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1 - 7 MAY 2021 - VOL 50 ISSUE 1

WE STAND WITH YOU

What Britain can learn from George Floyd’s verdict

Diaspora has come forward to offer every possible help as the situation worsens in India

SEE PAGE - 9

Shefali Saxena The UK’s Indian community, worried for their friends and family in India, has (or have?) come forward to help the world’s worst hit country fight it’s Covid-19 battle, by raising more than £100,000 within hours.

A GoFundMe appeal set up

by Amit Kachroo and two others to supply India with oxygen concentrators had by Sunday night reached £1,00,000 from just 1800 Continued on page 6 donors.

Post Office Scandal: Who will take responsibility of the “biggest miscarriage of justice”?

SEE PAGE - 14

PM Modi instructs officials to work closely with state governments SEE PAGE - 26

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1 - 7 May 2021

with Keith Vaz

Dr Linia Patel Dr Linia Patel was born and raised in Zambia.

Growing up she wanted to be a vet, however her path led her to being a passionate Dietitian. She trained as a dietitian in Capetown, South Africa.

On graduating she moved to London to pursue a Master’s in Public Nutrition in London, where after she began her career.

Linia has worked in a number of nutrition settings include sports nutrition, corporate wellness, public health and in the media. With PhD in Public health and over 100 published articles on diet and health, Linia has a strong grounding in nutrition science. Her passion is translating science into easy to digest and practical advice.

She is a British Dietetic Association Spokesperson and is regularly seen appearing on national TV and being quoted in the press. She is an active being and loves socialising over good food.

Which place, or city or country do get to where I am now. There is power you most feel at home in? in consistency.

Having lived in Zambia, South What is the best aspect about Africa, UK, and Italy it’s hard to call your current role? one place home. I make home the I get to help make a difference in place where I am currently living. people's lives. What an honour!

What are your proudest And the worst? achievements?

I cannot single out one particular There is no worst aspect. I am achievement. Life is a journey. I proud very blessed to be in a job that I am of how far I have come, I am embracing passionate about. the present and look forward to what What are your long-term goals? the future has in store. My best days are ahead of me!

To be the fullest expression of What inspires you? myself on every level. To play my part in building a healthier world.

People who live with purpose.

If you were Prime Minister, what What has been biggest obstacle in one aspect would you change? your career?

Obligatory kindness! We need As health professionals we are not more kindness in this world. trained to have a business mindset. I However, I am particularly passionhave been a freelance Nutrition conate about health inequalities, so I sultant for 10 years now. It has been a would ensure that at the core all pubsteep learning curve. lic health interventions implemented Who has been the biggest influence effectively addressed the disparities. on your career to date?

If you were marooned on a I am fortunate to have had several desert island, which historical inspiring role models and wonderful figure would you like to spend your mentors throughout my career. My time with and why? mother instilled an incredible work Jesus! It would be wonderful to ethic in my brother and I as children, have water turned into wine, or even which has served me well over the pina colada's if we are on an island! years. It has taken consistent work to

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Circumstances surrounding Anand Parmar's death expected to be the subject of trial at Leicester Crown Court Leicester based 47 year old Anand Vijay Parmar, was declared dead when he was rushed to the Queen's Medical Centre with serious injuries in a car in Brighton Road in Leicester on April 12, 2021.

The latest reports suggest that the circumstances surrounding Anand Parmar's death are expected to be the subject of a trial at Leicester Crown Court later this year.

Detective Inspector Kenny Henry who has been investigating the case of discovery of the 47-year-old has given some evidence.

“In the early hours of April 12, police had been following a Vauxhall Astra in Brighton Road, Humberstone, Leicester, that they believed to be stolen.

When the driver stopped, got out of the car and fled, the police gave chase on foot, not realising at the time that Mr Parmar was badly injured in the boot of the vehicle,” Leicester Mercury reported.

Det Insp Henry said: "Shortly before 3am on Monday, 12 April, uniformed colleagues became suspicious of a vehicle being driven erratically in the area of Brighton Road. They followed the vehicle, which entered a dead-end

Anand Vijay Parmar

road. The driver got out of the car and ran off from the vehicle. They gave chase. The driver was located in a garden, trying to hide from the police. He was arrested on suspicion of theft and returned to the vehicle. On opening the vehicle they saw in the boot who we now know to be Mr Parmar. He was naked but for his underpants and suffering injuries, and was unconscious. An ambulance was called and Mr Parmar was conveyed to Queen's Medical Centre. Sadly, Mr Parmar never regained consciousness and, despite their best efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at 8.19am."

Det Insp Henry also explained that three men have been charged with murder in connection with the case, and appeared at Leicester Crown

Court. The provisional trial date is December 6.

He also said that forensic pathologist Professor Guy Rutty had performed a post mortem examination, but was still awaiting the results of some toxicological tests and was therefore not yet unable to give a cause of death.

22 year old Jeffrey Carew of Leicester was arrested by the police in the Gwent area of Wales on April 15. He is the fourth man to be charged with the murder of Anand Parmar who was found breathing his last in a car by the police. A 34 year old woman has also been taken into custody under the "suspicion of assisting an offender".

He has been charged with possession with intent to supply a class A drug and assault by beating – which relates to a different victim. Earlier, Jurrat Khan, 25, of Wakerley Road, Evington, and Renaldo Baptiste, 34, of Marsh Close, Thurmaston, were charged with Parmar's murder.

Due to the current Covid19 situation, the family had requested the members of the community to not visit their residence and keep them in their prayers.

44 year old Spanish woman breaks into the Duke of York's residence A woman who claimed to be engaged to the Duke of York was mistakenly allowed inside his official residence, causing a massive security scare at Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park, on Monday. She said that she had a lunch meeting with Prince Andrew.

“She spent 20 minutes walking in the gardens before

she went into the Grade II listed building, where Andrew was at home,” The Times reported.

The 44 year old Spanish woman was caught in time in the lobby and perhaps arrived in Britain on Saturday, the day of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral. Police arrested her on suspicion of burglary and she was later sectioned under the Mental Health Act. A

source told The Sun: “She cut quite a glamorous figure and the guards were completely taken in. They had no idea this woman was a total stranger to Andrew and seemingly had a fix a tion.”

She also had maps of the royal residences, including Buckingham Palace in her hand bag, along with a key ring with two sharp prongs.

British Indians raise their concerns to Parliament A recently released Covid study has suggested that one in five British Indians would give their vaccine to those who are more vulnerable, including those in India amidst the dire context. British Indians want the UK Government to provide more medical equipment and not enforce patents on life-saving medicines. British Indians are organising to send resources to India including money, medical supplies, and human assistance The Indo-British All-Party Parliamentary Group hosted The 1928 Institute, a thinktank led by academics from the University of Oxford, to brief on the Covid-19 crisis in India. The group presented to Parliamentarians on: i) Public health data: infection and death rate projections ii) UK assistance: what the Government is going and what British Indians are doing

iii) Impact on British Indians: emotional distress yet comradery is developing iv) British Indian plight: call for collaboration and assistance The group used data from their seminal Covid Report which was published earlier this year to inform parliamentarians. The group also highlighted that British Indians may go to India to assist their relatives, many of whom are elderly.

Virendra Sharma, Chair of the Indo-British APPG said, "Good policy making requires clear knowledge and understanding. The Indian diaspora in the UK is a rich tapestry committed to the best for society, but the government and policy makers are letting them down with outdated and blanket assumptions. This report can fix that."

Baroness Verma, Chair of UN Women (UK) said, ‘‘British Indians are organising to support organisations and community groups to ensure they can send as much help and assistance to the people of India, where many have strong family ties. Not only is it our moral obligation to assist our close friend, India, but swift action may also mitigate the chance of Covid-19 strains permeating their way to our shores.”

Kiran Kaur Manku, an academic at the University of Oxford and co-founder of the 1928 Institute said, “The Government needs to act immediately and provide resources such as oxygen cylinders and concentrators.

It is imperative that any UK assistance is inclusive and appropriate, and many British Indian organisations are on hand to collaborate.”

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1 - 7 May 2021

Have faith in faith If we all review the year gone by, what do you think has kept us alive despite all the unfathomable odds? The answer is - faith.

Faith is also the evidence of a powerful conviction, the assurance, the belief that things will get better. What faith inevitably requires is “vulnerability”. Religious leaders and spiritual gurus bear the responsibility to make sure that the said vulnerability isn’t exploited.

Of late we’ve read accounts of spiritual leaders in the UK diaspora and in the community back home, who have allegedly exploited men and women, not just in the name of donations and offerings, but in the form of physical violence and sexual misconduct. No faith propagates or validates this malpractice.

While it is easy to disassociate these alleged names from a particular faith, when people go through tough times, they surrender to faith.

In an opinion piece right after the Tablighi Jamaat was in news last year in India for assembling in large numbers amid rising cases at the start of the pandemic, Bismee Taskin wrote in ThePrint, “We need to understand that speaking against a wrong committed by an orthodox religious group from a particular religious community doesn’t mean you’re stereotyping them.”

A similar situation surfaced in Pakistan where a report mentioned that “it is little surprise that, when confronted by religious radicals, the authorities struggle to face them down.”

In a recent uproar when Indian PM Modi and the courts had to intervene to stop the ongoing assembly of more than 2.8m Hindus in the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar in India, the approach was stern, but it came as an appeal to the servitors, not as a threat, because somewhere the leaders knew that it was faith that was helping people navigate through the pandemic.

In his address to the nation amid the rising Covid crisis, Modi categorically said that Islam teaches discipline, and the month of Ramadan is a testimony to that. Yet, one has to note that Islam doesn’t force anyone to fast during Ramadan, because faith is always kind.

Which is why faith and religion are meant to be the society’s safe place.

However, acceptance is still an alien word when it comes to ethnic minorities across the globe. According to data released in 2019, 12.2% of Americans are Blacks, and 5.6% are Asians.

Yet, even after suffering for more than 100 years, it is difficult to reflect whether one should be happy about George Floyd’s verdict or sad that we’ve just begun, and this is one in a billion cases.

Why is it that most Black and Asian prisoners across the world serve a longer term in jail or pay heavily for their crimes (some of which they never committed) as compared to their white counterparts?

Why is it that a Derek Chauvin sentence for a murder may not be as brutal as it would be to a person of colour if compared to a 21 year old Shamima Begum who was all of 15 when when she left for Syria to join the Islamic State (ISIS), could not return to Britain to challenge the government's stripping of her citizenship at the age of 21?

Mahatma Gandhi cleaned toilets to dignify the work of the sweepers and persuaded upper castes to change their heart and give up the sin of untouchability. He said, "In my opinion, untouchability is a blot on humanity and therefore upon Hinduism. It cannot stand the test of reason.”

Many dalit men and women are not allowed to enter temples because they clean toilets, pick garbage and eat meat. Recently an IIT Kharagpur professor abused students from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe in a viral video that broke the internet.

Sometimes, when professional gurus fail, spiritual gurus come to rescue. Breaking the stereotype, a Hindu priest from a temple in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad made headlines for carrying a Dalit (formerly known as untouchable) man on his shoulders into the temple's inner sanctum.

In 2021, there are short films that showcase the discrimination towards Dalits and how a small cup of tea for them comes in a glass of steel, not bone-China. It is a matter of access, opportunity and acceptance within the society, not caliber, where faith leaders have a pivotal role to play.

During the pandemic, faiths leaders have converted places of worship into vaccination centres, make-shift hospitals, given out free food and shelter to everyone in need.

When the Asian troops that weren’t commemorated by the British in World War I were on the verge of dying, their utmost request was not about being cremated according to the laws of their religion, but to be remembered and not forgotten. That’s what faith stands for. Inclusion, acceptance and remembrance.

Greatest crisis to hit India The SOS calls emanating from hospitals is the greatest crisis to hit India in decades. And we need urgent public action to mitigate the extremely stressful conditions that healthcare workers in cities and villages across India are toiling under. In Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and other places, hospitals are running out of medical oxygen, hospital beds and even lifesaving drugs. Already, too many patients have died across cities because of inadequate oxygen. Helpless healthcare workers, patients and their families could do with greater assistance from governments. The governments and local bodies should take over the task of finding ICU beds, oxygen supply and medicines instead of forcing patients and their families to perform this onerous task, when their reserves of resilience are at the lowest ebb. Reports abound of desperate patients fruitlessly visiting countless hospitals, oxygen refuelling centres and pharmacies. States that find themselves swamped need to belatedly replicate the Tamil Nadu and Kerala models that neatly segregate Covid patients based on disease severity and offer them appropriate public healthcare facilities. Eventhough there were warning of a second wave, India has not taken steps to battle the pandemic of such proportion and nobody ever thought that the situation could get this worse. Now that the Central and state governments are more alert to the needs and are jointly fighting the grim battle.

More field hospitals are needed. Hospitals are convergence zones for treatments, testing and vaccination. With demand for all three services peaking concurrently, the net result is that hospitals are unable to scale up each function with healthcare workers unable to deal with the crowds thronging hospitals. Freeing up hospitals to focus on critical care requires field hospitals for those needing just oxygen supply.

Makeshift first-line treatment centres and isolation centres can help those with moderate and mild symptoms and others without facilities for home care. Segregating vaccination and testing sites too will give much-needed elbow room to embattled healthcare workers.

Their finite supply and the exploding number of care seekers leave no option but tapping NGOs, that much harried voluntary sector which valiantly fills up the gaping holes in the social safety nets that governments leave behind. Union home ministry’s FCRA amendments have choked many NGOs but in the hour of crisis they have stood up to be counted, delivering everything from oxygen cylinders to running ambulances and food kitchens. Their manacles need loosening. With thousands of lives lost and many more hanging in the balance, accountability cannot be evaded for governance failures that exacerbated the second wave. Even if there is too much other work to do today, those who failed the people must be identified and chastened. Indian army is doing an excellent job by opening more field hospitals to treat the general public. Now

that the Western countries are coming forward to offer muchneed help to India in enhancing oxygen supply and medicines and even vaccines is a welcome step.

The only way now to arrest the spread of the pandemic is vaccinating all adults as rapidly as possible. But even as Covid cases are skyrocketing in India, just over 8% of the population has been administered the first dose. In other words, too few of us have been inoculated to have an effective impact on the infection spread in this deadly second wave. Taking the longterm view, vaccinating more people from now on will prevent third or fourth waves. Widespread vaccination is the only Covid endgame in humanity’s arsenal. In countries with advanced vaccination programmes, covered populations are showing lower hospitalisation and death while these have increased among those still awaiting shots. In the UK, hospital admissions have fallen faster in older age groups. In the US too, hospitalisation rate is declining in older groups vaccinated more even as it is rising among younger adults. Given lower immunity among elderly persons, vaccination’s impact is evident in the above phenomenon. But until everyone is vaccinated, inoculation is no individual passport to freedom.

Experts are unanimous that until a society can declare herd immunity, all the pre-vaccination Covid appropriate behaviours like masking must continue.

Vaccine developers will have their work cut out to ensure their vaccines keep up with variant strains. ICMR needs to invest in large nationwide sequencing studies to determine which vaccines work best against prevailing variants. Indeed the battle between vaccines and variants is likely to be long and hard and for humanity’s sake the former must win. Let us invest in many vaccines from every reliable source possible so that no Indian goes without vaccination. Despite the data, communication is critical: Too many scare stories are propagating on social media of inoculated people still getting infected. In this alarmist feeding frenzy the exception, not the 99.96% norm, can get amplified. Covaxin’s interim data of 78% overall efficacy and 100% efficacy against severe Covid disease is encouraging. Instead of political haggling over vaccine prices, iron out the many bottlenecks that have eroded India’s vaccine throughput. Manufacture more, import fast. Also spare a thought for 40% of the population, below 18, not figuring in the vaccine discourse.

Now let us face the reality and there is no point in crying or blaming anyone for this situation. Now that the government, health workers and even the Army have joined hands control the situation. Even we are getting help other countries to fight the situation. They have promised to supply essential materials and even financial assistance. Now the joint effort is showing positive results and we will be able to win the battle soon.

“Believe you can and you’re half way there.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

Alpesh Patel

Growing UK India Relations at a Time of Need The tragic shortage of Oxygen in India has made clear through messages from the Foreign Office and Prime Minister’s Office just how much they consider India a friend. They’ve moved fast. It’s been genuine.

No one wants to see images of India that have been headline news. But images are not what matter. No one wants to come from a poor country. But we do and we have been humbled. But that’s not what matters right now. What matters is the work of the likes of the British Asian Trust, GoDharmic, Sewa among many to raise funds for the many in need, in co-ordination with local groups, official channels and at zero to near zero cost.

The Indian diaspora in the US needs to do more and push harder – especially on the release to India of Astra Zeneca vaccines stockpiled there. They are 4 times larger than the UK and the Indian CEOs like the heads of Mastercard and Microsoft can pick up the phone to the President the way UK Indian CEOs would be wary of doing in the UK after the Cameron affair.

Despite the COVID-19 crisis scuppering the UK prime minister's planned visit to India this April, Boris Johnson and India's prime minister Narendra Modi are determined to keep discussions on track. 'Roadmap 2030' will see the two countries agree on re-energised India-UK relations in investment, trade, technology and security.

This hour of need could push both countries closer together.

Previous False Starts in Relations For India, the UK's reluctance to allow access to student visas proved a stumbling block in relations that were further thawed by Britain’s perceived softness on Pakistansponsored terrorism and London's intentions to make China a crucial part of their post-Brexit strategies.

A New Hope However, these perceptions have been altered as Britain has gotten tougher on both Pakistan and China and changed its post-study work rule for international students. All of this has laid the foundation for a potentially productive relationship between the two countries. For UK businesses, India presents a significant opportunity. India has a population of 1.3bn, ten per cent of whom are English speaking. With the incredible potential for further financial growth, this is precisely the type of opportunity the UK needs to make the economy a success post-Brexit.

Currently, trade between the two countries has plenty of room to grow: India is only the UK's 6th biggest non-EU trading partner. Indeed, with India set to loosen its protectionist policies, including increasing foreign stakeholder allowance from 49pc to 74 per cent, this represents exciting news for the UK's biggest export: professional and financial services.

As detailed in the Telegraph, the UK's ailing Food & Beverages market can significantly benefit India's vast appetite for Scotch whisky. Exports have tripled over the last twelve years, and reducing the 150% tariff will surely be a point of conversation amongst negotiators.

Additionally, India's transformation into a developed economy means banking, fintech, and education are all sectors that would greatly benefit from close international alignment.

A Positive, Mutually Beneficial Future As the UK positions its economy post-Brexit, the relationship with a blooming liberal democracy and economic powerhouse is vital. With India a big part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and two of the biggest names in Boris Johnson's cabinet (Rishi Sunak and Priti Patel) being of Indian heritage, now could present a golden opportunity for both countries to cement beneficial ties in trade and diplomacy – especially as the virus has forced them closer due to vaccine partnerships and India’s oxygen needs.

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4 LOCAL ELECTIONS 2021

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Sadiq Khan: “My opponent simply does not share London’s values” Shefali Saxena Ahead of the London Mayoral Elections 2021, Asian Voice spoke to Labour party candidate and Mayor of London, Mr Sadiq Khan about the recent election survey polls, his relationship with the Indian diaspora, bringing IPL to London, his priorities if he wins this election, and his thoughts on his opponent, Shaun Bailey. Here are a few edited excerpts from the Q&A. Q - You are a senior Labour Party member and the party is believed to have moved away from the Indian diaspora. If you had a choice/chance, how would you bring them back to the fold?

Labour is the party of aspiration, and it is the party that allowed the son of an immigrant bus driver and seamstress to become Mayor of the greatest city in the world. As long as I am a Labour politician I will ensure our party never neglects any of the communities which have helped shape it.

I have always been a Mayor for all Londoners, and the genuine love and affection I feel from the Indian community is humbling. When I visited India the reception I received was nothing short of overwhelming and whenever I visit a mandir here in London, there are people who say they are praying for me; this is the beauty of our city.

As Mayor, I will always stand up for the issues that British Indians care about, from standing up for businesses both big and small, to supporting our NHS and frontline heroes as well as ending the Government’s hostile environment which has caused so much distress to many of our communities.

We need a Mayor in City Hall who will celebrate our Indian diaspora, not someone who believes that multiculturalism would turn London into a ‘crime-riddled cesspool’ and that accommodating Hindus and

Muslims ‘robs Britain of its community', as the Tory candidate has said in the past.

Q – You’re considered to be on a path to a big win with a landslide victory in the upcoming elections. Do the results of the recent survey conducted in London resonate with your priorities?

This is an election like no other - taking place during a global pandemic, and we really need Londoners to turn out and vote - by post or socially distanced in person. The Mayoral election on May 6 is a two-horse race between me and the Tory candidate. If you don’t vote, or back any candidate other than me, you only make it more likely that the Tories will win.

Like many others, I have been inspired by the selfless work of our frontline NHS workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

They are a credit to London and to our nation and we must acknowledge the huge debt we owe them. That’s why I am committed to backing NHS staff and other key workers to be first in the queue for the thousands of new genuinely affordable homes being built across London.

I will also lay the groundwork for fixing the housing crisis once and for all. That's why I am focusing on building on my record delivery of council homes that Londoners can actually afford, rather than luxury penthouse apartments the Tories always prioritise. I will continue to campaign for the rent controls for London’s 2.4 million private renters, and create a City Hall developer so that the GLA will become a direct home builder and help deliver new genuinely affordable housing for Londoners at pace.

Keeping Londoners safe is a top priority and every life lost to violent crime is a senseless tragedy. I’m determined to be tough on crime and its causes. I have invested more than £1bn in crime prevention in our capital – more than any other London Mayor.

Q - Shaun Bailey has said, “Everyone except Sadiq Khan knows that rising crime is the biggest challenge facing London.” How would you like to respond to him?

The Tory candidate truly believes

Londoners have forgotten that he was the Government’s Youth and Crime advisor and personally presided over more than £850m in cuts to London’s budget for policing and preventative services. It is these cuts – the direct consequence of more than a decade of austerity - that have caused the rise in violent crime nationwide since 2013.

In stark contrast, I have prioritised neighbourhood policing and managed to deliver on my promise of an extra dedicated officer in every ward in London. I have gone further than any other Mayor in adopting a public health approach to this urgent issue which is tough on crime, but also on the complex causes of crime by working to reduce school exclusions and giving young people constructive things to do.

Unlike the Tory candidate, I have a track record of actually investing in our police – more than £1bn to date – more than any other Mayor, and putting more officers on our streets using every lever in my power to do so.

I refuse to be complacent, but we are seeing key indicators of crime reducing including the number of victims of knife crime with injury under 25 falling by more than a quarter before the pandemic.

Q- It is being said that the 'lack of opposition' is a clear reason why you're going to lead the elections. Do you feel Shaun Bailey is not a worthy opponent?

The Mayoral election on 6 May is a twohorse race between me - who will always up for London - and the Conservative candidate – who is always talking London down. It is the only poll I am concerned about.

Boris Johnson’s candidate is not only clueless about what the role of Mayor entails, he has repeatedly lied to Londoners.

He has lied to Londoners about TfL finances, police funding, council tax and the Congestion Charge. He’s continued spreading fake news even after being proved definitively wrong. He’s on a personal mission to run a more dishonest campaign than Zac Goldsmith did in 2016 and to bring Trumpstyle fake news to London.

My opponent simply does not share London’s values. He’s said terrible things about women, girls, working class communities and multiculturalism including the celebration of unifying festivals like Diwali.

I truly believe that our best days lie ahead and have a vision for building a better, fairer and safe city, that’s why a vote for Labour is a vote for London and a brighter future.

Q - While as an idea IPL sounds really exciting, do you think London is fully equipped to adapt to the new normal (which means being a part of large crowds and gatherings) once the vaccination drive is over?

The absence of live crowds at elite competitions has been hard for many sport-loving Londoners but I know we can build a better, more open and prosperous city after the pandemic and see our capital rise to become the undisputed home of global sport.

The IPL is now considered amongst the foremost sports leagues in the world. In my first term I brought Major League Baseball to London for the first time with the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. I also extended the deal with the NFL to guarantee two matches a year in London for the next decade. London hosts the world’s biggest leagues, and the IPL would have a natural home here.

Bringing international superstars like MS Dhoni and Virat Kholi to London will underscore our city’s status as the undisputed sporting capital of the world – a city that can provide a home crowd to every country.

It will boost tourism and generate muchneeded revenue to help get our capital back on its feet.

Also, given the vast popularity of IPL with our diaspora communities, hosting matches in London would likely attract further Indian investment to our city. It would help build extended ties between our economies and encourage the development of strong and lasting trade and cultural links between London and one of the world’s fastest growing economies – delivering jobs and opportunities for all Londoners.

Conservative Mayor said £277 million had been spent during 2020/2021 and that he was looking to bring that investment to more than £500 million a year.

Shaun Bailey said, ”Sadiq Khan has failed to deliver. Under Sadiq Khan, we've seen record levels of crime. We've seen council tax bills hiked. And of course, we've seen no delivery on housing.”

Shaun Bailey Sadiq Khan Meanwhile, London The local elections will take place on May 6, defending 2,052 seats, Labour is defending survey showed that Khan was still on track electoral candidate Luisa 2021 where 143 councillors will be elected 1,621. to take over City Hall again when second Porritt (Lib Dem, across England. About 48 million people 24 county councils, 28 unitary authoripreference votes are taken into account. youngest of the mayoral will be eligible to vote candidates into more ties, 35 metropolitan boroughs and 62 disThe poll puts the main candidates on: Sadiq challengers) wants to than 5,000 positions of power in county trict councils are up for election. A record Khan, Labour : 40 %, Shaun Bailey, expose Sadiq Khan’s councils, district councils and unitary 20 candidates are standing in the postponed Conservative : 28%. ‘dirty little secret’. Luisa Niko Omilana authorities. While the Conservatives are May 6th election. Nominations were closed Shaun Bailey has been lagging behind in has said that Khan’s on March 30 with candidates most of the opinion polls. The online survey “102-page manifesto makes no mention of needing the signatures of 66 of more than 1,000 the Silvertown tunnel, she points out. Nor voters - two from each of the adult Londoners was did his 82-page manifesto in 2016.”

32 London boroughs plus the carried out between 23 year old YouTube prankster Niko MORTGAGES INSURANCE City of London.

April 13th and April Omilana who has 3.4 million YouTube sub• Residential • Life & Critical ITV News London poll 19th. West Midlands scribers is hilariously set to deny Sadiq Khan • Buy to Let • Private Medical reported that there was a narMayor Andy Street has landslide victory in the London mayoral • Remortgages • Income Protection row gap between Tory chalpledged to double the race. He is the second most popular candi• Ltd Co Mortgages • Professional Indemnity lenger Shaun Bailey and amount invested into date after Mr Khan among the 18-24 age Luisa Porritt • Public Liability Labour's Sadiq Khan for transport in the region group, where 19 per cent say they are preMayoral elections 2021. by securing more pared to give him their vote.

No fees charged from customers However, Savanta ComRes Government funding if re-elected. The London’s challenger party candidates Can speak Gujarati/Hindi/English gathered at US&Co in EC3 to Poll Question Sadiq Khan Shaun Bailey Sanjiv Nanavati, CeMAP, M.B.A present their competing visions (Labour) (Conservative) Mortgage & Insurance Adviser for London. The drama of the Which London mayoral candidate shows the 36% 22% night was provided by 07970 265 748 best leadership qualities?

Extinction Rebellion’s cosanjiv@srfsmortgages.co.uk Who best represents the interests of London?

35% 23% founder Roger Hallam, who Who is most likely to keep you/your family safe?

33% 23% Harrow Business Centre, 429-433 Pinner Road, Harrow HA1 4HN walked out halfway through the Who is best placed to lead a Covid recovery for London?

34% 21% SRFS Mortgages Ltd is authorised & regulated by the event, protesting that, “...soundWho would work best alongside the UK government?

31% 30% Financial Conduct Authority (No. 839035) bites lead to mass death.”

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up your payments on any mortgage secured on it.

LOCAL COUNCIL

ELECTIONS 2021

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VOTE FOR KRUPESH HIRANI TO BE THE NEXT LONDON ASSEMBLY MEMBER FOR BRENT AND HARROW

Krupesh Hirani has served as a Brent Councillor since 2010 and is stepping up to become the next London A ss e m b l y M e m b e r f o r B r e n t a n d H a r r o w a t t h e London elections on 6th May. He has lived in Brent all of his life and has worked and volunteered in Harrow for over 20 years.

He is a practising Hindu and these values form a core part of how he views life and intends to serve his residents as the London Assembly Member for the area.

He recently became a father and is passionate

about making sure his daughter’s generation enjoys the same, if not better, opportunities to succeed than he and his family have had.

Krupesh places a significant importance on young people and our future generation.

They are a group that have been significantly let down in recent years.

With the rise in tuition fees, the debacle over A- levels and GCSE exam gradings and the lack of jobs and opportunities available for young people —Krupesh is keen to support and uplift our future leaders.

If elected as the London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow, Krupesh will set up Brent and Harrow’s first ever Young People’s Steering Group. The Group will aim to bring the decision making process closer to young people in the area.

Krupesh has personally reached out to organisations in Brent and Harrow to speak about this initiative and will work with Mandirs to make sure that young Hindus and Jains are represented in the group.

He will make positive strides to unite, support and bring communities together — rather than dividing them against each other.

2021 1 - 7 May 2021

5

USE ALL 3 VOTES FOR LABOUR ON MAY 6TH At the London elections, you will receive three ballots on the day.

One for the Mayor of London, one for the London Assembly constituency where you live and one for the London Assembly List.

Use all three votes for Labour on 6th May for a safer, fairer, greener recovery for London.

Vote for Krupesh Hirani in Brent and Harrow.

Vote Sadiq Khan to be the Mayor of London

Vote Labour Party for the London Assembly List

Navin Shah: Proud to endorse Krupesh to be our next London Assembly Member

Krupesh Hirani - a true champion for the community Krupesh has a strong track record of supporting our community organisations as a Councillor in Brent.

He personally spoke up for the Willesden Temple planning application to upgrade their facilities and develop a new housing and care service for elderly people in the community.

His father is a former trustee of the Stanmore Swaminarayan Temple and has regularly volunteered at the Mandir.

He was instrumental in ensuring the success of the Neasden BAPS campaign to change the name of the road the Mandir is situated on to Pramukh Swami Road.

He supported the Jain community and campaigned with the Harrow West Member of Parliament Gareth Thomas to get Jainism recognised in the UK Census.

