AV 02nd July 2022

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

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08 Tributes pour as 13-year-old’s coffin carried by school friends at funeral

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

Neasden Temple marks International Day of Yoga with the Indian High Commission

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£60,000 raised at The Loomba Foundation’s 25th anniversary gala

Man slaughtered in Udaipur for supporting Nupur Sharma

CENSUS 2021

GRAND WELCOME FOR PM MODI IN GERMANY

Indian PM Narendra Modi arrives in Germany to attend the G7 Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a thrilling video detailing the great reception he received in Germany. On June 26, PM Modi flew into Munich for the G7 summit, where he met representatives from the G7 and its partner nations and held talks on topics like the environment, energy, and counterterrorism. PM Modi met privately with the heads of some of the participating nations during the Summit.

When PM Modi arrived in Munich, a Bavarian band greeted him. At the Audi Dome in Munich, he was also

welcomed by the Indian community in Germany. The event was attended by thousands of people from Germany's thriving Indian community. The festival featured the traditional dances of India performed by hundreds of artists. The song "Vande Matram" was used to decorate the Audi Dome. The German state of Bavaria made two special gestures for PM Modi when he landed in Munich. Government sources said a Bavarian band welcomed PM Modi at Munich airport. Such a gesture by the state was last made for then US President Barack Obama in 2015.

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Population in England and Wales soars to a record high but have aged over last one decade

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released first of its data on Census 2021 on 28 June. Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar ran campaigns with the ONS to educate and encourage members of the Asian community to take part in the census when data was being collected from households.

On Tuesday, as we went to press, new data that is planned to be released in stages over next two years, reveals that the population of England and Wales has grown by more than 3.5 million (6.3%) in 10 years, from 56.1 to 59.6 million.

From October, until the end of the year, initial topic summary reports including demography, migration, ethnicity, religion, UK armed forces veterans, education, health, the labour market, sexual orientation and gender identity will be released.

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AsianVoiceNews

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with Keith Vaz

JONATHAN VANDERMOLEN CEO - Vandermolen Real Estate Jonathan was born in Cricklewood in 1964, the only son of Pauline & David both of whom worked in shops. Jonathan left school at 16, his first job was at a Bank which he enjoyed until the Bank was robbed and he had a gun stuck in his face.

Being an only child, his mother told him to find a new career, so he joined an Estate Agency. He spent 7 years selling flats and houses in Central London but decided he wanted to be his own boss, so in 1991 started a business called Blenheim Bishop in Mayfair, specialising in the sale and acquisition of land, residential investments, new homes across London & the Southeast.

At that time, they were the first independently owned agency in that field.

Jonathan built the business to a team of 45 and in 2006 sold it to a public company. The Public Company went into administration in 2008 and the business was returned to Jonathan, he sold the lettings business and left the firm in 2013 to pursue other opportunities.

1) Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?

It must be London, I was born and brought up on a council estate in Cricklewood, North London where there was a diverse range of people from all backgrounds which sums the city up. There is so much history from the Royal palaces, Houses of parliament, the parks, theatre, restaurants, and the now new home of my beloved Tottenham Hotspurs. I really don’t think there is a more diverse City with something for everyone!

2) What are your proudest achievements?

It’s a combination of my children who are all hard-working adults who understand that nothing in life is free, and you have to work for what you want and be a decent human together with founding my own businesses and being able to control my own destiny.

Vandermolen Real Estate is a relatively new bespoke agency just focusing on land and investment which I really enjoy.

3) What inspires you?

Successful people who have come from Humble backgrounds and worked hard for their success but then give back to charity or their community and not forgotten where they came from. Also, people who always put others first, they are a rare breed but I’m lucky enough to be married to one and know a number of others.

4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

I suppose it was dealing with the CEO of the public company I sold Blenheim Bishop to who didn’t listen to me or the founders of the other businesses they purchased when the market started to crash in 2008 and then watching the value of what we had all built get destroyed.

5) Who has been the biggest influence

on your career to date?

There have been a number, one of my first bosses Mark Pollack who showed me that with hard work you can achieve anything. Then some incredible people I worked with over the years such as Tony Pidgley, Jamie Ritbalt and probably my wife Melissa who has always supported me no matter what.

6) What is the best aspect about your current role?

After a few years out of the estate agency business I’m back doing what I love the most selling property and building a business. We have an amazingly diverse range of clients and I’m really enjoying where the business is going but most importantly, we only deal with people we like and trust. You also never know what is at the end of the next phone call!

7) And the worst?

Dealing with people who don’t tell the truth and make promises they know they can’t keep I’m to old for that nonsense. The first thing we tell all new clients is that we trust everyone implicitly as they can only screw us once !

8) What are your long term goals?

To watch my family, grow up, my daughter got married last year, which was the best day of my life, continue to travel. To build a business I can be proud of that is well respected with a first-class reputation. See Tottenham Hotspurs win a trophy (preferably the premiership) and reduce my golf handicap 9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?

The planning system. The reality is no politician is really interested in new homes as it simply doesn’t win enough votes. I would create a planning system that was clearly defined in all aspects including the levels of affordable housing that local politicians or planning committee members couldn’t interfere with.

10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which FINANCIAL A SERVICES historical figure would you like to spend your time PROTECTION MORTGAGES with and why.

Life Insurance Residential Probably Margaret Critical Illness Buy to Let Thatcher as she changed Income Protection Remortgages the face of business during her tenure, and I think gave me and many others Please conta act: the belief you could build Dinesh S Shonchhatra a business and succeed. I Mortgage Ad dviser would also really love to know what goes on Call: 020 8424 C 4 8686 / 07956 810647 behind closed doors at 10 Downing Street and in the 77 High Street, Wealdston ne, Harrow, HA3 5DQ cabinet office.

mortgage@majorestate.co om ~ majorestate.com

English Literature at risk of being axed as a degree due to decreasing popularity English literature is being axed as a degree at a university amid pressure from the government to ensure graduates go straight into wellpaid jobs. Popularity of subjects in humanities branch have reduced over the past decade.

Sheffield Hallam University and at least two other universities, and Roehampton Wolverhampton, have announced planned closures of arts and humanities programmes and UCU, the lecturers’ union, has

said that jobs in those areas are at risk at De Montfort and Huddersfield universities.

In English studies, acceptances declined from 10,020 in 2011 to 6,980 in 2020; in history and philosophical studies they fell from 15,060 to 12,870.

The Office for Students announced measures this year under which universities in England could be penalised, ultimately with fines or limits on student loan funding, if fewer than 75 percent of undergradu-

ates finish their qualification and fewer than 60 per cent are in professional employment or further study within 15 months of graduating.

Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, says the focus on “outcomes”, not just university admissions, is part of the levelling-up agenda. Academics say strong recruitment by Russell Group universities, who took on record numbers of students last year, is also harming less selective institutions.

Rt Hon Sajid Javid feels survivor’s guilt over his older brother’s suicide Health Secretary Sajid Javid’s brother Tariq Javid, 51, the manager of a supermarket chain, killed himself in a country house hotel in July 2018.

The health secretary has spoken publicly about his loss for the first time and urged men to speak out about their mental health.

Saying how he suffers from survivor’s guilt over the suicide of his brother and wonders what more he could have done to make a difference, Sajid, pictured, said, “For me, for my brothers and the rest of the family there just weren’t any signs,” Javid said. “We were all very close growing up — all five brothers born within seven years of each other — so you think about what we could have done. There were no signs and we learnt later that Tariq had had some concerns about his work.”

According to the coroner’s inquest held in

October 2018, Javid’s brother had previously suffered from back and leg pain, for which he took codeine, but had been “relatively pain free” over the previous year.

In June 2018, the inquest was told, he had been signed off work because of stress and anxiety. He was also suffering from stomach problems said to be “under investigation” by hospital doctors.

Mr Javid, pictured said that at the time of his brother’s death he was very busy as home secretary but he thinks about what more he could have done to make time for his sibling. “We learnt afterwards that he had a physical health prob-

lem that he hadn’t told anyone about . . . and if we had just known, if he had talked to us, perhaps we could have done something,” he said. “Maybe I could have made a difference.

And I guess I will never know the answer to that.”

Rt Hon Javid, whose parents were Pakistani immigrants who moved to Britain in the 1960s, said: “I think in some cultures — and I would say this is true of the Pakistani culture — there is a stigma around talking about mental health issues. “And we have to get the message out that it doesn’t matter what culture we come from — all of us at some time in our lives can have a mental health challenge and there is nothing wrong with that. “The most important thing is to tell someone, to speak to others and to seek help The Minister urged people to talk to loved ones and tell them how you feel.

Government unveils proposed mental health reforms The Government is aiming to tackle racial disparities and better meet the needs of those with learning difficulties as it unveils proposed reforms to mental health services.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has also published the draft of the Mental Health Bill.

The Government’s proposed reforms to the Mental Health Act include measures that are aimed at tackling racial disparities in mental health services, DHSC said. This includes addressing the fact that a disproportion-

ate amount of people from black, Asian and ethnic minority communities are detained under the Mental Health Act. NHS England is also developing a Patient and Carer Race Equalities Framework to provide mental health trusts with steps to improve the experience of care for people from ethnic minority communities, DHSC said.

The reforms also aim to better meet the needs of people with a learning disability as well as autistic people and ensure appropriate care for those

with serious mental illness within the criminal justice system, it added.

This includes changing the law so that neither learning disability nor autism should be considered reasons to detain someone for treatment.

Instead, people with a learning disability or autistic people will be detained for treatment only if a mental health condition is identified by clinicians, DHSC said.

The draft bill will now be scrutinised by a parliamentary select committee before the government publishes a final version.

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Broken promises vs damaged democracy The Census 2021 has released first of its many data, talking about the rising population of England and Wales. The population which has gone up by 6.3%, has more women (51%) than men, yet has more people over 65 years of age than before. Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar ran a campaign with the ONS, to encourage Asian community to participate in Census 2021 (see story P1).

In 2019, when Boris Johnson won the general election, the aged population, many of whom had supported Brexit, went ahead, and voted for Mr Johnson as the country’s leader. But as more and more people are coming out publicly acknowledging Brexit may have been a mistake, they have also been left disappointed by Mr Johnson’s failure to deliver on a series of promises.

With the upcoming visit of Mr Kiren Rijiju, Indian Minister of Law and Justice and Chief Justice of India N V Ramana next week, followed by the Indian Defence Minister Mr Raj Nath Singh, the UK-India relationship is at a critical juncture especially with free trade negotiations pencilled in to complete by Diwali 2022.

The High Commissioner of India to the UK, Ms Gaitri Issar Kumar, who is due to complete her term on 30 June to return to India, has contributed immensely to the speedy and smooth development of the UK-India FTA. Mr Johnson, who has been a loyal friend to India, however, has failed to communicate with the diaspora or Indian media in the UK over the last three years, despite his occasional visits to temples especially during election campaigns.

The two by-election defeats, and the resignation by party Chairman Oliver Dowden, with Priti Patel possibly as a replacement, nothing has dampened his spirit to remain the Prime Minister till 2030. He has also dismissed a Tory rebellion while away at G7 in southern Germany, including the possibility of Mr Dowden’s efforts to make Mr Rishi Sunak the next UK PM. In the meantime, while Simon Case described No 10’s behaviour Sue Gray’s report ‘disgraceful’, reports of ditching a manifesto commitment on defence almost immediately led to anger and severe criticism from Labour for breaking a pledge made even more crucial by the Ukraine war.

But speaking to reporters enroute to the NATO summit in Madrid from the gathering of G7 leaders, the UK prime minister insisted the 2019 manifesto commitment to increase the defence budget by at least 0.5% a year above inflation would not be breached.

At the same time, Bloomberg reported how Mr Johnson had, just hours before, been confirmed to appear at a G7 event on global infrastructure and investment, where he was meant to speak alongside US President Joe Biden. But he didn’t show up, and his team said it didn’t work with his schedule.

The decision not to appear was clearly a last-minute one though European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, standing alongside Mr Biden and other world leaders, referred to “Boris” in her speech as if he were there.

It’s unclear how Mr Johnson spent the time instead. But it came as his advisers faced criticism and queries about the premier’s relationship with Mr Biden given there is no plan for a bilateral meeting any soon.

Interestingly, i-news reported how in one of first oneon-one meeting at lavish Schloss Elmau, the French President Emmanuel Macron and Mr Johnson met and focussed their discussions almost entirely on Ukraine. They managed to forge a joint decision despite fears in Westminster that the French Government may be edging closer to a position of encouraging Kyiv to trade land for peace.

In fact they did not mention the small boats problem or Brexit, even though the meeting came just a day before Parliament voted on the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill which threatens to break international law.

In the meantime, on Monday at the home front, the prime minister secured a 74-vote majority for a bill to rip up the Northern Ireland element of his Brexit deal, but only after the plan was mauled by his predecessor and scores of Tory MPs failed to back it, reported the Financial Times.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May, led criticism of the Northern Ireland protocol bill, condemning it as illegal and warning it would damage Britain’s standing in the world.

Several senior Conservatives also spoke out against the legislation, but none voted against the bill, which secured its crucial second reading by 295 to 221. There were 70 Tory nonparticipation, and the measure will face months of delays and amendments when it reaches the House of Lords, where the government has no majority.

With broken promises, the Prime Minister faces severe challenges ahead. Only time will tell if his determination and upbeat spirit are good enough for his government to withstand the growing discontentment in public and democracy.

Curtains finally down on two decades of legal battle The Supreme Court last week dismissed an appeal of Congress leader Ehsan Jafri’s widow, Zakia Jafri, against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 63 others, including officials and politicians, in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots. She wanted “the larger conspiracy” behind the riots probed. A three-judge bench said the appeal was devoid of merit and upheld the decisions of the Metropolitan Magistrate and later the High Court to accept the SC appointed Special Investigation Team or SIT’s clean chit to PM Modi and others. The top court has praised the SIT and pulled up the appellant for "bordering on undermining the integrity and sincerity of investigators". The court has also talked about "some disgruntled Gujarat officials and others trying to create a sensation by making false revelations to keep the pot boiling for ulterior designs". The bench has gone on to say that those involved in such "abuse of process need to be in the dock and face law".

On February 27, 2002, 58 people died when a coach of the Sabarmati Express carrying karsevaks returning from Ayodhya was burnt in Gujarat’s Godhra. This triggered largescale rioting across the state, forcing the central government to send in Army troops. This was one of the worst communal violence in India in which 1,044 people were killed, according to official estimates. Rapes and looting and destruction of property - burning of homes and shops - were also reported.

A day after the Sabarmati Express's burning, Ahmedabad’s housing complex Gulbarg Society was attacked by a mob that killed 69 people, including former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri.

In 2006, Zakia Jafri urged the Gujarat Police to file an FIR against some officials and politicians, including Modi, who was then the state chief minister. She alleged that the state government had not done enough to prevent the riots and save people, including her husband. In 2008, the apex court appointed an SIT to submit a report on the riots trials and also probe Jafri’s complaint. In 2012, the SIT gave a clean chit to Modi and others, citing "no prosecutable evidence" and submitted its closure report to the Magistrate. In 2013, Jafri filed a petition opposing the closure report. The Magistrate upheld the SIT’s closure report and dismissed her plea. She moved the Gujarat High Court which also upheld, in 2017, the Magistrate’s decision.

In 2018, Jafri and activist Teesta Setalvad approached the

top court, saying the SIT did not examine all the material available, its investigation was biased, and investigators themselves should face a probe. During the hearing, the state of Gujarat denied the charges and said Setalvad, who herself allegedly embezzled money donated for the welfare of riot victims, was behind Jafri’s petition. In 2022, the top court upheld the SIT investigation after reserving its verdict the previous year. Jafri and Setalvad’s lawyer had argued the allegations against Modi were based on those former Gujarat police officer Sanjiv Bhat, who claimed to be present at a crucial government meeting. The SIT had concluded that Bhatt was not present at the meeting and hence, there was no other way to confirm the charges. The Supreme Court also took former IPS officers R B Sreekumar to task for giving false testimonies to sensationalise the issue by incriminating Modi and others. It suggested that people behind the ulterior design for keeping the issue boiling for the last 16 years be brought to book in what could spell trouble for the duo whom the court termed "disgruntled".

The apex court, with its ruling, has brought the curtains down for a propaganda industry that relied on churning out sensational conspiracy theories to keep the pot boiling about the Godhra train burning incident and the riots that erupted in its wake. With its dismissal of Zakia Jafri’s plea, the court has effectively undermined the efforts of the propagandists who sought to bolster their narrative that the Gujarat riots were a planned conspiracy carried out under the aegis of the highest state political leadership. In the aftermath of the Godhra train burning incident, many media outlets ran a story that a pregnant Muslim woman was raped by a Hindu mob, her pregnant belly slit open and her foetus flung into the fire. A 2010 report states that the doctor who conducted a post-mortem on Kauser found the fetus intact. Another popular myth was the “accidental fire” theory that said the Godhra train burning was an incidental fire caused from within the bogey. However, the Nanavati-Mehta commission squarely rejected the claims that fire happened inside the compartment. Another conspiracy theory was ‘short circuit’ which was also rejected by the Nanavati-Mehta Commission.

The commission said that no evidence has been led and no material has been produced before the Commission to show the possibility of a short circuit has occurred in the coach.

Thought for the week When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go. — Carol Burnett

Political Sketchbook Alpesh Patel

Democracy & When You Don’t Like the Outcomes When I was working in the US Congress as an intern, my undergraduate thesis in my politics degree was about ‘Abortion and the Supreme Court’ and specifically about why the issue was no longer devisive. Well, I wrote too soon. I did for that detailed thesis receive the highest grade of any of my papers and researched the judicial opinions from before and after Roe v Wade.

But the recent ruling by the US Supreme Court raises important issues for us in democracies such as the UK and India. What do you do as a minority who don’t like the laws?

The Supreme Court ruled, "Our decision returns the issue of abortion to those legislative bodies, and it allows women on both sides of the abortion issue to seek to affect the legislative process by influencing public opinion, lobbying legislators, voting, and running for office. Women are not without electoral or political power. It is noteworthy that the percentage of women who register to vote and cast ballots is consistently higher than the percentage of men who do so."

They also said, “"We do not pretend to know how our political system or society will respond to today’s decision overruling Roe and Casey. And even if we could foresee what will happen, we would have no authority to let that knowledge influence our decision. We can only do our job, which is to interpret the law, apply longstanding principles of stare decisis, and decide this case accordingly. We therefore hold that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion.

Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives."

"Abortion presents a profound moral question.

The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion.

Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives."

So what to do? The laws of the individual States, like Alabama, reflect the views of the electors living there. It would be too easy to say those are people who are wrong and should not have the vote, or religious extremists or decendants of slave owners and so clearly should not have the vote. It doesn’t work like that.

Democracies count not weigh votes.

What if the people elected representatives decide remove the vote from black people. Well that would be against the Constitution (now, but not against the same constitution 100 years ago). Yes, legal interpretation is fickle. Some are literalists and others believe you move forward with the times.

What to do when on the losing side? You have to do what the Supreme Court said, "seek to affect the legislative process by influencing public opinion, lobbying legislators, voting, and running for office.”

That’s as true in the UK as it is in India. I wish there were a short-cut veto power or some super-vote only I held, alongside a magic wand. I’ve looked. There isn’t.

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A woman cannot be born with a penis: Boris Johnson A woman cannot be born with a penis, Boris Johnson said, adding that there were “particular problems” around “issues of gender”, but he said it was important to be “as understanding of everybody else as possible”.

Asked whether a woman could be born with a penis, Johnson replied: “Not without being a man”.

Pressed on whether this meant that he thought there was a difference between being a woman and a transgender woman, Johnson replied: “Yes. Look it’s very, very important that as a society we should be as understanding of everybody else as possible. I’ve always stood for that.

“When it comes to, when you start to move from issues of sexuality to issues of gender you start to raise particular problems. “I think I’ve spoken of three concerns I’ve had in the past.

They are to do with the age at which you can deem it competent to transition, the question of safe spaces for women and the difficulties you have with sporting competitions. “These are all very difficult problems and you have to be very sensitive. But these are the areas.”

Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary, pictured, said that she would urge sports leaders to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s events.

There is an increasingly apparent divide between the Conservatives and Labour on the issue. In March Sir Keir Starmer said that “trans women are women as a matter of law”. Asked whether a woman can or cannot have a penis, Starmer said: “I don’t think that discussing this issue in this way helps anyone in the long run”.

Prince Charles’ charity runs into financial controversy Prince Charles’ charities are no stranger to controversies. The billionaire Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, who was Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister between 2007 and 2013, is allegedly a contentious figure. Claims of alleged cash donations given by him to the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund are the latest to throw a spotlight on fundraising for the heir to the throne’s charities.

He reportedly built close ties with British royalty, is an occasional visitor to the Castle of Mey, the Scottish former home of the Queen Mother, and once gave Charles a £147,000 horse named Dark Swan, it has been reported. The Charity Commission is examining whether it needs to carry out a review of donations received by a charity of the Prince of Wales.

Last year, another of Charles’ charities, The Prince’s Foundation, hit the headlines after it was revealed by the Mail on Sunday that Charles’ closest confidante, Michael Fawcett, had offered to help a Saudi billionaire obtain a knighthood and UK citizenship in exchange for generous donations.

Fawcett dramatically stepped down as chief executive of the foundation after a letter emerged to an aide of Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz, who had donated thousands to the charity. The Prince’s Foundation also faced cash-foraccess allegations after claims that a society fixer acted as a middleman offering to set up dinners and overnight stays at Dumfries House, the Palladian mansion in Ayrshire Charles saved and renovated. It was reported that a former Russian banker, Dmitry Leus, allegedly donated £500,000, though the charity only received £100,000, which in the end was returned to the fixer when it was decided he was not a suitable donor.

In 2003, it emerged the wife of the Turkish billionaire, Cem Uzan, was seated next to Charles at one of several dinners the couple enjoyed as guests, having donated £400,000 to the Prince’s Foundation. A tightening up of vetting procedures for donors was reportedly implemented after it

later emerged that Uzan was under investigation for fraud-related offences in the US. With an estimated personal net worth of over $1.2bn (almost £1bn), Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, the former prime minister of Qatar, is one of the country’s richest men – and has often garnered attention because of his wealth and is currently in the headlines over alleged cash donations to Prince Charles.

Sometimes known as “HBJ” in London’s financial circles, the 62year-old was named the “man who bought London” after he used his wealth, as well as his influence as the head of Qatar’s multibillion dollar sovereign wealth fund, the Qatari Investment Authority, to expand Qatar’s financial assets in London through a series of valuable assets.

Al-Thani made a name for himself for his political prowess as well. A relative of Qatar’s ruling family, he has held several high-profile positions in Qatar’s government including minister of foreign affairs in 1992.

He was appointed as Qatar’s deputy prime minister in 2003. In 2007, he became prime minister, a role he stepped down from in 2013.

It might come as little surprise, then, that several years ago the former emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, is rumoured to have remarked that although he ran the country it was his then prime minister, HBJ, who owned it.

He also is said to have allegedly conceded that under his premiership Qatar “maybe” financed the AlNusra Front, the Syrian branch of alQaida, without his knowledge.

Qatar’s investment in Barclays during the financial crisis in 2008, when al-Thani was prime minister, became the centre of a criminal trial over the controversial services deal struck between the lender and the small Gulf state.

In 2021, al-Thani was also named in the Pandora Papers, which revealed he had used offshore companies in tax havens including the British Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.

Arrest of a man in Scotland compared to George Floyd murder Sheku Bayoh died aged 31 after being detained by four officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in a case that has been compared to the murder of George Floyd in the United States.

Early one Sunday morning seven years ago, police in the coastal town received a call about a “black male armed with a knife”. Amid reports of the man chasing people through the street, four constables were dispatched. Less than two hours later, Bayoh, a father of two sons, was pronounced dead in hospital, having been arrested. He was found to have suffered 23 injuries including a cracked rib, head wounds consistent with baton strikes and burst blood vessels in the eyes, a possible sign of suffocation. The death of Bayoh in police custody on May 3, 2015, is now being forensically examined in an independent public inquiry commissioned by the Scottish

government after a long campaign by his family, who believe he was killed by excessive force that went beyond police protocol.

The inquiry is examining whether Bayoh’s race was a factor in his death.

Their solicitor has portrayed him as Scotland’s equivalent of Floyd, 46, the African-American man murdered in 2020 by Derek Chauvin, a police officer who knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest.

Collette Bell, 33, Bayoh’s girlfriend, told the inquiry they “dreamt of growing old together”.

Their son Isaac, seven, “often asks why Daddy died”. She found racism and discrimination were also rife in Police Scotland when she published her findings in November 2020.

The officers involved were told they would not face any criminal charges and were granted early retirement

by Police Scotland.

Life sentences for dangerous drivers Judges could hand life sentences to dangerous drivers who cause deaths under new rules coming into force this week.

The maximum sentences for dangerous drivers who kill and careless drivers who kill while under the influence of drink or drugs will be increased from 14 years to life under the changes.

A new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving will also be created, meaning those who inflict long-term or permanent injuries also face harsher sentences.

Plans to impose longer jail sentences on motorists who kill were first announced by the Government in 2017.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation said: “Hopefully the threat of a life sentence will be enough to cause those who drive recklessly to change their ways. Involuntary

manslaughter already carries a maximum penalty of up to life imprisonment so it is hard to argue that killing someone with a car doesn’t warrant a possible sanction of similar severity.”

Other measures coming into force include rule changes to also allow judges to grant people with hearing loss the additional support of sign language interpreters during jury deliberations. Previously, only the 12 sworn jurors were permitted to enter deliberation rooms meaning those who have hearing loss were unable to participate.

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said: “The right to be judged by your peers dates back to Magna Carta, and is a cornerstone of our justice system. We’re changing the law so that many more deaf people have the opportunity to carry out this important civic duty.”

in brief HEALTH OFFICIALS WANT TO ENSURE NOBODY IS WAITING MORE THAN TWO YEARS BY THE END OF JULY To help the NHS through the backlog more than 6,000 long-term waiting-list patients are being offered travel and accommodation costs where appropriate. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said the number of two-year waits had already reduced by two-thirds since January. "Innovations like this are helping to tackle waiting lists and speed up access to treatment, backed by record investment," he said. But British Medical Association leader Dr Chaand Nagpaul, pictured, is warning that attempts to address what he called a "once in a generation backlog of unimaginable proportions" would be undermined by a lack of staff and beds.

There were 22,500 people waiting more than two years for an operation in England in January, but this has fallen by 15,000. Nearly 6.5 million people in England are waiting for hospital treatment - a record high - with many waiting for knee and hip replacements, and eye surgery. Three patients waiting for surgery in Derby have already received treatment in the Northumbria health region, with another two patients booked in, NHS England said. In southwest London, 17 orthopaedic patients from the South West of England are being treated, with another 11 patients set to follow in the coming weeks.

HEPATITIS ON SLOW RISE IN UK Earlier this year, scientists began to notice a rise in cases of a mystery form of acute hepatitis. Starting in Scotland, the outbreak has now spread around the world to over 30 countries. The virus, rather than affecting adults, mainly affects children under the age of five. This has left parents concerned for their children’s wellbeing at such a delicate and important stage of their lives. Although the threat isn’t as great to the wider public as polio, coronavirus, or monkeypox, hepatitis is still a condition to remain alert to. While case numbers remain low, under 300, they continue to rise; seven new cases as seven new cases were detected this week. Total verified cases include 183 in England, 35 in Scotland (where the outbreak began), 22 in Northern Ireland and 18 in Wales. Symptoms of hepatitis being observed by doctors, among others, include yellowing of the whites of the eyes - medically known as jaundice. This can also cause a yellow tinge to the skin.

Malvertising with celebrity images robs people’s £1m everyday Criminals who use images of celebrities such as the Duchess of Cambridge, Holly Willoughby and Martin Lewis in fake adverts online can make more than £800,000 a day from their scams.

A report says that flawed regulation is allowing gangs to make money from fake adverts that appear automatically at the bottom of news websites, blogs and other online content. Often the

adverts make false claims to encourage readers to click, such as one that showed the Duchess of Cambridge with a black eye under the headline: “Kate finally reveals what caused the dispute.”

Readers who clicked on the image were taken to a fake website for face cream which took their money but did not deliver.

Other adverts include Lewis purporting to encourage people

to invest in cryptocurrency, and Gordon Ramsay revealing his “number one cash maker”.

The report, written by Beruku, a digital research group, and commissioned by Which?, says that only 1 per cent of digital advertising is safe from this type of fraud, known as malvertising.

It says the scale of the problem is a sign that self-regulation is not working

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Negotiation for rail strike resolution continues While, rail passengers across Britain are facing another day of severely restricted services with around 20% of trains running, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said negotiations with Network Rail and train companies would continue, but described the road to a resolution as "very steep". Mr. Lynch has called on Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to engage in talks. Mr Shapps has accused the union of "damaging people's lives".

Writing on Twitter on Saturday, Mr Shapps said the rail industry must "move with the times" and "banish

the outdated working practices that are holding it back".

Meanwhile, Network Rail says there are 2,000 vacancies in the company, and it does not expect to make anyone redundant who does not want to go. But it says it cannot know how many jobs might be affected until planned reforms to how the railways are maintained, are put in place.

Several seaside destinations have no services, including Bournemouth, Blackpool, Margate, Llandudno, and Skegness. And no trains are running in Cornwall.

There are several big events in London over the weekend, including a sellout Rolling Stones concert in Hyde Park and Ed Sheeran at Wembley. Services across England, Wales and Scotland are primarily restricted to main lines, and those are only open between 07:30 and 18:30 BST. Passengers with pre-booked tickets are able to travel on Sunday or Monday instead, or claim a refund.

