way through two illegal kidney transplants

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e at Capital Business Hub are about to hold our much awaited launch evening on the 26h July

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AKSHAY KUMAR’S ‘TOILET’

Pakistan cricket: Iconic Oval moments

nternational megastar Akshay Kumar took another step towards his goal of monumental social change in India

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t was the jaw-dropping conclusion to a tournament that had served up shock after shock

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Editor’s Note Hello readers and welcome back to our 116th edition of Asian World newspaper where we take a look into some of the things that are happening in and around the South Asian community.

This month, I was pleased to be part of Europe’s largest Eid congregation in Birmingham’s Small Heath Park.

I have rarely experienced community cohesion and unity quite like that before.

People of all walks of life gathered at the humble park to create history and to share an experience that will long be relayed to others. A perfect end to a month of reflection and patience.

This month also saw a truly alarming attack hit the South Asian community when young aspiring model, Resham Khan, along with cousin, Jameel Mukhtar, were targeted in a heinous hate crime.

Acid attacks are so often associated with the Asian continent; we hardly expect to see them here, on our doorstep, and I cannot think of a

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more cowardly way to tarnish somebody than to inflict lasting damage that not only temporarily maims them, but leaves them socially and emotionally crippled long after the attack takes place. We are calling the attacker to be brought to justice.

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July 2017

BBC goes Bollywood for special ‘Doctors’ episode

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BBC’s popular day time soap ‘Doctors’ underwent a recent makeover as the cast donned brightly coloured saris for a special Bollywood bonanza.

Bhangra star Navin Kundra, along with a flourish of smiling dancers, completed the ‘Big Bollywood Proposal’ scene which has been hailed by fans as ‘spectacular’.

The clip quickly went viral, reaching up to 100,000 organic views on Facebook over its debut weekend – a record first for the soap.

British singer songwriter Navin Kundra said: “The producers of the show contacted me a few months back about using some of my music in the episode for a special proposal and asked if I would also feature in it. I was absolutely delighted and agreed to be a part of it.”

He adds: “They had a really strong vision and it’s very different for the popular soap, which is watched by over a million people every day, so good on them for wanting to attempt something new and fun to treat their viewers.”

Kundra even reworked his hit single “Mehbooba” for the episode and called in talented singer, Rekha Sawhney to duet with him.

“It was exciting to go back to the song and give it a new life,” he said.

“I wanted to make sure that the lyrics would fit the characters and story so I spent some time watching and studying past episodes before re-writing parts of the song.”

Birmingham local Dance Academy, Bollywood Dreams, were the masterminds behind the specially choreographed routine that was performed by all the cast on set.

Artistic Director, Reena Tailor and co-choreographer Sharaz Younas worked tirelessly with students from the

academy to prefect the final routine.

Sharaz adds: “It was an honour to be involved in such a great creative collaboration, between Bollywood Dreams Sampad and the BBC coming together and making it happen. The director was so open to suggestions and it all came together so well.”

He adds: “Everybody worked really hard and respected each other; it truly was a seamless process.”

BBC Producer, Nasreen Ahmed said “The whole sequence was filmed in one day on location and was one of the most amazing things we have ever done here at BBC Doctors.

“Navin looked every bit the dashing Bollywood superhero in his white suit as he joined our amazing cast in a glittery colourful setting to perform the routine.

“It was a long day but his enthusiasm was contagious and never wavered.

“Mehbooba” and Navin Kundra’s collaboration with us will live on long after the episode airs.”

Comments under the viral video suggested that the clip came about at the perfect time, with many saying that it helped to show a unified community when it seemed more distant than ever.

Younas continued: “The response has been amazing, so many have said that with the recent attacks and divisions in our community, it really helped to see two different world merging so effortlessly in a celebration of diversity.”

Honoured to be joining the cast and crew, Navin adds: “I’ve been a part of many couple’s proposals, first dances and love stories through my music, but this is the first time I’ve done it on television! Anyone looking for marriage proposal ideas…this is the best you can get!”

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£30,000 raised for acid attack victim Resham Khan Contiuned from front page Acid attack victim, Resham Khan, is set to receive a staggering £30,000 in donations after a fundraising campaign, that was set up to help her and cousin, Jameel Muhktar, surpassed its expected target.

Khan posted a message on Facebook and said, “It’s warmed my heart seeing so many people come together to support me and my family. Words can’t describe how you have all made me feel during such a low point in my life.”

Khan and her 37-year-old cousin Jameel were in London to celebrate her 21st birthday.

They had stopped at traffic lights when a corrosive substance was flung at them through their car window in an unprovoked attack.

Khan had to undergo skin graft while Muhktar was put into an induced coma, both were left with “life changing” burns.

Khan further wrote on Twitter: “The pain was excruciating. I was struggling to close the window. My cousin struggled to get us away. I saw my clothes burn in front of me. He put his foot down as we were coming onto a dual carriage way but the pain took over and we crashed.”

“We stripped off in the middle of the road, running around screaming and begging for water. We did this for 45 minutes. No ambulance came.”

A passerby then drove them to the hospital and they were transferred to a specialist burns unit.

Resham’s relatives spoke out about the incident saying that they fear the act was motivated by Islamophobia.

Police are hunting John Tomlin, 24, over the “horrendous” attack and the public have been warned not to approach him.

Detective Superintendent Neil Matthews said: “I would like to reassure the public that our continued focus remains on finding the person responsible for this horrendous act of violence.

“We will continue to progress these enquiries as quickly as humanely possible and fully understand concerns that they should be brought to justice quickly.”

He continued: “The Met recognises the impact hate crime has on communities and encourage anyone affected by these incidents to report them to police or through community reporting channels.

“This was a horrendous act of violence with the victims suffering burn-related injuries which will require long-term treatment.”

Jameel Muhktar, spoke of his harrowing experience and the limited mainstream media coverage that has followed.

In an emotional interview, he told Channel 4 News: “I honestly feel that if this was a white person that got attacked by an Asian person, he’d be caught within 24 hours.

“It would be all over the news; there would be a national man hunt.

It’s definitely a hate crime; I believe it’s something to do with Islamophobia.”

Khan, who is now making peace with her recovery, has been commended on her positivity and sense of humour through-out.

The 21-year-old is narrating her recuperation process from her hospital bed for followers on social media.

She recently shared a picture of her now-ruined make-up palette that was in her handbag at the time, saying: “My beautiful contour palette destroyed. It’s not like I’ll be wearing make-up anytime soon.”

The business student said she had plans to launch a “little business” and was due to start a new job “working with young people on a social inclusion residential program”.

However, she stated that she would no longer be able to carry out the role because of injuries to her leg.

Resham said on Facebook, she did not want the incident to “fuel a division among people”.

“From a large majority, there will always be a sick and twisted minority.

Stop tearing each other down, stop arguing religion and politics. Make peace with each other and the world.

“Letting this man or the events of the past fill you up with hate will only darken the soul,” he said.

The inspiring young woman is positive on her journey to recuperation, saying: “Whether it all your prayers or positivity for me to recover, it’s working.”

She added: “I am hoping to concentrate on getting better and coming to terms with the recent events, so I can prepare myself for the next stages of my life.

“I want to make sure I’m fit and ready to complete my degree and prepare myself for the career I’ve been planning for.”

“I’ll get myself back into work, I’ll look good, I’ll graduate. And things will get better,” The Metropolitan Police revealed that there has been a sharp rise in the number of reported acid attacks in London, a rising trend at a time of increased Islamophobia.

A steady stream of alarming reports has emerged on social media of victims targeted by attackers attempting to chemically burn them.

Several of the attacks have been covered as isolated events, but authorities have yet to release any statement on what appears to be a disturbing trend.

The attacks have prompted outrage among British Muslims, with messages warning individuals to be vigilant while out in public, with several advising potential victims on what action to take in the case of an acid attack.

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July 2017

HONORARY AWARDS: ACTING BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN RECOGNISES PAKISTANI BRITISH COUNCIL STAFF FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE

On behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, the British High Commissioner, Mr Thomas Drew CMG, has presented honorary British awards to Nishat Riaz and Shazia Khawar in recognition of their services for the British Council in Pakistan.

Both Nishat and Shazia have been appointed Honorary Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). This honour is awarded to individuals for significant achievements or exceptional service to the UK, which stands out as an example to others.

Speaking at the ceremony in Islamabad, the British High Commissioner, Mr Thomas Drew CMG, said:

‘’I am delighted to present Honorary MBE awards to Nishat Riaz and Shazia Khawar in recognition of their services to UK-Pakistan cultural relations and education. These awards reflect not only their significant individual effort over a number of years but also that they are excellent role models and leaders inside and outside of the British Council.”

Head of the British Council Pakistan, Rosemary Hilhorst, said: ‘’I am pleased to congratulate Nishat Riaz and Shazia Khawar on receiving their well deserved honours. The British Council Pakistan team are delighted that their outstanding contributions have been recognised.”

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Wakefield based humanitarian charity Penny Appeal has been creating good cheer during the special month of Ramadan, raising spirits by organising parties and distributing gifts to children who are in hospital.

As part of Penny Appeal’s ‘At Home’ programme, volunteers arrived with more than 100 bags, packed full of toys and presents for the babies, children and young adults receiving treatment at University College London Hospital (UCLH).

The volunteers spent time with patients, on several wards including teenage cancer, general adolescent, paediatric general, paediatric oncology and teenage and young adult cancer outpatients, decorating hands with Henna, face painting, make overs and balloon modelling British High Commission and the Chevening Alumni.

Speaking at the iftar reception, Acting British High Commissioner, Mr Richard Crowder, said: “I am pleased to host this iftar reception which celebrates the achievements of the Chevening Alumni in 2017. This year is historic as it marks the 70th Anniversary of UK-Pakistan relations.

“Our Chevening programme and the valuable work of our alumni is an integral part of these celebrations.

Earlier this year, our Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme fellows

trained over 80 journalists across Pakistan.

“Chevening alumni go on in their professional careers to build a more prosperous, stable Pakistan. We look forward to staying in touch with them in the future.”

The British High Commission will continue to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of UK-Pakistan relations with a series of events and activities all through the end of 2017. The application window for the Chevening one year master’s scholarship will open in early August.

July 2017

GIFTS, BALLOONS FUN AND FOOD AS CHARITY PAYS A VISIT TO UCLH

CELEBRATES CHEVENING ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2017

An iftar reception for Chevening Alumni was hosted by the Acting British High Commissioner Mr Richard Crowder at his residence.

The reception was attended by Chevening scholars, Chevening South Asia Journalism Programme fellows, members of the elected Chevening Alumni Association of Pakistan as well as senior officials from the British High Commission.

The reception celebrated the achievements of the Chevening Alumni in the first half of 2017 as well as giving an opportunity for networking between members of the

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made by Ms Ballooniverse for the younger ones, creating a real party atmosphere with arts and crafts. And it wouldn’t have been a party without food, so patients and staff were treated to Samosa’s and other delicious party snacks and treats served

by Penny Appeal.

UCLH(70 of 182)(1)“The Penny Appeal Party was a huge success,” said UCLH Play Specialist, Catherine Gardner. “Children, young people and their families and even the staff, all benefitted from the effort that the volunteers put in to throwing a brilliant party. Our patients, some of whom are in hospital for months at a time, all loved having something different going on and were delighted when they received a present!”

Harris Iqbal, Head of Programmes at Penny Appeal said: “It was a truly blessed experience and had real impact on the patients. We feel honoured to have touched so many hearts and that we have helped create some special memories.”

Penny Appeal’s Midlands Fundraising Manager, Haroon Mota, knows only too well what this means to patients, as he previously worked with the Teenage & Young Cancer Service at UCLH. “Illness is difficult for everyone, but young people are particularly vulnerable to the emotional psychological effects. I feel strongly that children and young adults in hospital deserve our time and care and therefore delighted that Penny Appeal offers so much support for hospitals and hospices

across the UK.” Visiting UCLH is just one of the many programmes running over Ramadan. Volunteers are working tirelessly all over the country with similar projects and notably there will be parties and Gift Distribution at other London hospitals on 22 and 29 June.

Penny Appeal’s ‘At Home’ programme, supports people across the UK and tailored projects provided by the charity which includes providing hot food or food packs to low income families and the homeless, distribution of care packs and gifts to sick children in hospitals, counselling services for domestic and sexual abuse victims, to name just a few.

To find out more call: 03000 11 11 11.

Shopkeeper told to pay £228,737 in proceeds of crime

A Birmingham trader who was found to be in possession of illegal cigarettes and tobacco, has been ordered to pay £228,737 after a proceeds of crime hearing at Birmingham Crown Court today (29 June 2017).

Pritpal Singh Khurana, 38, who ran M&S News, 62-64 Herrick Road, Washwood Heath, had pleaded guilty to 10 offences under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, Tobacco Products (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale (Safety)) Regulations 2002 and Trade Marks Act 1994, at an earlier hearing.

In addition to the Confiscation Order for £228,737 under the Proceeds of Crime Act, Khurana was also ordered to pay £21,263 costs. The total amount – £250,000 – is payable within 3 months, and if it is not paid he faces two years’ imprisonment in default.

Birmingham City Council brought the case against Khurana following a raid of the premises on 8 October 2014, as part of a national crackdown on the sale of illicit tobacco – products which have either been smuggled into the country, illegally produced or for which no duty has been paid.

Trading Standards officers, working with local police teams, seized 6,328 packs of illegal cigarettes and 692 pouches of hand rolling tobacco, worth around £43,000 during the inspection. Most of these were found by sniffer dogs hidden behind a false wall and ceiling and underneath a false floor in a toilet.

Officers also seized two bottles of Bacardi Rum that did not have original UK Duty

labels, and consequently were not valid for sale in the UK. The cigarettes and tobacco seized included counterfeit brands and cheap foreign labelled products that breached consumer protection legislation and were non-duty paid, which cannot be legally sold in the UK. The statutory health warnings on the packaging were not in English or did not include photographic images.

As a result of this seizure, a review of M&S News Convenience Store’s premises licence was heard by the city council’s Licensing SubCommittee on 8 December 2014, who decided to revoke it.

Cllr Barbara Dring, Chair of the city council’s Licensing and Public Protection Committee, said: “Detection dogs can find tobacco and cigarettes, even if they are hidden in the most unlikely places. Offenders need to know they will face the consequences if they choose to deal in these illegal products – as seen today with Pritpal Khurana being ordered to pay £250,000 by the court.

“Those involved in dealing in illegal tobacco may be encouraging people, including children to smoke by providing a cheap source. This activity also brings crime into our neighbourhoods, which is why it is important to clamp down on it. This also has an impact on those businesses that are trading legally.”

M&S New is now operated under new management and has been able to continue trading. Farooq Khan was granted a new premises licence for the business on 17 August 2015.

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July 2017

Why does it cease to be terrorism if it’s the Muslim community that’s affected?

It appears the term ‘terrorism’ is only reserved for Muslim perpetrators.

Deep rooted differences have emerged in the way society and mainstream media deal with terrorism when the attacker is a non-Muslim.

The recent incident which left aspiring model, Resham Khan, and her cousin with life altering scars after the pair were attacked with acid, has highlighted a deep rooted double standards in society.

As shocking as the attack was, most mainstream media either failed to cover it or at best relegated it to a minor story.

One can’t help but feel that if the roles were reversed, their images would have graced the headline news for days on end.

This is not the first time tragedy befalling British Muslims has been treated differently from non-Muslims.

The Muslim community mourned when grandfather, Mohammed Saleem, was knifed to death at the hands of a hate-filled attacker, but there was a significant lack of coverage.

Compare and contrast the coverage of his murders to the rightful attention received by Jo Cox’s and fusilier Lee Rigby’s.

These names are now etched into the fabric of our society, whereas Mohamed Saleem, an unsuspecting peaceful citizen, is virtually unknown outside the Muslim community.

Sky was recently hounded by Muslims filled with rage, demanding that the mowing down of Muslims be called out for what it is: a “terrorist attack”.

We are well acquainted with the rhetoric that follows these types of attacks, where perpetrators are treated with sympathy and given justifiable excuses for their equally inhumane behaviour.

The refusal to acknowledge attacks on the Muslim community as hatefilled terrorism only propagates the far-right extremism brewing within the Western world, how many ‘lone wolves’ have to emerge before the media accepts what is actually

happening?

The sad reality is Islamophobia is now institutionalised and ingrained within parts of our culture, something the Far-Right are monopolising.

Figures show there are nearly 7,000 anti-Muslim hate crimes a year. Between March 2016 and March 2017, there were 143,920 antiMuslim or anti-Islamic Tweets sent from the UK – this amounts to 393 a day.

An academic study carried out in the United States, found terror attacks conducted by Muslims receive more than five times as much media coverage as those carried out by nonMuslims.

Analysis of coverage of all terrorist attacks in the US between 2011 and 2015 found there was a 449 per cent increase in media attention when the perpetrator was Muslim.

Muslims committed just 12.4 per cent of attacks during the period studied but received 41.4 per cent of news coverage, the survey found.

Officers seize 30,000 illegal cigarettes in city raids

Trading Standards officers seized illegal cigarettes worth £7,500 in a series of planned raids on six shops in Birmingham yesterday (21 June 2017).

Birmingham City Council’s trading standards team worked with West Midlands Police on an intelligence-led exercise, following reports of illegal tobacco and cigarettes being supplied in a number of premises.

Officers were assisted by sniffer dogs provided by BWY Canine Specialist Search Dogs, who helped uncover illegal cigarettes hidden behind false walls and light fittings, under counters and even in boxes of biscuits.

The seizure also included packs of suspected counterfeit and cheap foreign labelled cigarettes, which breach consumer protection legislation and are non-duty paid, therefore cannot be legally sold in the UK. Individuals involved in supplying illegal tobacco are very often involved in much wider criminality.

The contents of all cigarettes are harmful and contain around 4,000 different chemicals, including

known carcinogens. However, as the provenance of illegal tobacco is unknown it may contain other dangerous ingredients.

Cllr Barbara Dring, Chair of the city council’s Licensing and Public Protection Committee, said: “Illegal cigarettes were found at all six shops visited during this operation, and as a result Trading Standards have taken 30,000 illegal cigarettes out of circulation, worth around £7,500.

“Those involved in dealing in illegal tobacco may be encouraging people, including children, to smoke by providing a cheap source. This activity also brings crime into our neighbourhoods, which is why it is important we tackle this as it also impacts on businesses that are trading legally.

“The detection dogs can find tobacco and cigarettes even if hidden in the most unlikely places. Offenders need to know that they will face consequences if they choose to deal in these illegal products.”

Birmingham City Council’s Trading Standards Service continues to focus on intelligence-led inspections to stamp out the illegal supply and will continue to work with their partners to focus their activities.

Investigations will continue and may result in legal action. Where premises have a licence to sell alcohol, reviews will be considered with a view to ask for licences to be revoked.

Sellers are warned that where illegal products are found that Trading Standards will commence investigations under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

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July 2017

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July 2017

By Ashlee Roberts

News Correspondent

JUST A

LOCAL 2-17

Sikh Couple refused adoption based on “cultural heritage” A Sikh couple claim they were not allowed to adopt a child based on their “cultural heritage”.

THOUGHT

Ackley Bridge It’s been less than a month since Ayub Khan-Din’s ‘Ackley Bridge’ debuted on Channel 4 and already; its compelling storylines have delved into sensitive societal issues affecting the South Asian community.

Set in working class Yorkshire, two segregated schools merge together to increase diversity in education and strengthen British- Asian relations. On the surface, the comedy can be interpreted as a bid to heal race and religious relations – with Islamophobia on the rise, Din’s approach of discussing this concept within a school setting is simplistic but genius. There is nothing more humanising than a daunting idea portrayed through the eyes of the youth.

However, through characters such as Nasreen, an A level student and Lila, her college tutor, the show has explored lesbian relationships and the damaging effect culture and tradition can have on the course of true love, which is blind to gender.

Interracial relationships between the two segregated groups are also conveyed beautifully by both students and teachers. The show reflects the complex nature of combining two nationalities together romantically and

how theology and culture have become synonymous in Britain.

Lastly, arranged marriage is explored with the character, Nasreen, whose storyline is multifaceted. Due to her sexual orientation and the need to please her family’s desires, she considers marrying a young man from her ancestral country of Pakistan. Only time will tell the fate of her decision, but if the previous episodes are used as a guide, the issue will be dealt with by a strong display of her right to happiness and freedom of choice.

The show has been highly praised for daring to artistically discuss such issues; which will help generations of young British Asians help form an identity of their own; dually combined with their Asian and British heritage.

It must also be celebrated for giving British Asian actors a space on mainstream television which has increased diversity representation on our media platforms.

Overall, the show is an expression of cohesion, but does not shy away from the challenges faced when two very distinct cultures merge. Din’s aim was to show the modern British Asian as they are: human, which we can all relate to.

Married couple Sandeep and Reena Mander said that British and European applicants were the agency’s preferred criteria, as only white children were available for adoption.

Despite this not being outlawed, adoption agency, Adoption Berkshire, urged them to adopt a child from India instead, it was alleged.

“They took the colour of our skin as

the overriding reason not to progress with the application,” Mr Mander said.

This is another painful setback for the couple in their 30s, who have been unable to conceive a child. As they’ve nw even been prevented, from the partaking in the preliminary stages of applying for adoption.

Mr Mander added: “not because of our incapability to adopt, but because our cultural heritage was defined as ‘Indian/Pakistani’.”

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Mander spoke about how many factors should be considered during adoption, such as financial stability and location, but feels their culture has been overly scrutinised to an unfair extent.

“Although my cultural background is Indian, I don’t have any links with India, I’m a British person, Mr Mander said. We are a great couple, we’re happily married for 10 years and finan-

By Pav Mandair

News Correspondent

cially stable. We have a five-bedroom house with four spare bedrooms. We thought we would be able to at least get to an application stage.”

The Manders have refused to give up their dream of having children, and are applying to Slough County Court to seek a declaration that would allow them to adopt regardless of background, with the EHRC (Equality and Human Rights Commission) supporting their cause.

Mrs Mander revealed the couple are now pursuing adoption abroad, despite her concerns about how costly Intercountry adoption is. They hope to raise awareness about the case, to prevent other couples from going through the same experience.

Adopt Berkshire declined to comment, with a spokesperson saying: “We do not comment on ongoing court cases.”

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A North Tyneside convenience store that became acclaimed for its name “Singhsbury’s” based off supermarket Sainsbury’s is now known as “Morrisinghs”.

This was after the former threatened legal action reported The Northern Echo, after Sainsbury’s felt it infringed on their own branding due to its similarities.

Owner Jel Singh Nagra was without a sign for 5 years, after Sainsbury’s sent a legal letter, to him while he was actually on honeymoon.

“My family saw the letter and took the sign down because they were so worried. My customers kept saying I needed another sign so here it is and

it’s a bit cheeky” Mr Nagra said.

Mr Nagra who invested £350 in the new sign, professed the challenges he faces, being based on a dead end street, and how his quirky signs helped trade.

“They talk about it in the pubs and the clubs and the restaurants. We used to have a post office, but when the postmaster retired we knew business would decline.

There is also a dead end at the bottom of the street, so we don’t get a lot of passing trade. But I do feel that the sign is bringing more business in.”

The signs removal in 2012 certainly became a talking point, with customers and locals asking what had

Mad Hatters Tea Party a delight for the elderly

Wakefield based humanitarian charity Penny Appeal has been helping to create good cheer during the special

A budding Coventry entrepreneur has launched an innovative business bringing mouth-wateringsweet treats directly to customers via a dessert van - at the tender age of 12.

12 year old Abz Navsarka and his business DessertVan.co.uk from Coventry is one of the finalists in the Young Achiever of the year and Micro Business of the year category.

Abz is the youngest ever person to be a finalist for the award. Abz will find out if he has managed to win the competition and collect an accolade at the elegant ceremony held in July.

Abdullah Navsarka, or Abz as he likes to be known, had the idea for his business after taking part in a charity fundraising event at his school. The Bablake School pupil said: “We had an event at school where we had to raise money for charity.“Our teacher gave us £20 each and I thought I would do some sort of dessert offering. “I put together a dessert buffet with crepes and cookies and it raised £200.”

Abz hit on the idea of dessert van and realised although dessert palours

have become increasingly popular no one seemed to be offering a mobile option.He was helped by his brother Riz, who said: “Abz thought it would be really cool to have a dessert van and make desserts on the go.

“After searching on the internet we discovered it was quite unique.

“There’s nothing about that’s like it, particularly not in the local area.”

The brothers sourced a van and after acquiring a suitably sweet toothed mode of transport (a former ice cream) van, they set about adapting it to suit Abz’ needs.

Riz added: “Abz always wanted to do something different and started devising a menu that’s really creative.

“Adapted milkshakes called Freakshakes have become popular and Abz hit on the idea of freak ice cream - with bits of cake, cookie and sauce. “He also does freak waffles and something called ice cream on a cloud, which combines ice cream and candy floss.”

Abz has only been running his business for three months but already he is snowed under with requests for book-

ings and is also formulating plans to take his dessert van to public spaces. A video posted on social media about his venture was also shared far and wide.

Thousands of nominations flooded in for the sixth annual English Asian Business Awards over the past months and the full list with finalists has now been compiled. Based on a vote by the public, the awards highlight the value of English Asian businesses and professionals to the society and the various industries they operate in.

The awards seek to reward the entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen embodied by the English Asian community in the country. The black tie event will be held at the Mercure Hotel in Manchester on Monday the 10th of July.

Abz said: “It’s amazing to see my idea for a mobile dessert parlour has become such a huge hit.

“I speak to many people who have become inspired by my story. Business is easy people make it hard, find something you love and make it better.”

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July 2017

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Singhsbury’s renamed Morrisinghs after legal challenge

12 year old Entrepreneur is Top contender for The English Asian Business Awards 2017

To find out more about the application process for ASTONish, please visit https:// www.astonishleadership.com/

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month of Ramadan, together with staff and students from Eden Girls School in Coventry, as they arranged a com-

happened.

However, anyone disappointed with the sight of a nameless store can now rejoice as Mr Nagra, who commutes 50 miles from Stockton to the shop added.

“It is just a laugh and we hope it will put West Allotment on the map.

When we posted the picture of the new name on our Facebook page, we had more than 10,000 views in less than 24 hours, which was just mad.

“I have seen people of all ages walking past giggling to themselves.

People have driven past and pulled over so that they can take a photograph. It’s all a bit of fun and the customers love it. It is just a laugh, the

aim is to get people talking and that’s worked.”

Mr Nagra, hopes this sign will last, and professed defiance at the prospect of a possible legal challenge by Morrisons. “If I get asked to take this one down I will fight for it.”

However the father of two need not fear, as Morrison’s responded rather receptively to his tongue in cheek sign. The supermarket “did not mind”, said a Morrison’s spokesperson. “Mr Nagra and his customers obviously have good taste so we wish him well.”

So whether it’s Facebook views, commuters taking photographs, or locals popping in for a chat about the sign, Mr Nagra’s assertion of it being

munity day, hosting a special party for elderly people living close by.

Both staff and students worked tirelessly throughout the morning of the visit, preparing food and entertainment for their elderly guests who joined them for the first time. “It was a privilege for us at Eden Girls to have chance to do this,” said one student, “the amount of things we had to think about and prepare was overwhelming, but with support and encouragement from Penny Appeal, who we chose to support this event because of the amazing work they do in our community, it was a really enjoyable experience. Penny Appeal Fundraising Manager Haroon Mota told us all about the Penny Appeal at Home programme, and we realised that finding the time for a cup of tea and a chat with an elderly person, can make the

world of difference to them, particularly if they live alone.”

Once guests arrived, on transport provided, they enjoyed a busy fun filled day and enjoyed hand massages, quizzes and tours of the school before tucking into yummy treats prepared by students.

“Delivering the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in collaboration with Penny Appeal was a fantastic and immensely rewarding experience for all involved,” said Zubair Khalifa, Faith Ethos Coordinator at the school. “Seeing the smiles on the faces of our guests gave us all a great deal of satisfaction that between us, we had made someone’s day! The Penny Appeal statement: ‘small change, big difference’ was particularly apt.”

One guest added: “what a wonderful day, organised to perfection. The

By Pav Mandair

News Correspondent “money well spent” could be very well justified, if the attention from this catchy named sign, translates into increased trade.

girls are confident and charming, a real credit to the school. Thank you to everyone, what a wonderful day out.”

Penny Appeal’s ‘At Home’ programme, supports people across the UK and tailored projects provided by the charity which includes providing hot food or food packs to low income families and the homeless, caring for the elderly, distribution of care packs and gifts to sick children in hospitals, counselling services for domestic and sexual abuse victims, to name just a few. More locally, Penny Appeal works in partnership with Northpoint Church where they help feed the city’s homeless people weekly. They also have several initiatives to support Syrian refugees in Coventry.

To find out more call: 03000 11 11 11.

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July 2017

Together in life and together in death A

The story emerges of 3 young siblings who chose to stay inside burning Grenfell Tower with their elderly parents rather than leaving them behind.

s investigations continue into the London tragedy that shook the entire nation, individual stories of sacrifice, heroism and despair have surfaced.

The story of Siblings, Husna, 22, Hanif 26 and Hamid, 29, who chose to remain in their flame engulfed flat on the 17th floor with their immobile and elderly parents, is one that has resonated with many civilians.

Relatives explained to various news sources how the family informed them of the decision to stay behind, despite their pleas to try and escape.

In an emotional conversation more than two hours after the blaze began, the children told them that there was no way they could leave their mother, Rabeya, who was in her 60s, and 82-year-old father.

The British-Bangladeshis also summoned the courage to reassure their relatives not to grieve for them as they were ‘going to a better place’.

It is claimed the children had a window of almost an hour after the fire began to reach safe ground.

Cousin, Samir Ahmad, 18, said he believed “until around 1.45am they could have left their parents, but they didn’t.”

Of their final conversation, he said: “My auntie spoke to Hanif. He was very calm.

“He said his time had come, and not to mourn for them, but be happy for them because they would be in a better place.

“Hats off to them. They didn’t show cowardice. They stayed with their mum and dad.

“Family was so important to them.

They lived together and they died together.”

Mr Ahmad he added that they believed the children would have been haunted for the rest of their lives.

The family is survived by brother, Mohammed Hakim, who had been at the home earlier in the evening but left before the blaze.

With over 79 people confirmed dead, and the death toll rising incrementally as investigations go on, families are urging an appeal for missing loved ones who were thought to be in the tower block at the time of the fire.