Over the Covid-19 pandemic period Krupesh was Brent’s Cabinet Member for Public Health. He brought Temples in Brent together in the lead up to Diwali so that a coordinated message could be given to the community to keep the public safe during the festive period.

As Brent Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, he changed how the NHS viewed tobacco and

introduced the world’s first stop chewing service at Northwick Park Hospital so that services to support people stop chewing tobacco were brought on par with NHS stop smoking services.

Krupesh has been able to convert his knowledge and experience of the community to implement real practical changes and make a real difference to people’s lives.

Fighting for a safer, fairer, greener Brent and Harrow Crime and anti-social behaviour is such an important issue in London. Krupesh has committed to covering every single ward in Brent and Harrow alongside the police to identify and address crime related issues in local areas.

With the current Mayor also investing in youth services in London, Krupesh will fight to make sure our young people get their fair share in resources so That they have meaningful activities and programmes to engage in.

As we recover from Covid-19, Krupesh wants to make sure that London’s recovery is fair for all and that businesses prosper and jobs and opportunities are

It’s been a privilege to serve as the London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow since 2008. When I was elected to the London Assembly, I was the first member of Indian origin to serve on this body of London Government. I am proud to have paved the way for others to succeed.

In my role of an Assembly Member I have had the pleasure of working with the community and promoting a range of issues to improve their quality of life.

I have known Krupesh since he came into politics. When I decided to stepdown as Assembly Member and when Krupesh came forward for this position, I was in no doubt that he would be the best person to be the next London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow.

As the local activist, Krupesh has lobbied me on a number of issues to make sure City Hall delivers for people of Brent and Harrow! I know that he will fight and work hard for Brent and Harrow. His well established community links mean he will be able to get going from day one and work hard for you as your London Assembly Member if elected.

Protect the Freedom Pass, under 18s free travel and stop the congestion charge zone extension made available to local people.

Labour’s policy of a Green New Deal will create new jobs and opportunities for people in the industries of tomorrow.

Londoners have done the right thing by staying at home and the Government has given debt-free bailouts to transport networks and private rail companies in other parts of the country. By contrast, they have threatened and enacted the harshest of conditions on us. I will continue to fight alongside the Mayor of London against damaging proposals.

Promoted by Keith Ferry on behalf of Krupesh Hirani, both at 132-134 Blenheim Road, Harrow HA2 7AA. Printed by ABPL Publications Unit 7, Karmayoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW

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WE STAND WITH YOU Continued from page 1 The Facebook group Indians in London had many from the diaspora who shared contact numbers of UK courier companies and companies selling oxygen concentrators in the UK to link its supplies to Amazon India to ship within days.

A petition started on change.org by Indian-origin Rohit Kotecha, addressed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, garnered 200 signatures within hours. People of Indian heritage in Britain were helpless witnesses as the Covid crisis unfolded thousands of miles away.

Sanam Arora, Founder & Chairperson, National Indian Students & Alumni Union UK also extended her support towards the petition and tweeted, “Requesting Hon @BorisJohnson to reach out to India and support in its hour of need. Oxygen, Ventilators, Telemedicine, Medicines are required. Let us be the Global Britain envisaged post Brexit: a real force for good.”

The Indian High Commission in the UK put out an SOS tweet on 24 April, "empty refillable oxygen cylinders with 10-litre and 45-litre LMO capacity, oxygen concentrators as well as "in situ oxygen manufacturing plants for hospitals'' and the drug Remdesivir.

Any individual that can help is urged to write to Rahul Nangare at fstrade.london@meagov.in.”

The UK expedited packages of over 600 medical equipment which included 495 oxygen concentrators, which can extract oxygen from the air when hospital systems have run out, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators which have reached Delhi as you read.

PM Boris Johnson extending help said, “I’m determined to make sure that the UK does everything it can to support the international community in the global fight against pandemic.”

Following which, the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which funded India’s assistance package, sent ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks which will be used to treat Covid-19 patients.

This brings back memories of the Bhuj Earthquake in Gujarat (2001) when Britain stepped up to help India with aid worth £10Mn and tents, blankets, shelter equipment which reached Ahmedabad via six aircrafts.

Power of the global community Speaking to Asian Voice, Lord Navnit Dholakia PC,OBE,DL, Deputy Leader, Liberal Democrats said, “Coronavirus has no boundary. India has been at the forefront of manufacturing vaccines that has helped many parts of the world. Little did we realise that India will suffer dire consequences now that Covid has taken strongholds in all big

Lord Navnit Dholakia

Rabina Khan

P. Yogvivek Swami

Dr Shiv Pande

Indian cities and in many of its rural areas where strict lockdown has not been possible.

India is now looking at other countries to provide emergency equipment to assist her to deal with this calamity. We thank the UK Government, The European Union Countries and the United States to come to its aid. WE have a large Indian diaspora in the western world. We all have a duty to assist in any way we can. I have already sent a donation that was sent to me to organisations dealing with street children there. Let us all ensure that we are doing our bit at this difficult time.”

Lord Jitesh Gadhia told Asian Voice, “It is welcome to see the UK Government step-up to help India in its hour of need. A consignment of oxygen concentrators and ventilators from the UK will reach India this week.

More support is being considered and nothing should be off the table.

“In parallel the diaspora community has been anxious to help. It's important that we don’t compete against the Government of India in procuring its medical equipment. I would therefore urge members of the community to channel their desire to help through established and reputable organisaBAPS tions like Sewa International, Swaminarayan Sanstha and British Asian Trust. As a Trustee of British Asian Trust, we have launched an emergency appeal which

India added to the Redlist Indian students with valid visas to study at UK will be among those that qualify as residents, even if they are yet to collect their BRP’s, and undergo the 10-day compulsory hotel quarantine estimated at £2,000 per person, which came into force from April 23.

The Home Office had already extended the deadline period for the physical campus presence requirements for students to be able to apply for the new Graduate or post-study work visa later this year.

Many are now not only concerned if that extension

Lord Jitesh Gadhia

until June-end will suffice but also the added financial burden added to their budgeted costs for an interna-

tional degree.

Those who return ahead of the red list are still required to complete compulsory passenger locator forms and self-isolate at home, with two further Covid-19 tests.

be accessed through can www.britishasiantrust.org and also through the Virgin Money and JustGiving donation websites,” Lord Gadhia told the newsweekly.

In an initiative of BAPS - Swaminarayan Sanstha, the official Twitter handle of Neasden Temple sent out a tweet saying, “The situation in India is dire and critical.

Thousands are dying daily. We have launched an international campaign to help provide emergency health care and support. For those who want to support us, please go tohttp://neasdentemple.org/donate.”

“We are sending 90 mini ventilators through Indian High Commission (B’gham CG- Dr S. Vikram) and concentrating on fund raising and sending medical equipment.

APNA NHS is coordinating with the Health Secretary & Indian High Commission. We are a group of SE Asian Doctors working in the NHS,” Prof Dr Shiv Pande told the newsweekly.

Sharing his thoughts with us, Yogesh Patel of BAPS said, “We all need to do our bit and that is why we have launched our appeal for funds so that we are able to expand our existing provision of hospital and medical centres with a new 500-bed facility in Atladara (in the district of Vadodara), equipped with ICU facilities, provision of life-saving oxygen as well as PPE for medical staff and meals and accommodation for the volunteers, elderly and vulnerable. I note below a quote from P. Yogvivek Swami, head priest at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London. “The situation in India is dire and critical. Thousands are dying daily, so please do donate generously to help support the BAPS relief work and save lives. Pramukh Swami Maharaj left a legacy with his ethos, ‘In the joy of others lies our own.’ There has perhaps never been a more critical and opportune moment to embody this noble principle.”

In an appeal to support India by supplying Oxygen Concentrators, UK based (Sikh) International humanitarian relief organisation Khalsa Aid tweeted, “We are appealing for donations of Oxygen Concentrator machines for #India! Please contact our U.K. office 01753 567457 or email covidrelief.india@khalsaaid.org. Donations from U.K. only !

City Hindus Network appealed to the community to donate to two trusted charities: Go Dharmic and Sewa UK. In a video address in Hindi on Twitter, British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis said, “We are supporting our Indian friends with medical equipment to help them in the battle against Coronavirus. We will win this fight together.”

Lakshmi Kaul, Head & Representative, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) UK also took a step forward to help India. She tweeted: “Calling out to any manufacturers

Is Big Ben ready to chime again?

Six monarchs and 41 prime ministers have come and gone since Big Ben first struck its now familiar sound across Westminster.

The refurbishment of the London landmark, which has seen costs already spiral to at least £80 million, was expected to be finished this year but is delayed due to the pandemic.

The bell is silent since 2017 as repairs to the clock and to the Elizabeth Tower which houses it, have meant it only being reconnected for significant occasions.

The repairs stretch from the gilt cross and orb at its tip, to the bottom of its 334step staircase. The iconic building sits on a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In a statement, UK Parliament authorities said the conservation project was due to be completed by the second quarter of 2022. Over the next 12 months, it said, the scaffolding will be removed, the Great Clock will be reinstalled and Big Ben's "world-famous chimes" will be heard again.

Early next year the bells will be reconnected to the original Victorian clock mechanism "and will ring out across Westminster again"

or suppliers in the UK to get in touch. You may email me on: lakshmi.kaul@cii.in.”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab shared pictures of several urgent deliveries of surplus medical equipment sent to India to help provide life-saving care for vulnerable Covid patients. “No-one is safe until we are all safe,” he said.

As prestigious Indian hospital chains live tweeted about the depleting supply of resources to tackle mind boggling cases, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "The heart-breaking scenes in India show once again how awful this terrible disease is. We are determined to support the people of India through this very difficult time, and I am hugely grateful to those who have worked hard to make this initial delivery happen.

This first delivery of life saving equipment will provide much needed assistance and we stand ready to do more."

Cllr Rabina Khan said, “Liberal Democrats stand in solidarity with the people of India and will continue to urge the British government to deploy more supplies and resources. I represent a London borough where I have seen multiple deaths in families and households from Covid-19. Where Bangladeshis are twice as likely to die from Covid; it is truly devastating. When you see images of sick or dying people desperate to get hold of oxygen. I spoke to my friend in Mumbai, she and her mother have Covid, and it was very emotional when she said, ‘You are fasting, please pray for my mother.’ With patients dying on the pavement, what India is suffering is urgent for global leaders to act now to help. And yet as we watched those tragic scenes of continuous funeral pyres, here in London we had people marching in an anti-lockdown protest. We have to care about sharing Covid resources globally for an outbreak anywhere is an outbreak everywhere. The UK has a shared history with India and let us not be remembered as being selfish in India’s hour of need.”

Cllr Anton Georgiou, who represents the London Borough of Brent and has worked with Khan on issues of how Covid impacts people from South Asian Communities. He said, “I represent a ward with a large South Asian and Indian community. Many residents here have tragically been directly impacted by the pandemic, either by losing loved ones or knowing people who have. As we witness the virus ravage India my heart aches for the Indian people. It is the duty of our government to do all they can to help the Indian doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals who are fighting this latest wave on the frontline. We are not safe, until we are all safe.”

Meanwhile, British citizens stranded in India were seeking charter flights to avoid hotel quarantine in a desperate bid to get home. Six chartered planes landed in the UK on Friday, 30 minutes before the ban started.

34 million people in the UK have now had their first dose of a Covid vaccine The UK now has over 4.4 million confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Figures released by the UK government show that more than 127,000 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus.

The promising news is that approximately 34 million people in the UK have now had their first dose of a Covid vaccine and 13.2 million people have had a second.

A total of over 28 million people in England have had at least one vaccine dose.

While all adults in the UK are expected to be offered

their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine by the end of July, however those under 30 will be able to choose between the AstraZeneca vaccine, and another vaccine. According to the latest ONS figures, the UK has now seen more than 150,000 deaths - that's all those deaths where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate even if the person had not been tested for the virus.

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8 COMMUNITY

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Volunteers needed to support their communities NHS Volunteer Responders provide support with lifts to medical appointments, collecting shopping, medication or other essentials, and by making ‘check in and chat’ calls to people who would enjoy regular phone contact and friendly conversation.

Despite lockdown easing, those with underlying health conditions such as cystic fibrosis, severe asthma will continue to minimise their exposure to Covid-19 and each volunteer who steps forward is helping to keep people in the community safe.

The GoodSAM app puts volunteers in touch with people needing help. NHS Volunteer Responders now encourages volunteers to add all the languages they speak to their GoodSAM profile so they can be matched with people who would prefer to talk to a volunteer in one of those languages. The programme currently has volunteers who speak English, Gujarati, Hindustani, Bengali, Urdu and Punjabi.

Mark Wilson, Cofounder at GoodSAM said “It’s fantastic that the GoodSAM app enables people to input the languages they speak. It means that we can connect with people

from all communities across the country and ensure that everyone who needs help is able to access it.”

To apply to become an NHS Volunteer Responder, visit the NHS Volunteer Responders website . If you need support from the volunteers you can register by calling 0808 196 3646 (open 8am – 8pm, 7 days a week).

Volunteer support is also available to people who are self-isolating because they or a member of their household have Covid-19 (excluding patient transport).

Mazhar Chafekar, 51, is an NHS Volunteer Responder from Birmingham and wanted to support her community.

Mazhar said: “When I first heard about NHS Volunteer Responders, I believed that the role was just perfect for me. I signed up right at the start and I haven’t stopped since. It is such a positive way to engage with people and give back to my community in this difficult time.

It’s very rewarding.”

Rebecca Kennelly MBE, Director of Volunteering for Royal Voluntary Service said “The way that volunteers have stepped forward during the pandemic has been nothing short of amazing.

Volunteering has brought people together over the last

Mazhar Chafekar, NHS Volunteer Responder

year in amazing ways, I would like to thank everyone who has stepped up to support the NHS and their community this year.”

Since the programme’s launch in March 2020, around 400,000 on-duty NHS Volunteer Responders have played a vital role in keeping people safe and have now completed more than 1.7 million tasks.

Those who apply will have the opportunity to support their community with six roles: - Community Response volunteer: to collect and deliver shopping, medication or other essential supplies.

- Community Response Plus volunteer: to collect and deliver shopping, medication or other essential supplies for people with learning disabilities and other conditions

- Patient Transport volunteer: to give lifts by car to patients who are medically fit to attend routine medical appointments.

- NHS Transport volunteer: to transport supplies between NHS sites, and make medication deliveries.

- Check in and Chat volunteer: to provide telephone support to people who would enjoy regular phone contact and friendly conversation.

- Check In and Chat Plus volunteer: this is a peersupport role, provided by responders who are at risk from Covid-19 themselves. Regular telephone support and a ‘listening ear’ is offered to people who are also at risk or experiencing challenges as a result of Covid-19.

- Steward Volunteer volunteers help on site by guiding people to make sure the vaccination process runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible. They help ensure social distancing and identify people who need additional support.

Recruitment to this role has been paused but you can register your interest for future vacancies.

Meet the people behind the national vaccination effort A series of unseen photographs capturing the size and scale of the UK-wide vaccination programme have been published by the UK government today ahead of a new campaign urging under-50s to get the jab.

From care homes to cathedrals and museums to stadiums, photojournalists Jude Palmer, Glenn Edward and Liam McBurney are touring the UK over the past few months capturing intimate moments during the monumental national effort to vaccinate the British population and end the Covid19 pandemic.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “These incredible photographs show the heroic efforts of thousands of vaccinators and volunteers in every corner of the UK who

The Royal Welsh Showground, Builthwells, Wales

have given so much to protect the most vulnerable in our society against this cruel virus.

Photographs include smiling portraits of vaccinators and volunteers, a bird’s eye view of socially distanced patients awaiting their jabs in Salisbury Cathedral, and an elderly couple holding hands at a vaccination site in

Aston Villa, FC

Ulverston, Cumbria.

Jude Palmer, photojournalist, said: “The photography project tells many genuine stories of people involved in the vaccine programme and those that have come forward to have their vaccine already – from their smiles, laughs, nerves, and sighs of relief as we get one step closer to a more normal way of life.”

Priory Medical Centre Leeds

Throughout February and March, Palmer, Edward and McBurney visited the Science Museum in London, Salisbury Cathedral, the Royal Welsh Showground in mid-Wales and Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland, as well as hospitals, mobile vaccination units, care homes and pop-up vaccination sites.

These never-before-seen

Friendship versus networking Rohit Vadhwana Last week I wrote about friendship. Many readers have asked me that friends are required for progress in professional life.

They called it networking. I also had a discussion with some of the friends who happen to regularly give me their views after reading my articles. It encouraged me to write one more article to differenciate between friendship and networking. As I always mention, these opinions are my personal and therefore the difference that I am going to mention here is also my personal point of view. Because your network people will always call themselves your friends and you will believe them till the reality becomes clear!

Suppose you are attending a party where one person, known to you, is talking to you. But as soon as he sees someone more important than you, he would excuse himself and attend to that new entrant. That is network. But if you are talking to a friend, even if a CEO of a company enters the room, your friend will not leave you. Because it is friendship.

I agree that networking is really important and it helps us grow professionally as well as socially. In networking, we try to connect with those people who can help us at some point of time in our career or personal life.

Networking means that there has to be some utility in the connection. In networking, two persons do not need to be on unequal footing. For example, a businessman networking with secretary of a government officer. If you see the difference between their standing is huge. But there is utility for both of them in maintaining that network.

Another difference is that in friendship you have emotional attachment and and it tends to extend not only to the friend but also to his family members. In networking it may be purely professional and may not reach to family level. There are no emotions in networking. It doesn't mean that netorking is purely selfies but there is certainly no emotional depth.

People say network is your networth. It means that if you have a strong network, it will turn out to be your wealth sometime. While friends can be demanding and and pocket emptying! As you grow professionally and reach to hire position, you will find more people in you network. Check your phone book. See how many are friends and how many network. I would say, keep your network and make it strong but do not forget to differentiate between your friends and and professional contacts.

Network is sometimes misleading and you may easily misinterpret your network as your friend circle. For people who happened to get transferred from one place to another or from one post to another, they will certainly agree with the point that network changes with your place and post but your friends do not change.

Friendship does not need to maintain regular contacts. It just simply means maintaining regular emotional attachment. Even if you are not talking to your friends on regular basis, whenever you speak, the same warmth will be felt. You will know that no one can take your place in the heart of your friend. But in network your successor or anyone else who can be more useful than you will replace you easily. Don't get disheartened, its not personal!

(Expressed opinions are personal) images, which illustrate the monumental and collective effort of NHS teams, volunteers and members of the public, have been compiled into a video montage to mark the success of the vaccine programme to date.

They provide an opportunity for people to look back on the programme, reflecting on the heroic efforts to protect those most vulnerable to Covid-19 and look ahead to the second phase of the vaccination

programme, which will see all adults offered a first dose by the end of July.

In England, approved vaccines are available from over 270 hospital hubs, 1,000 GP-led sites, 160 vaccination centres and 300 pharmacies in England.

Around 98% of people live within 10 miles of a vaccination centre in England and vaccinations are taking place at sites including mosques, community centres and football stadiums.

Indian students shine in Gates Cambridge University Scholarships 2021 The Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme was established in October 2000 by a donation of US$210m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge; this is the largest ever single donation to a UK university.

Each year Gates Cambridge offers 80 full-cost scholarships to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a

full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. This year many Indian and Global Indian scholars have been selected from among the 74 worldwide candidates for the prestigious Gates Cambridge Class of 2021.

Ila Ananya, an MPhil Social Anthropology student who completed her Masters in Gender Studies at SOAS, University of

London and Rishabh Bajoria is a PhD student in Legal Studies are

among the list of winners.

Other International Indian names include: US-based Tathagat Bhatia, educationists Surya Pratap Deka and Nikita Jha and epidemiologist Anwesha Lahiri from Cambridge University, Psychology graduate Mishika Mehrotra, astronomy student Arnab Sarkar and genetics scholar

Samarpita Sen, physical sciences student Venkata Chaluvadi, radiologist Tanvi Rao, healthcare expert Veeraj Shah and English Literature student Meena Venkataramanan.

Indian students have had a good track record with the Gates Cambridge programme, with 11 selected in 2008 and 10 in 2001.

Apart from the US, India has the highest share of Gates Cambridge Scholars-Elect this year.

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What Britain can learn from George Floyd’s verdict Shefali Saxena 46-year-old African-American George Floyd finally got justice when Derek Chauvin, a former white Minneapolis police officer, was convicted of murdering him after a racially charged trial in the United States. Floyd died on May 25, 2020 after being arrested for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill which sparked protests against racial injustice and police brutality around the world.

A year later, as America rejoiced over this historic verdict, Asian Voice reached out to members of the community in the UK to know what Britain can learn from George Floyd’s verdict.

A research published by BMA, has vivid accounts of how the ethnic minority doctors have died during Covid; how they report bullying and harassment, and aren’t offered top consultant posts in hospitals; They did not ask for protective gear out of sheer fear of recrimination, or it harming their career.

Speaking to the Dr newsweekly, Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, said: “In the UK, it has resonated with the systemic racism experienced by many on our shores as well at the structural factors that Dr Chaand Nagpaul contributed to the alarmingly high rates of suffering and deaths from Covid-19 among black and ethnic minority communities and healthcare workers. If we are to tackle racism, we first need to be open that it exists, and the Government needs to put in place a decisive action plan to ensure ours is a fair society with equal opportunity and reward for all who live within it.”

Sunder Katwala, Director of independent thinktank British Future, told Asian Voice, “Britain is not America when it comes to guns and policing, but two decades after the Macpherson inquiry Sunder Katwala into the failure of justice for Stephen Lawrence, we still need more change in policing here too.

“Despite the briefings and headlines saying the Sewell Commission could not find institutional racism, the report itself contains clear evidence that systemic discrimination and unconscious bias matter far too much when people apply for jobs, or try to rise all the way up the ladder to the boardroom.

Should there be an British Asian version of "Black Lives Matter? Katwala thinks that group-based campaigns are not enough. “We need to bring people together around a home-grown British agenda to promote fair chances for all, pursuing practical plans to push back discrimination on every front,” he said.

Sharing her perspective on what Britain can learn from this historic verdict, LibDem Cllr Rabina Khan said, “I still remember having to change my name to Ruby when I was making phone calls to try and find cheaper rented accommodation. Even now, I Rabina Khan witness the struggles of Muslim girls and women trying to find employment by changing their names to

more “English sounding” names and removing their veils to fit in and escape stereotyping and prejudice.”

Last year, one day before Eid, a lockdown was announced and the Muslim community was blamed for spreading the virus. Will history repeat itself this year?

“This was a prime example of the type of racism from authority that serves only to fuel discrimination and Islamophobia. You only need to look at TV footage throughout the pandemic to see the multitude of situations where people were gathering in large crowds on beaches and in parks to realise that people of all ethnicities were flouting the rules. To point the finger at just one sector of society is highly offensive and wrong. We must keep safe and make sure we get vaccinated. If we have learned anything during this past year and in celebration of Eid to mark the end of Ramadan – it should be to work towards a humbler, more tolerant and united world,” Rabina said.

Lord Navnit Dholakia PC,OBE,DL, Leader, Deputy Liberal Democrats listed a few points for the readers of Asian Voice. He wrote, “We have a long way to go in building confidence in young persons in the way police deal with them.

George Floyd’s case Lord Dholakia demonstrates this.

The verdict of guilty on all counts has helped but we all have to ensure that police powers are never misused. Every major research that I have seen demonstrates three factors. a. Racism and racial discrimination is an everyday reality for our diverse community. b. Geographically and economically many members of our minority communities occupy

the same place which was allocated to them when they arrived here; and c. Institutions put little emphasis on the cultural diversity of minorities in the country.

“The best way to resolve an issue is to accept that racism exists in some of our major institutions and we are ready to deal with it.

Specific issues affect our different communities but one factor stands out. Racism and racial discrimination blights our lives and we must stand together to confront this.It is no good blaming the Muslim community about Covid. Islamophobia is rife in the country. We should not be looking for scapegoats. It is a CHALLENGE to all of us and we must not ignore it.”

Sir Clive Jones, Chairman, The Runnymede Trust, even wrote a letter in honour of Stephen Lawrence and his family, on the 28th anniversary of his murder, in the spirit of continuing the fight to end structural and institutional racism in Britain.

Halima Begum, CEO, Runnymede Trust, told the BBC, “We’re all feeling the ramifications of this....Lessons to learn are on the aspects of accountability. It was justice that was on trial. We have some work to do there.

That’s why I think this is the start of the conversation, not the end. So back in the UK I hope that we also begin to look at institutional racism in a more thorough way. It provides a healing opportunity for the British public as well to do the right thing on racism.”

The UK government has apologised for the failure to properly commemorate Black and Asian troops who died in World War I fighting for the British Empire. Speaking to the BBC, Shrabani Basu said that these soldiers were concerned about how they would be treated after they were dead. “The harshest thing would be to forget them, so it is absolutely imperative that they are remembered. Even if it is 100 years later, I think that wrong needs to be righted,” Basu said.

10 READERS' VOICE

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Nonsensical Numbers and Climate Change Last week President Biden organised a virtual summit with the leaders of 40 countries on Climate Change. The media were full of stories headlined with China, India, etc. being the biggest polluters on the globe. However, if one looks at the per capita carbon emission, China is ranked at number 47th and India is ranked at number 158th out of some 200+ countries in the world. They are trumpeting nonsensical numbers to hide their sins and coercing poor countries to stop using the only affordable energy source (coal) available to them.

Mother earth’s atmosphere is filled with poison from Western European countries and newly populated countries by them since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the middle of the 18th century. Even today they are the main polluters along with the newly industrialised and the oil rich countries. It seems that their aim is to shift blame on poor countries and keep them in permanent poverty while they go on pumping poison in our atmosphere. They also blame poor countries for high levels of population growth. The facts are that Western European people occupied only about 5 percent of the surface area of the earth just two and half centuries ago but today they have multiplied several folds and their progeny occupies more than 40 percent of the earth surface. Now judge who is responsible for the population growth?

The so called advanced nations should own up their past and present sins and use their financial and technological muscles not only to reduce their own pollutants but also help poor countries to do the same. Would they share their resources for greater good for humanity and life in general on the earth? Only time will tell. We may witness again their hollow promises at Glasgow COP-26 in November this year.

Narsibhai Patel New Malden

Only time will tell Dear Editor, Your editorial, 'Modi's mistakes; a pandemic that is out of control'(Friday 23) seems to have released a long suppressed hatred towards prime minister Modi. At the best of times this vast country is difficult to rule you pronounce. Ever since the British left 73 years ago, India has remained a vibrant democracy and has managed to become one of the world's biggest economic powers. You go ballistic by saying India is a living hell. Only a few months ago the UK was recording one of the highest death rates in the world, never heard the Guardian saying it is a living hell.

You talk about avoidable deaths in India, is it not the same here could we too not have avoided over 134,000 deaths. Is there not something about this virus that is so deadly? You ridicule the idea of India being the world's pharmacy and yet it is a matter of pride for Indian's that the country provided the vaccines to so many small and poor countries. You call Modi arrogant yet he did manage to bring the virus under control under what you call draconian restrictions. The restrictions had to be lifted at some point just as we have here at the moment. Will we have a similar rebound of the epidemic? Only time will tell. Some humility and journalistic standards would not be out of place for the Guardian.

Nitin Mehta

Two Gujarat doctors back to work, hours after mothers’ cremation” Sir, “Two Gujarat doctors back to work, hours after mothers’ cremation” is really a heart touching story as reported in AV dated 24-30 April 2021. Dr. Rahul Parmar and Dr. Shilpa Patel are the real warriors of society. People who have been treated by them even after the loss of their beloved mothers, will always shower their blessings on them throughout their lives.

India is passing through a critical stage but there are so many charitable trusts and volunteer organisations working round the clock to provide essential services and products.

Some people have started providing free oxygen cylinders, medicines, transport etc. They are not necessarily rich people by money but they are rich by the levels of humanity and spirituality. They are not there for name or fame but just to do something for society and for fellow human beings.

The first and foremost duty of each and every citizen is to follow the guidelines issued by the government from time to time and issued by the doctors. Covid19 is not restricted to any particular age group but can affect the entire family and is highly contagious.

This is time to restraint unnecessary movement and to support each other in this crisis. Once we are out of this tough time, we need to recognise those people who are really doing a good job, by going beyond their normal duties and providing selfless services to people. Even a few good words or a certificate of appreciation is more than enough for them. Local newspapers should also publish stories of these real heroes. It may be a good idea to recognise people by the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister by giving them a small memento as a mark of respect and appreciation for their services.

Hitesh Hingu London

KHICHADI Follow me on Twitter: @kk_OEG Kapil’s

Rampant racism in the travel industry!

Although racism is widely discussed in the media, I have not read much about evil, rampant and wide-spread racism in the travel industry, especially air travel. As we used to travel widely and regularly until recently, we had many such bad experiences at the hands of air hostesses, some of them used to behave as if they owned the world!

As we had disable passengers travelling with us, we always used to pay and book front seats reserved for such passengers. So often someone in wheel-chair would board the plane at the last minute. Being in wheel-chairs, they would expect us to vacate our seats reserved and paid for by us, indeed juvenile delinquent manoeuvre!

So often Air Hostesses would approach us, asking us whether we would like to vacate our seats so that these latecomers, gate-crasher, mostly white passengers move in!

When we explain that we have booked in advance and paid for it, as we need it, especially on long flights, they apologise for their mediocre approach! If they need it so badly why did they fail to secure them at the time of booking and now expect it free!

However so often we used to receive un-sympatric-looks from fellow white passengers, as if we were culprits, deprived these free-loaders their just rewards! Sometimes we used to find our paid and allocated seats on boarding passes occupied by disable white passengers and air hostage flight attendants refusing to ask them to vacate our seats.

In return, we always complain in writing and always receive refunds, even small compensation but never the report of their investigation or what action they have taken against these racist air hostesses! We could have complained to the Travel Ombudsman but being frequent travellers, we did not want to go on their black list that would make flying difficult for us! Yes, it does happen!

Although there are volumes of laws to protect us, authority is toothless, unable or unwilling to take-on multibillion businesses who may be contributing handsomely to their election chest!

Virus of Lies Kapil Dudakia The global media world has gone bonkers. Last week we witnessed journalists, news channels, Social Media platforms with the likes of politicians and the anti-India mob, attack India on the emerging Covid situation.

Let me be clear, Covid is bad everywhere, regardless of which nation you talk about. It is bad for India and devastating for all Indians who are experiencing a surge of Covid cases. Health facilities being stretched to breaking point, health professionals working around the clock to save lives and the shortage of essential supplies not helping. We experienced this in the UK, as did the rest of Europe and the USA. However, the way the data has been presented on India suggests to me that we have the antiIndia brigade out in force to malign a nation and its people. The negative rhetoric 24/7 has even left some Indians falling for this fake narrative.