Sturgeon favours buffer zones around abortion clinics The Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pictured, was speaking at an abortion summit held in Edinburgh which aimed to ensure women’s access to abortion services.

Ms Sturgeon said the summit comes at a particularly important time after the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, which she described as “one of the darkest days for women's rights in my lifetime”.

She said the proper focus for anyone protesting against abortion should be Parliament - not hospitals.

In March, New Zealand introduced legislation which means there are safe areas of up to 150 metres around certain abortion facilities on a case-by-case basis if they request it.

The Edinburgh summit will bring together representatives from local government, the police, the NHS and will include cross-party representation.

Ms Sturgeon said the summit would consider “in general terms” what needs to be done to improve second trimester abortion access.

Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay, who will

attend the summit, last month launched a consultation on her proposed Member's Bill, which would see 150-metre buffer zones put in place around healthcare facilities which provide abortion services.

Shortage of soft fruit pickers hit UK Soft fruit sector is facing tough times this year as finding seasonal workers becomes ever harder after Covid, Brexit and the Ukraine war leads to worsening shortage of soft fruit pickers in the UK. People willing or able to come to the UK to work temporarily this summer have dwindled.

Farmers have had to look further afield to find seasonal workers and this has meant more time and energy is having to be spent training people, which in turn is reducing productivity.

Chris Rose, chief operating officer for Asplins Producer Organisation, a large soft fruit co-operative

of 11 farms throughout the UK says to meet the workforce demand, his farms “have had to go much further afield – Nepal, Philippines, Uzbekistan – as well as from Romania and Bulgaria.”

This has brought its own problems in terms of productivity for the co-operative, which has an annual turnover of about £120m a year and produces 20,000

tonnes of strawberries and 5,000 tonnes of raspberries a year for supermarkets, the catering industry and wholesalers.

The combined lack of local labour and shortage of seasonal workers from overseas has left fruit farmers with growing anxiety for the future.

Research carried out among British Berry Growers‘ members in November 2021 revealed this year workers on seasonal visas will form 65 per cent of the entire labour force for the British berry industry while UK national workers are set to make up less than 1 per cent.

Number of deadly viruses attacking Britain in last six months A number of dangerous and unusual diseases have made their way into Britain in the last six months – and they may not be the last Polio, an incurable infectious disease which mainly affects children, was declared eradicated in the UK in 2003. Now, the wild virus circulates only in Pakistan and Afghanistan thanks to widespread vaccination campaigns. But recently the UK declared a national incident after experts sounded the alarm about the detection of vaccine-derived polio in

London’s sewage system. A series of positive test results stretching back to February suggest there is ongoing transmission in north east London.

Polio is not the first dangerous and unusual virus to have arrived in Britain in the past six months. Aside from Covid, the UK detected a deadly strain of H5 bird flu in January, Lassa fever in February, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in March and monkeypox in May. Many of the factors driving the spread of new and existing viruses are popula-

tion growth, the booming economies of previously undeveloped nations, human encroachment into jungles and forest and the growth in the trade in wildlife have all played a part.

Some experts say the number of new diseases to have hit the UK in the past six months can also be linked to pandemic-related disruption, the easing of restrictions and a shift in migration patterns away from Europe post-Brexit. Since leaving the European Union, non-EU immigration has boomed.

EU nationals in Britain affected drastically

by Brexit Researchers from the University of Birmingham and Lancaster University, two-thirds of UK-resident EU and EEA citizens taking part in the survey said Brexit had “significantly – and mostly negatively – affected their feelings about Britain”. The report was launched on the sixth anniversary of the Brexit deal by main author Professor Nando Sigona, from the University of Birmingham.

Six years on from the EU referendum, Brexit has left “enduring scars” on European nationals living in the UK, according to a new study. Many of the 364 people questioned said that Brexit had prompted them to reconsider their future in the UK and undermined their trust in British institutions and politicians.

In comments which researchers said reflected the experience of numerous participants, one 64-year-old French-born naturalised British female respondent said: “I will forever remember that Thursday in 2016 when I woke up and saw the result.

Respondents expressed a strong sense of attachment to the EU triggered by the referendum and the Brexit negotiations that followed. One 55-year-old female with dual citizenship said she had only a “vague” understanding of the EU before the referendum, but added: ”I’ve learnt much more about the EU since 2016 and come to admire the project and its positive impact on EU citizens’ lives.”

Despite the majority of those questioned having settled status or British citizenship, legal status and right to residence remain primary concerns of the EU nationals questioned, affecting their thinking about future plans on whether to stay in the UK.

MP Apsana Begum signed off sick by GP The east London Labour MP Apsana Begum, pictured, reportedly has said she had been targeted over her race and gender, which she said had been "particularly painful and difficult" as a survivor of domestic abuse.

Ms Begum, 32, called on the Labour Party to "do all it can to ensure such behaviour is never tolerated".

In a statement, Poplar and Limehouse MP Ms Begum said she had needed to visit hospital on 12 June and was later signed off work by her GP. She said that because she was unwell she had not been able to participate in an internal trigger ballot, adding that she was "very concerned" about allegations of "rule-breaking and misogynistic intimidation" around the wider process. A trigger ballot is a Labour Party procedure in which local parties and affiliated groups decide whether a sitting MP should be allowed to contest the next general election without the need for a full re-selection process.

Last year, Ms Begum was cleared by a jury of making fraudulent housing claims, accusations she said had been "driven by malicious intent". She told Snaresbrook Crown Court her "controlling" husband had been in charge of her finances. Ms Begum has urged the Labour Party to investigate her complaints of misogynistic abuse "properly", adding it was "vital" appropriate action be taken.

Ms Abbott called on her party to intervene in the Poplar and Limehouse trigger ballot process. Anti-domestic abuse charity Women's Aid also sent a message of support.

in brief MAN DETAINED AT GATWICK AIRPORT A man was detained by police at Gatwick Airport recently after an ‘incident’ near the North Terminal. Sussex Police detained the man and established a cordon in the dropoff parking area at the North Terminal.

In an update later the officers said they were not treating the incident as terrorrelated and that the cordon had been removed. A spokesperson for the force told the Standard: “We have now stood down a cordon which was in place while we dealt with an incident at the drop-off parking area at Gatwick Airport’s North Terminal on 24 June evening. We would like to thank the public for their patience and understanding while we dealt with the matter.” The incident had caused disruption at the busy airport. One traveller said on social media: “North Terminal is closed, shuttle not running. Police everywhere.

Good luck everyone flying from the North Terminal”. Another added that the shuttle operating between terminals was suspended in the wake of the incident. “It’s not possible to walk between terminals. The only connection is via the shuttle, which is currently suspended. I am stuck inside the North terminal myself,” they said. Metrobus, which operates some services to the North Terminal, had also advised passengers of disruption to services while police responded to the incident.

SUSPENSION OF GP OVER DEMANDING LAPTOP OVERTURNED The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) had suspended Dr Manjula Arora for a month for ‘dishonesty’ after she told an IT department she had been ‘promised’ a laptop. But the GMC has said that the findings against her will no longer stand, and that Dr Arora’s appeal will no longer be necessary. This is subject to agreement from the High Court, it added. The case centred around Dr Arora telling the IT department at Mastercall that she had been ‘promised’ a laptop. However, the MPTS found that she had been told by the medical director and former CEO of Mastercall, referred to in the papers as Dr B, that ‘we don’t have any laptops at present, but I will note your interest when the next roll out happens’. The MPTS concluded that Dr Arora had therefore been ‘dishonest’ and that while she had not set out to mislead the IT department, she had ‘exaggerated the position in her use of one inappropriate word’ – ie, ‘promised’. It said that as a result, her fitness to practise was impaired and suspended her for one month. The GMC representative on the case also went as far to say that she had ‘brought the medical profession into disrepute’ and that her ‘integrity could not be relied upon’. This decision by the MPTS was attacked by a number of doctors groups, including the BMA, the RCGP, Doctors Association UK, the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and the British Indian Doctors Association. The GMC announced details of its wider review into the suspension of Dr Arora, focusing on how the case was allowed to get to that stage, and said findings will be published in September. Speaking at the NHS Confederation Expo conference in Liverpool last week, Mr Massey said that he ‘completely understood’ concerns that the suspension of a GP for ‘dishonesty’ over a laptop was ‘disproportionate and over-the-top’. Doctors groups had reacted angrily to the GMC’s judgement, saying that a suspension was disproportionate for a relatively minor offence, with the BMA demanding an overhaul of GMC processes after the ‘incomprehensible’ ruling.

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Mediareach Advertising hosts the premiere of its 'Acknowledgement Awards' for multicultural partnerships On Friday 17 June 2022, Mediareach Advertising organised an event at The Dilly Hotel, Madhu’s Mayfair, to acknowledge, celebrate and salute the hard work of journalists, editors, media or content partners during the Covid period, as well as the multicultural collaborations held successfully for over 37 years.

The media had a significant role to play in conveying critical messages to households during the last two years of Covid. Not only the media showed great resilience, but they also demonstrated a real commitment at every partnership opportunity with the Mediareach Advertising.

Celebrating that commitment, the event also acknowledged and awarded people behind the best-of content produced. This was

Ankita Dobhal, Lead - Media Partnership Team

Javed Husain, Media Director

Saad Al Saraf, CEO

followed by a remembrance, paying tribute to those who lost their lives during the pandemic.

Speaking about the dedication of the partnership, CEO Saad Al Saraf said, “At Mediareach Advertising, multicultural media partnerships are a unique proposition of ours. A big part of the work we do, from bespoke content to omnichannel marketing, goes back to the dedication of our media partners. For that, we have come together

to celebrate the diversity, cultural insights, tonality, inclusivity, and relevance in content and media planning.”

Media houses from across the UK also gathered to discuss the challenges faced by the diverse media industry and plan better collaboration opportunities in the future. Leading figures from the ethnic media industry also received awards and accolades for their contribution to developing multicultural media

partnerships in the UK. “We wanted to gather our influencers, writers, media professionals, and creatives who regularly help

Winchester’s Youth MP named Volunteer of the Year at Your UK Parliament Awards 2022 Dev Sharma, a sixth-form pupil at Winchester College, has been recognised for his work on tackling junk food advertising to children and young people.

The awards celebrate people across the UK who have taken action on the issues they care about by engaging with the UK Parliament, with the winners chosen by a panel of MPs, Lords and independent judges.

During the lockdown, Dev noticed a marked increase in online advertising for junk food and takeaways, and he wanted to put a stop to it. He took action by writing to the Secretary of State for Health, urging the UK Government to make policy changes to protect young people from adverts promoting unhealthy foods. Dev also launched an open letter call-

Dev (right) with Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons

ing for an end to this type of advertising and encouraged young people across the country to support it.

In July 2021, the UK Government announced new regulations to introduce a 9 pm watershed for advertisements of foods high in fat, salt and sugar, which will come into force at the end of 2023.

Dev Sharma, who is Youth MP for West Hampshire, received his award from Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, in a ceremony hosted in the Speaker’s

House at the Houses of Parliament on 29 March.

Dev said, “I’m proud to accept this award on behalf of the work of hundreds of young people that have made this possible.

“It feels surreal to have won. It was a magical day being invited to the Palace of Westminster with my family.

“I look forward to continuing my activism and aim to truly make a difference for all the youth of Hampshire whom I represent nationally as their youth MP. I pledge to continue to make sure that the youth are heard so we can help improve people's lives.”

Dev dedicated the award to all the youth voices at Bite Back 2030 & The Food Foundation, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Act4Food Global, and UK Youth Parliament.

produce relevant content to highly diverse audiences in the UK and globally. They deserve acknowledgment as the behind-the-scenes heroes of great omnichannel campaigns we have produced and broadcasted with efficient results,” added Javed Husain, the Media Director.

Ankita Dobhal, Lead Media Partnership Team, added, “These partnerships have been a key catalyst in driving change for the gov-

ernment, the NHS, and brands during and after lockdown. They rolled up their sleeves during a harsh storm, yet we ended up with 1000s of content clips on TV, Print, Radio and Digital for Covid-19 awareness and for the vaccine roll-out to ethnic and diverse groups.”

Mediareach Advertising, founded in 1986, is an integrated advertising agency with combined skills and expertise in content, digital, and media.

Seven-year-old girl raising awareness about climate change wins award A 7-year-old girl from Nottingham has won the Child of Britain Award in the environmental category.

The awards were held at JW Grosvenor Hotel in Park Lane and was a star-studded event with Eamonn Holmes presenting and Calum Scott performing.

Aleesha Gadhia, who has been working tirelessly contacting large companies and organisations asking them what they are doing for climate change, is now Cool Earth’s youngest ever ambassador and isn’t planning to stop there.

Aleesha Gadhia

Aleesha has written to many influential people and has had responses from

Sir David Attenborough, Her Majesty the Queen, PM Boris Johnson and some others.

She is planning to tackle climate change by taking to social media and uploading videos on what companies and children can do to help with the problem.

Aleesha is visiting a large recycling centre in the next few weeks to see what happens to plastic when we sort it and send it off.

Her next step is to raise more awareness, write many more letters and change the world, one piece of plastic at a time.

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BAPS Trustee Vinu Bhattessa awarded OBE at Queen’s Honour for Charitable and Voluntary Services Vinu Bhattessa, a longstanding trustee of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in the UK, has been awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Her Majesty The Queen in the Birthday Honours List for 2022.

The citation reads: Kishorkant Bhattessa (Vinu Bhattessa). For charitable and voluntary services, particularly during Covid-19.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Vinubhai has been serv-

Vinu Bhattessa OBE

ing BAPS for over 30 years and was a key figure during the construction of Neasden Temple, one of the first traditionally built Hindu temples outside of India.

Further to his contributions to BAPS, Vinubhai has managed one of the largest Shakespeare Festivals in the UK, helping maintain British culture and heritage.

He has also worked closely with various charities,

including The Springboard Charity that helps youth find employment and, most recently, supported the emergency appeal for India’s Covid crisis arranging ventilators as well as supplying concierge services to the local community and supplies to key London hospitals. He is also a Founders Circle member of the British Asian Trust.

Congratulations to Vinubhai, his family, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha and the entire Hindu community for inspiring thousands of volunteers to serve society under the visionary guidance of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the current inspiration of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj.

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Tributes pour as 13-year-old’s coffin carried by school friends at funeral Aryan Ghoniya, 13, was found dead a few days after he disappeared in the River Taff in Whitchurch, Cardiff.

Despite the rain, Aryan’s family, friends and local community gathered on the day of his funeral at the Thornhill Cemetery and Crematorium.

A silver hearse, often used for the funerals of young people instead of traditional black hearses, Aryan Ghonia

Tribute to Aryan in India

the tragic loss of Aryan Ghoniya, beloved son of Jitendra and Hina and caring brother to Naviya. We are extremely grateful to all the emergency services for their efforts in the search for Aryan. We are also grateful to the police for their ongoing support. Aryan was born in Wales, he was proud to be Welsh and we are proud to have been a member of his family.

"We are touched by the support received from the community, Danescourt Primary School and Radyr Comprehensive School, both of which he loved. Our thanks also to the A&E staff at Heath hospital.

"Aryan was our 'Little

passed the two schools Aryan had attended, before arriving at the service.

A few of Aryan’s friends, dressed up in black and white suits, carried their friend’s coffin. It was indeed heart-breaking to see a group of young friends carrying their 13-year-old mate’s coffin at his funeral.

An obituary page was set up for the boy, previously dubbed a ‘little professor’ for his academic excellence, Aryan's family paying tributes at Windsor Gardens, Radyr and multiple people have since left touching Professor', brilliant at Maths, words. an all-rounder academically.

Tributes have also been He was very charming and left at Windsor Gardens in caring boy with warm perRadyr. Aryan’s mum Hina, sonality and was loved by all who knew him. dad Jitendra and 8-year-old "There will never be a sister Naviya were among day when we will not miss the relatives who went to him, and he will remain in visit the park. The gardens our hearts forever. flew the Welsh Indian flags "We strongly urge all at half-mast – in a nod to parents to explain to their Aryan’s heritage – and used children the danger of playone of the trees as a focus for ing in rivers. We do not wish tributes. any parents to go through The family in a statethe tragedy we are going ment, published by the through.

South Wales Police said, “We also appreciate the "The family is devastated by

children to become who they want to be in the future, and any support they need during this difficult time carries on.

“Aryan’s parents Jitu and Hina, would have much wanted very Aryan's Tribute at his parents’ residence to thank those setting of Windsor Gardens who attended Aryan’s in Radyr to be a quiet place farewell service personally, where his friends can go, but due to a medical episode, leave a message or a tribute the service was cut short, and remember the fun and and this was not possible, happy times they shared but we as family thank you with Aryan. all personally for being with “Thank you to us in saying goodbye to Councillor Helen Lloyd Aryan.

Jones for enabling this. This is an impossibly difficult period for us but the gestures of kindnesses, the Indian and the Welsh flags flying at half-mast give us some comfort.

“Aryan was born in Wales, he was proud to be Welsh and we are proud to have Aryan with his parents, sister Naviya and grandparents who had come from India to visit his family been a member “We witnessed your of his family. Thank you all emotions, we witnessed your for your support.” tears, we witnessed your sorHina’s cousin Vimla row, we witnessed your love, Patel on behalf of the we witnessed your support, bereaved parents in a statewe undisputedly witnessed ment told Asian Voice, “To that we were not alone, and all of Aryan’s friends, we wish to thank you all from thank you for being part of the bottom of our hearts.” his short life, do not despair, At 4.45pm on Tuesday 21 do not blame anyone, his June a report was received of time here was short, cherish children in the River Taff the memories you have of near Forest Farm Road, him, inspire yourself to Whitchurch, Cardiff and one become the person you want boy was missing. to be in life and make your An extensive search was family proud, as this is what carried out by police, fire, Aryan would have wanted ambulance, coast guard and you to do. the police helicopter.

“The speeches from Aryan, was located in the Aryan’s primary school river at around 5.45pm and, headmistress Mrs Judith despite the efforts of the emergency services, he was Davies and Mr Williams of unable to be resuscitated.

Radyr Comprehensive were HM Coroner was truly inspiring of Aryan, and informed and an investigawe wish to thank you very tion into the circumstances much for this, and hope that of the incident is ongoing. your dedication inspiring

31% Britons have declined wedding invitation due to unaffordability Research by credit checking company Experian has found that Britons are finding ways to save money on weddings of friends and family this year, such as staying up all night, travelling on public transport and wearing the same outfit on multiple occasions.

Of the 1,000 UK adults surveyed, 24 per cent said they could not afford to accept all of their wedding invitations, while 31 per cent said they had declined at least one invitation to a wedding or pre-wedding event.

According to the findings, the average cost of

attending a wedding currently sits at around £567 per head, while £116 is typically spent on accommodation.

To avoid paying for accommodation, some peo-

ple are staying up all night after events while others said they would only attend a wedding if it did not require an overnight stay.

Another popular cost-saving option among guests was to make a wedding present for the couple rather than buy a gift.

Many wedding guests also said they felt sympathetic about the costs the newlyweds would incur, with 57 per cent agreeing that it had become more acceptable for guests to pay for their own drinks and food at a wedding reception.

Pregnant women's vaccination service shortlisted for award All pregnant women invited to the James Paget University's hospital for their 20 week ultrasound scan were given the opportunity to have their Covid vaccine in the same visit and were provided with detailed information about the jab with their scan invitation.

The ‘fast track’ vaccination service at this Norfolk hospital, which helped protect pregnant women from Covid-19, has been shortlisted for a prestigious award. The Hospital’s maternity department, working with colleagues from the Norfolk and Waveney CCG, developed the service last summer.

Those choosing to have the vaccine were ‘fast tracked’ to the hospital’s vac-

cination centre, with no need to book an online appointment.

The service was set up during a national drive to encourage more pregnant people - who are at increased risk of developing severe illness from Covid - to come

forward for their vaccination.

The fast track vaccination clinic will be up against seven other initiatives, with a final round of judging due to take place later this summer ahead of the awards ceremony on September 15.

Five arrested for possession and production of drugs Arrests have been made in east London as part of a police probe into a group suspected of using forced labour to produce cannabis.

A man in his thirties and a woman in her twenties were arrested at a property in Romford, on suspicion of production of cannabis, holding a person in slavery or servitude, and possession of Class A and B drugs.

Another man was arrested at the same address on suspicion of immigration offences and remains in custody.

Two more men, one in his twenties and another in his thirties, were arrested at a property in central Birmingham on suspicion of production of Class B drugs, possession of Class B

drugs and immigration offences. Searches on two properties in Burton-onTrent, Staffordshire were also conducted as part of their investigation by officers from the National Crime Agency.

Four suspects were released under investigation, while one remains in custody pending immigration enquiries, said police.

NCA operations manager Neil Gardner said: “This is a complex investigation focused on a crime group believed to be using forced labour to produce cannabis".

In a separate unconnected investigation by the agency, a couple who kept vulnerable people as slaves were jailed recently.

Government crackdown on landlords in holiday hotspots In new plans being drawn up by the Housing Secretary Michael Gove, second home owners could be banned from renting out their properties on websites such as Airbnb.

As the Government cracks down on landlords driving up house prices in holiday hotspots, the proposals would stop second home owners from renting out their properties as shortterm holiday lets.

Mr Gove’s changes to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill would

give regional mayors the power to restrict people renting out second properties for fewer than 90 days.

Landlords would instead have to apply for planning permission for a change of use.

Jonathan Samuels, of the broker Octane Capital,

said the proposals were another attempt to inflict pain on rental investors.

A spokesman for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “We’re taking action to combat the adverse impact that second homes can have on local communities – particularly in tourist areas such as Cornwall – by closing tax loopholes, introducing higher rates of stamp duty and empowering councils to apply a tax premium of up to 100pc on second homes.”

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CENSUS 2021

Population in England and Wales soars to a record high but have aged over last one decade Continued from page 1 Growing ageing population The first set of data revealed shows that population is also ageing, with 18.6% of people aged 65 and over, up from 16.4% a decade earlier. There are more people aged 65 and over in Wales (21.3%) than there are in England (18.4%).

However, 51.0% of the overall population are women (30,420,100 women) and 49.0% are men (29,177,200) in England and Wales. This is similar to 2011, when 50.8% of the population were female and 49.2% were male.

Compared with the other English regions, London had the largest percentage of people aged between 15 and 64 years (70.0%).

The local authorities with the highest percentage of persons aged under 15 years were Barking and Dagenham (24.5%), Slough (23.5%) and Luton (21.9%). All these three regions have a considerably large Asian population.

There were 24,782,800 households in England and Wales on Census Day; the number of households increased by more than 1.4 million since 2011 (6.1%), when there were 23,366,044 households.

Commenting on the numbers, the Office for National Statistics’ Deputy National Statistician Pete Benton said, “Today’s census statistics begin to paint a rich and detailed snapshot of the nation and how we were living during the pandemic. They show the population of England and Wales continued to grow across the decade, albeit at different rates across the regions.

“Ultimately, the full suite of census results, based on the information we all gave, will ensure decisions about how the billions of pounds we spend each year as a nation are made using the best possible evidence. This includes planning our emergency services, mental health care, school places, hospital beds, houses, roads, buses, trains, trams, GPs and dentists’ services.”

Pete added, “Since census day the

world has continued to change. People continue to move home, some people will have left the country, others will have arrived. People will have changed jobs, some of us now work in offices once again, while others continue to work from home.

“We need to understand all of this and more. The results from Census 2021 – and there’s lots more to follow therefore provide a key bridge from the past to the future as we deliver more frequent, relevant and timely statistics using data from across government to allow us to understand population change in local areas this year and beyond.”

The first Census 2021 estimates show the region with the highest population growth was the East of England, which increased by 8.3% from 2011 (a gain of approximately 488,000 people). The Southwest and London were the areas with the next highest rates of population growth. Population change in certain areas may reflect how the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic affected people's choice of usual residence on Census Day. These changes might have been temporary for some and more long-lasting for others.

Densely populated local authorities The 20 most densely populated local authorities across the two nations were all London boroughs, with Tower Hamlets (15,695 residents per square kilometre), Islington (14,578 residents per square kilometre) and Hackney (13,611 residents per square kilometre) topping the list. In Wales, the most densely populated local authority was Cardiff (2,572 residents per square kilometre).

The least densely populated local authorities were Eden (in the Northwest of England) and Powys (in Wales), which both had 26 residents per square kilometre on average. Other local authorities with low population densities included Ryedale (36 residents per square kilometre) and Richmondshire (38 residents per square kilometre).

The census provides estimates of the characteristics of all people and households in England and Wales on Census Day, 21 March 2021. It is carried out every 10 years and gives us the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in England and Wales.

Grooming gang leader avoids deportation to Pakistan An immigration tribunal heard ship, he would be allowed to that the Rochdale grooming remain in the UK. gang ringleader has avoided Aziz, Adil Khan, 51 and Qari deportation to Pakistan after Abdul Rauf, 52, were among he renounced his Pakistani citnine gang members jailed in izenship. This came just days 2012 for a catalogue of child before a court ruled that he sex offences in Rochdale. All could lose his right to live in three were to be deported to the UK, the Daily Telegraph Pakistan as they held dual citireported. zenship, as then Home Secretary Theresa May wanted.

Abdul Aziz, 51, referred to Since being released from by the gang as “The Master”, jail, Ziz and two others have was reportedly told by the Abdul Aziz fought deportation on the Home Office that despite losgrounds of their human rights. ing an appeal depriving him of UK citizen-

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Beware of prepaid cremations We are inundated with offers of cheap cremation schemes on TV advert, newspapers and personal emails whereby you pay in advance and funeral director will take care of everything leaving you free to grieve the loss of your dear ones. While this is a wonderful scheme costing less than half the usual cost, many of us are tempted to join. But beware; it comes with some restrictions. So read the clauses before you sign on the dotted line and pay for it.

It is a remote funeral, you will not be able to attend the actual funeral and say the last goodbye, although one can visit their Chapel of Rest in most cases to perform the last rights, which is sufficient for most of the families, much less stressful than performing it at home.

Another set-back for some is the long delay, sometimes well over ten week’s wait, even more on the pretext that no spot is available, as you are a captive client, having paid in advance, while early slots are easily available to those who are not restricted to one funeral director.

The urn containing the ashes is delivered to your home or dispersed somewhere suitable on your behalf. Death and funeral is such a social taboo subject that most of us prefer not to discuss it, leaving it to friends and family members to deal with it.

So many families have lost their loved ones in recent corona outbreak and most were unprepared as it was a sudden outbreak no one has ever experienced, at least not in this country.

Birth and death is a natural cycle no one can avoid, no one has leverage. But we can prepare and be ready for the inevitable, thus able to bear the loss with dignity and courage!

Man stabbed to death outside Hounslow pub Police rushed to Staines Road in Hounslow following reports of an assault.

Officers found Karamjeet Singh Reel from Hounslow seriously injured with stab wounds outside a pub.

Despite the best efforts of emergency services he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family have been informed and continue to be supported by specialist officers. Karamjeet is believed to have worked for bathroom installation specialists

Right Tiles before his death.

Heartbroken colleagues have raised more than £2000 for his family after setting up a GoFundMe page for their “kind” and

Saudi Hajj booking system leaves many Britons stranded

Bhupendra M. Gandhi

World Asteroid Day World Asteroid Day, which is celebrated on June 30, is a day where people from all walks of life come together to learn about asteroids and what we can do to protect our planet from the impacts of asteroids.

World Asteroid Day is also known as International Asteroid Day. The day is a way for the public to understand asteroids, and to educate people about the risks and opportunities of asteroids. This can be done by hosting events, providing educational resources, and communicating with the global audience on multiple digital platforms.

Although asteroids would seem like mere rocks floating in space, they are actually objects of great importance for astronomers, geologists and planetary scientists, among others. On the evolutionary field, they are pristine objects from the dawn of the solar system. They maintain their original chemical composition that speaks to us about how our solar neighbourhood was like about 4.5 billion years ago.

Asteroids are small, rocky objects that orbit the sun.

The first asteroid was Ceres, discovered by Giuseppe Piazzi in the year, 1801.

Jubel D'Cruz

Down with prices If shop prices are rising fast due to various unforeseen factors such as Ukraine invasion, spread of Covid, Monkeypox and Polio viruses, on top of which rail strikes, shortage of delivery drivers and fruit and vegetable pickers, Brexit conflicts with European Union and other reasons, would prices come down again to their previous levels if and when all above-mentioned matters have hopefully been resolved?

If not, why not? This is a question for my fellow readers of Asian Voice newspaper to contemplate.

Ash Gupta

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia’s ministry of hajj and umrah announced that pilgrims from Europe, the US and Australia could no longer book hajj packages through travel agencies and would instead have to apply through a lottery system called Motawif.

But the new system has overshadowed a momentous religious pilgrimage for many British Muslims, as they have missed their flights despite having paid for them.

Hundreds of British Muslims who booked travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj pilgrimage have described their anger and frustration at being stranded in the UK despite paying thousands

of pounds for flights and hotels through this flawed Saudi government-backed system.

After three years waiting to perform the hajj, which he initially booked in 2020 before it was deferred due to the Covid pandemic, Muneeb Sidyot from Leicester successfully booked this year through Motawif. He was soon informed by email that his “payment was successful, but the booking had failed”.

Days later, another email notified him that his “booking will be honoured” and that his flights were reserved. Sceptical about Motawif’s assurances, Sidyot contacted his airline carrier, Saudi Airlines, 48 hours before his flight, only to be informed that he and his wife’s names were not on the flight list and that Motawif may have overbooked.