Up to 600 residents were believed to have been inside the 24 storey building, in north Kensington, when the blaze began.

Fire-fighters were called to the block on the Lancaster West Estate at around 1.15am.

Eye witness accounts recall people screaming for help with some holding children from windows and others jumping from upper floors. Some residents were reported to have attempted to use bin bags as makeshift parachutes.

A horrified witness described how a baby was dropped by a desperate mother “from the ninth or tenth floor” and was caught by a hero bystander below.

She said: “People were starting to appear at the windows, frantically banging and screaming.

“The windows were slightly ajar, a woman was gesturing that she was about to throw her baby and if somebody could catch her baby.

“Somebody did, a gentleman ran forward and managed to grab the baby.”

Victims lacked support

Theresa May has issued an apology after many accused the Conservative government of failing to respond efficiently to the incident, but it appears to be too little too late.

‘So let me be absolutely clear. The support on the ground for families in the initial hours was not good enough.

‘People were left without belong-

ings, without roofs over their heads, without even basic information about what had happened, about what they should do and where they could seek help” May said as she addressed parliament.

‘That was a failure of the state, local and national, to help people when they needed it the most.

Was it preventable?

As investigations ensue, it is thought that external cladding panels made from aluminium sheets with a flammable polyethylene core may have fuelled the fire and was the cheaper, more flammable version of the two available options.

As authorities probe deeper into the cause of the fire, it was revealed that fire alarms had not sounded in the building which lacked a sufficient sprinkler system. Many residents were told to “stay put” in their flats.

An action group have commented that the Grenfell Tower fire was an accident waiting to happen, after bringing it to attention of authorities over four years ago, but the group claim their warnings fell on deaf ears.

Grenfell Action Group said: ‘We have posted numerous warnings in recent years about the very poor fire safety standards at Grenfell Tower and elsewhere in Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

“All our warnings fell on deaf ears.

This was inevitable and just a matter of time.”

The directors were also ordered to pay total compensation of £2,463 to the victims, and they were all disqualified from acting as directors for three years. All three defendants had pleaded guilty to two offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008) at an earlier hearing (16 May 2017).

Birmingham City Council brought the prosecution following complaints received by Trading Standards and Action Fraud in 2016 from numerous consumers who either never got the parts they ordered or in some cases received the wrong parts.

French Car Spares Ltd would

contact consumers searching online for particular car parts, offering to supply what they were looking for, telling them the part was in stock and promising prompt delivery.

The company often asked customers to pay by direct bank transfer to individual personal accounts rather than accept normal payment method to the company.

However many consumers were let down as the promised parts they ordered never arrived, and when they complained there was no resolution and no refunds given for failing to deliver those parts.

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Birmingham City Council to fit sprinklers in tower blocks B

Car part firm directors ordered to pay £15,963 Three brothers who ran a Birmingham-based car parts firm were given community orders and told to pay £15,963 in costs and compensation for misleading customers who ordered items from their company at Birmingham Crown Court.

French Car Spares Ltd traded from Port Hope Industrial Estate, Port Hope Road, Birmingham. The three directors – Mohammed Amar Hussain (26), Safraz Hussain (26) and Sherbaz Hussain (21), all of Chestnut Road, Birmingham – were given a 12 month community order, 200 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £4,500 costs each.

LOCAL 2-17

irmingham City Council’s residential tower blocks are to be fitted with sprinkler systems and other fire suppression measures following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London, where 79 people are known to have died.

City Council leader John Clancy has confirmed that the council will as a matter of urgency look at the 213 blocks of flats it owns to assess what work needs to be undertaken to reassure tenants that their homes are safe.

Cllr Clancy said he was prepared to find up to an estimated £31 million to retro-fit measures which reduce the risk of fire and help tenants to feel safer.

The council leader wants Britain’s biggest councils to lobby the Government to help pay for fire suppression measures in all of the country’s local

authority residential tower blocks and has written to the leaders of Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield councils asking for their support.

The nine cities plus Birmingham form the Core Cities group, representing the largest councils in the UK and are home to scores of tower blocks.

Cllr Clancy said he hoped Core Cities and other local government organisations would put pressure on the Government to come forward with a financial package to help councils meet investment in fire suppression measures such as the cost of fitting sprinklers.

Cllr Clancy intends to prioritise council spending on a rolling programme to install sprinklers, regardless of whether the Government makes

a financial contribution.

One idea under consideration if Government funding is not forthcoming is to pay for the tower block fire prevention strategy from capital receipts – cash raised through selling assets owned by the council.

Cllr Clancy said: “The dreadful events in London have understandably triggered an outburst of public anger and demands that councils need to do far more to protect tenants living in high-rise blocks.

“I became council leader pledging that every child, every citizen and every place matters. Now is the time to underline that promise by recognising that as a council we have a duty to provide the best possible fire protection for our tenants, and we will do whatever it takes to keep people safe.

“But the cost of doing this for all local authorities with tower blocks is certain to be substantial and beyond the means of austerity-hit councils to afford in a timely fashion.

“The Government should accept this is a national emergency that fully justifies establishing a fund to allow councils to fit sprinkler systems as a matter of urgency.

“If the Government fails to respond appropriately, I believe our tenants

13

would expect work on less important building projects to be delayed so that we can make sure our tower blocks are safer places to live in.

“It should also be recognised that a city-wide programme to fit firesuppression measures will generate significant employment opportunities for Birmingham, creating skilled jobs and apprenticeships and underpinning the council’s commitment to inclusive economic growth.”

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July 2017

By Mohammed Zafran

M Y CO M M U N I T Y

Futsal coming to Birmingham!!

BIRMINGHAM FUTSAL CLUB

A Charter Standard, Development club, Birmingham Futsal Club was first formed in 2003, originally known as Washwood Heath United.

We have youth teams ranging from under 6’s – under 16’s, womens and mens. Youth academies across Birmingham with a membership of over 200+ and rising.

Our initial goal for the season was to win the FA Super League North, having achieved that by convincing style, winning every game in the league. Going onto the national finals and overcoming Oxford Lions Futsal Club, last seasons champions. We eventually lost out in the Semi Finals against the club who went on to win the Finals Helvecia, who will represent England in the now newly named CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. Birmingham Futsal Club has also been accepted into next seasons FA Super League, which will consist of 12 clubs from around the country, participating at the highest level of Futsal in England, Champions of which will be eventual representatives of England in the Champions League. The inclusion of Birmingham in the newly formed Super League is excellent news for the Club as well as the City. It gives the people of Birmingham an opportunity to play Futsal at the highest level and the chance to play for the England National Fustal Team. We have over the years developed many England players and this year has been no exception, with a number of youngsters being called up to the development camps for the under 19’s. With Futsal also being a part of the forthcoming youth Olympics 2018, it’s a great time to get involved in Futsal.

Taking this opportunity to thank everyone that has supported us; WOLVERHAMPTON UNIVERSITY EYECONIC SPORTS MORGAN REACH ACCOUNTANTS Nike partner club (first Futsal club in England)

Having appeared in all the finals since the inception of the national league. Winners of the midlands league 2009/10, 2010/11, 2014/15.

FA FUTSAL PLATE WINNERS 2005/6 FA NATIONAL LEAGUE FINALISTS 2015/16 (FINISHING SECOND TO BAKU) FA SUPER LEAGUE NORTH WINNER 2015/16 FA CUP SEMI FINALISTS 2015/16 FA SUPER LEAGUE NORTH WINNERS 2016/17 FA NATIONAL LEAGUE FINALISTS 2016/17 YOUTH FUTSAL LEAGUES We are currently looking into setting up Futsal leagues across the city of Birmingham for all age ranges from under 8’s – under 19’s. Different age groups at various locations. The leagues will have approx 8-10 teams per league, winners of which will go on to represent Birmingham in the National Youth Futsal Championships. We will also be looking to have scouts regularly attend the games in order to identify potential players for the Birmingham Futsal Club first team who play in the FA National Super League.

Players with exceptional capabilities will also be put forward to the England Centres of Excellence for Futsal.

Winning teams above the 16 years age range will also have the opportunity to represent themselves in the FA Cup (Futsal) 1. Home venue / address / capacity / facilities for all, including spectators WOLVERHAMPTON UNIVERSITY WALSALL CAMPUS WS1 3TA Facilities for all, including sports cafe Seating capacity 200+ 2. Home and away colour shirt/kit HOME KIT – yellow/black AWAY KIT – white/red

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Preet Gill elected as first female Sikh MP in General Election Preet Kaur Gill became the first Sikh woman to be elected into the Houses of Parliament after last Thursday’s snap election.

Gill secured a majority of 24,124 votes to hold the seat in Birmingham Edgbaston for Labour with a majority of 6,917.

Keeping education cuts amongst her top priorities, said she had a good team of people and had a really “strong” campaign.

“Theresa May clearly thought she had an overwhelming majority, but I saw a different mood out there when campaigning,” she said.

The seat had previously been held

by Gisela Stuart, who stepped down after almost 20 years in the House of Commons, when the election was called.

Gill explains: “It’s been 19 years since Gisela’s iconic win and I want to

build on the great work she did.

“Our Brexit opinions might not have been the same but she was an excellent constituent MP.” Being the first female Sikh MP was also a “huge privilege” and she said she hoped she would become “one of many” who would now come forward and get involved.

“The fact there has never been one before, it’s a big issue,” she added.

Gill’s father settled in Birmingham in the 1950’s and later went on to become a renowned local bus driver on the number 11 route.

“He was president of the Smethwick Gurdwara... and was involved in the community. He was very passionate and active and always said you should contribute and try to give something back” She adds.

“He died three years ago but he would have been immensely proud of me becoming an MP.” Sikh business leaders in

the West Midlands have congratulated her on her win, adding they now felt represented in the Government decision making process.

Black Country businessman and local enterprise board member Ninder Johal said it was a “breakthrough” for Sikhs.

“The Sikh community for generations has been a vital contributor to the economy and community, but for too long not represented in the decision making process in the Houses of Parliament.

“It’s great that we have someone from the local area as a voice for Sikhs there.”

Following the good news, Gill said she went to a temple to give a prayer of thanks for her success followed later on by the school run as “life just carries on”.

As well as Ms Preet’s triumphant win, Sikhs are celebrating Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi’s win in Slough, increasing Labour’s share of the votes by 14.4%.

As the first turbanwearing Sikh to enter Parliament, Dhesi tweeted on Friday morning “Humbled and honoured to be elected.”

Director of Grenfell Tower insulation provider emerges as ‘government adviser’

Technical director of Saint Gobain UK, the maker behind the flammable Celotex insulation, is reportedly also on the Building Regulations Advisory Committee (BRAC).

Senior executive Mark Allen, technical director of Saint Gobain UK, the company that created the highly flammable cladding, is reportedly an adviser to the government on building regulations.

The committee is a non-departmental public body that advises Sajid Javid, the Communities and Local Government Secretary, on making building regulations and setting stand-

ards for the design and construction of buildings.

After the news emerged that the Celotex RS 5000 insulation boards fitted in a large refurbishment project proved extremely flammable when tested, and cladding on at least 137 high-rise buildings across 41 local authorities have failed safety checks.

100 per cent of cladding samples across the country failed checks and the product has been recalled from use on high-rise buildings, however Mr Allen still remains on the committee.

Fire safety experts have reportedly complained that the committee is

“heavily weighted towards the building industry” and has proved “difficult to engage with”.

Concerns have been expressed that regulations have failed to keep up with modern advancements in construction techniques and the development of new types of materials, including the kind of external cladding used in the £8.6 million Grenfell refit.

Combustible cladding was thought to have aided the “unprecedented” spread of the fire in Grenfell Tower, which killed at least 80 people on 14 June.

WITH THE ORPHAN

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0121 446 5682 islamichelp.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1160490

July 2017

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LOCAL 2-17

July 2017

By Rizwan Jalil

Twitter@rizwan_jalil

It is our duty to promote community cohesion

100,000 Muslims gather in Small Heath for largest Eid congregation in Europe

Help us live in peace and harmony Community cohesion describes the ability of all communities to function and grow in harmony together rather than in conflict. It aims to build communities where people feel confident that they belong and are comfortable mixing and interacting with others, particularly with people from different ethnic backgrounds or people of a different faith. Building cohesion within and between communities is an essential step towards improving people’s quality of life. Viewed from outside, a cohesive community is one in which people will want to live and invest.

• Creating a common vision and sense of belonging for everyone, • Valuing and appreciating people from different backgrounds and circumstances • Providing similar life opportunities for people from different backgrounds, developing strong.

• Positive relationships between

people from different backgrounds in the workplace, in schools and within neighbourhoods.

• Brokering good relations between groups and communities.

• Working towards society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities.

As a individual you can strengthen community ties by promoting equality of opportunity and recognising similarities and appreciating different cultures, religions or beliefs, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds.

Please visit the following links to learn more about community cohesion: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/departmentfor-communities-and-local-government https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ equality-act-2010-guidance

Thousands of Muslims gathered in Small Heath Park for the largest Eid celebration of its kind.

Ice cream van gives back after locals complain The ice cream van that was condemned for its untimely chime, gives back to the community.

A local Ice cream vendor redeems community relations, after being criticised for using an inappropriate Chime.

Junior Ices Birmingham, who were behind the van, recently offended locals after it was heard chiming the childhood classic rhyme ‘London’s Burning.’

Olton locals branded the use of that particular nursery rhyme as ‘inappropriate’ in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

The issue was highlighted on the ‘This is Olton’ Facebook page, a public online group for people who live in the area.

Local resident, Ginny Phipps wrote: “Is anyone else finding the music the ice cream van is playing really annoying and inappropriate? Or am I overreact-

ing?”

Andrew Sparkes added: “We mentioned it last night - entirely inappropriate. Tried to catch him last night to mention it - but failed. I’ll try again today.”

After being alerted by local neighbours, Owners were quick to replace the chime as well as apologising for any offence caused. They explained to members of the public that the chime had been installed in the van and had been in use many times before.

In an effort to bridge over the incident, the Ice cream van was seen supplying worshippers at Hall green Mosque with free ice creams from Iftar time to Sun rise, in a charitable effort.

Gee Hussain, family member of the owner, said: “After all the trouble, we

rectified matters and had a lot of support from the residents of Olton and Solihull.”

“Junior Ices Birmingham has been through a lot of issues lately, after being slammed by the Coventry Telegraph for playing ‘London’s burning’ chime.

“We felt that it was inciting hate, as the chime for the van was already fitted.

It isn’t something that we chose to play; we replaced the chime and were back on the round.”

Most users of the forum felt people were overreacting.

Gary Richmond said: “People need to get a life moaning about what music an ice cream van is playing.”

And Jacqueline Denham wrote: “It’s just a children’s song and there have been many, many fires in London since it was composed. Poor guy is just unlucky to have it right now.”

Record numbers of Muslims descended upon the local park in Birmingham for the Eid prayer to Mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Organisers said over 106,000 people attended this year’s event - more than the capacity of Barcelona FC’s Nou Camp stadium.

Families from as far as the USA travelled by foot, car and mini bus to bow in prostration together while the resounding call to prayer was sounded.

The Celebrate Eid event, hosted by Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre, is now in its seventh year and has seen growing numbers since its first major event in 2012, where 12,000 people attended A spokesperson for Green Lane Masjid & Community Centre, said: “This celebration is one of the most important in the Islamic religious calendar and it’s an opportunity for us all to come together in peace and unity.

“We’re all overwhelmed that so many people from different faiths and from across the world has travelled to Birmingham for this year’s Celebrate Eid. “We’ve been working for months with five local Mosques and our charity partner Human Appeal to organise the community for a memorable day of prayer, games and fun.”

During Ramadan, worshippers raised a staggering £435,000 in a single night for international humanitarian aid charity Human Appeal. The money will go directly to the Saving Syria project, which is raising funds for orphans in the war-torn country.

Othman Moqbel, CEO of Human Appeal, said: “It is a great honour once again for Human Appeal to be part of Celebrate Eid; the biggest gathering of Muslims in Europe.

“As well as tragedy throughout the holy month of Ramadan, there has been unrivalled generosity.

“British Muslims have given so much to help those in need here in the UK and around the globe.

“This Eid we celebrate the generosity of the Muslim community.”

Provisions on the day included free sweet treats and pink tea, which were given out to worshippers as the prayer was concluded.

Numerous stalls lined the parks walkways with beautifully adorned outfits and children’s toys as well as fairground rides, clay pigeon shooting, miniature golf and rodeo bull riding.

Armed police were present on the scene for the first time in the sevenyear history of the Celebrate Eid festival after the series of terror attacks which have been on a steady incline over the past months.

Well known speakers took to the stage to condemn the recent increase in attacks on the Muslim community.

Before the prayer, Zaker Choudhry, a local Lib Dem councillor, told the crowd: “This is the true face of Islam. We are sending a message to the whole world that we are united against terrorism, united against hate.”

John Clancy, leader of Birmingham city council, said the event was a “great, glorious gathering – a high point for this city”. A quarter of Birmingham’s 1.1 million population was Muslim, he added. “You are a crucial part of this city’s DNA. Brummie Muslims built Birmingham.”

Sarah Boycott, assistant chief constable of West Midlands police, urged people to report anti-Muslim abuse and attacks. “Some people in our community are not tolerant. Please tell us about it,” she said.

The event came to an emotional end for Amer Ijaz, general manager of the Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre.

He said: “I‘ve been planning this since November, and I haven’t slept for the past four days. If anything goes wrong, it’s all on my head.”

“I feel quite emotional now it’s here. A lot of members of the community are coming up to hug me. It’s buzzing – really vibrant.”

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GLOBAL

106-year-old great-grandmother takes YouTube by storm

The great-grandmother from Andhra Pradesh, has made it big on the video platform.

The 106 year-old is emerging as a new internet sensation, with her videos racking up a staggering 52 million views and over 300,000 subscribers.

Filmed by her great-grandson, K Laxman, and his friend, Srinath Reddy, the videos show great great-grandmother, Mastanamma, using traditional ingredients such as watermelon and rice to more exotic recipes incorporating emu egg fry to snake gourd.

The elderly YouTube extraordinaire can be seen cooking while sitting in a field, peeling the vegetables with her fingernails and using only the most basic implements and utensils.

Mastanamma, who used to work as a chef in her son’s hotel, is said to have been puzzled at first by YouTube but is reportedly delighted to learn that her recipes are being enjoyed by so many people.

Talking of her arduous life, Mastanamma explains how she has outlived her husband and four of her five children. She says she was married at 11, never went to school and used to carry 100kg bags of rice on her back.

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

ISIS target Grand al-Nuri mosque in Mosul - Iraqi military

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Flash Floods Kill 33 in Northern Pakistan: Officials

The terrorist organisation has targeted iconic al-Nuri mosque in Mosul, Iraq.

The historical mosque in the Old City, which was particularly famous for its leaning minaret, has now been destroyed by terrorist organisation ISIS. Iraqi military statement read: “The Daesh [Arabic term for IS] terror gangs committed another historical crime by blowing up the al-Nuri mosque and its historical al-Hadba minaret.”

The US Central Command called the destruction of the mosque a “crime against the people of Mosul and Iraq.” Centcom said ISIS was solely responsible for the destruction of the landmark, as American forces vowed to bring the terrorists to justice.

“As our Iraqi Security Force partners closed in on the al-Nuri mosque, ISIS destroyed one of Mosul and Iraq’s great treasures,” said Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin, Commanding General of Combined Joint Forces Land Component CommandOperation Inherent Resolve.

He continued: “This is a crime against the people of Mosul and all of Iraq, and is an example of why this brutal organization must be annihilated.”

IS responded through its propaganda wing Amaq, and blamed a US airstrike for the mosque’s destruction.

The demolition occurred as forces from Iraq’s elite Counter Terrorism Service made their way to

within 50 meters (164 ft) of the mosque, according to the statement. Officials had been hoping to recapture the historic building before the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

The landmark structure, built in the 12th century, was where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had declared the Islamic caliphate soon after it occupied the Iraqi city in 2014 and the black flag of IS had been flying from the minaret ever since.

IS’ occupation of Mosul coincided with reports of civil resistance against the terrorist group, with residents reportedly having saved the mosque by forming a human chain around it.

Kovind set to be elected as Indian President

NEW DELHI: It is almost certain that Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit and the present Governor of Bihar state, who has been chosen as the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the Presidential elections, will be the next President of India.

Elections to choose the successor to the present incumbent of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Pranab Mukherjee, whose term ends on 25 July, will be held on 17 July 2017.

Born in a village, Kovind has been an RSS pracharak, a Supreme Court advocate and a two-time Member of Parliament. He was president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Dalit Morcha between 1998 and 2002 and president of

the All-India Koli Samaj. He has also served as national spokesperson of the party. He donated his ancestral home in Derapur to the RSS. The joint opposition candidate is Meira Kumar, a former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and also a Dalit. A multi-faceted personality, Meira is a diplomat turned politician and a five time MP and a former union minister; besides being the daughter of a Dalit leader, Jagjivan Ram. The former occupants of the presidential House have been either scholars or have made names in their respective professions and remarkably played crucial roles in the national and international spheres.

In this first-ever Dalit versus Dalit contest for the country’s top job, odds are in favour of the saffron Brigade candidate Kovind who is set to get 6.82,677 votes out of the 10,98,903 votes of the electoral college. The joint opposition candidate Meira Kumar is likely to bag 4 lakh votes.

The president is elected by an electoral col-

lege consisting of the

By Jose Kalathil elected members of both News Correspondent houses of parliament, the elected members of the Legislative assemblies of the 29 states and the elected members of the legislative assemblies of the two Union Territories. As of 2017, the electoral college comprises 776 MPs and 4120 MLAs. The total strength of Electoral college is 10,98,882 votes. Halfway mark is 5,49,442 votes. After state assembly elections and bypolls of 2017, NDA is short of nearly 20,000 votes.

The nomination of a candidate for election to the office of the President must be subscribed by at least 50 electors as proposers and 50 electors as seconders. The election is held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the Single transferable vote method. The voting takes place by secret ballot. The manner of election of President is provided by Article 55 of the Constitution.

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PESHAWAR: Flash floods caused by torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 33 people in northern Pakistan including 31 from a village near the border with Afghanistan, officials have said.

The rains were concentrated mainly in the northwestern province of Khybher Pakthunkwa, which has been badly affected by flooding in recent years that some scientists have linked to climate change.

The worst hit district was Chitral, on the country’s northwest border, where flood waters swept away a mosque, several houses and army post in the remote village of Ursoon, district mayor Maghfirat Shah told AFP. Osama Waraich, another senior lo-

cal official, added that eight bodies of the missing villagers had been found from the Afghan side and six soldiers were still missing.

Separately, two Chinese engineers were killed and five Pakistani workers injured when the roof of a construction site collapsed at Tarbela Dam owing to the rains that began late Saturday, Latifur Rehman, spokesman for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said.

Rescue and relief operations were underway, he added.

In April rains and landslides killed 127 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan region and Pakistani Kashmir.

Poorly built homes across Pakistan,

this year, with the preliminary results due by the end of July - will put the figure closer to 200 million.

The economy is expanding faster than it has in a decade, and last month Islamabad hiked its development budget by 40 per cent.

But observers have warned the population boom is negating any progress, using up valuable resources in a young country where jobs are scarce and nearly 60 million people live below the poverty line.

“It definitely is a problem because it is affecting health outcomes adversely and also eating into development gains,” says Zeba A Sathar, country director for the UN population council.

Sathar predicted the census would show growth has slowed due to lower fertility rates, though she added it would remain among the highest rates in the region.

“There has to be a clear enunciation of need to slow growth as a positive policy lever,” she said. “And then next a good, effective health system that provides information and services of quality.”

Khan’s brother, Mastan Khan Wazir - one of his 15 siblings - also has three wives. So far, Wazir has only fathered 22 children but, like his brother, he

19

BRITISH ASIAN TRUST GATHERS INFLUENCERS TO SHAPE FUTURE INNOVATION IN ETHICAL FASHION

particularly in rural areas, are susceptible to collapse during the annual spring and monsoon rains in JulyAugust, which are often heavy.

Severe weather in recent years has killed hundreds and destroyed huge tracts of prime farmland.

During the rainy season last summer, torrential downpours and flooding killed 81 people and affected almost 300,000 people across the country.

The worst flooding in recent times occurred in 2010, which covered almost a fifth of the country’s total land mass, killed nearly 2,000 people and displaced 20 million.

Pakistan’s population booms: Three men, 96 children Three men who have fathered nearly 100 children among them are doing their bit for Pakistan’s skyrocketing population, which is being counted for the first time in 19 years.

But in a country where experts warn the surging populace is gouging into hard-won economic gains and social services, the three patriarchs are unconcerned. Allah, they say, will provide.

Pakistan has the highest birth rate in South Asia at around three children per woman, according to the World Bank and government figures, and the census is expected to show that growth remains high.

“God has created the entire universe and all human beings, so why should I stop the natural process of a baby’s birth?” asks Gulzar Khan, a father of 36, citing one of the strongest influences in the region: the belief that Islam prevents family planning.

Tribal enmity is another factor in the northwest, where the 57-year-old lives in the city of Bannu with his third wife, who is pregnant.

“We wanted to be stronger,” the 57-year-old tells AFP, surrounded by 23 of his offspring - so many, he observes, they don’t need friends to play a full cricket match.

Polygamy is legal but rare in Pakistan, and families like Khan’s are not the norm, though the beliefs he holds are widespread.

The last census, held in 1998, showed Pakistan had a population of up to 135 million. Estimates suggest the new census - carried out earlier

July 2017

says his grandchildren are too numerous to count.

The 70-year-old, with his bushy moustaches and bejewelled fingers, is a minor celebrity in North Waziristan tribal district, where his blinged out jeep - done in the style of Pakistan’s famous “jingle trucks”, with Pashto music pouring from the stereo - is a familiar sight.

“God has promised that he will provide food and resources but people have weak faith,” he tells AFP, wearing a traditional Waziristani turban.

In the southwestern city of Quetta in Balochistan province, Jan Mohammed - the father of 38 children - agrees, despite having previously called on the government to provide resources for his family.

Jan spoke with AFP in 2016 to voice his desire for a fourth wife as he continues his mission of having 100 children. No woman has yet agreed, he says, but he has not given up.

“The more Muslims grow, the more their enemies will fear them...

Muslims should go for more and more children,” he said.

‘Innovating for Change’ invites leading retailers to discuss ethical empowerment in the fashion supply chain in Clarence House on July 6th

London, UK – The British Asian Trust, a charity founded by HRH The Prince of Wales to fight poverty in South Asia, is bringing together some of the UK’s leading fashion retailers to join the Innovating for Change discussion about social and economic empowerment in the fashion supply chain, with Neelam Chhiber, Founder, Industree Foundation, Alisha Miranda, Founder, Not My Style and Abha Thorat-Shah, Programmes/Investments Director, British Asian Trust, at Clarence House.

Neelam and Alisha both specialise in using technology to promote a fairer deal and improved conditions for workers in the fashion and accessories supply chain. They will be speaking to an influential audience of major high street retailers and decision makers about the challenges poor communities, particularly women, face in the fashion supply chain and what can be done to improve this. Together they will discuss new business solutions and forms of technology to empower women at every stage of the supply chain with increased negotiating power and participation in decision-making.

The British Asian Trust works with a number of social enterprises across South Asia to empower people to break out of a cycle of poverty, and has recently partnered with Industree on Mission Creative Million, an initiative spearheaded by Neelam Chhiber. By 2026, it aims to enable one million artisans in India to improve their ability to negotiate better prices by organising themselves into small enterprises and connect with buyers via on a digital platform.

Abha Thorat-Shah says: “We are delighted to convene key leaders and

influencers from the fashion industry to share and shape future thinking and innovation that will make a difference to the lives of people who make the things we love.”

Neelam Chhiber says: “Our focus is on women because they are the backbone of the family. If, thanks to these social partnerships, they have a better life and a working environment where they are happy because of the contact with other women, then in the end this has direct positive benefits for the whole society.”

Alisha Miranda’s work focusses on social impact and in 2016 she founded Not My Style, an app that promotes transparency in the fashion industry by encouraging brands to share more information and better data about their supply chains. The information is easily accessible to consumers to help them make choices about where to shop.

She says: “Like Neelam, we’re interested in creating innovation that disrupts how people buy things, especially clothes. We’re honoured to be in conversation with her, and the British Asian Trust, to talk about what other exciting changes are happening in the ethical fashion world.”

The British Asian Trust has convened the Innovating for Change event to promote the economic empowerment of people, particularly women artisanal producers, so that they can fulfil their potential and enjoy secure and sustainable livelihoods. The Trust has partnered with the UK Government’s Department for International Development on a multi-million pound women’s economic empowerment programme in Pakistan.

20

LOCAL 2-17

July 2017

Desperate Rohingya seek new escape routes from Bangladesh In squalid camps in Bangladesh, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who have fled violence and persecution in neighbouring Myanmar dream of a better life abroad -- and rely on increasingly high-tech trafficking networks to get them there.

Dhaka denies new arrivals refugee status and, after a major crackdown sealed off the ocean routes traditionally used to traffic migrants to Southeast Asia, many Rohingya are turning to complex smuggling operations to escape Bangladesh.

“People are desperate to leave the camps,” said community leader Mohammad Idris.

“Those who have money or gold ornaments are paying smugglers to get them out by air, and those who don’t are trying roads.”

The Rohingya, who live mainly in Myanmar, are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.

Many now live in grinding poverty in Bangladesh’s southeast coastal district of Cox’s Bazar, packed into camps that were home to more than 300,000 Rohingya even before some 70,000 new arrivals poured across the border after the Myanmar army launched a bloody crackdown last October.

Bangladesh denies them the right to work, and is proposing to rehouse them on a mosquito-infested island that regularly floods at high tide.

For years, rickety boats were the main mode of escape for the refugees who would pay hefty amounts to smugglers to get them to Malaysia and Thailand.

Those routes were cut off in 2015 when mass graves of would-be

migrants, many of them killed at sea, were discovered in Thailand, triggering a global outcry and a major crackdown on traffickers.

But the smuggling networks swiftly identified new routes out of Bangladesh by air and road, using mobile payments to operate internationally.

Mohammad, an undocumented 20-year-old Rohingya, said he spent 600,000 taka ($7,700) to reach Saudi Arabia, where he now lives.

“I paid a local friend for a Bangladeshi passport and other papers.

He also helped me pass through the immigration,” Mohammad told AFP using the WhatsApp messaging service. He asked that his family name not be used.

As it becomes more difficult for migrants to leave Bangladesh, many have been forced to head to destinations once considered less appealing.