So let me be the person to present to you the REAL situation. I will show you with the data that is internationally approved that these people have decided to use smoke and mirrors on Covid data to undermine India. It’s either that, or they are all incredibly stupid.

Please have a look at the chart below that I have produced (you will not see this in any publication, Social Media or on international news channels):

Bhupendra M. Gandhi

Fix and finish the pandemic spree Dear Sir, Still, We Can Do More EVEN THOUGH the world has been slowly recovering from Covid-19, there have been unnecessary fears and panic among the people about the so-called new waves of the coronavirus. Despite many of my previous letters on the pandemic right from the start, I am writing this one with the strong intention of cutting all Covid-related rumours to zero.

First up, let there be no false information about the pandemic and vaccines. The international organisations like the WHO and the media houses worldwide should still strengthen their "campaigns for ending this virus era" by means of daily updates and accurate information.

Also, there have been misconceptions and wrong speculations about the corona lockdowns. Almost all the countries have started thinking of doing away with further lockdowns and instead they have been following some other protocols sans lockdown. Way forward, indeed! In fact, I have made it clear to many people in my native areas like Korkai, Tuticorin and Tiruchendur in Tamil Nadu that there is no need for further lockdowns until the people do not violate important Covid norms like wearing a mask.

More to the point, the people have been the byproducts resulting from emotional burden and workload. They would react and act upon any emotional or emergency appeal.

Recently my native areas like Tiruchendur, Tuticorin, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli had witnessed a spurt of people from all walks. They all had converged together to celebrate a recent annual religious event called "Panguni Uthiram" in Tamil. Similarly, people from the East and the West in general feel inclined to accept the emotional and empathetic calls.

Therefore, it is time to make the people not only stand up to the current corona challenges but also follow the Covid guidelines emotionally. Each life matters. All the lives lost cannot be taken lightly. Keeping the overall well-being in mind, countries must work towards this direction and make the people much more empathetic with the current situation in order to fix and finish the pandemic spree permanently.

P. Senthil Saravana Durai Mumbai, India

Self-isolation The second wave of the coronavirus which is far more lethal than the first one, is creating havoc in the country. Hence, we must strictly follow the Covid protocol. The virus that causes Covid-19 can spread from person to person even before the symptoms could start. So if someone in your family starts to feel slightly Ill, run down, tired or achy, it is important to stay at home and practice self-isolation. If more symptoms develop, like a fever, cough or shortness of breath, call your doctor.

Jubel D'Cruz Mumbai, India

The chart shows the relationship of biweekly Covid cases from 2019 till last week. I am displaying only four nations, India, Brazil, France and Italy, namely to compare, contrast and set the data in its true context.

Please note the numbers (horizontal axis), these represent the number of covid cases on a biweekly basis, but represented as a proportion of 1 million people in the population. The screaming headlines you have seen recently just show number of cases and no context. And if you fail to take into account the total population of a nation, then you miss the most important element of data crunching. i.e. The essential ingredient of context.

Data without context and structure are just numbers.

They don’t tell you much. However, as soon as you put the data we have on various countries within the same very tight structure based on population size, suddenly it reveals the truth.

The truth is simple, look at the chart and India’s covid cases based on its population size: it is one of the lowest.

There is no doubt that number of cases in India are rising, and will continue to rise for possibly another month.

However, as a proportion of its total population, it will still be significantly lower than most nations.

Currently France is registering some 7500 cases per million. Belgium at about 4500 per million. Brazil are similar to Belgium at about 4500 per million. Italy at about 3500 per million. In the UK we are at about 450 per million and the USA at just under 3000 per million. And India in contrast are at about 2500 per million.

Significantly lower than many western nations!

Let’s look at deaths per million: Belgium 2060, Italy 1971, UK 1869, Brazil 1808, USA 1759, France 1567 and India 138. YES, you read that correctly. Whilst in Europe thousands are dying per million population, relatively speaking, in India it’s in the hundreds, therefore statistically you are safer in India than anywhere in the whole of Europe!

So next time you see data on India, just ask a few more questions. Don’t allow the anti-India hatred hoodwink you into believing their nonsense. These parasites, masquerading as journalists, will use the death and suffering of Indians to fuel their hatred for India.

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit. Please keep contributing as always. If you are new, then write to Rupanjana at rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com - AV

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A few years ago, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that she would not be running for another term after her current tenure ends in 2021. She stepped down as leader of the Christian Democrats with an emotional farewell address in December 2018. She has led her party for 18 years and won four national elections.

Delegates at the party's conference in Hamburg gave her a ten-minute standing ovation. Last week, Merkel’s party firmly backed Armin Laschet to be the conservative bloc's chancellor candidate at Germany's upcoming elections in September 2021. Laschet’s election followed a bitter battle with challenger Markus Soeder, Minister-President of Bavaria since 2018 and Leader of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) since 2019. In Germany, there is a centre-right Christian-democratic political alliance of two political parties, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU).

Angela Merkel was born in Hamburg on 17 July 1954 as Angela Kasner.

Her father, a Lutheran pastor, was given a parish in a small town in East Germany when she was only a couple of months old. She grew up outside East Berlin in a rural area. She got a doctorate in physics, before working as a chemist at a scientific academy in East Berlin.

She became involved in East Germany’s democracy movement in 1989; worked as East German government spokeswoman following the first democratic elections; joined the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) just before Germany's reunification in 1990, and took the job of minister for women and youth under Chancellor Helmut Kohl a year later.

She became leader of the CDU in 2000 and became Germany's first female chancellor in 2005.

The ratings of the conservatives in Germany have taken a beating in recent months over handling of the coronavirus pandemic after a rather successful control of the first wave. As Merkel bows out after 16 years in power, the conservatives' face a challenge with

German elections in just about five months.

Notwithstanding this challenge, Merkel has been a proud symbol of Germany over the last 16 years. During her tenure, she faced many crises. Not many recall the European debt crisis (often referred to as the eurozone crisis or the European sovereign debt crisis) a multi-

Chancellor Angela Merkel

Ruchi Ghanashyam Mrs. Ruchi Ghanashyam is the former High Commissioner of India to the UK. With a career in Indian Foreign Service for over 38 years, she has been posted in many countries including South Africa, Ghana, before arriving in the UK. She was only the second woman High Commissioner to the UK since India’s independence and during her tenure, she witnessed a number of significant developments in the UK-India relations. year debt crisis that affected a number of European countries just a few years ago.

Today, most of us would probably recall the calm and determined leadership of Angela Merkel during that crisis, often supporting unpopular decisions that caused hardships in parts of Europe. She remained a staunch supporter of a united Europe through challenges posed by the UK’s decision to leave the

European Union and the emergence of anti Europe voices in parts of European Union. As the leader of the largest economy in Europe, Merkel has invariably been the de facto leader of Europe, while steering Germany through the financial crisis and back to growth. Her leadership has been marked by her steely reserve, whether it was facing up to then US President Donald Trump or allowing more than a million Syrian refugees into Germany.

An October 2020 survey found that 75% of adults in 14 European countries trusted Merkel more than any other leader in the region. In the early years of her leadership, there would often be comments about her simple choice of clothes or her unmade up face; all through her years as German Chancellor, she dressed in similar clothes, her hair style did not change, and she continued to prefer the bare faced look. She’s known to live in the same apartment, didn’t acquire massive wealth, nor did her relatives climb the ladder to wealth and prominence.

In one interview, she revealed that she and her husband did not have an array of helpers at home and the couple managed their work between them. This simplicity and commitment has earned her the gratitude and respect of the German people, despite navigating through some tough challenges during her sixteen years as Chancellor.

Merkel worked to build good relations with India, chairing the first Indo-German Inter- governmental meeting in 2011 with then Indian PM. The mechanism was like a joint mini cabinet meeting and provided opportunities to make progress in a number of areas. I was at the meeting in 2013 in Berlin.

I had a closer opportunity to observe her during a courtesy call on her by then External Affairs Minister of India. She came across as a calm and competent person, well grounded and confident of herself. There was no fanfare about her. Whoever succeeds her will have a tough act to follow. Given the crisis that the world faces today, strong leadership of Germany would remain important.

MP Virendra Sharma hosts global workshop Virendra Sharma MP hosted the British South Asian Youth Summit on combating violence against females.

The speakers included youth activist Ammaarah Zayna, a frontline gender-based violence worker, Aranya

Johar, youth activist of the G7's gender equality advisory council. Cecilia Jastrzembska, the UK delegate, senior Policy Advisor and Vice Chair of the Young Fabians.

Virendra Sharma MP said: “The next generation always has the strength to change the world, but the challenge is to change it for the better for all, not just a visible majority. If we leave groups behind, leave the vulnerable behind we haven’t succeeded in improving the world.

The delegates worked in their country-based groups to prepare their specific action plan presentations which they shared with the speakers which covered the prevalence of violence against females by showcasing stark statistics and recent case studies to put forward their vision to fight the shadow pandemic.

12 MEDIA WATCH

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SCRUTATOR’S Four more Rafale jets arrive in India The fifth batch of four Rafale fighter jets landed in India last week flying non-stop from France after being flagged off from the Merignac air base by Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria while he was on a five-day visit to France. This completes the first Rafale squadron in the IAF, the No.17 Golden Arrows based in Ambala. “The 5th ferry marks end of training of our third batch of pilots and all our maintenance crew,” ACM Bhadauria said after flagging off the jets. The fighters flew a distance of almost 8,000 km with air-to-air refuelling support by the French Air Force and the UAE Air Force, the IAF said on Twitter. India had contracted 36 Rafale jets from France under a €7.87 billion Inter-Governmental Agreement in September 2016 and the first five jets were inducted last September. (Agency) Japanese PM too postpone visit to India

prior to regulatory approval.

Vaccines approved by Western regulators will be granted emergency authorisation in India, with the company conducting post-approval parallel bridging studies in place of local clinical trials. With the Covid-19 scenario becoming serious in India, private hospitals are getting frantic calls from the well-heeled. (Agency)

After UK PM Boris Johnson, Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga too has postponed his visit to India because of the deteriorating Covid-19 situation. Suga was keen to visit India early May for what would have been his first summit meeting with his counterpart Narendra Modi.

However, Japan too has seen a sharp increase in Covid-19 cases.

The Japan government is said to be considering a state of emergency in Tokyo and some other areas because of a fresh surge in infections. The trip, which had been scheduled from late April to early May, was intended to reaffirm Japan's cooperation with the two countries in achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific. (Agency)

Thief returns Covid vaccine with a note A thief who had fled with a bag containing over 1,700 doses of Covid-19 vaccine in Haryana's Jind later had a change of heart.

The accused returned the bag and also left a note saying he didn't know about the contents of the bag while whisking it away. "Sorry, I didn't know it was medicines for corona," the thief wrote in Hindi while returning the bag full of Covishield and Covaxin doses.

The police are now tracking the thief and have filed a case into the theft from the Jind General Hospital's storeroom. The thief gave the bag to a man at a tea shop outside the Civil Lines police station. The accused left after telling the man that he was delivering food for the police and needed to run another errand. The police suspect the thief may have stolen the vaccines mistaking them to be the anti-viral drug Remdesivir. (Agency)

Pvt hospitals may offer imported vaccines

Private hospital chains across India, including the Chennaibased Apollo group and Delhibased Fortis Healthcare and Mumbai-based Hinduja Hospital, are discussing modalities to offer foreign manufactured vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna in India, following the relaxation in government guidelines recently.

“We have had preliminary discussions with Pfizer, and are awaiting clarity on their plans,’’ Anil Vinayak, group COO, Fortis Healthcare, said. The final picture will emerge only after the company applies for fasttrack approvals and is cleared by the Indian regulator. Amid huge shortages and rising infections, the government recently fast tracked access to vaccines by allowing foreign-manufactured jabs to be imported, by doing away with bridging trial studies

Man attacks doctor for asking to keep quite A man was arrested in Maharashtra's Nanded district after he attacked a doctor with a knife after the doctor asked him to keep quite. The accused Bhausaheb Gaekwad had gone to meet his relative admitted at the Covid ward of the district hospital in Nanded. There he started talking loudly due to which the family members of other patients objected.

Gaekwad started quarreling with the relatives forcing the doctor to intervene. The accused then took his knife and tried to attack the doctor but was overpowered by the staff present there. The doctor reportedly suffered minor injuries in the scuffle. The doctor later filed a complaint at the local police station. Gaekwad was arrested and charged under various sections of the IPC. Nanded, like other districts in Maharashtra, has been witnessing a surge in Covid cases. (Agency)

Fearing lockdown, migrants head home

Many migrant workers are moving out of Gujarat amid fears of fresh lockdown and loss of livelihood. They are scared of getting stuck away from home without work and wages, if a lockdown is imposed. The situation is telling in Ahmedabad with private buses and trains jam-packed with migrant labourers heading to Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Dushyant Kumar, a resident of Indore district of Madhya Pradesh, said, “The factory where I work is operating at 50% capacity and there is hardly any work. With so many cases, I don’t feel safe and if there’s a lockdown, I’ll get stuck without food and supplies. I am going home. I’m not sure when I’ll return.” “We are seeing some migrant movement at our plant locations, but it is insignificant in comparison to last year. We have come out with special incentives to retain workers. Like last year, we will provide workers accommodation if the need arises. Moreover, like last year, we will also provide food and other basic necessities if required,” said Angshu Mallick, CEO & MD, Adani Wilmar. (The Times of India) Music to boost spirits of workers, patients The New Civil Hospital (NCH) in Surat has started playing popular songs to boost the mood of Covid patients and the workers there. The magical mood caught on and one Heenaben, a Covid patient, couldn’t resist the urge to inform them that it happened to be her birthday too. And there was no stopping the young spirits from wishing her many more happy returns with the hit from golden oldies, “Bar bar ye din aye...” In what was an attempt to bust the stress in the over-worried campus, the singing by a team of doctors not only enlivens the patients and health workers but even embraced anxious relatives waiting outside. Covid-19

patients are admitted at three different facilities in NCH depending upon their health conditions. Two teams of doctors were formed, one to motivate the health workers and another of those who can sing or play music.

Members of one team met the workers who keep the hospital clean and look after support services and motivated them. Senior doctors also joined the initiative to motivate the doctors and health workers. A singing and dancing session was held with nursing students as well, said Dr Mayur Jarag, in-charge of NCH blood bank. (The Times of India) Very few found infected after two doses In a strong validation of the utility of vaccines in combating Covid 19, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said only 2-4 per 10,000 “breakthrough” infections were noted in people who were vaccinated against the disease.

ICMR director Balram Bhargava underlined the importance of vaccination and said the data on infections in those who were fully vaccinated indicated that a very small percentage of people contracted the disease. So far, .04% people have tested positive after the second dose of Covaxin and .03% after the second dose of Covishield.

Experts and doctors continue to insist that precautions like sanitisation and use of masks should not be abandoned even after vaccination. Studies have shown lesser virulence and mortality among vaccinated people. Some protection is evident even after the first dose though completion of the vaccination is important. The data is encouraging and should go a long way in dispelling vaccine hesitancy that continues to pose hurdles to the vaccination drive. The data reflects a robust performance for both vaccines being used in India. Among those who received Covaxin, 695 tested positive after the second dose and in the case of Covishield, 5,014 tested positive. (Agency) Retired HC judges can be re-appointed The Supreme Court has

allowed high court chief justices to start appointing retired HC judges as ad hoc judges for two to five years if the HC faced pendency of a large number of cases. Clarifying that appointment of ad hoc judges would not be against vacancies in the sanctioned strength of judges in an HC, a bench of consisting of Chief Justice S A Bobde, took the historic step to chart out structured implementation of Article 224A, which was there in the original Constitution adopted in 1949 but was deleted in 1956 only to be reintroduced in 1963.

In the last 58 years, only three retired judges have been appointed as ad hoc judges to HCs for a period of one year each. The bench said the trigger point for activating Article 224A by an HC chief justice could be many, a situation of mounting arrears is likely to arise if the rate of disposal is consistently lower than the rate of filing over a period of a year or more. The bench, however, said, recourse to Article 224A is not an alternative to regular appointments.

(Agency) Wedding shops sell cremation items now Ankit Agarwal has been the

go-to person for several generations during every wedding season as his shop in Prayagraj in UP had all paraphernalia needed for marriage ceremony. With Covid19 second wave continuing its lethal run in the city and people calling off wedding plans till the pandemic subsides, the same shop is now forced to sell items used in last rites. Another nearby shop too has started selling items needed for cremation. “Although my family is in the business of wedding items, we are now selling things needed for last rites,” said Ankit. This is also to help people as there was no such shop in the area and customers had to go to different markets, he added. Besides these two shops of the Chowk area, outlets selling items needed for cremation have mushroomed in several other localities. (Agency)

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CIIr Ketan Sheth

Prime Minister’s former right hand to expose secret documents of his Covid failings

Chair, Brent Council Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

Big changes to the NHS Big changes come into effect this month in the way our local health services are managed. Eight clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), including Brent, have merged into a single North West London CCG. This CCG will also be working with every hospital, mental health trust, community trust and local authority in North West London as part of an ‘integrated care system’ (ICS).

People often ask if such changes really matter. My sense is that they really do and that they can be both a risk and an opportunity.

NHS doctors and managers tell me that the benefit to patients is that a single organisation and system can drive a consistent approach to high quality services, using data on population health to target improvements and tackle health inequalities. There are huge inequalities across our patch, with outcomes and life expectancy varying widely between the poorest and more affluent areas. We saw this play our tragically during the Covid pandemic, where the least well off, including many people in Brent, were disproportionately affected.

The role of local authorities in the ICS – which is expected to become a statutory body in April 2022 – is also important, as it means we can better join up health and social care services, building them around the needs of our communities by working as a single system.

We also have to recognise the risks. A bigger system across eight London boroughs – North West London will be the biggest CCG and ICS in the country – could easily become far removed from local needs and concerns in each area. We know public input to both health and local council services improve those services. So ensuring a strong resident voice, at both borough and North West London level, is going to be critically important.

So too is local decision-making. I am pleased that the single CCG will have strong borough-based teams – and particularly, that the intention is to create a local ‘integrated care partnership’ (ICP) between all part of the NHS and the council in each borough. While this may sound like lots of new jargon and bureaucracy, it is important.

The balance of power between the ICS and the local ICPs will be important: ICPs should be setting the local agenda with their residents while the ICS steers the overall direction of travel for the system.

On balance, the changes feel like the right thing to do – residents often complain that services don’t work together closely enough. But the success of this latest NHS reform will really depend on all of us. If we can ensure that the local systems work and play their part in driving down health inequalities across the whole area, there should be huge benefits for North West London. If we lose local voice and influence in a sprawling, centralised bureaucracy, we will have failed.

Boris Johnson’s former right hand Dominic Cummings is allegedly carrying a stockpile of the Prime Minister’s Covid failings that could come across as a devastating blow to Johnson.

This information has surfaced following a spat between the PM and his former right-hand man who was loaded with “confidential information” before he marched out for good from Downing Street last year.

What’s being touted as a 'treasure trove', is a carefully curated collection of secret documents owned by Cummings that apparently have enough proof of secret information accusing Boris Johnson of personally being to blame for the UK's devastating coronavirus death toll.

Mr Cummings is reportedly going to present these confidential failings of the PM before the joint committee of MPs investigating the Government's handling of the coronavirus crisis next month, which include “embarrassing documents, memos and notes to hand”.

In a 1,000 word blog post to condemn the PM’s conduct, Cummings revealed that Boris Johnson tried to stop a leak inquiry that implicated a friend of Carrie Symonds, his fiancée.

Cummings also asserted that the PM had attempted to get Tory donors to secretly fund £58,000 worth of reno-

vations to his Downing Street flat. He said he warned the prime minister that the plan would be “unethical, foolish and possibly illegal”.

Cummings said that he has WhatsApp messages, email documents to support his claims.

He said, “It is sad to see the PM and his office fall so far below the standards of competence and integrity this country deserves.”

A No 10 source claimed: “Dominic is engaged in systematic leaking. We are disappointed about that. We are concerned about messages from private WhatsApp groups which had very limited circulation. The prime minister is saddened about what Dom is doing.

It’s undermining the government and the party. It might be that Dominic feels bitter about what’s happened since he left — but it’s a great shame.”

Dominic apparently drove 300 miles while his wife had coronavirus symptoms, following which he had an hour long press conference at the Downing Street garden, claiming that he wanted to test his eyesight in his trip to Barnard Castle from his family farm, while he was supposed to be in isolation.

Meanwhile, Cummings’ allies have denied his involvement behind the leaks. The leaked messages include an exchange between Johnson and the crowned Prince of Saudi Arabia who apparently lobbied Johnson to intervene and support a Saudi at -tempt to buy Newcastle United football club.

One cannot forget that Mr Cummings and Johnson were close allies on the Vote Leave campaign and that he played a key role in the Tory election victory in 2019.

Prince Harry had secret talks with Granny The Queen met privately with Prince Harry “at least twice” while he was in the country for the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral last week, a friend of the Duchess of Sussex said.

Sources also confirmed that Harry met his father Prince Charles and brother Prince William in the grounds of Windsor Castle after the funeral on last Saturday. That meeting took place after the Duchess of Cambridge acted as a peacemaker between the brothers as they walked away from St George’s Chapel.

Sources also confirmed that Harry stayed at his former home Frogmore

Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle and saw a number of other family members including Princess Eugenie and her newborn son. While no plans had been officially confirmed, the duke is expected to return to the UK in July for the unveiling of a statue of his late

mother Princess Diana. He is thought to be planning to join Prince William for a ceremony at Kensington Palace.

Because she is pregnant with her second child, the Duchess of Sussex remained at their California home with their son Archie. It is reported that she spoke to the Queen before the funeral.

The duke returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday, arriving early afternoon on a flight from London Heathrow.

The Queen celebrated her 95th birthday, without her “strength and stay” husband of 73 years. She was seen driving through her Windsor estate on her way to take her dogs for a walk.

MI5 launches Instagram in bid to bust Mortgage limits increased for first time buyers martini-drinking stereotypes First-time buyers will be able to borThe account, @mi5official, will host questioncovertly." naires with serving intelligence officers and proHowever, he said they must also reach out to row five and a half times their salary in mote career opportunities. In the first post, it said new people who can help. "It would be dangerous the first mortgage deal of its kind for the secret to successful spying was to "consider all vanity to imagine MI5 can build all the capabilities nearly a decade. From Monday, Britain’s biggest building society, angles". it needs inside its own bubble," he wrote.

MI5 is relatively late to the party when it comes Nationwide, will offer borrowers with MI5 boss Ken McCallum said "being more to spies on social media. GCHQ launched its a 10 percent deposit the chance to open" was a key to MI5's Instagram account in 2018, while the US intelli- stretch their income so that they can approach to the 2020s. "You gence agency the CIA has 3.2 million followers on afford bigger loans. can insert your own joke about The mutual has set aside £1 billion Twitter. whether we will be following you."

Replying to the post which showed the cute Ahmed for harassment, she was told that Ahmed started secure "pods" A former barrister who attempted to frame her lover for kidnap reported that Mohammed had plotting her revenge against her used by MI5 raped her on several occasions. lover, Iqbal Mohammed, in 2014 staff to enter its and rape after she found out he was married has been given a The judge described her after she discovered that he was Priti Patel, MP London HQ complaint as “detailed and conmarried.

Home Secretary life jail sentence. vincing, even though it was Initially, the then junior barAnisah Ahmed was accused Priti Patel said: "Thank you for completely false”. rister orchestrated a series of your exceptional work in keeping of running an “evil” campaign of She had in fact persuaded a fake emails to her that appeared lies against a fellow lawyer in an our country safe." former boyfriend, Mustafa to be threatening messages Mr McCallum admitted joining elaborate set-up in which she Hussain, to buy a phone in the from Mohammed. As a result, the platform was "a routine step for staged her own stabbing. victim’s name. Ahmed bomhe was arrested, taken to a most organisations, but more inter- Oxford crown court was told barded Hussain, who was senpolice station and locked in a esting when you're in the business that Ahmed, who was called to tenced for conspiracy to pervert cell for seven hours. the Bar in 2012 and thrown out of keeping secrets." the course of justice, with However, after experts disof the profession six years later, But he said the intelligence serdemands to help her frame covered that the email evidence vice was facing a dilemma: "On the sent explicit messages relating Mohammed. had been falsified, police arrestto the affair to the victim’s wife one hand, our ability to serve the As her harassment trial ed Ahmed for harassment. public and keep the country safe and colleagues. approached, Ahmed staged her When it was decided to proseJudge Michael Gledhill QC depends critically on operating

in loans for first-time borrowers, who will be able to fix their rate for up to ten years. It comes as the average firsttime property price increased by nearly 9 percent in the past year to £257,934, according to data from Halifax. It means the average earner will be able to borrow an additional £30,000, leading to warnings that some may borrow more than they can afford.

Barrister’s dramatic attack to frame ex-lover own kidnapping and stabbing in an effort to derail proceedings against her. She instructed Hussain to stab her three times while she was in her car from outside the door.

She told officers that she had been stopped by another car, ordered to get out and stabbed in the leg by a man. In the ambulance, Ahmed accused Mohammed of kidnapping her and slashing her leg.

Sentencing Ahmed to a life sentence with a minimum term of four years and six months, the judge described her actions as “malicious, even evil”.

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Post Office Scandal: Who will take responsibility of the “biggest miscarriage of justice”?

In a historic legal battle amid the “biggest miscarriage of justice” in recent history, thirty nine subpostmasters won as their names were cleared after judges quashed their criminal convictions. They were wrongly accused of false accounting for over a decade by a state-owned Post-Office when the books didn’t match the branch’s accounts.

“It later emerged that the discrepancies were caused by the Post Office’s faulty IT system, Horizon. The court heard the prosecutions led to “shame and humiliation” for those wrongly jailed. Some suffered marriage break-ups and others bankruptcy. Three died as convicted criminals. The ruling could pave the way for many of the other 700 sub-postmasters to challenge their criminal convictions between 2000 and 2013,” The Times reported.

Six of these people had their magistrates’ court convictions overturned last year. The Post Office had demanded the subpostmasters to repay thousands of pounds purely relying on the evidence from Horizon, only to find later that it had IT that caused discrepancies. However,

three sub-postmasters lost their appeals as their cases were not based on Horizon evidence. It has been said that Post Office bosses “knew that there were problems with Horizon”.

Speaking to Asian Voice, Sandip Patel QC, Managing Partner at Aliant Law, London, and a Barrister, said, “On Friday, 39 former Post Office workers saw their wrongful criminal convictions overturned by the Court of Appeal in a judgment that establishes prosecutions brought by the Post Office amounted to an affront to public consciousness. However, this is merely the tip of an iceberg. More appeals are expected because it is believed some 700 people were also affected in perhaps the most wide-ranging and systematic miscarriages of justice in English legal history. In my view, there should be a public instead of a

government inquiry so that the public get the answers they deserve. Also, those responsible for this travesty of justice should be held accountable and prosecuted, if appropriate. Finally, the victims should be fully compensated for the unimaginable misery caused by the Post Office.”

Post-mistress Seema Misra was pregnant for the second time when she was imprisoned for a crime she didn’t commit in 2010.

Speaking to The Guardian, Seema said, “I was standing in the dock and just wanted to hold his hand. It’s hard to say but I think that if I had not been pregnant, I would have killed myself.”

The Guardian claimed that Seema was suspended as the post office operator in West Byfleet, Surrey, in 2005 for three years after an audit found an accounting discrepancy of £74,000. The British press stooped low and called her “pregnant thief” Others whose convictions were quashed who had served a jail term was 62 year old Vijay Parekh (former train dispatcher at Euston station in London).

“After his release it took him years of searching to find work.

“Because of that CRB check you

really can’t work anywhere at all. Now it will have been cleared and I could look for a job but I have reached retirement age,” he told The Guardian.

The grave injustice also lead to bankruptcy, imprisonment and suicide on the long journey to justice. One former postmaster, Martin Grif fiths, killed himself after he was falsely accused of stealing £60,000.

Others died with convictions against their names.

In a statement after the ruling, Post Office chairman Tim Parker said: “The Post Office is extremely sorry for the impact on the lives of these postmasters and their families that was caused by historical failures.”

Meanwhile, ex-Post Office chief Paula Vennells has quit retailer boardroom roles after sub-postmasters have convictions overturned. It has to be noted that Ms Vennells was chief executive of the Post Office from 2012 to 2019 when reports of a faulty IT system called Horizon were not properly investigated.

Asian Voice was unable to reach Seema Misra for a comment.

Investing in Women Code Annual Progress Report 2021 The first Investing in Women Code (IWC) report analyses data from signatory members of the Code. It uses a set of agreed guidelines and metrics to analyse funding for female entrepreneurs, and explores how all signatories can better enable female entrepreneurs to successfully access the tools, resources and investment they need to build and grow their businesses.

The new data released this week suggests that the 100 signatories of the Investing in Women Code are more likely to invest in female-run businesses than

other investors, improving access to finance for women.

The Code, launched in July 2019, is a commitment to support female entrepreneurship in the UK by improving women’s access to the advice, resources and finance needed to build a

business. The Code was set up after access to finance was identified as the number one disparity between female and male entrepreneurs by the independent Rose Review.

Overall, there are fewer applications for finance from female-led businesses than from male-led businesses. On average, male-led businesses also apply for a larger amount of finance.

The IWC data shows that out of all business types applying for finance (sole proprietors, single director limited partnerships, multiple director limited part-

nerships and partnerships), 15% were led by women and 56% by men. 22% of new primary business bank accounts were opened by women and 66% by men (these were both new to bank, i.e. switching and new to business banking, i.e. starting up).

15% of applications for a standard loan or overdraft were from female-led businesses and 56% were from male led businesses. 15% of applications for a government guaranteed product, such as CBILS or BBLS, were from women, compared to 56% of applications from men.

Inquiry into PM’s flat refurbishment Lawyers for the party said the matter was “incontrovertibly in the public interest”.

In a letter sent to the commission’s chief executive, Bob Posner, and Edwards Duthie Shamash Solicitors said there was “ever-increasing evidence” to warrant such an inquiry.

Labour cited Cummings’ published claim that Johnson

planned to “have donors secretly pay” for the refurbishment of the No 11 flat where he lives with fiancee Carrie Symonds and son Wilfred. The bill for the works reportedly ran to up to £200,000.