For many like Sidyot, prospective pilgrims left in limbo, the anxious wait goes on to see if Motawif will deliver on its promise to reschedule their flights.

information, no matter how insignificant you think it may be, to get in contact with my officers – it could prove to be a crucial piece of the wider picture that enables us to identify whoever is responsible.”

The tribute to Karamjeet reads, “Karamjeet Singh was the most popular, kind, gentle and genuine member of the Right Tiles team. He couldn’t say no to anyone and would go out of his way to help any colleague or customer.”

At least 10 women face deportation to Nigeria and Ghana Mothers and grandmothers, some of whom have lived in the UK for decades, are among those facing deportation to Nigeria and Ghana on a controversial Home Office charter flight.

Approximately 10 women are facing removal. Some suffer from severe mental health problems and are on anti-psychotic medication. It is unusual to see such a large number of women on a deportation flight to the west African countries.

Human rights campaigners say there are a range of safety concerns regarding the removal of those due to be on board, including religious persecution, modern slavery, rights to family life, and persecution on the basis of sexual orientation.

Charities have expressed concerns about delays with what are known as rule 35 reports, where these issues can be explored at detention centres.

Maria Brul of the charity Detention Action said: “This Ghana and Nigeria mass charter flight is due to forcibly expel many women with British children, some of whom have lived here for over 25 years.” A Home Office spokesperson said: “The UK only ever returns individuals to their country of origin when the Home Office and, where applicable, the courts deem it is safe to do so.

The Royal Mail takes on a vital role Royal Mail has turned disaster into an opportunity.

During lockdown, and with active encouragement from the government, it set up Royal Mail Health to deliver medicines to the elderly, the housebound and those forced to shield from the pandemic.

The inspired idea is now to be expanded.

Postmen may now be asked to check up on vulnerable people as part of their daily round. All too often those living alone see

Prince Charles wants Britons’ knowledge on transatlantic slave to be bridged According to reports, the Prince of Wales believes the gap in Britons’ knowledge regarding the transatlantic slave trade must be bridged. He has reportedly called for the history of trafficking by slave traders of African people to be taught as widely as the Holocaust in Britain.

A royal source told that Prince Charles had noted that, “at a national level, we know and learn at school all about the Holocaust”.

“That is not true of the transatlantic slave trade,” the source continued, adding: “There’s an acknowledgement that it needs to happen.”

The source reportedly insisted, however, that the heir to the throne

“genuine” friend.

Detective James Shirley said, “Our investigation continues at pace to unpick the events that led to Karamjeet’s murder.

While we are making progress we still need to speak to anyone who was in the area of Staines Road in Hounslow in the early hours of Saturday, 25 June and saw the events that led to Karamjeet being attacked. I would ask anyone with

was not trying to shape education policy, but was instead keen for the public to become better educated on the period, himself included.

It comes after Prince Charles shared his “sorrow” for the suffering caused by slavery at the opening of a Commonwealth summit in Rwanda.

Prince Charles’ visit to Kigali was prefaced by a row over comments he reportedly made criticising the government’s scheme to send asylum seekers to the east African nation.

Charles said in his speech that he was on a “personal journey of discovery” and was continuing to “deepen his own understanding of slavery’s enduring impact”.

no one else during the day.

But the posties, men and women, go everywhere: up 31.5 million driveways a day, into lobbies and across remote islands. They often are the first to raise the alarm if something seems wrong.

Making sure that people are OK would add a public service element to the job that is invaluable.

Already the huge rise in online shopping has meant a vast rise in daily deliveries, making up for the few

letters now sent by friends and relatives.

During the pandemic, Royal Mail delivered up to 1.1 million Covid-19 testing kits a day. Prescriptions are the obviously continuing need. At present 5 per cent are delivered online in Britain, compared with 40 per cent in America. But Royal Mail Health has seen where the market is going.

It is already working with a local delivery service to collect medicines from high-street chemists.

GPs vote to strike

Asking posties to act as community watchmen would appeal to the good nature of most, as long as the dog is on the leash. It might not go down so well with the unions. Would there be extra payment?

Special training? Insurance and indemnity? It can surely be worked out. Why not deliver the milk, paper and a morning greeting as well?

Royal Mail Health is poised to take on a vital role in checking on the vulnerable Postman’s Knock

conference said strikes were likely, unless significant pay rises are forthcoming. The union passed a motion calling for pay restoration within the next five years.

The motion backs a campaign to increase pay for all doctors - including hospital consultants, who earn around £120,000 a year on average, and GPs, who earn an average of £100,000. It also covers junior doctors, who earn between £29,000 and £58,000 per year.

GPs voted last year in favour of industrial action in protest to a contract which will extend their hours.

Under the contract, GPs are required to provide full services from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays, from October 1. Members reportedly voted 57 per cent in favour of organising "opposition to the imposition of the new contract including industrial action if necessary".

Only 17 per cent voted against industrial action while 26 per cent abstained.

Doctors are calling for a 30 per cent pay rise and have warned they are willing to join rail workers in strikes if their demands are not met. Medics at the British Medical Association’s annual conference said a realterms pay cut in tsaturdhe last 12 years meant doctors had lost millions of pounds.

Delegates at the union’s meeting in Brighton cheered in favour of industrial action, with members praising the train unions for their stance over pay.

One medic warned: “It’s likely that industrial action will be required to move governments on this issue.”

The union has already said it will prepare to ballot junior doctors for industrial action if demands to increase pay are not met. It said such an increase was necessary to keep up with inflation. It has also We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more asked for a pay rise of two per cent above inflation this year for senior doctors and consultants. versatile letters well within word limit. Please keep With an announcement on doctors’ pay contributing as always. If you are new, then write to expected in the coming weeks, doctors at the Shefali at shefali.saxena@abplgroup.com

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Moving backwards in America

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. @RuchiGhanashyam

H

aving spent a delightful vacation in Vietnam, I was determined to devote this week’s column to that remarkable country. But then a host of other developments burst onto my consciousness, each demanding its space in the column!

In France, barely two months after being re-elected, President Emmanuel Macron lost control of the French National Assembly thanks to a strong performance by a left alliance and the far right, creating complications for this G7 member country, permanent member of the UN Security Council, and a nuclear and global power.

The recent loss of the conservatives in two by polls in the UK, after their performance in the recent local elections; and the Commonwealth summit in Rwanda, the first since 2018, first in Africa since 2007, and the first hosted by a “new” Commonwealth member – Rwanda; seemed interesting subjects.

Developments at home that made headlines, included protests over a hiring scheme for the Indian armed forces and the government’s reasons for the changes; India at the BRICS summit; and PM Modi at the G7 meeting in Germany, where a plan to raise $600 billion for global infrastructure programmes in poor countries was announced.

But most of all, I was tempted to write about the proclamation by the UN General Assembly to observe 24th June as the International Day of Women in Diplomacy.

Having devoted my column of 27th September 2021 to ‘Women in Diplomacy’, this week, I express my thanks to the international community for recognising the need and role of women in diplomacy.

Amongst all the important developments of the last few days, there are two landmark events in the USA that deserve attention this week. On 25th June, President Biden signed into law the first major federal gun safety legislation passed in decades, marking a significant bipartisan breakthrough on one of the most contentious policy issues in the country. The legislation came in the aftermath of recent mass shootings at an elementary school in Texas, and a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighbourhood in Buffalo, New York. Considering that in most countries, one wouldn’t know where to go to buy a gun, it is amazing that in the USA, young children seem to get hold of sophisticated weapons as easily as candy! This is, thus, a long-awaited landmark decision.

As the US legislature moved in a positive direction, the US Supreme Court (USSC) moved backwards by several decades on June 24 2022, by overturning the landmark ruling of the USSC in Roe v.

Wade, which had established the constitutional right to abortion, permitting abortions during the first two trimesters of pregnancy in the United States since 1973.

Ruling in a Mississippi case known as

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the USSC held "the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion" and that "the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives". Almost half the states in the US are expected to outlaw or severely restrict abortion because of this decision. Bans have already taken effect in multiple US states since the SC ruling was issued.

The USSC in Roe v. Wade upheld a pregnant woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion. The case was brought by Norma McCorvey—known by the legal pseudonym "Jane Roe"— who wanted an abortion of her third pregnancy in 1969.

She lived in Texas, where abortion was only allowed to save the mother's life. Her attorneys, Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee, filed a lawsuit on her behalf in U.S. federal court against her local district attorney, Henry Wade. A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in her favor and declared the relevant Texas abortion statutes unconstitutional. On January 22, 1973, the USSC in a 7–2 decision upheld the fundamental "right to privacy", protecting a pregnant woman's (non-absolute) right to an abortion. The ruling fueled a relentless debate in the US about legality of abortion and who should decide it. Moral and religious considerations have been the driving force for the “pro-life” lobby, anti-abortion politicians and activists who have sought for decades to overrule the decision.

The recent USSC ruling goes against a global tide that has seen many nations liberalize abortion laws in recent years. In its own neighbourhood, Mexico's Supreme Court unanimously ruled last year that penalizing abortion is unconstitutional.

Canada is one of the few countries which allows abortion at any point during pregnancy. Most European Union nations -including those in the G7 - allow abortion with gestation limits.

In India, abortion has been legal under various circumstances for the last 50 years after the introduction of Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act in 1971. India’s Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, (Indian Express, June 28) ‘West steps back, India shows way’, writes that “Under the aegis of the Act, abortions may be performed up to 24 gestational weeks on grounds of risk to the mother’s life, mental anguish, rape, incest, contraception failure or the diagnosis of foetal abnormalities. The Act navigates the 20 weeks challenge posed by the MTP Act, 1971 and is a nod to advances in the field of health and reproductive science. It is a liberal achievement over countries where abortions are disallowed since conception, even in the most traumatising of circumstances of sexual abuse or incest.” Abortion costs are covered under Ayushmann Bharat, in all government hospitals, central government health scheme and state government insurance.

In 2012, the debate on abortions came into global prominence when Savita Halappanavar, an Indian origin dentist living in Ireland died from sepsis after her request for an abortion was denied on legal grounds. The nationwide outcry over her death led to the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 that was signed into law on 20 December 2018.

The regressive decision of the USSC is a major blow to women’s reproductive health and reproductive rights. The decision will strengthen regressive forces all over the world. Within the US, the Democrats could enact a federal law to undo the damage, but they would need a Senate majority to do so! What would be the guarantee that a future Republican majority in both houses would not bring in a federal legislation against abortion? It is tragic that women’s rights have been dealt a serious blow in the liberal ‘Mecca’ of the world. As the US fights to keep its global leadership in the face of a rising China, the USSC has dealt a severe blow to the US leadership of the liberal world.

Top surgeon says he was victim of 'clear racial targeting' at Manchester airport The Pakistani-heritage doctor Professor Aali Sheen, 51, said he was the victim of 'racial triaging' at Manchester Airport security. The surgeon said only he was given a full body scan and white travellers were not.

The married consultant surgeon from Didsbury, who works at Manchester Royal Infirmary and is President of the British Hernia Society said, "It was racist. It was clear racial triaging."

Meanwhile, a Manchester Airport

spokesman said, "All policies and procedures...were followed."

Prof Sheen alleged though the smaller archway metal detector was clear and

available to use, a security official motioned him towards a queue at the body scanner.

"It was just wrong. At the same time other people, shall I say AngloSaxons, were being ushered through the small scanner.

"It was racist. It was clear racial triaging.

There was no need for me to go through that big scanner.

"It was clear racial targeting. I'm shocked. If I did that as a doctor, I would be struck off. I would lose my job."

Elderly woman kept waiting in ambulance for 2.5 hours An elderly woman was left waiting in an ambulance for more than two hours outside a hospital - due to a widespread healthcare backlog. Ann Wragg, of Castle Donington, was taken by East Midlands Ambulance Service to Royal Derby Hospital on June 17, but found herself waiting outside A&E. A call was placed to the

NHS 111 non-emergency number because the 84year-old had tested positive for Covid-19, had a “very high” heart rate, and a suspected chest infection. This was then passed on to the ambulance service, which sent a crew immediately.

However, Mrs Wragg was then left waiting in the ambulance for two-and-a-

half hours and told at the time that this was due to an exceptionally busy Royal Derby A&E department. The official target to transfer a patient from an ambulance into a hospital is 15 minutes from arrival, with a separate target to depart the hospital and be back available for duty within a further 15 minutes.

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SCRUTATOR’S Mother elephant saves calf from drowning A mother's love and affection for her child is universal. She can even risk her own life to protect her child, and the feeling transcends species. In a video, an elephant herd is seen crossing a river. A mother is left behind with her calf trying to navigate the fast-flowing water. The baby elephant wobbles due to the flow of water and is carried away by the river. Without wasting any time, the mother elephant goes after the calf and catches it by her trunk. Soon, both mother and her calf are seen exiting the river and moving towards the anxiously waiting herd. The video has received over 32,000 views and 1,836 likes on Twitter since being shared. Videos of elephants enjoying in their natural habitat or in captivity have been widely shared on social media. A recent such video went viral on social media which showed them escorting a baby elephant while crossing a road. The video featured the calf making the best use of its tiny legs while trying to keep up with the jumbos that are escorting it. "Nobody on earth can provide better security than an elephant herd to the cute newborn baby. It's Z+++," wrote a Twitter user. (Agency) Child beggar scores 63% in UP board exam

to Kochi with a friend. With the airline’s ground staff insisting that she can fly to Kochi, but without her wheelchair, the artist missed her flight. “I had to spend an extra Rs 14,000 and book myself on an IndiGo flight on the same day. Alliance Air said they would look into the issue.

(Agency) At 3ft, woman stands tall in art world

Sher Ali, a 17-year-old, who was begging on streets till a few years ago, passed the class 10 examination of the UP board with 63% marks and become a role mode for 40-odd families living in a ‘jhuggi’ cluster near Agra. Most of the families there are involved in rag-picking and their children are forced to beg. Ali’s parents are illiterate, so are almost all his neighbours. Ali lives in a hut with his parents and eight other siblings. The hut has no electricity. Ali credited a local child rights activist, Naresh Paras, for pulling him out of begging and getting him admitted to school. “My results have given me confidence to aim higher. I am now aiming to join the Army through the Agnipath scheme and serve India,” he said.

(Agency) Artist misses flight over e-wheelchair row

An award-winning artist, with a physical disability, missed her flight at Bengaluru airport after ground staff of Alliance Air allegedly refused to fly her battery-operated wheelchair on the aircraft citing safety reasons. She was forced to book another flight on a different airline and took off three hours later, with her wheelchair. Sarita Dwivedi, a 31-year-old Allahabad-born artist reached Bengaluru airport terminal to check in at the Alliance Air counter. She was to board flight a flight to Kochi at 9 am. “I reached the counter at 8.02 am and when I tried to check in, the ground staff first said I was late for boarding, as I was a wheelchair-bound flyer. When I showed them that there is more than 55 minutes to take off, they said I can board, but my wheelchair can’t fly with me.” Earlier, Dwivedi had flown in to Bengaluru from Kanpur on an IndiGo flight with her wheelchair and was headed

Divya Prajapati (27), a 3ft tall artist from Surat, sold 40 of her artworks when the world around her was battling with the pandemic. “Nothing is impossible if a person tries,” said Divya, who hopes to encourage more disabled woman like her to dream big. Divya suffered 75% retarded growth disability since her childhood and uses a wheeled-table to assist her in walking around the house. Not being able to continue further studies after class XII owing to limited earnings by her father, Divya continued to hone her passion in drawing and painting. Divya said she took online courses during the lockdown to improve her skills and gradually sharpened her expertise in charcoal and graphite portraits. “Initially I got orders from the city and later I got orders from people outside the city. I started it as a hobby but now has become popular,” said Divya. (The Times of India) Russian journalist auctions Nobel medal The Russian editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta has auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize medal for $103.5m (£84mn). Dmitry Muratov said all the money from the sale would go to help refugees from the war in Ukraine. Muratov was co-awarded the peace prize in 2021 for defending freedom of expression in Russia. Novaya Gazeta suspended its operations in March, shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This came after Moscow said anyone who described Russia's actions in Ukraine as a "war" would face heavy fines or closures.

The Kremlin calls the conflict a "special military operation". In April, Muratov was attacked with red paint aboard a train in Russia. The attacker shouted, "Muratov, this is for our boys," he said. He was attacked again in another train. He was among a group of journalists who founded Novaya Gazeta in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union.(Agency) World's largest freshwater fish found A 300kg stingray caught in the Mekong river in Cambodia is the biggest freshwater fish ever documented, scientists say. It

unseated the previous record-holder, a 293kg Mekong giant catfish caught in Thailand in 2005. There is no official record-keeping or database of the world's biggest freshwater fish. The Mekong is rich in biodiversity but overfishing, dams and pollution threaten its fragile ecosystem. It flows from the Tibetan Plateau through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. "In 20 years of researching giant fish in rivers and lakes on six continents, this is the largest freshwater fish that we've encountered or that's been documented anywhere worldwide," said Zeb Hogan, a biologist who leads Wonders of the Mekong, a USAID-funded conservation project.

"Finding and documenting this fish is remarkable, and a rare positive sign of hope, even more so because it occurred in the Mekong, a river that's currently facing many challenges," added Hogan, who is also a professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. (agency) A 'resignation letter' that wins approval

Saying goodbye is hard, especially when you have to say it in the form of a resignation letter. Many professionals struggle when trying to write a resignation letter. YouTube India has come to the rescue of all such professionals, and shared an example of a 'nice resignation letter'.

The video-sharing platform posted the screen shot on its Twitter handle with the caption: "nice resignation letter." The tweet plays on the catchphrase of content creator Gaurav Chaudhary, popularly known as Technical Guruji, who usually begins his video by saying, "Chaliye shuru karte hain". YouTube India followed it up with another tweet tagging Gaurav Chaudhary which read : "Let's do this."

Earlier this week, Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises, also shared a photograph of one such short resignation letter getting many laughs online. (Agency) African-American groom says vows in Malayalam A video is winning hearts on social media where an African-American man is saying his wedding vows in Malayalam, his Indian bride's native language. The video was shared by Jenova Juliann Pryor on Instagram. "My husband learned and said part of his wedding vows in my native tongue, Malayalam. I cried so hard," reads the caption. The viral video shows the groom, Danzel A Pyror exchanging vows in both Malayalam and English. He can be seen reading those on the phone while

standing at the altar with his wife. He starts in English but soon switches to Malayalam. "I have found my wife," he says. "I am gonna speak a little Malayalam here," then he translates the vows in Malayalam. "I have found a favour from the Lord. I love you," he further says while the guests cheered and clapped in the background. The video has received over 67,000 views and more than 5,000 likes on Instagram so far. (Agency) Cruise ship’s maiden voyage to scrapyard An unfinished mega-liner that was to be one of the world’s biggest cruise ships by capacity is sitting in a German shipyard, waiting to be scrapped, because bankruptcy administrators can’t find a buyer. The lower hull of the liner known as Global Dream II, the second global class vessel from insolvent MV Werften shipyard on Germany’s Baltic coast, is to be disposed of at scrap price, according to German cruise industry magazine An Bord.

Machinery and much of the equipment, which had already been delivered, are to be sold, it said citing insolvency administrator Christoph Morgen. It was initially commissioned by Asia-based Dream Cruises, which collapsed along with its parent company Genting Hong Kong earlier this year after the Covid-19 pandemic sapped demand for cruises.

(Agency) Two 8-year-old girls ascend Buran Ghati Pass Two eight-year-old girls from Vadodara

become the youngest trekkers to reach Buran Ghati Pass in Himachal Pradesh situated at a height of 15,000 feet. The girls had earlier successfully climbed Kedar Kantha summit at 12,800 feet and Tarsar Marsar at 13,800 feet. Rhyna Patel and Sanaya Gandhi – daughters of two childhood friends – achieved the rare feat recently. Buran Ghati is known to be one of the most difficult treks in HP. “We had begun trekking before three years. After two years, we decided to take our daughters with us,” said Rhyna’s father Kushal Patel, who along with his friend and Sanaya’s father Maulin Gandhi had started trekking in 2019. Rhyna and Sanaya had successfully summited Uttarakhand’s Kedar Kantha in 2020 and Kashmir’s Tarsar Marsar in 2021. (The Times of India)

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Did Oliver Dowden resign to make Rishi Sunak the next Prime Minister?

After the Conservative Chair quit early on Friday morning after two by-election losses, one of Jeremy Hunt’s supporters claimed that Oliver Dowden had resigned from the cabinet to run Rishi Sunak’s leadership Oliver Dowden campaign.

John Rentoul, The Independent’s chief political commentator, believes that there might be other reasons for Mr Dowden’s resignation as he never wanted a backroom role running the party organisation in the first place.

“After a stint as culture secretary, he hoped for education, but his reputation as a strategist made the party job seem to Boris Johnson to be a good fit. Despite his ‘bland persona’ in media interviews, some Tories compare Dowden to Peter Mandelson and Alastair Campbell in his instinctive feel for political combat.

“He may have jumped before he was

pushed. He may have feared that Johnson, whose loyalty to friends and allies is like an unreliable phone signal, was going to sack him as a way of displacing responsibilifor losing ty Tiverton and Wakefield. Hence Rishi Sunak the resignation letter published at 5.35am after a phone call to the hotel in Kigali where the prime minister had just got out of the swimming pool.”

Mr Rentoul decoded the letter saying that Mr Dowden thinks someone must take responsibility, but not him. He also feels that Mr Dowden thinks it is time for a new Prime Minister.

“One of the few things that is keeping Johnson in place is the absence of an obvious alternative, but of the less obvious candidates to replace him, Dowden must favour Rishi Sunak.”

Tell the public the truth about anti-Tory pact, says Sajid Javid Sajid Javid has issued the challenge after tactical voting on an ‘industrial scale’ and made it clear that Labour and the Liberal Democrats must ‘come clean’ over whether they have an electoral pact.

After the Lib Dems snatched Tiverton and Honiton and Labour retook Wakefield, Senior Conservatives said opposition parties needed to be honest with voters The two parties did little campaigning in the constituency they were not targeting and performed so badly that they lost their deposits.

Tory co-chairman Oliver Dowden resigned saying someone had to ‘take responsibility’.

But Health Secretary Mr Javid said, "Keir Starmer and the Lib Dems must come clean to the public about any electoral pact.

"A Starmer-led government propped up by the Lib Dems and SNP would break up our Union and take our economy backward when we can least afford it. We must not allow that to happen which is why we need to unite and drive forward our agenda to deliver for the British people."

Boris Johnson scraps planned £150,000 treehouse for son amidst security fears Boris Johnson was planning to build a £150,000 treehouse fitted with bulletproof glass for his son at Chequers, but he had to scrap his plan when police raided security fears.

The Prime Minister reportedly was looking forward to using money from Conservative donor Lord Brownlow to build the luxurious playhouse for his son Wilf.

Despite warning Mr Johnson that it would be an expensive affair, the project was only scrapped when the PM's close protection officers suggested it could be a security risk as the treehouse might

be visible from the road.

According to some media reports, he and his wife Carrie wanted to build the treehouse in the autumn of 2020.

It was also being said that whether such a large donation would be seen as a conflict of interest, especially considering Brownlow's involvement in the scandal of Johnson's Downing St flat refurbishment.

To cover some of the costs of Boris Johnson's lavish renovations to his Downing Street residence, Lord Brownlow provided more than £52,000, according to party accounts.

Museum of London demolition faces backlash from campaign groups Campaign group Barbican Quarter Action has urged the City of London Corporation from bulldozing part of the Barbican. The City of London has plans to demolish Bastion House and the Museum of London and the museum is expected to move to the Smithfield market nearby.

According to the plans submitted by the corporation, the buildings will be destroyed and will be replaced with a 780,000square feet office block. But campaign group Barbican Quarter Action has called for

the City of London to reconsider the decision because of the economic and environmental problems it would create – including a net increase in CO2.

Meanwhile, the group's campaign London Starts Here will try and raise awareness of the Barbican area and its rich history.

Barbican Association chairman Adam Hogg slammed the plans and said, “This remains a short-sighted proposal, lacking vision and apparently driven solely by the desire to raise money.”

Trade Envoy to Rwanda, Uganda and DRC, Lord Popat hails the success of CHOGM CHOGM brought together the Commonwealth Heads of Governments as well as ministers and business leaders.

They were hosted by the Rwandan Government in Kigali which allowed them to show the world the transformation they have undergone and demonstrate why they are a great place to visit and invest in.

As a champion of Rwanda, Lord Dolar Popat fought hard to ensure that they were able to host it. Hosting CHOGM in Rwanda also helped the UK demonstrates its shift in focus towards increasing trade and cooperation between the UK and the Commonwealth. As a country that was not a former British Colony, Rwanda is unique in being a part of the Commonwealth but them joining shows that the Commonwealth welcomes all those wishing to work together based on shared history and values.

Key developments that happened at CHOGM included the welcome of two new countries, Gabon and Togo to the Commonwealth. Commonwealth leaders adopted a Living Lands Charter which commits all members to safeguard global land resources while taking coordinated action on climate change. They also launched a Commonwealth Blue Charter Project Incubator to support Commonwealth Ocean States in cultivating and scaling-up projects that protect the marine environment.

Lord Popat represented Her Majesty’s Government as the Trade Envoy to Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC at CHOGM and helped shape significant deals including a cooperation agreement between

Lord Popat

Gridworks, a UK company and the Ugandan government worth up to £73 million. This deal will help Uganda increase the percentage of energy it creates from renewable sources.

A key figure in attendance was Prince Charles who represented the Queen as the Head of the Commonwealth. Lord Popat had the opportunity to meet Prince Charles along with key figures of the Rwanda and Ugandan Governments.

Discussing the success of CHOGM, Lord Popat commented, "CHOGM was a great success, and I am glad to have been able to represent Her Majesty’s Government as the Trade Envoy to Rwanda, Uganda and DRC. Rwanda did a fantastic job of hosting CHOGM and ensuring everyone felt welcomed. I am glad to have played a role in ensuring they were able to host it and look forward to continue working with the Rwandan Government to further strengthen our trading relationship."

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Neasden Temple marks International Day of Yoga with the Indian High Commission BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London – popularly known as ‘Neasden Temple’ – welcomed the Indian High Commission and several guests to celebrate the International Day of Yoga on Tuesday 21 June 2022.

The event was held in front of the iconic Mandir and included a live yoga demonstration from three-time World Yoga Champion Ishwar Sharma as well as a presentation of

HE Ms Gaitri Issar Kumar, the High commissioner of India to the UK addressing the audience

HE Ms Gaitri Issar Kumar being welcomed at the temple with a sacred thread tying ceremony

London at the [BAPS] Shri Swaminarayan Mandir. Thank you so much to the management and the members of this Mandir and its community for hosting a very good yoga session with the backdrop of the Mandir. It has energised us for the rest of the celebrations today. It was wonderful being here.”

has been celebrated annually on 21 June since 2015, following its inception in the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. As the UN explains: “Yoga emphasises the values of mindfulness, moderation, discipline and perseverance. When applied to communities and societies, Yoga offers a path for sustainable living.”

Bob Blackman MP speaking at the event

Girish Patel, a lead volunteer who helped organise the event at the Mandir, said, “Pramukh Swami Maharaj practised yoga and pranayama for over two decades. As the world celebrates his centennial birth

pranayama and meditation techniques from the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) by Neil Patel, an author, lecturer and yoga teacher, and founder of Chi Kri Yoga.

The session was attended by Her Excellency Gaitri Issar Kumar, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, as well as Lord Rami Ranger

World Yoga Champion Ishwar Sharma

CBE and Bob Blackman MP. Addressing the gathering, Ms Kumar said, “It has been a perfect to start the International Day of Yoga in

Lord Rami Ranger added, “Today, we are so grateful to the management of the [BAPS] Swaminarayan Mandir committee for giving the High Commission a place to demonstrate yoga in action.”

Drawing upon a newly-erected 27-foot image of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj – the creator of the Temple – Lord Ranger added, “The vision of Pramukh Swami Maharaj is now gracing countries all over the world.”

The International Day of Yoga

anniversary, it was an honour to partner with the High Commission of India and celebrate the International Day of Yoga. We look forward to further supporting this annual celebration as well as other events and initiatives promoting the holistic health and well-being of the community.”

Indian diplomat leads first Yoga Day celebration in Wales since Covid pandemic Indian diplomat Raj Aggarwal led the celebrations at the International Yoga Day event at Cardiff Castle, the first since the Covid pandemic.

The Honorary Consul to India for Wales was joined by Rekha Girish, Raj Aggarwal and Sujatha Thaladi several yoga lovers at way for people to keep fit and healthy, a special masterclass in the grounds of it also helps focus the mind and allows the castle. people to relax and unwind from the Raj Aggarwal, who also is a Fellow stresses and strains of modern life. This of the Royal Pharmaceutical School is the 8th International day of Yoga Day said, "It was a fabulous day for the comand it was celebrated globally with the munity and we really came together as blessings of Prime Minister of India a celebration of the resilience of Narendra Modi." humanity. We were also blessed with Raj also called for yoga sessions to be introduced in Welsh schools, and added, "Detailed studies have shown that children are more attentive , relaxed in class and that they can retain knowledge better if they have regular yoga sessions.

There are enough Yoga practitioners to support this valufabulous good weather so we could also able activity at negligible cost " practice our yoga out in the sunshine.

The celebrations of the "I am pleased to take part in this International Yoga Day were held in global event to celebrate the 5000-yearthe beautiful grounds of Cardiff Castle. old practice of yoga, which originated The event had been postponed since in North India. Yoga is not only a great 2019 due to the Covid epidemic. There

were free yoga sessions for people of all abilities, from complete beginners to veteran yogis by various yoga practitioner.