Those who cannot afford flights are using buses and even travelling on foot to escape Bangladesh, going to India before moving on to Nepal or Pakistan. Some have even settled in the troubled Kashmir region.

There is no reliable data on the value of the trafficking trade, but estimates suggest it is worth millions of dollars in Bangladesh alone.

These networks arrange fake Bangladeshi passports and birth certificates for the Rohingya, a stateless ethnic minority denied citizenship rights in Myanmar even though they have lived in the Buddhist-majority nation for generations.

“It’s unbelievable how deep the traffickers’ grassroots network is and how smoothly they operate across na

tions,” said Shakirul Islam, head of a migrants’ welfare organisation called Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program.

Migration expert Jalaluddin Sikder said a proliferation of mobile phone money transfer services in Bangladesh was making it easier for the traffickers to do business internationally.

“Multinational trafficking rackets are now a phone call away,” said Sikder, who works in Dhaka’s Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit, Bangladesh’s main private think tank on cross-border migration.

- Pay your way Research conducted last year by a local charity uncovered complex underground trafficking networks that span the globe, using sophisticated technology to distribute payments globally without detection.

“They are efficient in distributing the money to all the key players,” said Selim Ahmed Parvez, researcher for the Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF).

These, he said, range from “local

trafficking agents, to law-enforcing officers, administrative officials, politicians and the kingpins”.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite force fighting militancy and organised crime in Bangladesh, told AFP they were working to stop Rohingya being smuggled out of the country.

“It (trafficking) is happening here and we’re trying hard to identify the routes and the channels the smugglers use,” said Nurul Amin, RAB commander for Cox’s Bazar.

But tracking down the smugglers is only half the battle.

Fears are rising in the camps over a proposal to move the estimated 400,000 Rohingya to a desolate island in the Bay of Bengal -- a fate many say they would do anything to avoid.

“We’ve successfully tackled the boat migration. And now our focus is on other smuggling routes,” said the RAB’s Amin.

“But if someone is so desperate to migrate, can you stop him?”

Khaadi boycott and protestors succeed in reinstating workers’ rights The Pakistani retail giant Khaadi has agreed with a workers trade union to improve working conditions for its factory workers after protests were held last week in Lahore and Karachi, resulting in a call on social media for a boycott of Khaadi products.

32 workers from a Khaadi factory were fired after demanding fairer wages and better working conditions. In videos shared across social media the workers and activists can be seen protesting the unfair conditions under which they had to work and for being fired from their jobs without warning.

A female worker seen speaking in a video during the protest said, “At home when the kids were ill I couldn’t get a day off. When I was ill myself I still couldn’t get time off. I had an accident and worked for full 8 hours and they still didn’t give me time off from work. I’ve been working for the Khaadi factory for 2 years and this is what always happens.

I’m a temporary worker, they said after 3 months of work we’ll give you a perma-

nent contract but they never did. We are raising our voices to demand our rights”.

Another worker explained in the video that they were being paid less than the minimum wage which is currently set by the government at 14, 000 Rupees: “To this date we haven’t been given permanent contracts. Even when we try to book holidays they won’t grant them. We’re not allowed to take bathroom breaks, we work 8 hours a

day in extreme heat. Our salaries are 13, 000 Rupees per month. We just want our legal rights”.

The hashtag #BoycottKhaadi went viral in Pakistan as people expressed their outrage at the mistreatment of labourers by the up-market brand which also has 5 stores across the UK. The People’s Solidarity Forum, who were present at the protests, wrote on their Facebook page “Consumers

pay thousands of rupees for a piece of clothing produced in exploitative conditions by workers forced to the point of attempting suicide. Textile firms like Khaadi make millions in sales around the time of Eid, we call on people to #BoycottKhaadi until this company adopts ethical practices and stops exploiting its workers.”

In its initial response the retailer denied all allegations, saying they were

Pakistan begins construction on Afghanistan divide

Pakistan says it will soon begin construction on a fence along its volatile border with Afghanistan to improve security, a move that has sparked condemnations in Kabul.

The Pakistani Army said in a statement that the initial phase of bordering will focus on the Bajur, Mohmand, and Khyber tribal regions -- all regarded by authorities as areas prone to crossborder infiltration by various militant groups.

The statement stipulated that new forts and border posts will be built to improve defence and surveillance along the frontier.

It read: “is in the common interest of both countries and a well-coordinated border-security mechanism is essential for enduring peace and stability,” the statement said.

Afghan authorities, however, are opposed to the building of the fence.

The Associated Press news agency quoted Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry, as saying, “Pakistan has no right to fence or construct any building along the border with Afghanistan.”

Danish warned of retaliatory action, referring to previous clashes that erupted when Pakistan sought to build border fortifications.

The two countries share a 2,400-kilometer border known as the Durand Line, which Pakistan considers to be an international border but Afghanistan has never recognized.

Afghanistan and Pakistan often accuse each other of turning a blind eye to militant groups operating along their porous border. rumours and instead claimed “We therefore categorically confirm that Khaadi has not terminated 32 of its employees.”

However on Tuesday it emerged Khaadi came to an agreement with the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) to improve its implementation of labour laws in all Khaadi production units.

According to a press release by the trade union, Khaadi will meet the statemandated minimum wage and issue employment letters to all its workers.

People’s Solidarity Forum picketed the MM Alam Khaadi store to demand reinstatement of 32 workers who Khaadi fired right before Ramadan because they demanded fair wages. The workers at Khaadi work 12 hours a day for less than 14k rupees a month.

Consumers pay thousands of rupees for a piece of clothing produced in expoitative conditions by workers forced to the point of attempting suicide. Textile firms like Khaadi make millions in sales around the time of Eid, we call on people to #BoycottKhaadi until this company adopts ethical practices and stops exploiting its workers.

GLOBAL BUSINESS 18-23 24-28

GLAM 29-41

HEALTH 42-45

TRAVEL 46-47

TECH 48-49

MOTORING 50-52

FOOD 53

SPORTS 54-60

July 2017

21

Oil explosion in Pakistan Pakistan issues passport with third gender category leaves 209 dead

By Spandan Manwatkar

News Correspondent

An oil explosion resulted in the death of 209 people, 20 children among them, in the northeast of Pakistan following an announcement over a mosque’s loudspeaker that acknowledged the presence of a tanker with an oil leak.

The oil tanker carrying 25,000 litres of gasoline had been speeding when the driver lost control blowing the tire. The vehicle heading towards Lahore from Karachi overturned on the national highway near Ahmedpur Sharqia in Bahawalpur located around 430 kilometres from Lahore catching the attention of the nearby mosque.

As oil is a valuable commodity in Pakistan, around 500 villagers including men, women and children of the Bahawalpur district rushed with bottles, containers, and utensils to collect the leaking oil from the tanker, unaware of the danger they would be facing.

The explosion was caused when a villager tried to light a cigarette causing the oil to ignite leaving the villagers in flames. After realising the severity, another announcement was made on the mosque’s loudspeaker asking rest of the villagers for help.

However, the heat was too intense and spread out.

By the time the rescue team had arrived, smoke had begun rising to the sky and the explosion had already started to reach the village of Ramzan Joya from the highway. Army helicopters managed to rescue 40 people with

By Spandan Manwatkar

News Correspondent

serious burns to hospitals in Lahore and Multan. A spokesman Imran Shah told local news that the police were trying to redirect the traffic asking the villagers to stay away from the location but were unsuccessful leading to a blocked road.

75 burnt out motorcycles and 6 other automobiles presumably of the villagers were also found as a result of the explosion with 30 of the burnt motorcycles lying on the highway. Dr. Javed Iqbal from Victoria Hospital at Bahawalpur informed that most of the villagers had burns on at least 70-80 percent of their bodies. A senior rescue official Dr. Mohammad Baqar in that area notified that many of the dead were burned beyond recognition.

‘They will be identified through DNA,’ he said.

The fire which resulted in over 100 injured people and arouwas extinguished in two hours by the fire

extinguishers. The truck driver who had survived the explosion was later arrested by the police.

As a sign of solidarity, all Eid related celebrations were cancelled by the federal and all four provincial governments. The villagers spend the day of the festival either searching or burying their loved ones.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who had been in London to attend his grandson’s graduation rushed back for the villager’s aid and announced a compensation package of Pakistani Rs (PKR) 2,000,000 for the relatives of each killed and PKR 1,000,000 for every injured villager.

This wasn’t the first death toll experienced in the country around the time. 62 people were killed and 100 were injured just two days before this incident as a result of bomb and gun attacks in three major cities.

The Government of Pakistan issued a first ever passport which included a third gender category for transgender individuals following the footsteps of Germany, India, New Zealand and Nepal.

Being a conservative country which still considers homosexuality a crime, Pakistan recognised the existence of a third gender and that an individual can be beyond just a male or a female. This was done following a legal battle won by trans activists in 2012 asking for a third gender option on national identity cards.

Farzana Riaz, founder and

president of Trans Action Pakistan, an organisation promoting transgender rights, is the first transgender person whose passport specifies transgender identity with ‘X’ written under gender.

An image of the passport was posted on the organisation’s Facebook page thanking the Government of Pakistan for this action.

“Now it will be more convenient for me to travel abroad because earlier I faced problems at international airports because of a contradiction in my appearance and sex mention on my passport,” said Riaz.

22

LOCAL 2-17

July 2017

Feminist Drunk drivers are like suicide bombers: Indian Court photo project goes viral

By Spandan Manwatkar

News Correspondent

A photography project in India showing women wearing a cow mask, went viral for questioning the importance of women in the land of cow worship.

‘I am perturbed by the fact that in my country, cows are considered more important than a woman, that it takes much longer for a woman who is raped or assaulted to get justice than for a cow which many Hindus consider a sacred animal,’ the 23-year-old photographer Sujatro Ghosh told the BBC. His project shows women from different cities wearing a latex cow mask spreading a message that women should be considered as important as cows. He also sheds light on the debate of cow slaughtering and considers this as “his way of protesting” against people who act like vigilantes and punish people for eating beef.

Because cow slaughter has been banned in several states in India, in the past two years, nearly a dozen people have been killed for knowingly consuming or rumoured to have consumed cows. Muslims seen transporting cows even just for milk have also been attacked in the past.

‘We’re waiting for verdicts for five to seven years (in cases related to crimes against women),’ Ghosh told Quartz. ‘When it comes to cows, it’s coming up as violence and (people are) getting beaten up and lynched each and every day,’ he added.

One such incident occurred when 15-year-old Junaid Khan was stabbed to death by a group of men on his way back from New Delhi after shopping for Eid. They asked him and his brothers to give up their seats on the train.

When refused, the men taunted them for eating beef and then stabbed them.

Thousands of Indians then took to the streets to protest against such rising attacks under the slogan “Not In My Name” criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not taking enough steps to disapprove such attacks or punish the attackers.

Modi reacted to this issue saying that killing people in the name of cows was not acceptable. ‘No person in this nation has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country.

Violence never has and never will solve any problem,’ he added.

Drunken drivers are no less than “suicide bombers”, a sessions court has said while refusing to show leniency to such a person by upholding his five-day jail term.

“Drunken driving is not just a prescribed offence but even a severe social menace. A person driving vehicle after consumption of liquor puts not only his own life to risk but also plays with the life of others on the roads.

“Consequences of such accidents fall on innocent road users and their families and even the families of the driver who drives in drunken condition. Such drivers on roads are no less than the suicide bombers,” District and Sessions Judge Girish Kathpalia said.

The judge said that the court “cannot ignore the dangerous consequences of drunken driving”.

“A drunk driver can either kill someone else on road or get himself killed or injured. So many people get killed or are rendered paraplegic in roadside accidents caused by drunk

drivers,” the court said.

The observations were made while dismissing the appeal of Sachin Kumar, convicted of drunken driving under the Motor Vehicle Act, seeking that he be released on probation. He, however, did not challenge his conviction as he had confessed to consuming alcohol.

The alcohol content found in his

body was three times the permissible limit of 30 mg alcohol per 100 ml blood.

Kumar had sought leniency claiming he had “only a sip of beer” and was not told by his counsel about the consequences of pleading guilty. This claim was rejected by the court.

“I find unbelievable that by mere sip of beer, presence of alcohol in

body can be as high as 168.7 mg per 100 ml,” the judge said.

The court also rejected the contention of the convict that no reformation takes place in jail, saying “going by that argument, no convict would be imprisoned. As laid down by a catena of judicial pronouncements, punishment must be commensurate to the offence”.

It said that leniency in such like cases “by converting the sentence of imprisonment to fine would not only send wrong signals to the society but will also have negative impact on the mindset of the convict, conveying him that by spending money, he can get away with such offences.”

According to the prosecution, Kumar was caught driving on March 24 in a drunken state by the police in Southeast Delhi and booked for the offences under MV Act. A magisterial court had sent him to five-day jail term, suspended his licence for six months and fined him Rs 3,500.

Poverty propelling Pakistan’s illegal kidney tradet When Pakistani authorities burst into a makeshift hospital in Lahore this year, doctors were caught midway through two illegal kidney transplants, the local donors and Omani clients still unconscious on the tables.

The doctors were allowed to finish the operation then arrested, along with their assistants and the Omanis, in a raid Pakistani authorities say is a turning point in their battle against organ trafficking.

Pakistan has long been an international hub for the illegal kidney trade, but medical and local authorities complain they have been unable to act against the practice, frustrated by ineffective enforcement policies and what they perceive as a lack of political will to crack down.

Organ donation is legal so long as it is voluntary, given without duress or the exchange of money.

Pakistani clerics have ruled it Islamic, but a lack of awareness and the pervasive belief that it is taboo for Muslims mean there is a shortage of those willing to donate.

The limited supply, observers say, sees Pakistan’s wealthy routinely exploit its millions of poor with the help of an organ trade mafia.

Kidneys can be bought so cheaply that overseas buyers are also tapped in, largely from the Gulf, Africa and the United Kingdom.

In many countries such trafficking is confined to the shadows, in Pakistan -- it is brazen.

Within minutes of an AFP reporter entering the lobby of an upmarket general hospital in the capital Islamabad, staff had helped him find a so-called “agent” who offered to get a donor and facilitate government approval for a kidney transplant, all for a tidy $23,000.

The government’s Human Organs Transplant Authority (HOTA) says it is toothless. If a donor claims they give their consent, “there is nothing else we can do”, says Dr Suleman Ahmed, a HOTA monitoring officer.

But the April 30 raid in Lahore was the beginning of a new clampdown, suggests Jamil Ahmad Khan Mayo, a deputy director of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Enforcement of current laws was in the hands of provincial authorities -- and thus restricted by provincial boundaries -- until March of this year, when those limits were removed by the decision to assign the powerful FIA to such cases, he explains.

In the Lahore case, all 16 people arrested remain behind bars as the investigation continues. They face up to a decade in prison.

“By this raid we would like to send a strong message abroad that Pakistan is no longer a safe haven for (illegal) kidney transplantation,” Ahmad says.

- Market forces Experts suggest there is a need to tackle the root causes of the rampant underground industry.

“This illegal trade benefits the rich and elites of the country,” says Mumtaz Ahmed, head of nephrology at the government-run Benazir Bhutto hospital in Rawalpindi.

Ahmed, a member of a government investigation commission on the kidney trade, claims that is why lawmakers are unwilling to enforce penalties.

FIA officials have vowed they will be indiscriminate in their bid to end organ trafficking.

Some 25,000 people suffer kidney failure each year in Pakistan, but just 10 percent receive dialysis and a mere 2.3 percent are able to get a transplant, according to the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplant (SIUT), a regional leader in kidney transplants

headquartered in Karachi.

“Many people come to us in government hospitals and bring their family donors willing to donate kidneys,” says Ahmed.

“Then suddenly they shift to private hospitals when they learn that they can buy a kidney from there.”

The high demand creates a market that inhabitants of Pakistan’s vast rural areas see as an opportunity to drag themselves out of poverty.

Employed in factories, fields and brick kilns, they borrow money from employers for medical bills or to raise children, but are unable to repay their debt.

Instead they are forced to work it off in a never-ending cycle of bonded labour -- one they hope to break with the income from selling their organs.

- Deeper and deeper into debt Bushra Bibi, stiff with the pain she has suffered since selling her kidney years ago, is one of them.

Crying softly, Bibi recounts how her father needed the money for medical treatment and to pay off a loan -- so, 12 years ago, she sold her organ for 110,000 rupees ($1,000).

With her father-in-law in the same predicament, her husband followed suit. But their desperate move has left them in chronic pain, struggling to work and care for their five children, and as a result owing even more money than when they began.

“I can’t sweep, people talk about me when I can’t finish my work,” Bibi says, tears rolling down her cheeks.

The agony of giving birth after her kidney operation, she says, is “known to me only and my God”.

Bibi and her family live in the fertile Sargodha district of Punjab province, where Pakistan’s best oranges are produced.

It is also a region where so many families have been caught up in the kidney trade that resident Malik Zafar Iqbal says he has formed a union to fight for donors’ rights.

Showing AFP documents with hundreds of names listed, he says he has met with authorities, but not yet managed to achieve better conditions for members.

“I sold my kidney for 104,000 rupees. One hardly gets enough,” he says.

GLOBAL BUSINESS 18-23 24-28

GLAM 29-41

Lightning strikes kill 22 in Bangladesh

Lightning strikes have killed at least 22 people in Bangladesh in the last 48 hours, authorities said Tuesday, a week after monsoon rains triggered a series of deadly landslides in the country.

The deaths came as storms swept the country on Sunday and Monday, the head of the disaster management department Reaz Ahmed told AFP. Among the dead were a couple and their young daughter who were working on a peanut farm when they were struck by lightning.

Hundreds of people die every year from lightning strikes in Bangladesh and experts say climate change has exacerbated the problem.

They also blame deforestation and the loss of taller trees like palms that used to act as lightning conductors.

Last year authorities declared a natural disaster when the official toll topped 200 deaths, with 82 people dying on a single day in May. Experts say the true figure is likely much higher as many deaths go unreported. One independent monitor said 349 people were killed by lightning strikes in 2016.

Disaster officials spent several months last year looking at ways to reduce the toll and later came up with a programme to plant a million palm trees.

The meteorological department has also trained 20,000 school students on measures to avoid being struck by lightning.

Last week, more than 160 people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed in landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains in the country’s southeast.

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Clean cold offers India’s farmers sustainable economic growth ‘Clean Cold’ chains are essential to the progression of India’s farming industry, according to a new report.

Scientists from the University of Birmingham argue that the introduction of clean cold to India’s food supply chain will develop infrastructure that will not only allow farmers’ income to double, but do so sustainably.

Establishing an integrated and seamless network of refrigerated pack houses, distribution hubs and vehicles used to maintain the safety, quality and quantity of food, while moving it swiftly from farm gate to consumption centre, will see India’s farmers reap substantial benefits Prime Minister Modi set India the target of doubling farmers’ income by 2022. Currently, as much as 40% of some harvested crops have to be discarded before reaching any consumer because of no cold chain.

This represents not only a huge waste of food – with serious consequences for agricultural resources and carbon emissions – but also a major loss of revenue and opportunity for Indian farmers.

Similarly, with high levels of emissions already a problem in India, farmers must not default to the use of conventional, highly polluting cold chain technologies that dominate in developed economies. Instead, the report advises that the key to doubling farmers’ income is to identify clean cold chain technologies that are economic, efficient and sustainable, and to accelerate their deployment.

The report, entitled ‘India’s Third Agricultural Revolution – Doubling farmers’ incomes through clean cold chains’ was written as a result of a study tour and workshop led by the University of Birmingham’s Energy Institute, with help from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Trade, the state government of Haryana, and India’s National Centre for Coldchain Development. It addresses the next steps in the challenge of developing sustainable cold chains in India quickly and advises that there should be an introduction of: • India clean cold chain centres – a series of regional ‘living

labs’ called the India Clean Cold Chain Centres (14C) to solve all of the interlinked challenges of delivering clean cold chain development simultaneously and coherently.

• India-UK study tour and workshops – the UK delegation learned a lot from discussions with farmers, technologists and officials from their visit to India. An Indian delegation to Britain in which representatives of world-class supermarkets, logistics operators, manufacturers, clean cold technology companies, investors and academics, as well as farmers who have expanded into food processing and developed their own brands, are met, could prove equally valuable. In particular, both sides could learn about the challenge of commercialising clean cold in India.

• India LNG waste cold/cold chain study – A site-specific feasibility study should be carried out to investigate the economic, environmental and engineering aspects of integrating India’s LNG waste cold into its new cold chains. This would quantify the scale of cold chains that could be served economically, including the nature of the cold chain services, and their volume, location and distance from LNG terminal.

The project’s launch report acknowledges that there is currently a lack of a comprehensive clean cold chain demonstrator – one that demonstrates both technologies and business models, and which is fully engaged with the farming communities. It is this that is the biggest barrier.

The report, therefore, stresses the importance of international collaboration – global science with local solutions. With Britain and India working together, a series of clean cold chain centres will be established to hasten the development of this vital infrastructure. The centres will be technology neutral; regionally, socially and culturally inclusive; and test not only technologies, but also business models.

The centres must also be designed to expand into commercial deployment where successful, to accelerate market impact. The new clean cold chains catalysed by the centres

MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER ‘BLASPHEMOUS’ FACEBOOK POST

A 30-year-old Muslim man has been sentenced to death for posting “blasphemous” content on Facebook in Pakistan.

Taimoor Raza was arrested in 2016 for posting offensive content about Sunni leaders and the wives of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) on the popular

July 2017

social networking platform and was sentenced in the eastern Punjab province of Bahawalpur.

The accused was previously under police scrutiny after he was caught allegedly showing people offensive material on his phone at a public bus terminal.

Pakistan upholds strict anti-blasphemy laws that can see anyone accused of insulting God, Islam or a religious leader, sentenced to death.

Audrey Gaughran, the director of global issues and research at the charity, said: “Once a person is accused, they become ensnared in a system that offers them few protections, presumes

them guilty, and fails to safeguard them against people willing to use violence.”

Police in Pakistan are able to arrest the accused without running full checks to see if allegations are rational.

In 2014 distinguished human rights lawyer, Rashid Rehman, was shot dead in his office.

A flyer was distributed saying he was killed due to his efforts to “save a blasphemer.”

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has clamped down on Internet freedom of speech and ordered “blasphemous” content on social media to be removed or blocked.

He has issued warnings that posting such material will be “strictly punished”.

will conserve huge amounts of food that currently never make it to the consumer, leapfrog the old polluting technologies that dominate in the developed countries, and help achieve Prime Minister Modi’s target of doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022.

Professor Toby Peters, from the Birmingham Energy, Institute said: “Cold chain can raise farmers’ incomes many times over by increasing the proportion of food that gets to market, improving food quality and value to the customer and increasing the range of distribution to more valuable markets or export.

“The challenge is that this must not create an environmental catastrophe with increases in Co2 and emissions. India is about to see a massive increase in cold chain building and transport. It is essential we work together to leapfrog to new clean cooling solutions.”

Pawanexh Kohli, CEO of the National Centre for Cold Chain

Development, the Indian Government’s taskforce on cold chain, commented: “Cold chain mitigates food loss and expands market frontiers.

Clean cold-chain does this in sustainable manner. These are vital for economic security of farmers.”

The workshops and study tours were a key part of a major research project to investigate how ‘clean cold’ could help to achieve the United Nations’ (UN) global Sustainable Development Goals. These 17 ‘Global Goals’ commit the international community to put the world to rights by 2030 - abolishing poverty and hunger; providing good healthcare and education; raising people’s quality of life; and cleaning up the environment, whilst promoting economic growth.

Building on the India-UK Tech Summit in autumn 2015, the study tour and report seeks to develop the UKIndia relationships in industry, trade and government.

Sri Lankan Health Ministry starts a two-week cleaning program A two-week cleaning program has been launched by the Health Ministry in Sri Lanka following the rising number of people affected by the dengue epidemic.

By Spandan Manwatkar

News Correspondent

In the past six months, the rise in mosquito breeding places left 63,987 people infected and at least 210 dead with 25% below 19 years of age, reports Xinhua news agency.

Patients were rushing to the hospitals and health authorities advised them not to worsen their condition by taking Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin.

Dengue treatment units were also established at various private hospitals to provide help to as many patients as possible. Even the charges of many laboratory tests were reduced by the Private Hospital Regulatory Commission. 100 civil defence force members were also sent to different hospitals to provide their assistance.

However, these were still small

term solutions as the floods in May had left the water stagnant with fourteen divisional secretariats identified as dengue high risk zones in the Colombo district.

The collapse of garbage dump in April also added to the cause. As the municipal did not know of any other place to dispose the garbage, so they simply did not collect it.

The cleaning program has thus been aimed to lessen the spread of dengue by disposing of the lying garbage and getting rid of stagnant water.

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga has also notified that the tourists will not be affected as the situation is getting back to normal.

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BUSINESS

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COULD BARCLAYS DETERMINE SFO’S FUTURE?

AN AWARD-WINNING business crime solicitor believes the prosecution of Barclays could be the case that decides the fate of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

After a five-year investigation, the SFO announced that it has charged Barclays PLC and four former executives with conspiracy to commit fraud and the provision of unlawful financial assistance. The SFO charges relate to the bank’s fundraising at the height of 2008’s financial crisis; when it entered into funding arrangements with Qatar.

Former chief executive John Varley is one of the four ex-staff who will face Westminster magistrates on 3 July. Barclays says it is considering its position and awaiting further details.

Aziz Rahman, of Rahman Ravelli, believes the court proceedings could be a fascinating showdown between one of the UK’s biggest banks and the SFO; with neither side appearing to be prepared to compromise.

Prior to the general election, Prime Minister Theresa May outlined her intention to abolish the SFO; which may still be smarting from failing to convict two Barclays traders in April for Libor manipulation.

Mr Rahman said: “This case could turn out to be a defining one for the future of the SFO. “The events of 2008 that led to Barclays striking a deal with

Qatar were an extraordinary set of circumstances.

Now we have another extraordinary situation where an organisation whose future has been under threat is looking to take on one of the biggest banks.

“No one doubts that arrangements between Barclays and Qatar were made. But while the SFO believes the arrangements that Barclays entered into were illegal, it appears that Barclays completely denies this.

“This year has already seen RollsRoyce and Tesco admit wrongdoing and be granted a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA); which involves them meeting certain conditions in exchange for not being prosecuted.

“The fact that there is no hint of a DPA in this case – and that both the bank and individuals have been charged – indicates quite clearly that Barclays is in no mood to admit any wrongdoing.’’

Mr Rahman added that the SFO’s prosecution of both the bank and individuals that worked for it was surprising.

He said: “When it came to the cases of Tesco and Rolls-Royce, the SFO

accepted that those two companies had undergone such changes to their senior personnel that they were no longer the same companies.

“Barclays has undergone a similar change but this, so far at least, has not counted for anything with the SFO. “Both the bank and the four former employees who have been charged will now be working on the most robust defence cases possible. This may mean many arguments in court from all sides about whether the allegations surrounding Qatar were the responsibility of the bank as a corporate entity, the four men charged or, as the SFO believes, both Barclays and the individuals.

“The trial is certain to produce many arguments regarding the issue of an organisation’s corporate liability as opposed to the liability of individuals working for that organisation.’’

‘Baby-boomers vs. young generation’ not the problem with financial inequality

Fears of inter-generational tension between young and old are unfounded, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham say that social, economic and demographic factors are generally pushing UK families together, rather than driving them apart along generational lines.

Their key findings were: • Instead of falling victim to intergenerational tensions, families are determined to support their own members financially.

• Some families are much better placed than others to provide help – reinforcing the gap between rich and poor.

• Most families still think the state has a fundamental role to play in offering support.

• There is little appetite for plans to fund social care by targeting

pensioners.

• An alternative means of reducing financial inequality over the longer term could be to reform wealth taxation.

The study, led by the Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management at Birmingham, draws on the experience of 2,000 people and explores intergenerational relationships within families. It examines the giving and receiving of lifetime gifts – defined as gifts worth £500 or more.

The researchers found that 22% of British adults, that is, more than one in five, had received one or more such large gifts from family members.

Crucially, such gifts were far more common, and much larger, within middle-class families, whose members could usually find the necessary funds from their existing income or savings.

By contrast, older members of working-class families were more likely to support younger generations by selling possessions or taking out loans themselves.

Middle-class families were more likely to finance education and housing, while working-class

families were more likely to fund debt repayment and everyday expenses.

Professor Karen Rowlingson, who led the research said: ‘We hear a lot about baby-boomers being welloff while younger generations are struggling to get out of debt.

‘While there is certainly some justification for this view, it shouldn’t distract our attention from the staggering inequalities that exist within generations.

‘Our research shows families may be even more determined than previously to help their own members financially but that some are simply far better placed than others to do so.

‘This dichotomy, with some easily able to provide support and others not, is entrenching the gap between rich and poor and reducing equality of opportunity for all.’

The study’s authors argue that these and other disparities emphasise the need to view financial inequality in intra-generational rather than inter-generational terms.

The study suggests all social classes recognise that the provision of support is central to “what family is all about” – but all also believe the state has a major role to play.

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Public Law Director Toufique Hossain is shortlisted for Immigration and Asylum Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year

Ranked by the Chambers UK and Legal 500 independent legal directories for his specialism in judicial review claimant matters, in recent years, he has focused on group litigation challenges.

Notably, in the last 12 months, he has prevented the removal of several Afghan clients by charter flight at the last minute. He has had lead conduct in litigation which has led to generic orders preventing the unlawful removal of Afghan asylum-seekers. Since this case there have been no further charter flights to remove Afghan asylum seekers.

Toufique consistently challenges the arbitrary and unlawful detention of those held under immigration powers, having recently made a successful move to place robust limits on the detention of pregnant women, limiting the time they can be held in detention centres to 72 hours.

Toufique, in collaboration with other lawyers, is currently challenging

the Home Office policy relating to vulnerable people in detention, the final judgment in that matter is pending.

Toufique obtained an order from the High Court granting generic interim relief to all detainees subject to this narrowed definition of torture, forcing the Home Office to implement the wider definition. This action has led to the release of hundreds of vulnerable detainees.

Toufique’s work is not confined to UK borders. He recently led litigation pressuring the Home Office, under the ‘Dubs Amendment’, to relocate unaccompanied children who were in the Calais ‘Jungle’ to the UK. Toufique and his team spent several days in the camp taking instructions from minors.

Recognising his dedication, NGOs routinely approach him to lead on human rights litigation.