Cummings said he had made known his desire not to be associated with the plan, writing that he refused to help and so his knowledge about it was limited.

However, he added: “I would be happy to tell the cabinet secretary or Electoral Commission what I know concerning this matter.”

Cat Smith, Cabinet Office minister, accused the Conservatives of “trying to cover this up”, and urged them to “hand over everything they have” if they wanted to “do something about the stench of sleaze

engulfing them”. He has promised to “answer questions about any of these issues to parliament on 26 May for as long as the MPs want”.

The government refused to answer about whether Johnson had received a loan from a Tory donor to help pay for the works.

The Electoral Commission declined to comment.

South Asia still conducts two-fingers tests for rape victims It is common knowledge that in South Asian countries like India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, physical vaginal tests are used to determine whether women and girls have been raped.

Despite it having no scientific basis and being banned in India, these tests are used as evidence/basis of judgment in courts.

Human rights lawyer and coauthor of the latest report, Divya Srinivasan, (from the women’s rights organisation Equality Now and Dignity Alliance International) labelled the test “a human rights violation by itself”.

Sumeera Shrestha, executive director of the Nepali organisa-

tion Women for Human Rights, told The Guardian, “It is demeaning and inhuman. It is not just about whether rape has happened, but it’s like testing your virginity.”

For those unaware of the details, the test involves a medical practitioner inserting two fingers into the vagina of a rape survivor in an attempt to determine if the hymen is broken, as well as to test laxity in the vagina.

If the hymen is still intact, the test is used to declare that rape could not have taken place, though rape does not necessarily break the hymen. The test is often wrongly used to blackmail victims who were sexually active

and are put under a spotlight for many unnerving rounds of interrogation and emotional trauma to prove innocence.

However, five countries in the South Asian subcontinent – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka – permit the

use of evidence detailing the sexual history of a rape survivor. Srinivasan said this was a relic from colonial times.

Shrestha said, “Women are threatened.

Also human rights defenders who support women are threatened. When we work with widows who have been raped by family members, they cannot openly say that because [the perpetrator] threatens her children.”

The report claims that in Bangladesh, India and Nepal, more than 60% of the survivors interviewed reported coming under pressure to settle or compromise in their case.

in brief LORD MCFALL OF ALCUITH CONFIRMED AS NEW LORD SPEAKER

McFall, a Labour and Co-operative MP in Dunbartonshire from 1987 to 2010, first joined the House of Lords in 2010. He has served as Senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords since 2016, overseeing work to restructure Lords Select Committees and to develop new procedures for hybrid working during the pandemic.

McFall will take up the post from Saturday 1 May, and sit on the Woolsack for the first time on Tuesday 4 May. A pared-back Queen’s Speech is expected to take place in the House of Lords on Tuesday 11 May, in which the Lord Speaker traditionally has a ceremonial role. McFall will be the fourth Lord Speaker to hold the office, following the first ever remote election due to the pandemic. The Lord Speaker is elected for a term of five years, renewable once.

MUM WHO KILLED HER SON GETS AN EARLY RELEASE Rosdeep Adekoya, was jailed after she beat her son Mikaeel Kular to death after he was sick following a family meal at Nando’s. She has been released from prison just over six years into an 11-year sentence from Cornton Vale prison in Stirling, Scotland, this weekend. The mother, of four, then stashed his body in a suitcase before dumping it behind her sister’s house in the Scottish town of Kirkcaldy.Two days later his body was found in a garden belonging to Adekoya's sister.

Adekoya's story began to fall apart when she broke down in front of police who were interviewing her for a third time. She told officers: "It was an accident and I panicked. I am going to go to jail?”

Passing sentence, judge Lord Glennie said he accepted that Adekoya's remorse was "genuine and heartfelt".

FRONTLINE NURSE FINED £10,000 FOR 1% PAY PROTEST UK’s police force is refusing to back down after being accused of wrongly issuing a £10,000 fine to Karen Reissmann, who has worked as a frontline nurse throughout the pandemic was protesting over the government’s 1% pay rise for NHS workers, reigniting concern over new powers to inhibit protest. Reissmann, said: “Somebody calculated that if I used my 1% pay rise, it would take me 56 years to pay the fine off. I just really don’t understand why they are pursuing me after all that has happened.

Why are they doing this? It’s very odd for the police not to have realised their position.” A crowd funding has been set up to pay the police force’s legal costs should Reissmann lose the challenge. If she wins, the nurse will send the money to help others fight similar cases where the police are accused of overstepping the mark. GMP has been contacted for comment.

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TLIGHT

British Bindi: Four Best Friends Ben Judah joins “Bagels and Samosas” webinar

Sunetra Senior

Beautiful and culturally brimming, online platform British Bindi was founded by four best friends who “wanted to create an honest space for expression to build a community for everyone to share.” Kiran, Amani, Jasmeen and Tanisha (pictured), congregated after graduating from university to form what began as a shared blog, ultimately becoming the thoughtful lifestyle mag that appeals to many today. As well as being glamourous, celebrating the young Brit-Asian diaspora, their buzzing website covers a variety of experience within the community; from the romantic tropes of specifically Bollywood cinema as compared to reality in the category of relationships to the unique pressures on women in their adult lives, the internal prejudice of colourism and shouting socially positive news. A recent post congratulates dark-skinned British-Tamil actress, Simone Ashley, for landing the female lead in season 2 of Netflix’ Bridgerton: a break-through in terms of fuller ethnic representation on the western screen.

Currently working full-time at a social media agency, Kiran of British Bindi spoke to us more about their organic yet special journey. “I speak for all the girls when I say the very interest in our concept has been the highlight. There’s a massive brown influence on popular media today, but four or five years ago that wasn’t the case. We created British Bindi because we couldn’t find that minority space where we could talk and share ideas relevant to us. We started by researching the stories and articles we wanted to see and, over time, welcomed guest-bloggers who vibed with the feel and look of our work. We wanted to cover the good, the bad and the ugly side of our lives. We are aware that there are so many cultural stories to tell across our national background e.g., the four of us are North-Indian Punjabis so it’s important that we listen to other people and are aware of our own social privilege within the community when relevant. We continually want to learn and have open discussion alongside developing our own insights.”

The other three founders also have daytime jobs that excitingly complement their afterhours editorial venture: Amani works for the BBC as a radio producer, Jasmeen is a digital designer specialising in user experience and user interface, and Tanisha is a Multi-channel Digital Marketer. It is tempting to compare them to the world of Sex and the City. Especially when you see the ladies snazzily dressed in shots from a plethora of media events. Incidentally, British Bindi was nominated for Best Blog at the Asian Media Awards in 2017. However, in truth, transcending even race, British Bindi is its own personal brand. As Kiran put it: “we’re very girly, love fashion, chatting and conversing and always want to have fun!” Indeed, connecting contemporary India to traditional Britain, the publication is finally an ode to millennial mixed heritage. This is aesthetically reflected in the diverse style of the four young women; silvery sheer spaghetti-strapped pencil-dresses, open-shoulders and dark figure-hugging cocktail cuts show a proud blend of East and West, combining both conservatism and a sexy smoulder to make a stunning whole. Speaking on recommended upcoming summer

“

fashion, Kiran said: “be bold with colours. Don’t be afraid to express yourself. Especially after such a long time in lockdown!

Don’t shy away from experimenting – do what you wouldn’t usually but have always wanted to.” Of course, this is only better if you go out and do it with friends!

In short, British Bindi champions feisty nuance otherwise known as inspiring individuality. Talking on the group’s favourite film & TV shows, Kiran told us: “we’re split into two for that one. Amani and I enjoy Bollywood films. We’ve had so many Netflix watch-parties!

However, we all love Bridgerton on Netflix and anything trending on there too. We exchange a lot of recommends between us. It’s very varied. One minute it’s thrillers and horrors and the next comedies and Marvel.

Paranormal Activity has to be my favourite horror film. I remember watching that and thinking it was going to happen me.” Not only then does British Bindi chicly commemorate contemporary British-Asians, but further applauds the dynamic phenomenon of universal engagement. “We are widely respected in the industry and though our readership is predominantly dual-heritage, our pieces are read broadly.” Penning miscellaneous articles as well as multicultural ones, the ladies do what they “feel flows. We use Instagram a lot and have tried videos – whatever helps deliver our motivational message and feels right.” Subversively patriotic, British Bindi promotes accessible status.

Has it been good working professionally with close friends?

We’ve definitely benefitted. We have an extra bond with this platform as friends – this almost tangible investment in our relationship. You definitely have to be disciplined as it can be tempting to just socialise, but we’ve all learnt now how to balance the commitment while also letting loose.

Female friendships are an interesting underrepresented topic. Would you say you have to specifically balance sisterhood with individual boundaries for success?

Yes, but you just have a communicative conversation.

We make time for British Bindi on top of our independent careers and if one girl needs a holiday or private time, we just talk to each other about it. Naturally you have to adjust as life changes e.g., marriage and a family means letting someone have time, and vice-versa, still finding the time for friends.

Finally, what is your advice to other rising entrepreneurs and editorial aficionados?

For young people dipping your toe in: just start!

When you are toying with so many ideas, you can get overwhelmed. Whether it is planning a feature or a whole business, just begin and find out as soon as possible how things might pan out. An idea can get disproportionately big without any action. Also, don’t be scared to reach out to people. As long as you are writing in a friendly and professional manner, you’d be surprised at how many people do want to help and collaborate with you: most people are kind!

W: https://britishbindi.com/ T: @BritishBindi Instagram: @britishbindi

There’s a massive brown influence on popular media today, but four or five years ago that wasn’t the case. We created British Bindi because we couldn’t find that minority space where we could talk and share ideas relevant to us

”

On Thursday 22nd April, BIJA hosted their latest “Bagels and Samosas” webinar with journalist and author Ben Judah.

Over 60 people registered for the event which saw Judah talk about his family roots in the Jewish community of Kolkata and his exciting experiences as a journalist writing for top publications.

He was interviewed by BIJA Committee Member, Natalie Machta-Joseph, and also spoke about the books he has written, Fragile Empire (2013), a study of Vladimir Putin's Russia, and “This is London” (2016).

In the course of the conversation, Judah spoke about the interviews he has carried out with eminent statesmen and leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Commenting on the friendship between the Indian and Jewish communities, Ben Judah said: “I think it’s a fabulous and important thing to nurture. I see it in my friendship groups and in the friendship groups of people I know. I see it in

Ben Judah

emerging institutional links and I am really delighted about what you’re doing and want you to do more of it. I think that there is real space to develop that fraternal relationship between the two communities.

The communities have got a lot to say to the world, have got a lot to say in the US and in the UK. These are two of the most successful immigrant origin communities and I think it’s definitely an amazing story to tell. I think that there is a lot of room for more events and joint discussions like the one we are having now.” BIJA Co-Chair Zaki Cooper said: “We were delighted to welcome host shot journalist Ben Judah to address us. We were captivated by what we had to say. It was particularly poignant that he reflected on his Kolkata Jewish roots. Our Bagels and Samosas webinars go from strength to strength.”

Welby says Church has failed to tackle racism The Church of England should not allow statues or memorials to “unconditionally celebrate or commemorate” slave traders, a report commissioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury has said. It warned that inaction over racism in the church would be the “last straw” forcing many nonwhite worshippers to leave.

The church has routinely “bullied, overlooked, undermined and excluded” black and ethnic minority people, the Most Rev Justin Welby conceded. He pledged to adopt radical proposals to boost diversity.

According to the report

from the Archbishops’ AntiRacism Taskforce, founded after the Black Lives Matter protests last year, follows revelations days earlier that nondisclosure agreements had been used to “buy the silence” of those who have made racism complaints within the church.

The church has been apologising for racism within its ranks for more than 30 years but has taken little action to tackle it. “A failure to act now will be seen as another indication, potentially a last straw for many, that the church is not serious about racial sin” the report notes.

Virtual celebration of Ugadi by Telugu Association of London Telugu Association of London (TAL) held virtual celebrations of Ugadi on 24 April. Veteran Telugu Cine Lyricist Bhuvanachandra was the chief guest of the event, whilst renowned playback singer SP Shailaja was the special guest.

MP Seema Malhotra applauded TAL’s services to the Telugu community in the UK and India.

Telugu poet and writer Kalipatnam Rama Rao and Volety Parvatesam, former Doordarshan programming officer have inaugurated “Maa Telugu”, TAL’s annual magazine with cover page of the legendary playback singer

“Gaanagadharavudu” SP Balu.

Telugu artists Adire Abhi, London RJ Srivalli, playback singers Saketh Komanduri and Sahithi Chaganti, Parody Guruswamy, 4 Legs Kiran, Imitation Raju and various Telugu artists entertained with their performances.

Surabhi Drama Theater’s Mayabazar play was a special attraction.

TAL expressed gratitude for all Telugu medical professionals for their incredible services during the current pandemic. Chairman Bharathi Kandukuri wished the entire Telugu community a happy Telugu new year “Plava”.

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‘Refusing to acknowledge that the problem exists is an indirect form of racism in itself’ Shefali Saxena Rabina Khan is one of the most influential politicians in the east London borough of Tower Hamlets, where she serves as a Liberal Democrat councillor. In an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, she spoke about being a South Asian woman in British politics, the Race Commission report, and her book ‘My Hair Is Pink Under This Veil.

Rabina came to the UK in 1975 aged 3, and grew up in Rochester where once hers was the only family of colour living on that street. “One of the main challenges my mother faced back in 1975 was “coloured integration”, as she termed it – her everyday experience of struggling to be accepted as a woman of colour in a predominantly white area,” she said.

“My mother tried to integrate into British society with quiet dignity, even when racists called her a “Paki”, or a “coloured bitch”. She was often elbowed out of line in the supermarket. The cashier would look down her nose at her and speak loudly as if she were deaf, repeating things when it was perfectly clear that she understood,” she added.

Rabina further added, “Racism towards ethnic minorities has a tremendous impact on women in every aspect of their lives – personally, professionally, medically and socially. Following the 1986 bombing of Libya, when I was a teenager, a bus driver shut the door in my face and told me to go back to Libya, whilst he allowed my white school friends on the bus. It was humiliating and tremendously upsetting. This is just one example of the personal prejudice I have faced throughout life, but there are thousands of ethnic minority women who

encounter bigoted attitudes like this every day. It affects employment prospects, access to healthcare, and living standards. Black women in the UK are four times more likely than white women to die in pregnancy or childbirth.”

When asked what is it like being a British South Asian woman in politics in 2021, Rabina told Asian Voice, “Despite the prejudice I have faced, it has been tremendously empowering to work in a predominantly white, male arena and be able to challenge and disprove the stereotypes and inspire other women of colour to do the same. I feel honoured to be a political voice for Muslim and ethnic minority women, whilst promoting community cohesion.”

Sharing her take on the Race Commission report, she said, “Refusing to acknowledge that the problem exists is an indirect form of racism in itself. The report failed to include the genuine experiences of people of colour and what we perceive as racism, whether in school, the workplace, or within our health services. An accurate, unbiased report cannot be compiled without interviewing and including the experiences of those affected. When my husband moved to London with our extended family, we discovered that when we tried to rent, estate agents would increase the prices when they heard our names, but the prices remained the same

when white potential renters called to rent. This is a problem that I still see today within the community.”

In her book, she writes that Hijab is a symbol of a modern Muslim woman’s personal style and strength. Elaborating on that, Rabina said, “Although many people view the hijab as a symbol of oppression and something that is forced upon Muslim women, it is very much a personal choice. Women who choose to wear it are demonstrating their resilience, as they know that it will make them more of a target for discrimination and abuse.

Therefore, they show immense fortitude in continuing to wear it with pride, and doing so with style, combining it with modest, fashionable clothes in a myriad of colours.

Muslim women do not just wear the hijab; they have built a whole fashion style around it.” Sharing her advice for South Asian women who hesitate in penning down their thoughts, Rabina said, “Be proud of who you are. Ignore the critics. Believe in yourself.

Seek out others with similar aims for support and encouragement. Writing is extremely cathartic. Muslim women are often accused of not integrating, but it is not so much a question of not wanting to integrate as of facing difficulties integrating – and, often, being equally criticised for integrating successfully.”

Rabina Khan’s upcoming book ‘My Hair Is Pink Under This Veil’ will be published by Biteback Publishing on May 20, priced £16.99.

Karkhana Chronicles II Karkhana Chronicles II presented a series of installations and traditional textiles in collaboration with the royal families of Indore, Kathiwada, Bhavnagar and Mysore.

The exhibit saw a collaboration between the Holkar family and Sanjay Garg, Founder & Textile Designer, Raw Mango. Installations were digitally exhibited with imagery and videos launching on a specially commissioned microsite on 24 April. The four installations included Indore

Maheshwari, Bridging Worlds, Weaving Drapes: an installation by Nilambag Palace and Bhavnagar Heritage, Mysore Silks and Khadi - Innovation, Creativity and Style and Kathiwada - Where Tradition and Innovation Meet.

Supported by The ReFashion Hub - a sustainability-focused initiative with a Boutet de Monvel portrait of HH Maharaja Yeshwantrao ii and HH Maharani Sanyogitaraje special emphasis on water stewardship Chronicles II launched online with a digital and the royal families of Indore, Kathiwada, exhibition of heritage textile on the 24 April.

Bhavnagar and Mysore, Karkhana

The Very Best of Rudy Otter Rudy Otter, a retired Anglo-Indian freelance reporter and columnist for ABPL Group, is wearing a bigger smile than usual. His book, “The Very Best of Rudy Otter”, has been selling in countries like India, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, Canada, United States, Australia and New Zealand.

The paperback, published in 2013 by AngloInk of Chennai, India, consists of light-hearted articles and short stories on his beloved AngloIndian community. Publisher/Editor Harry MacLure said: “You cannot help but giggle and want to turn the pages.” On Anglo-Ink’s website, readers have also commented on the book. One in the UK, formerly from Jhansi, India wrote: “Very enjoyable and certain to delight readers.” Another, from Canada: “Highly engaging and entertaining.” A newspaper review said the book exuded “wit and warmth”.

The Anglo-Indian race was started during the British Raj by white-settlers in India who originally called themselves Anglo-Indians.

Lacking the company of European women in those far-off days, they married Indian women and their offspring, originally known as Eurasians, also came to be known as AngloIndians in 1911.

Since India’s Independence in 1947, the majority of the 500,000-strong Anglo-Indian community left India to make their homes in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand,

although around 150,000 still live and work in India.

Their mother tongue is English, they have British names, and they are Christians. They come in three colours – white, light-brown and dark Rudy Otter brown.

In pre-Independent India they were employed mainly on the railways as engine drivers, guards, ticket-collectors, station masters, and yard foremen, with some in the

police, government telegraphs or customs & excise.. Their wives were teachers, nurses and secretaries.

In their adopted countries, they became managing directors, doctors, scientists, engineers, journalists and some even started their own businesses.

“We work hard but also like to relax,” said Rudy, now a sprightly 85. “Dancing is a favourite pastime and we are also crazy about spicy Indian food!” he quipped.

UK Asian Film Festival 2021: Ray Of Hope The UK Asian Film Festival, has announced its 23rd edition festival dates, theme and Opening and Closing Films. In the light of Covid-19, the curation of this year's festival theme is Ray Of Hope.

The festival will run from 26th May – 6th June 2021 in venues across London, Manchester, Leicester, Coventry, Glasgow and Stockton. The Opening Film will be the UK Premiere of Raahgir (The Wayfarers) (UK/ India, 2019, Dir: Goutam Ghose) on Wednesday 26th May at BFI Southbank.

Featuring Adil Hussain, Tillotama Shome, Neeraj Kabi and the closing film will be the World Premiere of The Beatles And India (UK/

India, 2021, Dir: Ajoy Bhose, Co-Director Peter Comption) on Sunday 6th June at BFI Southbank.

UK Asian Film Festival Founder and Director, Dr Pushpinder Chowdhry MBE says, “We are thrilled to bring the magic of the cinema back again! After a year of virtual living, we are proud to be working with our partners to create safe spaces for our audiences to enjoy films in person.” UK Asian Film Festival Creative Director, Samir Bhamra says, “Cinema has been a ray of hope for all of us during this pandemic. Its power to entertain, provide escapism and boost our wellbeing has held us all together during this pandemic.”

in brief ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY ANNOUNCES SUMMER 2021 PROGRAMME The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has today released full details of its Summer 2021 programme which includes an artists’ impression of the newly conceived Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre. This specially constructed outdoor performance space is located in the Swan Theatre Gardens, flanked by the River Avon and overlooked by the Swan Theatre.

The first visual of Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre has been released and the performance schedule for The Comedy of Errors, directed by Phillip Breen has also been announced. RSC Artistic Director, Gregory Doran and Owen Horsley present Henry VI Part One: Open Rehearsal Project will culminate in a live online rehearsal room performance on 23 June. The Next Generation Act presents All Mirth and No Matter, a creative response to Much Ado About Nothing; an online Playmaking Festival to celebrate creativity of young people & adults from across the UK and Live Schools’ Broadcast of Macbeth (2018) has also been announced.

WELLCOME FUNDING FOR MEDICAL HUMANITIES A team from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures at the University of Leeds, has secured £1 million in funding from global charitable foundation Wellcome to develop medical humanities research. The three-year development grant will be used to further understand the relationship between the human body and technologies associated with health and disability as part of a project called LivingBodiesObjects: Technology and the Spaces of Health. The Leeds team will work with creative facilitators Immersive Networks and develop a series of six-month residencies with an inspiring group of external partners – the Bhopal Medical Appeal, Blueberry Academy, Interplay Theatre and the Thackray Museum of Medicine.The group is one of the most active of its kind in the UK and uses the critical thinking practices of the arts and humanities to ask questions rooted in experiences, practices, representations and histories of medicine, health, illness, disability and care.

COVENTRY’S BELGRADE THEATRE TO HOLD SOCIALLY DISTANCED SCREENINGS Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre is all set to premiere The Beatles and India next month in a socially distanced setting. This new documentary includes exclusive footage of The Beatles performing in Coventry as a support band – before they were famous. UK Asian Film Festival will be hosted by the Belgrade from Thursday May 27 to Saturday May 29. It will be jointly hosted with Leicester’s South Asian arts company Phizzical. Socially distanced screenings will take place in the B2 auditorium at the Belgrade from Thurs May 27 – Sat May 29.

Tickets are £5 and are available online at belgrade.

MAYA LAKHANI RETURNS WITH ‘WALK ALONE’ British-Indian rock artist Maya Lakhani has returned with her self-produced second single WALK ALONE, which was released on Friday 23rd April 2021. Making waves in British rock, Maya is making her return with ‘Walk Alone’. Emotional and electric, the single is inspired by the current conversations that are happening around women’s safety, the culture of victim blaming and the pure desire to walk alone as a woman without fear of attack or abuse.

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in brief BRITAIN SLASHES AID TO CHINA BY 95% TO LESS THAN A MILLION POUNDS Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab revealed that the Chinese official development assistance fund to Beijing was being cut from £18 million a year to £900,000.

The move is set to further rise up tensions between Britain and the one party communist state after they sanctioned five Tory MPs, Peers, lawyers and academics for highlighting China’s human rights abuses against the minority Muslim Uyghur community. Mr Raab said: “The resulting portfolio marks a strategic shift, putting our aid budget to work alongside our diplomatic network, our science and technology expertise and our economic partnerships in tackling global challenges.”

He added: “In China, I have reduced FCDO’s ODA for programme delivery by 95% to £0.9m (with additional ODA in this year only to meet the contractual exit costs of former programmes). The remaining £900,000 will fund on open societies and human rights.”

The statement outlines how the nation will slash the overall aid budget from 0.7 per cent of GDP to 0.5 per cent.In 2019 Britain forked out £67.8 million for various projects in China - up from £55.6 million in 2018.

QUEEN THANKS PUBLIC FOR ‘SUPPORT AND KINDNESS’ The Queen has thanked the nation for "support and kindness" following Prince Philip's death - as she spent her first birthday without him.

Sharing her sadness on her 95th birthday, days after the funeral for her husband of more than 70 years, the Queen said that she was "deeply touched" by the good wishes. She said: "While as a family we are in a period of great sadness, it has been a comfort to us all to see and to hear the tributes paid to my husband, from those within the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world.

"My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and kindness shown to us in recent days. We have been deeply touched, and continue to be reminded that Philip had such an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life."

AROUND 60% AVOID TRAVELLING AFTER GETTING VACCINATED Some countries are already restricting domestic flights and support for aviation has been conditional on environmental progress.

Heathrow Airport has refused to allow extra flights from India before the country is added to the UK travel red list.

The airport said that it did not want to exacerbate existing pressures at the border by allowing more passengers to fly in. From 23 April Friday – 04:00 arrivals from India where refused. British and Irish passport holders, and people with UK residence rights, will be allowed in, but must quarantine in hotels for 10 days.

Nearly 60% of adults say they intend to fly less after being vaccinated against Covid-19 with fears over spreading new variants of the virus among the top concerns.

Passenger airline miles in April 2020 were 94% lower than in April 2019, according to the International Air Transport Association.

In a survey of nearly 500 people it was found: -57.7% of respondents aim to fly 'less' or 'much less' in the future -76.9% said concerns over Covid-19 might put them off flying - 73.1% of respondents aiming to fly less are in older age groups, aged over 60

Indian companies’ contribution to UK economy grows, finds new research As the Prime Minister’s visit to India is postponed but conversations are set to continue online later this month on the plans for the future partnership between the UK and India; the eighth edition of the Grant Thornton India meets Britain Tracker explores the significant contribution Indian companies continue to make to the UK economy, which has increased in almost every measure compared to the previous year’s report.

The new research, developed

by Grant Thornton UK LLP in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry, analyses the data of UK-incorporated limited companies that are either owned or controlled by Indian interests.

This year’s research finds that there are 850 Indian companies operating in the UK, up from 842 in the 2020 report.

These companies: - recorded £50.8billion total turnover, up from £41.2billion in 2020employed 116,046 people, an increase from 110,793 in 2020 - paid £459.2million in corporation tax, down from

£461.8million in 2020 - 47% have at least one woman on their board, compared with 20% in 2020 Anuj Chande, Head of South Asia Business Group, Grant Thornton UK LLP, commented: “Despite the challenges of the past year and, as Britain aims to increase trading Mr. Anuj Chande and investment links around the world post Brexit, the longstanding ties between Britain and India only look set to deepen.

Brexit marks a significant moment for the UKIndia relationship. With a UKEU Trade and Cooperation Agreement now reached, the UK is free to begin developing its new post-Brexit identity as a Britain’ and to ‘Global strengthen links with major economies beyond Europe. As the UK government looks to supercharge the economic partnership to support growth, jobs and prosperity, and India continues its journey to becoming one of the world’s largest economies, the ‘living

bridge’ between the two countries, formed by more than 1.5 million Indian diaspora living in the UK, will be more important than ever. India is also likely to benefit from the major modifications made to the UK’s immigration policy, with the new point-based system for visas for skilled workers likely to benefit India significantly due to the creation of a more level playing field.”

Minister for Investment Gerry Grimstone said: “Deeper trading ties with India will ensure more fast-growing companies like Birlasoft and Diligenta will have the opportunity to bring jobs and growth to the UK, as we build back better, and stronger, from Covid-19.”

High Commissioner of India to the UK, Ms. Gaitri Issar Kumar added: “Trade and investment flows between India and the United Kingdom Ms. Gaitri Issar have remained Kumar on a positive trajectory despite the pandemic.

Governments are Our

committed to removal of trade barriers and encouraging collaborations in innovation and technology development particularly in sectors where our nations have complementary capabilities. I congratulate all the Indian companies listed - whose leadership and success will inspire new ventures.”

Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said: “The statistics are a reflection of the strong contribution that Indian Mr. Chandrajit industry has Banerjee continued to make in the UK, in keeping jobs and supporting the local economy. As discussions around the India and UK Enhanced Trade Partnership agreement continue, and as nations continue to battle the pandemic, CII and its members have worked towards facilitating an economic recovery path which has been invaluable and it is therefore highly encouraging to see the role our Indian industry has played here in the UK.”

IEA: "Great opportunities" possible for UK-India trade There are important commercial – and powerful geopolitical – reasons for a full Free Trade Agreement between the UK and India. As Boris Johnson prepares for talks with Prime Minister Modi later this month as part of the UK’s new “Indo-Pacific tilt,” a new briefing paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs, authored by IEA Academic Fellow Shanker Singham, examines prospects for and barriers to a deeper relationship between the two nations.

The UK Prime Minister is promising an Enhanced Trade Partnership, possibly leading to a full Free Trade Agreement – and the UK may have the just right combination of offensive and

defensive flexibility to be able to do this deal with India. Were it to be achieved, it could “bolster” the UK’s credentials as a free trading country.

The contours of a deal are emerging and involve key UK asks such as financial services and legal services access, as well as Scotch whisky tariff reduction, and key Indian asks such as the UK committing not to impose bans on Indian agriculture in violation of the WTO SPS agreement. Bilateral trade flows are currently worth $15.7bn in goods and $18.9bn in services, but there is “significant scope for a substantial increase,” the author notes.

And the opportunities

extend far beyond narrow commercial objectives: such a deal would have a strong geopolitical dimension. India could be brought into an alignment of nations including the CPTPP members as a bulwark against the “negative impact of China’s market distortions and security policies”.

Singham suggests that when the two leaders meet, albeit virtually, Boris Johnson could “make clear” that while the UK welcomes a deeper relationship with India, this will depend on whether the latter abides by its commitments under international treaties and respects international courts and arbitrators.

Shanker Singham, IEA Academic Fellow and author of Eastern Promise: Assessing the Future of UK-India Trade, said: “There are real opportunities for both the UK and India of a Free Trade Agreement, and these are not limited to commercial benefits only. There is a crucial geo-political dimension of aligning a group of countries including the UK, US, India and the CPTPP nations (especially Australia, New Zealand and Japan) who believe in competitive markets, property rights protection, and open trade. But India will have to choose to align itself to these core values – it is at that vital crossroads now.”

Stars and GPs come together to encourage South Asian community to get Covid-19 vaccine Singer-songwriter Navin Kundra, producer, presenter and performer Parle Patel and BBC broadcaster Nadia Ali have come together in a video to encourage the South Asian community to get #Immunityforthe Community by taking up the Covid-19 vaccine.

The video, released on Friday 23rd, also features GP Carter Singh MBE, Ashanti Omkar FRSA, Lyca Radio and Dilse CEO Raj Baddhan, Channel S Presenter Kuhinoor Kabir and Dr Henna Anwar.