The event was open to all members of the public for free and classes were given by yoga experts.

Clean house and cleaner streets Rohit Vadhwana Clean houses in dirty streets. Suppose you have come from a middle or lower middle class family, and your house is in such an area. Now that you have got good income, you renovate it, re-build it, make it quite modern but how do you change the surrounding? Perhaps you would prefer to go to another locality, somewhere cleaner and if possible also greener. This leads to giving up on your social circle. Such decisions are taken with lots of pain in heart, but you have no other option. Sometimes elders don't want to leave the area, then you are stuck in the situation described here - clean house in dirty street.

This is a major problem in many parts of India, in most of the developing world. As people get prosperous, they build better houses with modern amenities, but still they have to live in the streets which do not match to thier standards.

Moreover, throwing own garbage in others' premises is still a rampant practice in many parts of the world. If there is an empty plot, no wonder it is bound to become a dumping ground for household waste of the whole locality. A few local bodies have been doing great job in door to door waste collection but still we are not able to eradicate the problem completely. It gets worse in smaller towns and villages where people are left on their own to dispose off the garbage. And most probably they take the easiest path pack the garbage in a polythene bag, tie a knot, and throw it away. Sometimes neighbours fight over this issue of throwing garbage in each other's premises but as scuffles are temporary while the habits last longer, it keeps happening. Even if you install a CCTV camera, someone will still throw a bag full of garbage near your house.

It is true that people want to keep their area clean, but the main problem is who will take the initiative.

Unfortunately one person cannot take the responsibility to clean whole area, as its neither viable nor affordable.

Residents feel that because of local governments' failure in doing their job, they have to live in unclean areas. Others feel it is not the obligation on the part of the government only, people have to clean their premises themselves. This chicken and egg situation is exacerbated by those who simply don't want to bother themselves with all these problems while throwing away their wastes anywhere.

Today in India, most of the houses have basic amenities - electricity, water, toilet etc. but how do they cultivate a societal habit of keeping the area clean is a big challenge.

Covid and governmental campaigns have helped in developing habits of cleanliness. People are now using dustbin (still government has to write 'throw your waste in dustbin' on a dustbin!) but the problem of waste collection remains a big challenge. Habit of throwing plastics and other waste on the streets or in empty plots are taking time to change.

There will be hundreds of videos circulating on whatsapp that plastic bags are killing cows as they try to eat thrown food, yet the number of such bags won't reduce. There are a number of examples of clean societies, villages/municipalities but still they are a few and we need to change the cleanliness orientation of people amass to make them realise that it is not clean house that matters, but cleaner streets are more important.

(Expressed opinions are personal)

Coventry University to host prestigious international conference examining diversity and inclusion in higher education A key international conference examining equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education is to be hosted by Coventry University.

The inaugural National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE) Joint International Equity, Diversity and Inclusion conference will take place this September.

Coventry University and NADOHE will bring together higher education leaders, researchers, staff, faculty, and students from across the globe to learn and exchange ideas, approaches, and best practices.

The event aims to explore the role higher education can play in transforming equity, diversity, and inclusion discourse, practice and research in the 21st century against a backdrop of wider issues in society such as systemic racism, the emerging challenges created by the pandemic, global economic downturns and environmental challenges.

The theme for the first conference is ‘Global Perspectives of Equity & Inclusion in Higher Education: Challenges & Opportunities’.

Annette Hay, Chair of the Equality Accelerate Group at Coventry University and the conference co-Chair, said, “This is the first event of its kind

for NADOHE outside of the US. It is the main higher education body for Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education in the United States, it has more than 1,400 members and is a hugely respected organisation in the US, but increasingly across the world.

“This collaboration is significant to me, because I was pivotal in establishing the relationship and collaboration with NADOHE, resulting in Coventry University becoming their first international member and representative on their Board. “This conference is going to be an important one, because it is taking place at a critical time in world history, towards the end of a global pandemic that brought with it new social norms, fears and biases. This will be a critical moment for Higher Education discourse on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, with experts from across the globe. This event will allow us to share perspectives, ways of working and ultimately agree actions that increase inclusivity in higher education and work together, towards eradicating and exposing all inequalities and discrimination across society.”

The inaugural joint International Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Conference will take place at Coventry University between 5-7th September.

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Vinesh Pomal: Inside Diverse Architecture (Part Two) Sunetra Senior Allocation of space has long since been a staple of strong architecture: Vimesh embraces this to professionally specialise in structural interconnectivity. “How does the space flow from one room into another?

Indeed, how does that extend to the outside of the house and the way that it consequently sits within its surroundings? If, the street on which I'm building, for example, is broken down, I try to reinvigorate through the particular area I’m designing. Broadly, I enjoy clean, light architecture: lining features up cleanly and efficiently with pops of colour that can be added e.g., cupboards and various rooms. I will group and arrange spaces so that they’re functional as well as lending themselves to collective living.

Caring and sharing is at the core of what I do: you need your own space but also to be able to co-progress.” In short, Vinesh champions the edification of empathy: “Architecture is ultimately the process of creating successful spaces to inhabit, reinforcing stable community” The architectural activist also teaches in the first-year design studio at Leicester School of Architecture and has been a guest critic at Ulster, Central St. Martins, Loughborough, Sheffield and Reading Universities: “inspiring younger generations is another passion of mine. I love to welcome people into the industry, making accessible the trade, rather than alienating or normalising condescension.

Unfortunately, the industry can be incredibly elitist so I strive to challenge and break that status-quo. I was the first child from my family to attend university, so I want others to have that equal opportunity too.”

Finally, Vinesh does not simply advocate for his multifaceted profession, but also an open-minded society that is physically reflected in the world. This creates a vivid mutually affirmative, long-term happiness.

“An exterior can look fantastic but that is not enough. You need a warm, practical and uplifting environment that you can truly call your home.” ould you elaborate on the need for more diversity socially?

Within the community, we need to celebrate a plethora of Brit-Asian professions in addition to the traditional lauded path of doctor, lawyer or dentistry. Growing up, my family had a corner shop where I helped out learning important business and social

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skills. I studied Business Studies, Spanish and Product Design before going on to study architecture; all of which I have used in some shape or form during my career-todate At that aspiring age, I did not feel any discrimination within the profession. It was only later when I’ve tried to progress up the ladder that I’ve encountered barriers. Here, much more must be done to counteract unconscious bias within the typically white middleclass industry. I have been told, “you’re too enthusiastic,” when being vocal for example as a reason for not being promoted. As a person of colour, it is challenging to speak out, but from a position of white privilege, you tend to be heard anytime with whatever it is you want to say.

There is a general lack of people of colour in senior positions. You’d think your skillsets would be identified first, but this is not hap-

“Architecture is ultimately the process of creating successful spaces to inhabit, reinforcing stable community” pening at higher levels. Diversity needs to be palpable e.g. I’m the minority at industry events and there’s a lack of role models from minority backgrounds. There should be more visibility for people of colour and for those from low socio-economic backgrounds where leaving this unaddressed should not be the status-quo. o you have a favourite design or feature from a certain era?

I have many favourite architects and buildings: one is the Hoover Building on the A40 built in the 1930s. I live around the corner from it and I’m inspired by the elegance of the Art Deco style. I live in Perivale and have grown up surrounded by 1930’s housing which is an interesting typology as it allowed for flexibility and adaptation, from rear, side and loft extensions to creating homes for multiple generations to live under. Television Centre in White City, formerly home of the BBC is another gem for

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PM threatened with legal action for stalling on the promised inquiry Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being threatened with legal action for stalling on the promised public inquiry into his handling of the Covid crisis, with no date set for it to start.

Bereaved families have announced plans to explore a judicial review – accusing the prime minister of breaking a pledge that the probe would get underway in “spring 2022”. It has been six months since the former Court of Appeal judge Heather Hallett was picked to lead the inquiry and more than six weeks since she recommended terms of reference, they said.

The delay is a breach of the 2005 Inquiries Act, which requires the government to announce an inquiry’s start date “within a reasonable time” of

appointing its chair, it is argued.

The Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign called the wait of more than six months “unprecedented and totally inexplicable”.

Mr Johnson has long been accused of dragging his heels in order to prevent likely damning conclusions about his response to the pandemic emerging before a general election in spring 2024.

Baroness Hallett’s report now seems certain to be published long after the election – after she revealed there will be no public hearings until next year.

The inquiry has still not been triggered – creating a vacuum in which the prime minister has argued more vociferously that he “got the big calls right” on Covid.

VINESH POMAL

Elizabeth Line

me with its simple clean lines and creative adaptation into a mixed-use development.

However, architecture isn’t just about buildings –. I am a fan of railway station architecture; the way they have regenerated St. Pancras International carries so much grace. The recently opened stations along the Elizabeth Line highlights the high-quality architecture our London infrastructure is capable off. For an architect, there’s so many exciting elements. o you think there is young architecture emerging and what constitutes this in your opinion?

Sustainability is at the heart. Eco-friendly, fit-for-purpose renovations are popping up across the city as an urgent response to rapid climate change. This means accommodating for several environmentally

concept is insulation: there needs to be smart insulation. The analogy for this is a big jacket – the bulkier the jacket, the warmer you are: if your building does not have enough insulation, you’d have to rely more on heating. There will be increasing changes such as this to regulations for new buildings. The Scandinavian model demonstrates this well: the buildings are arranged to capture sun naturally: down to the mind-

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Stanstead Road in South London Two

ful minutiae. There’s not lots of glazing everywhere. How can you change your home? Placing shutters in front of your windows, which is common in many European countries, can prevent overheating whilst it on the outside, for example, to prevent it overheating. These devices can also introduce character. inally, what qualities does one need to be a strong, successful architect?

Professionalism and passion. Engage with your employer and be proactive in the industry in every shape and form. We want people who sincerely love to enhance another’s life. You should cultivate experiences early on. If you are drawn to a building or space, go and photograph or draw it: share your enthusiasm. You also need to be creative. Architecture combines many disciplines: history, business, geography, philosophy. It’s all-encompassing. Once you’re in, the end goal is the client being happy. This is what fulfils.

T: @vineshpomal

F Stanstead Road in South London

friendly precautions e.g., preservation of heat. There is a general raised awareness in designing homes that address future stability e.g., soon gas in new-builds will be banned. There’s also increased work on existing homes as opposed to simply demolishing and rebuilding which requires more materials and can be expensive. We are recycling whole buildings! There’s a huge campaign around retrofitting which is the official term for this. Another important

Motorists cutting back on drive as fuel prices shoot-up According to a survey by Opinium more than two fifths of motorists are driving less frequently or making shorter journeys since fuel prices began to soar in March, Some 43% of the UK public are cutting back on driving, potentially leaving certain demographics isolated and inconvenienced as a result, the poll found. Some 35% of those in rural areas have been driving less owing to fuel costs – potentially leaving people isolated – compared with 31% of those in suburban areas and 23% of those in urban areas.

While, almost one in three (31%) urban drivers revealed that the rise in the cost of fuel had meant they had taken

shorter trips since March, compared with 28% of suburban drivers and 26% of those in rural areas, almost two in five unpaid carers (37%) had also cut down on their miles, as had 33% of key workers and 21% of paid carers.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “The average price of petrol went up by a half a penny to 189.84p on Wednesday while diesel jumped almost a penny to 198p a litre making a full tank nearly £109 (£108.90).

“It seems as though we are just days away from the frightening prospect of the price of diesel averaging £2 a litre across the UK taking the cost of a full tank to a staggering £110.

Quality of imported food to UK at risk The inaugural report, published on Monday, concluded that food standards had been maintained in 2021 despite pandemic upheaval, but said this was a “cautious conclusion” and warned of challenges ahead.

Better controls are needed to ensure the quality of “higher-risk” food coming from the EU post-Brexit – such as meat, dairy, eggs and feed – and to avoid “potential safety incidents”, a report by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) said. They added that the cost of living crisis would also put pressure on the types of food people could afford to buy.

The report said it was vital for the UK to be able halt the import of unsafe foods but that the FSA and FSS were unable to put sufficient controls in place without government support. The UK did not have new border checks in place when post-Brexit rules came into force in January last year, and implementing them was put off to July this year.

Nearly half of the UK’s food – 40m tonnes annually – comes from abroad, and two-thirds of that has in recent years come from the European Union.

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Doctors say underfunding by Tory government bigger reason than Covid for NHS crisis Senior doctors have drawn up a major dossier refuting Sajid Javid’s claim that the pressures on the NHS were created by the Covid pandemic, amid continued warnings over patient safety, scarce beds and staff morale.

The health secretary has repeatedly suggested that the problems around record waiting lists and ambulance waiting times have been prompted by the pandemic.

Last week in parliament, he

also accused shadow health secretary Wes Streeting of having his “head under a rock for two years” for not seeing that the pressures stemmed from Covid.

However, in a major review of evidence, doctors pointed to issues around funding, bed capacity, staffing and recruitment that pre-dated the arrival of Covid. The dossier, drawn up by the British Medical Association as it gathers for its annual conference this week,

finds that the UK’s health services were ill-prepared for the pandemic as a result of “historical underfunding and underresourcing in the decade preceding the virus”.

While the latest data for 2020 suggests this has changed, the report finds that this was largely down to increased spending during the pandemic and the impact of Covid on the overall economy, as the UK had the largest drop in GDP of all

G7 countries. It states that waiting lists had already hit 4.43 million in February 2020.

The average number of beds per 1,000 people in OECD EU nations is 4.6, but the UK has just 2.4. It also identified a major issue with GPs. “The equivalent of 1,348 fewer fully qualified full-time GPs were working in the NHS when the pandemic hit in March 2020 than there were in 2015,” it found.

South Asians with dementia being failed by systems designed for white patients Thousands of south Asian people with dementia are being failed by outdated health and care services designed for white British patients, according to an alarming review that warns the UK is “woefully unprepared” to cope with a predicted sevenfold increase in cases.

People of south Asian heritage in the UK are more likely to develop the disease than the general population due to their higher risk of other illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, that increase the risk of dementia.

The number of them living

with dementia is set to increase by 600% within the next three decades. But they are less likely to get an early or “timely” diagnosis, less likely to access treatment, and less likely to receive

British Council includes UK under countries linked to ‘ethnic conflict’ but not China or Iran The British Council has included the UK on a list of countries linked to “ethnic conflicts, civil disturbances and genocides”.

The council’s race equality guide, an internal guide available to staff via its intranet and website, also highlights what it claims is “unlawful unjustified discrimination” in Britain It states: “Ethnic conflicts, civil disturbances and genocides have been witnessed in all continents. By some estimates, one or more of these are currently prevalent in around a quarter of countries worldwide. “They include but are not restricted to Afghanistan, Australia,

Bosnia, Colombia, Darfur, France, Germany, Libya, Russia, South Sudan, Syria, Spain and the UK. They have claimed billions of victims.”

China was not included on the list of countries that have “witnessed” genocide. This is despite the country facing accusations of crimes against humanity targeting the Uighur minority. Iran was also said to have been left off the list.

A British Council spokesman said: “The document is a resource for staff that sets out our approach to race equality, explaining that no country in the world is immune to instances of racism, including the UK.”

support when diagnosed, because of a “totally inadequate” system set up decades ago for a predominantly white population.

The health secretary, Sajid Javid, has made repeated public pledges to “level up health”. However, his promised white paper on health disparities, originally due in the spring, has yet to materialise.

Early diagnosis of dementia is vital, opening the door to treatment. It also helps patients

Man arrested for law graduate’s murder in Ilford In a latest attack on women at a time when more attention is being paid to their safety after a string of high profile attacks and murders, a 29-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a young woman was ambushed and brutally killed in a stranger attack in a street in east London.

Police said the 35-year-old, named as Zara Aleena, suffered serious head injuries in "a horrific assault" as she walked in the direction of Gants Hill Station, Ilford, early on Sunday.

Neighbours told how they were woken up by the sound of a woman screaming during the attack in Ilford. Officers released the first photo of her on Monday afternoon.

Chief Superintendent Stuart

Criminal barristers strike over poor funding A week after Britain saw the biggest rail strike in 30 years as furious commuters were forced to battle for buses, drive or cycle to get around the country, the barristers have also walked-out.

Tearful barristers have joined the picket line on Monday as they become the latest workers to walk out in Britain's summer of discontent and strike in a dispute over legal aid funding. The lawyers taking action follow a vote from BT workers, which could spark 'tremendous disruption' for millions working from home, on top of the chaos caused

plan while they are still able to make important decisions about care, finances and legal matters.

But the review found south Asians “are less likely to access dementia diagnostic services in a timely way, compared to white British”.

There’s also a language barrier challenge. English is not the first language for many older people within the south Asian community. Materials and support are largely provided only in English, leaving families to piecemeal translate leaflets and conversations with healthcare professionals.

by rail strikes last week, organised by the RMT union.

While, around 50 barristers gathered outside the Old Bailey, many in their gowns and wigs, standing close to the court entrance - as the chairman of the Criminal Bar Association claimed barristers are the 'poor persons' of the legal system, doctors, binmen, postmen and teachers are also all considering walking out over the coming weeks as well, adding yet more pressure on public services.

Zara Aleena

Bell said in a statement: "I can confirm that pending formal identification, we believe the victim to be a local 35-year-old woman named Zara Aleena.”

Moments after the briefing, the Met announced they have arrested a 29-year-old man, who remains in custody.

He further added, "It is now believed that she was the victim of an opportunist stranger attack. Her family are aware of this and they will continue to be updated." He added there was no evidence of any weapons being used in the beating, which left Ms Aleena with fatal head injuries, the BBC reported.

Ms Aleena was attacked before 2.44am on Sunday, when police were called by paramedics to a seriously injured woman who was found by members of the public in Cranbrook Road, Ilford. She had suffered serious head injuries but died after being taken to hospital. A postmortem examination revealed that she had "multiple serious injuries".

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said, "I'm heartbroken by the murder of Zara Aleena who had her whole life ahead of her”.

Friends and family have described her to be the ‘kindest soul’.

in brief TORY DONOR TO CHAIR COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE HONOURS IN ART AND MEDIA In a move that provoked immediate claims of political interference, John Booth, a venture capital investor who has given the party more than £200,000, has been made the “independent chair” of the committee that oversees honours in the arts and media. The role means he will also sit on the main honours committee, which considers all awards. Booth, who had already been appointed chair of the National Gallery last year, was quietly installed as chair of the arts and media honours committee this month. It comes after complaints that cultural posts have been handed to people close to the Conservative party. Among the Tory donors handed cultural appointments recently were Howard Shore, an investment banker who has contributed £1.75m to the party as an individual and through his firm Shore Capital, who was made a trustee of the Tate. The government says such appointments are made after an open selection process in accordance with the cabinet office’s governance code on public appointments, but ministers often have a say.

TEENAGER ARRESTED ON TERRORISM SUSPICION A teenager has been arrested from Stanstead Airport on suspicion of terrorism offences while waiting to board a flight, the ITV has reported.

The Met Polices said that the 16-yearold was arrested by counter-terrorism officers on Monday 27 June, during a stop and search.

The force added the alleged offences are reportedly linked to extreme Islamist ideology and he was due to board an outbound flight. The boy was arrested on suspicion of collecting information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism and disseminating terrorist publications. Currently the boy is in custody at a Police Station. The Met in a statement said, “He has been detained under Pace (Police and Criminal Evidence Act) and is in custody at a London police station while inquiries continue. As part of the investigation, a search warrant was executed at an address in east London. This search has been completed.”

STABBING AT CHRISP STREET Scotland Yard has confirmed that men with stab wounds approached police officers on routine patrol in East India Dock Road, Poplar on June 27. The knife attack is believed to have taken place in a chicken shop on the nearby Chrisp Street. Both men were taken to an east London hospital by the London Ambulance Service where their injuries were assessed as being non-life changing. A third man, who is also thought to have been assaulted in the same food outlet, was subsequently found with stab wounds, and was also taken to hospital with injuries which were are also not life-threatening.

Officers, including firearms officers, were deployed to the area following the incident to prevent any further violence.

An investigation into what took place is under way. There have been no arrests so far.

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Over £60,000 raised in support of women and their dependents fleeing Ukraine at The Loomba Foundation’s 25th Anniversary Gala

T

he Loomba Foundation, an international UN accredited NGO dedicated to improving the lives of widows, commemorated its 25th anniversary last week, on International Widows Day. Over 300 guests including senior politicians and leading business leaders gathered to celebrate the milestone occasion on 23rd June, at the Banqueting House in London’s Whitehall.

The event was dedicated to raising funds for a humanitarian initiative launched by The Loomba Foundation in partnership with Barnardo’s, the UK's largest children's charity, to support families, including mothers and their children, fleeing war-torn Ukraine to settle in the UK. The evening culminated with the successful fundraising of more than £60,000 within just a few minutes, with donations still ongoing.

The Loomba Foundation has a goal to reach £100,000 going forward to fund the initiative with Barnardo’s to help 1,000 families.

A £100 voucher will be issued to each mother settling in the UK from Ukraine to be spent in any of Barnardo’s 630 physical shops or online on essential items including clothing, toys and furnishings. Most recipients are likely to be vulnerable women and children who may have lost husbands and fathers in the conflict. They have experienced significant upheaval and trauma and require urgent support to set up a new life.

During the evening, Guest of Honour Rt Hon. Sir Tony Blair KG, former British Prime Minister, took to the stage to congratulate Lord Loomba on the milestone anniversary and the launch of this new initiative with Barnardo’s. He

Lord Loomba addressing the audience

recalled how in 1997, seeing that this charity stood for a strong cause, his wife, Cherie Blair QC CBE, pledged to embark on the journey with Lord Loomba to advocate for official UN recognition of International Widows Day. He spoke about the inspiring personal story behind the launch of The

Guests at the anniversary gala

Loomba Foundation, remembering how as a young boy Lord Loomba saw his mother treated like a second-class citizen once she became widowed.

Cherie Blair QC CBE – President of the Loomba Foundation, gave a rousing speech, wishing a happy birthday to The Loomba Foundation and praising the extraordinary determination of Lord Loomba over the past twenty-five years in campaigning for widows to have a voice. She said: “Huge congratulations to Lord Loomba for the amazing achievements of The Loomba

Scotland plans for ‘consultive referendum’ Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed plans for a "consultative referendum" as she outlined when a proposed vote on Scottish independence should take place, as Asian Voice went to press on Tuesday.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon reportedly said the Independence Referendum Bill will outline a vote,

which will be held on 19 October 2023, with the main question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

She added that she is "ready and willing" to negotiate with the Westminster government on the terms of holding the referendum and insisted that the vote must be "lawful" which remains nonnegotiable.

Foundation to provide vouchers to refugee Foundation as it turns 25 years old. families so they can buy the very basics – The hard work paid off in 2010 such as clothes, toys and bedding. We know when International Widows Day that many women and children will have was finally recognised by the lost fathers and husbands, and all will have United Nations. It has been a huge suffered the trauma of fleeing their home privilege to work by his side and to and moving to a new country. This new see our community of global scheme will help them take the first vital supporters grow. While we have steps towards settling in the UK and come far, there is still a long way to working towards a positive future.” go. We will not rest until the many Other illustrious speakers and grave injustices faced by widows are eliminated for good, aiming for the day when every widow has the help she deserves to rebuild her life and secure a bright future for her children.”

Lord Raj Loomba CBE, Founder and Chairman Trustee of the Loomba Foundation, said: “It was a pleasure to see so many distinguished guests come together to commemorate the Foundation’s 25th anniversary. I extend my Lord and Lady Loomba with Rt Hon Sir Tony Blair special thanks to Tony and Cherie Blair QC CBE and Cherie for their attendees at the event included Lord Karan dedication, commitment and Billimoria CBE DL – President, support over many years, and I’m Confederation of British Industry and confident that without it we Chairman of the Advisory Council, The would not be where we are today.

Loomba Foundation, and Harjiv Singh – I was extremely touched by the Founder & CEO, Gutenberg and Trustee, generosity of our supporters in The Loomba Foundation, whose aid of women and their contributions to the mission of The dependents fleeing Ukraine and am calling Loomba Foundation were also recognised. on anyone in a position to do so to give Lord Jeffrey Archer – author and former what they can as we work with Barnardo’s politician, called on guests to stand up and to provide urgent help for families settling give generously, successfully generating in the UK.” tens of thousands in donations within Michelle Lee-Izu, Executive Director minutes.

Development and Innovation at Special guest Bollywood producer Firoz Barnardo’s, commented: “Barnardo’s has a Nadiadwala rounded up the night with the proud history of supporting children and exclusive announcement that he will be families seeking sanctuary in the UK, and in producing a feature film to raise awareness recent months we have stepped in to help of the plight of widows around the world as those arriving from Ukraine. We are well as funds to help them. delighted to be working with The Loomba

The big plan to create elite schools in the North Mouhssin Ismail, a former City lawyer, says his plans include bringing his present school’s “magic”, as well as Ivy League graduates as teachers, to deprived northern towns. He will move 240 miles from the Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre (NCS) — one of a cluster of east London schools that sends dozens of pupils from disadvantaged homes to Oxbridge and Ivy League universities — to

Mouhssin Ismail (photo courtesy: Newham Collegiate Sixth Form)

help run the Star Academies group with headquarters in Blackburn, Lancashire.

Star Academies is joining with Eton to open three selective state sixth forms in Oldham,

Middlesbrough and Dudley. The colleges will accept pupils from 2025, aiming to fast-track teenagers from deprived backgrounds to top universities. With 4,500 teenagers vying for the NCS’s 300 available places this September, the centre is now more oversubscribed than an elite university.

Asked whether he will help to set up the new Etonbacked sixth forms, Ismail

reportedly said, “I don’t know yet. But I’ve run NCS and probably been one of the few head teachers who have started such a school from scratch and stayed with it all the way through.

So I think I’m in a good position to be able to advise and support wherever they need me. If they ask me to get involved, by all means I’ll share my expertise.” I have a finite amount of time on this planet and I want to see if I can do my bit."

House gas explosion in Birmingham Chaotic situation at airports to continue A woman has died after a major gas explosion at a house in Birmingham.

Emergency services rushed to Dulwich Road in Kingstanding just after 8.30pm on June 26. A man was said to be fighting for his life after neighbours rescued him from the destroyed house. He was reported to have "very significant injuries" and was rushed to hospital.

Four other men suffered minor injuries and were assessed by ambulance crews at the scene. One house was destroyed and several others have suffered significant

damage, along with nearby cars.

West Midlands Fire Service said, "We’re very sad to confirm that a woman has been found dead at the scene of last night's explosion in Kingstanding. Our thoughts and sympathies are with everyone affected."

A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said, "All emergency services and utility companies are at the scene of a house explosion on Dulwich Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham.

One house is destroyed with others significantly damaged. Cars have also

been damaged.

Cadent Gas, which also sent specialists to the scene, said it was "too early" to speculate on the cause of the blast. A spokesperson said: "Our teams are on-site at the incident in Kingstanding, assisting the multi-agency response as the gas emergency service for the West Midlands. It is too early to speculate on the cause. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted. "If ever anyone smells gas, nearby or anywhere, it is important to act immediately and ring the national gas emergency service on 0800 111 999."

Britons have been warned to brace for a summer of “massive disruption” after British Airways ground staff voted in favour of strike action at the carrier’s Heathrow hub.

Airport mayhem gripped terminals again as images emerged of customers forced to sleep on floors, surrounded by snaking passenger queues and mountains of abandoned luggage.

But despite warnings of a looming crisis, photographs taken at UK airports appear to show the country’s travel hubs already

in the eye of the storm.

Complaints regarding enormous queues at both airports were flooding Twitter, with one user describing the scenes at the former as “chaotic”.

The incoming strike action will involve an estimated 700 workers, which the GMB Union said was “likely to be during the peak summer holiday period. Holidaymakers face massive disruption thanks to the pig-headedness of British Airways”.

Meanwhile, No 10 said further strikes will “only add to the misery being faced by

passengers at airports”. A spokesman promised “to look at what contingency measures BA could put in place” to get around the action. The current airport chaos, which has seen flight delays and cancellations, is “completely to do with Brexit”, the boss of the Ryanair airline said.

The airline boss said passengers should brace for a “less than satisfactory experience”, with flight delays due to last across the peak season and some airlines cancelling between 5 per cent and 10 percent of flights.

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Dear Financial Voice Reader,

Alpesh Patel OBE

Which Stocks to Play the Cost of Living Crisis?

The cost of living is escalating at an accelerated rate in today's society. This is due to several reasons, but one of the most important is commodity pricing. It not only affects the price of fuel and food, but also many other products that are used in day-to-day life.

The cost-of-living crisis is a key concern for many people. It's no wonder that people are looking for ways to mitigate the impact on their finances. One way to do this is to invest in stocks and ETFs that are likely to benefit from the cost-of-living crisis.

Here, we will take a look at some of the best stocks and ETFs to buy to play the cost-of-living crisis.

What commodities are a key reason for the cost-of-living crisis?

The reason commodities are having such an impact on prices is because they are essential inputs in the production of goods and services. Two factors have contributed to the recent rise in commodity prices. These include: Increased demand from China and other emerging economies: As these countries have undergone economic development, their demand for commodities has increased.

This has put upward pressure on prices.

The coronavirus pandemic: The pandemic has led to a decrease in the supply of commodities, as mines and factories have been forced to close. At the same time, there has been an increase in demand for some commodities, as people stock up on supplies.

What stocks and ETFs might do well as the cost of living crisis continues?

One of the best ways to profit from the cost-of-living crisis is to invest in companies that produce commodities.

Some stocks are likely to benefit from the continued rise in commodity prices. These include: Mining companies Mining companies are a key source of commodities because they produce the raw materials that are used in manufacturing and other industries. Metals, including copper, aluminum, and iron ore, are all key inputs in the production process. The best stocks to buy in this sector include HP Group (NYSE: BHP) and Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO).