The Legal Aid Practitioners Group The Legal Aid Practitioners Group is a membership body who campaign to give a collective voice to the government on behalf of legal aid practitioners and the clients they represent across England and Wales. They do this on the basis that access to justice is a fundamental right and in order to achieve that we need a comprehensive, fair and accessible legal aid scheme. They have raised concerns with the government surrounding the current system, which regularly excludes vulnerable members of society.

In addition to this they offer training, provide resources and assist with operational issues within the system.

The LALY Awards represent an opportunity to honour and celebrate the work of those who have dedicated their careers to creating the opportunities to get access to justice to those who need it most. They will be taking place in London on Wednesday 5th July 2017.

Duncan Lewis is pleased to announce that Public Law Director Toufique Hossain has been shortlisted for Immigration and Asylum Lawyer of the Year at the forthcoming Legal Aid Practitioners Group Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year (LALY) Awards.

MABER WINS NATIONAL AWARD FOR SECOND YEAR RUNNING Maber architects, a top 100 UK practice with a office in Birmingham, has won the Building Information Modelling (BIM) Project of The Year Award for the second year running at the 2017 Graphisoft Awards.

The prize was awarded for maber’s work on the Isaac Newton Building at the University of Lincoln.

Simon Graham, BIM Manager at maber, comments: “We are delighted with this accolade, which we feel reflects our industry-leading BIM capabilities.”

Last year, maber architects became one of the first organisations in the country to be certified for BIM Level 2, a higher standard for digital design,

construction and management of buildings.

Designed by maber, the £28m Isaac Newton Building provides a new home for an expanded College of Science, shared University facilities, plus additional accommodation for industrial partner Siemens.

The project also includes new facilities for the University’s School of Engineering, an expanded School of Computer Sciences and the new School of Maths and Physics. This is in addition to extensive internal conversion works to the existing Engineering Hub building which has remained occupied during the project.

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5 Start-up Ideas for Your Home-Based Business So you’ve decided to start a home-based business? That’s great, but where do you start?

If you’re online quite a bit, then there’s no reason you can’t start a business right from your own home on the Web. There are so many resources available online today that you can benefit tremendously from the research of others while building your own business. And, there are many companies that will do lots of the work for you when you join with them.

Here are five easy start-up ideas for your home-based business to save you time and money.

1. Choose Your Hours Decide how much time you will be able to invest in your home-based business. To be honest, there are many new business owners who never make it because they’re not willing to invest their time. If you work a full-time job and plan to keep it while your home-based business builds, then you should determine how many free hours you can spend working.

Can you invest a few hours per day, or week perhaps?

Once you choose your hours, stick with them on a consistent basis. Treat the home business just as you would a store with operating hours.

If you open a store from 9 to 5, then someone must be there during those hours. So, if you plan to work on your new business from 8:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. five nights per week, then let this be your “operating hours!”

2. Choose a Business Even if you plan to start a business selling products of your own, you might find it useful to join with a company to sell their products to build extra income at first. You can even do both if you can invest enough time and effort into both businesses. Choose a product or service that you enjoy selling. No business is fun if you dislike it. The more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to be successful.

With the Internet, MLM businesses are building down lines like crazy. This is the perfect opportunity for you to earn some extra cash or even a substantial income. The reason MLM businesses are so profitable online is because it is so easy to contact people by email and through your own website. Some MLM companies even do most of the work and contacts for you to save you time and money.

Communication is very easy online even if you’re not really a “salesperson.”

If you plan to join an MLM group, be sure to choose a reputable company that has been in business for at least several years. Ask to speak with others who

have worked with the company a while. Check with the Better Business Bureau Online to be sure there have been no (or very few) complaints. There are many scams online today, so sign on with a well-established MLM company to be safe!

3. Prepare Your Home-Based Business Work Area Before you start a home-based business, be sure your home office is up to par. Upgrade your computer to a fast one with a super-fast Internet connection so your work will not be hindered by outside factors. Also, get a very comfortable desk chair with plenty of back and arm support. Choose a keyboard and mouse that you’re comfortable with, and organize your desk. Working in a well-organized environment clears your thinking so you can work and promote without distraction.

4. Investing Your Money Before you invest a dime, be certain it’s the right business for you. When selling products for others, you might be asked to invest money before getting started for inventory, membership, a website, and so forth. If so, study every aspect of the business before doing so. Any business start-up will require some monetary investment, but you need to think before you invest.

Once you’ve chosen a business to invest in, set up a budget solely for your business. Having a business account at your local bank will help.

Also, set up an account with an online payment processor if possible. PayPal and StormPay are two of the most popular ones online right now.

If signing on with an MLM company, find out how they issue their payments first.

5. Use Your Talents and Skills Whether you sign on with an MLM company or start a business selling your own products and services, remember to use all your talents and skills. Maybe you’re a great typist or a very savvy Internet user. Perhaps you know how to design websites, printed flyers, or promote online. Use your talents to maximize your home-based business profits.

Don’t just sit at home and dream of owning your own business. Use these five start-up tips to get your home-based business moving today!

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Franchising opportunities in India

Franchised operations in India are increasing by the day. Being geographically vast and culturally diverse, India offers the most favourable franchising environment. While companies benefit by having many profit making outlets in different parts of the country, franchisees in India benefit by being able to generate good returns with little investment and risk involved.

Entrepreneurs are making the most of India’s franchising market and growing economy by becoming successful franchisees. Indian franchisees can now choose from a plethora of international as well as domestic franchising companies. There are numerous attractive franchising options available in various sectors.

Ever since the franchising boom in the nineties, there have been many success stories. Franchisees in India helped many businesses grow and establish, while also gaining immensely from their business ventures. Examples of international franchises that have been successful in India include food and beverages giants such as Subway, Mc Donald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken among others.

Indian companies that have benefited from franchising include names such as Barista, MRF, NIIT and Apollo hospitals among others. It’s not just the bigger companies; smaller international and domestic companies also look for franchisees in India. The capital required for such ventures would be smaller when

compared to highly reputed companies.

The downside however, is that the risks are more, since you cannot ride on the popularity wave generated by the reputed companies.

Depending on your choice of business, you can either work from home or from an outside location.

The initial capital you may require to start a franchising venture will depend on the type of business and the franchisor’s requirements. Most home-based franchise options are suited for work-at-home women.

Cosmetics, healthcare products, services, home business household products and e-commerce ventures, make for convenient yet rewarding franchising options. Franchisors provide training and support and your business can gain from the image and professionalism of the franchising company.

Franchising allows entrepreneurs to have their own business, without many of the risks associated with a start-up business. Franchising also offers you great income and a flexible work style.

But, as a potential franchise purchaser, you need to carefully consider the finances and risks associated, prior to starting your business. Read Franchise Plus to learn about the benefits, profits and risks associated with franchising in India. We help you make an informed franchising decision for a successful franchising venture in India.

Birmingham City Council scoops awards for training and building

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Birmingham City Council also scooped Social Housing Provider of the Year for its ability to overcome major funding and planning restrictions to create a number of impressive and much-needed residential developments in the city.

Cllr Brett O’Reilly, cabinet member for jobs and skills, said: “I would like to congratulate the staff and scholars that have contributed to Birmingham City Council receiving these awards. Jobs, skills and housing are at the heart of this authority’s priorities, and achievements such as this provide a strong foundation

for us to continue to tackle the skills challenges and to build the decent, affordable homes that we need here in Birmingham.”

Cabinet member for housing and homes, Cllr Peter Griffiths added: “Our building wing – Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust – shows again and again that it leads the way in tackling the housing shortage by building quality social housing for our citizens and I extend my warmest congratulations to innovative team for this latest award.”

Basic Business Attributes, Do You Have Them?

How many times have we heard the saying “we learn from our mistakes”. The lessons we learn hardest we learn best! I have learned a lot from my mistakes; but today it is possible to read articles or join a forum and get great advice (and not so great advice) from forums.

While it is great to learn from our mistakes, it is better to learn from the mistakes of others, or by ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ as Newton said.

Business mistakes to learn from: 1) Keep your monthly fixed costs as low as possible, and make your number one priority to arrange an equal amount of regular income on a regular monthly basis to cover this amount.

If there was one piece of advice I would give it would be the above, as more businesses go bust due to poor cash flow than anything else!

2) Thoroughly research and work in your mind and bounced off other trusted people, your idea. Market test it as much as possible while keeping the idea as quiet as possible.

3) Get a business plan on paper (not the sort the bank or enterprise agencies use as they are by and large a load of rubbish (although you will need this for the bean counters). Go to (1) above,

and set in stone a solid plan for achieving this.

After you hit break even continue it on to the next target, and so on.

I just used the magic word there, ‘target’. you MUST be sales orientated in business as the owner, if you are not then you are failing in your main duty which is to ensure the continued existence of the business.

4) Do NOT care what others think about you, i.e. what car you drive etc. ALL of this will change if you stick to the plan and keep your focus on short term targets and longer term goals.

5) Keep your focus, decide what the targets are, work out how to get them, and focus on doing that. If you need £1000 a month to pay the bills, then this is what you MUST do. If you lose focus of your core objective, you are going to lose out big time, and end up failing.

It is true in business that you must focus on the core objective, until you have achieved all your goals, or at least you’re most important ones.

Of all the skills needed to succeed, I would say focus is up there with the top 3 along with enthusiasm and determination.

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July 2017

MBE shortlist for inspirational women’s champion, Vilas Dhanani, in 2017 Birthday Honours list The family of Stanmore resident Vilas Dhanani is delighted to announce that Vilas has been nominated as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Birthday 2017 Honours List for her incredible services to elderly immigrant women in the UK and women and children particularly in need in India.

Vilas, who is 80 years old, has provided 40 years of inspirational leadership to thousands of elderly immigrant women in Northwest London and in India.

When she emigrated to the UK from Kenya in 1972, Vilas became aware of the problems faced by elderly Asian women immigrants.

Many of these women did not speak English, were lonely and struggling to integrate.

She decided to help, and set up

Birmingham City Council has scooped two awards at this year’s Insider Midlands Residential Property Awards – one for its building scholarship programme and another for its social housing.

Building Birmingham Scholarship took Skills and Training Scheme of the Year in recognition of the range of people the scholarship is benefiting, from those achieving firstclass degrees to those gaining skills and experience in the workplace.

The scheme was praised for doing a first-rate job in providing the skilled workforce of the future.

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informal groups for these women, explaining the transport system and how local councils work, and encouraging them to learn English.

The group then formally became known as the Shravika Satsang Mandal organisation in 1974.

As the organisation grew to serve more than 100 women in the North London area, Vilas trained in yoga and reflexology so that she could do more to help women’s health.

Once qualified, she set up training sessions and eventually trained more than 500 women as therapists themselves.

Through all of her efforts, Vilas has raised a steady stream of £10,000-£15,000 each year for charities. In total, over the last 40 years, Vilas has raised more than £400,000 for charities including Jyoti Hospital, blind rehab centers, abandoned

women and the poorest children in Gujarat India, and the Sangat-Social support group in the UK. As well as routinely collecting clothes, shoes, household and educational materials for direct distribution to those in need in India, Kenya, Gambia, Vilas also arranged for a special cargo collection for the Philippines following the destructive typhoon.

Through her amazing work, she has positively impacted on the lives of tens of thousands of people, including several thousand women in the UK, supporting them through very difficult times in their lives.

Vilas said: “I am extremely honoured and excited to have been put forward as a MBE. I never imagined that the work I’ve done could come to this. I have always wanted to help women and children, particu-

larly those in the most in need and in helpless situations. Happiness comes from being able to do something worthwhile.”

The honours system recognises people who have made achievements in public life or committed themselves to serving and helping Britain. The Queen’s Birthday Honours are a way of acknowledging someone’s achievements and rewarding people who have made a real difference to society.

Email Punctuation Matters It’s important to convey a professional impression when you send email messages. This includes using proper punctuation. With email, there’s a temptation to just dash off a message without regard to any of the rules of proper language.

But, remember – you may have

never met the person you’re emailing. In that case, the recipient of your message is forming judgments about you based solely on your email.

You may still be thinking that punctuation doesn’t matter that much. How much difference can a few commas and periods make, anyway?

You’ve heard the following cliché before. “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” Think about how this applies to email. You want to make a good impression on your customers, colleagues, staff,

and boss. So, make sure your messages are punctuated properly!

Diversity Champion, Dr Kamel Hothi receives an OBE in this year’s Queens Birthday honours

Dr Kamel Hothi, Head of Responsible Business Special Projects, Lloyds Banking Group has been recognised by the Queen in this year’s Birthday Honours list with an OBE for her service to Diversity in Banking.

The honours system recognises people who have made achievements in public life or committed themselves to serving and helping Britain. They’ll usually have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do. The lists of who’s received honours are published at New Year and on the

Queen’s official birthday in June.

Kamel migrated to Slough at the age of 6 from India with her family. Upon leaving school she found a job as a cashier at TSB (prior to the merger with Lloyds Bank) in Slough High St. She progressed up the career ladder becoming an assistant manager at Maidenhead and then went on to be their first Asian Bank Manager at Walton on Thames.

After managing several other branches, she became the Area Manager for Thames Valley covering 160 branches until the merger of TSB and Lloyds Bank when she was asked to support the merger and transferred to their head office in London. It was following the lack of diversity she witnessed in the City that influenced Kamel to speak up and take action. She was soon challenging views resulting in being invited to chair several committees and mentor individuals.

Kamel continued to work hard and break glass ceilings and now with 38 years’ banking experience she is recognised for being the architect behind the Asian Strategy across Lloyds Banking Group. Her remits have included product development, cultural training, strategy and marketing, resulting in some very high profile sponsorships of over 30 national Asian events including sponsoring The Asian Jewel Awards & The Asian Women of Achievement

Awards for seven years. It is through the sponsorship of such events that Kamel helped improve access to finance for Ethnic communities and creating platforms to acknowledge their invaluable contribution to UK society and the economy.

On the social agenda, post the riots, Kamel helped set up the Business Connector Programme with HRH Prince Charles’s charity as well as the School for Social Entrepreneurs programme to name a few. More recently she was asked to lead some amazing projects including the Lloyds Bank’s 250th anniversary campaign, Heading the Banks charities; 2013-14 Alzheimer Society, 2015-2016 BBC Children in Need and this year she helped on board Mental Health UK. Alongside this she has developed the skills volunteering strategy for 80,000 colleagues which is attracting the attention of the other corporates and the Cabinet office on the impact this is having on social agenda.

Finally, Kamel’s other passions is developing a level playing field and is a regular key note speaker on the subject. She helped found the bank’s Ethnic Minority Network and the mentoring programme which has been going strong for several years to help the Group understand the benefits of diversity in the workplace and with its customers from the top of the organisa-

tion down to front-line colleagues.

Kamel designed and delivered her own cultural training courses to over 500 senior colleagues so to help them understand the Asian community and how they like doing business.

Her drive and enthusiasm to improve cultural understanding has resulted in Kamel supporting the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Report on Community Cohesion as well as chairing initiatives such as the Government’s Procurement Task Force, producing a report advising agencies on how they can use procurement to leverage race equality and help Small Minority Ethnic businesses grow.

Jasvir Singh OBE & Founder of City Sikh Network said ‘Kamel has been such an inspiration for the British Sikh community, and we at City Sikhs are extremely proud to have one of the leading members of our Advisory Board receiving this well-deserved honour.’

Her passion and commitment resulted in her receiving several awards from various sectors in recognition of her support for diversity and community cohesion across the years, including an Honorary Doctorate, Who’s Who Award, 2010 Gordon Brown Diversity Award, NRI Professional Award and Asian Achievers Woman of the Year Award and this year was included in the

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Mr Mango brings added spice to homeless project

Online supermarket Mr Mango is backing a Homeless Heroes project – which aims to provide food for 200 homeless people every night of the week.

The project will see homeless people receive food seven days a week during the month of Ramadan.

However, those running the project need more help in order to provide rice, halal meat, curry sauces, bread, naan, water, pop, crisps, biscuits and cakes for the homeless people in Birmingham.

Money can also be donated to the following account – Homeless Heroes, Barclays Bank, Account: 73871916, Sort Code: 20-08-98, Ref: 30 Days.

Volunteers are also welcome to lend a hand by dropping in to 10 New Bartholomew St, Birmingham B5 5QS. Meanwhile, Mr Mango has launched a new range of authentic tasting curry sauces.

In just 2 years, Mr Mango Delivery has transformed from a local halal meat delivery service, to a rapidly growing national organisation.

Brimming with authenticity and aroma, his latest range of curry sauces are now available online.

Three delicious flavours are available - Desi Style, Spicy Hyderabadi and Makhani.

FT top 100 BAME list to name a few.

All this Kamel balances whilst living in a traditional extended family with 3 generations under one roof; including her Mother in law, husband Sawaron an equally driven and successful Businessman. Their two sons Inderveer aged 30, Charanveer aged 26 who have taken over the baton from their father supported by two daughter in laws Priya an Assistant Head Teacher in Slough and Parmy a (EMEA) Marketing Procurement Specialist for Disney.

In speaking about the recognition, Kamel Hothi says, “I am truly humbled to be honoured in such a profound way but feel this recognition is for my parents who survived the partition of India and Pakistan – the biggest migration of refugees and brought us here to the UK to build a better life. My father was a civil engineer in India but unfortunately in the 60’s his skills were not acknowledged. He did struggle with this biasness and refused for me to go onto further education believing there was no point and arranged my marriage at 19. It was these experiences that have driven me to improve and create a level playing field for all concerned.

I just wished my parents were alive today to witness me receiving my OBE from the Queen so to prove that hard work is recognised regardless of your background.”

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Emirates to unveil new First Class cabin

Capital Business Hub launches it’s first Networking Event

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T: 0121 771 4545

N A I z A M GLA

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Emirates will showcase its new First Class cabin at the Dubai Air Show in November.

Making its debut onboard a Boeing 777300ER, Emirates’ new First Class cabin will feature six private suites laid out in a one-one-one layout, compared to the existing eight private suites in a one-two-one layout on its existing 777 fleet.

In addition to the entirely redesigned First Class product, Emirates’ new Boeing 777-300ER will also boast a range of other new features in the Business and Economy Class cabins.

Emirates will announce the destinations where the new Boeing 777-300ER is to be deployed in due course.

Sir Tim Clark, president Emirates Airline, said: “Our products and services across cabin classes are continually improved and enhanced.

“But what our customers will see on Emirates’ new 777s starting from November, will be a much bigger revamp that takes our on-board experience to the next level.

“All cabins will sport a totally fresh new look.

We are excited to showcase the results of years of planning and development invested into our new First Class offering, and our overall Emirates 777 experience. More details will follow, watch this space.”

Emirates is the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777, flying 162 of these modern, efficient wide-body aircraft to six continents from its hub in Dubai.

The airline pioneered the private suite concept on commercial flights in 2003, establishing a new standard for First Class travel.

Emirates’ track record of successful innovations that have raised the bar for the industry in terms of inflight customer experience include shower spas and the lounge on board its A380 aircraft, unparalleled entertainment on demand in all classes with its award-winning ice system and inflight connectivity through in-seat text, email and telephone services, as well as mobile and wi-fi services.

NEWCOMER NAVV INDER

Shukeel A Chohan National Director

Aftab Muhammed National Director We at Capital Business Hub are about to hold our much awaited launch evening on the 26h July at one of Birmingham’s newest and most exciting venues, Badshah Palace in Great Barr, Birmingham. We’re expecting around 100 business owners to attend including some of the most established and prominent names in the Birmingham business community as well as a whole host of new and small businesses owners.

We have experienced unprecedented growth and traction through social media marketing, which really shouldn’t be a surprise as we have our own in house media and digital marketing team who deals with developing a vast but organic social media following. As a result, in just four months we have 5,500 followers in our Facebook group and a staggering 12,000 business owners on our Facebook page.

These figures are made even more impressive as this following is quite literally global. Our strategic expansion plans will see us partner with key players in all major cities across the country as well as overseas.

The idea behind CBH was to create, not just a business networking platform, but also to provide a support community for businesses of all sizes in the SME sector. So with this philosophy in mind CBH was born.

The first component is the Networking events platform, a hub for businesses to meet and build valuable relationships, collaborate and engage at regular bi-monthly evening dinner events which include some of the best keynote speakers.

The second component is the members Advice Line service where we connect you to the best professionals in the areas of law, finance, marketing, sales, accountancy, tax planning, and business consultancy etc where you can get free initial guidance and if you then choose you can instruct those carefully selected partners to act on your behalf, The third component is the Business to Business membership discounts card scheme which enables members to offer preferential

rates for their goods and services to other members. The advantages to businesses become very apparent when you consider our vast reach across social media.

The final component is the Capital Business Hub member’s magazine, which is a high end business/lifestyle magazine which will feature articles on the members as well as high quality content from contributors and our team of commercial journalists.

Initially the magazine will be quarterly and as the Hub expands we’ll expect it to become a monthly publication. We’ll invite businesses to be featured and showcased both in print and online.

In addition to our keynote speaker we will also have short representations from our main sponsor Wildings Solicitors. Neelam Afzal is a senior Birmingham lawyer and head of their employment law division and will launch an exciting new HR support scheme called Retain & Assure which is a comprehensive and cost saving package for SME’s that caters for all your employment law and HR issues from litigation matters, disputes and redundancy planning. These are areas that all businesses need to make provision for at some stage.

I have always been an advocate when it comes to business networking because I truly believed in the power that comes from developing and establishing new contacts through face to face interaction. If you want to grow or promote your business and create new opportunities then get in touch with me or any member of my team and we’ll be delighted to connect and show you how you can take advantage of CBH. I look forward to seeing you at our inaugural event on the 26th July for some amazing networking, an inspirational keynote speech from Billal Jamil one of the finest business speakers in the country and of course a fantastic three course meal in the beautiful Art Deco surroundings of the landmark Clifton Building.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST GLAM GOSSIP BEAUTY BASICS GO CRAY FOR SHANNON K

STYLE BASICS NEETI MOHAN TALKS AR RAHMAN CONCERT

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Style Basics

BY Mariam Imran

Get the best highlighters for South Asian skin tones Have you ever had the agony of buying an expensive highlighter and still getting the wrong shade for your skin tone? Yes, we thought so. At Asian World News, we have chosen five highlighters that are perfect for South Asian skin tones.

NARS cosmetics have a handful of highlighters in their collection, but we found the best one to be Albatross. Albatross looks pearlescent in the packaging, but once dusted over your cheekbones, it leaves you with a beautiful yellowy, golden glow. This product hasn’t got any visible shimmer in it, but has light reflecting technology that leaves you with a healthy and radiant glow.

For South Asian skin tones, the best MAC highlighter is Global Glow.

This is a beautiful golden bronze colour. It’s great for adding a warm glow to the face during summer. It has a subtle shimmer, which will leave your skin looking flattering in the sunlight.

Another favourite from MAC is the Oh Darling highlighter that was previously limited edition, but has now made its permanent comeback. This

highlighter is golden, the formula melts onto the skin for a perfect natural glow.

It can be applied with a dry brush for a natural sheen, or applied with a damp brush for an intense highlight.

The Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks are a popular pick. They have released a range of different coloured highlighters that illuminate the skin. The highlighting powder in Bronze Glow is the perfect match for South Asian skin. This highlighter has a visible golden shimmer; it can be dusted onto the face and body.

Charlotte Tilbury is a brand that has swept make up gurus off their feet, and we can see why. Charlotte Tilbury’s Bar of Gold sold out in minutes when it was first released. This highlighter is sure to give you that beautiful sun-kissed glow and will compliment your bronzer perfectly. Although it comes in a compact, the powder is finely milled, which makes it easy to blend onto the skin without leaving harsh lines.

Any of these top five highlighters that be certain to accentuate your glow this Summer.

NARS Albatross £23

Bobbi Brown £35 shimmer bricks

Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold £32

MAC Global Glow £24

MAC Oh Darling £24 highlighter

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AWARD-WINNING ‘THE BLACK PRINCE’ Aditi Rao Hydari set RECIEVES OUTSTANDING RESPONSE to make singing debut THE HISTORICAL BIOPIC RECIEVES OUTSTANDING RESPONSE with AR Rahman AS IT OPENS EUROPE’S LARGEST INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL THE BAGRI FOUNDATION LONDON & BIRMINGHAM INDIAN FILM FESTIVALS - FOR UK PREMIERE

Director Ashutosh Gowariker, Indian Royalty Tikka Shatrujit Singh, Cricketer Harbhajan Singh amongst high profile guests to grace UK premiere Following the London premiere, award-winning singer, songwriter, poet, actor Satinder Sartaaj felicitated by the India Business Group at the Indian Awards and presented with a special memento in recognition of his work in promoting Indian cultural relations internationally

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resh from impressing audiences with the debut of its trailer at the Cannes Film Festival, the award-winning historical biopic of Maharajah Duleep Singh, THE BLACK PRINCE, received a hugely enthusiastic response as it opened the 8th edition of The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, at the BFI London Southbank on 22nd June 2017 and 3rd edition of The Bagri Foundation Birmingham Indian Film Festival at Cineworld Broad Street, Birmingham on 23rd June 2017.

Produced by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and written and directed by Los Angeles-based filmmaker Kavi Raz, THE BLACK PRINCE portrays the little known, yet powerful story of the Last King of Punjab, Maharajah Duleep Singh.

The cornerstone of the film is his relationship with Queen Victoria and the long and often difficult battle he faced to regain his identity, faith and the Kingdom taken from his grasp as a child. THE BLACK PRINCE stars award-winning singer, songwriter, poet Satinder Sartaaj who makes his acting debut in and as The Black Prince. He is joined by a revered cast of acting stalwarts including Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock and

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Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch) as Dr. Login, the foster parent of the Maharajah; English stage and screen actress Amanda Root (The Iron Lady), who boldly portrays the role of Queen Victoria; and veteran actress Shabana Azmi (The Reluctant Fundamentalist, City of Joy) as Rani Jindan, the exiled King’s mother. The film also features Keith Duffy, David Essex OBE, Ameet Chana (Bend it Like Beckham), Canadian actor Rup Magon (Breakaway), Sophie Stevens (E! The Royals), Ranjit Thakur, and Lyndon Ogbourne (Emmerdale) in supporting roles.

Sponsored by the Bagri Foundation with support from Grange Hotels, Sun Mark Ltd, and funded by the BFI’s National Lottery Film Festivals Fund, The Bagri Foundation London & Birmingham Indian Film Festivals, Europe’s largest Indian film festival, boast a ground breaking selection of exciting and innovative films across leading cinemas in London and Birmingham - including the BFI Southbank to Midlands Arts Centre.

Known as the ‘punk-rock of Indian cinema’, the festival showcases the best films at the cutting edge of the industry; the Birmingham programme takes place in partnership

Asa, Rup, Sophie, Satinder, Lyndon, Leann, Ranjit, Jasjeet Singh

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with the citywide USTAV Festival of South Asian culture.

THE BLACK PRINCE was at the heart of a line-up that celebrates the thriving relationship between UK-India Year of Culture, which incidentally celebrates its 70th year this term, and complements the BFI’s own India on Film programme.

As expected, the film received a thoroughly rapturous response from all in attendance, including Indian royalty, cricketers, British stars and an abundance of nationwide media eager to gain insight into the film.

In anticipation of its worldwide release, THE BLACK PRINCE has already won several awards including Best Drama Feature at the LA Film Awards, the Special Jury Remi Award at the 50th Annual WorldFest International Film Festival in Houston, and the Best Male Debut Award for lead actor Satinder Sartaaj at the London Independent Film Festival.

The film’s European premiere at The Bagri Foundation London and Birmingham Indian Film Festivals will only further add to the excitement surrounding the official release of the film in July.

The Black Prince releases internationally in cinemas on 21st July 2017.

Actress Aditi Rao Hydari, whose Tamil debut recently garnered critical acclaim, is all set for her singing debut, not as a playback singer but onstage with none other than music maestro, AR Rahman.

Reportedly, the actress is planning a performance at IIFA’s in New York.

Inspired to sing by AR Rahman himself, she is set to share the stage with him at the forthcoming award ceremony.

Academy (Oscar), Grammy, BAFTA and Golden Globe Awardwinning composer, AR Rahman, will himself be performing onstage in the UK at SSE Arena Wembley on Saturday 8th July 2017 with the “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” concert. Celebrating 25 years since his acclaimed, music debut Roja, the visionary composer will be joined onstage by very special guests including Benny Dayal, Javed Ali, Neeti Mohan, Haricharan, Jonita

Gandhi, Ranjit Barot and many more.

“Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” marks the first in a global series, celebrating 25 years of the timeless music of AR Rahman and his team, who have crafted and perfected performances that are enriched with high-scale technology and production. Leading engineers from around the world have been brought on board to present spectacular lighting and visuals as a backdrop to the live sounds of the musical genius, creating a multi-media extravaganza that will provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans and audiences.

“Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” is presented by Hamsini Entertainment, UK and HueBox Entertainment, India.

“Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” Saturday 8th July, SSE Arena, Wembley

Stars show off their Bhangra in Mubarakan Title Track

Gurinder Chadha, Satinder, Harbhajan, Ashutosh

Mubarakan dazzle in the title track with music by Rishi Rich

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The Black Prince Q&A

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London Premiere

Monday 26th June 2017 – The eagerly anticipated title song Mubarakan has been released. Starring Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Athiya Shetty and Ileana D’Cruz, the title track has been composed by British Asian producer Rishi Rich with lyrics penned by Kumaar.

Sung by British-Punjabi Juggy D and Yash Narvekar, Sukriti Kakar and Badshah, the song is a party track that sees the Singhs unfold the madness on the dance floor.

With Arjun essaying the role of

Karan and Charan and Anil Kapoor not looking a day over thirty as Kartar, this song makes for a perfect Kapoor reunion on the silver screen.

Illeana D’Cruz and Athiya Shetty steal the show with their impressive moves.

The film is a rollercoaster ride into the world of a Punjabi family desperately wanting to get their twins married unknown to the fact that they already have girlfriends.

Mubarakan releases in cinemas on 28th July 2017.

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YYZ PROJECT FEATURING ROACH KILLA and BLITZKRIEG Keith Richards has said music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words. It speaks in emotion, and if it’s in the bones, it’s in the bones.

In light of the current music scene where music is created for commercial purposes chasing social media validation, Roach Killa and Blitz, two amazing artists with hit tracks on world charts, have come together to create music with a purpose - the YYZ Project. They are all set to launch a monologue and three music videos through Canada’s premier South Asian Urban music platformdesiFEST. This a FREE DOWNLOAD for fans and will be available via www.desiFEST.ca/roach-blitz YYZ is the airport code for Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The name pays homage to not only their Toronto roots but also symbolizes the fact they needed to travel internationally in order to build their careers.