Their message is communicated in eight different languages – English, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Hindi, Sylheti and Urdu.

Figures released this week show that vaccine uptake among ethnic minorities in England has tripled. Between 7 February and 7 April 2021, there has been an increase of 235%, overtaking the national average among all ethnicities of 154%.

Uptake among Bangladeshi communities in England has increased from 29,382 to 152,408 and among Pakistani communities it has increased from 88,956 to 367,780.

The prominent figures from the world of entertainment and medicine will each share the video across their social media platforms from today.

Navin Kundra said: “Vaccines are the best way to protect people from coronavirus and will help save thousands of lives.

They’re the only way out of this pandemic and I’ll be taking my Covid-19 vaccine when I’m invited.”

Nadia Ali said: “I really hope this inspires others to go and get their Covid-19 vaccination.”

Parle Patel said: "This is a great campaign and so important!”

Ashanti Omkar said: "My parents had their vaccinations. It gave us a real sense of peace of

Navin Kundra

mind. It is important for us to take this and move on with life."

The release of the #immunityforthecommunity comes as more than 33 million people in the UK have received their first dose and more than 11 million people have had their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

It’s the latest in a series of initiatives by public figures and healthcare professionals within the South Asian community to

encourage confidence in the vaccine and dispel misinformation.

Currently everyone aged 45 and over, those with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of Covid-19 and health and care workers and carers can now receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

People who have been invited by their GP or the NHS to get the Covid-19 vaccine can arrange their vaccination by logging on to the national booking service at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination.

Anyone unable to book online can call 119 free of charge, anytime between 7am and 11pm seven days a week.

Covid-19 vaccinations can be booked without an NHS number and regardless of an individual’s immigration status – this will not be checked.

For more information on the Covid-19 vaccine, visit: www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination

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Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel Stocks Are Booming, But Can They Continue? What Is the Potential For Your Savings and Pension?

After the big banks posted their profits last week, many investors could relax. Earnings and revenues far exceeded estimates from investors polls by Refinitiv. Despite their high prices, analysts like Mad Money's Jim Cramer are now suggesting that financial stocks are "dirt cheap".

While in the UK, the FTSE 100 rose through 7000 for the first time in over a year. Stock markets dropped wildly last year due to COVID-19 investor panic. But now, having bounced back strongly, stocks are looking like the safest place for money, with current banking interest rates offering returns of just 0.1%.

While still short of an all-time high of in excess of 7500, year-over-year growth of 35% is astounding. Most growth has been spurred by oil, pharmaceuticals, commodity extraction, and a return of the high street and hospitality as pandemic restrictions relax.

However, US stocks are performing even stronger, with tech giants like Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet contributing to an 82% rise over the same period.

After a challenging 2020, investors and analysts are giddily proclaiming, the worst is over. However, on further inspections, things might not be so straightforward.

The Upsides In the UK, the lockdown road map has provided muchneeded relief for the retail and parts of the hospitality sector. A successful vaccine rollout has led to a clear and defined pathway for UK life to return to normal. Additionally, investor sentiment seems high.

However, it's not just a return to normal that has prices on the rise. Interest rates on bonds, and talk of rising tax rates, have seen money flow into stocks.

Across the pond, Joe Biden's administration's commitment to a further $1.9bn stimulus and infrastructure investment package should keep the economy in good health. This, combined with the Federal Reserve's promise to keep interest rates low unless inflation goes over 2%, should create favourable conditions for investors. Cheap money and rapid growth are an investor's dream. Of course, inflation is a growing concern for many investors; however, this could result in good news for the UK markets. Motley Fool's Malcolm Wheatly recently pointed out that falling bond and gilt prices suggest a sell-off is in progress. If this indicates that inflation is coming, the same publication suggests that equities could become more attractive. Real businesses that can maintain their sales should be able to go with the flow of inflation, provided inflation doesn't get too high.

The data on how rising inflation affects overall stock markets are open to interpretation. However, as Kevin Godbold at the Motley Fool suggests, value stocks tend to perform best during high inflation. If this theory holds, UK's value and cyclical businesses could become very interesting to foreign investment, leading Godbold to hint that we could be on the edge of a multi-year UK stock market boom.

The Downsides Despite jubilance caused by the end of the lockdown, this has been a Y-shaped recovery for many. As retail and hospitality sectors make steady gains, it's worth remembering that airlines are still struggling. Easy Jet, British Airlines parent company IAG, RyanAir, and Jet 2 are all slightly depressed.

The UK's vaccine rollout success hasn't been replicated globally, so further travel restrictions are expected. Indeed, the pandemic may have altered consumer behaviours forever.

British holiday-goers may continue to embrace the staycation, while work from home and virtual work could continue to hit one of the sector's biggest earners: business travel.

Other downsides for investors to consider are related to new, mutant COVID strains. While vaccine rollout has been a success, it's not guaranteed that they will be effective with new variants. Stock price rises in the last year have an economic recovery baked in; any more surprises could hit hard.

Market Watch has sounded a note of scepticism about the global market recovery. While gains are high, they have noted that they have some way to go before the match past crash recoveries. Additionally, they add that the sectors earmarked to benefit the most from relation — financials, materials, industrials and energy — are still below pre-COVID levels.

Finally, the Nasdaq 100 tracker QQQ ETF reported an outflow of $2.5bn from the fund, its biggest since October. While this might not prove to be symbolic of broader withdrawals, it is a significant trend reversal.

Conclusion The market or investor sentiment isn't something that is too easily predicted. Crashes happen, rally happens; the FTSE 100 could go far north of 7000 or get back down to 5000. The only way to ride this variance is to think long-term.

The sensible play is to be fully invested in resilient companies with strong growth potential and cash flows. Therefore if the market trends downwards, which it inevitably will at some point, you know your portfolio won't fall as far, and it will bounce back quicker.

I want everyone to learn how to invest for themselves, or at least the right questions to ask their fund manager, or financial advisor. I create a Campaign to teach for free people how to invest better and so they feel they are seated next to me, connect with me on instant messenger and see what I see. It’s all free on www.campaignforamillion.com

Sanjeev Gupta seeks govt 'co-operation' in fresh bailout bid Steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta has reportedly made a fresh appeal for government support for his falling GFG Alliance. Media reports suggest he wrote to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng last week, seeking “co-operation” from ministers on a deal. The renewed bid comes after government officials rejected an initial bid for a £170m bailout for the family conglomerate.

In his latest letter, Gupta reportedly sought to address officials' concerns, saying that he has “full transparency” so the government could “consider all options that could establish a sustainable future for GFG Alliance businesses in the UK.” The firm has been under intense scrutiny ever since the collapse of Gupta's main financier Greensill opened

Sanjeev Gupta

up a can of worms.

Gupta's letter read, “The collapse of Greensill presents a financial dynamic which currently prevents working capital support from being provided to our UK businesses. We continue to seek your co-operation.”

It also states that talks with prospective new lenders were progressing well and “should allow full repayment for creditors and fresh group funding in a number of jurisdictions.” Gupta also lashed out at “innuendo and misinformed public and media

commentary”, stating that it had slowed down attempts to arrange new financing.

He urged officials to set up an investment structure using a so-called “tolling” arrangement, which would rescue his company through the purchase of scrap that its electric arc furnaces could convert into finished products. His follow-up letter said, “It is also incumbent on me to correct any misunderstanding that may exist about the intent or contents of the letter of March 24 which continues to be misrepresented.”

Meanwhile, when questioned by fellow MPs, Kwarteng reportedly said that considering the lack of transparency around GFG Alliance, approving the bailout would be “deeply irresponsible”.

Tata reportedly sues GFG Alliance Meanwhile, Gupta's empire is reportedly being sued by rival Tata Steel over a £100m deal that turned him into one of Britain's biggest steel magnates. A report by the Daily Telegraph states Tata has filed a commercial court claim against Liberty Steel's parent company Gupta's GFG Alliance, over alleged mispayments.

The case relates to Liberty's 2017 takeover of Tata's Rotheram-based specialty steel division. Once called a saviour for saving over a 1,000 jobs in Rotheram, Liberty Steel is now in a mess following alleged reduction of cash sum by around a quarter through several arrangements, including deferred payments.

UK imposes sanctions on South Africa's Gupta brothers The UK government has imposed sanctions on 22 individuals, under a new anti-corruption regime.

Individuals from Russia, South Africa, South Sudan and Latin America were target with asset freezes and travel bans. The list includes 14 Russians, and notably, the Gupta brothers of South Africa for serious corruption in the country. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the UK had an important role to play in combating corruption.

Announcing the sanctions in the House of Commons, Raab said,

“Corruption has an immensely corrosive effect on the rule of law, on trust in institutions, it slows development, it drains the wealth of poorer nations, it keeps their people trapped in poverty. It poisons the well of democracy around the world.”

He added, “Our status as a global financial centre makes us an attractive location for investment... but it also makes us a honey pot, a lightning rod for corrupt actors who seek to launder their dirty money through British banks or through British businesses.” The

sanctions mean individuals “involved in some of the world's most serious cases of corruption” will no longer be able to channel their money through UK banks or enter the country.

No longer living in South Africa, the Gupta brothers have denied wrongdoing.

However, the UK Foreign Office said the three and their associate Salim Essa were “at the heart of a longrunning process of corruption in South Africa which caused significant damage to its economy.” So deeply

involved in national politics, the brothers were reportedly at the centre of state capture in the country.

The UK Economic Sanction list cites people from six countries, including Sudanese businessman Ashraf Seed Ahmed Hussein Ali. This is the first time the UK has imposed sanctions for international corruption.

Raab said the new sanctions regime would “provide an additional powerful tool to hold the corrupt to account.”

Cameron reportedly lobbied on Tory donor's role in behalf of Chinese investment fund £100m deal of PPE supply Former prime minister David A former Conservative parliamentary candidate was involved in a £100 million deal to sell PPE equipment to the government emerged last week.

A contract to supply face masks was signed with a company named Pharmaceuticals Direct (PDL) last July. Details were published seven months later with information about the individuals involved with the company blacked out.

In what appears to have been a clerical error, a separate document published with the contract named Samir Jassal as the “supplier’s contact” to the company.

Last year it was revealed that the government set up a “high-priority lane” for businesses endorsed by White hall officials or politicians, to fast-track PPE orders. Ministers have refused to reveal the full list of fast-tracked companies.

Jassal, a former Conservative councillor, joined Boris Johnson on an official trip to a recycling plant in west London in October last year and accompanied him on a visit to a Sikh temple during the 2019 election. He stood as a Tory candidate in two general elections and his LinkedIn profile says he worked as an adviser to Priti Patel between 2014 and 2015. In 2016, he donated £4,000 to the party.

Jassal said that he acted as a consultant for the company.

His involvement was uncovered by the Good Law Project, a campaign group that took the government to court because it was not publishing the PPE contracts. It is seeking to bring a case against the government in relation to the Pharmaceuticals Direct contract. Jassal said PDL had 20 years of experience in health care and it asked to supply PPE via an online government portal. The masks “successfully entered the NHS supply chain in a timely manner” and met “all technical standards”. A Department of Health spokesman said: “All PPE procurement went through the same assurance process. Due diligence has been carried out on every contract and ministers have no involvement in deciding who is awarded contracts.”

Cameron is currently embroiled in a lobbying scandal involving government contracts secured for Greensill Capital. While he tries to swat away the controversy that has taken down multiple senior government officials, fresh media reports reveal he lobbied then-Chancellor of the David Cameron Exchequer Philip Hammond in 2017 to secure government approval for a £718 million Chinese investment deal.

According to correspondence obtained by The Observer and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Cameron held a meeting with Hammond in 2017 to discuss the formation of the £718 million UK-China Fund, of which, he was set to become the vice-chairman. The meeting was scheduled just 15 months after he resigned following his defeat in the Brexit referendum. Present UK rules forbid former prime ministers from lobbying the government for two years.

In a 2018 letter to then-shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Labour MP Peter Dowd, Hammond reportedly wrote that in the meeting, Cameron had disclosed “his plans to create a commercial UK-China fund to invest in innovative, sustainable and consumption-driven growth opportunities.” The letter also revealed that the former PM was successful in securing general government approval of the fund.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Cameron said that he “has never lobbied the UK government about the UK-China fund and now work or tentative discussions about the fund took place while he was prime minister. These discussions were not in any way seeking financial support for the fund, but merely to gain support for the concept of a bilateral fund.”

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India's oil ministry plans to carve up ONGC India's oil ministry has drawn up plans to carve up ONGC, the country’s largest explorer into smaller entities, sell stake in its major producing and upcoming fields to private companies and privatise smaller discoveries.

The ministry sent an ‘action plan’ to the company on April 1, a day after full-time chairman Shashi Shanker retired. The letter from additional secretary (exploration) Amar Nath asked acting chairman and director (finance) Subhash Kumar to respond by “Monday, April 5”.

The action plan centres around hiving off in-house operations - drilling, well services, logging, workover

services and data processing - into separate entities. It identifies Ratna-R and Pana-Mukta offshore fields as well as Gandhar onland in Gujarat for inducting private partners in the western region. In the eastern offshore, the $5billion KGDWN-98/2 gas project, slated to be the crown jewel, Deendayal West block, acquired from GSPC for $995 million in 2017, and Ashoknagar onland discovery near Kolkata have been flagged for inducting “global majors as partners”.

Industry analysts said the plan will turn ONGC into a surrogate company where it will be left with investing risk capital for exploration but will have to

Freshly Plucked

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

share the fruits of its toil with private partners brought in to d e v e l o p discoveries “on marketfriendly terms as lower royalty”. in-house Separating expertise and functions, built over the years, into separate entities will weaken ONGC’s value and raise costs. “ONGC will have to pay 18% GST to the subsidiaries for services but will not be able to claim input credit. Today, this is not so since these are inhouse functions,” an analyst said.

ONGC will lose its financial leverage in raising cheap debt as “nobody lends to a company whose

primary task will be to sink risk capital”, a former company executive said.

Another former executive said ONGC may be left stranded as the subsidiaries will look for contracts from others. “Many companies with fields are struggling due to dearth of cheaper domestic resources in these services. There could be instances where, say, the capacity of the drilling subsidiary is booked by other companies,” he added. The plan also privatising envisages smaller fields and monetising assets

and digital units last year, Ambani is helming a transformation as he seeks to build consumer services into an equal-sized pillar for Reliance Industries, paring dependence on profits from its traditional oil refining business.

Acquiring marquee global brands underscores that strategy.

The group "will look to enhance the sports and leisure facilities at this heritage site," Reliance said in the filing. Ambani's conglomerate has equity

holding in EIH Ltd, which runs the chain of five star Oberoi Hotels.

The UK is emerging as a real estate hotspot for wealthy Indians.

Adar Poonawalla, chief executive officer of the Serum Institute of India - the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world agreed to rent a property in Mayfair for about 50,000 pounds ($69,300) a week, a record for the exclusive London neighborhood, Bloomberg reported last month.

RIL to buy another British icon, Stoke Park, for £57mn Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries will buy Stoke Park, which owns and manages a hotel, sports and leisure facilities in Buckinghamshire, UK, for 57 million pounds, said an exchange filing.

The acquisition will add to Reliance's consumer and hospitality assets, the filing said.

The property's rolling golf course has been famous since James Bond played a game with Auric Goldfinger there in the 1964 blockbuster. Since then, the estate with the Georgian-era mansion set in the midst of 300 acres of parkland has also been a backdrop in productions like "Bridget Jones's Diary" and Netflix's

British Royal Family drama "The Crown".

In real life, its 49 luxury bedrooms and suites, 27hole championship golf course, 13 tennis courts and 14 acres of private gardens attracts wealthy tourists including the Ambani family themselves - from across the world. The latest marquee acquisition for Mukesh Ambani's retail-to-refining conglomerate marks its pivot toward consumer offerings and yet another high-profile British brand purchase. Reliance bought struggling UK-based toy store chain Hamleys in 2019 and is seeking to revive it.

Flush with $27 billion in fresh capital after selling stakes in Reliance's retail

SP seeks review of SC judgment in Tata case The Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group filed for a review of the Supreme Court verdict in its minority shareholder oppression case against Tata Sons. The move came on the last day to file such an appeal. A review plea can be filed within 30 days of a verdict, and the SC ruling in this SP-Tata Sons case was pronounced on March 26.

The petition challenges certain errors in the judgment, which had set aside the order of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) that had reinstated SP scion Cyrus Mistry as the chairman of Tata Sons. SP holds 18.4% in Tata Sons, the holding company of the $100-billion Tata conglomerate, and Mistry was removed from the chairman’s post in October 2016 in a boardroom coup.

The petition is not a review of the entire judgment but some aspects of fact and law that are patent errors, said people familiar with the matter.

observation, said corporate lawyers, suggested that the role and duties of directors of a charitable trust are different from those of other non-charitable trust members.

We have just secured a deal in North West London.

Judging from all the interest we had in the last deal I wrote about, in the same location, I don’t think it will stay around for very long.

The property is freehold with two 2 bedroom flats, both let out, bringing in an income; however, less than the current market level.

The property comprises of circa 3,000 sq. ft. in total, with a large vacant commercial premises on the ground floor; which will no doubt be burning a hole in the current landlord’s pocket, due to the empty business rates it attracts.

The property has very good head height on the commercial element and backs on to a street at the rear.

This is a very important point, as any flats which will be built to the rear will need to have access from the back side of the property.

This development will utilise both full planning and a little known process that comes under planning, but comes with the certainty that full planning doesn’t. The little known process will be used for the commercial element, and full planning will be utilised for extending the building backward and upwards.

We envisage a GDV touching £2M at the end of the project, the purchase price is just over £1M going in.

Converting within the existing fabric of the building keeps the cost down. One should be looking at £50-75K per flat. It’s important with small developments not to get bogged down with layers of professional fees. Keep these to a minimum.

Therefore, two flats are expected to be at a cost of £150K max.

With planning we mostly use a bite size approach.

We secure the certain confirmed planning rights as quickly as we can, from the point of exchange, and then we work on the rest of the building bit by bit. Here the commercial will be converted by using the certain planning element, this must be granted within 56 days.

This means if we delay completion by more than two months, we will be completing on a building at a much higher value than we exchanged upon, because we will have changed the usage class of a large portion of the property.

Once this is under our belt, we then go for stretching the building both backwards, and upwards; which judging from the neighbouring properties should not be a contentious issue.

We will aim to end up with 5 to 6 flats in the property once it has all been completed; or perhaps less flats but larger flats with an HMO element to them.

This is an exercise we will undertake later on down the line.

It is likely that the investor in this deal will purchase this property within an SPV, as this seems to be the most tax efficient way of doing such property deals at the moment.

In another deal we set up another company below the existing one, to park the completed BTL properties there; thereby separating the development part of the building and the long term income generating BTL portion. This made sense on several levels, and is likely to have a six figure saving over a 5 year period.

This deal is fresh and looking for investment, please get in touch if interested.

SBI cuts India's FY22 GDP growth to 10.4%

The SC judgment had also diluted certain provisions of the Companies Act, specifically section 166 which requires all directors to exercise independent judgment and discharge fiduciary duties in the interest of the company and not only in the interest of their nominators, the people said. Tata Sons is controlled

by Tata Trusts and the public charitable organisation nominates a third of the directors on the board of the company.

The nominee directors

enjoy affirmative voting rights on certain matters specified in the Articles of Association (AoA) of Tata Sons, including any matter affecting the shareholding of the Trusts. The SC had observed that Trusts nominee directors are “not like any other directors who get appointed in a general meeting of the company” and that they “hold a fiduciary relationship with the Trusts and fiduciary duty towards the nameless, faceless beneficiaries of those Trusts”. This SC

State Bank of India (SBI) has revised downwards India's GDP growth projections for the current fiscal year from 11% to 10.4%, citing the partial lockdowns in most of the states. The total loss due to the partial lockdowns, night curfews has been estimated at £15 billion of which Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan account for 80%.

Maharashtra alone accounts for 54% of the total losses. “Maharashtra has put up a stringent lockdown among all states. Being the economically biggest and most industrialised state in India, this lockdown will have a huge impact on growth,” Soumya Kanti Ghosh, group chief economic adviser at SBI, said in his report.

The report said the current losses in Maharashtra are estimated at nearly £8.2

billion, which will definitely increase if restrictions are further increased. “Given that R(0) is quite low for Maharashtra, it may be pertinent to ask that how much the lockdown will slowdown the speed of infections, but for beefing up health infrastructure,” said Ghosh.

The report also said that migration of labour is continuing unabated.

According to the data provided by Western Railways (for the period of April 1-12), almost 430,000 people have returned to the states like UP, WB, Bihar, Assam and Odisha from Maharashtra. Of this, around 320,000 reverse migrated to UP and Bihar alone.

“From Central Railways our estimate indicates that around 470,000 reverse migrated to northern and eastern states from Maharashtra,” it said.

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Hefazat leaders want to turn Bangladesh into Taliban state DHAKA: Mamunul Haque, an influential leader of hardcore Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam in Bangladesh, along with other leaders, has confessed to wanting to turn Bangladesh into a Taliban state like Afghanistan if they came to power.

Haque was arrested by Dhaka police last week on the charges of instigating violence, attempt to murder, assault and vandalism. Along with other influential leaders from across the country, Haque had formed an organization called ‘Rabetatul Waizin Bangladesh’, to dethrone the government in power and establish a Taliban state, said a top detective official.

Funded by Islamic forces, radical Islamist outfits like Hefazat-e-Islam and Jamaat-eIslami, this group used to control ‘Waz Mahfils’, events organized to propagate militancy in the name of preaching Islam. They also forced organizers from Pakistan to invite their militant

leaders as speakers.

Most arrested leaders confessed that they used madrasa students as shields to vandalize and set the government properties on fire, as they saw Hefazate-Islam as the only effective platform to topple the Awami League from power in Bangladesh.

Arrests and investigations Along with Mamunul, 14 other top-ranked Hefazat-eIslam leaders and several leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and BNP have been arrested since April 4 in connection with at least 65 cases filed for violence carried out by the Hefazat-eIslam supporters in 2013 and in March this year. Three teams have been formed involving investigating officers who have knowledge of Quran and Hadith, to interrogate the arrested leaders.

Conspiracies were hatched in 2013 and again this year in March by these radical Islamist

organizations to oust the government led by Sheikh Hasina.

The same was confirmed by Mahbub Alam, Joint Commissioner of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Mamunul Haque’s arrest Mamunul Haque is said to be the instigator behind violent riots and targeted attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Muslim-majority

nation. More than 300 people have been arrested till now for their involvement in the cases of arson, vandalism and violence during the period 26-28 March in various towns of Bangladesh.

The Chief of the Hefazat-e-Islam Junayed Babunagari in a video message has demanded unconditional release of all the religious leaders of the organization, including Mamunul Haque and the party’s Organising Secretary Azizul Haque Islamabadi.

Islamists halt protest after Pak allows vote on French envoy expulsion ISLAMABAD: A banned Pakistani Islamist group called an end to violent nationwide anti-France protests, after the government called a parliamentary vote on whether to expel the French envoy and said it would halt criminal cases against the group’s members.

Pakistan arrested the leader of the group Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan on April 12 and banned the group after its members blocked main highways, railways and access routes to major cities, assaulting police and burning public property. The group has demanded that Pakistan expel the French ambassador in retaliation for the publication in France of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammed. Four police offi-

cers were killed, 11 taken hostage and more than 800 wounded during week-long clashes.

PM Imran Khan warned that Pakistan risked paying a price if it expelled the French envoy, as half the country’s exports are sold to the EU. Nevertheless, interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said that the government had agreed “after long negotiations with the TLP” to put a resolution before parliament on whether to expel the ambassador. All criminal cases registered against TLP would also be withdrawn as a result of the deal with the group, which in return would end its protests, the minister said.

The TLP responded by releasing an audio statement of

its spokesman Shafiq Amini saying: “It is requested to end protests wherever they are happening across the country.”

However there was no sign that crowds were dispersing at the biggest protest in Lahore. Later, a resolution calling for a debate

on the envoy’s expulsion was presented in a specially-convened session. The government referred the resolution to a committee, and the session was adjourned. The opposition protested, demanding details of the deal with the TLP.

It asked for the “immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar” and urged all parties to “exercise utmost restraint”, but omitted the demand voiced by Widodo and other leaders for the immediate release of political detainees. It said Asean would provide humanitarian aid to Myanmar. It was not immediately clear if and how Min Aung Hlaing responded to the blunt messages.

India lauds Asean India lauds Asean’s new steps to help Myanmar resolve its political crisis. In a statement, the MEA welcomed the Asean initiative and said, “Our

diplomatic engagement with Myanmar will be aimed at strengthening these efforts.”

Asean has come under a lot of criticism for looking the other way while a coup was effected under its nose. The sustained violence and the military junta’s targeting of Myanmar citizens has given the impression that Asean is toothless.

“India, as a friend of the people of Myanmar, will continue to play a constructive and meaningful role aimed at resolving the current situation in Myanmar. India’s support to the democratic process in Myanmar remains steadfast,” the MEA said.

Asean nations demand ‘immediate cessation of violence’ in Myanmar JAKARTA: Southeast Asian leaders demanded an immediate end to killings and the release of political detainees in Myanmar in an emergency summit with its top general and coup leader in the Indonesian capital, Indonesia's president said. The leaders of the Asean also told Senior General Min Aung Hlaing during the two-hour talks in Jakarta that a dialogue between contending parties in Myanmar should immediately start, with help of Asean envoys, Indonesian President Widodo said.

“The situation in Myanmar is unacceptable and should not continue. Violence must be stopped, democracy, stability and peace in Myanmar must be returned immediately,” Widodo said during the meeting. Daily shootings by police

and soldiers since the February 1 coup have killed more than 700 mostly peaceful protesters and bystanders.

The messages conveyed to Hlaing were unusually blunt and could be seen as a breach of the conservative 10-nation bloc’s bedrock principle forbidding member states from interfering in each other’s domestic affairs. “There is a tremendous expectation on the part of the international community on how Asean is addressing the Myanmar issue,” Malaysia PM Muhyiddin said, and added that Asean chairman, Brunei PM Hassanal Bolkiah, should be allowed access to Myanmar to meet contending parties.

A formal statement issued

by Asean through Brunei after the summit outlined the demands in more subtle terms.

in brief TOP PAK JOURNALIST ATTACKED Unidentified gunmen shot a senior Pakistani journalist while he was taking a walk near his house in Islamabad. Absar Alam, who also served as a chairman of Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (PEMRA), the country’s electronic media watchdog, was rushed to a hospital where he was out of danger. Alam confirmed the attack in a video message. “I’ve been hit in my ribs,” he said. “My message to those who did this is that I am not going to be scared by such tactics,” he added. So far, nobody has taken responsibility of the attack.

UAE GIVES $2BN AID TO PAKISTAN The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to help Pakistan with a $2 billion bailout package, committing “every possible support to Pakistan.” The UAE’s support came during the visit of Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to the Gulf nation. Qureshi thanked UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stating that UAE’s help “reflected the warm and brotherly ties between the two countries”. “We greatly appreciate the UAE’s continued support and cooperation,” maintained the Pakistan foreign office. Qureshi has also raised the issue of visa restrictions for Pakistanis in his meeting with the Emirati Minister Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Bin Ali Al Sayegh.

78 TALIBAN MILITANTS KILLED At least 78 Taliban militants were killed in various operations conducted by Afghan government forces, the Ministry of Defence announced. “Forty-four Taliban militants were also wounded and eight others were arrested as a result of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) operations in Ghazni, Zabul, Herat, Paktika, Balkh, Nimroz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces,” the Ministry said in a statement. The ANDSF also discovered and seized weapons and defused 36 improvised explosive devices and landmines during the raid, Xinhua news agency said. The statement didn’t say if there were any casualties on the side of the Afghan security forces.

EX-LANKA MINISTER HELD FOR AIDING EASTER BOMBERS Sri Lankan police arrested a former minister and his brother for allegedly aiding the suicide bombers responsible for the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks in which 258 people, including 11 Indians, were killed. Rishad Bathiudeen, who leads an opposition party in Sri Lanka’s parliament, and his brother Riyaj were arrested for allegedly “aiding and abetting the suicide bombers who committed the Easter Sunday carnage”, said police spokesman Ajith Rohana. He said the brothers have not yet been officially charged but were arrested based on direct evidence, as well as circumstantial and “scientific” evidence.

“They have been arrested under the provisions of the prevention of terrorism Act.” Bathiudeen’s lawyer, called the arrests politically motivated.

CHINESE DEFENCE MINISTER TO VISIT LANKA Chinese defence minister Gen Wei Fenghe will arrive in Sri Lanka on April 27 for a three-day visit, during which he will hold talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, the government announced. His visit is set to coincide with a ruling by the Supreme Court which is likely to be delivered on the constitutionality of the administrative body of the controversy-hit port city being built by China on reclaimed sea.

Multiple petitions have been filed against the proposed controversial legislation on the Colombo Port City, alleging that the $1.4 billion project violated the country’s sovereignty, the Constitution and labour rights. They want the bill to be subject to a referendum and a special two-thirds mandate in parliament.

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in brief MANHATTAN BOMBER GETS 30 YEARS’ JAIL

Museveni's family is Uganda's biggest problem, says political analyst

A Bangladeshi man convicted of setting off a pipe bomb during rush hour in New York City’s busiest subway station, Times Square, was sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison. Akayed Ullah, 31, of Brooklyn had claimed he wanted to kill only himself and was not acting on behalf of Islamic State when he detonated his homemade bomb on December 11, 2017. US circuit Judge Richard Sullivan, who imposed the sentence, called the attack a “truly barbaric and heinous crime”. No one died and four people were injured in the explosion, which caused the temporary closure of the station and the adjacent Port Authority Bus Terminal. Ullah received burns in the attack.

KAMPALA: Former Senior Presidential Press Secretary Joseph Tamale Mirundi has said President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s family is Uganda’s biggest problem. The controversial political analyst told the President that instead of using the taxpayers money to groom new NRM MPs at Kyankwanzi, he should first deal with some of his family members who have made it a tendency to run Uganda as their household.