Oil and gas companies Oil and gas companies are also likely to benefit from higher prices, as they produce two of the most important commodities in the world. The best stocks to buy in this sector include ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX).

Industrial companies Industrial companies use commodities in the production of their goods. They are likely to benefit from higher prices, as they will be able to pass on the increased costs to consumers. The best stocks to buy in this sector include General Electric (NYSE: GE) and Honeywell (NYSE: HON).

Many ETFs invest in these types of companies. These include: The SPDR S&P Metals and Mining ETF (XME) This ETF tracks a basket of metals and mining stocks. It includes companies such as BHP Group, Rio Tinto, and Vale. It is one of the best-performing ETFs this year and is up over 35%, which is likely to continue as commodity prices rise.

The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX) This ETF tracks gold mining stocks. It includes companies such as Barrick Gold, Newmont, and Goldcorp. Gold is seen as a safe-haven asset, and so it often does well when there is economic uncertainty.

The iShares MSCI Global Silver Miners ETF (SLVP) This ETF tracks a basket of silver mining stocks. It includes companies such as First Majestic Silver, Fresnillo, and Pan American Silver. Silver is often seen as a cheaper alternative to gold, and so it can do well when gold prices are rising.

Is it likely to continue?

The cost-of-living crisis is likely to continue soon, as commodity prices are expected to remain high. This presents several opportunities for investors. The best way to profit from the situation is to invest in companies that produce commodities, or in ETFs that track these types of stocks.

Tata sets up UK’s largest carbon capture plant Tata Chemicals Europe has officially opened the UK's largest carbon capture plant at Northwich in a £20 million investment, including £4 million from the government.

Carbon dioxide emissions from a power plant in Cheshire are being used to make sodium bicarbonate for kidney dialysis at Britain's first industrial-scale carbon capture and usage plant.

Tata’s gas-fired heat and power plant generates steam and electricity for its factories that produce sodium carbonate, used in glass manufacturing, and sodium bicarbonate. Tata makes sodium bicarbonate from its sodium carbonate in a process that involves adding carbon dioxide, and the high-grade end product is used in kidney dialysis and pharmaceutical applications. Previously, Tata bought in carbon dioxide but is now making its own, using flue gas emissions

Driven by rising food and petrol prices, putting further pressure on the Bank of England to take bold action, the consumer prices index (CPI) rose 9.1 per cent in May compared with the same period last year, the highest since 1982 and up from 9 per cent in April, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This means, the inflation hit a 40-year high last month.

The CPI is expected to peak above 11 per cent this autumn, far higher than in the US and the European Union, as a result of the jump in household energy bills.

The Bank of England has raised interest rates at its past five meetings and markets expect it will have to step up its efforts to tighten the economy in the coming months. The benchmark interest rate stands at 1.25 per cent, the highest since 2009, and analysts expect it to climb above 3 per cent by the end of the year.

Higher inflation will cause a prolonged slowdown in the economy over the next three years, according to the Bank, as household incomes are hit by higher food costs at the same time as higher interest rates push up borrowing costs and lift unemployment levels from record lows. Rate-setters have said they will act “forcefully” to contain inflation if there are strong signs that higher prices could become a stubborn feature of the economy and fail to respond to rising interest rates.

British economy shows signs of recession An industry survey showed that British economy is showing signs of thwarting as high inflection hits new orders and businesses report levels of concern that normally signal a recession.

Meanwhile, the S&P Global Purchasing Manger Index (PMI), covering services and manufacturing firms, showed that companies are passing the high cost of

operation to the clients worrying the Bank of England.

Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence said: “the economy is starting to look like it is running on empty”. Further, he said: “business confidence has now slumped to a level which has in the past typically signaled an imminent

'No new money' for pay rises of public sector workers Amid mounting concern about wage awards fuelling inflation, ministers have been given the message that there will be “no new money” for pay rises, meaning that any extra funding will have to be found through spending cuts or underspending.

In the spending review last November, the government assumed that increases in public sector pay would amount to about 3 per cent.

But the review, and the assumptions underpinning it, took place before Russia invaded Ukraine, which has helped to spur inflation. The Treasury has told cabinet ministers that any pay rises for public sector workers

SBI (UK) raises interest rates The State Bank of India (UK) has raised the interest rates on its range of products after the announcement by the Bank of England to increase the base rate. The rate of increase is from 35bps to 100bps.

The new rates are effective from 22 June 2022.

The new interest rates are: Instant Access - 0.75%; 35 Days Notice -1.05%; Flexi ISA -0.95%; Limited Access - 0.95%.

Rates for Fixed Deposits have also changed: 1-year Fixed Deposit- 2.30%; 2-

from the power plant of about 4 per cent carbon dioxide, which is extracted and purified. Tata is marketing the sodium bicarbonate as “Ecokarb” for export globally. Tata said it would capture 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, or about 12 per cent of the power plant’s emissions. Martin Ashcroft, managing director of Tata Chemicals Europe, said the big challenge had been “technically whether it was possible to produce the right quality of CO2” but as this had succeeded the project was commercially viable and Tata could make a return on the investment in as little as four years.

UK inflation hits 40-year high

year Fixed Deposit - 2.55%; 3-year and 5year are both 2.80%, while 5-year Green Deposit is now 2.85%.

What for ISAs, they resulted in: for 2year - 2.25%, while 3-year and 5-year are both 2.50%.

Sanjay Pandey, ED SBI UK said to Asian Voice, "Our Bank has revised the rates in line with the market and to provide attractive investment options at very competitive rates to our valued customers."

must come from their existing budgets.

At the time of the spending review the Bank of England forecast that inflation would rise to 3.4 per cent at the end of this year.

It is now expected to hit 11 per cent. Teachers, NHS staff, soldiers, prison officers and civil servants will receive significantly lower settlements than the rate of inflation, opening the way to a wave of industrial action.

Boris Johnson has warned that Britain will face a “wage-price spiral” if it gives in to the demands of unions and accepts big increases in public sector pay.

David Canzini, a senior adviser to Johnson, told government aides that there should be no appeals for new spending. Downing Street argued that it would be “reckless” to raise public sector pay in line with inflation. The prime minister’s official spokesman said the government wanted to reward workers in the public sector with an increase, but warned against “chasing inflation”, which he said could lead to people’s takehome wages counting for less.

recession; also the economy was likely to show a fall in output in the second quarter that could deepen in the third quarter”.

The PMI's measure of new orders effectively stagnated as it fell to 50.8, the lowest in over a year.

Factory orders dipped below the 50 growth threshold to 49.6. The PMI’s business expectations index fell by

4.6 points in June, which is largest monthly decline since the start of Covid-19.

Manufacturers and service providers both reported lowest business optimised level; since May 2020.

The Bank of England says that the recent jump in inflation, which hit 40-year high of 9.1% in May, might turn into a permanent problem for the British economy.

UK to probe card charges imposed by Visa, Mastercard Mastercard and Visa process about 99 per cent of debit and credit card payments in the UK, by volume and value.

“Since the UK left the EU, Visa and Mastercard have increased these fees five-fold,” the watchdog has said, referring to an element of cross-border fees that caused concern among MPs and consumers when the changes were revealed last year.

The UK’s Payment Systems Regulator will now probe the card charges imposed by Visa and Mastercard, focusing on the post-Brexit jump in processing fees and cross-border transaction levies. According to the watchdog it was seeking to “understand the rationale behind these increases and whether they are an indication that the market is not working well”.

The cap on transaction fees between the UK and Europe was removed after Britain left the EU, which permitted card operators to increase cross-border payment charges.

Mastercard and Visa levy an “interchange” fee on behalf of banks for every debit or credit card payment that uses their networks. The EU introduced a cap in 2015 after concerns that the hidden fees were leading to hundreds of millions of euros in costs for companies and higher prices for consumers.

Lloyds Bank warns customers over online scam The Lloyds Bank has warned its customers to stay alert over rise in purchase scams, notably through fake adverts. As per the Lloyds’ data, reports of purchase scams which involve shoes and trainers have more than doubled so far this year. The numbers have risen by a staggering 112 per cent compared to the same period in 2021. On average, the targeted consumers are losing £152 alone to scams involving shoes and trainers, the bank estimates. However, in purchase scams, shoes and trainers are not the only items which have been used to con people, according to the bank.

Fraudsters are also using tickets to con consumers who are looking to attend live events following the end of pandemic-era social distancing restrictions.

Liz Ziegler, the Retail Fraud and Financial Crime director at Lloyds Bank, explained: “Fraudsters are always on the lookout for new ways to trick victims out of their hard-earned cash.”

Meanwhile, Lloyds is reminding people to check any websites they are purchasing from are genuine by looking at reviews.

AsianVoiceNews

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Gautam Adani pledges £6 bn for charity to mark his 60th birthday Gautam Adani and his family has pledged to donate £6 billion to social causes to mark his 60th birthday on 24 June and to pay tribute to the 100th birth anniversary of his father, Shantilal Adani. This is the biggest philanthropic commitment in India so far. Adani’s commitment places him among the select few Indian billionaires who have pledged part of their wealth to philanthropy. With this, Adani joins the ranks of billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg and Warren Buffett, who have committed large parts of their wealth to philanthropy.

The funds, which will be managed by the Adani Foundation, will be used for charitable activities in the areas of healthcare, education and skills development, with a particular focus on India’s rural regions. The donation will be managed by the Adani Foundation, which is led by his wife Priti Adani.

Adani said, “In addition to being the 100th birth anniversary of my inspiring father, this year also happens to be the year of my 60th birthday and therefore the family decided to contribute towards charitable activities. Our experience in large project planning and execution and the experience from the work done by the Adani Foundation will help us uniquely accelerate these programmes. The donation will focus on areas that form the foundation of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

“Adani and his family’s commitment towards philanthropy should set an example that we can all try to live Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of Trusteeship of Wealth at the peak of our business success and need not wait for our sunset years," said Azim Premji, founder and chairman of Wipro. (In 2021 he donated an estimated $1.3 billion of his family's wealth to social causes.)

“I am very touched by Gautambhai’s commitment to a very important milestone in his life. I always admired him for his deep family values and commitment to see India prosper, said Uday Kotak, MD Kotak Mahindra Bank.

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

CEO of Adani Ports and SEZ and Adani's son Karan said, “Dad, you are the foundation that keeps our family together. Wish you a very happy birthday. You amaze us every year with your energy and passion.

The experience I gain from you is new learning for me. You are the foundation that keeps our family together.”

India’s wealthiest people and philanthropy India’s wealthiest people have been criticised in the past for not donating more to philanthropy causes. The India Philanthropy Report 2021 by global consultancy firm Bain and Co. said that the country’s ultra-rich individuals with a net worth of more than 500 billion rupees donated 0.5% of their wealth.

Jamsetji Tata, who set up Tata Trusts, is the most generous individual of the last century, with total donations of over $102 billion at current value. In FY21, Premji donated $1.3 billion to charity. His foundation has an endowment estimated at $21 billion.

The family of HCL Technologies founder Shiv Nadar was the second biggest donor according to a 2021 Hurun India report. Now Adani has set a new example. Adani’s pledge is almost half of what Bill Gates and Melinda Gates donated to their foundation in 2021, while the former couple’s total donations are valued at $74.6 billion.

Facts and Figures: Adani Foundation covers 3.7 million people in 2,409 villages across 16 states in India. Founded in 1996, the Adani Foundation has focused its resources on social causes that aim to promote sustainable livelihoods, health and nutrition and education.

Beginning with rural communities in Mundra, Gujarat, the foundation now covers 3.7 million people in 2,409 villages across 16 states in India.

Asia’s Richest Billionaire Adani is the founder and chairman of Adani Group, a port and energy conglomerate with six publicly listed companies in India. In April 2022, according to Forbes’ Real-

Air India re-hiring retired pilots Air India has recently sent job offer letters to around 55 pilots who retired in the past four years as the airline plans to re-hire them as commanders to fly for another five years or till they reach the age of 65, whichever happens first.

Airline sources said the letters went out this week and 49 of the 55 pilots who received these postretirement contract offers have already expressed their willingness to rejoin the carrier.

On June 15, the airline also sent letters to about 50 senior pilots seeking their acceptance for conversion training on A350 aircraft.

The private carrier plans to add 200 aircraft to its fleet in the next four to five years, with a majority of these being narrow body aircraft - single-aisle planes

Gearing Up

that operate domestic routes or short and medium haul international routes.

Meanwhile, the wide-body, long-range A350 aircraft is set to join its fleet early next year.

Pilots are the highest paid employees of an airline. At the time of retirement, these Air India commanders would have drawn a monthly salary of around Rs 750,000, and the examiners about Rs 850,000. The airline will reinduct them at a slightly lower salary, say about Rs 650,000-700,000 per month. Since these pilots haven’t flown in months or years, their licences won’t be current and their medicals would have lapsed.

So, the airline would need to spend on their training and licensing before they can be back in the cockpit.

Time Billionaires List, Adani's wealth stood at $122.2 billion, overtaking Buffett's $120 billion and become the world’s 5th richest. Adani's estimated $123.7 billion net worth makes him the richest person in India and Asia, $19 billion wealthier than the country's number 2, Mukesh Ambani (who's worth is estimated at $104.7 billion), Forbes said in the report.

Entry in the billionaire rank Adani’s entrepreneurial journey began in 1988 when he started a commodities export firm after dropping out of college and joining his father’s textile shop. The owner of India’s largest port, located in his home state of Gujarat, he first joined the billionaire ranks in 2008, with an estimated net worth of $9.3 billion, but really began to gain momentum at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, after a period of aggressive expansion into renewable energy, media, airports and more.

From $8.9 billion to $50.5 billion Adani’s estimated fortune had jumped from $8.9 billion to $50.5 billion by April 2021, when Forbes released its annual World’s Billionaires list for that year. In February 2022, he overtook fellow Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani as Asia’s richest person after his net worth nearly doubled once again, to more than $90 billion.

Adani raises $775 mn to build India’s largest copper refinery Adani Enterprises is pushing ahead with plans to build India’s largest copper refinery as the world’s second-most populous nation seeks to reduce its reliance on metal imports. The conglomerate which also has interests in airports, edible oils, ports, renewable energy and toll roads said in a regulatory filing that its unit - Kutch Copper has raised $775 million in loans from a syndicate of banks led by the State Bank of India. Proceeds will be used to accelerate the construction of a greenfield copper refining plant in Gujarat.

Indian rupee slides against dollar Unabated foreign funds selling in the domestic market and the strength of the dollar against some major currencies took a heavy toll on Indian rupee. The Indian currency weakened to a record low of 78. 39 to the dollar. At the same time, led by strong selling in RIL, the sensex lost 710 points to close at 51,823 as investors turned cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve chief ’s testimony to the Congress.

Positive domestic equities and a weak American currency overseas supported the local unit, forex dealers said. According to Sriram Iyer, senior research analyst at Reliance Securities, the rupee remained weak for an 8th straight week on growing concerns that aggressive monetary policy tightening could raise the risk of a global economic slowdown. “The rupee has weakened over the last few sessions after FPI remained net sellers in the domestic equity and debt markets,” Iyer said The forward premium on rupee, which reflects interest rate differentials between India and US markets, has been falling. A low forward premium is not good for the spot exchange rate as it pre- sents an opportunity to those betting against the currency. “The decline in forward premia is because money market rates in the US have soared. This is purely because of the narrowing gap between Indian and US interest rates and does not mean that demand for dollar has declined in the forward market,” said K N Dey of United Financial Consultants.

We are in an inflationary environment; this means the real purchasing power of money is decreasing every day.

Currently, they say we are at 9.1%, the highest in 40 years. However, there are many metrics to measure inflation, and within this there is much room for manoeuvre. I would suggest we are in a higher inflationary environment than the picture being painted for us.

What’s interesting is the effect this will have in property prices, and debt. In this kind of environment, real assets will go up - such as property. What’s interesting is debt will decrease in real terms, for example, if you owe £100K and inflation is running at 10%, in a year’s time you will still owe £100K, but the purchasing power of that £100K would have gone down to £90K, of course you would have interest to pay against the money borrowed, but overall you have gained in an inflationary environment by having debt, as in real terms it decreases.

As time goes on business will be squeezed hard, many many will fold, thereby there will be a dearth of empty commercial properties on the market.

This will provide an opportunity. Many property companies typically based in BVI, purchased commercial properties purely for the rental income. Unlike residential commercial properties gain their value based on the tenant in occupation.

When they vacate, the value is diminished. It surprising how much by; an empty commercial property in a town centre location could go a for third of its occupied value.

There was a deal we were monitoring, it was in Swindon Town Centre with Specsavers and Boots as its tenants. This gives one an idea of the strength of its location. The property was owned by a Jersey company, purchased for £450K in 2017.

When a property is empty, the business rates then revert to the landlord, along with this the insurance get hiked up substantially. Therefore, instead of an income producing asset the piece of real estate now becomes a liability. For an analyst sitting behind a desk offshore in his ivory tower these are just numbers on a spreadsheet, and from being positive they have dipped below the axis and have gone into a negative, therefore time to offload.

The property was placed in auction and went for £154K. This was a vacant property consisting of 3,900 sq. ft. A quick calculation shows 5 flats can be developed inexpensively. At a value of £150K per unit this means the site will have a GDV of £750K. I would estimate no more than £50K per flat to convert.

This is a model one will see time and time again with increasing rapidity. Therefore, there will be money to be made in the coming times.

However, interest rates will need to rise to keep up with inflation. This will impact the borrowing rates to do these types of developments - if of course you’re borrowing.

It will be interesting to see the effect this will have on the bridging market, as bridging has become very competitive, and rates are very keen for the product you are getting. We will be keeping a close eye on this sector.

New private airline ‘Akasa’ to be launched soon One more private airline in India will soon be launched.

Billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala backed airline Akasa will take to the skies from July-end and ticket sales could begin by early July.

The budget carrier’s first Boeing 737 Max landed in Delhi recently, which will be used to perform proving flights to get the air operator permit (AOP, or licence).

“We will start operations with two aircraft. Proving flight is expected next week and the AOP is expected in a fortnight,” Akasa founder, MD & CEO Vinay Dube said in a statement.

The ‘Akasa’ airline expects to have 20 B737 Max by next summer. Starting with domestic passenger flights, it has also planned to begin international flights in the second half of 2023. In all Akasa has already ordered 72 B737 Max. Out of this 72, it will get delivery of 18 by March 2023 and the rest over the next four years.

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in brief

More than 1,150 killed in Afghan quake, aid arrives GAYAN: An aftershock took five more lives and threatened to pile even more misery on an area of eastern Afghanistan reeling from a powerful earthquake that state media said killed 1,150 people last week.

The magnitude 6 quake struck a remote, mountainous region already grappling with staggering poverty at a time when the country as a whole is spiraling deeper into economic crisis after many countries pulled back critical financing and development aid in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover.

That aid had been keeping the country afloat, and its withdrawal left millions unable to afford food and further strained already struggling medical facilities.

Afghanistan's international isolation is also complicating

relief efforts since many governments are wary of putting money in the Taliban’s hands.

Residents appeared to be largely on their own to deal with the aftermath as their new Taliban-led government and the international aid community struggle to bring in help.

The shoddy mountain roads leading to the affected areas were made worse by damage and rain.

In villages across Gayan, families who had spent the previous rainy night out in the open lifted pieces of timber of collapsed roofs and pulled away stones by hand, looking for loved ones. Taliban fighters circulated in vehicles in the area, but only few were helping dig through the rubble.

India sends aid The Government of India,

as a true first responder, has dispatched 27 tons of emergency relief assistance in two flights for the of people Afghanistan”, an MEA statement said.

The relief assistance to Afghanistan includes essential items such as family ridge tents, sleeping bags, blankets, sleeping mats, etc. As per the report, the relief consignment will be handed over to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in Kabul. “As always, India stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, with whom we share centuries-old ties, and remains firmly com-

INDIAN ORIGIN NAMED DEAN OF US MED SCHOOL

mitted to providing immediate relief assistance for the Afghan people”, the ministry said.

India has also deployed a technical team in the Embassy of India, Kabul. Indian technical team reached Kabul last week. “In order to closely monitor and coordinate the efforts of various stakeholders for the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance and in continuation of our engagement with the Afghan people, an Indian technical team has reached Kabul and has been deployed in our Embassy there”, the MEA had said.

Economy has collapsed, unable to buy oil: Lanka PM COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s prime minister says its debt-laden economy has “collapsed” after months of shortages of food, fuel and electricity, and the South Asian island nation cannot even purchase imported oil.

“We are now facing a far more serious situation beyond the mere shortages of fuel, gas, electricity and food. Our economy has completely collapsed.

That is the most serious issue before us today,” PM Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament.

“Currently, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is $700 million in debt,” he told law-

makers. “As a result, no country or organisation in the world is willing to provide fuel to us.

They are even reluctant to provide fuel for cash,” he said.

Wickremesinghe said the government had failed to act in time to turn the situation around, as Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves dwindled.

“If steps had at least been taken to slow down the collapse of the economy at the beginning, we would not be facing this difficult situation today.

But we lost out on this opportunity. We are now seeing signs of a possible fall to rock bottom,” he said.

Pak ‘arrests’ 26/11 plotter after calling him dead NEW DELHI: At first, he didn’t exist. Then he was declared dead. But 14 years after he and his team plotted the 26/11 attack in Mumbai, Pakistan seems to have “arrested” global terrorist and Lashkar-eTaiba (LeT) commander Sajid Mir, who is probably in his late 40s and carries an FBI bounty of $5 million on his head.

The development is seen as a desperate attempt by Pakistan to get out of the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental entity that tracks terror financing and money laundering. Mir is wanted by the US government and the next possible course of action seems his extradition and trial in American soil. At least six US citizens were killed in the 26/11 attacks.

The FBI describes Mir as someone who once wore a beard and hair down to his shoulders.

He, it says, may have altered his appearance through plastic surgery and holds him responsible for directing preparations and reconnaissance and being one of the Pakistan-based controllers during the 26/11 attacks.

Also, Mir allegedly conspired to commit a terrorist attack against a newspaper and its employees in Denmark between 2008 and 2009.

He was the banned LeT’s foreign recruiter and the main handler for American terrorist David Coleman Headley alias Dawood Gilani. Intelligence dossier on him say he made bases in Dubai, Qatar, Syria and Thailand to conduct the Pakistan-backed terrorist outfit’s operations.

Sri Lanka has been muddling through mainly supported by $4 billion in credit lines from neighbouring India.

But Wickremesinghe said India would not be able to keep Sri Lanka afloat for too long.

India offers help A top Indian official has held talks with Lanka’s president and prime minister as India signals its willingness to go beyond the $4 billion in loans, swaps and aid that it has already provided its cashstrapped neighbour.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, accompanied by finance ministry officials, held

talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the commercial capital, Colombo, officials said.

“Underlined India stands ready to help Sri Lanka in quick economic recovery through promoting investments, connectivity and strengthening economic linkages,” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi posted on Twitter.The Indian team held a separate meeting with Wickremesinghe, the central bank governor and finance ministry officials, an official from the prime minister’s office said.

Pak hospital staffs cut off newborn’s head ISLAMABAD: In a case of medical negligence, the staff of Rural Health Centre (RHC) in Pakistan's Sindh province has reportedly cut of a new born baby’s head and left the severed head in the mother’s womb which put her life at risk.

The 32- year-old Hindu woman from Bheel community was rushed to a neighboring hospital in Mithi, but there were no medical facilities available there to treat her. Her family eventually took her to Jamshoro’s Liaquat University of Medical and Health Science (LUMHS) where her life was saved by removing the severed head of the newborn from mother’s womb.

Pakistan government has ordered for inquiry to find the culprits after the reports have

gone viral. Dr Juman Bahoto, the Director-General of Sindh Health Services has ordered separate inquiries into the case and the investigation committees will look into what has happened, particularly towards the lack of gynecologist and female personnel at the RHC in Chachro.

Professor Raheel Sikander, the head of gynecology unit of LUMHS, said that the woman had first gone to a Rural Health Centre (RHC) in her area but with no female gynecologist available, the inexperienced staff caused her immense trauma. He added that the baby’s head was entrapped inside and the mother’s uterus had been ruptured and they had to open up her abdomen surgically and take out the head to save her life.

Bangla PM opens country's longest rail-road bridge DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the country’s longest 6.15 km long road rail Padma Bridge which is completely built with domestic funding. This multipurpose bridge will connect southwestern Bangladesh with the capital and other parts. It was constructed at the cost of $ 3.6 billion.

Sheikh Hasina congratulated all those people involved in

the construction of the Padma Bridge. “I have no complaints against anyone, but I reckon

those who opposed the Padma Bridge construction plan and called it a 'pipe dream', lack self-confidence. I hope this bridge will boost their confidence and this bridge is not just bricks, cement, iron, and concrete.

This bridge is our pride, a symbol of our capacity, our strength, and our dignity. This bridge

belongs to the people of Bangladesh," The Padma Bridge project witnessed several engineering wonders as well as technological challenges. It emerged as the wonder structure for Bangladesh and saw the use of state-of-the-art machinery and know-how. The project was initially expected to be funded by a consortium led by the World Bank.

Leading India-born structural biologist, John Kuriyan, has been named the next dean of the Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences, joining a growing number of Indian-Americans heading top US schools and colleges. Kuriyan's appointment, effective January 1, 2023, will advance the university's goal of expanding its global research impact by leveraging fundamental investigations in molecular, cellular and developmental biology into foundational advances in drug discovery, pharmacology and genetic engineering, Vanderbilt said in a statement.The Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences is based in the US state of Tennessee. A Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator for more than 30 years, Kuriyan studied at the University of Madras before transferring to Juniata College in Pennsylvania.

AFGHAN FLOODS KILL 400 The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has confirmed that 400 people have died in the recent floods triggered by incessant rain across the country. The floods hit the provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Laghman, Panjshir, Parwan, Kabul, Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Bamiyan, Ghazni, Logar, Samangan, Sar-e-Pul, Takhar, Paktia, Khost and Daikundi, as well as the Salang areas, a report said. The wounded have been evacuated to the hospitals. The people whose residences were damaged in the floods have been evacuated and provided with tents,” Mawlawi Sharfuddin Muslim, the deputy Minister of Natural Disaster Management, said in a statement.

ISRAEL LAWMAKERS MAKE MOVE TO DISSOLVE HOUSE Israeli lawmakers voted in favor of dissolving parliament in a preliminary vote, setting the wheels in motion to send the country to its fifth national election in just over three years. The motion was the first step in a series of votes before the formal disbanding of the government. It came two days after PM Naftali Bennett announced he was disbanding his unraveling governing coalition of eight ideologically diverse parties just over a year after he took office. A series of proposals for dissolving parliament were passed by a vast majority of the 120 members of Knesset, the Israeli parliament. But a final vote on at least one of the motions is still required in order to dissolve parliament, and that is expected to be held next week.

TAIWAN SCRAMBLES JETS TO WARN CHINESE PLANES Taiwan scrambled jets to warn away 29 Chinese aircraft in its air defence zone, including bombers that flew south of the island and into the Pacific, in the latest uptick in tensions and largest incursion since late May. Taiwan calls China’s repeated nearby military activities “grey zone” warfare, designed to both wear out Taiwanese forces by making them repeatedly scramble, and also to test Taiwanese responses. The latest Chinese mission included 17 fighters and six H-6 bombers, as well as electronic warfare, early warning, anti-submarine and aerial refuelling aircraft, Taiwan’s defence ministry said.

INDIAN DIES OF ‘GUNSHOT WOUND’ IN THE US A 25-year-old man from Telangana, identified as Sai Charan Nakka, who was found injured inside an SUV after sustaining an apparent gunshot wound to his head has died, according to authorities in Maryland. Sai Charan was immediately rushed to the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Centre, where he was pronounced dead a little later, the report said. Baltimore police have launched a homicide investigation. His father N Narasimha said his son flew to the US in 2020.

After completing his MS course and was working in Maryland for the last six months.

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in brief

Indian origin appointed as Biden's chief science adviser

PUTIN ALLY WARNS LONDON ‘WILL BE BOMBED FIRST’ Moscow: A close ally of Vladimir Putin has claimed that London will be the first strategic NATO target that will be hit by Russian missiles hinting at a World War 3.

Speaking on Russian Vladimir Putin state TV, Andrey Gurulyov, an MP who sits on Moscow’s defence committee, a former military commander and member of the pro-Putin United Russia party, said: “We’ll destroy the entire group of the enemy’s space satellites during the first air operation.“No one will care if they are American or British; we would see them all as Nato. “Second, we’ll mitigate the entire system of anti-missile defence, everywhere and 100 per cent. Third, we certainly won’t start from Warsaw, Paris or Berlin. The first to be hit will be London. “It’s crystal clear that the threat to the world comes from the Anglo-Saxons.”He said Western Europe would be “cut off from power supplies” – which he said would also be destroyed – and “immobilised.”

MAN ON STABBING RAMPAGE HURTS 4 IN NZ A man wounded four people in a stabbing rampage stopped by bystanders who brought him to the ground in a New Zealand city neighborhood, police said. Police District Commander Naila Hassan said the attack in Auckland was random and the suspect was in custody. She said there was no indication the attack was a hate crime, as the victims were of different genders, ethnicities and ages.

“This was an extremely fast-moving incident, where our police staff responded quickly, apprehended the offender,” Hassan said. She said the victims suffered moderate injuries.