There is no big features, no industry politics, and no fake social media hype. It’s simply the duo doing what they do best...having fun and deliver-

ing rap lyrics.

“Over the last few years, desiFEST has worked relentlessly to provide a unique platform for South Asian music aficionados in all major cities of Canada to showcase their talent. We are continuing this mandate by collaborating with artists on their projects and helping to bring new music to North America and the world” says Sathish Bala, CEO desiFEST MUSIC. When Roach Killa released his debut album “The Revolution”, it peaked at No.6 on the iTunes World Charts. His first single Yaara Dildara reached No1 on the BBC Asian Network charts. Possessing immense versatility, Roach sings Hip Hop, Reggae, RNB and Punjabi Music. He firmly believes in the element of originality.

When it comes to Indian MC’s, one name that always stood above the rest is Blitzkrieg aka Blitz. With an

appeal that is global, his lyrics lean more on the emotional side and completely draw people in. His tracks are inspired by people or events in his life that reflect reality and meaning of life.

Together,

Roach Killa and Blitz are back again to give fans the YYZ Project with a monologue and three music videos that evoke, inspire and entertain. Fans will recognize their signature sound and style on what aims to become the summer anthems.

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AKSHAY KUMAR BREAKS THE INTERNET!

Director Imtiaz Ali’s highly anticipated film, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma, finally has a title, Jab Harry Met

A Reliance Entertainment and KriArj Entertainment overseas release on 11th August 2017

International megastar Akshay Kumar took another step towards his goal of monumental social change in India, as he released the much-anticipated trailer for his upcoming film ‘TOILET: EK PREM KATHA’ - and it’s an instant hit!

The trailer has appeared to have set a new benchmark in Bollywood, riding on a moral and social higher ground on a fabric beyond the usual drama and dance – a film which portrays a man’s struggle to bring about a revolution for his love.

A love story with a satiri-

cal message that is set against the backdrop of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to improve sanitation across India, ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ (‘Clean India Movement’), TOILET: EK PREM KATHA is the latest statement of intent from Akshay Kumar

The makers of Tubelight released a powerful track Main Agar sung by the rockstar Atif Aslam. Composed

by Pritam, this song sure leaves you reeling with strong heart-felt emotions of friendship.

Atif Aslam’s deep voice coupled with Pritam’s melodious composition spell magic onscreen

leaving you extremely emotional.

The song video finally introduces the audience to Chinese actress Zhu Zhu and Matin Rey Tangu who are making their Bollywood debut with this film.

Amitabh Bhattacharya’s beautiful words bring forth with the two.

Yalghaar song by Shafqat Amanat Ali song for Yalghaar The makers of Yalghaar, one of the biggest Pakistani productions to date, released a new song, titled Yaad Na Aawein.

The song features the industry’s stalwart Shaan Shahid and

Sejal. The film is the first collaboration between Shah Rukh and Imtiaz, and the third film for Anushka with Shah Rukh.

Both the main leads took to Twitter to unveil the name and posters of the film.

The film looks every bit like Imtiaz’s repertoire, which is often about love, romance and journey.

Yash Raj Films hosts Tubelight Party in London

journalist turned actress Sana Bucha.

Composed by Syed Ali Hafeez, the song is beautifully sung by renowned Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali.

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The young stars of Bollywood, Shiv Darshan and debutante actress Natasha Fernandez feature on the latest cover of the popular Bollywood magazine, Filmfare.

The duo share sizzling chemistry in their upcoming film, Ek Haseena Thi Ek Deewana Tha as plain to see in the song

Kajol clarifies meaty mishap

To celebrate the forthcoming Salman Khan blockbuster release, Tubelight, Yash Raj Films hosted a special Tubelight Party at Chai Thali in North London’s party scene hotspot, Camden Town. Guests included models Elena Fernandez and Rahi Chadda and fashion influencer, Prince Cassius among others.

The hip, Indian street food-themed restaurant and bar presented a special Tubelight A La Carte menu on the night, set against a themed backdrop of

lighting installations, Bollywood photo booths and special Tubelight glowsticks.

The inimitable sounds of DJ Vish, Team B on the decks kept the dancefloor packed all night, keeping the diehard Salman Khan fans and partygoers captured by his cool remixes of the film’s soundtrack among a set of Salman Khan classics. Guests were also wowed by a live performance by Indian Idol finalist, Harshi Mad, who’s live set got everyone on their feet on the dancefloor.

Rangreza Teaser Launched!

Kajol was top of the internet trolls hit list earlier when a video spread of her heating a ‘beef’ dish prepared by a friend.

The classic Bollywood star was forced to take to twitter to clarify that

it was in actual fact buffalo meat and not beef after all.

She tweeted: “A video of me at a friend’s lunch said that there was a beef dish at the table. That’s a miscommunication. What was shown was buffalo meat, that is legally available meat.”

“I’m issuing this clarification because this is a sensitive matter that may hurt religious sentiments, which is not my intention,” Kajol wrote.

The actress deleted the clip from her Instagram and Facebook accounts after it attracted negative comments.

As part of an innovative marketing strategy, the teaser for the much-hyped Pakistani love story, Rangreza, was launched on Sky Sports during the ICC Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan.

Overnight, the teaser has gained a phenomenal response from audiences, as the buzz has been initiated around one of 2017’s most anticipated Pakistani film

releases, presented by Munir Hussain Films, the makers of the 2016 blockbuster hit, Janaan, which garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success globally.

Rangreza is now set to break a new record number of countries as part of its worldwide distribution strategy, establishing a whole new benchmark for Pakistani cinema on a global platform.

live electronica and digital technologies combine with the traditional sounds of the Punjab.

Tour dates:

13 July 2017 London, Horniman Museum (part of their Indian Summer Late series, not full show) 16 July 2017 Bristol, Arnolfini 18 July 2017 Norwich Arts Centre 19 July 2017 Cambridge Junction 20 July 2017 London, Rich Mix (full London show) 21 July 2017 Birmingham, Mac 22 July 2017 Nottingham, New Art Exchange

Shah Rukh Khan clocks 25 years in Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has thanked all his fans and well-wishers for supporting him in his “glorious journey” of over two decades in the Hindi filmdom. Shah Rukh on Monday night shared a 37-second clip on his Twitter handle, where he and his youngest son AbRam were seen addressing a crowd standing in front of his house -- Mannat in Bandra.

The father-son duo was seen twinning in all-white kurta pyjamas, while they greeted fans from the terrace of his home in the video. “Eid Mubarak! Thank you for making my day special. And thank you for joining me on this glorious journey of 25 years. Love you all,”

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now has a Sonic Boom courtesy International DJ Lady Bee

videos and posters of the film.

Ek Haseena Thi Ek Deewana Tha trailer presents an exhilarating journey of romance, passion, intrigue and thrill told in the classic world, where the chain of consequences are brought about by the dilemma of the young and naive Natasha.

An exciting new international collaboration between British-Indian music producer DJ Swami and musicians from Punjab, India, to tour the UK This is a new project, produced and commissioned by Asian Arts Agency as part of Reimagine India 2017, a cultural exchange programme celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Independence of India in 2017.

PunjabTronix features an exciting new creative collaboration between technology and tradition, as cutting edge

July 2017

Badshah’s MERCY

Shiv Darshan & Natasha Fernandez sizzle on the latest Filmfare Cover

Check out the PUNJABTRONIX

in his bid to galvanise modernisation and equality in his home country. The film tackles the fundamental need to provide households across the nation with a functioning toilet to reduce open defecation in public, which is intricately linked to issues of women safety.

The Rockstar Atif Aslam sings Main Agar for Tubelight

Renowned Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali croons a

Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma-starrer Jab Harry Met Sejal first posters look

Jab Harry Met Sejal

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Shah Rukh captioned the image.

The 51-year-old superstar completed the 25-year milestone on June 25, a date which saw the release of his debut film Deewana back in 1992.

After making the world groove to the beats of Mercy, Sony Music now presents a remix version created by leading European DJ and Producer Lady Bee. Badshah, who is known to create chartbusters, still has the original song topping the charts. The remix version will surely be the next dance favorite on loop at clubs.

International DJ Lady Bee said, “When I first heard Mercy, I couldn’t wait to start with the remix. The original is great as it is so minimal that it left a lot of room for me to work in this remix.”

The Mercy Lady Bee Remix releases worldwide today and is available on Spotify, Apple Music and iTunes.

Adnan Sami to make Bollywood acting debut

Singer Adnan Sami is set to make his acting debut in Bollywood with AfghanIn Search Of A Home, directed by Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru. Adnan, 43, will be seen playing a musician in the movie.

The singer and the directors last worked together in Salman

Khan-starrer Lucky...No Time for Love. Adnan composed the music for the 2005 film.

Afghan- In Search Of A Home is the story of a musician refugee from Afghanistan who flees his country of birth under difficult circumstances, in search of identity and a home.

t e u d a k n a y i Pr ?

B n e e u Q h wit

Priyanka Chopra has always had a successful career in Bollywood and when it comes to Hollywood, she is no stranger.

From Quantico to Baywatch, she has already become an international success. However, she does not forget that it was her musical career that had helped her gain international fame through her single ‘In My City’ feat will.i.am and ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me.’

When asked by a leading daily, she revealed that she would love to collaborate for a song with Beyonce and said, ‘In America, Beyonce.

I think she is amazing and a suave performer. I admire her.’

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“There is no genre I cannot do!” - Navv Inder Navv Inder is the voice behind 2015’s global smash hit, ‘Wakhra Swag’ (that has garnered 65 million plus views on Youtube). The R&B singer launched his newest single, ‘Tu Meri Ki Lagdi’, in association with Times Music, in April 2017.

An MBA in Finance, Navv chose to follow his inherent passion and favoured music over number crunching. Close on the heels of Wakhra Swag, Navv released another chartbuster, ‘Att Tera Yaar’, that has crossed 15 million hits on Youtube (and still counting).

His voice is the perfect blend of the urban and

rustic folk. Touted as the bridge between modern sounds and folk notes, Navv Inder insists on being true to his own self when it comes to his songs.

“My songs are my way of introducing who I am.

The lyrics have to make sense to me before I can expect others to make sense of them. I will never cut off the umbilical cord of my roots that has nourished me with music, culture and the ethos of where I come from,” says Navv.

I hope to be able to release a song in every musical genre conceivable - but sung in Punjabi or Hindi.

Who inspired you?

Navv Inder: My tabla teacher in 8th grade, Jagan Sir, was the first one to tell me that my voice had a distinctive tonal quality. He encouraged me to pursue singing as a career, saying I could go a long way. I think my impressionistic mind took the remark seriously and I can never repay what I owe him.

Anything worth achieving has its own share of struggles. I have had my share too. I have learnt from my mistakes and also learnt to be a bit more worldly wise. I was too naïve when I started out and released my first song, Wakhra Swag. My philosophy has always been to do what is ‘right’ rather than what will ‘sell’ or is popular. My way to live has been constantly to be in ‘chardi kalaan’ - moving forward, forever buoyant. I only started singing 3-4 years ago, but the kind of love I have got from my fans, not just in India, but across the world is something that people can only dream of. It has been a very fruitful journey that has only left me richer in experiences, friends, learning and of course gratitude.

I am more aware now of how people can be and therefore want to focus only on my particular brand of music. That is the one thing I am confident about because it is nothing like what is being churned out on a daily basis my performers, musicians and rappers.

Coming to your latest project, Yaar Bolda is such an iconic song. How are you revisiting it?

Navv Inder: For me, Surjit Bindrakhiya ji is a legend - and I am sure there are many others who feel the same way. His voice texture, proper pronunciation of even theth Punjabi words, his attitude and the way he conducted himself - wow, I could just go on and on! Right from Gabru Gulab Varga to Dupatta tera satt rang da and Jatt Di Pasand - I cannot think of any song of his that I have not literally grown up with. So my version of Yaar Bolda is a distillate of how this legend has inspired me. The only similarity is perhaps the hook phrase or word Yaar Bolda. We have changed it completely - even in terms of the lyrics which have been written by Navi Kamboz.

Even the music, done by Mr Nakulogic, is a contemporary hip-hop beat that is a combination of low notes and high notes.

I really have worked very hard on this song and I sincerely hope people will like it and Bindrakhiya saab will bless me from wherever he is.

And I would like to let you in on the real inspiration behind me wanting to do Yaar Bolda again. I was once humming Surjit Bindrakhia’s Yaar Bolda walking with my brother, and these youngsters came up to me and asked me to sing the song for them and translate it. It was a very happy experience for me. It was then that the idea of doing a

contemporary Yaar Bolda occurred to me.

How accepting do you think the audience will be to this kind of music ?

Navv Inder: The audience today is definitely receptive. The tech revolution has definitely had a huge role to play in exposing people to different kinds of music from all over the world. They may take a bit of time to appreciate different sounds and music. I grew up listening to the legends of Punjabi music - Gurdas Maan Saab, Babbu Maan and others in the midst of folk music and songs. I love the sounds of traditional instruments - like tumbi or sarangi or algozey - and have always made sure that my songs incorporate them. Having said that, I love listening to Chris Brown and Drake as well.

Perhaps this is the confluence I am aiming at, with my music. My music is something that is rooted in tradition and yet contemporary. So I think it does appeal to a large spectrum of listeners.

What are your future plans? Is an album on the cards?

Navv Inder: This has been a very busy year for me and I hope to keep it that way. I am hoping there will be a song almost every month from me. Besides Tu Meri Ki Lagdi, there’s lots of very different work coming out. I want to do all that is possible for a singer to do!

I have only just started, to be honest. But I am happy I am already creating new things that are good enough to inspire people to ape my work. The idea is to keep experimenting and not get confined to a single stereotyped slot just because it is commercially viable. I want to better myself with each song that I do. This has been a very busy year for me and I hope to keep it that way. I am hoping there will be a song almost every month from me. If I do an album, it will be a mix of all that I can do and more. So don’t expect just a club song, or a folk ditty or just EDM. I would present my album as all of me!

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Navv Inder: May be holidaying on my yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean (laughs)! But on a serious note, wherever I am or whatever I will be doing, it would be nothing short of the best. Second is not an option for me!

When do you plan to come to UK and perform?

Navv Inder: Whenever you invite me! I love England. I have home here. London has always outdone itself in terms of its all-embracing nature. It is very international. I have come across and met people from all over the world there. And they are always so happy and open to new cultures. And since Yaar Bolda occurred to me in UK, I would love to bring it to the people here.

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July 2017

Go Cray for

Shannon K Born in India to the legendary Bollywood singer, Kumar Sanu, child prodigy Shannon K is bringing her brand of pop music to the world with her new emotion fuelled record, Perpetual.

Being the daughter of such a famed Bollywood icon may have its good points, but it hasn’t always been easy for Shannon. Due to her Father touring a lot and being away from home for concerts, Shannon found that she missed him dearly and this was difficult to deal with.

Fortunately, her inherent talent as a singer and songwriter meant she could channel her feelings into music and this became the perfect outlet for Shannon.

The young sensation first appeared on stage at the age of four, performing a classical Indian dance at one of her Father’s concerts and her studies of the ‘Kathak’ dance form led to her featuring at the 2007 Bollywood Awards Night in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Now, Shannon K is releasing her new album entitled Perpetual, which comes off the back of a number of successful previous releases including, ‘Roll Back The Years’, ‘Sapphire’ and ‘Just Another Boy’. Shannon labels the album as her most emotional yet, addressing the way in which feelings can last a lifetime, as the title of the album suggests. Perpetual

encapsulates a wide range of deep emotions and accesses them more fluidly through the medium of song. With a balanced combination of both party songs and sentiment filled love songs, it seems Shannon K has once again found a winning recipe with her music.

At the age of 6, Shannon relocated to London, before moving to the United States in order to showcase her music and singing talents to a wider American audience. Influenced by a number of notable artists such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Adele, Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber, Shannon has even used the Canadian pop superstar as inspiration for her song ‘Pretty Eyes’, which is taken from the upcoming album.

In the creation of Perpetual, even Shannon’s younger sister, Annabel, has played a part, co-writing many of the songs with her sibling. However, in the past, Shannon has also worked alongside talented producers such as Andy Whitmore, Steven A. Williams Rishirich, David Tyrell, Tylor Lyons, Daniel George, Robert Farren, Bora Karaca, Buzzy and C.J Vanston, who have all helped her form her own unique musical style that encompasses both UK and US pop, blues, soul and ballads, all with a dash of Shannon’s Bollywood allure.

Asian World speaks to the teen sensation about her journey so far.

Teen sensation Shannon K returns with new emotion inspired album Perpetual

When did you know that you wanted to be a singer?

Well, my father is a Bollywood singer, so it was obviously going to be in my genes. I guess music was just inside of me from the beginning. I took part in a music competition in school and I won first prize, that’s when I realised that this is what I actually want to do.

What was it like growing up with a famous dad?

It’s really cool, but there pros and cons to it. The pros are that everybody loves you and they’re all very respectful. It’s great to see how many people love dad and his fans are so supportive, it’s really cool and over whelming. There are also cons, everyone always compares me to him, even though they shouldn’t because I’m nowhere near my dad’s talent, his career is even older than I am.

Was it your dad that inspired you to go into music?

It was my dad that inspired me to go on and try music. I used to hear his songs and the way he sang. The emotion he had was very interesting to me. He was a very big inspiration for almost all my life and he’s still a huge inspiration to me because there’s so much to learn from him. Apart from him, my inspirations are Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Bruno Mars and Arian Grande.

Who would be your dream collaboration?

It would have to be Bruno Mars because he’s just the best. I love his songs, from the melody to the lyrics. He’s got so much style in him which is so good to see.

He puts a lot of time and effort into every song that he has produced. That would be my dream to work with him.

What was the inspiration behind your album ‘Perpetual’?

I was inspired by a lot of different things for my album; I get inspiration

from my surroundings when I write my songs and sometime I write things about my own personal life experiences.

‘Perpetual’ is all about mixed emotions, when I wrote ‘I believe’ and ‘Running’ it was mostly about my grandparent, who I lost at the age of 5, so I missed most of the affection that I craved so badly, I guess that emotion is reflected in those two songs.

I was inspired by my dad to write, he’s not always with me because he’s travelling around doing concerts, and I miss him as well. My other songs ‘Lately’ is for the girls who have had their hearts broken but know who they are, and it’s about being independent, strong and beautiful all without a man.

There are all different kind of emotions and vibes in each song that is totally different from the previous one.

Was there a romance that inspired your songs?

Yes there was! There is one song called ‘Pretty Eyes’ and it was based on Justin Bieber’s eyes. I was randomly watching his video and I got caught in his eyes, and got my notepad and started jotting down some lyrics.

So were your family supportive of your choice to pursue music?

Yes my family is always very supportive of everything that I do, they’re kind of like my backbone. They’re always there for me, whether it’s my mom, dad or sister, these people are my pillars.

My dad will always give me advice, even though he’s not there with me personally; he’s always there when I call. Of course my mom is with me 24/7 so she’s always looking after me. My sister has helped me to write most of my lyrics, with her we’re kind of like team mates, I’ll always support her and she’ll always support me. I’m very blessed and lucky to have a family like that who are so supportive.

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Siddhendra Kuchipudi Art Academy at Bradford and Birmingham

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Jayne Anita Smith creates a Fools Paradise

A series of multidisciplinary works

Rhythmic tunes, synchronized steps, and elucid expressions. When put together, they interconnect to form the ancient art of Kuchipudi.

Swathi Atluri and her students from Siddhendra Kuchipudi Art Academy, New Jersey (USA) performed intricate masterpieces, as they left audiences spellbound and amazed through their enchanting dance movements. Audience were simply mesmerized by the vigor and passion of the performance.

As vigorous as they were graceful, the songs were portrayed through a balanced medium of precision and emotion. The songs performed varied in intensity, rhythm, and meaning,

in which they explored paradigms of ancient and contemporary mythology. From the spontaneous music to the sophisticated choreography, the dynamics and narrative of Kuchipudi were on full display for all to gaze upon.

Each artist brought with them their own sense of grace and demeanour as they danced, giving a uniqueness to their performance.

The members of the audience were in a trance, as their eyes followed the flow and synchronization of the dance. Musical tenets of Kuchipudi such as symmetry and harmony were evident in the composition, thereby inspiring beauty and culture.

Jai Matt & Pranna kick off summer

Jayne Anita Smith unveils her latest works in her first solo show of 2017 Fools Paradise curated

by Coates & Scarry in London’s Gallery 8.

Known previously for her monochromatic works, across different mediums, Smith has recently begun experimenting with colour, incorporating graphite, oils, gesso and acrylic into her complex and immersive pieces.

With a passion for delving into the complexity of our existence, Smith explores what it means to be human in a chaotic post-modern world, in which the pursuit of the sublime and ethereal have long since been forgotten.

Smith’s compositions express heartbreaking sadness, desire, and

Jai Matt & Pranna kick off the summer with their second anticipated single, “Silver Plate”.

This seductive temptress was created through the inspiration to express the more mainstream subjects within the South Asian soundscape.

“I think the next generation South Asians are looking to become more prominent in the mainstream and this is another step forward that showcases our versatility towards that.”, says Pranna. The beat was initially made by Pranna to show Instagram and Snapchat

passionate longing. Her process begins with a series of intricate drawings, often depicting figures, both human and spirit like. Smith builds on these haunting drawings with oils and acrylics, producing distorted landscapes with bold contrasting colours. The title work, Fools Paradise is a floating dreamscape of colour, reminiscent of a Babylonian landscape.

In Smith’s smaller works isolated figures with medieval saintlike statures stand alone amongst fragments of their flawed and wounded selves. Brush strokes are used to create isolated fragments, drifting in the wind and settling around these broken figures.

In other works, chandelierlike clouds and other ethereal

compositions are drawn and painted with gesso and graphite, providing the illusion of figures that seem to float. These illusions draw the eye to focal points that form the central narrative to these scenes. Smith creates Dantean worlds of dark wonder and visceral colour, drawing the viewer into a vertiginous space.

This is Coates & Scarry’s first solo show with Jayne Anita Smith.

The artist has previously been exhibited by Coates & Scarry in group shows in 2015 and 2016 and internationally at fairs Art Central Hong Kong and Art Context Miami.

Jayne Anita Smith, Fool’s Paradise at Gallery 8, 11th – 29th July 2017

how an entire production comes together. Jai Matt eventually got together with Pranna in the studio for the vocals and the song was set!

“We also wanted to start writing about certain topics that South Asians are typically not so candid about. I think by restricting your lyrics, you also restrict a huge pop demographic that could potentially vibe with your music,” says Jai Matt. With a plethora of releases to come, Jai Matt & Pranna promise to deliver a whole range of sounds within this summer. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks!

Stars Dazzle at Red Carpet Trailer Launch for Mubarakan

Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz, and Athiya Shetty had some fun on the red carpet at the trailer release event for Anees Bazmee’s Mubarakan

The trailer for the long-awaited Mubarakan from director Anees Bazmee has been released, and the stars took to the red carpet to introduce it.

Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Athiya Shetty and Ileana D’Cruz got into character by showing off their bhangra skills alongside colourful dhol players, and the cast sat down to reveal a little more about what the audience has in store.

On the twin roles he plays in the film, Arjun Kapoor says: “The dynamic

creates comedy and the ways to entertain increase. Also films, which have featured actors in a double role, have always connected with the masses.

In the film, laughter is not evoked because of mistaken identity.”

When asked about his favourite film involving an actor playing a double role, Kapoor says, “Its ‘Kishen Kanhaiya’, an underrated film based on double roles.”

Mubarakan releases in cinemas on 28th July 2017.

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July 2017

AKSHAY KUMAR’S TOILET:

EK PREM KATHA - A LOVE STORY WITH A REVOLUTIONARY TWIST International megastar Akshay Kumar took another step towards his goal of monumental social change in India, as he released the much-anticipated trailer for his upcoming film ‘TOILET: EK PREM KATHA’ - and it’s an instant hit!

The trailer has appeared to have set a new benchmark in Bollywood, riding on a moral and social higher ground on a fabric beyond the usual drama and dance – a film which portrays a man’s struggle to bring about a revolution for his love.

A love story with a satirical message that is set against the backdrop of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to improve sanitation across India, ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ (‘Clean India Movement’), TOILET: EK PREM KATHA is the latest statement of intent from Akshay Kumar in his bid to galvanise modernisation and equality in his home country. The film tackles the fundamental need to provide households across the nation with a functioning toilet to reduce open defecation in public, which is intricately linked to issues of women safety.

In the trailer, superstar Akshay Kumar emerges as a dominant figure, trying to initiate grassroots change as he battles both society and bureaucracy. He nails the message in the trailer when he is seen saying “Shahjahan ne apni biwi ke liye Taj Mahal banwa diya, hum apni biwi ke liye sandaas na bana paye”, which roughly translates to “Shahjahan had built the Taj Mahal for his wife, but I couldn’t build a toilet for my wife”.

Combining romance, the very best of comedy and hardhitting truths, the trailer was officially unveiled during the India vs. South Africa Trophy cricket match on Sunday 11th June, ahead of the film’s official release on 11th August. The short clip instantly received glowing reviews, with fellow celebrities flocking to social media to express their delight with the release. Filmmaker Karan Johar tweeted; “Super trailer Akshay. Can’t wait to watch this exceptionally relevant and entertaining film”.

Meanwhile Anil Kapoor, Kapil

Sharma, Sidharth Malhotra, Bipasha Basu, Sidharth Malhotra, John Abraham and Sonam Kapoor also jumped at the chance to get behind the trailer.

Judging by the impassioned reaction across social and international media, TOILET: EK PREM KATHA is already set to be a ground-breaking contribution towards highlighting the problems associated with open-air defecation through the worldbinding tool of cinema. The trailer has not only received more than 30 million views and counting (Facebook + Youtube) – no small feat when you consider the short amount of time it has been in circulation it also received an endorsement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Twitter for the message its sending out on the Clean India initiative.

The upcoming Hindilanguage film is directed by Shree Narayan Singh, best known for his work editing smash hits such as Baby (2015), M.S Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) and Rustom (2016), and co-produced by dream team Neeraj Pandey and Akshay Kumar himself.

The ensemble of cast is led by Akshay Kumar, who is joined by Bhumi Pednekar (Dum Laga Ke Haisha), Anupam Kher (Bend It Like Beckham, Silver Lining Playbook) - to condense a starstudded cast. TOILET: EK PREM KATHA also marks the 20th film which has Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher join cinematic forces.

TOILET: EK PREM KATHA is a satirical, quirky, humorous, light-hearted take on India’s open-air defecation issue, aiming to tug the hearts of every single lover, who is willing to go to any lengths for their beloved.

A revolution in the making, TOILET: EK PREM KATHA uses humour to educate the world and bring to light the issues surrounding sanitation and women safety in India. Not to be missed, be sure to catch the film’s release internationally in cinemas through Reliance Entertainment on 11th August - and remember, don’t forget to flush!

A Reliance Entertainment and KriArj Entertainment overseas release on 11th August 2017

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Neeti Mohan joins AR Rahman, In the “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” Concert

SSE Arena Wembley to host onstage extravaganza chronicling AR Rahman’s incredible musical journey

A

cademy Award (Oscar) two-time winner and fivetime nominee; Grammy two-time winner; BAFTA; and Golden Globe winner, the legendary AR Rahman, returns to the SSE Arena Wembley on Saturday 8th July 2017 after seven years with the “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow”concert.

Celebrating 25 years since his acclaimed, music debut Roja, the visionary composer will be joined onstage by very special guests including Benny Dayal, Javed Ali, Neeti Mohan, Haricharan, Jonita Gandhi, Ranjit Barot and many more.

“Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” marks the first in a global series, celebrating 25 years of the timeless music of AR Rahman and his team, who have crafted and perfected performances that are enriched with high-scale technology and production. Leading engineers from around the world have been brought on board to present spectacular lighting and visuals as a backdrop to the live sounds of the musical genius, creating a multi-media extravaganza that will provide a once-in-alifetime experience for fans and audiences.

The milestone concert falls during the British Council’s UK-India year of culture. Two decades ago, to commemorate 50 years of Indian Independence, Sony Music signed AR Rahman as their first artist in South Asia. The result was Vande Mataram, an album that instantly connected Indians worldwide and succeeded in rekindling the spirit of patriotism.

We speak to Neeti Mohan about what it means to sing along side the living legend.

You regularly perform with AR Rahman, why do you like working with him?

It’s more than a dream come true to be working with someone who is such an inspiration and a legend. He is like a mentor and a guide and I feel so privileged each time I share the stage with him.

What’s the biggest crowd you’ve performed to?

There was one time I performed in Chennai, and there were almost one million people there. The venue wasn’t even that big, it was an open ground so they could all see the stage – it was really over whelming!

What’s it like to perform to a crowd like that?

They are high on energy and just loving the music! The energy just goes to another level. It’s hard to actually put that feeling into words. All you can do for a crowd like that is perform and give them more energy!

When did you know that you wanted to be a singer?

As a child I was always drawn towards music, if there was any music playing in the house or in school or in college, I was always around that and I would always take part in music. I never imagined that I would be able to sing professionally because my family don’t come from an artist background and they’re from Deli originally.

I took part in a reality show a long time ago on Channel

V, I won that and I moved to Mumbai and that’s how my journey started. I auditioned for Mr AR Rahman’s live concert and I got to be part of that! – I’m so grateful that I get to do music.

You were once part of a pop group, did you prefer that to performing solo?

It was a great experience to be part of a band, but now when I see how my life has transformed, it’s just taken it own course.

I’m doing more playback work and performing in concerts.

Whenever I get to meet my band mates and chill out with them I do, but I think I just want to do more music as a solo artist, I like this more now.

Do you think you’ll ever venture into acting more?

I’m always acting behind the mic, you have to! Especially if you’re doing playback singing, so much emotion goes into it.

Is it hard to convey that kind of emotion through playback singing?

It’s not difficult, we all meet with the music directors before we record a song and we discuss it, what the situation is and what the characters are like. So there are a lot of discussions and a lot of workshops. We then try different renditions and then record the song. It’s a very interesting process.

Which artists inspired you while you were growing up?

There were many artists, especially, AR Rahman, he’s definitely one of them and he inspires me a lot.

I think it’s the older generation because I grew up listening to them, Latta jee and Asha jee, all those artists and even artists from the West like Beyonce have always inspired me.

