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Rishi Sunak promises to do everything possible to make the Asians proud
Rupanjana Dutta
Lord Dolar Popat organised a greet and meet with the Conservative leadership and Prime Ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak at his residence on Tuesday 26 July, attended by local Tory party members, councillors and close guests.
The entrance to his beautiful house in Stanmore had members from Lord Popat’ s family welcoming every invitee individually. His garden was buzzing with at least 100 guests, munching on Indian canapes, drinking juices, and networking, while they kept their anxious eyes fixed on the door, awaiting Rishi Sunak’ s entry any moment.
Mr Sunak, upon his arrival, stopped by and spoke to everyone present, obliging with a photograph and selfie or two, while exchanging pleasantries. He also posed with the Indian Journalists ’ Association ’ s Yearbook celebrating the 75th anniversary of the organisation. The IJA hosted their celebratory dinner on Monday 25 July at The Taj in central London, which Mr Sunak was invited to attend. His last exclusive interview with the organisation was on 1 July, just before he resigned as the Chancellor.
Lord Popat standing on the
“lucky-charm ” spiralling wooden stairs of his house, which was once visited by John Major during his election bid that he finally won, said,
“While I'm wishing on that everyone here agrees Rishi is really good to work with because he gets on with people. So many people who have worked with him, admire him for the way he does his job. Therefore, I believe he will make a great leader of our party. And of course, the Prime Minister. Today has been inspiring and humbling and I'm proud to support Rishi. ”
Mr Sunak, in a crisp white shirt, tucked in a pair of blue jeans, stood on those stairs, and addressed the room full of audience with a broad smile, talking about Asian and immigrant values, strength in family bonds, power of education and hard work and opportunities that Britain has provided as a country to all.
He said, “I' ve been out and about talking to members across the country. They ' ve been telling me things and I' ve been hearing what's on their mind. I'm standing here, because like many of you, this country did something incredible for our families. And it welcomed them here as immigrants. My mom ran the local chemist in Southampton where I grew up, my dad was an NHS GP, and I was brought up with a certain set of values. I was brought up to believe that family is everything and family provides the bond that no government could hope to replicate.
“I was brought up to believe in hard work. Because if you work hard, there is nothing that you can't achieve in life. I was brought up to believe in the power of education to transform people's lives, that it was worth sacrificing for, because that's how you build a better future. And I was brought up to understand the power of small business, I worked in my mom ’ s shop, I worked in her pharmacy, I delivered medicines to her, I worked in an Indian restaurant as a waiter. And I saw first-hand doing books or accounts or payroll, just how powerful small companies are in providing jobs and opportunity for people in their community. Now, those are my values. I know, they 're all your values, too. Those are the values that we cherish that we hold dear. But they are also Conservative values.
And that is why I want to be Prime Minister, because this country did something great for my family, enabled them and all of us to build a better life for our children. ”
Speaking about the challenges ahead as a country and how he wished to tackle them as the Prime Minister, Mr Sunak added, “I want to give everyone the same opportunities that I have had here. How do we do that? We need to do three things. We need to restore trust; we need to rebuild our economy and we need to be honest. And as your Prime Minister, I will be honest about the challenges that this country faces. You' ve seen that in this leadership election. So far, I have not taken the easy road, I could have said a lot of things that would have made my life easier. That's not leadership, leadership starts with honesty, the country deserves nothing less. But trust also comes from doing the things that you say, and our government must have a grip on some of the challenges that we're facing in this country and solve them. So, whether it's their NHS backlogs, whether it's illegal migration, whether it's tackling the threats we face from abroad, we' ve had enough talk over the last few years. Now we need a government that delivers, and I will bring that delivery to you. But then we need to get on to rebuild the economy and I don't need to tell all of you, the single biggest challenge
Rishi Sunak standing with Lord Popat at his residence, addressing the guests we face is inflation. Many of you will remember what it's like when inflation gets out of control, so we' ve got to correct inflation and grip it fast. And then once we' ve done that, of course, we're going to cut more taxes. I'm a Conservative and I want people to earn more. And I want them to keep more of what they earn; I want to support our businesses to invest and grow. I want to take advantage of some of the things that Brexit has provided to drive growth and prosperity across this country and deregulate and we're going to do all of that. But what I will not do is put at risk our children's future by borrowing billions of pounds, making the problem worse, risk pushing up everybody 's mortgage rates, and putting the bill on the country 's credit card and asking our children and grandchildren to pick up the tab. That is not how we were raised. That is not how you build prosperity. It's not right. It's not responsible, and it is certainly not a Conservative thing to do. ” Finally, speaking about the upcoming elections (in 2024) and referring to the latest council election in Harrow, that moved Labour seats to Tory in a historical win, he concluded by saying, “The last thing we need to do is reunite this country. It's been a tough couple of years. And when we get to the next election, we must do something that has never been done before. We must win a fifth General
It was an honour to host Rishi Sunak along with many supporters from across Harrow at my house. I am a big supporter of Rishi and I’m glad to play a role in helping him gain support, especially from the Indian community. I am pleased that he has reached the final two of the leadership election and I am proud to lend my support to him to become the leader of the party and our future Prime Minister. I wish Rishi all the best over the coming weeks and hope that members will lend their support to him as well. - Lord Dolar Popat
Election victory. We'll be making political history. So, we're going to need someone who can win in London, who can win in the Northeast and who can win in Liberal leaning areas, and I am the best person to put our party in a position to win that next election.