It’s now coming to two weeks since NRM Members of Parliament went to Kyankwanzi for orientation on how they must conduct parliamentary duties in the interest of the ruling party. While addressing MPs, President Museveni urged the legislators to concentrate on

COUPLE HAD 4 NUPTIALS, 3 DIVORCES

DR Congo seeks billions in damages for Uganda 'barbarity'

In Taiwan, one of the few places in the world to offer marriage leave to couples heading to the altar, a bank employee wed his partner on April 6, 2020. They got divorced days later, on April 16. Then they remarried the following day. Another divorce and a third marriage followed on April 28 and April 29. After a third divorce, on May 11, they got married for the fourth time, on May 12. It was all a plot to take advantage of the island’s time-off policy for couples who get married - eight days of leave - the employer, a bank in Taipei, said in public records. “I’m stunned,” Taipei’s deputy mayor, Huang Shan-shan wrote on Facebook. Chiou Jiunn-yann, a professor specialising in labour law, said: “If there’s no plan to resolve this, there’s no guarantee that there wouldn’t be someone who plays this kind of game with you 365 days a year.”

US HOUSE OKS BILL TO MAKE 51ST STATE The US House of Representatives narrowly voted, for the second time in less than a year, to make the District of Columbia the 51st state, sending it to the Senate where it faces stiff Republican opposition. By a vote of 216-208, the Democratic-controlled House approved the initiative with no Republican support.

As a state, it likely would elect two Democratic senators, potentially altering the balance of power in the Senate, which now has 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans. Democrats, who have been advocating statehood for the capital of the US for decades, hope to take advantage of November’s election of President Biden as well as control of the Senate and House to admit a new state for the first time since 1959, the year Alaska and Hawaii joined the union.

CHINA CENSORS ARTICLE BY EX-PM Chinese internet firms blocked users from sharing an article by former Premier Wen Jiabao in tribute to his late mother, censoring a senior member of the ruling Communist Party, possibly because he spoke out of line. The article includes details of Wen’s mother’s struggle during the second Sino-Japanese War and the political purges of the Cultural Revolution.

“In my mind, China should be a country full of fairness and justice, always with a respect for the will of the people, humanity, and human nature,” said Wen’s article, which did not directly discuss China’s current political environment.

KINSHASA: The Democratic Repblic of Congo is making a claim for billions as it accuses Uganda of ''barbarity'' over a brutal war 20 years ago. The accusation was made at the UN’s top court with Kampala telling the International Court of Justice that the suffering of the 1998-2003 war was disproportionate and ‘’ruining us’’.

At the hearing at the Haguebased court, Uganda’s Attorney General William Byaruhanga rejected the ‘’staggering’’ demands by Kinshasa. "As a matter of international law, and state practice Uganda considered the DRC's unbending demands to be both unfounded and excessive in the extreme. So the parties again stand before

working for the people who elected them instead of working for themselves.

However, according to Mirundi, even if the NRM MPs transparently work for their voters when President Museveni has not settled the issue of ‘small gods’ within his family,Uganda will never achieve anything good. “There is a subterfuge, headed by Museveni’s in-law Odrek Rwabwogo which is eating up the entire Museveni government and also created a fellowship that now decides for the entire country. All the problems Uganda is facing originate from the palace (State House). In fact, for me I believe that instead of taking people to Kyankwanzi, Museveni must call for a family meeting first because all the

this court. What has changed after the DRC revived the case?

Nothing except that the DRC reduced its demand from roughly US dollars 23.5 to almost US dollars 13.5 billion. This significant drop only confirms that the DRC's claims are rooted in tactics, not reality'', Byaruhanga said.

The International Court of Justice had ruled in 2005 that Uganda had to pay Kinshasa reparations for invading its territory during the war leaving 3 million people dead. The court must make its final ruling on the amount of compensation after both countries failed to strike a deal via negotiations.

"The armed conflict led by Uganda was very large scale. A

Lawyers representing Zuma withdraw from corruption case PRETORIA: In another blow to former South African President Jacob Zuma, lawyers representing him in the corruption case have filed a notice seeking to withdraw from the case. The lawyers led by Eric Mabuza filed the notice as Zuma’s attorney but did not provide any reason for the withdrawal.

The move has dealt Zuma another blow after the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that he was entitled to pay for his legal fee. The same court later ordered Zuma to pay back an estimated $2 million in lawyers' charges that he has received over the years from the state.

Zuma is facing 16 charges of fraud, graft, and racketeering relating to the purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats, and military equipment. He allegedly took bribes of four million rands ($270,000) in a $3.4-billion arms deal with French aerospace and defense giant Thales in 1999, when he was deputy president.

The latest ruling is a setback

problems originate from those people, every kind of humiliation comes from there,” the veteran journalist claimed.

“I sympathize with him because I’m a family man too. In politics, we know that a leader cannot hold power if his family expands. Saddam Hussein was a good man but when his daughters got married, problems started escalating. This is the same thing happening to President Museveni, there is an in-law who entered Museveni’s family with an ambition to become the next president. This has created problems within the family and this in turn has affected every Ugandan.”

Mirundi also added that the powerful ‘small gods’ within Museveni’s family are also influencing every institution in the country and whoever is appointed in a position must be willing to follow their instructions.

five-year occupation followed by very serious breaches of human rights that were verging on barbarity," the DRC's legal agent Paul-Crispin Kakhozi BinBulongo told the court. At the time, Congolese officials said of the original decision that they would claim between $6 billion to $10 billion from Kampala.

They had expected Uganda to "fully assume its responsibility for the injury caused and a

substantial contribution", but that had not happened in the end, Bin-Bulongo added.

Kinshasa filed a new application in 2015, asking the world court to reopen the case and to make a finding on reparations as negotiations failed. The ICJ, in its 2005 ruling, however also said that Uganda was entitled to compensation after its embassy in Kinshasa was attacked and its diplomats abused.

Yoweri Museveni

Lanka keen on strengthening regional ties: Mahinda Rajapaksa

Jacob Zuma

for Zuma, who faces legal battles on multiple fronts, including a pending court judgment on whether he should be jailed for refusing to testify at a state commission of inquiry which is probing graft while he was president from 2009 to 2018.

The commission has heard testimony that Zuma allowed members of the controversial Gupta family to influence his cabinet appointments and state contracts in favor of their businesses. Zuma has refused to testify at the commission, where he has been implicated by several witnesses including people who were Cabinet ministers when he was president.

Mahinda Rajapaksa

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka is keen on strengthening regional ties and the need to accelerate South-South cooperation, said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday.

In a virtual address to the 77th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Prime Minister Rajapaksa said UNESCAP should commit itself to being relevant and responsive with measures such as assisting small countries with pandemic recovery and vaccination programs, encouraging the growth of foreign employment oppor-

tunities, promoting Ecotourism and Health-tourism and encouraging investments into and find markets for emerging nations.

This year’s meeting was conducted virtually from April 26 to 29 under the theme “Building Back Better from Crises Through Regional Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific.” While the Covid-19 pandemic dominated the discussions this year, other issues such as climate change, debt relief, investments, equitable health access, sustainable development and regional cooperation were also discussed.

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Vanita Gupta narrowly confirmed as Associate Attorney General WASHINGTON: Indian American activist Vanita Gupta, who headed up the civil rights division of the Justice Department in the Obama administration, was narrowly confirmed as Associate Attorney General, on a 51-49 Senate vote.

Gupta is currently president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. She will be the first Indian American to serve in this role, the third highest position at the Justice Department.

President Joe Biden in a tweet said: “Congratulations to Vanita Gupta on making history as the first woman of color to serve as Associate Attorney General.” He characterized her as an “eminently qualified, highly respected lawyer” who is “dedicated to advancing racial equity and justice.”

During her tenure as head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in the Obama administration, Gupta broke new ground on several

occasions, championing the rights of gays, lesbians and transgender people, among other minorities. In a landmark move in 2016, Gupta sent a letter to every public school in the country, telling them to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that conformed with their gender identity. Gupta’s sister had come out as a lesbian while in college.

Under Gupta’s leadership, the civil rights division also opened up investigations into local law enforcement agencies accused of using excessive force, discriminatory policing, and unlawful stops and arrests.

Under her leadership, the division also prosecuted hate crimes and human trafficking, promoted disability rights, and to combat worked discrimination in education, housing, and employment, among other issues.

“We did a lot of work to make sure that the most marginalized people had a voice,

Vanita Gupta

and making America a place of justice for all,” Gupta said in a 2017 interview. She lambasted former President Donald Trump and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions for rolling back the progress the civil rights division had made during her tenure.

Gupta earlier underwent a tough confirmation hearing in which Republican senators accused her of bipartisanship, pulling up old tweets. In 2020, Gupta tweeted during the Republican convention: “Don’t

know if I can take three more nights of racism, xenophobia, and outrageous lies.” She also chastised Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine for voting to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who had been accused of sexual assault.

Gupta was born in Philadelphia, and grew up in England and France before returning to the US. She received her BA from Yale and her JD from NYU.

US senate passes anti-Asian hate crimes bill WASHINGTON: The US Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill combating surging hate crimes against Asian Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Senate approved the bill in a 94-1 vote and sent it to the House, which will soon take up their version of the legislation.

The lone nay vote was cast

by Missouri GOP senator Josh Hawley, Xinhua news agency reported. “By passing this bill we say to the Asian American community that the government is paying attention to them, has heard their concerns and will respond to protect them,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat from New York, where anti-Asian violence

has especially been running high.

Sponsored by Hawaii’s Democratic senator Mazie Hirono and New York’s Democratic Congresswoman

82 killed in blaze at Iraq’s Covid ICU BAGHDAD: The death toll from a massive fire in a Baghdad hospital for coronavirus patients rose to 82 on Sunday, as anxious relatives searched for those missing and the government suspended key health officials for alleged negligence. The blaze, described by one witness as “volcanoes of fire,” swept through the intensive care unit of the Ibn al-Khatib hospital which tends exclusively to coronavirus patients with severe symptoms. Officials said the blaze, which also injured 110 people, was set off by an exploding oxygen cylinder.

Maher Ahmed, a nurse, said most of those killed suffered severe burns. Others were overcome by smoke inhalation, unwilling to leave behind their coronavirusafflicted relatives hooked up to ventilators.

Ahmed said these patients could not be moved. “They would have minutes to live with the absence of oxygen.” He said he and others watched helplessly as one patient struggled to breathe, overwhelmed by smoke. “Everyone has some responsibility for this incident. From regular citizens to (officials) at the top of the pyramid,” he said.

Widespread negligence on the part of health officials is to blame for the deadly fire, Iraq PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi said. Following a special cabinet meeting to discuss the incident, the government suspended key officials, including the health minister and the governor of Baghdad province.

Grace Meng, the bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to designate an official to review coronavirus related hate crimes.

Hirono and Meng are both Asian Americans.

The bill also directs the DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance raising awareness of hate crimes amid the pandemic, and work with other agencies to establish an online platform for reporting those crimes.

Hirono said that the bill’s passage “sends a clear and unmistakable message of solidarity” to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The bill gained momentum after six women of Asian descent were killed in mass shootings in the Atlanta area in March. Senators locked in a final deal on the bill earlier, allowing for several GOP proposed amendments to get a vote.

Asian Americans fastest growing group in US: Pew report Washington: The Asian Americans recorded the fastest population growth rate among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States between 2000 and 2019. The Asian population in the US grew 81 per cent during that span, from roughly 10.5 million to a record 18.9 million, according to the Pew Research Center analysis of US Census Bureau population estimates, the last before 2020 census figures are released.

The research center adds in its news release that by 2060 the number of US Asians is projected to rise to 35.8 million, more than triple their 2000 population.

Hispanics saw the second-fastest population growth between 2000 and 2019, followed by Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders at 70 per cent and 61 per cent, respectively. The nation’s Black population also grew during this period, albeit at a slower rate of 20 per cent. There was virtually no change in the White population, the research found.

The growth of the Asian American population in the US comes amid reports of discrimination and violence against this group since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, according to the release. In a Pew Research Center survey conducted in early March 2021 – before the fatal shooting of six Asian women and two other people in the Atlanta area on March 16 – 87 percent of Asian Americans said there is a lot of or some

discrimination against them in society, according to the release.

In a June 2020 survey, 31 per cent of Asians reported they had been the subject of slurs or jokes since the Covid-19 outbreak began, and 26 per cent said they had feared someone might threaten or physically attack them because of their race or ethnicity, Pew noted, adding that Asian adults in both surveys were interviewed in English only.

The average annual growth rate of the Asian American population has slowed since 2000. From 2000 to 2005, it grew by an average of 3.9 per cent per year. It dropped to 3.1 per cent per year between 2005 and 2010; remained at that level between 2010 and 2015; and then fell to 2.4 per cent per year between 2015 and 2019, the release added.

Despite the slowdown, the US Asian population has still had one of the highest growth rates of any major racial and ethnic group in most years since 2000. The report adds that the Asian American population has increased in every state and the District of Columbia over the past two decades.

California had an Asian population of roughly 5.9 million in 2019, by far the nation’s largest. It was followed by New York (1.7 million), Texas (1.5 million), New Jersey (870,000) and Illinois (732,000). A majority of US Asians (56 per cent) live in these five states, the report continued.

in brief MALAWIAN MINISTER AXED Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera sacked his cabinet member for misappropriating Covid-19 relief funds worth around Ugx3 million. Ken Kandodo, the Minister for Labour was fired after he was implicated for diverting US $800 Covid-19 relief funds to pay for his travel to South Africa. The $800 scandal was part of a wider probe into the embezzlement of millions of dollars by the Southern African semi desert state. “Even though the minister has since returned the money, his usage of the funds means that the money was unavailable for its intended purpose when it was needed most,” Chakwera said in an address.

LESOTHO FIRM GETS LICENCE FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS A company in Lesotho has become the first in Africa to receive a licence to sell medical cannabis to the EU. The country’s top medical cannabis producer, MG Health, announced it had met the EU’s good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards, allowing it to export cannabis flower, oil and extracts as an active pharmaceutical ingredient. It will export its first batch to Germany later this year. The GMP guidelines are the minimum requirements a manufacturer or producer must meet to ensure products are safe and of a consistent high quality. They are used to control the licensing for sale of food and pharmaceutical and medical products.

MORE TAX IMPOSED ON BOBI WINE’S VEHICLE The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has asked former opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, to pay Ush337 million (about $93,420) in taxes for his bullet-proof vehicle. The taxman said it reassessed the armoured car which had initially attracted less tax having been considered as an ordinary motor. “Following the reexamination of your client’s motor vehicle, Toyota Land Cruiser V8 Reg. No. UBJ 667 F, it was confirmed that the unit was armoured. The details of ballistic protection were confirmed as 90 mm for the window upper plate glass and 6 mm for the bottom hull,” reads in part URA’s letter to Bobi Wine’s lawyers. The letter further reads: “It was also established that the declaration made did bare falsehoods of clearing it as a normal vehicle yet it was armoured contrary to Sections 203 of the East African Community Customs Management Act, 2004.”

OVER 100 IMMIGRANTS DROWNED More than 100 illegal immigrants drowned when their boat capsized off Libyan coast, Eugenio Ambrosi, chief of staff of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), said. SOS Mediterranee, which operates the rescue vessel Ocean Viking, said that the wreck of a rubber boat, which was initially carrying more than 130 people, was spotted in the Mediterranean Sea northeast of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. The aid vessel did not find any survivors, but could see at least ten bodies near the wreck, the group added in a statement.

“Reports of at least 100 lives lost in the Central Mediterranean today,” Ambrosi tweeted.

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1 - 7 May 2021

‘Irresponsible’ EC should face murder charges: Madras HC

Postage stamp in memory of Dadi Janki released

Lambasting the Election Commission for failure to maintain Covid protocol during poll campaigns, the Madras high court on Monday said the EC “should be put up on murder charges…for being the most irresponsible institution.” The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice S e n t h i l k u m a r Ramamoorthy even threatened to stop the counting of assembly poll votes slated for May 2.

“Now we assure you we will stop counting if we do not find before May 2 a blueprint on how proper maintenance of Covid protocol will be maintained so that this state does not succumb to your idiosyncrasies any further,” the judges observed in the course of their oral observations.

“You (ECI) are the only institution responsible for the situation that we are in today. You have been singularly lacking any kind of exercise of authority-…You have not taken measures against political parties

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu released a commemorative stamp in memory of former chief of the Brahma Kumaris, Rajyogini Dadi Janki, in New Delhi. He praised the Brahma Kumaris and said that they are striving for the empowerment and independence of women adding that spiritual attainments transcend gender-based distinction.

Naidu said that India has a rich history of women leaders in every field.

Mentioning that the divine feminine was worshipped in the form of ‘Shakti’ in ancient India, he called for reversing the decline in the values as reflected in widespread discrimination against women in society. Recalling his meeting with Dadi in 2019, Naidu termed her as one of the foremost spiritual leaders of contemporary times. Calling Dadi an embodiment of calm and composure, he said that till the very end, she always practiced what she preached. “The Brahma Kumaris spread across the world are a living example of the values and principles epitomized by Dadi’s life”, he added.

Urging the people to draw inspiration from Dadiji’s life which was devoted to God and to selfless service of humanity, the Vice President said that the world needs more healing voices like her. “Her teachings centred on Raja Yoga, her virtues of kindness, ‘sewa’ and simplicity are indeed worthy of emulation by all”, he said and called for fighting social evils like gender discrimination, casteism and communalism to build a

holding rallies despite every order of this court saying ‘maintain Covid protocol, maintain Covid protocol’ like a broken record,” the bench said.

“The significance of adhering to such protocol may have been lost on the EC going by the puerile silence on the part of the commission as campaigns and rallies were conducted without distancing norms being maintained and in wanton disregard of the other items of the protocol," it added.

A bit of the observations found mention in the order as well, when the bench

said: “At no cost should the counting result in being a catalyst for a further surge – poliics or no politics, and whether the counting takes place in a staggered manner or is deferred.”

“Public health is of paramount importance and it is distressing that constitutional authorities have to be reminded in such regard.

It is only when citizens survive that they enjoy the other rights that this democratic republic guarantees unto them. The situation is now one of survival and protection and, everything else comes thereafter,” the court said.

Army explores procurement of light tanks after border standoff The Indian army is now exploring the possibility of procuring 350 light tanks, which can also be transported by air, to augment its firepower in high-altitude areas in the backdrop of the continuing military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh. The Army issued an initial Request for Information (RFI) to vendors for the procurement of 350 new-generation light tanks, less than 25-tonne in weight, in a project under the “Make in India ethos” with requisite transfer of technology.

The Army had managed to deploy its heavier Russian origin T-90S and T-72 main battle tanks (which weigh between 40 to 50 tonne each) in eastern Ladakh, with some of them even being taken up the Rezang La-Rechin La heights in the Kailash Range to the south of Pangong Tso in end-August last year.

Since then, there has been troop disengagement between India and China on

both sides of the Pangong Tso in February. But the People’s Liberation Army has thereafter refused to complete the stalled disengagement at Gogra, Hot Springs and Demchok, let alone stop blocking Indian patrols in the strategically-located Depsang Plains.

Officers said a need has now been felt for procurement of “much more manoeuvrable” and “operationally flexible” light tanks, with adequate firepower, in harsh mountainous terrains.

“There have been some pro-

posals to procure light tanks in the past but they did not take off,” said an officer.

“This is just an initial RFI, for which responses have to be submitted by mid-June, to explore the various platforms available now. If the project actually takes off, it will take several years for the 350 tanks to be inducted in phases,” he added. The RFI specifies that the combat weight of the light tank should not exceed 25-tonne and its “physical dimensions should not impede its transportability by rail, road, air and water”.

With a two to threemember crew and thermal night fighting capabilities, the light tanks should have weapons for anti-aircraft and ground roles, including “smart munitions with gun tube-launched anti-tank guided missiles”. “In the foreseeable operational scenario, the need for an agile and mobile light platform, with adequate firepower, protection, surveillance and communication capabilities is increasingly finding its operational relevance,” said the RFI. The light tanks must have the versatility to execute operations in varying terrain conditions, across diverse threats and equipment profiles of adversaries, as well as should have “rapid overseas deployment capability”. The RFI also sought to know whether the vendors could offer other features such as anti-drone capability, UAV jammers and some AI (artificial intelligence) technologies.

Britishers established Kharaghoda- a town in Surendranagar district of Gujarat Kharaghoda village which was built by British people had 650 houses with windows on the roof and a cool atmosphere even in the scorching heat. In 1872, Britain ruled in Kharaghoda and started producing salt. At that time, the British people had set up an entire 'Kharaghoda-Navagam'; with 650 houses. Taxes on salt were imposed in India since the early times. However, these taxes were greatly increased when the

British East India Company began to establish its rule over provinces in India.

Before 150 years, there were seven huge bungalows in Kharaghoda. On the left side of the town entrance, there was a magnificent Wilson Hall where the British bureaucrats held their meeting during the British rule. In 1880, a custom house was also built. The Salt Department was separated from the Customs Department when British peo-

ple left the country. After that, the Government of India established Hindustan Salt Ltd in Kharaghoda.

During that period, the rents of the house were only 75 paisa per month.

These houses were allocated to the officers, employees, and labourers of the company as well as the Agyaaras. At that time the rent of three-tier houses was 75 paisa, two-tier houses Rs 1.25 and the rent of bungalows was Rs 3.

better India where everyone has equal opportunities and lives in complete harmony with others.

Naidu expressed satisfaction that organisations like the Brahma Kumaris are helping people by clearing their doubts/questions in easy and simple language, thus bringing peace and harmony in their lives. Exhorting people to follow Dadi's philosophy of taking joy in serving others, Naidu urged everyone to help and support the needy during this ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. He said that it is a befitting tribute that the Government is releasing a postage stamp to mark the first anniversary of an extraordinary spiritual teacher. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, former Director of CBI DR Kaarthikeyan, Brahma Kumari Sisters Asha, Shivani, Mruthunjaya and others were present during the function.

CBI files FIR against ex-Maharashtra minister Deshmukh The CBI has filed an FIR against former Mahar ashtra home minister A n i l Deshmukh in connection with the corAnil Deshmukh ruption and extortion-related allegations levelled against him by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Significantly, the FIR focuses on the controversial reinstatement of Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze of Antilia notoriety, saying that the twin decisions to rehabilitate the “encounter” specialist and the subsequent decision to task him with important cases were “in the knowledge” of Deshmukh: something which immediately sparked speculation that those who directly took the calls could also be in agency’s crosshairs.

The FIR was filed under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and names Deshmukh as an accused.

Deshmukh is likely to be extensively grilled in the coming days, a source said. The agency conducted massive searches at multiple locations across Maharashtra. CBI teams also searched the premises of Deshmukh in Nagpur and Mumbai.

The agency is learnt to have seized electronic gadgets and incriminating documents after the searches.

Sources say the CBI has been able to collect some prima facie technical evidence on basis of which the allegations apparently seem to be prima facie corroborating.

The FIR states that the preliminary enquiry (PE) had prima facie revealed that a cognizable offence was made out in the matter wherein Deshmukh and others have attempted to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of the public duty.

The PE has revealed that API Sachin Waze was reinstated in the service after being out of service for 15 years and entrusted with most of the sensational and important cases of Mumbai police with Deshmukh being in knowledge of this fact. The FIR also mentions part of Param Bir Singh’s 104-page-long complaint alleging that Deshmukh and others exercised undue influence over transfer postings of police personnel “thereby exercising undue influence over their performance”.

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Lockdown in Karnataka for two weeks BENGALURU: Karnataka has announced a two-week lockdown from Tuesday, a day after reporting the biggest rise of over 34,000 new cases in 24 hours.

"Covid curfew will be implemented in the state from tomorrow 9 pm for the next 14 days," Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said, using the phrase "close down". Essential services will be allowed between 6 am and 10 am and shops will close after that. There will be no public transport during the curfew, the Chief Minister said.

Only construction, manufacturing and agriculture sectors are allowed to work.

Travel within the state and to other states will also not be allowed, except for emergencies.

"People will have to cooperate. If they do, we can achieve our target," Yediyurappa said. The Chief Minister said government hospitals would provide free vaccinations for those between 18 and 44 years.

The state reported 34,804 new Covid cases, which takes its total cases to 13,39,000. A total of 143 deaths were reported, taking

the tally to 14,426. IT hub Bengaluru, a city of 12 million, reported more than 20,000 new infections, its highest 24-hour rise, second only to Delhi.

Karnataka's previous single-day record was 29,438 cases on Saturday. The state has a positivity rate of nearly 20 per cent.

Stringent curbs in Kerala Announcing stringent curbs to control the unprecedented coronavirus surge, the Kerala government has ordered that cinema halls, malls, gyms, sports complexes, swimming pools and bars in the state will remain shut indefinitely. The Pinarayi Vijayan government has said all social, political, cultural and religious gatherings will also

remain banned until further orders. The government said only essential and emergency services will be allowed on Saturdays and Sundays.

It said Saturdays will remain a holiday for all government officials until further order.

Marriages will have to be completed within 2 hours with not more than 50 guests. Only 20 people will be allowed at funerals. Shops and restaurants will have be closed by 7.30 pm, but home deliveries can continue till 9 pm. "All shops/restaurants shall minimise interaction with customers...Only bare minimum time will be allowed for the customers in shops. Control rooms to help migrant labourers will be set up in all districts.

Kerala, which reported 21,890 Covid cases and 28 deaths, is one of the worst-affected states.

15,659 fresh cases in TN Tamil Nadu recorded 15,659 positive cases of Covid in a single

day, bringing the state tally to 10,81,988. Among these, Chennai reported 4,206 positive cases, bringing the city’s total to 3,09,899. The state recorded 82 deaths, putting the state toll at 13,557. Seventy of them had succumbed due to comorbidities. A total of 11,065 patients were discharged following treatment, taking the total number of recoveries to 9,63,251. With the state expecting a steady rise in the number cases in the state, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to immediately cancel the diversion of 80 MTs of oxygen to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Sterlite plant to be reopened The all-party meet called by Palaniswami, meanwhile, has resolved to allow the Sterlite copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi to reopen for four months and manufacture oxygen. Further, a committee will be set up by the district collector to monitor manufacturing at the plant during this period.

PUNJAB

Amarinder against lockdown, says situation expected to get worse CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he is against the imposition of a coronavirus lockdown even as he predicted that the pandemic situation is expected to get worse in the state. The chief minister made the comment at a meeting, a day after the daily infection count in the state crossed the 7,000-mark, the highest singleday rise since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.

The CM said the situation is expected to worsen, especially in south Punjab, where Ludhiana district alone reported 1,300plus cases. According to a statement, the CM said while stringent measures are being taken to tackle the surge in cases, he is not “proposing” a lockdown in the state as it leads

to economic woes and the exodus of migrant workers.

The chief minister said at another meeting that the state government is making all efforts to secure medical oxygen to supplement its depleting stocks.

Of the 105 tonnes of medical oxygen quota, the state is getting only 85 tonnes as the rest is being diverted to the PGIMER, Chandigarh, he said.

The CM also directed the Health Department to follow up with the Centre for vaccine supplies as the state presently has only 176,000 Covishield and 22,000 Covaxin doses left.

Reacting to reports of threats of a strike by health workers, the CM said such actions will be met with dismissal “as we cannot tolerate this kind of nonsense in

a war-like situation”.

Meanwhile, the Army Western Command assured to revive the state’s defunct oxygen plants.

Lt Gen RP Singh, General Officer Commandingin-Chief of the Western Command, at a virtual meeting with the CM offered to provide staff to run a 100-bed Covid facility proposed to be set up at the building loaned to the state government by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for the purpose.

Fifteen trained nurses have already been sent to Patiala to support the civic staff, he said.

Army officials said though their resources were stressed on account of requirements from

Amarinder Singh

other states, they will extend all possible help to Punjab to tackle the situation. The CM later said the government will also approach the Union Home Ministry to provide manpower and ICU beds through the Border Security Force (BSF).

Health Secretary Hussan Lal told the CM at a meeting that 2,000 beds will be added at government and private hospitals. While 900 beds will be added at government medical colleges in Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot, 542 will be added at private colleges, he said.

WEST BENGAL

Bengal sees over 75% voting in 7th phase KOLKATA: People came out amid adversities - Covid and heat wave - in the penultimate phase of Bengal polls on Monday covering 34 assembly seats spread over Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Paschim Burdwan and Kolkata.

The seventh phase recorded an average 75.06 per cent turnout.

Polling percentages in the four south Kolkata assembly segments of Bhowanipore, Rashbehari, Ballygunge and Kolkata Port fell substantially over previous years as fear and anxiety kept several residents, particularly the elderly, away from booths for the first time in their lives. Till 5 pm on Monday, the four seats had notched up a turnout of 59.9%, lower that the 65.3% recorded from here in the 2016 assembly polls and 66% in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

“During the morning, the

turnout was very low from the high-rises. It slightly improved later in the day,” said Debasish Kumar, Trinamool Congress’ Rashbehari candidate. “A family ritual on a poll day (of voting together) was broken today,” said former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s wife Meera.

“This is the first assembly elections in which he couldn’t vote. Both the party and medical experts advised him not to step out.”

Eighty-two-year-old Namita Roy Chowdhury, too, did not

step out of her Rashbehari Avenue apartment to vote, for the first time in her life.

Chowdhury had earlier petitioned Calcutta High Court, questioning the rationale of holding an election during a public health crisis. “I have never missed a vote in my life,” she said. “I am always so excited about voting that I go and check whether my name is there on the voters’ list. And it was not just me. My elderly friends, too, did not step out of fear. We hadn’t opted for postal ballots, for we wanted to go out and vote.”

79.09% voting in 6th phase The sixth phase of assembly election for 43 seats on April 21 saw a 79.09 per cent voter turnout. Among the four districts, Nadia recorded the highest voter turnout of 82.70

per cent while Barrackpore constituency in North 24 Parganas witnessed the lowest voter turnout of 67 per cent.

As many as 306 candidates, including 27 women, are in the fray in this phase. Long queues were seen outside most polling booths with security personnel asking everyone to adhere to Covid-19 safety protocols amid the surge in the pandemic.

Sporadic incidents of violence were also reported in the Barrackpore industrial belt.

Clashes and subsequent bombing at Titagarh, Bijpur, Jagaddal, Barrackpore, Amdanga and Khardah triggered panic among locals throughout the day. At Titagarh, masked goons hurled crude bombs at Tata Gate area leaving at least six people, including a child, injured. All of them were admitted to a hospital.

in brief WARPLANES TO TRANSPORT OXYGEN TANKERS Amid the medical oxygen crisis due to a massive surge in coronavirus cases across the country, the Telangana government has decided to move oxygen tankers by warplanes. According to a message from the Chief Minister's Office, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has implemented the move with the aim of saving people in times of need in the face of an increased demand for oxygen for Covid patients. "Realising that a lot of time will be wasted moving oxygen from distant places through containers, Chief Minister has decided to move oxygen tankers by warplanes," the statement said, adding that such an idea is ideal for the country at "emergency times".

As per the union health ministry, there are currently 62,929 active cases in Telangana.