UK MP ASKS FOR PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON HINDU GENOCIDE During Business Questions, MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman spoke about the threat to Hindus around the world. He said, “I attended a symposium last night on the plight of the Hindus across the world. Forced conversions, murders and quite frankly, genocide have been committed against Hindus across the world.” He further went on to ask the Leader of the House for a debate on Hindu genocide. He said, “I ask if I can have a debate in Government time on the threat to Hindus across the world who are peaceful, law-abiding people who just want to live their lives in peace and harmony?”

Dr Aarti Prabhakar

WASHINGTON: Leading Indian-American scientist and physicist Dr Aarti Prabhakar has been named by President Joe Biden as his top science advisor - which White House hailed as a “historic” nomination.

If confirmed by the Senate, she will be the first woman, immigrant, or person of colour to head the Office of Science and Technology Policy. “I share Dr Prabhakar’s belief that America has the most powerful innovation machine the world has ever seen,” Biden said of the

Indian origin gunned down while sitting in parked car NEW YORK: A 31-year-old Indian-origin man was shot dead while sitting in a parked SUV in New York, according to reports, days after an Indian national was killed after sustaining an apparent gunshot wound to his head in Maryland.

Satnam Singh was found sitting in the car in the South Ozone Park section of Queens with gunshot wounds in his neck and torso, the New York Post newspaper reported quoting police.

Singh was sitting in the Jeep Wrangler Sahara when a gunman approached and started shooting. Singh was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where doctors pronounced

him dead. Although police said the gunman approached Singh on foot, neighbours said the shots came from a silver-coloured sedan as it passed the Jeep. The shooting was caught on the security cameras of a neighbour, which police personnel are reviewing. Detectives were trying to determine if the gunman was aiming at Singh or was hoping to kill the SUV’s owner and was unaware who was inside.No arrests have been made so far.

its across a wide variety of sectors to create powerful new solutions for critical challenges.

She is an engineer and applied physicist with extensive management and leadership credentials.

Prabhakar served as director of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency from 2012 to 2017. She oversaw teams that prototyped a system for detecting nuclear and radiological materials before a terrorist can build a bomb, developed tools to find human trafficking networks in the deep and dark web, and that enabled complex military systems to work together even when they were not originally designed to do so. She also established a new office to spur novel biotechnologies, the White House said.

Anjali Chaturvedi joins administration Prominent IndianAmerican legal expert Anjali Chaturvedi has been nominated

by Biden as general counsel in the veterans affairs department.

Anjali is a deputy assistant attorney general in the criminal division of the US department of justice, according to the White House website. She has been nominated for general counsel, US department of veterans affairs.

The main vision of the department is to provide veterans the world-class benefits and services they have earned - and to do so by adhering to the highest standards of compassion, commitment, excellence, professionalism, integrity, accountability, and stewardship.

Jainism can save America from gun culture WASHINGTON: US has become a victim of gun culture and it has turned out to be a major problem for the government. Figures show that there have been around 700 mass shootings in the US last year.

How to prevent such brutal massacres was a big question that is when, Jainism has shown a ray of hope to solve this problem through India’s principle of non-violence (Ahimsha Parmo Dharma).

JAINA (Federation of Jain Associations in North America) had proposed to introduce the subject “non-violence and yogic dietvegetarianism” in the college curriculum. This proposal has been under discussion for a long period and the proposal has been approved in the Parliament.

The Jain community has come forward to start this course in 40

American universities. The outline for this curriculum is under process. There are about 150,000 Jains in US and Canada. The estimated cost for this project is around £45 million and the first phase itself will cost around £15 million. The Jain community has already agreed to borne these expenses.

With a donation amount of £9.6 million, Dr. Jashwant Doshi is the biggest donor for this project.

Many scholars had to visit India to study and gain experience in understanding and learning Jain culture and to attain PhD. This means, American students will now be able to learn India’s lessons in non-violence which will surely bring a positive change in their lives. Gradually, gun culture will turn to non-violence culture.

BAPS launches research institute in US Washington: To meet the increasing level of interest in Sanskrit language and traditional Indian knowledge, the Swaminaryan Sanstha has launched, a first of its kind research institute in United States.

The BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute in New Jersey was formally inaugurated by Mahant Swami Maharaj, who joined the ceremony virtually from Ahmedabad, with the lighting of the inaugural lamp, symbolizing the spreading of the light of knowledge throughout the world, a

2 Sikhs sworn as ministers in Ontario cabinet TORONTO: Two Sikhs were sworn as ministers in the new 30-member Cabinet of Ontario province in Canada.

Parm Gill, 48, who was Minister for Citizenship and Multiculturalism in the outgoing ministry, took oath as Minister for Red Tape Reduction. Gill was re-elected from Milton on the outskirts of Toronto. His family comes from Punjab's Moga.

Prabhmeet Sarkaria, 31, who became the first turbanwearing Sikh Cabinet minister in Ontario four years ago and was President of the Treasury Board in the outgoing Cabinet, again took oath

63-year-old who was born in New Delhi and is on the cusp of being a member of the Biden cabinet.

Prabhakar has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate before, to lead the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and was the first woman to hold that role. She later served as director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the birthplace of breakthrough technologies like stealth aircraft and the Internet.

So far, Prabhakar has led two different federal R&D agencies and worked with startups, large companies, universities, government labs, and nonprof-

for the same post.

Sarkaria retained his seat from Brampton South. His family moved to Canada from Amritsar in the 1980s.

Nina Tangri, who was Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, didn't find a place in the new ministry of Premier Doug Ford this time.

Six Punjabis were elected to the Ontario provincial parliament on June 2. All the winners belonged to the ruling Progressive Conservative Party, which retained its majority by winning 83 seats in the 124-member provincial Assembly.

release said.

This institute is based in Robbinsville, New Jersey, and through its religious teaching of Sanskrit, Vedic and classical literature as well as Hindu beliefs, values and practices, will strive to foster social harmony, interfaith dialogue, public engagement and academic discourse, the release added.

Mahamahopadhyaya Pujya Bhadreshdas Swami, (scholar and author), presided the inaugural ceremony. The event had 115 representatives, including guest and scholars of

more than 50 Hindu temples and organizations. Mahant Swami Maharaj remarked that “Yogiji Maharaj had envisioned such an institute and was passionate about youths learning and discoursing in Sanskrit. The research institute has fulfilled his vision.

May students excel in their studies and work together to serve society, expanding the circle of unity across the world. In the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', meaning the world is one family; let's reach out to extend the circle of global harmony,” he said.

World’s first glass temple in Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: The Arulmigu Sri Raja Kaliamman temple located in Jalan Tebrau, Johor Baru, Malaysia, is now world’s first glass Hindu temple. S. Sinnathamby, temple chairman, said that 95 per cent of the temple’s walls, ceiling, domes and pillars are decorated and garnished with over a million colourful glass pieces which were imported from Thailand, Japan and Belgium.

He added that the glass pieces were carefully put together by nine Myanmar workers, and motifs and symbols like the Swastika, Namam and Sri Chakra

were created from the glass pieces in seven colors. He added that he first visualized the glass temple during his Thailand visit and funds for the construction were raised through com-

munity programmes and public donations.

The temple is set to become a major tourist attraction apart from being used by Hindu devotees.

The temple is open for the

devotees from 7 am to 10 pm daily, while visiting hours for tourists are between 1 pm and 5 pm.

The temple is built on the land awarded by the Sultan of Johor in 1922 and in 1966 it was renovated for the first time. The total cost of the temple is approximately three million Ringgits.

The air-conditioned temple can accommodate about 1,500 devotees.

The ceiling of glass temple has large crystal chandeliers hanging and the wall appear to have an unusual embossed texture.

Each Rudraksha bead is embedded in the walls with chanted prayers.

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India to ease visa norms to boost medical tourism India is all set to ease visa norms for 44 countries, especially with regard to African and Latin American countries, to promote medical travel and establish medical industry to global medical tourism market.

Patients and their companions travelling from aboard will eventually have relaxed visa norms comparatively, considering their decision to purse medical treatment in India.

Indian government has aims to improve the country’s medical infrastructure for 17cities: New Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Gurugram, Bangaluru, Amritsar, Kochi, Coimbatore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Guntur, Alappuzha, Guwahati, Chennai, Chandigarh, Vellore and Hyderabad.

India is having cheaper medical treatments in compare to other countries.

Through “Heal in India Initiative” India has plans to get itself as a “global hub” for medial and

wellness tourism. It has collaborated with the Tourism, Ayush, Civil Aviation Ministries, hospitals and other stakeholders. The aim of health ministry is to connect the patients from identified 44 countries with the Indian medical system. This will promote India’s stand as a global medical destination and thereby significantly boost medical tourism. India’s medical tourism sector will spike up as it will have highly qualified practitioners. The medical teams would be highly qualified with medical training and fluency in English.

One-stop portal depicting Indian medical tourism: This portal will help the foreign patients looking through the services, standard packages and hospitals which are available for them to access. Moreover, a unique user ID will be created for each foreign patient to track their journey and determine the services and treatment administered to them while being treated in India. The portal will display all the systems of medicine available in the Indian health care facilities; it will also offer ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy health care facilities.

Must engage Gulf nations irked

by Prophet row: NSA India's National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval said that the comments made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and dismissed leader Naveen Kumar Jindal have damaged India’s reputation in the sense that “India has been projected or some disinformation has been spread against the country which is far from the reality.”

Doval said, “that there is a need for us to engage with them and talk to them and convince them. And you will find that wherever

we have engaged with the concerned people, both outside and inside, we have been able to convince them. When people get emotionally aroused, their behaviour is a little disproportionate.”

He said India is not going to beg with Pakistan for peace, nor will it tolerate transgression by China. He said that the remarks had led to furore in the Gulf countries and forced India to launch a major diplomatic outreach to convince the countries in the region that the controversial remarks did

IN REMEMBRANCE Veteran journalist Dr K N Malik has passed away at the age of 93.

He was popularly addressed as “KN” by all those who knew him.

According to an article written

by Captain Dave Jaswal in Asian Voice last year, KN's working career as a journalist has been rather illustrious, meeting and dealing with, and of course befriending, big wigs of all professional descriptions, ranging from political figures like countries’ Presidents and Prime Ministers and beyond to say the least.

His popularity grew immensely during his career with The Times of India, including an article that helped Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar Editor-in-Chief C B Patel, who was detained in India under false claims.

KN's journalism took him across the world, and he was often invited by universities (India and abroad) to lecture on journalism. His work was later recognised with an honorary doctorate.

His autobiography that was published last year, and talked about the gripping story of a man whose life as a journalist was full of adventures, dedication to his duty and sociability of the highest order.

not reflect the views of the Indian government”.

When asked about the military standoff with China, he replied that “India will not tolerate any transgression by China and we have a long-pending territorial dispute with that country and we have made our intentions very clear to China and they are aware of of the fact”.

India, Australia to enhance defence ties India and Australia have decided to enhance defence ties through combat exercises, intelligence-sharing, reciprocal logistics and military-industrial collaboration as well as work steadfastly towards their shared objective of an open, resilient and secure Indo-Pacific in the face of aggressive moves

by China.

Australian deputy PM and defence minister Richard Marles strongly backed India in its over two-year long military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh.

“The assault on Indian forces along the Line of Actual Control in 2020 was a warning we should all heed. Australia stood up for India’s sovereignty then and continues to do so now,” Marles said.

China’s recent security pact with strategically-located archipelago Solomon Islands in the Pacific and its expansionist

moves in South China Sea also figured in the extensive talks with the Indian delegation led by defence minister Rajnath Singh.

“The two sides also discussed ways to expand maritime and other cooperation in the Indian Ocean and the larger Indo-Pacific region, bilaterally as well as tri-laterally with some ASEAN countries,” an official said.

Military chiefs brief PM Modi about Agnipath rollout The three service chiefs during their meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefed him about the ongoing rollout of the Agnipath scheme and said that the scheme will not affect or entail any change in the existing systems of recruitment for soldiers and will not create any impact on their operational readiness.

Gen Manoj Pande, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari and Adm R Hari Kumar, during their separate meetings, apprised the PM Modi about the recruitment schedule and the steps being taken for successful implementation of the scheme under which 46,000 Agniveers will begin training in NovemberDecember this year. While a spate of protest have been witnessed in last few weeks against short term recruitment in all the three

V R Chaudhari

military services with 75 per cent of Agniveers to be discharged from each batch after a four- year tenure.

Earlier in the day, additional secretary in the defence ministry’s department of military affairs, Lt Gen Anil Puri, contended there was “credible” information that many youngsters in several parts of the country had returned to “physical activities and exercises to prepare for recruitment as soldiers after a lot of misinformation and

Man slaughtered in Udaipur for supporting Nupur Sharma A local tailor, who posted on social media in support of Nupur Sharma 10 days ago, has been brutally murdered in broad day-light in Rajasthan. The victim had been receiving threats for the past several days, about which he had also registered a complaint to the police.

Entering his shop in broad daylight on Tuesday, the miscreants inflicted several blows with a sharp weapon and slit his throat. The video of this entire attack has also surfaced online, wherein the miscreants can be seen attacking the victim repeatedly with sharp weapons. The incident took place in Udaipur city.

The 40-year-old Kanhaiyalal Teli has a shop named Supreme Tailors near Bhootmahal located in Dhanmandi. On Tuesday afternoon, two miscreants entered his shop and attacked Kanhaiyal repeatedly. He died on the spot. Thereafter both the miscreants fled away.

CM assures strict action Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has condemned the incident, while also assuring strict action against the

R Hari Kuma

accused. “I appeal to everyone not to try to spoil the atmosphere by sharing the video of this incident. By sharing the video, the criminal’s purpose of spreading hatred in the society will be successful”, he further added.

According to the media reports, Kanhaiyalal had posted on social media in favour of Nupur Sharma who was removed from BJP 10 days ago.

Since then, people of a particular community were threatening to kill him.

Troubled by the constant threats, he had not opened his shop for over 6 days, and had further registered a named report of the youths threatening to hurt him. Though, the police reportedly did not took his complaint seriously and only asked him to be careful for next few days.

Manoj Pande

rumours about the Agnipath scheme had been dispelled.

Now, through the Agnipath scheme, we want to bring down the average age of soldiers to 26 (in six to seven years)”. Around 75% of our units in the Army are already all-India, all-class (except for single-class regiments like the Sikh, Gorkha, Dogra, Garhwal, Jat and the like, which will continue).

The regimentation will remain unchanged. Our attempt is to make the recruitment more broad-based,” he said.

Pandits urge UN to declare Pak a 'terrorist country'

The Kashmiri Pandit United Front (KPUF) has requested the United Nations to declare Pakistan as a “terrorist country” alleging that the neighboring country continued to sponsor terrorism in Kashmir Valley.

On the occasion of World Refugee Day, KPUF organised demonstrations and raised anti-Pakistan slogans. Satesh Kissu, from KPUP said: “we demand that United Nations declare Pakistan as a terrorist country as it continues to sponsor terrorism in the valley”.

He added that terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir will not stop until Pakistan is declared as terrorist country. Panun Kashmir has also organised an event on this occasion.

Ajay Chrungoo, chairman of Panun Kashmir has criticized the government over the recent killings of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.

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SC upholds SIT clean chit to PM Modi in Gujarat riots case The Supreme Court last week upheld the findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that had given a clean chit to then CM Narendra Modi in the 2002 Gujarat riots case.

It also dismissed a petition filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed by rioters, and activist Teesta Setalvad demanding a probe against a "larger conspiracy" behind the riots - thus bringing the curtain down on a two decade-long legal tribulation of Modi that was triggered by the testimonies of IPS officers and others that the court ruled were "false".

Examining threadbare all the allegations made against Modi and other state officials as well as the findings provided by former CBI director R K Raghavan-led and SC-appointed SIT, the apex court said no case was made out against Modi and others and there was nothing to substantiate the allegation about the riots being the result of a criminal conspiracy hatched at the highest

level.

The court took former IPS officers R B Sreekumar and Sanjiv Bhatt to task for giving false testimonies to sensationalise the issue by incriminating Modi and others. It suggested that people behind the ulterior design for keeping the issue boiling for the last 16 years be brought to book in what could spell trouble for the duo whom the court termed "disgruntled".

No fault can be found with SIT report The verdict marked a vindication of Modi who had all along, including before the SIT which questioned him for nine hours about the “conspiracy charges” levelled by the IPS officers and former BJP leader Haren Pandya, denied the charge.

The judges rejected the allegation that communal riots that erupted in Gujarat after a mob set afire a compartment of Sabarmati Express at Godhra junction carrying kar sevaks killing 58 of them, were pre-planned and the result of criminal conspiracy hatched at

the highest level when Modi was CM. There was no material to prove it, said the bench as it also pointed to measures taken by the Modi government in Gujarat, including requisitioning the Army, to turn down the plea of “larger conspiracy”.

The order came on a petition filed by Zakia Jafri, wife of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed by rioters, and activist Teesta Setalvad to challenge the finding of a SC-appointed Special Investigation Team absolving the then Gujarat CM of the charge of criminal conspiracy.

“To sum up, we are of the considered opinion that no fault can be found with the approach of the SIT in submitting final report dated 8.2.2012, which is backed by firm logic,” the bench said.

Teesta, Sreekumar in police custody Mumbai-based social activist Teesta Setalvad was arrested on Sunday morning in connection with an FIR filed by Ahmedabad crime branch which names

BJP captures SP strongholds, AAP loses at Mann home turf BJP cracked the Muslim-Yadav code to wrest the Azamgarh and Rampur Lok Sabha seats in UP from Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party while Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) overran Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s stronghold Sangrur to obliterate AAP’s footprint in the Lower House of Parliament, barely 100 days after the party’s assembly triumph in that very state.

Bhojpuri actor Dinesh Lal Yadav alias Nirahua won Azamgarh, vacated by Akhilesh, by just over 8,000 votes in a battle that kept see-sawing all day. BJP’s Ghanshyam Lodhi, a recent import from SP, won by 42,000-odd votes against veteran Azam Khan’s man Friday Asim Raja in Rampur.

Azamgarh district had given all 10 seats in the assembly polls earlier this year to SP.

In Punjab, SAD(A)’s Simranjit Singh Mann defeated AAP’s Gurmail Singh by 5,822 votes to script the day’s third upset. The former IPS officer had last won the seat, vacated by CM Bhagwant Mann after he became the Dhuri MLA, in 1999.

BJP was the clear gainer in the June 23 by-polls to three Lok Sabha and seven assembly seats across five states and Delhi, overcoming a blip in Tripura along the way.

Congress won Agartala at BJP’s expense, thanks to defector Sudip Roy Barman retaining his seat, but the saffron party’s Malina Debnath made up for it by wresting Jubarajnagar from CPM. Tripura CM Manik Saha won his first electoral battle from Town Bardowali and party colleague Swapna Das Paul triumphed in Surna to make it three out of four

Mukesh Ambani hands over Reliance Jio to son Akash Mukesh Ambani has resigned from the board of Reliance Jio Infocomm - a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, and handed over the reins of the company to Akash Ambani, his eldest son, according to a regulatory filing by the company. The step is seen as succession planning by the 65-year-old billionaire.

"The company's board at a meeting on June 27 approved the appointment of Akash M Ambani, non-executive director, as chairman of the board of directors of the company.

This comes after his father resigned with effect from the close of working hours on June 27," the regulatory filing

said. Among other appointments, Pankaj Mohan Pawar was appointed Managing Director of the company for five years beginning June 27, whereas Raminder Singh Gujral and KV Chowdary were appointed independent directors, as per the regulatory filing.

Notably, the development comes at a time, when Reliance Jio is planning for an initial public offering (IPO) by the end of this year, Notably, an alumnus of Brown University, Akash has been quintessential in the development of some key products and digital services across the company's telecom arm.

for BJP. Congress’s other win came through Shilpi Neha Tirkey in Mandar constituency of Jharkhand, a seat held by her father Bandhu Tirkey until he was expelled from the erstwhile JVM(P) and jailed for corruption.

AAP’s Durgesh Pathak retained the Rajinder Nagar seat in Delhi for his party while Mekapati Vikram Reddy of YSRC won Atmakur in AP. UP CM Yogi Adityanath said BJP’s victory in Azamgarh and Rampur were a signal that the people of the state would no longer accept “dynastic and casteist parties, and those who incite communal tension and protect criminals”.

He said the grand double was also an endorsement of BJP’s doubleengine government under PM Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Setalvad along with two ex-IPS officers R B Sreekumar and Sanjiv Bhatt for abusing the process of law by conspiring to fabricate the evidence in an attempt to frame innocent people for an offence punishable with capital punishment in connection with the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Setalvad and Sreekumar were later produced before a metropolitan magistrate in an urgent hearing, which granted the city crime branch their custody till 2.30 pm on July 2.

Setalvad was arrested after she was brought to Ahmedabad following her detention from Mumbai via road early on Sunday morning. Sreekumar was arrested on Saturday. Top sources in Gujarat police said that the third

accused dismissed IPS officer Bhatt, who is lodged in a Palanpur jail in a drug peddling case, is likely to be arrested in the next three to four days through a transfer warrant.

Meanwhile, the state home department on Sunday formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case against Setalvad, Sreekumar and Bhatt.

“The SIT will be headed by deputy inspector general (DIG) of Gujarat Anti Terrorists Squad (ATS) Deepan Bhadran and will have deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of Ahmedabad Branch Chaitanya Crime Mandalik, and superintendent of police (SP) of Gujarat ATS Sunil Joshi as its two members,” said a home department officer.

India logs 11,739 fresh Covid cases, 25 deaths India logged 11,739 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 4,33,89,973, while the active cases rose to 92,576, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The death toll climbed to 5,24,999 with 25 new fatalities. The active cases comprise 0. 21% of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate was 98.58 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 797 cases has been recorded in the active Covid19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.59 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 3.25 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,27,72,398 while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1. 21

per cent.

According to the ministry, 19.70 billion doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far. India’s Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20,00,000 mark on August 7, 2020, 30,00,000 on August 23, 40,00,000 on September 5 and 50,00,00,000 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 and surpassed the 10 billlion mark on December19.

PM Modi calls for cooperation among Brics nations Mutual cooperation among Brics countries can make a useful contribution to post-Covid global recovery and institutional reforms have made the group more effective, PM Modi said while addressing the Brics summit chaired by China’s President Xi Jinping.

The summit expectedly saw discussions on Ukraine with all member-states committing to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States, stressing peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and supporting all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises.

The Brics meeting, which also emphasised Afghanistan should not be used for carrying out terrorist activities, took place ahead of the G7 summit. Xi slammed the West in the meeting for “weaponising” the world economy through the sanctions against Russia and also warned against any expansion of military ties.

Modi did not allude to the Ukraine situation in his opening remarks and focused mostly on the pandemic. “Even though scale of the epidemic has reduced globally than before, however, many of its ill-effects are still visible in global economy. We, the Brics member countries, have had a very similar view of the governance of the global economy.

And so our mutual cooperation can make a useful contribution to post-Covid global recovery,” said Modi, while addressing Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and their Brazilian and South African counterparts, Jair Bolsonaro and

Cyril Ramaphosa.

In the meeting, all countries recalled their national positions as expressed at the UNSC and UNGA. India and China are among the few countries that haven’t condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

“We support talks between Russia and Ukraine. We have also discussed our concerns over the humanitarian situation in and around Ukraine and expressed our support to efforts of the UN Secretary General, UN Agencies and ICRC to provide humanitarian assistance in accordance with the basic principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality established in UN General Assembly,” said the joint statement.

Radha Krishna Temple, 5/7 Cedars Road, Stratford, London E15 4NE Tel: 02085 348 879

Hindu Centre, (East London)

Requires

RESIDENT MINISTER OF RELIGION: To perform all the ceremonies, give pervachans, participate in festivals and cultural activities. Should have ability to get on with Colleagues, Committee Members & Devotees.

Salary + Accommodation, other amenities and benefits comes to £1600 pm Please send your application to Mrs Saroj Mittal (General Secretary) 07859 057 598 Email: sarojmittal2@yahoo.co.uk by 30th July 2022.

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in brief

SOUTH INDIA

Power struggle in AIADMK between OPS and EPS CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu's opposition AIADMK, caught in a huge power tussle between its two top leaders, has decided to go ahead with the General Council meet on July 11 to pave way for the elevation of former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

The meeting was held amid speculation that the party's chief O Panneerselvam may be sacked or expelled. Senior leader D Jayakumar said, "We have taken several decisions. They are confidential. We can't disclose now."

Panneerselvam's rival Edappadi Palanisamy, or EPS, is believed to have called the meeting though the notice names no one. EPS, the party's No. 2 and former Chief Minister, wants to be General

O Panneerselvam

Secretary of the party.

Panneerselvam or OPS, however, wants dual leadership to continue.

OPS, in a tweet, called the meeting "illegal" and said such a move must be signed off by both the coordinator and cocoordinator - that is him and EPS. The EPS camp says there is "no dual leadership" in the party. EPS "steers the party and there is nothing wrong about

this meet," a spokesperson close to him said.

EPS' attempts to take over as sole AIADMK boss suffered a setback last week when the Madras High Court restrained party leaders from taking any decision in a meeting over a party leader's challenge to AIADMK'S internal elections.

The meeting had turned chaotic as senior leaders from the EPS camp rejected all resolutions OPS moved and called for a fresh general council meet on July 11 to clear the way for EPS' takeover as General Secretary. "Now OPS is only the Treasurer and EPS is the Headquarters Secretary," senior leader CV Shanmugam, who is in

the EPS camp, said.

The AIADMK has been struggling with factionalism and feuding since the death of its charismatic leader J Jayalalithaa, the former Chief Minister who died in 2016.

Jayalalithaa had made OPS the stand-in Chief Minister twice when she had to step down following court convictions. In the days before she died, he once again stepped in to take charge. But Jayalalithaa's close aide VK Sasikala took over the party after her death and sacked him when he rebelled against her.

Later OPS and EPS joined hands and expelled Sasikala. EPS made OPS Deputy Chief Minister. OPS, who became coordinator of the party, made EPS joint coordinator.

PUNJAB

Bishnoi admits to plotting Moosewala’s murder

Budget a roadmap for ‘New Punjab': CM Mann CHANDIGARH: Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday presented the state budget for the 2022-23 financial year. No new taxes were proposed in the budget. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann described budget as balanced, developmentoriented and pro-people, hailing it as a roadmap for a "New Punjab".

Presenting the budget, Cheema said that in the first year, the focus will be to restore the deteriorating fiscal health, deliver on the promises of good governance and concentrate on health, agriculture and education.

Describing the budget as balanced, development-oriented and reflective of pro-people policies of the state government, the chief minister issued a statement saying the budget has been drafted to bring a revolution in the sectors of education, health, agriculture and commerce.

He said the government would soon fulfil all the poll promises the party made to the people. Drastic reforms will be visible soon in the fiscal sector,

Bhagwant Mann

Mann added.

The chief minister said the budget aims to serve the weakest of the weak and the poorest of the poor sections of society in the right earnest. Mann said the budget would certainly boost the tempo of all-round development of the state, besides empowering women and the weaker sections of the society.

He said the budget allocation for technical education has been enhanced by 48 per cent which will help open new vistas of self-employment for youngsters, and £944.9 million has been kept for strengthening the law and order situation in the state.

CHANDIGARH: Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has admitted that he was the “mastermind” in Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala’s killing and the planning was going on since last August, additional director general of Punjab police Pramod Ban said.

Ban, who is also the head of the Anti-Gangster Task Force, said another accused, Baldev alias Nikku, a resident of Haryana’s Sirsa district, was arrested last week.

Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, also known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Mansa district on May 29, a day after the Punjab government pruned the security cover of the singer and 423 people temporarily.

“We had recently arrested Lawrence Bishnoi in the case and his remand was extended till June 27.

He has admitted that he was the mastermind (in Moosewala’s killing),” Ban told reporters.

WEST BENGAL

Modi govt misusing its HC orders removal of Bengal primary education board chairman agencies, alleges Mamata NEW DELHI: TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya was asked to step down from his position as the Chairman of the Board of Primary Education by Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay. Manik's alleged involvement in the Primary School Teachers recruitment corruption case has landed him in trouble.

Manik has also been summoned to court. He has earlier questioned by the CBI on the orders of the court.

The central intelligence agency also questioned the board's secretary Ratna Chakraborty Bagchi.

It is alleged that in the 2014 TET, 269 teachers in the second recruitment list were illegally given extra one number. According to CBI sources, the investigators wanted to know from the duo at whose behest the second recruitment list was published in the 2014 TET. After a CBI inquiry was ordered into the case, the HC had also

ordered the dismissal of 269 people from their jobs. In addition, the HC ordered a ban on the entry of 269 teachers to the school and suspended their salaries.

On June 15, Justice Gangopadhyay had ordered for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be set up for conducting a probe into the recruitment scam. Accordingly, the CBI submitted names of the six members of the SIT to the Calcutta HC. On the same day, the agency submitted the first status report on the progress of the agency`s investigation in the issue.

BURDWAN: Hours after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Rout was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the BJP-led government is using the central agencies against people who are "speaking the truth".

Banerjee claimed that ordinary people are being "tormented" under the BJP and as a result several millions of people, including businessmen have left the country. "BJP is doing whatever it wants to do ... It is using central agencies like CBI and the ED against those who are speaking the truth," she said at a programme here. She had made the same charge on a number of occasions in the past.

Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo, said, "Today I saw that a Shiv Sena leader in Maharashtra (Sanjay Rout) has been summoned by the ED. Why will it (BJP) torment ordinary people like this? Is this the way to run a democracy?

"Several millions of people and businessmen have left the country in the last few years," she claimed.

"You can check this with the passport and visa offices."

The ED has summoned Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, to its office in Mumbai for questioning in a money laundering probe linked to the re-development of a Mumbai 'chawl' and other related financial transactions involving his wife and friends.