“You showed us in Harrow how it can be done. And I will work with you to make sure that we do that for the entire country. And in conclusion, let me say this, if I'm fortunate enough to get this job, I will give you everything I have got my heart and soul into delivering those Conservative values that we hold dear into action for our country. I will give everything I' ve got into working with you to make sure that we win our elections council by council, all the way up to the general election because I know the efforts and the sacrifices and the hard work that many of you in this room starting with Dolar (Lord Popat) did decades ago, to pave the path for me to stand here today and be on the precipice of being our first ethnic minority Prime Minister.
“To repay that debt, I will do absolutely everything I can, to make all of you as proud as I possibly can as your Prime Minister. Sunak is closing in on foreign secretary Liz Truss in the race to replace Boris Johnson as the next PM. Truss has a much smaller lead than was estimated earlier.
As per the recent poll conducted between July 19 and 27, Truss only has a 5point lead over Sunak. While the foreign secretary has support from 48 per cent of Conservative Party members, 43 per cent back former finance minister Sunak.
This challenges the earlier survey by YouGov between July 20 and 21 which gave a 24-point lead to Truss over Sunak. The winner will be selected by voting between August 4 and September 3 from around 200,000-strong Conservative party members and will be announced on September 5. Both contenders have been busy campaigning. "It really hasn't felt to us like Liz was doing as well as the polls have been suggesting. Wherever he goes he is getting really good feedback and an awful lot of people are still making up their minds, " 'The Times' newspaper quoted a Sunak campaign source as saying. "Liz 's support feels very soft, " the source said.
However, Sunak led Truss on being 'qualified' to be Prime Minister by 10 points, 52 per cent to 42 per cent, and being authoritative, 51 per cent to 43 per cent.
Sir John Curtice, a polling expert, said it was possible that the race was closer than had been assumed. "We have to bear in mind that since Tory MPs decided that this was the contest between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, we have had one opinion poll of the people who will actually have a vote, that is Conservative members, " he told 'GB News' . "That poll put Liz Truss well ahead, once you took out the one in five or so who did not express a view, she was on 62 per cent, way ahead of the 50 per cent that's required. But that poll is now nearly a fortnight old, " he said. "I ask all those who have supported the Boris ballot campaign not to spoil their ballots. Please don't write Boris on the ballot etc, don't destroy the ballot or just not vote, " said David CampbellBannerman, a former Tory member of the European Parliament (MEP) who was coordinating the drive with Conservative peer Lord Peter Cruddas. "We cannot allow the man who brought down Boris - Rishi Sunak - to win under any circumstances, " he said.