I’ve always observed them and their lifestyle, how they perform and what kind of life they lead, I find that really inspiring.

Apart from AR Rahman obviously, who would be your dream collaboration?

I think in India I have performed with most of the performers, but I am a huge fan of Beyonce so if it’s any artist I would say Queen B!

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HEALTH

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Quarter of people Mental health issues costing region would not call £1.72bn per year 999 at the first signs of stroke Public Health England (PHE) has launched its annual Act FAST campaign to remind people of the main symptoms of stroke and the importance of calling 999 immediately if they notice any single one of the symptoms in themselves or others.

Stroke kills over 40,000 people a year and leaves around two-thirds of stroke survivors with a disability.

Research shows that 24% of people would wait to call an ambulance because they wrongly believe that they need to see 2 or more symptoms of stroke to be sure. Other barriers to dialling 999 include feeling that they need permission to act on behalf of others.

As part of the campaign, new films will encourage everyone – whether they are a stranger in the street, a family member at home or the person themselves – not to hesitate and make the call immediately when they see any of the main stroke symptoms: • Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?

• Arms – can they raise both their arms and keep them there?

• Speech – is their speech slurred?

Radio DJ Mark Goodier, who had a stroke last November, and TV presenter Anna Richardson, whose father had a stroke, tell their personal stories alongside people who have survived stroke - some who have recovered well and others who have been left with life-changing disabilities.

The stories show how disability can be greatly reduced if people react quickly to any of the signs of a stroke –

urging people to act fast and call 999.

Professor Kevin Fenton, PHE’s National Director for Health and Wellbeing, said: “Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the country, and the faster someone experiencing a stroke gets emergency treatment, the more chance that person has of surviving and avoiding serious disability.

It is crucial to Act FAST when you see any single one of the symptoms of stroke, and do not delay making that all-important 999 call.”

Dr Lasana Harris, Experimental and Social Psychologist, University College London, said: “We always look to make sense of a situation and even if someone appears to be having a stroke we may worry about causing offence or mutual embarrassment. If no one else acts, then we ourselves may not see it as an emergency.

However, the imagined consequences of action are minor compared to the consequences of inaction when someone is having a stroke. So act first and worry later.”

Juliet Bouverie, Chief Executive, Stroke Association said: “We know people recognise the signs of stroke but they aren’t taking the right action at the right time. A stroke is a brain attack and acting fast makes a huge difference.”

You are more likely to survive a stroke and make a better recovery if you call 999 on spotting any one of the symptoms. The quicker you act the more of the person you save.

A report by the University of Birmingham in 2017 showed that the regional economy loses around £1.72bn per year (nearly 5 per cent) due to workplace mental health issues.

The West Midlands has an ambition to become the leading region in the country for addressing this and improving the mental health and wellbeing of its workforce.

This vision was set out earlier in the year in the Thrive West Midlands report - read here.

A critical part of West Midlands Combined Authority’s work is a new, innovative pilot to provide funding to businesses for investment in employee wellbeing.

As part of this, the WMCA plan to

provide additional support and expert guidance on the most effective ways the funding can be used.

Sean Russell (pictured), superintendent of West Midlands Police Mental Health Lead and director of implementation for West Midlands Mental Health Commission, said: “As part of our ambition for Thrive West Midlands we are determined to make work places a better place to be.

“We want to work with small and medium enterprises to develop a strong approach to workplace wellbeing.

We have obtained some funding from the government to support a trial and are keen that the people in the West Midlands benefit from this.”

Later in 2017, the WMCA will be

looking to recruit 100 businesses, to participate in the pilot.

An informal networking event is taking place at the Birmingham offices of KPMG on 20 July (5.30pm to 7pm) where plans for the pilot – and information on how you can get involved – will be discussed.

Augmented Reality system to help medical professionals A mixed reality system which allows medical practitioners to view and interact with virtual replicas of patients’ organs, bones or body parts is being developed by academics in the UK. Researchers at Birmingham City University’s Digital Media Technology Lab (DMT Lab) are devising the system which enables users to interact with virtual models and patient data using freehand movements.

The system allows users to manipulate, navigate and demonstrate patient data using hand motions and gestures, so that practitioners can showcase medical procedures, lifestyle choices, and treatment effects using customised 3D virtual models and patients’ real medical records.

It could be used to visually demonstrate medical problems, the areas where surgery will be conducted, improvements which could be made following treatment or the damage caused by harmful addictive substances such as tobacco.

The technology uses motion detecting sensors combined with the DMT Lab expertise in freehand interaction in Mixed Reality to create a more realistic experience in virtual environments and bridge the gap between users and technology.

Dr Ian Williams said: “We are developing this system as a platform

to allow medical professionals to interact with genuine patient data and manipulate it by hand to educate and inform patients.

“The real advantages this brings are being able to visually demonstrate parts of the anatomy, using virtual models which can be customised for each patient and show how they have been impacted by lifestyle choices or how they may be changed following treatments or surgery.”

Staff at the University will be discussing the system and other Mixed Reality projects during an Open Day to be held on Saturday (June 10) at its City Centre Campus.

In the future the system will be upgraded to replicate injuries, mobility problems or illnesses and show changes which could be made through lifestyle choices or medical procedures.

It could also help the practitioners by creating a new way to view patient data in an array of settings.

Medical practitioners could be able to showcase medical procedures and treatment effects on customised medical models.

Surgeons would also be able to interact with images of patients’ bodies to view and manipulate during procedures without the need to remove their scrubs and gloves in sterilised environments.

The use of customised models and the interactive environment that can be shared with the patient, can help to boost patients’ engagement into treatments and their understanding.

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Link discovered between male hormones and metabolic disease in polycystic ovary syndrome

The study has shown that abdominal fat tissue is a major source of increased male hormones in women with PCOS Scientists from the University of Birmingham have discovered the link between increased male hormones and

metabolic complications such as diabetes and fatty liver disease in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, shows that an enzyme that activates male hormones in the fat tissue of PCOS women drives their risk to develop other metabolic health complications.

A common condition, believed to affect at least one in ten women in the UK, PCOS has significant impact on the life of affected women.

In addition to irregular periods and

often impaired fertility, PCOS women regularly have high levels of male hormones, also termed androgens, circulating in their blood. These are known to cause problems with increased male-pattern body hair growth and acne.

The study has shown, for the first time, that abdominal fat tissue is a major source of increased male hormones in women with PCOS, and that the levels of male hormones within the fat tissue of women with PCOS far exceeds those measured in their blood.

Furthermore, the researchers could show that male hormones are a major driver of metabolic changes that make women with PCOS more prone to develop diabetes and fatty liver disease.

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Study finds adding Abiraterone to standard treatment improves prostate cancer survival

One of the largest clinical trials for prostate cancer led by the University of Birmingham has found that adding Abiraterone to hormone therapy at the start of treatment improves survival by 37 per cent.

The trial looked at using Abiraterone as an additional treatment in patients with prostate cancer who were about to start long-term hormone therapy.

Abiraterone improved survival, according to the results published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.

The University of Birmingham’s Professor Nicholas James, chief investigator of the Cancer Research UK-funded STAMPEDE trial, said: “These are the most powerful results I’ve seen from a prostate cancer trial it’s a once-in-a-career feeling.

“This is one of the biggest reductions in death I’ve seen in any clinical trial for adult cancers.”

Abiraterone, also known as Zytiga, is a hormone therapy. Prostate cancer cells usually depend on testosterone to grow. Standard hormone therapy blocks the action of the male sex hormone, halting the disease.

Abiraterone goes further and shuts down the production of the hormones that fuel prostate cancer’s growth.

During the trial, half of the men were treated with hormone therapy while the other half received hormone therapy and Abiraterone.

Of the 1,917 men in the trial, there were 184 deaths in the combination group compared with 262 in those given hormone therapy alone.

Professor James added: “Abiraterone is already used to treat some men whose disease has spread but our results show many more could benefit.

In addition to the improvements in survival and time without relapse, the drug reduced the rates of severe bone complications, a major problem in prostate cancer, by more than a half.

I really hope these results can change clinical practice.

“We are so incredibly thankful to

the patients and clinical staff who have agreed to take part in this study. With their generosity, scientists can carry out research that will help save lives.”

The results from the trial could change the standard of care for men with prostate cancer, making Abiraterone a first-line treatment alongside hormone therapy.

The drug is usually given to men with advanced prostate cancer that has spread and has stopped responding to standard to hormone therapy, but this study shows the added benefit to patients who are about to start longterm hormone therapy.

Each year around 46,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK, and around 11,000 men die from the disease.

Sir Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “These results could transform the treatment of prostate cancer.

Abiraterone can clearly help many more prostate cancer patients than was first thought.

“The STAMPEDE trial is changing the face of prostate cancer because the flexibility of the trial design means that we can investigate a number of different treatment options rapidly and in parallel, enabling scientists to get results much more quickly than they usually would.

“Cancer Research UK scientists first discovered Abiraterone and subsequently played a key role in its development, including funding the first clinical trials. This study adds to the importance of the drug.”

The STAMPEDE trial is coordinated by the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL and funded by Cancer Research UK. Previous results from the trial have already changed clinical practice – data released last year has led to docetaxel chemotherapy now being part of the standard of care for many men with prostate cancer. More data will come out in subsequent years, because of the innovative design of the trial.

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July 2017

Anger Management

Dr Shabina Qayyum’s advice on how to curb anger.

By Dr Shabina

Health Correspondent Anger management Feeling angry is a natural human response to certain life ex-periences.

It’s a basic emotion; occurring at times when we come under attack, feel deceived, insulted or frustrated.

Anger helps to relieve built-up energy and tension. While we have learnt that expressing anger can be a healthy way of managing the emotion, when excessive it can become a problem.

Excessive anger may even be a symptom of more complex issues; it can be a symptom of, and contribute to certain mental health problems and sometimes make exist-ing problems worse.

When out of control, anger can turn destructive. It can signif-icantly impact quality of life - affecting your relationships, your career and overall well-being. However, there are ways to help you learn how to control your anger more effectively and lessen the impact it’s having on your daily life.

This page will explore anger in more detail, including the signs to spot and anger management therapy.

Expressing anger Often, anger problems are due to poor management of our emotions.

Anger, like all emotions, involves physiological and chemical changes in the body - affecting heart rate and adrenaline levels. For some people, these surges can be-come addictive and destructive. There is a fine line between acknowledging anger, and venting until it is out of control.

Aggression is an instinctive way

to express anger - relating back to the ‘fight or flight’ reaction, which allows us to protect ourselves when in danger.

But this isn’t always suitable. There are other ways to express and manage your anger, without aggression, including relaxation techniques and an-ger management therapy.

When we express anger, we use a variety of conscious and unconscious processes to deal with the feelings. The way in which we control these however, is what determines wheth-er our anger is healthy or unhealthy. When expressing anger assertively, in a nonaggressive but constructive way, you can assert your needs without hurting the people around you.

There are many ways you can express your anger in an un-healthy way, and many of these have negative repercus-sions. Often we suppress, convert and redirect our anger - but this can negatively affect health and well-being. If you find it difficult to manage your anger, you may put others down and find yourself being overly critical. You may feel irritable, grumpy and hostile.

What makes people angry?

We all cope with anger in our own way, just as we do when feeling sad or stressed. There are many reasons why you may not be able to control anger.

The way you interpret and react to certain situations can depend on many life factors, including past experiences, your childhood and current cir-cumstance.

You will have your own, personal triggers for what makes you angry - everyone will. However, there are some situa-tions that will commonly

make us all feel angry, such as feeling threatened or attacked, feeling frustrated, powerless or being treated unfairly.

When does anger become a problem?

Fundamentally, anger becomes a problem when it starts negatively affecting you and those around you.

While this will depend on how you’re expressing your anger, if you’re keeping it to yourself, or expelling it at inappropriate times, you are risking damage not only to your health and well-being, but also to your relationships and other aspects of your daily life.

In the long-term, this can have devastating consequences. If you keep your feelings to yourself, without learning how to manage them, your aggression may escalate to other types of behaviour, such as physical abuse. You may also find that over time, you will feel angry more often or more quickly - even at the smallest thing. It’s when you feel you can no longer control your anger, or express it constructively, that you should consider seeking help.

Most of us will go through a time where we need to ask for help. While we usually get this from friends and family, sometimes we need to talk to a professional, like a counsel-lor. A professional will offer you the chance to talk about your feelings, and acknowledge your triggers. They can support you on the journey, teaching you more about your anger and how to manage it effectively.

Spotting the signs If your anger becomes violent or abusive, then much of your life can be affected. This destructive behaviour

can affect your career and relationships, and be very damaging for those around you. Talking to a professional can help - you can learn how to cope with your anger, but also how to rebuild any damaged relationships.

It is important to recognise the signs, as being aware of your feelings can help you manage your anger in future situa-tions. When you sense aggression, you may feel a rush of adrenaline through your body - this is why you may react quickly, without control.

With adrenaline, you may notice your breath quicken, your heart beating faster and your body becoming tense.

Recognising these signs gives you the op-portunity to stop and think about how you want to react to a situation.

Signs of an anger problem may include: • Explosive outbursts and breaking things.

• Getting involved in physical violence.

• Arguing with people around you.

• Losing your temper quickly (for example, road rage).

• A constant desire to lash out physically or verbally.

Managing anger It can be scary when you feel like you can’t control your an-ger, but there are ways to manage the emotion.

Coping methods include taking time to think, such as counting to 10 before reacting, going for a walk or talking to a friend. Taking a moment to calm down is an often-easy way to let go of angry feelings; breathing deeply and slowly or distracting yourself with something you enjoy, like dancing to upbeat music. Though, this isn’t always easy to do. When anger becomes a

problem, not everyone can step out of the situa-tion and calm down.

Anger management is a term used to describe the skills you need to recognise that you, or someone else, is becoming angry and take appropriate action to deal with the situation in a positive way.

Anger management does not mean internalising or sup-pressing anger.

Anger is a perfectly normal human emotion and, when dealt with appropriately, can even be considered a healthy emo-tion. We all feel angry from time to time, yet this feeling can lead us to say or do things that we later regret.

Anger can reduce our inhibitions and make us act inappropriately.

Anger management concerns recognising the triggers for anger as early as possible and expressing these feelings and frustrations in a cool, calm and collected way.

We often have learnt-behaviours as to how to deal with strong emotions, so anger management is about unlearning ineffective coping mechanisms and re-learning more posi-tive ways to deal with the problems and frustrations associ-ated with anger.

There are many anger management techniques that you can learn and practise by yourself or teach to others. How-ever if you, or someone you know, experiences a lot of regular anger or very strong anger (rage) then seeking help, usually in the form of a counsellor, can be more effective.

You should seek professional help if anger is having a long-term negative impact on your relationships, is making you unhappy, or is resulting in any dangerous or violent behaviour.

Teach children simple hygiene to help curb infections The guidance recommends children in nurseries and young people at university be taught when and how to wash and dry their hands, for example after going to the toilet and before preparing food, in order to prevent the spread of infections.

Public Health England’s (PHE) educational resources, e-Bug and Germ Defence, are listed as two ways to promote better hygiene.

Young people living away from home for the first time should also be given information about how to care for themselves when they get an infection that will resolve itself over time, for example, a common cold or flu. They should be directed to 111, the NHS Choices website and local pharmacies if they need advice, the guidance says.

The guidance by NICE and PHE,

is aimed at NHS organisations, local authorities and health and social care professionals so they can provide information to people in their care.

The guidance covers the correct use of antimicrobial medicines including that patients should not buy prescription-only antimicrobials online, share them with others or dispose of unused medicine down the sink. NICE also says that the public should be made aware about when it is appropriate to take antimicrobial medicines, and the risks associated with their overuse and misuse.

Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE, said: Antimicrobial resistance is a problem that is happening now and will get worse without action at all levels so we must all play our part.

There are already common infections that are resistant to antimicrobials. Without sustained changes to the way we manage infections and protect these medicines, some routine medical procedures will become fatal.

Education is key to this issue, and that’s why we’ve made recommendations for a whole range of ages; from preschool settings to residential and day care settings for older people.

Paul Cosford, Medical Director Public Health England, said: “We all have a part to play in this battle against antimicrobial resistance to ensure that antimicrobial treatments do not become obsolete in the future.

To stop the spread of infections and reduce resistance, good hand, respiratory and food hygiene and appropriate antimicrobial use are vital. As well as providing education and support

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July 2017

New survey of mums reveals perceived barriers to breastfeeding Almost three-quarters of women start breastfeeding when their child is born, but this drops to 44% within 6 to 8 weeks. However, evidence shows the right support helps mums to breastfeed for longer. Public Health England (PHE) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months.

A new survey of 500 mothers of young children commissioned by PHE showed that more than half were concerned that breastfeeding could mean they wouldn’t be able to tell if their baby was getting too much or not enough milk. A similar proportion of mums surveyed thought that people might assume they need a special diet to breastfeed.

Nearly 3 in 10 worried that breastfeeding could mean their baby might not be getting the right nutrients,

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be disastrous. It isn’t a problem we can tackle in isolation.

This is why our final guideline emphasises the need for a multi-pronged approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance. We must work together to fight this threat.”

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer said: “We need to address the growing problem of drug-resistant infections as the global medicine cabinet is becoming increasingly bare. Preventing infections in the first place is key, and so is education on how to use antibiotics appropriately.

This guidance provides important information on how we can keep these important medicines working.”

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The proportion of new mothers who are still breastfeeding after 2 months drops by 40%, according to new data.

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resources we also encourage the public, healthcare workers and patients to sign up to be Antibiotic Guardians to make their pledge for how they’ll make better use of antibiotics.”

Global estimates suggest that more than 700,000 people die every year from drug-resistant strains of common bacterial infections, HIV, TB and malaria.

If antimicrobial resistance continues to increase, this number could rise to 10 million a year by 2050, with people dying from ordinary infections, or from routine operations due to the risk of infection.

Professor Mark Baker, director of the centre for guidelines at NICE, said: “If antimicrobial resistance continues to increase, the consequences will

HEALTH 42-45

indicating why mothers may stop breastfeeding at this early point.

Breastfeeding boosts a baby’s ability to fight illness and infection.

Babies who are not breastfed are more likely to get diarrhoea and respiratory infections. It lowers a mother’s risk of ovarian and breast cancer, and also burns around 500 calories a day.

Start4Life, PHE’s marketing programme that helps parents-to-be and parents to adopt healthy behaviours, has launched a new interactive Breastfeeding Friend (BFF) ChatBot. The BFF is accessed through Facebook messenger and provides personal support for mothers at any time of the day or night to help make breastfeeding a better experience.

The BFF will also dispel breastfeeding myths and help alleviate concerns mums have. The ChatBot works

as a live chat tool which is able to respond to questions about breastfeeding posed by the user.

Viv Bennett, Chief Nurse at PHE said: “Breastfeeding, while natural, is something that all mums and their babies learn by doing. Mums tell us that after the first few weeks breastfeeding becomes easier, so proper support is crucial at this time, which is where our BFF is designed to help.

We can all help women feel comfortable breastfeeding their baby wherever they are. Creating a wider culture of encouragement and support will help make a mother’s experience all the more positive.”

The survey also confirmed that breastfeeding in public is something that mums are concerned about. The mothers polled were most likely to

say that they would feel embarrassed breastfeeding in the presence of people they don’t know (63%). 59% feel the same about partner’s family and 49% felt it about siblings and wider family members.

Minister for Public Health and Innovation Nicola Blackwood said: “Research shows that breastfeeding gives babies the best start in life but I know it’s not always easy for new mums to start. Start4Life’s new interactive Facebook messenger ChatBot is a quick and easy way for mums to get help and information, and complements the ongoing support from their midwifery team and health visitor.”

Jacque Gerrard, Director for England at Royal College of Midwives’ said: “Getting infant feeding right will help give new-born babies the best

possible start in life. Women need all the support they can get, particularly first time mothers. It is important that midwives and maternity support workers continue to promote breastfeeding. Any initiative that goes towards helping mothers start and sustain breastfeeding for longer is positive as we know the health benefits from being breastfed last a lifetime.

High-profile figures who promote breastfeeding had a positive influence on the mums polled. Household names like Sam Faiers, Fearne Cotton and Blake Lively, who have recently championed breastfeeding on social media, inspired 49% of mums to breastfeed their own babies.

Two-thirds (64%) felt more confident to breastfeed in public because of celebrity mums.”

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THE BEST OF BOAT WORLDS Norfolk Broads

By David Powell

For some time I had considered a lovely and relaxing boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads. However, being a complete boating novice, the thought of handling and parking a large cabin cruiser was somewhat daunting to say the least. Imagine my delight when I discovered that Herbert Woods, specialists in Broads Holiday Adventures, hire out cottages in their marina at Potter Heigham, and, included, is a day boat! This sounded an ideal way for a first timer like me to experience the Broads.

A Magical Waterland With over 110 miles of lock-free waterways the Norfolk Broads are referred to as a magical waterland, a National Park which welcomes more than 7 million visitors* each year.

The Broads are set between the city of Norwich and the seaside coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk. A unique 303 square kilometres of gentle landscape, broads and rivers, this world famous attraction is without doubt mainly associated with boating although there are other leisure experiences that attract visitors such as walking, cycling, canoeing, fishing and nature watching. Pretty towns and villages are dotted throughout the Broads along with mills and historic landmarks nestled amidst the waterways and fens.

Home from Home We had booked our Norfolk Broads holiday adventure to start on a Sunday afternoon and it was a glorious day when we arrived at Potter Heigham. The boatyard and marina is accessed by a security gate

with a keyboard code which had been emailed by Herbert Woods a couple of weeks earlier along with useful information about our cottage and the local area. Check-in was fast and efficient and with keys in hand we were soon driving through the marina to our cottage – Marsh View.

As you can see from the picture this is some cottage!

Situated within the Broads Haven Marina this was a fully equipped home from home with comfortable furnishings, central heating and Wi-Fi available. Facilities at Marsh View also included a large fully equipped kitchen and dining room with dishwasher and a double oven. The lounge was very comfortable and spacious with a digital flat screen TV, DVD player and CD player. The large patio doors overlooked the lawn and private decking with outside tables and chairs. We were able to park our car in the allocated spaces adjacent to the main entrance of the cottage.

Marsh View sleeps up to 9, there’s a master bedroom with en-suite, a double bedroom, two twin rooms and one single room. There’s an additional family bathroom with bath and shower and an additional shower room with basin and w.c. Wheelchair access is available.

Herbert Woods have 10 waterside holiday cottages and 3 waterside apartments, on the edge of the River Thume or within the marina, varying in size from 4 to 9 beds. If you want to eat out Herbert Woods provide a useful booklet detailing local pubs, restaurants with 10% discounts or

offers such as free tea or coffee or free desserts. Just across the road from the marina we discovered the family owned Bridgestone’s and enjoyed a lovely cooked breakfast here each morning.

There’s a wide choice for eating out, however, be aware as this is a rural location taxi’s are on the expensive side – if drinking I would suggest that you allocate alternating designated drivers instead. Venturing out from Potter Heigham we found some delightful restaurants – The Boathouse at Ormesby Broad and for fine dining The Ingham Swan.

You can download a handy guide to eating out on the Herbert Woods’ websites under the food and drink tab.

Cruising along the Broads Herbert Woods have over 125 cruisers to choose from to suit every party size sleeping from 2 to 9 persons available for midweek and weekend hire. With our cottage however came the best of both worlds – day boat hire. A day boat is a great way to experience the sights and sounds of the Norfolk Broads. The day boat included is a small open top cruiser which looked easy to manoeuvre. However our ‘day boat day’ was looking a bit cloudy with the chance of rain so we decided to upgrade at a very reasonable price to one of the Picnic Boats. Starlight 5, our boat, seated up to 10 people on comfy cushioned seats and included onboard was a gas hob, fridge, sink and toilet. Additionally there were mugs, glasses and kettle etc.

Starlight 5 was moored in a line

of other cruisers and came equipped with life jackets and a full tank of fuel. Facilities included a small forward sun deck, warm air heating, radio and a split-sliding roof which was perfect! Steering and controls were situated in the cabin and to the port side. Mark from the boat yard was very helpful and patient as he described the various functions and dials, how to steer and reverse the boat, along with a safety briefing.

Here was the first test of the day, moving the boat out of her berth into the River Thume. This was a rather tight spot but luckily for me Mark took the controls and guided her out so at least I had a straight run to start. Having said that, as we got underway on our 2 and a half hour journey to Horning I found the boat remarkably easy to handle. Gentle movements of the steering wheel were called for and a close eye on the speedometer as speed limits are regularly enforced with speed zones of 6, 5, 4 and 3 mph clearly marked on the banks as you cruise along.

After a delightful and relaxing morning cruise along the Broads we arrive at Horning, a picturesque waterside village. Conveniently it’s time for lunch and we spot the New Inn with its large riverfront garden and free mooring for visitors. Here’s the second challenge of the day and I decide to moor Starlight 5 against the side which was relatively easy until the landlord appears asking me to park at right angles. Forward, reverse, forward again and with a little landside assistance we’re tied up safe and sound ready for a classic

pub lunch. Fed and watered we take a stroll around Horning calling in at a few of the interesting shops and art galleries.

Now time to head back to Potter Heigham and I’m really into the handling of the boat, so much so that I can take in the environment, wildlife and even wave to occasional fellow cruisers as we pass by. One disconcerting moment as we near ‘home’, a couple of sailing boats with rather large yard arms coming towards me and they seem oblivious to my presence. I keep close to the bank and we pass safely by.

Now my final test of the day as we arrive back at the boatyard – reverse parking back into our space! Left hand down hard on the wheel as I engage reverse, forward a few turns and back into reverse. I feel Mark watching from the quay as he’s spotted our return. Hard left again on the wheel, straighten up and I’ve done it! Mark ties up the boat - an end to a lovely day on the Broads.

Conclusion This was a wonderful and memorable way to spend a short holiday on the Norfolk Broads. Herbert Woods were efficient and professional from start to finish and our accommodation superb. The Norfolk Broads offer all year round attractions both on and off the water. The historic city of Norwich is right on the doorstep and rolling farmland, fens, marshes and woods surround picturesque local towns and villages.

Would I do it again? …. Most definitely, no longer a novice, I think I’ve got the hang of boating!

More information Herbert Woods are situated at Broads Haven Bridge Road, Potter Heigham, Norfolk. NR29 5JF

Freephone: 0800 144 4472 Tel: 01692 670711 Email: enquiries@herbertwoods.co.uk Website: www.HerbertWoods.co.uk

Facebook: herbertwoods Twitter: @herbertwoods *Statistics from Broads’s tourism – www.visitthebroads.co.uk

Instagram: @herbertwoods

Amazing AMSTERDAM

Getting There I opted for a two night, three day break, with Railbookers, to Amsterdam, a great way to relax, unwind and experience this lively, cosmopolitan city. To travel to Europe by train made a wonderful change. With a stressfree check-in at Ashford (no air traffic delays!) I was soon on my way to Brussels. I know getting across large stations and finding your connection can be a concern and although Brussels Midi certainly is a large, bustling station, there are plenty of directions and officials ready to assist if necessary.

With half an hour to spare I made the short walk across the concourse to my connecting train which 3 hours later arrived bang on time right in the centre of Amsterdam. I was impressed with the ease and efficiency of European rail travel, no lengthy check-ins, trains taking you directly to the heart of your destination with no lengthy transfers and, of course, it was super to be able to sit back and enjoy the views as the train travelled through France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Introduction Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, is a beautiful, historic and compact city making it easy to get around on foot by public transport, tourist sightseeing buses or, like thousands of locals, by bicycle. In Amsterdam you can visit the museums, shop till you drop or just watch the world go by from a cafe, restaurant or canal boat.

Canals With miles of scenic canals, this city is often referred to as ‘the Venice of the North’. There are canals, full of character, around every corner and a canal cruise is undoubtedly Holland’s number one tourist attraction and has to be an absolute must during your stay. The canals and bridges are famous throughout the world and a canal cruise is a perfect way to view the seventeenth century picturesque gabled houses, the merchant’s elegant mansions and the quirky house boats in the heart of the old city. The boats have panoramic roofs and sliding windows so you’re sure of a great view and the opportunity to take some good photos. Night cruises are also available which can make for a unique experience when many of the canal houses and bridges become beautifully illuminated.

Museums Amsterdam is a charming city and has a mix of fabulous museums, there seems to be one for just about everything! This is certainly the place to be for Rembrandt’s, Van Gogh’s and modern art. There are in the region of 50 museums (and many other exhibition areas) attracting over 4 million visitors a year, so it’s easy to see why Amsterdam is regarded as a major cultural centre. Probably three of the most famous museums are the Rijksmuseum, best known for its collection of 17th century Dutch Masters; the Van

Gogh Museum, which houses over 200 of his paintings, and the Anne Frank Museum which is based in the house where she hid with her family from the Nazis and wrote her famous diary.

Popular City Attractions Almost every area of this city has a building or monument to give it a claim to fame, but the key tourist areas are Dam Square, Leiden Square and Rembrandt Square. Dam Square is the national square and also the oldest part of Amsterdam with the Royal Palace to the west. It’s a hive of activity and entertainment. Leiden Square is another vibrant nightlife area illuminated by neon lights with countless bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants. The famous Rembrandt Square is one of the top going-out areas of the city. This area is also amass with bars, cafes, restaurants and the bright lights. Amsterdam has all the nightlife you would expect from a big city and there are literally thousands of restaurants and cafes to choose from.

With so much to see and do, you’ll be hard pushed to fit everything in.

Plan your day and evening to get the most out of your visit. The hotel Concierge desk is a good starting point where you can pick up leaflets, brochures and offers on the many attractions available.

You could consider a visit to the Heineken Experience, the 4D Ice Bar Experience or a tour of the Gassan diamond polishing works where you’ll

The phrase … ‘let the train take the strain’, took on a whole new meaning for me as I jumped onboard the Eurostar. My destination – Amsterdam. Yes Amsterdam by rail really is that easy ….

see skilled craftsmen transform the most precious crystal known to man into dazzling, ready to wear diamonds.

A day trip to the countryside north of Amsterdam can also be arranged from the hotel and where you’ll see windmills, a cheese farm and traditional clog makers at work. A city tour by bus is another good option and these tours take in pretty much all of the tourist sights including the old harbour, Skinny Bridge, the Royal Palace and the infamous red light district.

Shopping You’ll find an excellent selection of markets and shops here. The main pedestrianised shopping streets are Leidsestraat and Kalverstraat where you’ll see most of the regular high street stores. There are 26 markets in Amsterdam where you can hunt for bargains and there are loads of souvenir shops around every corner.