As many as 3,30,304 recoveries and 1,999 deaths have been reported so far.

YEDIYURAPPA DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who last week said that he had tested positive for coronavirus, was discharged from a private hospital in Bengaluru. This was the second time that Yediyurappa, 78, had contracted the virus. In an appeal to people, the BJP leader said: "We have reached a stage where it cannot be controlled. From now on, please don't come out of your home unnecessarily. We have already taken a lot of steps and strict measures. Please don't give reasons to police to impose a fine on you for not wearing a mask. I request all your cooperation for the sake of everyone in (the) society." The Chief Minister, who was hospitalised last week, continued to hold meetings virtually. On Monday, he chaired an all-party meeting to discuss the Covid situation.

200 SIKH PILGRIMS TEST POSITIVE ON RETURN FROM PAK Two hundred Sikh pilgrims from among 800 who went to Pakistan to celebrate Baisakhi have tested positive for coronavirus on their return, officials said. The devotees had gone to Lahore's Gurdwara Panja Sahib on the last day of Baisakhi. Officials said 200 of them have tested positive after they took a rapid antigen test. Now, some of them who have returned to Amritsar will be tested using the RT-PCR method, officials have said. The Pakistani High Commission in Delhi had issued visas to over 1,100 Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi travel. Punjab has some 38,000 active Covid cases, according to government data. The state was among the first including Maharashtra and Gujarat that started reporting a surge in Covid cases in recent weeks, before the crisis went nationwide in what is now being called a deadlier second wave.

CALCUTTA HC RAPS ELECTION COMMISSION The Election Commission was censured by the Calcutta High Court over its handling of the mammoth eight-phase election in Bengal in the middle of a lethal Covid second wave. Amid concerns that poll rallies might become super-spreader events, the court observed that the Commission is not doing enough in this respect even though it has the powers to do so.

"The Election Commission is empowered to act, but what is it doing about polls in these Covid times? The EC is just passing circulars and leaving it to the people. But the EC has implementing authority," the court said.

Commenting that the Commission "is not doing one-tenth of what TN Seshan had done", the judges warned that if Commission did not take action, the court will.

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Modi announces global initiative with US to fight climate change Warning that the Covid-19 pandemic is a grim reminder of the dangers of climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a global initiative in cooperation with the US to mobilize investments for the greening of the world and promote collaboration to fight global warming.

"Humanity is battling a global pandemic right now and this event is a timely reminder that the grave threat of climate change has not disappeared," he said at the Leaders Summit on Climate Change convened by President Joe Biden. "President Biden and I are launching the India-US Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership. Together we will help mobilize investments, demonstrate clean technology and enable green collaboration."

Leaders of 40 countries are participating in the summit. They include Presidents Xi Jinping of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia, with whom Biden has an increasingly hostile relationship, but they have put aside their difference in the climate cause.

Biden said, "The signs are unmistakable (of climate change The science is dangers). undeniable. The cost of inaction keeps mounting. The United States isn't waiting. We are resolving to take action." Biden said that the US would cut its greenhouse emissions from the 2005 level by half by 2030.

He announced the first US Climate Finance Plan to promote public sector "to increase the quality and quantity of climate financing" and spur the private sector to contribute to developing countries' programs. He said that the global goal was mobilizing $100 billion per year for developing countries to meet the climate challenge.

To help meet this goal, he said that the US will double by 2024 "our annual public climate development finance to developing countries compared to what we were providing during the second half of Obama-Biden administration." The US will also "triple our financing for climate application for developing countries by 2024.” Calling for an

end to fossil fuel subsidies, he said that it was important to "help developing countries leapfrog to the clean technologies of tomorrow."

In a subtle dig at the hypocrisy of Western leaders, media and activists who paint India as the third-largest greenhouse gas emitter and demand it cut down emissions, Modi pointed out that each Indian's greenhouse gas footprint is 60 per cent lower than the world average. "It is because of our lifestyle is still rooted in sustainable, traditional practices," he said. "Today I want to emphasize the importance of lifestyle change in climate action, sustainable lifestyle changes and guiding philosophy of back to basics," he added.

Modi said that India was doing its part to fight climate change.

"Our ambitious renewable energy target of 450 gigawatts by 2030 shows our commitment. Despite our development challenges we have taken many bold steps on clean energy, energy efficiency, afforestation and biodiversity," he said.

"That is why we are among the few countries whose NDCs determined (nationally contributions to the Paris Climate Agreement goals) are 2 degrees Celsius compatible," Modi said.

"Climate change is a lived reality for millions around the world.

Their lives, their livelihoods are already facing its adverse consequences," he said.

India has encouraged global initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Modi added.

"As climate responsible developing country, India welcomes partners to create templates of sustainable development in India. This can also help other development countries who need affordable access to green finance and clean technology," he said. Modi was the second non-US leader to speak after Xi at the virtual conference. Xi said that China was making extraordinary efforts like ending coal power generation in order to reach its climate change goals.

Justice Ramana sworn in as 48th CJ of India Justice N V Ramana, the new chief justice of India, has authored pathbreaking verdicts as a Supreme Court judge and one of them led to the end of internet ban in Jammu and Kashmir, and another brought the apex court under the ambit of transparency law. Hailing from an agriculturist family of Ponnavaram village of Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district, a soft-spoken Justice Ramana, sworn in as the 48th CJI

by President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday, will have a tenure of over 16 months. He will demit office on August 26 next year and have to deal with key task of ensuring smooth functioning of apex court amid resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic.

The judgment penned by Justice Ramana in the Anuradha

N V Ramana

Bhasin case related to internet ban in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 provisions has been hailed by many as one of the progressive verdicts. It held that freedom of speech and conducting business on the internet are protected under the

Constitution and had directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to immediately review curb orders.

The bench had directed the authorities in the Union territory to immediately review all orders suspending internet services and said orders not in accordance with the law must be revoked.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice Ramana had in March last year declined to refer to a larger seven-judge bench a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370. He was

part of a five-judge constitution bench that had held in November 2019 that the office of the CJI was a public authority under the Right to Information Act. In the November 2019 verdict, the top court had also said "judicial independence has to be kept in mind" while disclosing information in "public interest".

He was also a part of a five-judge constitution bench of the top court that had in a landmark verdict in 2016 ordered restoration of the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh. The bench had said the "clock should be turned back" as it quashed all decisions of the governor that precipitated its fall in January, holding them "violative" of the Constitution.

PM’s brother Prahlad Modi ISRO to launch data relay satellites opposes parking charges at Ahmedabad airport to track Gaganyaan The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch a data relay satellite that will help maintain contact with the Gagangyaan mission after the launch, sources said. The satellite will be launched before the final leg of the Gaganyaan mission, which will send astronauts to the Lower Earth Orbit (LEO). The first leg the unmanned mission - is to be launched in December.

“We’re planning to launch our own satellite, which will act as a data relay satellite before going for the first human space flight,” the sources said. The £80 million project has been approved and work has been going on, they added. Satellites in orbit cannot pass along their information to the ground stations on Earth if the satellite does not have a clear view of the ground station. A data relay satellite serves as a way to pass along the satellite’s information.

The NASA, with a robust human space mission programme, also has its own data relay satellite. Its tracking and data relay satellite allows it to have global coverage of all the satellites round the clock without having to build extra ground stations on Earth.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's then he will take the matter to the brother Prahlad Modi, who court and also involve the arrived at Sardar Patel Airport, government in this issue.

Ahmedabad from Haridwar, was Regarding the demand for asked to pay parking charges by parking charge by Adani at the Adani employees, to which he Ahmedabad airport, Prahlad strongly opposed. The issue of Modi said, “Adani is cheating in parking charge the name of

by Adani Airport parking charge has also been and he is against raised earlier. this charge. The Prahlad s t a t e Modi opposed government to pay the should intervene charge of in this matter.” driving the car He further into the airport. added, the day In this case, he gets Prahlad Modi information that said that in the passengers coming days, if arriving at the Prahlad Modi Adani did not airport were stop charging a sum of Rs 90 then forced to pay the parking charges, he will agitate against Adani. In he will surely form a group and case, if his car has been detained protest against this.

In November 2019, a bench led by Justice Ramana had ordered floor test for then Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to prove his majority in the House, saying there was a "possibility of horsetrading" in case of delay. Justice Ramana-led bench has also dealt with a plea that raised the issue of inordinately delay in disposal of criminal cases against former and sitting lawmakers.

Last September, the bench had said there had been "no substantial improvement" in disposal of pending criminal cases against sitting and former lawmakers, and directed the chief justices of high courts to submit an action plan for rationalisation of special courts to deal with these matters.

10 killed as avalanche hits BRO camps in Uttarakhand At least 10 bodies were recovered while eight others were unaccounted for after an avalanche triggered by an alleged glacier burst hit the Malari-Sumna area in Chamoli district along the India-China border in Uttarakhand last week. A communique from the Army said 384 labourers working with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in the area had been rescued. Six of them were critical. There were 430 labourers in two BRO camps in the area which were hit by the avalanche.

“The incident took place after an avalanche hit a location about 4 km ahead of Sumna on Sumna - Rimkhim road in Uttarakhand. A labour camp for road construction work was around this area. An Army camp is located 3 km from Sumna.

The area has experienced heavy rains and snow since the last five days which is still continuing,” the communique said.

According to army officials, Border Road Task Force (BRTF) teams from Joshimath were working to clear slides enroute from Bhapkund to Sumna and it was expected to take some more time to clear the complete axis since rains and pressure winds were disrupting the rescue and road clearing operations. A BRO official from Joshimath said that four choppers along with an avalanche sniffer dog and several rescue personnel were involved in rescue work. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were assisting the Army and ITBP in clearing the snow-laden route leading up to the area.

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PM Modi instructs officials to work closely with state govts Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to review Covid-19 situation in India and asked the officials to ensure rapid upgradation of health infrastructure. The PM was also briefed on the efforts being made to ramp up the availability and supply of oxygen.

The Delhi High Court, meanwhile, said the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government’s entire system has failed due to the alleged black marketing of oxygen cylinders and crucial medicines for treating Covid-19 patients. “Set your house in order. If you cannot manage it, we will ask the central government to takeover,” the court told the Delhi government.

Early on Tuesday, the country received 95 oxygen concentrators and 100 ventilators from the United Kingdom as the country continues to fight against depleting resources amid the second wave of the novel coronavirus.

The Supreme Court has said its suo motu proceeding on devising a national policy for Covid-19 management is not meant to supplant cases being heard by the high courts, but added that the top court cannot be a “mute spectator” at the time of national crisis. In another order, the top court allowed Vedanta to operate its closed oxygen plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, saying the order has been passed in view of “national need” for oxygen.

India, in the last 24 hours, recorded 3,23,144 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the cumulative tally to 1,76,36,307. Of these, 28,82,204 are active cases, while 2,771 deaths

were also reported on Monday.

While Maharashtra reported 48,700 fresh cases, Uttar Pradesh’s daily case count stood at 33,351.

India’s Covid tally had crossed the 20,00,000- mark on August 7, 30,00,000 on August 23, 40,00,000 on September 5 and 50,00,000 on September 16. It went past 60,00,000 on September 28, 70,00,000 on October 11, crossed 80,00,000 on October 29, 90,00,000 on November 20 and surpassed the 10 million mark on December 19. India crossed the grim milestone of 15 million on April 19.

Registering a steady increase, the active cases have increased to 28,13,658 comprising 16.25% of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has further dropped to 82.62%. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,43,04,382.

The case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.13%, the data stated.

The new fatalities include 832 from Maharashtra, 350 from Delhi, 206 from Uttar Pradesh, 199 from Chhattisgarh, 157 from Gujarat, 143 from Karnataka, and 103 from Jharkhand. A total of 1,95,123 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 64,760 from

Maharashtra, 14,426 from Karnataka, 14,248 from Delhi, 13,557 from Tamil Nadu, 11,165 from Uttar Pradesh, 10,941 from West Bengal, 8,432 from Punjab and 7,685 from Andhra Pradesh.

Many of the Covid patients died in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab and other states for want of oxygen in hospitals. There is also shortage of hospital beds and essential medicines in many states.

So many patients succumb without getting medical aid. Now that other countries have have realised the grave situation in India and are coming out with necessary materials and even financial aid to fight the pandemic. India alone won't be tackle this without assistance from other countries.

The health ministry stressed that more than 70% of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that statewise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. If cases continue to grow at this rate then India will add about a million cases in three days- a feat that is unparalleled so far. No country in the world has

seen such a level of cases and new evidently, the healthcare system of no other country has ever been so overwhelmed by Covid. The impact of this level of cases– more than a 100,000 new cases for the 17th consecutive day is evident on the healthcare system and there is a steady increase in daily fatality. For the 10th consecutive day, India has witnessed over a thousand daily deaths of which the last three days saw over 2,000 daily deaths. In the past 10 days over 15,000 people have died because of Covid or related complications.

Among states, Maharashtra continues to lead with 67,013 new cases. While there is no respite for Maharashtra other states are also going through a steady increase in cases. Uttar Pradesh (34,379), Kerala (26,995), Delhi (26,169), and Karnataka (25,795) are the other four states that reported over 25,000 daily cases.

Chattisgarh reported 16,750 new cases while cases reported from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh were between 10,000-15,000.

Similarly cases reported from Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana and Punjab were between 5,000 to 10,000. Even smaller states like Uttarakhand, J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Goa have also reported between 1,0005000 cases. With 1931 new cases, Assam is the only large state on this list.

Positivity rate 15% in 146 dists, 515% in 274 others The rapid rise of Covid-19 cases has seen 146 districts reporting more than 15% positivity, whereas 274 districts have a positivity rate between 5% and 15%, according to the health ministry. The Centre expressed concern over the surge, particularly in the 146 districts with high positivity rate, and said the health system was facing strain because of the steep increase in new cases. Though 308 districts have a positivity rate less than 5%, the national case positivity rate is currently 17.9%.

While the age profile of cases remains largely the same as during the first wave, data shows that the share of deaths due to Covid-19 has increased among the elderly.

During the first wave of the disease, 19.9% of deaths was recorded among people aged between 70 and 80 while 7.8% was among those aged above 80. In the second wave, deaths in the 70-80 group increased to 22.1% and in those above 80 years to 9.8%.

Besides, there is also a marginal increase in deaths in the 30-40 years group. During the first wave, 5.2% of people died in this age bracket, whereas 5.3% died in the second wave.

The Centre said all energies were focused on tackling the situation and come out of the pandemic when asked if the government had “missed” the second wave by taking its eye off the ball. “We are in the midst of the second wave and there is a surge.

We cannot say when numbers will come down,” Indian Council of Medical Research director Balram Bhargava said.

63 Covid patients die for want of oxygen Covid crisis akin to ‘national health emergency’, says SC or charred to death A total of at least 63 Covid-19 patients died for want of oxygen or charred to death in Maharashtra and Delhi hospitals.

Twenty-two patients died in Maharashtra's Nashik after an oxygen tanker leaked outside a hospital, disrupting supply to patients for around 30 minutes.

Another 11 died in a Beed hospital.

At least 25 patients died in Delhi's Ganga Ram Hospital because of short supply of oxygen. As per information, 22 people have died in Nashik due to the interrupted supply of oxygen at the Zakir Hussain municipal hospital," district collector Suraj Mandhare said.

All the victims were on ventilators and in need of constant oxygen supply. Zakir Hussain Hospital is a Coviddedicated facility. Around 150 patients were either oxygendependent or on ventilators. Panic struck patients and their family members as the oxygen supply was stopped. Heart wrenching visuals showed families trying to help the patients as they gasped for breath. Fire trucks were rushed to the spot to stop the leak.

Videos showed water sprayed to control the leak; the firefighting

team also wore protective gear.

11 patients die in Beed hospital As many as 11 Covid patients died, allegedly due to oxygen shortage, at the Swami Ramanand Teerth Rural Medical College at Ambajogai in Beed district.

15 Covid patients charred to death Fifteen Covid-19 patients, including six women, were charred to death after a fire broke out in a packed ICU of the 90-bed Vijay Vallabh hospital in Virar near Mumbai. Two other ICU patients who were rescued are serious, doctors said. The tragedy came just two days after 22 Covid patients died gasping for breath in a Nashik hospital following an oxygen tank leak.

Seventy other Covid patients on the hospital’s first, third and fourth floors rushed out of the Virar building, some helped along by the hospital staff. The patients alleged there were only two nurses, two ward boys and one doctor on the night shift. None of the health staff sustained any injuries. The ICU was charred beyond recognition.

A blast in the air-conditioner unit of the ICU of the four-storey hospital in Bolinj, Virar (West) is

believed to have caused the fire.

Sparks fell on the patients’ beds and set these on blaze, fire officials said. The ICU did not have the mandatory sprinkler systems, fire officials said. The hospital, that came up around six years ago, had renewed its fire licence last month.

25 patients died in Delhi's Ganga Ram Hospital Twenty-five "sickest patients" have died at Sir Ganga Ram hospital in Delhi, a statement from the hospital said, revealing a worsening Covid crisis in the capital's hospitals. In an SOS at around 8 am, the hospital also said it had oxygen for only two more hours and that 60 more patients were at risk. Around two hours later, oxygen tankers arrived at the hospital. The hospital also said it needed oxygen to be airlifted urgently, but its top officers contradicted each other on whether the deaths, all of critical Covid patients, were because of oxygen shortage.

Ganga Ram, one of Delhi's top private hospitals, is treating more than 500 Covid patients, according to reports. Of them, 142 are on high-flow oxygen support, the hospital says.

As Covid-19 cases in India rise rapidly amid desperate cries for oxygen in hospitals, the Supreme Court on its own took cognisance of what it called a “national health emergency situation” and asked the Centre to furnish a national plan on bolstering supply of oxygen, medicines, treatment and vaccines. As the surge laid bare the chinks in India's health infrastructure with many patients’ kin unable to find scarce hospital beds, a bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices L N Rao and S Ravindra Bhat decided to step in and seek an action plan from the Centre.

Noticing that as many as six high courts had taken up proceedings on treatment of Covid-19 patients and passed orders that could affect distribution of precious resources like oxygen and medicines, the bench asked the Centre to respond on three issues - setting up a national body for equitable distribution of these resources, considering important medicines and medical equipment along with oxygen as essential commodities under ESMA, and logistics for seamless inter-state distribution of medicines and oxygen.

The Union home ministry issued an order directing all states/UTs to ensure that no restriction is imposed on the interstate or intra-state movement of medical oxygen. DMs, deputy commissioners, senior superintendents of police and deputy commissioners of police have been made personally liable for implementation of the directions.

The CJI-led bench said, “Prima facie, we are inclined to take the view that distribution of these essential services and supplies must be done in an even-handed manner according to the advice of health authorities which undoubtedly takes into account relevant factors like severity, susceptibility, the number of people affected and the local availability of resources.

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US finally pledges massive Covid assistance to India The United States on Sunday said it is rushing therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) to help treat Covid-19 patients and protect frontline health workers in India after scorching criticism of its tepid response to the dire pandemic crisis unfolding in the country. The US is also “pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis”, the White House National Security Council said in a statement.

US admin trolled for tepid response The US will send raw materials for vaccines and step up financing aid for Covid-19 shot production, joining European countries in helping stem the world’s biggest surge in cases.

Material needed to produce Covishield has been sourced and

Joe Biden

“will immediately be made available for India,” Emily Horne, a spokesperson for US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, said in a statement.

The announcements came more than 12 hours after two top Biden administration officials Sullivan and secretary of state Antony Blinken - pledged Washington would deploy additional support and supplies to help India meet its surging Covid19 challenge that some experts

warn could shut down the world again.

“Our hearts go out to the Indian people in the midst of the horrific Covid-19 outbreak.

We are working closely with our partners in the Indian government, and we will rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India and India’s health care heroes,” Blinken tweeted after Washington, specifically the Biden-Harris dispensation, was trolled and lacerated on social media for its tepid response to India’s plight, highlighted in graphic stories and visuals in US media. “The US is deeply concerned by the severe Covid outbreak in India. We are working around the clock to deploy more supplies and support to our friends

and partners in India as they bravely battle this pandemic. More very soon,” Sullivan followed up in a tweet a few minutes later.

In a statement, the White House said, Sullivan spoke over phone to his counterpart Ajit Doval and affirmed America’s solidarity with India - “the two countries with the greatest number of Covid cases in the world”.

“Building on the seven decade health partnership between the US and India - including battles against smallpox, polio, and HIV they resolved that India and the US will continue to fight the global Covid-19 pandemic together. Just as India sent assistance to the US as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need,” the statement said.

Biden phones Modi On Monday evening PM Narendra Modi had a telephone

conversation with Joe Biden, who assured India and its people of providing all assistance, according to sources. Biden invoked New Delhi’s help to the US during its crisis after his administration was trolled for ingratitude, given India’s exertions in providing vaccines for the US and many other countries at a time it thought it had the domestic situation under control. Vice president Kamala Harris drew criticism over her silence, particularly in light of her Indian heritage.

The full-court press from Washington, which is viewed as a damage-control exercise, included defence secretary Lloyd Austin, the senior-most cabinet official in the Biden administration to visit India who assured Pentagon’s support. US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman said she had been in touch with Indian officials.

Oxygen crisis deepens in Gujarat as Covid cases cross 500,000 mark

Countries mobilizing to send relief material to India

The spectre of crippling oxygen shortage threatening to snuff out Covid-19 affected lives is looming large in Gujarat. Growing need of gasping Covid-19 patients has rendered 1,000MT availability of the gas insufficient as hospitals across cities and towns reportedly struggled to treat unabated flow of breathless patients.

The state government informed the Gujarat high court that there are 52,036 Covid patients currently on oxygen support across the state. “With the surge in cases, oxygen demand has risen from 58 MT on March 15 to 1,000 MT on April 24. The state received a quota of 1000 MT on April 24 and all was consumed in hospitals. The state government has created a distribution monitoring and audit system to avoid wastage,” government submitted in HC. Earlier in the day, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Surat, warned that around 400 hospitals with 4,000 Covid-19 patients will have to start discharging patients if the oxygen supply is not restored.

Representatives from IMA, Surat, met the district collector and the city police commissioner to red-flag the issue. They also shot off a letter to CM Vijay Rupani claiming the diamond city is receiving 20% less oxygen supply against its requirement of 230 metric ton.

“Over 4,000 indoor patients are admitted in 400-odd private hospitals of the city. If the oxygen supply is not restored immediately, hospitals will be forced to discharge patients,” said Dr Nirmal Choraria, chairman of Covid19 task force of IMA, Surat.

Covid double mutant has 16 variants in Gujarat The double mutant SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 version of Covid virus currently impacting lives has 16 variants in Gujarat, according to information published on the GISAID website, a worldwide Covid information collaboration platform. The information on Covid19 variants found in 11 different states of India

The world is seeing a clearer picture of exactly how seriously Covid-19 is ravaging India. With reports and gutting images emerging from New Delhi’s overrun hospitals and cremation sites, experts say that the death toll is much greater than the 193,000 the government has reported. The country of 1.3 billion is now the global epicenter of the pandemic.

Several countries, including India’s political rivals China and Pakistan, are responding to the humanitarian crisis.

Amid expressions of solidarity from world leaders, here’s a list of countries mobilizing to send much needed medical equipment, oxygen, vaccines, and treatments so far.

Australia Prime minister Scott Morrison says that his government is currently working with India’s to determine how it can assist.

The two countries together with the US and Japan, are in a bloc called the Quad, that has pledged to supply billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccine across Asia.

China Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian says that Beijing is “ready to provide support and help according to India’s need.” Suspending old rivalries, they are currently in talks with Indian health officials.

Germany Germany sent 23 mobile oxygen generation plants for use in military units tending to Covid-19 patients. They’re expected to arrive in India this week.

France French president Emmanuel Macron expressed readiness to support India through the crisis. Details of how and what he plans to offer have yet to be revealed.

Speaking on behalf of the EU, European Council president Charles Michel echoed Macron’s offer to help. He says they plan to discuss specifics during the India-EU Summit in Brussels on May 8.

Pakistan The Pakistani government is sending medical equipment to its arch-rival. “As a gesture of solidarity with the people of India in the wake of the current wave of Covid, Pakistan has offered to provide relief support to India including ventilators, Bi PAP, digital X ray machines, PPEs, and related items,” a government spokesperson said in an April 25 statement.

Social welfare organization Edhi Foundation is also ready to send a fleet of 50 ambulances manned by Pakistani health professionals to help in India’s pandemic response. They are awaiting clearance from the Modi government.

has been reported to GISAID by a team of scientists of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG). It is a grouping of 10 national laboratories established by the Union ministry of health.

The INSACOG updated the global platform of 16 variants of the B.1.617 Covid virus mutant in Gujarat, 175 variants in Maharashtra, and 133 variants in West Bengal.

This was submitted to GISAID in February.

Another vital piece of information says there are 25 versions of the UK variant, SARSCoV-2 B.1.1.7, in Gujarat at the moment.

The UK variant was first detected in London as well as in the southeast and the east of England in December 2020. Gujarat was among a few vigilant states in the country that initially provided samples to the National Centre for Cell Science, Delhi, an institute which is part of the INSACOG. According to the GISAID, the first report of the B.1.617’s presence in Gujarat was reported on February 2 this year with three samples testing positive for the double mutant virus. ater on February 3, two samples showed the mutant presence; and then on February 6, three more samples showed the double mutant virus.

The GISAID platform is maintained by the governments of Germany, the official host; Singapore; and the US. It provides open-access to genomic data of influenza viruses and the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 pandemic.

China reiterates help offer; India notes positive tenor As India struggles with the devastating effects of the second Covid wave, China reiterated its offer of support to India saying it was ready to assist in keeping with India’s needs. In a sign that the government is not closing the door entirely on help from China, official sources noted that the tenor of the remarks by the Chinese foreign ministry had been positive.

Significantly, as China said it was in touch with India on the issue, government sources didn’t rule out the possibility of contacting private Chinese companies for medical supplies including oxygen. With the government confident of sourcing oxygen mainly from Singapore, Gulf and Europe, China wasn’t the first choice for securing medical supplies. The Chinese state media

has run riot in the past few days over the Covid situation in India, even accusing the Indian government of playing geopolitical games in the middle of the pandemic and claiming US and other western countries were not helping India.

The Chinese foreign ministry though has been quite restrained while talking about the issue and offering assistance to meet India’s “temporary shortage” of supplies like oxygen concentrators, ventilators and medicines from across the world in the next few weeks.

The German embassy announced that private German company Linde, together with Tata, had managed to secure 24 oxygen transport tanks that will be airlifted to India in order to increase transport capacity from production sites to Covid-19 hotspots.

Saudi Arabia The Saudi government sent 80 metric tons of liquid oxygen on April 24 via the Indian-owned shipping companies Adani Group and Linde. The first tanks are headed to the port of Mundra.

Singapore The Indian Air Force picked up four cryogenic oxygen tanks donated by Singapore on April 24. Oxygen tank is loaded into aircraft to supply hospitals in India, at Changi Airport in Singapore.

Top Donors for PM Care Fund

TATA Group : ITC : Hindustan Unilever : Anil Agarwal (Vedanta) : Hero Cycle : Bajaj Group : Shirdi Temple : BCCI : CRPF : Akshay Kumar, Actor : Sun Pharma : OLA : Paytm : Mukesh Ambani : Adani Group : Prabhas, Actor : Nadella (Microsoft) : Anita Dongre : Allu Arjun : Ram Charan : Somnath Temple Trust : Pawan Kalyan, Actor : Mahesh Babu, Actor : Chiranjivi, actor : Hema Malini, Actor : Bala Krishna, Actor : Jr NTR, Actor : Suresh Raina, Cricketer : Sachin Tendulkar, Cricketer: Sunny Deol : Kapil Sharma : Rajnikant, Actor : Sourav Ganguli : Bhushan Bhatt- T Series : Uday Kotak : Sajjan Jindal (JSW Group): Radhakrishna Damani (D Mart) : Aditya Birla Group :

£ 150 Million £ 15 Million £ 10 Million £ 10 Million £ 10 Million £ 10 Million £ 5.1 Million £ 5.1 Million £ 3.3 Million £ 2.5 Million £ 2.5 Million £ 2 Million £ 50,000 £ 50 Million £ 10 Million £ 40,000 £ 20,000 £ 15,000 £ 12,500 £ 14,000 £ 10,000 £ 10,000 £ 10,000 £ 10,000 £ 10,000 £ 10,000 ₹ 75,00,000 ₹ 52,00,000 ₹ 52,00,000 ₹ 50,00,000 ₹ 50,00,000 ₹ 50,00,000 ₹ 50,00,000 £ 1.1 Million £ 2.5 Million £ 10 Million £ 10 Million £ 40 Million

Almost all Govt employees: 1-5 days of their salary.

28

HEALTH

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Top 5 benefits of staying hydrated this Summer Water makes up almost 70 per cent of the human body and acts on every single cell in the body to hydrate, detox, and maintain temperature. There are several benefits to keep yourself hydrated.

Maintains cell structure Water is required to maintain the integrity of cells like hair, skin, and nails, and to a certain extent it also helps in the production of collagen, which helps from an antiaging perspective. It also maintains the integrity of the joints and the spinal cord, drinking water also

works as a lubricant, which helps in reducing friction.

Burns Body Fat There are several studies that have linked water intake with the reduction of body fat.

Aids digestion While there is an open discussion on whether consuming water during and after a meal is the right thing to do, a recent study suggests it is absolutely fine.

It facilitates in the production of saliva which electrolytes, contains mucus, and enzymes that help in digesting food and allow for the upkeep of oral

health. Digestion begins in the mouth, and if you feel your mouth is dry, increase your water intake.

Maintains Body Temperature It is important that your body temperature is maintained, for your enzymes to function properly. Maintaining fluid balance is key to prevent your bodily functions from seizing.

Helps you detox One of the most important functions of

water is to detox. A lot of toxins are built up in the body throughout the day – be it environmental or through food, among others.

Detoxification occurs through urine, feces, and sweat. Drinking less water tends to void saturated urine and hence precipitate stones.

One must consume enough water to maintain the consistency of the blood as it helps transport nutrients to all organs in the body.

Iodine deficiency in women may risk neurological disorder in their children A recent study has found that an increasing number of young women are at higher risk of having children born with impaired neurological conditions due to poor iodine intake. Published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, findings of the research found that dietary changes including the avoidance of bread and iodised salt, and a reduced intake of animal products containing iodine, can contribute to low iodine levels.