SCRUTATOR’S
Sisters help convict father who burnt their mother
A 48-year-old man was given the life sentence by a court in Bulandshahr, UP, based on the testimonies of his two daughters who witnessed him and some other relatives burning their mother alive in 2016 for not having a son. The daughters, Tanya and Latika Bansal, now 18 and 20 years old respectively, say they are relieved that a 6-year-old legal battle culminated in punishment for their father Manoj Bansal. Latika said, "my mother was murdered by my father only because she did not give birth to a son. My mother raised us with so much difficulty and that man burnt her alive. For us he is just a demon. After a 6-year fight, his conviction is a relief to us. My sister and I were locked in a room and we were eyewitnesses to how our father and others burnt my mother” . The victim, Anu Bansal, got married to the accused Manoj and had two daughters. She allegedly had five forced abortions as her husband wanted a son. (Agency)
Cardiac patient falls ill after getting £341.9 mn power bill
A cardiac patient in Gwalior had to be taken to a doctor after he was handed a power bill of £341.9 million. The actual bill was for Rs 1,300. The 11-digit bill was sent to the home of Priyanka Gupta of Gwalior. After she showed the bill to her father-inlaw he fell ill. The bill sparked such a sensation that even energy minister Pradyuman Singh Tomar had to intervene and tell reporters that the error has been rectified and action taken against the employee responsible for it. Priyanka ’ s husband said that the mammoth bill was for the month of July. Stunned by the amount, they checked with the portal of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company and saw the same figure. Some local journalists got wind of it and pictures of the bill soon went viral. The power utility then sent them a corrected bill of Rs 1,300, much to the relief of the Guptas. (Agency) Kabaddi player saves elderly howker's life
A kabaddi player saved a 60-year-old hawker from falling into the gap between a running train and platform at Karjat near Mumbai. The kabaddi player Ketan Thorve was on the train while the hawker was trying to board it. Thorve quickly jumped off the train on seeing the hawker getting dragged on the platform and pulled the hawker to safety. Thorve said that by the time the hawker tried getting into the train, it had picked up speed and he got dragged on the platform. “As his head was close to the gap between the platform and train, I jumped off and pulled him away from the train,
” said Thorve. (Agency) Govt brings tap water to LAC villages at -35oC
Thanks to Centre ’ s Jal Jeevan Mission, households in all villages in a 174-km arc from Chushul to Demchok and Chumar, tracing the inhabited stretch of the LAC with China in Ladakh, have now tap water supply that works even at -35o centigrade. Households in villages opposite Finger 4 where Indian and Chinese troops eyeballed each other months ago, have also started getting connections. Work in other villages such as Phobrang, which guards the access road to the Gogra-Hot Spring area, is progressing at a trot. The border connections are part of 11,000 connections installed in Leh district since the scheme launch, marking a saturation of 47%. This is a noteworthy achievement, given the mountainous geography, isolated habitations - including those without road access - and extreme weather, with temperature dropping to -40oC and snow burying roads.
Love for Sanskrit brings Thai,
Iranian students to Somnath
His fascination for Sanskrit has brought Farshad Salehzehi from Iran to the Shree Somnath Sanskrit University ( SSSU) in Saurashtra. Ten months into his bachelor ’ s degree course, Farshad speaks fluent Hindi, even as he says it took some massive effort to master Devnagri script to write the nearly 3,500 years old language. “I could understand Sanskrit taught by professors at the university as it is quite similar to Avestan, the old Iranian language. But it was tough learning to write as I could not master Devnagri script. While my professors said they could allow me to write Sanskrit in English script, I realised I did not come far from home to take a short cut. I persevered and months later I fare very well, ” says a happy Farshad. The SSSU has, for the first time since its inception in 2005, rallied four students from abroad to study Sanskrit. Two students are set to arrive from Bangladesh pending visa approvals while Ubonsiri Sokri has arrived from Bangkok, Thailand to pursue her masters in Sanskrit. SSSU VC Lalit Patel said that foreign students are increasingly applying for courses at the university. He said that the courses also include studies of Sanskrit grammar, history, astrology, Ved Puran, Vastushastra and more. (The Times of India)
Teen bags dream US job offer, loses it after age revealed
Vedant Deokate of Nagpur landed a dream job offer from a US company after he entered into a website development competition. He wrote 2,066 lines of code over two days and landed the job. About Rs 33,00,000 a year was the salary offer. The New Jersey advertising agency wanted Vedant to join their HRD team to “ assign work and manage other coders ” , but later withdrew their offer after learning that he was only 15. He was chosen from about 1,000 entries from across the globe. Asking him not to be disappointed, the company suggested Vedant should complete his education and contact them for a job. website, animeeditor. com, that offers patrons the option to upload videos like YouTube, with additional features of blogs, vlogs, chatbot and also avideo watching platform. (Agency) Students’ device makes drinking water arsenic free