Don’t forget to stock up on your tulip bulbs on a visit to the colourful flower market which is another must!.

Accommodation The quality of your accommodation is a key factor in a short break or holiday and Railbookers take away any concerns in this respect as they include handpicked, quality hotels in their packages. I stayed at the Eden Hotel Amsterdam, right in the heart of the city. The Eden is a modern, 218 bedroom hotel right next to the River Amstel. My room was very comfortable, spacious, well appointed with air

conditioning and a flat screen TV and was rather stylish! With a fabulous view of the Amstel it was great to wake up in the morning to see the canals and watch the city springing to life. The motto for the Eden Hotel Amsterdam is ‘Love City Life’ and this is rather appropriate as it’s situated in a perfect location, near Rembrandt Square, from which you can explore the many tourist sites and attractions.

After a full day exploring Amsterdam it was good to get back to the relaxing atmosphere of the hotel’s Bar Pipa for a cold beer and if you’re looking for somewhere to eat nearby, the hotel is very proud of their restaurant called Brasserie FLO. The a la carte menu offers classic French dishes served in very elegant surroundings. I found all the Eden Hotel Amsterdam staff I came across to be most friendly, helpful and welcoming .. this was a good hotel choice.

Conclusion It seemed all too soon my visit was over. 3pm from Amsterdam Central and I’m heading home on the high speed Thalys train to Brussels for my onward Eurostar connection to Ashford International. So this was my first real experience of a rail holiday to Europe.

Would I do it again? Most definitely, the only question being, where next?

Probably a good start for inspiration is the Railbookers website.

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15.2 million people aren’t making full Facebook’s WhatsApp use of the internet, says new analysis most popular Android

Good Things Foundation and BT have today launched new analysis which shows that there are 15.2 million people in the UK who aren’t making full use of the internet: ● 7.8 million are nonusers and aren’t using the internet at all ● 7.4 million are limitedusers of the internet which means they are online, but only making use of the internet around once a week.

Both non and limited users are more likely to be socially excluded with 90% of nonusers being classed as disadvantaged, which includes people with poor health or a disability, in social class DE and those who left school before the age of 16.

● 48% of nonusers have a long standing health issue or disability, and 47% of limitedusers. ● 50% of nonusers are in social class DE, and 38% of limitedusers.

This shows that groups most excluded from society are also those most likely to be missing out on the significant benefits the internet can provide. The analysis also showed nonusers are likely to be older (39% are over 75), but the characteristics of ‘limited use’ are displayed across all ages, with 63% of limitedusers aged under 65.

The work which has been conducted by Professor Simeon Yates at the University of Liverpool, is

a new analysis of the 2015 Ofcom Media Literacy Survey. It highlights a variety of demographic groups who are less likely to be making full use of the internet. It also helps to provide a fuller picture of the digitally excluded in the UK, supporting research launched by Lloyds Banking Group earlier this year which shows there are 11.5 million people in the UK lacking in basic digital skills.

People who are offline are missing out on a wide range of benefits, including access to financial savings, work opportunities, and the chance to stay in touch with friends and family and do more of the things they enjoy.

Helen Milner, Chief Executive of Good Things Foundation said: “This research is important as for the first time it not only quantifies the number of people who are offline, but also details the barriers these people face which shows that the issues of digital exclusion are much more complicated than just skills, taking into account access, motivation and confidence as well. We’re committed to helping people to thrive in a digital world, and so it’s crucial that we tackle these entrenched barriers, and develop programmes and interventions that will really support these people”

app in India

By Spandan Manwatkar

News Correspondent

GLOBAL BUSINESS 18-23 24-28

GLAM 29-41

HEALTH 42-45

TRAVEL 46-47

TECH 48-49

MOTORING 50-52

FOOD 53

SPORTS 54-60

Is London the smartest city in the world?

By Khalid Karim

July 2017

49

FACEBOOK OFFERS VALUE OPTIMIZATION ADS AND LOOKALIKE AUDIENCES

Technology Correspondent

WhatsApp is the most popular Android app in India, according to Mary Meeker’s annual internet trends report.

A digital health start-up 1mg put this popularity to good use and posted about their app on WhatsApp which has been downloaded by 9 million users since 2015. ‘One of our users created a long WhatsApp message on what a public service it was, and people just started sharing it,’ said founder Prashant Tandon to CNBC. ‘We didn’t do any marketing to get where we are,’ he added.

The app helps research about the drugs prescribed to find them at a low price. The developers then added another function to consult with a physician online, thus appealing to the rural areas having limited access

to doctors. This growth also attracted technology investors from Silicon Valley. Shailesh Lakhani, an Indianbased investor with Sequoia Capital said, ‘1mg has the potential to be the pervasive healthcare app for India.’

This is not the only way WhatsApp has gone beyond simply being a chatting app. Having around 160 million monthly active users, the app has been used to increase women’s safety by forming a WhatsApp safety group for New Delhi women who can send photos and information of any public transportation vehicle they take and also alert the police of any emergencies. Other cities in India have also launched various WhatsApp groups to help people report offences easily.

London led the global ranking of the smartest city in the world, in the 2015 Annual Cities in Motion Index (CIMI) prepared by the IESE Center for Globalization and Strategy, followed by New York in the second place. In 2016 New York took the first place leaving the British capital in second place. For this 2017, is New York once again the world’s smartest city, and London, with the second place, is still the first in some of the indicators that are taken into consideration for the ranking and.

London is still leading in Human Capital and Public Management with several business schools and universities, and maintain the second place in International Outreach and Impact, being one of the top destinations for tourists, business, and conferences. London also has high marks in the Economy indicator (coming in 3rd place), just like Mobility and Transportation. The only downside for London is the Social Cohesion (coming in 129th) that may be due to its status as an international megacity.

The London Tech week opened with a mayor’s speech where he stated that London could be the number one smartest city in the world and revealed his great ambition to make that happen. He outlined his vision of how London is the smartest city in the world and how it can be the world’s leading “Smart City” to make the capital even a better place to live, work and invest in digital data and technology. He said that technology is essential to solving everyday problems and a key factor to solve many of the biggest economic, social and ecological challenges we face today.

He wants to work with the global

tech community to help solve issues like the future of transport, housing, air pollution, climate chance, among others important matters in which the new technologies and data science will be the key to work on long-term solutions for this urban challenges and more.

London is leading as the smartest European city, over the past of the years, it has become the global center of the technological sector. With a lot of creative talent, London is the principal technological innovator, developing new technologies like artificial intelligence and robotics, big data and mobile payments and also helping to progress and create new jobs all over the city. Leaving London as Europe’s capital of technology and increasing significantly the capital investment in London with these fast growing areas of investment. Raising the investment 20 times the amount of 5 years ago.

Part of the Mayor’s speech was about how to use the new technologies that are being developed to transform London by causing a great impact on the way of life of the Londoners in many sectors like economy and culture. London’s strength comes from the diversity of the city, global connections and a vast pool of talent, this being the basis for the considerable success and wealth.

As a part of the Mayor’s plans, a Clean Tech Incubator called “Better Futures” will help more than 100 London-based small and medium business to provide clean-tech and low-carbon products that will fight the causes and effects of climate change and develop many clean-tech industries in the capital.

iMac Pro, the most powerful Mac ever, arrives this December Apple gave a sneak peek of iMac Pro, an entirely new workstation-class product line designed for pro users with the most demanding workflows.

The all-new iMac Pro, with its gorgeous 27-inch Retina 5K display, up to 18-core Xeon processors

and up to 22 Teraflops of graphics computation, is the most powerful Mac ever made. Featuring a stunning new space gray enclosure, iMac Pro packs incredible performance for advanced graphics editing, virtual reality content creation and real-time

Fасеbооk wants to hеlр mаrkеtеrѕ gеt mоrе juice fоr thеіr ѕԛuееzе ассоrdіng to an аnnоunсеmеnt from Facebook Business this wееk.

Fасеbооk Adѕ have a couple nеw орtіоnѕ fоr us -- ѕресіfісаllу, a nеw vаluе optimisation tооl аnd аn updated value-based lookalike audiences tооl. Both fеаturеѕ draw on the сараbіlіtіеѕ of Facebook’s ріxеl, whісh mines data аbоut аudіеnсе behavior and іntеrасtіоnѕ tо help businesses understand and орtіmіsе their targeting аdѕ. This update іѕ аіmеd tоwаrdѕ hеlріng eCommerce аnd B2C buѕіnеѕѕеѕ іmрrоvе thеіr ad реrfоrmаnсе аnd іmрrоvе ROI from Fасеbооk Adѕ.

With thіѕ nеw update, Fасеbооk uѕеѕ their dаtа tо іdеntіfу which uѕеrѕ are lіkеlу to mаkе a рurсhаѕе or dоwnlоаd information frоm a particular соmраnу and thuѕ determine whісh аudіеnсе hоldѕ thе highest vаluе for thе campaign. Vаluе орtіmіsаtіоn іѕ the mесhаnіѕm bу which mаrkеtеrѕ can tаіlоr their Ad Buуѕ tо these “vаluаblе uѕеrѕ”. Mеаnwhіlе, thе vаluе-bаѕеd ‘lookalike audiences’ tооl is rесеіvіng a glоbаl rollout after іtѕ introduction fоur уеаrѕ аgо.

Thе functional рurроѕе here is tо рrоvіdе marketers with a smarter way to grow their роtеntіаl соnѕumеr bаѕе bу targeting uѕеrѕ whоѕе оnlіnе uѕаgе history mіrrоrѕ thаt оf pre-

existing, high-value соnѕumеrѕ. Nоw marketers wіll find a new ‘value’ column for еntіrе сuѕtоmеr lists thаt wіll help mаkе thеіr tаrgеt аudіеnсе, оr “vаluаblе uѕеrѕ”, ѕее

Thеѕе lаtеѕt updates соntіnuе tо build on Fасеbооk’ѕ еffоrtѕ to hеlр mаrkеtеrѕ орtіmіsе thеіr саmраіgnѕ and tаrgеt thе сuѕtоmеrѕ thаt mаttеr mоѕt to thеm. Value-based lооkаlіkе аudіеnсеѕ are аvаіlаblе іmmеdіаtеlу for аll аdvеrtіѕеrѕ tо tаkе advantage of; mеаnwhіlе, vаluе optimisation hаѕ just bееn introduced аnd will continue tо be rolled оut оvеr thе соmіng months.

iOS 11 brings powerful new features to iPhone and iPad Apple has introduced iOS 11, a major update to the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, bringing new experiences and hundreds of features to iPhone and iPad. iOS 11 is the biggest software release ever for iPad, with powerful multitasking features, the Files app and more ways to use Apple Pencil.

Augmented reality (AR) is coming to hundreds of millions of iOS devices with a new platform for developers to build apps that let users place virtual content on top of real-world scenes. ARKit allows developers to tap into the latest computer vision technologies to build detailed and compelling virtual content on top of real-world scenes for interactive gaming, immersive shopping experiences, industrial design and more.

Siri has new male and female voices which are more natural and expressive, adjusting intonation, pitch, emphasis and tempo while speaking, 3D rendering.

Featuring next-generation Intel Xeon processors up to 18 cores, iMac Pro is designed to handle the most demanding pro workflows. With an all-flash architecture and all-new thermal design, iMac Pro delivers up to 80 percent more cooling capacity in the same thin and seamless iMac design. And with a new space gray enclosure and gorgeous 27-inch Retina 5K display with support for 1 billion colors, iMac Pro is as stunning as it is powerful. iMac Pro comes with the new

and translate English words and phrases into Mandarin, French, German, Italian or Spanish.

Siri will extend beyond voice using on-device learning to deliver more personal experiences and offers suggestions based on personal usage of Safari, News, Mail, Messages and more.

With iOS 11, Portrait Mode images can be taken with optical image stabilization, True Tone flash and HDR, so every shot looks even more professional. Live Photos are more expressive with new Loop and Bounce effects that create continuous video loops, while Long Exposure can capture time and movement. In Photos, Memory movies are optimized to play in both portrait and landscape orientations, and more memories, Radeon Pro Vega GPU, the most advanced graphics ever in a Mac. Featuring a new next-generation compute core and up to 16GB of on-package high-bandwidth memory (HBM2), iMac Pro with the Vega GPU delivers up to an amazing 11 Teraflops of single-precision compute power for real-time 3D rendering and immersive, high frame rate VR. And for half-precision computation, ideal for machine learning, iMac Pro delivers up to an incredible 22 Teraflops of performance. iMac Pro also supports up to 4TB

such as photos of pets or birthdays, are automatically created. With iOS 11, Apple introduces a new technology called High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF) that reduces the file size of every photo taken with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Additional features include the ability to pay friends using Apple Pay, Do Not Disturb while driving to help users stay more focused on the road, even more intelligence and a new voice for Siri and new professional capabilities to Photos and Camera. iOS 11 in beta version is available for iPhone users. of SSD and up to 128GB of ECC memory, and with four Thunderbolt 3 ports can connect to up to two highperformance RAID arrays and two 5K displays at the same time. For the first time ever on a Mac, iMac Pro features 10 GB Ethernet for up to 10 times faster networking.

In addition to the new iMac Pro, Apple is working on a completely redesigned, next-generation Mac Pro architected for pro customers who need the highest-end, high-throughput system in a modular design, as well as a new high-end pro display.

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July 2017

LOCAL 2-17

MOTORING

T: 0121 771 4545

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

Drivers in favour of pre-test motorway lessons

Motorists want to see learner drivers given assisted motorway practice before passing their test, according to conclusive RAC research.

Drivers responded emphatically, with as many as eight in 10 agreeing that the under-review proposal is a sensible idea.

Across the survey of over 2,000 motorists, a mere 14% considered themselves fully prepared for motorway driving after passing the existing practical and theory tests.

The survey was undertaken as the country awaits the results of a joint consultation between the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the Department for Transport into leaner driver motorway use.

This consultation is part of a significant proposal to majorly shake-up the driving test this December.

In the RAC study, an overwhelming 79% of drivers said that – if accompanied by an approved instructor in a dual-controlled car – the driving standards of leaners would be improved given the option of real-life experience on our fastest roads.

Almost a fifth (19%) said they don’t think a change would make any difference, with only 3% worried it would worsen standards.

Even though statistically speaking motorways are the safest roads in the country, many new drivers still have apprehensions about using them for the first time, mainly due to the high speeds involved.

Half of the respondents (49%)

said that they did not feel sufficiently prepared for motorway driving when they passing their practical and theory tests.

In what could prove another significant breakthrough in driver safety, it was recently announced that Apple is to include a safe driving mode for iPhones when it updates its software later this year.

The iOS 11 version will carry the option to divert calls and notifications from a driver’s phone, responding to the caller or sender with a specialised alert.

Pete Williams, RAC road safety spokesman explained that the motoring organisation supports proposals for optional motorway lessons – although the measure should not be made mandatory.

“Many learner drivers do not live in an area which has access to the motorway network, in addition, those drivers that live in regions furthest away from a motorway are less likely to drive on one on a regular basis,” he said.

“Such high speeds can make a driver who has recently passed their practical test feel nervous and more vulnerable the first time they venture on to these types of roads. As a result, new drivers may decide to delay using a motorway, possibly opting to use less safe country roads or major A-roads instead.”

With almost 60 years having passed since the first UK motorway was opened, Mr Williams suggests this is an apt time to start considering new policy around their use, particularly with new forms – such as smart motorways – coming into play.

He added: “It seems sensible that approved driving instructors are best placed to decide when their students are ready to have their first motorway lesson, but the Government needs to consider publishing guidance on how to assess whether a learner is sufficiently competent to drive on a motorway under supervision.”

Supermarkets consider ‘Uber-style fuel price surges’ The RAC says introducing ‘surge pricing’ for fuel on UK forecourts would leave “a bad taste” in the mouths of hard-pushed drivers.

Several reports suggest the country’s major supermarkets – including Sainsbury’s and Tesco – are investigating the possibility of an Uber-style approach, which sees prices rise in times of high demand.

Already employed in the US and parts of Europe, artificial intelligence-based ‘e-pricing’ can also be applied to non-fuel goods in store.

Motoring groups have been quick to respond with Simon Williams, RAC fuel spokesman, claiming surge pricing could “blow a smokescreen” over fuel prices at a time when trust in retailers is already low.

Mr Williams believes the driving public would take a cynical view of the practice, which would be seen as a way for sellers to increase prices “by stealth”.

Meanwhile, FairFuelUK founder Howard Cox says the introduction of demand-inflated pricing would remove “any consideration of

fairness”, claiming hard-working motorists and small businesses would continue to be “exploited”.

Fuel prices have been on a gradual downward trajectory in recent months, as a result of the falling cost of oil.

Following pressure from the RAC earlier in June, Asda slashed its pump price by 2p a litre for both petrol and diesel, with the other major supermarkets later following suit.

Simon Williams said: “It is odd that the supermarkets who command high volume sales and claim to operate on low margins would chose to manipulate prices in such a way at the risk of alienating customers.

“Fuel is a commodity product and its price is clearly promoted on forecourt totems to draw in customers.

“Therefore, increasing the price of fuel which they have already bought at one wholesale price seems very underhand.

“We closely monitor daily fuel prices to increase transparency and to encourage supermarkets and retailers to play fair with motorists.

“However, if they are able to increase the price during the course of a day then it blows a smokescreen over the true cost of fuel.

“Drivers already feel they are paying some of the highest fuel prices in Europe and any move which appears to increase retailers’ profits at periods of high demand will be viewed with anger by the UK’s 38 million motorists.”

The surge-pricing concept does, however, have backing in some quarters, with managing director of TMC and chair of the Institute of Car Fleet Management, Paul Hollick, claiming fleets could use the policy to their advantage.

Mr Hollick says fuel vendors have been using data to adjust prices for years – and those drivers savvy enough to adjust to peak and quiet pump periods could actually benefit.

He also argued that with supermarkets using ‘low-cost’ fuel as a key marketing strategy, it is highly unlikely any fluctuations in price would be as significant as many are fearing.

Four major Motorcycle Insurers to Rules on driving offer free commuter cover during in flip flops ride to work week There’s a great level of uncertainty surrounding whether or not it’s illegal to drive barefoot in the UK, with numerous reasons cited as to why you’re breaking the law if you do so.

While these may all be valid points, none of them are technically correct.

Here is the law in a nutshell: it is not illegal to drive in the UK without shoes on and the same applies for wearing flip flops - there is a catch though.

It is not illegal to drive in the UK without shoes on You can get behind the wheel of a vehicle barefoot or while wearing flip flops, provided you are able to operate the controls safely. If you do so with wet feet, for example, you might be putting yourself, your passengers and other road users at risk by not being able to drive the

car safely. This is illegal.

And while it’s not illegal to drive without shoes on, that doesn’t mean it’s right.

According to the Driving Standards Agency – the body that regulates the UK driving test – “suitable shoes are particularly important behind the wheel. We would not recommend driving barefoot because you don’t have the same braking force with bare feet as you do with shoes on.”

Motorcycle insurers Ageas, Bennetts, Bikesure* and Carole Nash are all offering free commuter cover to leisure riders, so that they can ride to work during national Ride to Work Week from Monday 19th June to Friday 23rd June.

Ride to Work Week campaign manager Stevie Muir says: “We are delighted these companies are encouraging leisure riders to try commuting on their bikes during Ride to Work Week, by extending their cover.

“Around two-thirds of motorcyclists only opt for social and domestic cover and so are missing out on the huge benefits of commuting on their bikes. These include saving time, money and enjoying easier parking.

Regular commuters are also likely to become more skilled road users and the best reason of all is that it’s just more fun!”

The campaign slogan

#commutehappy is backed up by fact. Motorcyclists are among the happiest commuters according to a one off survey by the Office for National Statistics. It revealed that riding a motorcycle, moped or scooter had no negative impact on well-being on commutes up to 30 minutes and after that it was negligible. This was in contrast to those who walked, cycled, took the bus or drove, who all

experienced a dip in well-being after just 15 minutes.

Campaign hi-viz vests are available for free for those organising their own workplace events (subject to availability), which can be ordered by contacting the team press@ ridetoworkweek.co.uk. *if a Bikesure policyholder with Ageas, Markerstudy or Highway

GLOBAL BUSINESS 18-23 24-28

GLAM 29-41

HEALTH 42-45

TRAVEL 46-47

TECH 48-49

MOTORING 50-52

FOOD 53

SPORTS 54-60

July 2017

51

ASTON MARTIN RACING SET FOR 24 HOURS OF LE MANS FIGHT Aston Martin Racing has returned to the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and is ready to take on this weekend’s 85th running at the Circuit de la Sarthe.

With track action underway on Wednesday, the iconic race remains the centrepiece of the FIA World Endurance Championship and will be contested by the team’s three V8 Vantage GTEs; two in the GTE Pro class and a single works entry in GTE Am. The team head into this week encouraged by their strong performances at the recent official test session. While the #95 V8 Vantage GTE of Nicki Thiim (DN), Marco Sorensen (DN) and Richie Stanaway (NZ) placed 5th, the sister #97 car of Darren Turner (GB), Jonny Adam (GB) and Le Mans debutant Daniel Serra (BR) finished the session 6th of 13 entries.

Driver of #97 and former Le Mans class winner Darren Turner said, “Le Mans is always one of the weekend’s I look forward to each year and it’s a pleasure to be here for 2017. It’s one of those races that everyone wants to win and I think we’re in a good place going into this

week. You don’t necessarily need to be the fastest car on a single lap, but consistency and strength across your driver line-up is key which we have in both our car and with our teammates in #95. I can’t wait to get in the car for the first time this week on Wednesday and get the event underway”.

In GTE Am, the team’s #98 V8 Vantage GTE of Paul Dalla Lana (C), Pedro Lamy (P) and Mathias Lauda (A) continued its strong form to top the class timesheets, as all three drivers individually set top 13 fastest lap times with Lamy the overall fastest driver with a 3m58.250.

Lamy said, “This is the one we want to win so much. We have come so close over the past two years but I think we are mentally the best prepared we have ever been coming into this race. We have been really strong at Silverstone and Spa so far this year and I think that really shows how well Paul, Mat and I work together”.

Aston Martin is also due to be represented at this weekend’s event by customer teams TF Sport and Beechdean AMR; both in the GTE Am class.

2016 European Le Mans Series champions Beechdean AMR will contest their second 24 Hours of Le Mans with Andrew Howard (GB), Oliver Bryant (GB) and 2015 Aston Martin Racing Evolution Academy winner and Le Mans debutant Ross

Gunn (GB) at the wheel of the #99 entry.

The #90 TF Sport entry will be piloted by Salih Yoluc (TR), Euan Hankey (GB) and Rob Bell (GB).

After winning last year’s GT3 Le Mans Cup, the British outfit will

make their debut at the legendary race this weekend.

First practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans begins at 16h00 on Wednesday 14 June with the race beginning at 15h00 on Saturday 17 June.

Tackling road pollution TfL drives forward £18 million ‘will leave tax receipts electric vehicle scheme hole’ A new think tank report suggests the cost of implementing clean air strategies will leave the taxman millions of pounds out of pocket.

Policy Exchange says the need for the road transport sector to dramatically improve its credentials on air pollution and greenhouse gases is urgent.

But it warns the likely effect on annual tax receipts will be to leave a shortfall of between £9 billion and £23 billion.

Ministers must acknowledge the financial implications of cleaning up road transport, it says, as reductions in fossil fuel use to power cars, vans and lorries will see fuel duty and road tax payments fall.

The last 27 years have seen road transport emissions increase by 1%, while most other areas of the economy have managed to record reductions in carbon dioxide output.

London is just one of 75 UK towns and cities with illegal levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide levels.

New technology offers many of the options available – including electric and hydrogen vehicles, and making conventional vehicles more efficient.

Last week, the government laid out its agenda for parliament through the Queen’s Speech – including proposals for mandatory charging points at places like motorway services and all major petrol station chains.

RAC chief engineer David Bizley

was somewhat underwhelmed by the announcement, labelling it “unambitious” in its scope. “Future legislation should include compelling private parking operators and perhaps also major property developers to install charging points,” he argued.

“Charging technology that is introduced also needs to be of the type that actively encourages a generation of drivers to get behind the wheel of an electric car – so this means installing the most rapid charging technology that plug-in vehicles can accept.”

In laying out its recommendations for long-term policy, the think tank claims the Government should consider moving from the current system of taxing fossil fuels and carbon emissions to a system of road user charging, similar to toll roads or city congestion charges.

The report also recommends that motorists who bought diesel vehicles in good faith – when they were being promoted as a more efficient, cleaner alternative to petrol to tackle carbon – should not be penalised, with a diesel scrappage scheme taking the most polluting vehicles off the road more fairly.

Transport for London (TfL) has appointed the suppliers who will provide the rapid charging points that the capital needs to make it easier than ever before to use electric vehicles. After a competitive bidding process, the Centrica Consortium, BluepointLondon, Chargemaster, Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Fastned were successful. They will fund, maintain, operate and install the network.

The operators will move quickly to install the charge points, with the first being operational within a matter of months. They will power vehicles in close to 30 minutes, compared with the three to four hours when using a standard unit. The initial aim is to see 75 charging points in the ground by the end of this year, with the network growing to 150 by the end of 2018 and 300 fully functioning by 2020.

TfL is working with the boroughs and investing £18million to unlock potential sites, including upgrading the power supply. Strategic hubs are also being evaluated on arterial roads, owned and maintained by TfL, and on private land, including Heathrow Airport and multiple Shell service stations. These are off-road locations that have potential to house a number of rapid charge points.

New taxis licensed after 1 January 2018 will need to be zero-emission capable, to help clean up London’s dirty air. This charging network will be vital in assisting the greening of London’s iconic black cab fleet, with many charging points dedicated exclusively to their use by the end of

next year.

Ben Plowden, TfL’s Director of Surface Strategy and Planning, said: ‘Urgent action needs to be taken to clean up London’s toxic air and rid the Capital of the most polluting vehicles. An extensive rapid charging network is fundamental in helping drivers make the shift from fossil fuels to electric. This is particularly important for the taxi and private hire trades and the fleet and freight sector, which over the next few years will be looking to dramatically increase the number of journeys made with zeroexhaust emissions.’

The creation of a competitive market is aimed at keeping prices low and a maximum rate will be guaranteed for pay-as-you-go users for the first two years. The contract is set up to create the best possible experience for customers. Drivers will be able to pay at the charge point using a credit or debit card and it will not be compulsory to sign up to a membership or subscription scheme.

The integrated network means drivers can use all five suppliers at no additional cost, making it easier to do business when using a zeroemission vehicle.

Customers will be supported by 24-hour, sevenday-a-week call centres and have the latest information at their fingertips,

such as the location and availability of charging points, both on the web and through apps. The location data will be made available, tapping into the creativity of the app-developing community.

Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment, said: ‘This investment in London’s infrastructure is great news for the Capital. It will help to shape a new competitive market for rapid charging points, preparing for new taxis as we look to phase out diesel and make the move towards ultra-low emission vehicles to help clean up London’s toxic air.’

Cllr Julian Bell, Chair of London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee said: ‘We welcome this next step to provide rapid electric vehicle charging points in the capital, which play an important role for business users of electric vehicles in particular. We look forward to seeing these rolled out across all boroughs in the coming months and years.’

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July 2017

OWNERS RATE PEUGEOT 2008 SUV AS THE BEST SMALL SUV YOU CAN BUY NEED TO KNOW

owners’ feedback placing it first out of all its competitors in five categories: Engine & Gearbox, Exterior, Safety Features, MPG & Running Costs, Reliability & Build Quality.

A feature that has proven highly desirable is the 2008 SUV’s PEUGEOT i-Cockpit®. Unique to the PEUGEOT brand, it embodies the driving characteristics of the PEUGEOT 2008 SUV, being agile, intuitive and safe.

It features a compact sports steering wheel which offers precise steering and manoeuvrability, which is teamed with a 7” multifunction colour touchscreen,with Mirror Screen® functionality comprising, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay™ and Mirror Link®, putting all the functionality at your fingertips. In addition, the head-up instrument panel allows driver information to be accessed without taking the eyes off the road.

Innovation is not just limited to the interior, Grip Control® – an adapted traction control system – gives the 2008 SUV versatility on all types of

terrain. Equipment available on the PEUGEOT 2008 SUV also includes (subject to trim level) 3D Connected Satellite Navigation, colour reversing camera, Active City Brake and Park Assist. The Euro 6 engines such as the 1.2L PureTech 130 Stop&Start 6-speed manual, another big hit with Driver Power respondents, ensure high-level driving pleasure while remaining fuel efficient.

It was a case of double honours too, as the PEUGEOT 108 also collected an award, picking up Silver in the Best City Car category, achieving an overall customer satisfaction score of 89.09% and top ratings across the sector in the following Driver Power Judging Categories: Ride & Handling, Practicality & Boot Space.

Overall, in the Auto Express Driver Power Top 75 – which rates the Top 75 cars according to customer satisfac-

tion – the PEUGEOT 2008 SUV and 108 finished in 16th and 48th position respectively Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief at Auto Express commented: “The 2008’s Gold award in the small SUV category and the 108’s Silver in the city car sector show how happy customers are with modern PEUGEOTs – these are hugely impressive results in two of the toughest sectors.

Both models scored highly across the board, showing the brand has a clear understanding of its customer’s needs and desires.”

David Peel, Managing Director at PEUGEOT UK said: “Achieving the Auto Express Driver Power award of Best Small SUV is an outstanding achievement. Auto Express Driver Power is a highly-respected customer satisfaction survey because the results are the views of the most important

people – those who buy our cars.

“In a competitive segment, for our valued customers to say that the 2008 SUV is the best small SUV on the market just vindicates all the hard work put in by PEUGEOT’s talented teams of designers and engineers. It has been a huge sales success for us with style, innovation and efficiency at its core.

“The success of the PEUGEOT 108 in the Best City Car category also demonstrates the breadth of choice and quality that PEUGEOT customers can expect. Our smallest car continues to offer customers a winning blend of practicality, driver appeal and most importantly quality. The icing on the cake is its overall placing of 48th in the Top 75 and the PEUGEOT 2008 SUV finishing a sensational 16th overall.”

Could your car horn WHAT’S THE COOLEST CAR FOR be replaced with the DADS ON THE SCHOOL RUN? sound of a duck quack?

The world’s roads could one day come alive with the sound of quacking ducks – as the unorthodox sound was found to be a more agreeable car horn noise.

South Korean researchers have designed the new horn in a bid to reduce sound pollution in major cities, finding the duck-like beep to be far friendlier for passing pedestrians.