The study undertaken by the University of South

Australia comparing iodine levels between 31 vegans/plant-based participants and 26 omnivores has flagged the potential health risk. Urine samples showed iodine readings of 44 ug/L in the plant-based group,

compared to the meat eaters' 64 ug/L levels.

Neither group came close to the World Health Organisation's recommended 100 grams per litre. Participants from both groups who chose pink or Himalayan salt instead of iodised salt had severely deficient iodine levels, averaging 23 ug/L. UniSA research dietitian Jane Whitbread says adequate iodine is essential for fetal intellectual development. She was quoted in a report as saying, “Mild to moderate iodine deficiency has been shown to

affect language development, memory and mental processing speeds.

During pregnancy, the need for iodine is increased and a 150mcg supplement is recommended prior to conception and throughout pregnancy. Unfortunately, most women do not take iodine supplements before conceiving. It is important to consume adequate iodine, especially during the reproductive years.”

Well-known dietary sources of iodine include fortified bread, iodized salt, seafood including seaweeds, eggs, and dairy food.

Gorging on fast food?

Here's what you should eat instead

It does not take a genius to realise that regular intake of fast food is not good for you.

It increases cholesterol, risk of getting diabetes, promotes obesity – the list just goes on and on. However, a new research from the Netherlands reveals it can lead to an unhealthy gut microbiome. What is gut microbiome, you ask? It is the collection of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in your bowels that affect anything in your body, from inflammation to heart health.

An unhealthy microbiome increases your risk for inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as

diabetes and even cancer.

Researchers who conducted the study with 1,425 people said that those who consumed a diet high in processed and animalderived fatty foods had greater levels of destructive bacteria that produce toxins that harm the gut.

Meanwhile, people with a diet consisting of more plants and fish had higher levels of healthy bacteria with anti-inflammatory effects.

Dr Rudolph Bedford, gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, was quoted by Healthline as saying, “The microbiome contains trillions and trillions of microbes and

microorganisms. The gut microbiome essentially helps to train the immune system in childhood and adulthood, recognise and react to various harmful microbes that may enter the body also helping to the immune health.

The microbiome is a very important aspect of our general health.”

What can one eat for a healthy microbiome?

The study looked into dietary habits that increase colonies of healthy bacteria, particularly R o s e b u r i a , Faecalibacterium, and Eubacterium. Researchers of the study wrote, “We showed that dietary patterns comprising legumes, breads, fish and nuts are associated with a lower abundance of clusters of opportunistic bacteria, pathways for the synthesis of endotoxins and inflammatory markers

in stool.

Higher proportions of these bacteria and pathways have been implicated in IBD and colorectal cancer.”

On the other hand, diets too high in fatty foods and meat were associated with higher levels of more harmful bacteria. They wrote, “We here observed a positive association of the total fat intake and meat consumption with species that are dominant in the upper GI tract and oral cavity, while the opposite direction was found for plant-derived foods.

Higher colonization of these bacteria in the intestine has been reported in IBD, liver cirrhosis, colon cancer.”

If you find yourself in situations where fast food joints are the answer, the smart thing to do would switch to salads. However, make sure to cut down on the amount of dressing.

Middle-aged people skimping on their sleep risk chances of developing dementia

If a new study is to be believed, people that are not getting enough sleep in their 50s and 60s may be increasing their chances of developing dementia later in life. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, followed nearly 8,000 people in Britain for about 25 years, beginning when they were about 50 years old.

Subjects who reported averaging six hours or less sleep a night were 30 per cent more likely to develop dementia than those who regularly averaged seven hours or more of sleep per night. In fact, doctors say that even an extra hour of sleep can make a difference when it comes to the proper functioning of the brain.

In a report in Healthline, facility director of the Indiana Sleep Center, Dr Abhinav Singh, said, “We've discovered that sleep and memory consolidation are related. It is during different sleep stages and their cycling that new

memories and information are processed, the excess and negative memories are removed, and the archiving of contextual memories take place.”

Singh said, “Emotional memory processing also takes place during our sleep cycles. The last two hours of sleep are rich with REM sleep, and more evidence is coming that this is an important phase of sleep that helps us with memory consolidation and emotional memory. And if you deprive yourself of these last two hours, you are going to impair that process.” There are different opinions on whether the lack of sleep could be a symptom of other underlying conditions leading to dementia. The study factored in other causes believed to lead to dementia, including smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, body mass, education level, conditions such as diabetes, and mental illness.

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Academy Awards: 'Nomadland' wins big, Riz Ahmed, wife are #CoupleGoals, tributes to Irrfan Khan, Bhanu Athaiya The 93rd Academy Awards were held amid a slew of social distancing rules. The ceremony was opened by Regina King as the awards went hostless this year.

Presenters took to stage to announce the winners and the evening concluded with Joaquin Phoenix announcing the award for Best actor. The big winner of the night was 'Nomadland', winning in the Best Picture, Best Actress (Frances McDormand) , and Best Director (Chloe Zhao) categories. Zhao is the second woman to win the category in Oscar history.

The ceremony had its moments this year.

Changing tradition, the ceremony which always ended with the Best Picture award, closed with the Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins) category presented by Joaquin Phoenix. This was seen as a build-up to honour Boseman posthumously, who was nominated for his role in 'Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom'. Fans of deceased actor Chadwick Boseman did not take the win well as many felt he was snubbed. His family was also invited to the ceremony and this further got the fans’ expectations up. Boseman passed away in August 2020 due to cancer at the age of 43.

Complete list of winners of the 93rd Academy Awards: Best picture: Nomadland, Best actress: Frances McDormand, Best actor: Anthony Hopkins, Best supporting actress: Yuh-Jung Youn, Best supporting actor: Daniel Kaluuya, Best director: Chloe Zhao, Best original screenplay: Promising Young Woman, Best adapted screenplay: The Father, Best animated feature: Soul, Best documentary feature: My Octopus Teacher, Best international feature: Another Round Best original song: “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah, Best original score: Soul, Best cinematography: Mank, Best visual effects: Tenet, Best film editing: Sound of Metal, Best costume design: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Best sound: Sound of Metal, Best production design:

BAFTA announces jury for Breakthrough India 2021 The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the list of jury members for its debut BAFTA Breakthrough India initiative – supported by Netflix. The jury was selected by a group of distinguished professionals from across the film, games, and television industries. BAFTA invited candidates from across the country to apply for their flagship talent initiative.

This year's jury include: A R Rahman - Jury Chair (Music Composer), Anupam Kher (Actor), Charu

Desodt (Former BAFTA Breakthrough & Games Producer), Krishnendu Majumdar (BAFTA Chair and TV Producer), Mira Nair (Director/Writer/Producer), Monika Shergill (VP, Content, Netflix India), Shonali Bose (Director/Writer/ Producer), Siddharth Roy Kapur (Founder & Producer at Roy Kapur Films).

BAFTA Breakthrough India Ambassador and Jury Chair, AR Rahman

said, “BAFTA is a platform where artists from around the world, including the best from India, are represented and celebrated, and it’s my honour to be a part of its Breakthrough India jury.

There are many creatives in India who are looking to bring their art to the world, to showcase India’s vibrant and diverse culture, but unfortunately, they face traps both mental and external.”

He added, “The opportunity to discuss these blocks, to engage on issues of creativity, to make the right connections, to network and grow, would greatly benefit the plethora of talent we have in our country. Through Breakthrough, we offer artists our knowledge and connectivity, as well as opportunities that’ll hopefully nurture their craft and help them leave their mark on the world. India is home to incredible artists and I’m proud of us. It’s time we make our names known, it’s time we all shine.”

Mank, Best make-up and hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Best live action short: Two Distant Strangers, Best animated short: If Anything Happens I Love You, Best documentary short: Colette, Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Tyler Perry.

Tributes to Irrfan Khan, Bhanu Athaiya The Academy Awards' In Memoriam section paid tributes to filmmakers and artists who departed the world in 2020. This year's list featured several notable deceased personalities including India's Irrfan Khan and Bhanu Athaiya. Others on the list included Ian Holm, Sean Connery, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, and Chadwick Boseman. The segment was introduced by Angela Bassett.

Irrfan Khan was one of Bollywood's beloved, who died after a long battle with cancer on April 29. Bhanu Athaiya was the first Oscar winner from India, taking home the trophy for Best Costume Design for the 1982 film 'Gandhi'. The segment however, failed to mention Rishi Kapoor and Sushant Singh Rajput, a fact that was noticed by fans on social media. Both the actors were however, remembered on the website of the Academy Awards in a special In Memoriam section.

Riz Ahmed wins hearts on the red carpet Nominated for his performance in the film 'Sound of Metal', Riz Ahmed's presence on the red carpet left a lasting impression on the internet. Dressed to the T in an all-black Prada suit, the actor was accompanied by his stunning wife Fatima who picked a flowing turquoise gown herself.

Before posing for the camera, Riz took a moment to style his wife's hair on the red carpet. He jokes, “I'm the official groomer.” The clip has gone viral on Twitter with people calling them #CoupleGoals. Riz is the first Muslim to be nominated for Best Actor in the Academy Awards. He is also the first Pakistanorigin person to be nominated in an acting category.

Kangana launches fresh attack on Taapsee Pannu Actor Kangana Ranaut has once again taken a dig at fellow Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu. The actress shared a tweet by Urban Dictionary that read, “Taapsee Pannu is bollywood actress known for her befitting

“bullying” Taapsee. One wrote, “Then what's the difference between you and Bullywood?

All that standing up for Sushant only to turn around and do similar to someone else.”

Kangana's tirade on Taapsee has been going

replies. She's also called as the "Sasti Copy" of Indian superstar and padma shri recipient - Kangana Ranaut. She is also a member of Pappu Gang. Taapsee Pannu is a walmart version of Kangana Ranaut.”

Ranaut shared the tweet and wrote, “Ha ha ha She-man will be very happy today.” It, however, did not go well with several Twitter users, who criticised her for

on for a long time.

Recently, after Taapsee thanked Kangana when she received a Filmfare award, Kangana tweeted, “Thank you @taapsee well deserved Vimal elaichi filmfare award.... no one deserves it more than you.” Not only her, Kangana's sister Rangoli Chandel had earlier called Taapsee the “cheap version” of the actor.

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Janhvi Kapoor clarifies magazine cover, says shot before lockdown Actor Janhvi Kapoor recently shared pictures dressed in a bridal attire, posing for a magazine. She posted a series of photos on Instagram, and clarified that the photo was taken before lockdown.

She wrote, “In these trying times, I know it's important to be sensitive to the troubles we as a country are facing & I would never want to be inconsiderate towards that.”

She added, “This cover, however, and the subsequent posts of it had been committed a while back and were shot before lockdown. We were as safe and precautious as possible. I hope all of

Genre: Hindu Language Anthology Film Duration: 142 minutes Streaming on: Netflix

you are staying safe and strong!

Love always.” Pretty active on social media, Janhvi regularly updates her fans about her life through Instagram. The actress returned from her trip to the Maldives last week. She has been in and out of the country throughout this month, visiting Los Angeles and New York.

On the work front, Janhvi was last seen in the horror-comedy film 'Roohi', the first film to arrive in theatres after the government allowed cinema halls nationwide to operate at full capacity from February.

Ajeeb Dastans Ajeeb Dastans is an anthology of four short films and is produced by the super Producer/Director Karan Johar. The premise of the film is that each story will bring us a shocking and horrifying twist that we were not betting on.

Priyanka taught people in the West to pronounce her name Priyanka Chopra and veteran actor Kabir Bedi held a virtual discussion recently, when she launched his memoir 'Stories I Must Tell' online.

The discussion circled around how Indian actors can make it big in Hollywood. One of the first Bollywood actors to make an impact in the West, Bedi is widely known for his role as the antagonist in a James Bond movie.

Sharing his insight, he said, “I had stardom in Europe behind me as I was a rage across the continent.

I came to Hollywood as a newcomer, I thought they'd be impressed by that. But they didn't care that I lived in a house in Beverly Hills or bought myself a Mercedes.” He added, “The problem was that in those days, Hollywood just wasn't writing roles for Indians or Asians,

so how do you get a role if it is not written for you? I'd protest in trade papers, that it is wrong. When they did have a role for an Asian, they didn't have a hesitation painting a white actor brown and giving him the role. So, this was the other problem.”

Priyanka, meanwhile, said she had to do “ethnically ambiguous” roles to start with. “While I didn't have to change my name, but I had to teach people how to say my name, if you can Oprah, you can say Chopra. I had to be ethnically ambiguous to a certain extent to be able to get mainstream roles. Even 'Quantico', for that matter, I played a half Indian-half American. I couldn't step out there being Indian because it was too alien for Hollywood.”

Short story one is called Majnu, Lipakshi is stuck in a loveless marriage and is always looking for love in other men. She meets Raj, who works for her husband, after she pursues him, he finally gives in and they start an affair. AS time goes on Raj sets up another worker and makes it look like him and Lipakshi are actually having an affair. Raj deceives both Lipakshi and her husband and leaves. But what is the plot twist? Watch Majnu to find out.

Story two is Khilauna. The lead in this story is Meenal and flicks between the past and the present.

Meenal is a maid who is having issues with her electricity and is introduced with Vinod, the new secretary of the locality. Vinod makes a move on Meenal and this is witnessed by her sister Binny. What happens next will disgust you like you will not believe, but at the same time it is totally unexpected.

Story three is named Geeli Pucchi. Bharti works in a factory and is devastated when a new girl Priya arrives and takes the job Bharti was promised. Priya and Bharti later become friends and Bharti convinces Priya she will be happier if she has a baby.

Salman distributes meal packs to frontline workers Actor Salman Khan stepped out over the weekend to distribute refreshments and meal packs to frontline workers as the Covid-19 outbreak sweeps through Mumbai. The city has been under a lockdown for over two weeks, however, all frontline workers like medical and police personnel, municipal workers and cleaners have been working day and night to keep the city moving.

On Sunday, Shiv Sena's youth wing core committee member Rahul Kanal was quoted in a media report as saying, “Salman bhai has immense respect for frontline workers. His mother even sends handmade tiffin for the police personnel that has been stationed outside his house on security duty. So Salman bhai thought since the lockdown is going on and these workers are on duty 24/7, we should start sending food packets for them and try and make it easier for them.”

Kanal added, “We were at Bhaijaanz Kitchen today where the snacks are being prepared. We have sent out 5,000 packets on Sunday. For now we are sending these food packets from Byculla to Juhu and Bandra East to BKC, even at the jumbo Covid facility. In the coming days, double number of packets will go out.”

This isn't the first time Salman distributed food to the pandemic-struck people of Mumbai. Last year, he had started a “Being Haangryy” van to distribute ration to migrant workers stranded in the city.

Bharti then manages to swoop in and steal her job.

The final story is named Ankahi. Natasha and Rohan are parents to a young girl who is on the verge of going deaf. This causes issues within their marriage and Natasha ends up at breaking point and has an affair. Will her husband discover her secret?

These anthology type films have become very popular in more recent times. It is a great way to give the viewers a snippet into shorter films with meaning rather than them having to sit through a longwinded version of a film. These are great to pass time, or if you don’t have a lot of time and want to watch one and then another later.

You can get in touch with Vallisa: djvallisa@gmail.com

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Rashmika, Vijay Deverakonda reunite for a commercial Popular actors Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna have reunited once again for the third time for a television commercial for a popular soap brand. The two have been a fan favourite pair since 'Geetha Govindam', and 'Dear Comrade'. A clip featuring Vijay and Rashmika has surfaced online, featuring Vijay presenting what appears to be a soap to Rashmika. Both the actors are the newest band ambassadors for the brand.

On the work front, Vijay is currently busy with the shoot of upcoming Telugu-Hindi

bilingual film 'Liger', which marks the Telugu debut of Ananya Panday. The movie reportedly features Vijay as a fighter with a stutter. He underwent mixed martial arts classes in Thailand in preparation for his character. The movie will be released by Karan Johar in Hindi.

Meanwhile Rashmika has recently made her Tamil debut with 'Sulthan'. She is currently shooting for her upcoming Hindi project 'Goodbye' with filmmaker Vikas Bahl. It also stars Amitabh Bachchan in a pivotal role.

Chiranjeevi to provide free vaccines to cinema workers, journalists Veteran actor Chiranjeevi has announced free Covid-19 vaccination to cinema workers and journalists in Hyderabad through his Corona Crisis Charity (CCC) in association with Apollo 247. He has urged people to enrol in their respective associations to avail the vaccines.

Chiranjeevi made the announcement in a video, saying the drive will start from April 22. He urged cinema workers and journalists above the age of 45 to come forward and get vaccinated and also bring their spouse if they are eligible. The drive is expected to go on for a month.

The actor is one among many to step forward and help the less fortunate through his charity. Last year, Telugu actors like Varun Tej, Ravi Teja, Vishwak Sen, Sai Dharam Tej, and Sharwanand donated millions through CCC. Chiranjeevi himself donated £100,000 as relief fund.

Dhanush's 'Karnan' set to become his first £5 mn grosser Actor Dhanush's latest Tamil release 'Karnan' is all set to become his first Tamil film to gross £5 million. According to box-office tracking portal, Cinetrak, the film will be the actor's first £5 million grossing film in the state. The agency tweeted, “Karnan is set to become the first £5 million grosser for @dhanushkraja in Tamil Nadu. End of the 2nd-weekend #Karnan has raked in £4.71 million in the state. Breakeven for all investors.”

Directed by Mari Selvaraj, the movie is a hard-hitting portrait of caste divide and police brutality. It features Dhanush as the messiah of a village and its people who have been let down by the system.

Raiza Wilson seeks £100,000 in botched dermatology case Tamil actor Raiza Wilson has filed a formal complaint against her dermatologist Dr Bairavi Senthil for allegedly risking her life with a “wrongful procedure” and sought pound 100,000 in damages.

The actress released a statement in which she said the doctor suggested “wrong treatments” to her with the purpose of extorting money.

“Hello, I consider Medical Practitioner yields humanitarian service to the public rather than extorting money from innocent people through false advertisement and promotion. Further, Doctors extorting money by claiming more than that prescribed by the medical rules from innocent people would also be unlawful. Finally, a doctor must respond to her patient’s request for assistance in an emergency, and the patient must not be neglected,” she wrote.

“I approached Dr Bhairavi Senthil based on

her advertisement on various social platforms to perform certain cosmetology procedures.

I have been suggested wrong treatments by Dr Bhairavi and her staff from the beginning of the consultation only to extort money. Also, I have been denied emergency treatment by by the doctor while my life was at threat due to their procedure. The shreds of evidence available to me (including a doctor examination) clearly shows that I am a victim of a wrongful procedure conducted by Dr Bhairavi. Hence an apology is ‘Untoward’,” she added.

The doctor shared her side of the story on social media. She claimed that Raiza underwent such procedures in the past too, without any complaints, “but after the treatment in the last occasion on 16/4/2021 had developed bruises as minor side effects, which shall appear in selective or rare cases, if the precautions and medical advice is not strictly followed.”

TV Listing

* Schedule is subject to change

MON 3 APR FRI 7 APR 2021 14.30 KASAM 16.00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 18.30 BEST OF COOKERY SHOW THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 19.00 UDAARIYAAN 19.30 CHOTI SARDAARNI 20.00 SHAKTI 20.30 MOLKKI

* Schedule is subject to change

MON 3 APR FRI 7 APR 2021 8.30 BHARADWAJ BAHUEIN 16.00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16.30 THE RASOI SHOW 17.30 CHHUTA CHHEDA 18.00 TUM KAUN PIYA 18.30 DIL KA RISHTA 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 20.00 DIL SE DIL TAK 20.30 BARRISTER BABU 21.00 BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE 21.30 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2 22.00 ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN 3

21.00 PINJARA KHUBSOORTI KA 21.30 BAWARA DIL 22.00 NAMAK ISSK KA SATURDAY 1 APR 16.00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 18.30 BEST OF COOKERY SHOW DESI BEAT RESET 19.00 UDAARIYAAN 19.30 CHOTI SARDAARNI 20.00 SHAKTI 20.30 BEST OF DESI BEAT 21.30 DANCE DEEWANE 3 SUNDAY 2 APR 16.00 THE GREAT INDIAN GLOBAL KITCHEN 18.00 CHOTI SARDARNI 20.30 BEST OF DESI BEAT 21.30 DANCE DEEWANE 3

SATURDAY 1 APR 11.00 DESI BEAT SEASON 2 16.00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16.30 THE RASOI SHOW 17.30 CHHUTA CHHEDA 18.00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 20.00 DIL SE DIL TAK 20.30 BARRISTER BABU 21.00 BALIKA VADHU - LAMHE PYAAR KE 21.30 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2 SUNDAY 2 APR 11.00 DESI BEAT SEASON 2 16.00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16.30 THE RASOI SHOW 17.30 DESI BEAT SEASON 3 18.00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 20.00 DIL SE DIL TAK 20.30 DESI BEAT RESET 21.00 BALIKA VADHU

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Second win for Kolkata Knight Riders After a string of embarrassing defeats, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) finally tasted victory, only for the second time in the ongoing IPL 2021, by defeating the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. The KKR also managed to move up on the points table after the five-wicket win. And at the helm of it all was Kolkata captain Eoin Morgan.

Winning the toss earlier in the day, Morgan decided to bowl first, and out Punjab batsmen under pressure from the start. Kings captain KL Rahul departed after scoring 19 runs off 20 deliveries. While fans pinned their hopes on Chris Gayle, he left them heartbroken after scoring a duck. Although Mayank Agarwal tried to build partnerships, he fell for 31. Thanks to some big hitting in the final overs by Chris Jordan, who was playing his first match of the tournament, PBKS could put 123 on the board.

Chasing a target of 124, the Knights suffered some severe setbacks right at the beginning of their innings. Losing not one but three wickets with just 17 runs on board, the KKR’s chances looked quite bleak.

However, Morgan came to his team’s rescue as he played a responsible knock of 47 runs off 40 balls to take his team over the winning line, with support from Rahul Tripathi who scored 41 runs.

Jadeja, one man army!

Ravindra Jadeja (62 off 28 balls) is India’s best finisher as Chennai Super Kings raced away to a 69-run victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday. CSK, after an initial surge, looked set to settle for something in the 160-range when the inform RCB medium-pacer Harshal Patel came on to bowl the last over. He had given 14 runs off his first three and the odds were in his favour to finish an impressive spell. But all that turned around in a space of seven balls (one no-ball included). Jadeja, who was dropped before he had scored a run by Dan Christian off Washington Sundar, went deep inside the crease and unleashed an attack on Patel that yielded the joint-highest runs scored in one over, 37, in IPL history. A target of 192 against CSK is always an extremely tall ask, more so if Jadeja gets some turn off the track. He came in to bowl when RCB, after a brisk start, had lost both openers. Jadeja attacked the stumps and Washington, de Villiers and Maxwell succumbed in their desperation to increase the run-rate. They just couldn’t deal with Jadeja’s guile..

Delhi beat Sunrisers in Super Over Rishabh Pant's Delhi Capitals defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in a Super Over at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium. Kane Williamson top-scored with an unbeaten 51-

ball 66 as the Sunrisers ended up scoring 159 for 7 to end the game in a tie. For DC, Avesh Khan returned with the figures of 3/34 while Axar Patel scalped 2 wickets. Opting to bat first, DC got off to a brilliant start owing to Prithvi Shaw (53) and Shikhar Dhawan (28).

Despite stuttering in the middle overs, last year’s finalists ended on 159/4 with the help of Rishabh Pant (37) and Steve Smith (34*).

Chasing, SRH struggled from early on as they lost their captain David Warner (6) in the fourth over. Jonny Bairstow’s quickfire 38 and Kane Williamson’s excellent 51-ball 66 led the Orange Army to finish on 159/7. In the Super Over, SRH scored 7/0 through Warner and Williamson. In reply, DC reached the target of 8 through the efforts of Pant and Dhawan.

Raj bowlers call the shots On Saturday the young Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson kept his cool and played a calm and composed knock of 42 off 41 balls to not only help his side beat Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets but also keep the side in the hunt for a playoff spot. At the Wankhede Stadium, Royals restricted the Knights to a paltry 133-9, courtesy a fourwicket haul by Chris Morris and some disciplined bowling by his colleagues.

Chasing a mere 134, Royals initially suffered a jolt as both Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal were dismissed cheaply. Losing two wickets, Royals preferred not to go for any fancy shots, and it was Samson, playing an uncharacteristic innings, who stuck around till the end to ensure victory. Earlier, KKR were off to a slow start, with Shubman Gill and Nitish Rana finding it difficult to score against the disciplined bowling of Rajasthan Royals. Gill once again failed to get going and was run out by Jos Buttler, with the Knights reeling at 25-1 after the end of the Powerplay. Before KKR IPL 2021 Teams Points Table could regroup themselves Teams Played Won Lost came another blow as No. 5 4 1 Nitish Rana was 1 Chennai Super Kings 5 4 1 dismissed off Chetan 2 Delhi Capitals 4 1 Sakariya for 22. After 10 3 Royal Challengers Bangalore 5 5 2 3 overs Knights were 4 Mumbai Indians 5 Kolkata Knight Riders 6 2 4 reeling at 55/3.

6 2 4 Punjab humble Mumbai 6 Punjab Kings 5 2 3 Punjab Kings finally 7 Rajasthan Royals 5 1 4 ticked all the boxes that 8 Sunrisers Hyderabad

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helped them arrest a three-match losing streak and end their assignment in Chennai with a 9-wicket victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians on Friday. It was skipper KL Rahul’s evening throughout.

He won the toss, used his bowlers judiciously to restrict Mumbai to below-par 131/6, and anchored the chase with a handsome 60 not out off 52 balls, help his team register their second win in the tournament. Rahul and his fellow opener Mayank Agarwal got Punjab off to a flying 53-run start in the powerplay before Mumbai’s strike bowler Rahul Chahar pulled them back with the wicket of Agarwal for a 20-ball 25, laced with four hits to the fence and once over it. Earlier, with a well-set Rohit (63) and Suryakumar Yadav (33) in the middle, Mumbai Indians were expected to up the ante in the last four overs, but Rahul’s decision to save his best bowlers in Mohammed Shami (2/21), Ravi Bishnoi (2/21) and Arshdeep Singh (1/ 28) for the death, helped Punjab avoid the catastrophe.

10-wicket win for Bangalore Devdutt Padikkal's maiden IPL ton and Virat Kohli's fine half-century helped Royal Challengers Bangalore defeat Rajasthan Royals by 10 wickets at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. Padikkal top-scored with an unbeaten 52-ball 101 while Kohli scored 72 not out off 47 balls. Earlier, RCB won the toss and opted to bowl. Shivam Dubey and Rahul Tewatia played phenomenal knocks as the Royals posted 177 for 9. Dube top-scored with a 32-ball 46 while Tewatia scored 40 off 23 after the Royals went through a massive top-order collapse. For RCB, Mohammed Siraj (3/27) and Harshal Patel (3/47) shared six wickets among themselves. RCB overhauled the target with 21 balls to spare. The win, their fourth on the trot, put the Bengaluru franchise on top of the table. Earlier, when Jos Buttler put away Mohammed Siraj’s deliveries for two boundaries on the trot in the opening over, it would have given the Rajasthan Royals dugout a glimmer of hope.

The opening duo of Buttler and a misfiring Manan Vohra had, after all, failed in consecutive matches. But just when it looked like they would get going, the pair flattered to deceive again.

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in brief BCCI MAY ALLOW U-23 CRICKETERS TO PLAY IN THE HUNDRED The Indian cricket board (BCCI) is working on the idea of finally allowing cricketers of a certain age category to participate in The Hundred, a brainchild of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), from 2022. For now, the under-23 age category players, both capped and uncapped, and not on national duty, are being considered. However, it is understands this is only at a deliberation yet and both cricket boards are nowhere close to confirmation of any sorts yet. The Hundred’s inaugural season is set to get under way this English summer. Since time is short, especially with Covid wreaking havoc, both boards will allow 2021 pass. However, if all considerations between BCCI and the ECB are met between now and next year, sources say “BCCI may allow a certain category of Indian cricketers to participate in The Hundred”. If and when this happens, it’ll be a huge step for the Indian cricket board, which has till now shied away from allowing its active cricketers to play abroad. The BCCI prefers not to allow its players to play in leagues overseas because the IPL loses a certain bit of exclusivity. Also, it’s a policy decision that BCCI’s member associations collectively sit on, and also because the BCCI can afford to. Then why will this particular exception be made for the ECB? Because the IPL now needs to expand. Eight teams being increased to 10 will mean more matches, and in turn, a bigger window. The BCCI is keen on grabbing the month of March for IPL when the new Future Tours Program (FTP) comes into effect. For that reason, it’ll require other boards to side with India’s line of thought. A quid-pro-quo is the only way forward. The pressure on broadcasters to cram in doubleheaders has also been seen as detrimental to the prospects of getting top dollar when BCCI floats the tender for media rights later this year. “A bigger window for the IPL in future will be BCCI’s biggest takeaway from this,” industry executives said.

HOCKEY MATCHES POSTPONED The FIH Hockey Pro League matches between Great Britain and India, scheduled on May 8-9, have been postponed. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) said in a statement that the matches have been put off due to the UK government putting travellers from India on its ‘red list’ due to the spike in Covid-19 cases in the country.

European Super League owners drawing antisemitic comments, says AAD In a statement released to the press, Jonathan Metliss, Chairman of Action Against Discrimination (AAD), said: “Regardless of one’s view on the European Super League, the antiSemitic tweets and comments on social media directed at the owners of Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and the repetition of the standard anti-Semitic stereotypes are appalling and unacceptable. This behaviour is disgusting and inexcusable but sadly was not unexpected.

“Much of the online abuse on the Super League concept has been antiSemitic, directed at Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur as a result of their Jewish connections (although Chelsea have now withdrawn from the proposed competition). The other three clubs – Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal

Jonathan Metliss, Chairman of Action Against Discrimination (AAD)

– have not been subjected to similar racist abuse.

“AAD again condemns this deplorable behaviour and reinforces our campaign to eradicate antiSemitism in football, whether at the

ground, in grassroots football or on social media.

“Racist abuse is becoming more and more prevalent on social media and these anti-Semitic comments, which are part of this abhorrent situation, merely emphasise that the AAD campaign to eradicate anti-Semitism in football is proper, just and appropriate.

This latest incident merely strengthens our resolve and determination to see an end to this behaviour once and for all.

“As we have said previously and consistently, the clubs, football authorities, police and social media platforms have to do much more to prevent and eradicate this behaviour.

This is a very sad state of affairs following on from the abuse directed towards Daniel Levy, the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, and hopefully will prompt the relevant bodies into serious and appropriate action.”