RAHUL’S WAYANAD OFFICE VANDALISED

A protest march of the SFI, the students wing of ruling CPI(M), against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's office in Wayanad turned violent as a group of activists allegedly entered the Lok Sabha member's office and vandalised it, prompting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to strongly condemn the incident and warn of stern action against the culprits.

Strongly condemning "the act of violence"

by SFI, the Congress party staged a statewide protest, which turned violent in some regions. The incident occurred when SFI activists held a march to Gandhi's Office alleging his inaction in the issue of buffer zones around forests.

COVID CASES RISE SHARPLY IN TN Tamil Nadu's daily coronavirus cases rose sharply as 1,472 infections were logged on Sunday, pushing the caseload to 34,68,344. The death count remained unchanged at 38,026 with no new Covidrelated death were recorded in the last 24 hours, a medical bulletin said. As many as 691 people have recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total count to 34,22,860 leaving 7,458 active cases. Chennai accounted for the majority of cases at 624, followed by Chengalpet 241, Coimbatore 104 while the remaining was scattered in 33 districts of the total 38. The government said the fresh cases are increasing in many parts of the state as people were showing laxity in adhering to Covid-19 protocols.

MOOSEWALA’S ‘SYL’ SONG BLOCKED Youtube has blocked Sidhu Moosewala’s song ‘SYL’ for the Indian audience following a legal complaint by the Government of India. If someone wants to access the song from India, a message appears that reads, “Video unavailable.

This content is not available on this country domain due to a legal complaint from the government.” Though the song has been blocked on YouTube, it is still playing on music streaming services, including Gaana, JioSaavan, Wink Music, Sound Cloud, and others. It is still available on YouTube Music as well for the Indian audience. It is unclear if the Government of India has blocked only the video version of the song.

SENIOR TMC LEADER QUITS AS PAC CHIEF Senior TMC leader Mukul Roy submitted his resignation as chairman of Public Accounts Committee in West Bengal Assembly to Speaker Biman Banerjee citing ill health. Roy, who won the Krishnanagar Uttar constituency in Nadia district on a BJP ticket in the state election last year, had defected to the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state just a month later in June 2021. He did not, however, resign as a legislator despite being asked to do so by the saffron party. "I have sent my resignation as PAC chairman to Speaker. My tenure (as PAC chairman) was for a year. It is about to end soon. So I decided to resign," Roy said.

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BJP leader Fadnavis meets Governor Murmu, Sinha file amid political crisis nomination for Prez polls Amid escalating political crisis in Maharashtra, former Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, meanwhile, appealed to the rebel MLAs to come for talks. “Don’t fall prey to anyone’s missteps. The honour given to you

by Shiv Sena cannot be found anywhere. If you come forward and speak, we will sort out the issues. As Shiv Sena party chief and family head, I am still worried about you.

Come here for a dialogue,” he said.

Meanwhile, rebel leader Eknath Shinde stated that he will return to Mumbai soon and that his faction was taking “Balasaheb’s Shiv Sena forward”. He added that false information is being spread in public on MLAs being in touch with Sena leaders. This came after, Shiv Sena MP claimed that the party was hopeful of the return of a few MLAs, whom the party did not consider rebels as they were still in touch with them.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut who had been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), said that Devendra Fadnavis should not get involved in the crisis unfolding in the MVA government. “If they do, then their party (BJP), Fadnavis and

Devendra Fadnavis & Bhagat Singh Koshyari

PM Modi’s names will be tarnished,” Raut said.

On Monday, Uddhav Thackeray took away the portfolios of rebel ministers camping in Assam’s Guwahati and allocated them to other cabinet colleagues. h Shinde faction retaliated strongly on Sunday bringing higher education minister Uday Samant over to Guwahati to join the coup.

The rebel camp also moved the Supreme Court against the disqualification notices sent to 16 of their MLAs by deputy speaker of the state assembly Narhari Zirwal. A second petition demands that Zirwal recognise Shinde as group leader of the Shiv Sena’s legislature party.

Can’t disqualify rebel Sena MLAs In a serious setback to the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, the Supreme Court on Monday protected rebel Sena MLAs

from disqualification proceedings till July 12, directed the ruling coalition to ensure their safety in Maharashtra and importantly, refused the Sena NCPCongress coalition’s request to stop the Shinde-led rebels from demanding a floor test

in assembly.

Shinde tweeted on the SC order, “This is the victory of Balasaheb Thackeray and Anand Dighe’s thoughts. ” SC refuses to bar floor test The SC bench told senior advocate Devadatt Kamat that passing a restraint order on floor test would give rise to unnecessary complications but told him the MVA was free to move court if any illegalities were committed.

As recorded by SC in its interim order, Shinde has support of 39 MLAs, which means only 16 MLAs are with Thackeray-led SS. This in turn would indicate the MVA strength is down from 152 to 113. A party or coalition must muster support of minimum 144 members, as one seat is vacant in the Maharashtra assembly, to form government. The BJP has 106 MLAs in the House.

Sonia gets four weeks to depose before ED Accepting Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s request to postpone her questioning in the National Herald moneylaundering case, the Enforcement Directorate has granted her four weeks to join the investigation. Sonia, who was supposed to depose before the agency last week wrote a letter to the ED the day before seeking more time on the grounds that doctors had advised her rest following her hospitalisation on account of Covid and lung infection.

Sources said Sonia would be asked to record her statement before the agency officials in the case related to £9 million given by the Congress party to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), the publisher of the National Herald newspaper, in 2010-11. She was Congress president during 201011. Also, Sonia and her son Rahul Gandhi are the largest shareholders of Young Indian (YI), which took over AJL along with its assets estimated to be worth over £80 million. Rahul has been questioned in the case for more than 50 hours over five days in the past two weeks. The ED has also repeatedly questioned the present Congress treasurer Pawan Bansal and YI office bearer Malikarjun Kharge.

Sources said the ED’s investigations against YI and AJL began earlier this year based on a Delhi court taking cognizance of the charges levelled by BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy in 2013. The court, after ordering for trials of the Gandhis in 2015, had granted them bail.

Several Congress leaders, including party spokesperson and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and former finance minister P Chidambaram have called the ED case

“illegal”.

Rahul answered ‘I am too tired’ Rahul Gandhi said the ED officers who questioned him about the alleged money laundering in the National Herald case, were impressed with the patience with which he handled questions put to him. So much so that they asked him about the secret of his stamina.

ED sources, however, have disputed the version. “The fact is that he avoided replies to almost 20% of the questions put to him by saying that he was feeling too tired”, said sources in the agency when asked about Rahul’s claim.

The former party chief’s assertion ties into the narrative that Congress has tried to create over his questioning

by ED, projecting it as case of harassment and his boldness in standing up to it. Party workers have staged protests on all the five days Rahul appeared at ED headquarters, beginning June 13. He said his training as a Congress worker and in Vipasana helped him calmly deal with the questioning.

However, sources in the ED, whose summons to Rahul and his mother Sonia have been seen as the agency’s determination to apply rules irrespective of the stature of the accused and others considered crucial for investigation, as well as defiance of Congress’s high voltage protests, have a different story to tell. They also questioned the account of Rahul being kept at the agency’s headquarters for long on five days.

BJP-led NDA’s presidential nominee Droupadi Murmu and Opposition camp’s joint candidate Yashwant Sinha filed their nomination papers for the presidential election last week.

PM Narendra Modi and other senior leaders accompanied Murmu while she filed the nomination. She also sought the support of opposition parties, in what was seen as yet another bid towards reaching a consensus for the next occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Few minutes before filing her nomination papers, Murmu spoke with prominent opposition leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Sources said, the opposition leaders wished Murmu for her success but none assured her of their vote and support as the they have already named Yashwant Sinha as their nominee.

BJP chief JP Nadda also dialled Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda once again, requesting them to support Murmu, saying that a consensus on presidential polls will strengthen the country’s democratic system. Sources also said that this an “NDA ploy” to put the opposition in a bind that they were opposing a woman candidate, who is a Santhal adivasi from a remote Odisha village. The nomination filing of Murmu was utilised by BJP as a show of strength with all chief ministers of the party-ruled states, Union ministers, NDA constituents and leaders from the regional parties like YSRCP, BJD and AIADMK being present on occasion. Murmu offered floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi after which she was joined by PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president JP Nadda and other leaders at the Parliament library building from where they headed for nomination filing.

Modi proposed her name for the nomination which was

seconded by Rajnath Singh. The second set of nominations was proposed and seconded by the chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states. MPs and MLAs from Himachal, Haryana and Gujarat supported the two other sets as four nominations were filed by the NDA nominee. If elected, Murmu will be the first tribal president and the second woman to the post.

A fight to ‘protect Constitution’: Sinha In a Presidential contest repeatedly pitched as a battle of opposing ideologies, 16 leaders joined Opposition camp’s joint candidate Yashwant Sinha when he filed his nomination papers on Monday eve n as AAP and JMM stayed away.

Though Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was in the national capital to meet Union Home minister Amit Shah to discuss “development issues”, he did not turn up for the show of the presidential candidate from his home state. AAP, which had tried to take the lead to identify a joint opposition candidate, was also missing amid indications of misgivings in its ranks over whether to position themselves closely with others in the opposition, especially when the party is keen to emerge as BJP’s chief opponent.

Absence of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, who had taken the lead in proposing Sinha’s candidature, led to some raised eyebrows though TMC was represented by Lok Sabha MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Saugata Roy. Interestingly TRS, which had stayed away from opposition huddles so far, formally backed Sinha’s candidature.

TRS’s KT Rama Rao joined the opposition leaders in Parliament for Sinha’s nomination. Among the opposition leaders who accompanied Sinha were former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, SP’s Akhilesh Yadav, CPM’s Sitaram Yechury and Farooq Abdullah of National Conference. JDS, which had earlier signalled its inclination to support NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu, also chose to stay away.

Grand welcome for PM Modi in Germany Continued from page 1 PM Modi is the only leader to be invited to speak at the dinner hosted by Bavarian President Markus Thomas Theodor Söder on Sunday for the visiting leaders. “This is in a way treating our PM like the guest of honour,” they said. Earlier, Modi interacted with the children of the members of the Indian diaspora in Munich. The children gathered to welcome him at the hotel where he stayed during his two-day visit.

He interacted with the Indian community in Germany at the Audi Dome, Munich. “The way millions of Indians have achieved big goals together, is unprecedented. Today, every village in India is Open Defecation Free,” he said.

“Electricity has reached every village in India today and almost

every village in India is connected by road. Today over 99% of people in India have a gas connection for clean cooking,” he added.

PM Modi also highlighted India’s growth story and mentioned various initiatives undertaken by the government to further achieve the country’s development agenda. He also lauded the contribution of the diaspora in promoting India’s success story and acting as brand ambassadors of the country’s success. “We Indians are proud of our democracy.

Today, we can proudly say India is the mother of democracy. . . The diversity of culture, food, clothes, music and traditions makes our democracy vibrant. India has shown that democracy can deliver and has delivered,” said PM Modi.

Held series of meetings PM Modi held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the G7 summit, including with the leaders of EU, Germany, Canada, Indonesia and South Africa. One of his most significant engagements was with Justin Trudeau, their first in-person bilateral meeting since comments by the Canadian PM on the farmers protest in India led to a freeze in ties.

The situation in Ukraine was discussed in most meetings with Modi underlining India’s position that dialogue is the only way to end the imbroglio. Modi also had a casual meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and exchanged greetings with US President Joe Biden after the latter walked up to him to shake hands

just before a group photo.

Modi congratulated Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Indonesia’s ongoing G-20 presidency and discussed India’s forthcoming G-20 presidency. They also exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual interest, said the government in a statement.

In another bilateral with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Modi thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit and discussed ways to take forward their Green and Sustainable Development Partnership. Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the WTO agreement reached in June that supports production of Covid-19 vaccines in developing countries,

said the government.

Energy access At a time energy costs are skyhigh due to geopolitical tensions, it is important to remember that energy access should not be the privilege of the rich only and that a poor family also has the same rights on energy, said PM Modi said while addressing a G7 meeting on climate and energy.

By taking inspiration from this principle, Modi said, the Indian government had delivered LED bulbs and clean cooking gas door to door in India and showed that millions of tonnes of carbon emissions can be saved while ensuring energy for the poor. He said India's dedication to its climate commitments was evident from its performance.

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first time that I am working on an autobiography which is also an adaptation for a children's book.

AV: How did you make the book interesting and intriguing for children?

Anuradha: Luckily, Babur already had an extraordinary life and that made my work so much easier. All I had to do was focus on those intriguing moments of his life and draw out the humane side of him.

Babur was born a real prince who started off by losing everything and then like a superhero took down his enemies one by one and by all ages. steadily rose to victory. He AV:How/where did you do travelled to unknown your research, fact-finding territories and was etc. to write this book? instrumental in changing Anuradha: To start off, history as we know today. the Baburnama was not Babur’s remarkable life available in bookstores here story influences, motivates in Nepal and I had to get it and encourages its readers. couriered from India.For the His real life is indeed stranger next few months I extensively Anuradha and more exciting than fiction. I read whatever information I could get think it will also be really interesting my hands on. Since this was during the for children to see this historical figure as a pandemic, I had to hugely rely on online real person. information. My publishers were of great AV: How did your own childhood experiences help supporting me in fact checking. play a role in writing the AV: Total how many book? days of effort did it Anuradha: This is a take to write the book great question. I grew and total time taken up reading ‘Ali Baba from idea to launch? and the Forty Thieves’, Anuradha: It took a ‘Sindbad’, ‘Aladdin’ and year for me to write the ‘The Arabian Nights’. I book which also was absolutely includes the numerous fascinated by these times of editing and relargely Middle Eastern writing phases. As for and Indian exotic and the idea to launch, as of realistic adventure now, it has taken one stories.

What is and a half years. parallel between all these stories including AV: Tell us something the Baburnama is that about the other past they were all written books and/or during the Islamic publications (if) you have Golden Age with been a part of? scenes of Central Asia.

Anuradha: My As a result, the journey as a children’s geographical range of origin and the cross author began about 12 years ago. Over the cultural history of all these stories are the years, I have written several picture books same. Even thematic and symbolic and a few chapter books. Some of my books connections of destiny and human have been translated into other languages endeavor to overcome all adversaries can be as well. However, this is my first solo drawn from these stories. When I was international project. Similarly, this is the

Inspiring story book for children -

‘The Story of Babur: Prince, Emperor, Sage’ launched Nischal Sanghavi ‘The Story of Babur: Prince, Emperor, Sage’, written by Nepalese children’s author Anuradha, and illustrated by award-winning artist Jane Ray, is a lucid and lively retelling of the Baburnama, the first true autobiography in Islamic literature, originally penned by the mighty Central Asian king, Babur (1485–1530) also the founder of the Moghul Empire.

This adaptation for younger readers will introduce them to this classic of world literature and to Babur’s exciting adventures of discovery and conquest: from his native Fergana and the cosmopolitan Samarkand (in modern Uzbekistan) across the glittering cities of Afghanistan and finally on to Hindustan.

Author Anuradha has been engaged in writing books for children in English and Nepali. Her works have been translated into many other languages including Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Urdu Danish and several local languages in South Africa. She has also been published in Braille. Among other prizes, she has won the Parijaat Bal Sahitya Bishesh Puraskar Award twice (2009, 2010).

Anuradha recently talked with Asian Voice to give readers an important insight into her efforts and thoughts that went into writing the book.

AV: How did you get the idea of writing this book?

Anuradha: The project actually fell on my lap. In 2021, I received an email from Scala Arts and Heritage publishers, UKwith a proposal to write a children’s edition of the Baburnama. I must praise the publishers for this commendable initiative of adapting the Baburnamato children’s version. It is a crucial part of history that needs to be read

writing this book, I was drawn back to those mysterious times andI made a conscious effort to create a similar kind of charm and magic that those books have held for centuries.

AV: How has your teaming with Jane, the publisher and anyone else, worked to make the book better?

Anuradha: It is a matter of great honor and pride for me to work with the entire team of Scala and Arts Heritage, be it the editor, designer, PR or Neil Titman, the director. Each one of them has been instrumental in realizing this dream.

Working with Jane, the illustrator, was a wonderful experience. Her art has breathed life into my story. I absolutely love the colors, the imagery and the detailing that she has put into the illustrations of Babur.

AV: What are the small and big things you need to specially take care while writing a book for children vis-a-vis that for adults?

Anuradha: I have not yet written a book for adults. However, my experience tells me that it is not an easy task writing for children. The target age group is key. It determines the writing style which creates the mood and tone of the story. It also means being careful about word count, vocabulary and even illustrations. Apart from these technical issues, the bigger challenge lies in communicating with children in the language they understand without being too preachy about things.

Similarly, unlike books for adults with long explanations, children's books demand addressing grave issues with use of short and simple sentences.

AV: Any message that you would like to give the children through the book?

Anuradha: I would like the children to understand that in a world full of chaos and madness, it is always good to focus on the positives. The Baburnama is a reminder that while some things change from age to age, much remains universal. Like love, humanity and sensitivity.

AV: Any dream book/project that you would like to work on in future?

Anuradha: It’s a little too early for me to think that way. I believe that I would have to become redundant with topics and projects to reach that point. At this moment in life, I just want to work on as many interesting and fun projects that I can get.

‘Little English’ starring a full British South Asian cast premiered at the LFF

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ittle English is the first British romantic comedy of its kind starring a full British South Asian cast. Crowdfunded through Kickstarter, made on a microbudget and shot in Slough, this is the first feature film for most of the cast, who all come from a culturally diverse and socio-economically diverse background.

Set in sunny Slough, Little English features a Punjabi newlywed Simmy who unexpectedly faces disappointment when her British Asian husband does a runner on the wedding night. With only a basic grasp of English she is unable to leave the house, surrounded by her kooky in-laws. She finds an unlikely ally in her wayward brother-inlaw, Harry, and a secret romance blossoms.

Starring Rameet Rauli and Viraj Juneja as Simmy and Harry, and supporting cast Seema Bowri, Madhav Sharma, Goldy Notay, Ameet Chana and Nikki Patel, the movie features Sanjeev Kohli, Yasmeen Khan and Shin Parwana. The film is expected to be a fun romp through Asian taboos, set against the romantic backdrop of suburban Slough.

Pravesh Kumar, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of award winning Rifco Theatre Company, will make his film debut with the release of his first feature film, Little English, which premiered at the London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) at BFI Southbank on 24 June. Asian Voice interviewed Pravesh Kumar to know more about the film and Pravesh himself. Read on AV: How did you get the idea of making this film?

Pravesh Kumar: It is based on my play

Director Pravesh Kumar

A screengrab of the movie 'Little English’

There’s Something About Simmy, it was produced in 2007 by my theatre company, Rifco Theatre company, the leading British South Asian touring company in the UK. The idea originally formed from many stories I had heard, some from within my extended family.

AV: Does this film relate to any of your real life incidents?

Pravesh Kumar: Everything I write always comes from real life experiences, I think most writers write from what they know. It's the best way to be authentic and inside the story rather than an observer.

AV: How many days did it take to shoot the film?

Pravesh Kumar:We shot the film over a schedule of 5 weeks, it was tough because it was during the middle of the second lockdown and we were in a small house with masks and anti-bacterial gel! Trying not to bump into each other.

AV: Where was the film shot?

Pravesh Kumar: The film is shot entirely in Berkshire, mostly in Slough and Old Windsor. With a completely British cast and crew.

AV: Which is your favourite character in the movie? Why? Pravesh Kumar: This is like making you choose who your favourite child is. I love Simmy, the protagonist, because she doesn’t take any crap from anyone, and she’s impulsive ( she reminds me of my mum).

I also really like Harry because his music does the talking for much of the film and he starts to find himself through his relationship with Simmy. Both these characters are locked both physically and emotionally. Sweetie is a riot to write, she has no filter and is so self obsessed she can’t actually see anyone else. And Mindy and Bobby have all the great one liners.

AV: This is your first feature film. Which were your past fulfillments?

Pravesh Kumar: I have been making British South Asian focused theatre for 21 years at Rifco Theatre Company. I am the Artistic Director and I create a space for authentic British South Asian voices to make new writing plays and musicals. I have made big stage musicals and intimate plays also, I have even directed Shabana Azmi in one of our plays, Happy Birthday Sunita by Harvey

Virdi, which was incredible.

AV: Any special incident(s) during the shooting of the film that you will remember for a lifetime?

Pravesh Kumar: Making a micro budget film is tough, you have to make compromises all the time, but sometimes that compromise can be surprising and better for the film, because you had to work harder as an artist to tell the story.

AV: How did you feel when your first film was selected to be premiered at LIFF? Pravesh Kumar: It is a real honour to premier at LIFF, such a respected festival. It was important to us that we premiere this film at a Festival that also talks to the South Asian diaspora audience.

This film is for the hugely underserved audience that rarely get to see themselves in any authentic space on screen. It is for anyone that loves comedy and has a dysfunctional family (Isn’t that everyone?).

AV: Any message that you would like to give to the South Asian diaspora through this film?

Pravesh Kumar: I don’t like to give messages, I have made ( hopefully) an entertaining and thought provoking film that will touch people's hearts and also make them smile. If there is a message, it is we are all the same no matter what colour or creed.

This is a human story and it just happens to be a British South Asian Family.

AV: Personally, which is your favourite RomCom movie?

Pravesh Kumar: I love Rom Coms and Comedy’s! Crazy Rich Asians, The Break Up, Intolerable Cruelty… Jab We Met.

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time you are awake till late in the night, stop stalking on social media or bingewatching shows, these practice Yoga asanas instead and see the difference for yourself.”

Uttanasana Variation: Stand straight, join hands in front of torso and then, keep your back and legs in a neutral position, bend your body forward.Butterfly Pose: Sit on the floor with bent knees and feet pressed together.

Then, move the knees up and down. While doing the pose, straighten your spine and broaden your

chest.

Viparita Karani: Lie on the floor, legs raised upwards with the support of the wall and arms spread across the floor.

Relax the body.

Sarvangasana: To do Sarvangasana, raise your lower body, pelvis and legs upwards with the support of the wall and balance your body weight entirely upon your palms, the elbows, the neck and the back of the head.

Brahmari Pranayama: Sit in Sukhasana with a straight back, thumbs inside your ears and the rest of the fingers placed across your face. One needs to feel the sensations inside their body while taking deep breaths and practising this pose.

Older adults with untreated sight conditions may be at higher risk of dementia According to a new review and meta-analysis of 16 studies involving 76,373 participants, older adults with untreated sight conditions may be at increased risk of dementia. The results of the study highlight a need for further research to examine the impact of correcting sight problems in older adults, to prevent cognitive problems and dementia.

“This study is among the first to evaluate the association between sight problems and cognitive outcomes in older adults through a comprehensive examination of all available populationbased studies in English.

Our findings add to the growing evidence that fading eyesight is a risk factor for developing dementia,” said lead author, Associate Professor Beibei Xu, from the Medical Informatics Center, at Peking University. “Although the reasons behind this remain unclear, it suggests that diagnosing and treating eye conditions may be beneficial - both to improve a person's quality of life and also to potentially slow down or stop memory loss.”

Nearly one million people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK and that number is set to increase over the next few decades as the population ages. By 2050, it is predicted that this figure will have jumped to 1.6 million. The cost of dementia is expected to almost double in the same timeframe, from GBP 25 bn today to GBP 47 bn in 2050. The disease has a devastating impact on people's lives. As their disease progresses, they will experience greater memory loss and changes to their personality

and behaviour. Ultimately, they will become completely dependent on others for their care.

The researchers included 16 studies including 76,373 participants, with five cross-sectional studies and 11 longitudinal studies published before April 2020.

From these studies, the authors examined the relationship between visual impairment and cognitive outcomes in older adults.

They found that: People with a sight problem had an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, regardless of whether their visual impairment was selfreported or diagnosed using objective measures. The likelihood of having a cognitive impairment was 137 per cent higher among people who had a sight problem compared to those who did not.

People who had a sight problem at baseline had a 41 per cent increased risk of developing cognitive impairment and a 44 per cent increased risk of dementia, compared with those who did not."Finding ways to prevent or delay the onset of dementia could help reduce its devastating impact on the lives of affected individuals and their families, especially in light

2 - 8 July 2022

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5 yoga poses to combat insomnia Celebrity fitness Anshuka Parwani recently dropped a video on Instagram sharing five simple yoga asanas that one can do to improve sleep quality and deal with insomnia. Parwani shared several tips to help one “sleep faster and improve their quality of sleep as well.” The poses include Uttanasana Variation, Butterfly Pose, Viparita Karani, Sarvangasana, and Brahmari Pranayama.

Anshuka talked about how young adults struggle with bad sleeping patterns and end up sleeping late or stalking social media. She added that including the five asanas in one’s daily bedtime routine can help deal with insomnia. She wrote, “Struggling with insomnia? Today, many

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of the growing burden of the disease. Identifying modifi-

able risk factors is the first critical step for developing effective interventions to achieve this goal," says Beibei Xu. He added, "Our new results highlight the importance of regular eye examinations for older adults, enabling any potential problems with their vision to be spotted and treated early.

They also suggest that any self-reported changes to a person's eyesight should not be ignored.”

HEALTH & VITALITY Tablets

Consume nuts to curb the risk of heart attack

With a healthy diet plan, the cardiovascular health of the body can be improved, cutting down the risk of heart attack and other heart-related ailments. Dr Siddhant Bhargava, Fitness and Nutritional Scientist, said, “Eating nuts is healthy and good for your heart.

They are packed with healthy fats, minerals and antioxidants that boost heart health. It is believed that people who regularly eat nuts are less likely to have heart attacks than those who rarely eat them. Nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts and peanuts also make for a great snack - easy to store and pack when you are on the go.”

Dr Bhargava noted down the heart-healthy components that are present in nuts which help in improving heart health.

Unsaturated fats: Studies suggest that foods rich in

unsaturated fat improve blood cholesterol levels which can decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Omega-3 fatty acids: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, nuts are good for the heart and blood vessels. The omega-3 fatty acids reduce triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood. It also prevents the development of erratic heart rhythms that can lead to heart attacks.

Fibre: All nuts contain fibre which may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease via a variety of mechanisms like improving blood lipid profiles, lowering blood pressure, and improving insulin sensitivity along with the fibrinolytic activity.

Vitamin E: Packed with vitamin E, nuts help to stop the development of plaques in the arteries. Plaque development in your arteries can be hazardous. It can lead to chest pain, coronary artery disease or a heart attack.

Benefits of hemp for women’s health Ayurveda has long been using hemp for treating ailments like IBS, muscle pain, insomnia, arthritis and anxiety among others. Discovered in the Himalayas, it also finds mention in the Vedas as one of the five sacred plants.

Studies believe that even though it comes from the family of marijuana, it does not cause intoxication.

Hemp is an amazing source of plant-based protein and its seeds have all the nine essential amino acids.

They are also rich in iron, vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-fatty acids, magnesium, manganese, vitamins and zinc. Hemp also has many benefits for women's health and can help manage mood changes during menarche or the beginning of puberty, menstrual cramps, and ease stress among other things.

"As a woman ages, she comes to face a lot of changes within her body, which is new and uncomfortable for her to adapt. Menarche – the beginning of puberty is associated with mood alterations, and the first experience of abdominal cramps, and sleep alterations. Giving other alternatives to her may lead to affecting the flow of menstrual blood, but hemp is found to provide relief in these symptoms, along with no side effects," says Dr. Aanandita Budhiraja, Medicinal Cannabis Practitioner.

As per Ayurveda, hemp is kaphahari (balanced mucous production,

relieves sinusitis, balanced weight gain due to increased kapha), karshini (causes leanness), tikta (bitter in taste), grahini (absorbent, useful in diarrhoea, IBS), pachani (digestive, relieves ama dosha), laghu (light, induces lightness in the body and mind), teekshna (strong, fierce in its action), ushna (hot in potency), pittala (increases pitta dosha, agni component in body - can be associated with digestive dire, sexual desire, freedom of thought, vakvahini vardhini (enhances ability to speak up freely, eases nervousness and shyness), kamda (enhances libido), ruchya (enhances perception of taste, resolves indigestion), midrakara (induces sleep, enhances sleep quality) Other benefits of hemp for women's health as per Dr. Aanandita: Hemp can bring relief in managing premenstrual syndrome (PMS), especially to women suffering from the premenstrual dysphoric disorder which causes severe physical and emotional symptoms. From mood swings, cramps, and rashes to acne, hemp can help ease many of the symptoms of

PMS. Hemp can help correct hormonal imbalance and prevent physical and psychological changes that occur due to it. Hemp not only helps one to have a healthy pregnancy but also prevents emotional issues after it that occur due to postpartum depression.

Women are often burdened with striking a balance between home chores, the workplace and kids. Hemp can help them deal with the stress of juggling their many roles by ensuring a balanced state of mind, and awareness of actions.

Hemp helps in easing pain due to menstrual cramps, gynecological cancer pain, gynecological procedural pain (IUD-insertion), miscarriage, abortion, chronic pelvic pain, pain due to endometriosis, uterine fibroids – CB1 and CB2 receptors act as lock and key mechanism with CBD. Hemp also helps in managing the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Hemp is beneficial in treating urinary and vaginal infections: Washing the local area with a decoction of hemp leaves and other ayurvedic herbs resolves worm infestation and bacterial infections. Menopausal changes: The emotional trauma of changes with the looks, having facial hair, hormonal changes in the body, vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, irritability etc

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Priyanka launches homeware line in New York

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ctor Priyanka Chopra has announced her latest business venture in America, a homeware line called Sona Home. Sharing a video with co-founder Maneesh Goyal, Priyanka spoke about how she believes in bringing her Indian roots and culture into everything that she does. In the video, the actor sported two gorgeous looks - one in all-white and another in a hot pink dress.