The study’s aim is to create a less startling horn sound which could also enhance road safety by proving less distracting to drivers.

The research team at Soongsil University in Seoul analysed the history of the car horn, or vehicle klaxon, since its origins back in 1908.

They used 100 volunteers in an attempt to discover a sound which could best alert people to danger, while not causing undue stress to those in the vicinity.

Despite being popular in the early days of motoring, the classic so-called “ah-oo-gah” horn sound was gradually phased out and replaced with other attention-grabbing sounds.

But in doing so, many modern day horns have become too irritating, the survey found, with passers-by

reporting feeling stressed out by the volume and immediacy of the noises.

It seems motorists frequently feel the urge to use their horns as a result of what they experience on the roads.

Earlier this year an RAC Car Insurance poll revealed that only 4% of drivers thought it was likely they could head out for a half-hour drive without encountering any thoughtless driving.

Professor Myung-Jin Bae said, lead researcher, said: “In our study we used the existing historic Klaxon sound source, but made some modification concerning its volume and rhythm with duration time by adding a power controller.

“Our new Klaxon sound can immediately alert the pedestrians of the danger while also reducing the unpleasantness and stress of the sound.”

The 100 listeners were asked to rate potential car horn sounds for perceptual qualities including stress and loudness.

Their answers were combined to create a “mean option score” which ranked the candidate sounds from bad to excellent on a five-point scale.

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AW’S

Automotive expert’s hpi has revealed the top five list of cars guaranteed to boost the ‘school gate cred’ of UK dads following a poll amongst its team of motoring editors.

James Dower, senior Black Book editor at hpi, said: “With Father’s Day this month we thought it would be fun to look at some of the makes and models of cars that can give the ultimate feeling of school gate cred.

“Our team of editors considered everything from top of the range

supercars to one-off fantasy cars as seen in the movies such as the classic DeLorean from Back to the Future or Vin Diesel’s 1968 Dodge Charger featured in the latest Fast and the Furious movie. They eventually decided to keep it real by settling for more realistic vehicles that would really appeal to dads.”

James added: “The Jaguar F-Pace just edged it in our poll ahead of the Evoque and the Tiguan. With its iconic Jaguar heritage in a popular

SUV bodystyle, the F-Pace is sporty and compact yet relatively affordable.

It’s also perfect for the age range of a dad doing the school run.”

The Top 5 list of cars offering the greatest school gate cred is as follows: 1) Jaguar F-Pace 2) Range Rover Evoque 3) VW Tiguan 4) Audi TT 5) BMW X1

Sarah Ali Choudhury is awarded New Kid on the Block at National Award Ceremony in UK

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ournemouth-based, celebrity chef Sarah Ali Choudhury has been awarded the title of New Kid on the Block at the Small Awards ceremony that took place on Thursday, May 25 in London.

The Small Awards launched this year and recognises the achievements of small businesses in the UK across ten categories.

The awards ceremony was presented by former British Bake Off host Sue Perkins.

Celebrity chef Sarah Ali Choudhury’s business Easy Curry Ltd, received the award for New Kid on the Block, a category which recognises national business start-ups that are less than 18 months old.

Sarah’s business, Easy Curry Ltd, found fame last year when she appeared on a hit Channel 4 cookery show. During her time on the show Sarah cooked for the likes of two-time Michelin Star awarded restaurateur Michael Caines MBE, and Britain’s most acclaimed chefs and food writer,

Prue Leith CBE. Over the course of the year Sarah has appeared at the UK’s biggest food festivals, where she has held demonstrations on preparing quick Indian curries that are packed with flavour, spices and fresh ingredients. As well as appearing at Bristol’s Foodie Festival and Taste of the South, Sarah regularly makes appearances on That’s Solent TV (Freeview Channel 7) and Channel S TV (Sky 814).

Sarah Ali Choudhury said: “I am overjoyed and incredibly humbled to have won this award. It has been a very busy but exciting year for me and my business. I am a big fan of Sue Perkins and of course Bake Off, so receiving my award and a hug from her was just a dream come true.

“I have no plans to slow down and will be using this year’s British Beach Polo Championships on the stunning Sandbanks beach, to officially launch my event catering business.”

Sarah prepares colourful and flavoursome, authentic Asian dishes at business events and private dining experiences along the south coast.

You can follow Sarah on Twitter @saraheasycurry and all other social media handles Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube: Sarah Ali Choudhury.

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Kitchen

• PEUGEOT 2008 SUV wins the Small SUV category at the Auto Express Driver Power 2017 Awards • Highest rated in its class in five categories including Engine & Gearbox, Exterior, Safety Features, MPG & Running Costs, Reliability & Build Quality • PEUGEOT also scoops a Silver Award in the City Car Category for the PEUGEOT 108 For motorists in the market for a small SUV there is no better choice than the PEUGEOT 2008 SUV, according to thousands of customers who took part in the Auto Express Driver Power survey 2017.

The Auto Express Driver Power survey is the biggest motoring satisfaction report of its type, with participation from more than 70,000 UK car owners who were asked to judge their car in a host of crucial areas. PEUGEOT is thrilled to reveal that the 2008 SUV scooped the Gold award in the highly competitive Small SUV category, beating all of its competitors.

A huge success story since its launch in 2013, with over 69,000 sold in the UK, the PEUGEOT 2008 SUV combines style and innovation with a range of efficient, high performance engines, not to mention stand out safety. It was this blend of compelling features which handed the 2008 SUV its victory. Driver Power respondents gave the 2008 SUV an outstanding overall rating of 91.45 percent, with

LOCAL 2-17

Saag Paneer

The following recipe was recently cooked at the Cheese and Chilli Festival in Dorset.

Ingredients • 1tbsp sunflower oil • 1 small onion (Finely chopped) • 1 tsp garlic paste • 1tsp ginger paste • half tsp salt • 1 tsp cumin powder • 1 tsp coriander powder

Method:

• 1 quarter tsp tumeric powder • 1 tiny piece of a Naga Chilli • 1 bag spinach • 1 plum tomato • 150g paneer (cubed) • 1 tbsp single cream • Fresh Coriander

twitter: @saraheasycurry Facebook: @sarahalieasycurry Instagram: sarahalieasycurry YouTube: Sarah Ali Easy Curry www.sarahalieasycurry.com

I started by adding the oil to a hot pan, then added the garlic, ginger, onion and salt and a tiny cut of the naga. I allowed that to saute on a medium heat while I chopped the spinach finely. I then added the tumeric, cumin and coriander powder to the sautéing onions and after 5 mins I added the chopped spinach and gave it a good stir ensuring all the onions and spices mixed into the spinach. After a further 5 mins I added the paneer.

It took less than 5 mins before the Saag Paneer Blaze was ready. I added a tbsp of single cream, gave it a stir and left for 2 mins. I finished my cookery demonstration by adding fresh coriander and then served it.

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SPORTS

Pakistan cricket: Iconic Oval moments

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It was the jaw-dropping conclusion to a tournament that had served up shock after shock.

The previously unknown Hassan Ali the hero with the ball, the previously unknown Fakhar Zaman the hero with the bat, and the previously unfancied Pakistan the winners of the ICC Champions Trophy.

As Pakistan Captain Sarfraz Ahmed tore away, arms outstretched in delight, it almost seemed that he himself could not quite believe what was happening.

To most observers this was a triumph for the underdog in a match in which few had given Pakistan a chance. In reality it was the latest in a long line of successes Pakistan have enjoyed at South London’s historic Oval ground.

The UK’s Asian community turned the tournament into a carnival of song, dance and cricket, and the final was the apex of this, with videos of Indian and Pakistani fans dancing together throughout the day going viral.

The Oval will make history this summer by hosting its 100th Test Match when England take on South Africa on July 27th.

Pakistan’s win ratio of 50% is higher than any other visiting side at the ground – it is a home away from home for the guys in green.

In the six decades since they first played at the ground, Pakistan’s relationship with the Oval has been packed with both highs and lows.

August 12th, 1954 Pakistan have always worn the

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

underdog tag well, and, fittingly, their first visit to The Oval saw a great upset as they defeated a much-fancied England by 24 runs.

Pakistan’s batsmen floundered in wet conditions, and the hero of the hour was 20-year-old Fazal Mahmood. His skilful swing bowling gave him match figures of 12/99 to stun England and delight the Pakistani supporters.

August 22nd, 1974 Neither side were able to land a knockout blow despite Pakistan’s XI containing greats including Zaheer Abbas, Imran Khan, Sarfraz Nawaz and Intikhab Alam.

Abbas struck a virtuoso 240 as Pakistan declared on 600-7, with England eventually bowled out for 545 in large part thanks to the brilliance of Intikhab, who took 5 wickets. The match and series ended up drawn.

August 6th, 1987 An imperious batting display saw Pakistan compile one of their highest ever test totals as they batted for 15 hours to reach 708 the second highest test total ever posted at the Oval. Javed Miandad struck 28 fours in an innings of 260 while Saleem Malik and Imran Khan also struck centuries.

The legendary Ian Botham was the recipient of particular punishment - the Pakistan batsman struck 217 runs off 52 overs of his bowling – which would have been almost enough to beat England in the Champions Trophy semi-final!

August 6th, 1992 Irked by England’s narrow escape in 1987, Pakistan returned

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exactly five years later to demolish the home side with a 10-wicket thumping.

This was the first occasion that the Oval crowd had been treated to the dual axis of unbridled terror that was Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, and they certainly did not disappoint. The deadly pair took 15 wickets between them in the match to condemn England to defeat, and a 2-1 series loss.

August 17th, 2006 The 2006 Oval test remains one of the most controversial moments in cricketing history. After umpire Darrell Hair accused the Pakistan team of ball-tampering, the away side refused to take to the field and the match was awarded to England.

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ulHaq was acquitted of tampering charges with Hair subsequently banned, perhaps vindicating the team’s decision to protest. This remains the only test match in history to be forfeited.

Pakistan have since gone some way to exacting revenge, defeating England in both 2010 and 2016 to further assert their Oval dominance.

Pakistan fans will now look forward with confidence to their team’s next visit to England in the summer of 2018 and hoping for a chance to play again at the Oval.

They will find change is afoot at this iconic cricketing venue, which can boast a sporting heritage dating back to the nineteenth century, but is now expanding to become a 40,000 capacity stadium, easily the biggest in England.

The triumphant team return to a hero’s welcome Players of Pakistan cricket team returned home to a hero’s welcome after winning the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.

The victorious tight knit team arrived surrounded by security in the early hours of the morning and were greeted with joyous cheers of supporters who chanted patriotic songs.

A young Pakistan team stunned the world and created history on Sunday, thrashing an in-form and starstudded Indian side by 180 runs in the Champions Trophy finale at The Oval.

Players returned separately to their hometowns after unavailability of tickets barred them from boarding a

flight together.

Captain Sarfraz Ahmed and pacer Rumman Raees landed in Karachi, four cricketers including Babar Azam and Hasan Ali arrived in Lahore, while Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan reached Islamabad.

Faheem Ashraf, Babar Azam, Ahmad Shahzad along with Player of the Tournament Hasan Ali landed at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, where they were presented with flower bouquets and showered with rose petals.

Hundreds of fans gave Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed a hero´s welcome as he arrived home carrying

the Champions Trophy early on Tuesday. “(We won) thanks to Allah and the prayers of the whole nation,” Sarfraz said in brief comments as he jostled his way through the crowd of wellwishers.

Senior local officials also turned up to greet the captain before he was whisked away under escort by police commandos along with team-mate Rumman Raees. Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar and Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair greeted the winning captain and also presented the traditional gift of Sindhi Topi and Ajrak.

CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM PAKISTAN

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Fakhar Zaman

Highest runs in tournament Born Batting style Bowling style Role

I

Hasan Ali

10 April 1990 (age 27) Left hand batsman Left arm fast bowler Opening batsman

PAK Vs IND Final

1

R

BF

S/R

4s 6s NO

114 106 107.55 12 3

0

Born in Mardan, where the standard of batsmanship will always be measured by arguably Pakistan’s greatest Test batsman Younis Khan, Fakhar Zaman has been on Pakistan’s thankless domestic circuit for over five years with almost no attention.

A left-handed opener with an unusually high backlift, Zaman relies on timing for his runs, which he’s made plenty of. This is illustrated by his domestic average (42 in first class cricket and 49 in List A). But it wasn’t until the Quaid-e-Azam trophy in 2016-17 that his form began to be noticed.

5

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ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2017

at national level. However, he managed to gain some attention in the 2015 National T20 Cup in where he picked up eight wickets in four matches under the captaincy of Shoaib Malik.

His 17 wickets at 17.05 in the National One-Day cup in 2016 was a key part of him being promoted to the Pakistan side. Peshawar Zalmi head coach Mohammad Akram had

Batting style Bowling style Role

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Elite Claims Solution Specialist in Personal Injury

a PERSONAL INJURY a COURTESY CAR a REPLACEMENT CAR a BLACK CABS a PRIVATE HIRE

been monitoring this process at the domestic circuit and snapped him from the emerging category in Pakistan Super League

Born

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Matches Overs Wickets Best

Highest wicket taker in tournament Hasan Ali is a medium-fast bowler with a simple bowling action and a blend of variations.

He made his first-class debut at the age of 19 and impressive against Lahore Ravi with a four-wicket haul in the first innings.

His career started with club cricket and rose up to the regional Under-16 level but he did not make youth squads

HAD AN ECS ACCIDENT NOT Call Now YOUR FAULT?

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July 2017

7 February 1994 (age 23) Right-hand Right-arm medium-fast Bowler

a PRESTIGE HIRE a LOSS OF EARNINGS a RECOVERY AND STORAGE a SAVING YOUR POLICY EXCESS a OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES

Charity football tournament to help beat heart disease

Football teams required to raise funds for heart research

Gurcharan and Herjinder Bhujhangy from Dudley, West Midlands are organising a 5 a side charity football tournament at Goals, Cakemore Road, Blackheath on Saturday 22 July to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

Teams can enter to take part with a maximum of 7 players per team, adult teams cost £70 and children teams cost £30 and teams must be submitted to Goals, telephone 0121 561 3000 or Gurcharan Bhujhangy on 07762 521584 before 20 July.

This is the fifth time Gurcharan and Herjinder have organised this event, although the second time they have raised money for the BHF. The previous event for the BHF in 2015 raised over £2000 for the charity. He

has supported the BHF since he lost his beloved father, Dalbir Khanpur Bhujhangy, as a result of heart failure in November 2008. His father was part of the legendary Bhujhangy Group, formed in Smethwick in 1967 and appeared in the Guinness World Book of Records for being the pioneers of bhangra music in the UK since 1967. , Gurcharan and Herjinder are also musicians and have organised musical fundraising events for charity and performed for over 30 years with their beloved father Dalbir Khanpur Bhujhangy Group UK. Around 660,000 people across the West Midlands are fighting a daily battle with heart and circulatory disease. Every month these devastating conditions claim the lives

of around 1,180 people in the area.

Donna Stokes, BHF Fundraising Manager for West Midlands and Black Country said: “Heart disease is heartless. Too many lives are lost in the West Midlands each year, and we’re determined to do everything we can to protect more families from this devastation.

“By signing up to take part in this event you can help us fund the research that’s so desperately needed to bring us closer to beating heart disease. Together we can save more lives. It’s also a fantastic way to meet new people and make a real difference in your community!”

For more information about the event, please contact Gurcharan Bhujhangy on 07762 521584.

Accidents are often unexpected and can cause significant distress and financial hardship to victims

CONGRATULATIONS TO PAKISTAN FOR WINNING THE ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY T: 0121 771 2857 | M: 07477 692 606, 07438 156 704 E: enquiries@elite-claims-solutions.com Small Heath Business Park, Unit 4b Talbot Way, Small Heath, Birmingham, B10 0HJ

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Jinder Mahal becomes a WWE Champion

Jinder Mahal becomes LOSE BELLY FAT first Indian WWE Champion, THIS SUMMER! as company tries to capitalise

By Reema Sarin

The most effective way to lose Belly Fat is to combine a healthy belly fat diet with both Cardio and good Abdominal toning exercises.

One needs to reduce ones’ caloric intake, improve the quality of the food in ones’ diet and increases the amount of daily exercise. The greater your calorie deficit, the more body fat you will lose, and the greater the fat burning and Ab toning you do, the more you will firm up your Abdominal muscles.

Follow these simple steps to get that flat Belly: Eat a healthy high fiber diet: A healthy high fiber diet of lowglycemic vegetables, fresh fruits, 100% whole grains, nuts and beans result in you having less abdominal fat. The more fiber you eat, the lower the belly fat. Other nutrients shown to help reduce belly fat are calcium, especially low-fat yogurt, lean protein and essential fatty acids, like fish oil and olive oil.

Do Cardio Exercises: Regular vigorous or moderate cardio exercises, 30 – 40 minutes a day at least 5 days a week, significantly decreases belly fat. Cardio exercises include Jogging / Running, Swimming, using Cardio Gym Machines – Treadmilll, Cross Trainer, Stairmaster, stationary Cycle, playing a high energy sport like Tennis, Squash, and Biking.

Indian Badminton player Kidambi Srikanth, has defeated Badminton Olympic champion Chen Long to win the Australian Open Super Series men’s singles title, in what is his 4th Super Series title.

Srikanth hoisted the trophy to round off a very successful week, after winning the Indonesian counterpart in the Super Series Premier. As he continues his impressive form, building off his infamous victory over his idol, Badminton legend Lin Dan in the 2014 China Open.

His success even drew the attention

Weight Training: Building muscle with weight training and core training exercises increases your metabolism, and hence your fat and calorie-burning activity.

Decrease you calorie intake: Exercise without cutting calories doesn’t create long-term weight loss. The best approach to losing fat is a healthy low-calorie diet combined with exercise to burn off even more calories.

Increase your Water intake: Staying well-hydrated with watr (8-10 glasses per day), as well as with healthy liquids helps detox your body, burn fat and improve digestion, reducing gas and bloating. Drink healthy beverages, like water or herb teas over high-sugar drinks like sodas, fruit juice, alcohol and high calorie lattes.

Get the right amount of sleep: Although exercise is vitally important to your losing belly fat plan, so is sleep and rest. Sleep 8 hours a night, so you wake up fresh to a good exercise regime every morning, which will further motives and help you to work out well .

Reduce Stress: Feeling stressedout can lead to making unhealthy food choices and overeating. Moderate to vigorous and regular exercise is one of the very best ways to both decrease stress hormones and burn extra calories. of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who professed Kidambi had made an entire nation proud. A testament to his rise, where in 2012 he was ranked 240 in the world rankings and within a year was in 13th place.

Sitting now in 11th place, Modi went on to iterate how Srikanth’s success is an example of the increase in India’s youth partaking in sports.

“These days we see that our youth are getting increasingly inclined to the field of sports. It is becoming evident that along with studies, our new generations can see a future in sports

on growing market

It was something that even surprised host Chris Jericho, when it was revealed. Former policeman turned WWE superstar, The Great Khali (real name Dalip Singh) talked about, how despite WWE being a scripted enterprise, fans in India would go to the Temple and pray for him to win.

It was clear that 10 years after first touring in the country, India was seeking a national hero for something that was growing in popularity.

However, despite numerous injuries and broken his English, his shelf life didn’t last long and was subsequently released.

The company has however, increased its marketing activity in the region. Last year teaming with TEN Sports, in releasing television content specifically tailored for the region.

But the biggest breakthrough was this past April, appointing Sheetesh Srivastava as Vice President and General Manager of WWE India, where he will oversee the companies forage into the region even further.

Srivastava is renowned for his

stints at news channel India today, where he launched and established their international sales division, and more recently his work at Walt Disney India. It’s evident, that this is the start of a very aggressive strategy by the company, to monetise from a market that hasn’t yet seen its full potential for them.

Up steps Jinder Mahal, a man released by the company several years ago, but is now atop the company as it’s first ever Indian champion after winning the title last month, to huge shockwaves throughout the world. Finally, the company have a poster boy that has a great grasp of both languages, and with his strict dieting programme, the company can afford to keep him as champion, without the risks Khali posed from an injury standpoint.

Most wrestlers have a shelf like of up to 40 years old , and then begin to wind down from being on the road 300 plus days a year. At only 30, you really do feel the company can rely on his merchandise sales in the region for a very long time.

By Pav Mandair

Sports Correspondent The company has been overly inclined for a long time, to find a poster boy for the Indian market, evidenced by their 2 day try-outs in Dubai featuring several talents from India. These try-outs are where people from the public can perform, hoping to earn a developmental contract.

As WWE noted in a press release, India is of huge value to their global presence, being “it’s single largest contribution to the brand’s massive social media community of 750 million global followers”. To further monetise this, they have even launched WWEShop.in, it’s first online store in the country.

With the huge tour of the country in September, it’s very likely Jinder will be scripted to hold on to the WWE Championship, to fully maximise revenue from the tour.

Undoubtedly, Jinder’s timely return last summer was perfect timing for the company’s insurmountable plans for the region, and the impact it could potentially have on its economy.

Kidambi Srikanth wins Australian Open Super Series

By Pav Mandair

Sports Correspondent

as well. And our sportspersons, through their prowess, skills and accomplishments win laurels for the country as well,” Modi said.

And with Srikanth only 24, he doesn’t only possess Super Series triumphs in his portfolio. He also beat seasoned veteran Parupalli Kashyap in 2013, at the All India Senior National Championships. Srikanth then went on to win gold at the 2016 South Asian games. He is an example of so much success under 25.

Modi went on to encourage more promotion of sports at an academic level, for more people to follow

Srikanth’s success of partaking in sport at youth level, by citing the value of developing sportsmanship as integral to personality development.

“The more we promote sports, the more we see the spirit of sportsmanship. Sports play an important role in personality development also. There is a great significance of sports in overall personality development.”

Hence showing, that with the right conditions and encouragement, the youth of India could potentially achieve so much success on a global scale, with Srikanth being a prime

example.

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t Fi t e G with Avi!

It’s never too late to start your fitness journey. You may be thinking ‘its July now, so what’s the point?’

To that I answer, ‘It’s never too late!’. You may not achieve that bikini body by the end of summer but why not begin working towards your goals. A lot of people make the mistake of deciding they want to get fit for summer by the end of Spring and the pressure is on, this leads to people taking part in ‘fad’ diets or having strict diets which inevitable means they will fail as this does not work! Why not eat well and exercise throughout the year so not only do you work on your body goals but you’re also healthier. I’ve got some more tips to help you on your journey...

Curb your sweet tooth- Cravings after dinner are the worst especially as its ‘dessert time’. To satisfy your sweet tooth without going crazy have fruit. Fruit does contain natural occurring sugars but it’s much better than eating a whole slice of cake! Try sliced apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter. They key is to not deprive yourself so have a delicious desert at the end of the week. I promise you once you cut down on sweet treats and only eat them a couple of times a week, they taste so much better!

Stock up- Keep your kitchen and bag stocked up with healthy foods. You come home from work one day starving or when you’re out and about hunger hits, if you have a healthy snack to hand its much better to eat that than go for the biscuits. Always keep foods like nuts, low fat greek yogurt, peanut butter even a banana around.

Workout buddy- its always a good motivator to have someone to workout with. However you must ensure that person is on the same page as you. If you buddy likes to workout to socialize then its best you find someone new!

Music for the soul- A very simple one but workout to music that you LOVE. Honestly working out will be so much more fun. Download music on your phone or you could just use You Tube.

Eat five meals- it sounds like a lot but it really isn’t. Eat three meals and two snacks. One snack between breakfast and lunch (banana, peanut butter on rice cakes) and one between lunch and dinner (nuts, greek yogurt). Eating five meals stabilises your blood sugar.

Limit your drinks- Of course Drink as much water as you like! However cut down on juices, vanilla lattes and fizzy drinks. Don’t think you can drink as many diet drinks as you want because although they don’t contain sugar, the sweeteners psychologically prepare you for something sweet but there are no calories to consumer, which can lead to cravings.

Avi Samra Check out myWebsite: www.happybehealthy.co.uk Email: info@happybehealthy.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/happybehealthyuk Instagram: @happybehealthy Twitter: @happybehealthy

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Anil Kumble steps down as India Cricket team Coach

Nearly a year to the today of his appointment, this is contrary to the chief of the COA, Vinod Rai’s declaration that Kumble, would continue in charge ahead of the upcoming series with West Indies.

Numerous reasons have been cited for his departure, ranging from a rift with captain Virat Kohli, or his management style being deemed too “intimidating” by other team members. But the straw that may have broken the camel’s back may have been Sunday’s loss to Pakistan.

His reign was notable series wins over New Zealand and England, as well as a Test series win over the West Indies. However on May 25th, the BCCI initiated their receptiveness for other options, by inviting applications for the head coaches role, but now the search is wide open now Kumble has left.

MV Sidhar will take charge for the upcoming series with the West Indies, while it’s believed Kumble stayed in London Monday night, to attend the ICC’s Chief Executives Committee meeting.

Virender Sehwag and Tom Moody are among several candidates who threw their hat in the ring by the May 31st deadline, and with the position now vacant, it leads to very interesting times ahead as the search for a new coach intensifies.

By Pav Mandair

Sports Correspondent

Following the Champions trophy, Anil Kumble has stepped down as coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.

ICC Women’s World Cup: Bisht shines as India beat Pakistan by 95 runs to post third successive victory

Left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht came to the fore with a stellar show as India crushed arch-rivals Pakistan by 95 runs in a low-scoring encounter to record their third successive victory in the ICC Women’s World Cup .

After a couple of impressive outings by the batswomen, it was the turn of Bisht (10-2-185) and Co. to defend a meagre total of 169, skittling the opposition out for a lowly 74 in 38.1 overs.

India now have six points from three games and are at the top of the table. It was a sweet revenge for the Indian eves, who were beaten at home when the two teams met in the ICC World T20 in Delhi, last year.

What looked like a sub-par score turned out to be a challenging one for Pakistani batters, who have never successfully chased more than 134 in a 50-over World Cup game.

They were all at sea against Ekta’s arm balls. She removed Ayesha Zafar (1), Sidra Nawaz (0) and Iram Javed (0) in her first four overs to wreak havoc.

All three deliveries were almost identical where the batters played for the turn but it didn’t turn much after pitching. She later came back to get a couple of wickets more.

Pakistan never recovered from that setback.

Seamers Jhulan Goswami (1/12 in 5 overs) and young Mansi Joshi (2/9 in 6.1 overs) were also on target. Deepti Sharma (1/21) and Harmanpreet Kaur (1/6) were economical as

all the batswomen struggled to get going.

Opener Nahida Khan (23 off 62 balls) and skipper Sana Mir (29) were the only ones to reach double figures for Pakistan.

Indian skipper Mithali Raj praised Ekta for her performance.

“I am proud of Ekta’s performance.

Whenever she has been handed the new ball, she has performed. There were some anxious moments when we lost the top-order (while batting). The partnership between Sushma Verma and Jhulan Goswami towards the end was also important. When we got to a total of 169, I knew that if we could bowl well, it could be anybody’s game,” said Mithali.

Man-of-the-Match Ekta said: “The plan was to pile on dot balls, because we were confident of the target we set.”

She said that she never had any problems bowling with the new ball.

“I don’t face much of a problem bowling with the new ball. The track spun more than it had during our game against England.

Irrespective of how the pitch is, my job is to bowl and take wickets and I hope I can continue doing that for my team.”

Earlier, Indian batters had a disappointing

day as they could only manage a paltry 169 for 9 after electing to bat.

The Indian innings never gained momentum in their innings once in-form Smriti Mandhana (2) was dismissed cheaply. Worse, skipper Raj (8) and her deputy Harmanpreet Kaur (10) could not also score too many runs, making it difficult for the other players to accelerate.

Opener Punam Raut (48) consumed 72 balls while Deepti Sharma fared no better playing 63 balls for a sedate 28.

It was keeper Sushma Verma (33 off 35 balls), who used the long handle to get the team near 170-run mark.

One of the main reasons for India not being able to get past 200-run mark was because of a very slow fifth wicket partnership between Mona Meshram (6, 35 balls) and Harmanpreet (10, 23 balls). They were together for 8 overs (between 26.3 and 34.3) which yielded only 13 runs.

While Harmanpreet was finding it difficult to hit big as she is playing with a finger injury, Meshram just could not pick the singles.

This was the time when Pakistan’s spinners were in operation.

60

July 2017

www.asianworldnews.co.uk

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Pakistan’s Muhammad Sajjad

wins snooker championship Pakistan’s Muhammad Sajjad won the Asian 6-Red Snooker Championship in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Thirty-one-year-old Sajjad defeated Hong Kong’s Lee Chun Wai 7-0 in the final. The referee of the match was Wang Wai. Sajjad had qualified for the final after beating another Pakistani player, Mohammad Bilal, 6-3 in the semifinals.

Interestingly, Bilal had defeated Indian snooker champion Pankaj Advani 2-6 in the quarterfinals and eliminated him from the competition.

Pakistan sent four snookers players for the tournament; Muhammad Sajjad, Mohammad Bilal, Asjad Iqbal and Babar Masih.

Sajjad had knocked out all his Pakistani counterparts, having defeated Masih and Iqbal in the quarter-finals and round-of-16 respectively, and he further highlighted why many consider him one of the finest amateur snooker

players around with a dominating win in the final.

The national champion had said he would draw inspiration of the cricket team’s ICC Champions Trophy win, and he returned just as triumphant as the cricketers.

This is the second time a Pakistani has won the Asian 6 Red Snooker Championship individual title, with Muhammad Asif having done so in 2013 at the inaugural event.

The Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association official Naveed Kapadia revealed Sajjad is understandably proud of his feat.

“This is the best result we could have hoped for and Sajjad is over the moon right now,” Kapadia told The Express Tribune. “He was just saying that the draws were tricky as all the four players had to go through each other, which meant an all-Pakistan was not possible.

“This is a great performance by us.

This has been a good year for snooker; we got a bronze in the Asian junior championship, a bronze in the Asian Snooker Championship through Bilal and now these two medals.”

Pakistan will now compete in the team event, taking on Saudi Arabia in the opening game on Monday and Kapadia is confident for that one too.

“We have a great chance of winning the team event as well,” he said. “The morale of the players is very high right now and they are in great form, so we are hoping for the best.”

The Kyrgyz Snooker Federation (KSF) is hosting the ACBS 6-Reds and Teams Championship for the first time.

The competition, which started on June 28, will continue till July 5.

A total of 38 players from Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and United Arab Emirates participated in the tournament.