She spoke about how Indians believe in bringing people together. She said, “That’s the ethos of Sona Home for me. It helps in creating a home out of a house.

It’s created to help family and friends come together as a community.” The actor added that as an immigrant in New York, it’s important for her to bring her heritage into her work, saying that she wants to put the culture of India in every house in her “adoptive country”.

Priyanka also penned a long note as she shared the video. She wrote, “Launch day is here! I couldn’t be more proud to introduce you all to SONA HOME. It was challenging to come from India and make America my second home, but my journey led me to a place where I found a second family and friends. I bring a piece of India into everything I do and this is an extension of that thought. It’s awesome to be working alongside @maneeshkgoyal and our entire team in creating something so dear to our hearts and heritage.”

“Indian culture is known for its hospitality, it’s all about community and bringing people together…and for me that is the ethos of SONA HOME. From our table to yours, we hope that you experience our same love for hosting, community, family, and culture in your home. Shop now at the link in the bio and follow @sonahomenyc for more,” she further added.

Sharing a few photos of the products, the actor also shared another post, writing, “I’m so proud of what we’ve created with SONA Home!! With vibrant designs, timeless refinement, and joyful detail that nod to my beautiful India, we hope that SONA Home transports you to an elegant bygone era with these exceptional pieces curated for the modern home. The full collection is available to shop now! Link in bio.”

Priyanka Chopra also thanked her followers for the love and support saying that ‘it means the world to me’.

Before the homeware line, Priyanka had launched a restaurant called Sona in New York. She recently became a parent for the first time to daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas with husband Nick Jonas.

The couple welcomed the baby via surrogacy earlier this year. The actor is also looking forward to a number of projects including Amazon Prime Video series ‘Citadel’, the adaptation of Shilpi Somaya Gowda’s novel ‘Secret Daughter’ and Farhan AkhtaAkhtar-directed ‘Jee Le Zaraa’.

Mira Rajput is overjoyed to find aloo gobi, paneer in Switzerland A

ctress Mira Rajput is currently busy enjoying her Swiss vacation with husband Shahid Kapoor and kids, Misha and Zain. In a fresh set of pictures, she is seen enjoying her time in an infinity pool amid the Alps and her happiness on being able to find Indian food after five long days. Mira shared a picture of Indian dishes spread on a table, which looked like aloo gobhi, and a paneer dish. She wrote along with it on her Instagram Stories, “After 5 long days.

Yes.” The song ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’ played in the background.

Mira shared a few pictures of herself in a one-shoulder swimsuit earlier, as she swam in hot water. She wore white-rimmed shades to beat the sun. Earlier she shared a family picture with Shahid, Misha and Zain as they all stood on a shore with their backs to the camera. Mira also shared glimpses

of their train ride across Switzerland.

Two days ago, she shared a few pictures of her and Zain, calling him a “serial photo bomber”.

On the work front, Shahid was last seen in ‘Jersey’, where he worked with his father Pankaj Kapoor. The movie received a lukewarm response at the ticket counters. He currently has a web series with Raj and DK. Titled ‘Fazri’, the show will release on Netflix. He reportedly has a film titled ‘Bloody Daddy’ as well.

Ranbir plays double role of father, son in ‘Shamshera’ A

ctor Ranbir Kapoor is gearing for the release of his upcoming film ‘Shamshera’, in which he essays the double role of father and son. However, the actor has now revealed that director Karan Malhotra and producer Aditya Chopra initially approached him for the role of the son alone.

‘Shamshera’ marks Ranbir’s return to films after four years. Sanjay Dutt plays the antagonist in the film which also features Vani Kapoor in an important role.

Ranbir said in a press statement that he wasn’t initially offered a double role for the film.

“When the film was narrated to me, it wasn’t really offered to me as a double role. But when I heard the story, my immediate response to Aditya Chopra and Karan Malhotra was 'let me play the father also, because it is such a great role.

It is such an interesting, juicy part for an actor to play'. Then, I really had to convince Adi and

Varun Dhawan had 2-3 fights with Kiara Advani

A

ctors Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani are all set to be seen together for the first time in director Raj Mehta’s ‘JugJugg Jeeyo’. In a recent interview, Varun revealed that he and Kiara fought 2-3 times before shooting a fight scene, and it was so intense that Raj Mehta had to step in.

Recalling an intense fight scene from the movie, the actor opened up about getting into arguments with Kiara. He said, “I and Kiara got into 2-3 fights before we shot the scene genuinely. Because we were discussing the scene and she was like ‘I will say this.’ And I was like ‘but that’s not my point of view’. As a man that’s not my point of view. I have to earn for my family because that’s what I have been taught. She’s like ‘no you are chauvinistic’ How’s that chauvinistic? Your brother and father think the same way. Then why I am chauvinistic if I feel I need to earn for my family. That’s what I am taught by my parents in childhood.”

The actor added that he fought a lot with Kiara on the sets, so much so that Raj Mehta had to stop them. ‘JugJugg Jeeyo’ is a family entertainer that addresses relationships and complex emotions. It was released on June 24, and stars Anil Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor in lead roles, besides Varun and Kiara. It also features Maneish Paul and marked the Bollywood debut of YouTube star Prajakta Koli.

Karan. I think after that Karan did a couple of look tests and that’s when he got convinced also.So, initially, it wasn’t offered to me but it hooked me thoroughly as an actor. They were two unique characters and for an actor like me, to play two distinctive characters and make them different was very challenging and very exciting for me,” he said.

‘Shamshera’ is the story of a man, who is made a slave and later turns into a leader for the safety of his tribe. It is set for a theatrical release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu on July 22. The first trailer for the film landed online on June 24 and garnered mixed reactions.

After ‘Shamshera’, Ranbir will be seen in Ayan Mukerji's ‘Brahmastra Part One’ which also marks his first film with his wife Alia Bhatt. The film also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna.

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Sara calls Salman 'uncle' at IIFA Awards 2022 T he IIFA Awards 2022 aired on TV over the weekend. Held in Abu Dhabi, the star-studded event saw several Bollywood celebrities in attendance, including actors Vicky Kaushal, Shahid Kapoor, and Ananya Panday.

At the event, actor Sara Ali Khan was seen pulling actor Salman Khan’s leg by calling him “uncle”. The duo later danced together to a song from Salman’s 1997 film ‘Judwaa’.

In the segment, Sara says that she wants to launch some brands. She later adds, “Salman uncle ke saath (with Salman uncle).” Salman replies, “Aapki picture gayi (now your film is gone).” A sad Sara then says, “Meri picture kyun gayi (why so?)”. Salman says, “Aapne sabke samne mujhe uncle bulaya (you called me uncle in front of everyone).” Sara replies,

“You told me to call you uncle.”

The duo then dance to ‘Tan Tana Tan Tan’.

A promo of the event circulated online. One fan commented, “They always create magic on stage.” Another said, “Hahaha Sara is so cute”. While one joked, “Sara ne Salman ko gussa dila diya haha.”

IIFA 2022 was held in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on Yas Island between June 2-4. The award ceremony was hosted by Salman, Riteish Deshmukh, and Maniesh Paul and saw performances by Abhishek Bachchan, Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday, and Sara Ali Khan, Nora Fatehi among others. Singers Tanishk Bagchi, Neha Kakkar, Honey Singh, Guru Randhawa, Dhvani Bhanushali, Zahrah S Khan, Asees Kaur, and Ash King also enthralled the crowd with their performances. IIFA Rocks 2022 was hosted by director Farah Khan and actor Aparshakti Khurana.

Gauri shares ‘beautiful note’ on Shah Rukh’s 30 years in Bollywood

Alia, Ranbir to become parents soon A

lia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor are going to become parents soon. The actress shared a picture of herself with Ranbir from a hospital. The lovebirds who tied the knot on April 14, 2022, had one of the dreamiest Bollywood weddings of all time.

Just when we thought the news could not get any bigger, Alia took to social media to announce her first pregnancy!

She shared a post on Instagram which sees her staring at a sonography screen with a big red emoji on the screen. It is indeed big news!

This year is special for more reasons than one. They got married, their first child is on its way and it's the year of 'Brahmastra'. We say - congratulations and celebrations! Here's wishing the best to Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor who are soon going to become parents.

I

nterior designer and film producer Gauri Khan dedicated a beautiful note to actor and husband Shah Rukh Khan. As Khan clocked 30 years in the film industry, Gauri shared the motion poster of his upcoming film ‘Pathaan’. In the caption, she praised him for not only being a father and a husband but also being a friend and an actor, who touches people’s lives.

KARTIK AARYAN gets India’s first McLaren GT A

ctor Kartik Aaryan has become the owner of India’s first McLaren GT after the success of his latest film ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’.

The actor received it as a gift from producer and T-Series chairperson Bhushan Kumar. The two posed together in front of the swanky sports car and flashed the signature hand gesture from the movie.

The supercar is worth £470,000 on-road.

This is currently the most affordable McLaren on sale in India. Kartik revealed in a post on his Instagram account that the car has been given to him as a gift by Bhushan Kumar. Thanking Bhushan for the gift, which he wants to use as a table to eat Chinese food, Kartik said that he hopes to get a private jet after his next film’s success.

He wrote, “Chinese khaane ke liye nayi table gift mil gayi. Mehnat ka phal meetha hota hai suna tha..Itna bada hoga nahi pata tha. India’s 1st McLaren Gt. Agla gift Private jet sir #Gratitude (Got a new table to eat Chinese as a gift. Heard he fruit of labour is sweet but did not know it can be so big. Next gift should be a private jet sir).”

Bhushan and Kartik have collaborated on two major successful films including ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ and ‘Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety’.

Both the movies are also the actor’s highestgrossing. ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, which also stars Tabu and Kiara, recently crossed 180 crore at the box office. They will soon mark their third collaboration with ‘Shehzada’, which stars Kartik opposite Kriti Sanon. The Rohit Dhawan directorial will also feature Paresh Rawal and Manisha Koirala.

McLaren GT is the latest addition to Kartik's car collection, which includes a BMW 5 Series, a MINI Cooper S Convertible, a Porsche 718 Boxster, and Lamborghini Urus Capsule Edition.

She wrote, “It is difficult for us to comprehend what he does outside of being a father, a husband, a friend - and the way he affects people’s lives. The only thing we understand is that he tries to work harder today than he did yesterday.” Several fans reacted to the post and left sweet comments praising the couple. A fan wrote, “That’s the most beautiful description. Thank you!”

Another wrote, “King and queen. Best family ever god bless you”.

Earlier, Shah Rukh hosted a surprise Instagram live session, where he interacted with fans on several topics. He touched upon his much-awaited forthcoming films, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’. He revealed the trailer for ‘Pathaan’ will be launched in the window of November to December this year. He also talked about several celebrities, including Salman Khan whom he called his brother.

He also interacted with fans and answered their questions on several topics.

Directed by Siddharth Anand, ‘Pathaan’ reunites Shah Rukh with his ‘Chennai Express’ co-star Deepika Padukone. The film also features John Abraham. It is set to release on January 25, 2023, in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.

‘Pathaan’ marks Shah’s comeback after four years. He was last seen in Aanand L Rai’s ‘Zero’ in 2018, alongside Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. Shah Rukh also has ‘Jawan’ and ‘Dunki’ in the works.

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Samantha is India's most popular female star S

amantha Ruth Prabhu is the most popular female star of India. Her talent as an actor is well proven by the kind of performances she has delivered throughout her career. Her range as an actor too is something that has been spoken about and applauded before. And now, she has managed to be crowned the most popular female star in India.

As per a recent research report conducted in India, Samantha has topped this list which includes other big names of the film world as well from across India. The result of this research speaks volumes about the shift in the preferences of the audience post the pandemic. This is the new reality of India.

Samantha has captured the entire audience with her charm, uniqueness and talent. Two of her recent performances, the antagonist Raji in 'The Family Man 2' and the sensuous number from 'Pushpa, Oo Antava' have been the talk of the town.

Besides being a popular actress, Samantha is a philanthropist, entrepreneur and avid social media influencer. Her mesmerising looks and acting skills have built her a dedicated loyal fan base nationwide over the years.

Suriya, Jyotika come on board Sai Pallavi-starrer ‘Gargi’ A

ctors Suriya and Jyotika announced that they will present the upcoming film ‘Gargi’, starring Sai Pallavi.

Suriya took to Twitter and posted a click with the film’s team, along with words of appreciation for Sai. Suriya, who runs the production house 2D Entertainment, tweeted, “Jo & I are glad to associate with team #Gargi.

Some characters just stay in our minds! New thoughts and writing must be celebrated!

Hope you all like it!”

Sai quoted the tweet and wrote, “Thank you @Suriya_offl Sir and #Jyotika mam for the kind gesture. This means a lot.” Written and directed by Gautham Ramachandran, the first look poster of ‘Gargi' was released on Sai Pallavi’s 20th birthday in May this year. The makers also posted behind-the-scenes footage that showed how Sai breathed life into her character.

Madhavan on North vs South cinema debate T

he recent bout of regional successes including ‘KGF Chapter 2’, ‘RRR’, and ‘Pushpa’ has created the path for a debate about North vs South cinema.

Several celebrities from the two film fraternities have expressed their opinions on the same. However, ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ star R Madhavan feels the chatter around the issue is needless and it has always been the audience who decides what they wish to watch.

In an interview, Madhavan said, “I think too much of hue and cry is happening.

There are three films - ‘RRR’, ‘KGF 2’ and ‘Pushpa’ - that did really well. The rest have managed to do a fair job. There are other films (The Kashmir Files and Bhool Bhulaiyaa) in Hindi that have done well. I think people’s acceptance has broadened because of the pandemic. They accept films that they like and reject those they don’t. That’s always going to be there.”

Madhavan added that it is not possible to find a formula to make one’s film successful. Instead, the focus should be on making films that bring people to theatres. He said, “The idea is to make films that are aspirational enough to bring the audience to theatres.

Some films may not have worked as they may have fallen into the pandemic bracket. That’s all there’s to it. Why have we become a country that wants to make news about everything?”

On the work front, Madhavan is awaiting the release of his debut directorial venture ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’. The film, which had its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, will release in India on July 1.

Besides high-profile cameos from Shah Rukh Khan and Suriya, ‘Rocketry’ also stars Simran, Rajit Kapur, Ravi Raghavendra, Misha Ghoshal, and Shyam Renganathan, Muralidaran and Karthik Kumar.

In ‘Gargi’, Sai Pallavi’s character is embroiled in some sort of a legal battle. And she constantly seeks the truth and demands respect from her family, who treat her unfairly because she is a woman. This leads to her fighting a multifront war with family, society and the system.

Malayalam playback singer Manjari ties the knot P

opular Malayalam playback singer Manjari tied the knot to her childhood friend Jerin. The couple tied the knot in an intimate wedding in Thiruvananthapuram, which was attended by family and close friends.

Muscat, and have been friends since. The singer was earlier married to Vivek Prasad.

The duo parted ways after a few years of marriage.

A native of Thiruvananthapuram, Manjari entered the film industry as a play-

Manjari asked her Instagram followers to send good wishes as she begins a new chapter in her life. She wrote, “Hello everyone. This is a very important day in my life.

My wedding happened today. We are going to spend the rest of the day with the children at Magic Academy. You can find a lot of very talented children there.”

Manjari and Jerin were schoolmates in

back singer in 2005 with ‘Achuvinte Amma’. She sang two songs, composed by music maestro Ilaiyaraaja, in the Sathyan Anthikad directorial. She went on to collaborate with some of the leading composers of Malayalam cinema. Besides playback singing, Manjari also appears on reality shows. She was a judge on Star Singer and Smart Singer.

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‘Ms Marvel’ wedding sequence features popular desi songs

Deepika hangs out with Rami Malek, Yasmine Sabri and Annabelle Wallis

D

isney+ Marvel Cinematic Universe series ‘Ms Marvel’ has been tugging many-a-heart strings with its representation of a South Asian family, and superhero, at that.

Last week, the latest and third episode of the show featured a desi wedding, complete with Bollywood music. Many fans of the show took to social media to share their delight.

The episode included a long sequence about a desi Muslim wedding, set to iconic songs. While there are some inaccuracies in how the wedding was depicted, fans were willing to overlook much of it just for the sheer joy of witnessing a desi wedding in the marvellous MCU. It began with a mend sequence, which shows the character Amir’s shoes being stolen, and not just one pair, but all of them. The scene was aptly set to the classic 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun song Joote Do Paise Lo'. This was followed by the wedding and a reception-cum-sangeet that saw Kamala’s family put up dance performances for the bride and the groom. This sequence saw her parents dance to Helen’s famous song 'Yeh Mera Dil' from the 1978 film 'Don' while Kamala and her cousins performed 'Dil Bole Hadippa’s' title track.

Taking to Twitter after the episode aired, many fans appreciated that a desi wedding sequence was now part of the MCU. “I can’t believe we got a desi wedding in the MCU, I teared up.

A

Representation matters,” tweeted one fan. Another viewer wrote, “The wedding sequence was amazing.” Many viewers pointed out that there were a few errors in how the wedding was depicted. For one, the groom and bride don’t usually sit next to each other at a traditional Nikaah and the sangeet takes place before it, not after.

However, many fans responded by saying it was just the makers taking ‘creative liberties’.

‘Ms Marvel’ is the story of Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American girl living in Jersey City, who is dealing with newfound superpowers. In the third episode, which began streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, Kamala’s brother Amir gets married.

'Ms Marvel’ stars Iman Vellani as Kamala, while her family is played by a trio of Indian actors Mohan Kapur, Zenobia Shroff, and Saagar Shaikh. Farhan Akhtar and Fawad Khan also have cameos in the six-episode show but they are yet to be seen. Iman will reprise her role in the MCU film ‘The Marvels’ later this year.

ctor Deepika Padukone has been making waves across the globe with her recent international appearances. After representing India at Cannes this year, she is now in Spain for a Cartier event. In a picture that’s circulating online, the actress, who is one of the brand ambassadors, was seen posing with the likes of Yasmine Sabri, Annabelle Wallis and Academy Awardwinning actor Rami Malek.

Deepika looked stunning in an ivory white gown. In one picture, she is soon posing with Sabri and Wallis, in another, she is seen talking to Yasmine and in a third one, the two are seen posing with Malek. Several fans of the actress shared the pictures on Twitter and Instagram.

A fan shared a video from the event and

Ranveer set to make OTT debut with ‘Ranveer Vs Wild With Bear Grylls’ R

anveer Singh is all set to make his OTT debut with Netflix’s ‘Ranveer Vs Wild With Bear Grylls’, an adventurebased show, which will premiere on July 8. The segment features Singh surviving in the wilderness with adventurer Bear Grylls as he tries to get hold of a special flower for his wife, actress Deepika Padukone.

Netflix India released a two-and-ahalf-minute trailer video on social media. It read, “Ab @ranveersingh ki zindagi aap ke haath mein! Button dabao and unhe bachao! (Ranveer's life is in your hands. Press button and save him.) #RanveerVsWildWithBearGrylls, Netflix India’s first interactive show drops on July 8th.”

In the video, Ranveer says, “Pyaar ke liye log chaand taare tod ke laate hain, main Deepika ke liye ek phool tod ke laane waala hoon. Woh bahut special phool hai, woh kabhi marta nahi hai, bilkul meri pyaar ki tarah.

(People move mountains for love, I’m going to get a special flower for Deepika. Just like my love, the flower never dies.)”

The video also features Ranveer and Bear trying to fulfil their quest as they move through mountains, jungles and caves. During the journey, they get chased by a bear, and come across wolves and

even snakes. The actor is also seen putting wolf poop on his forehead. He adds humour when appears confused between eating maggots or the testicles of a dead boar. He is also seen making Bear chant ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ as they climb a rock.

Ranveer had reportedly travelled to Serbia in July 2021 to film the show. On the work front, the actor was last seen on the screen in ‘Jayeshbhai Jordaar’.

He will be seen next in ‘Cirkus’ and ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’.

captioned it, “Deepika Padukone is now the brand ambassador of @Cartier and we’re so proud of her. Yasmine Sabri and Rami Malek were also present there.” Another fan wrote, “What is this actual freaking crossover? Rami Malek with Deepika?”

Deepika made her Bollywood debut with Farah Khan’s ‘Om Shanti Om’ and has risen to be one of the most successful actresses of our time since then. On the work front, she is set to be seen next with Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Pathaan’, which is scheduled for a January 25, 2023 release. The movie will mark their fourth collaboration after ‘Om Shanti Om’, ‘Chennai Express’, and ‘Hapyy New Year’. She also has ‘Project K’ alongside Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan, and ‘The Intern’s Hindi remake.

Amazon Prime India releases poster for ‘Modern Love Hyderabad’ A

mazon Prime Video has announced the release date, among other details of the Telugu version of its anthology series ‘Modern Love: Hyderabad’. The new chapter will feature six episodes directed by four filmmakers, Nagesh Kukunoor, Venkatesh Maha, Uday Gurrala, and Device Bahudhanam. The series will start streaming on the platform on July 8.

Amazon Prime Video took to its Twitter account last week to release a poster for the series, that featured eight scenes from the anthology. The poster was captioned, “Bringing you 6 heartfelt stories of love all the way from Hyderabad. #ModernLoveOnPrime, July 8.”

The Hyderabad chapter has been produced by Elahe Hiptoola under the banner of SIC Productions, with Nagesh Kukunoor as the showrunner.

Aparna Purohit, head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video, said about the series, “After the success of Modern Love Mumbai on Prime Video, we are excited to bring the second

Indian edition of our well-acclaimed international franchise, Modern Love.

Modern Love Hyderabad explores the joys, complications, tribulations, and healing power of love. Working with Elahe Hiptoola and Nagesh Kukunoor to tell these emotionally charged but rooted stories have been an incredible creative journey of idealization and collaboration.”

The anthology series is inspired by New York Times' popular column Modern Love. The original US version was helmed by John Carney. After Mumbai and Hyderabad, another adaptation of the series ‘Modern: Love Chennai’ will also be released.

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Mayank joins Indian squad as Rohit tests positive for Covid Opener Mayank Agarwal has been called up to join the Indian squad in UK as a cover for skipper Rohit Sharma, who has been rendered doubtful for the Edgbaston test against England after testing positive for Covid19. He was tested positive on Saturday and the selectors are hopeful that Rohit may recover by the time the test starts on July 1.

According to sources, Agarwal will fly out to England on Monday and link up with the rest of the Indian squad.

According to the latest government rules, Agarwal will not be required to undergo any quarantine, and will thus be

available to play immediately if required.

Agarwal was left out of Team India’s squad for the Edgbaston Test named in May but KL Rahul’s injury and

England sweep series against New Zealand Jonny Bairstow hit the second fastest 50 for England in Test cricket as they made light work of a 113-run target on Monday to beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the third and final test at Headingley and ensure a 3-0 series victory.

Bairstow, whose batting heroics was key to ensuring England won the second Test, picked up where he left off from Trent Bridge as he brought up his 50 in 30 balls and then took England to victory on the last day with an unbeaten 71, finishing off with a six.

A 111-run partnership with Joe Root, who was 86 not out, saw England reach the

competitive victory target of 296 as they completed their first clean sweep of a home series in over a decade. Rain delayed the start of play by 90 minutes but it then took just over an hour, and 15. 2 overs, for England to canter to victory.

Resuming at 183-2 overnight, they needed 113 runs for victory and were very much in the driving seat even if Ollie Pope was dismissed with the fifth ball of the day. Root, who had been 55 overnight, little chance to get to a century. The last time England swept a home series was a 4-0 success over India in 2011.

Sept 15 deadline for Indian football federation to hold polls India has time till September 15 to elect a new executive committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and avoid an impending international ban.

A seven-member joint delegation from Fifa and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) concluded its visit to India last week. “The Fifa-AFC delegation has given us a strict timeline. It is on us to avoid Fifa ban,” Delhi FA president and former Fifa regional development officer Shaji Prabhakaran said in a tweet.

According to sources, the Fifa-AFC delegation has told the Supreme Court appointed committee of administrators (CoA) to ensure that the redrafted AIFF Constitution is approved latest by July 31 and elections are held by September 15.

“The meetings concluded that the next steps should be the ratification of the AIFF Statutes in line with Fifa/AFC principles

of good governance and the holding of an electoral congress to choose the next AIFF leadership,” the visiting team said in a statement. The visiting delegation led by AFC general secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John also met I-League, Indian Super League and FSDL representatives and made it clear that there are no plans to keep the previously-agreed roadmap on hold.

According to the roadmap, this season’s (2022-23) I-League champions will qualify for next season’s ISL. There will be no relegation from the top-tier till 2024-25 when promotion and relegation will come into force and the two parallel league system will be abolished.

doubts over Rohit Sharma’s recovery have given a chance to him.

Agarwal played his last Test match in March against Sri Lanka, where he scored only 59

runs in two matches, at an average of 19.66. Later, he captained Punjab Kings in IPL 2022 and had a forgetful season.

The batter could manage only 196 runs in 14 matches, an average of 16.33 and a strike rate of 122.5, as the team finished sixth on the table.

Coming to the fifth Test, India and England will be squaring off for the one-off Test at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on July 1.

The rescheduled match is a part of last year’s five-match Test series that had to be delayed after the fourth Test due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp.

India denied clean sweep as Lanka win final T20I Skipper Chamari Athapaththu struck a counter-attacking 48ball 80 as Sri Lanka outplayed India by seven wickets in the third and final T20I to avoid a whitewash on Monday.

The 32-year-old Chamari in the process became the only cricketer from Lanka to get to the 2000-run mark in T20Is. Chasing 139 to win, SL reached the target with three overs to spare to claim a consolation win.

The three-match T20I series thus ended 2-1 in favour of India, who stuttered after opting

in brief AMIR KHAN WAS RECENTLY OFFERED BOUT AGAINST MANNY PACQUIAO Boxer Amir Khan has claimed that he was recently offered an exhibition bout against former eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. Khan recently retired after being stopped by Kell Brook during their longawaited grudge in February. At the time, he told fans that his body wasn’t working the way it once did and that he was happy with all he had achieved in the sport.

But despite retirement, Khan has been linked with multiple exhibition contests. In May, he called out Floyd Mayweather for an exhibition bout. But after Mayweather came out and denied any interest in the fight, attention has turned to Pacquiao. In a recent interview, Khan revealed a phone call from Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, in which the fight was offered to the Brit. According to Khan, "I got another phone call about another one, A friend of mine got a phone call from Freddie Roach to say 'listen we want to get a fight now Manny didn't win the elections, let's do an exhibition or maybe even a proper fight.' They also wanted to do it in the UK. Like Khan, Pacquiao was also linked with an exhibition bout against Mayweather. The Filipino Senator recently hung up his gloves after failing to capture the WBA ‘super’ welterweight title from Yordenis Ugas in August of last year. But after falling short of his post-career ambitions to become Filipino president, he could be set to step back in the ring.

Chamari Athapaththu

to bat before skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's resilient 39 not out propped up their total to 138 for five.

In reply, Sri Lanka lost Vishmi Gunaratne (5) in the first over, but Harshitha Samarawickrama (13) gave a fine support to Chamari in the power play.

Coach rescues US swimmer after she fainted in pool

RANI LEFT OUT OF TEAM FOR CWG India named an 18-member women’s hockey team for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, with star striker Rani Rampal left out yet again for failing to regain full fitness after an injury. The CWG team is very similar to the one taking part in the World Cup next month.

The side will be captained by goalkeeper Savita Punia while experienced defender Deep Grace Ekka will be her deputy in the Birmingham CWG, to be held from July 28 to August 8. The duo will also take the same roles in the World Cup, to be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Spain from July 1 to 17.

India have been placed in pool A along with England, Canada, Wales and Ghana. They will begin their campaign against Ghana. SQUAD: Goalkeepers: Savita (c), Rajani Etimarpu.

Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka (vc), Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita. Midfielders: Nisha, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Monika, Neha, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Salima Tete. Forwards: Vandana Katariya, Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Sharmila Devi, Sangita Kumari

HC BARS IOA CHIEF BATRA American artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez, 25, was rescued by her coach from the bottom of the pool after she fainted during the World Aquatics Championship.

She was not breathing and had sunk after finishing her routine in the free solo final at Budapest. Andrea Fuentes, her coach, pulled her to the surface before she was taken away on the stretcher.

Andrea said, “Ankita is ok and the doctors checked: all the vitals and everything is normal, her heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure, etc are

all okay.”Anita scored 87.6333 points for her routine and finished 7th in the final.

Andrea said that she was sacred and had to jump to rescue Anita as lifeguard were not doing it. "We sometimes forget that this happens in other highendurance sports [such as] marathon, cycling, cross country. We all have seen images where some athletes don't make it to the finish line and others help them to get there. Our sport is no different than others, just in a pool, we push through limits and sometimes we find them.”

Veteran sports administrator Narinder Batra was ordered to stop functioning as Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president by the Delhi High Court “in a contempt proceeding”, a month after it asked him to relinquish the top job. A vacation bench of Justice Dinesh Sharma passed the order on a contempt petition filed by Olympian and hockey World Cup winner Aslam Sher Khan. “The court ordered that Narinder Batra should stop from functioning as IOA president with immediate effect,” advocate Vanshdeep Dalmia, who appeared on behalf of Khan, said. “It was a contempt proceeding as Batra was continuing to attend meeting as IOA president despite an earlier order of this court. “The court also said Anil Khanna, senior vice-president, will be the acting president of the IOA,” he added.

On May 25, Batra was removed as IOA chief after the Delhi HC struck down the post of ‘life member’ in Hockey India.