An undergraduate student of the Faculty of Science at M S University, along with two school students, has developed a magnetic filtration device for arsenic removal from drinking water. The filtration device which has already been installed in five villages in two of the worst arsenic-hit districts of Bihar has now earned a patent from Government of India ’ s Patent Office. Groundwater in 31 of 38 rural districts in Bohar was affected by high concentration of arsenic posing. “As school students, we had started developing a prototype in 2019. We took part in several science competitions. And ultimately, we installed the modified device for filtration in five villages in November 2021, ” said Akshat Adarsh, a third year student of geology department at MSU. He developed the device with his Patna-based friends Abhijeet Kumar, 17, and Arpit Kumar, 18. (The Times of India) Breathtaking views of Dara Ghats
The Indian Railways operates one of the largest train networks in the world. Its trains frequently travel through some of the most breathtaking views India has to offer. One such video, shared by ministry of railways on its Twitter handle, shows an express train crossing through the beautiful landscape of Dara Ghats in Rajasthan. The video of the beautiful location is winning hearts on Twitter. The ministry 's tweet further says, "Panoramic view of an Express Train traversing through the lush landscape of Dara Ghats in Kota-Nagda Section of @wc _ railway. " The 41-second clip begins with a scene of a wide landscape. The train can be seen crossing the beautiful surrounding. The view from inside the train must be breathtaking that only a passenger can relate to. "It's like 'once in a lifetime journey. Congratulations to the Railways, " said one user. Another wrote, "Indian rail with its enchant beauty. Thanks for this nice post. " (Agency) 3-year-old falls to death while looking for phone
A 3-year-old girl, while trying to look for a cellphone which had slipped out of her hand, climbed onto the railing of the seventh floor balcony and fell to her death. Her mother had stepped out to drop off her seven -year-old sister to the bus stop outside their building in Mumbai. The police said that they have pieced together the sequence of events on the basis of the circumstances in which the child and the phone were found in the compound. The child, Shreya Mahajan, was asleep in the bedroom of their home. Around 7.15 am, her mother, Shraddha, left to drop her elder daughter. Shreya woke up and, on not finding her mother, walked towards the balcony. She took her mother ’ s phone lying around and walked to the balcony. The phone fell through a gap of the railing. Shreya climbed onto the railing and slipped. She hit the AC duct and fell in the compound. She was found lying in a pool of blood. She was then taken to a hospital where she was declared ‘ brought dead' . (Agency)
Pigeon performs backflips
A video going viral on social media shows a pigeon doing a backflip. The short clip has stunned Twitter users. The white pigeon with a blue patch on its body is first seen spreading its wings and then performing the backflip not once, but thrice. And the bird achieves the feat with its wings outstretched. The 11-second clip shows the pigeon landing perfectly on the ground after every backflip - like a gymnast. Many users wanted to know how this is possible for a bird. According to an article in Universities Federation of Animal Welfare (UFAW), there are some breeds of pigeons - roller and tumbler which have the innate ability to perform backflips like these. "The roller and tumbler breeds of pigeon have been selected for tumbling behaviour in flight, to the extent that some tumblers can no longer fly but, instead, tumble as soon as they intend to take wing, " the article said. "The consequences to the birds are difficult to assess but are clearly adverse when they lead to injuries due to hitting the ground or tumbling over it,
World Hepatitis Day 2022: Hep C, Ki?
Shefali Saxena
The prevalence of Hepatitis C is higher in British South Asian communities (1.1%) vs the wider UK population (0.2). So, this World Hepatitis Day (28th July 2022) the Hep C, Ki? campaign, which has been developed and funded by Gilead Sciences, raised awareness of the risk factors for contracting hepatitis C, specific to British South Asian communities.
Backed by the NHS and the Hepatitis C Trust, the disease awareness programme is calling on those who might be at risk to get tested for hepatitis C.
The Hep C, Ki? campaign was launched in 2021 in response to a drop in hepatitis C testing by 30% in British South Asian communities. The unconventional comedy approach features top British South Asian comedians Eshaan Akbar,
Shabana Begum Sukh Ojla and Ali Official. You can check out the series of comedy videos below –we can also share assets if you wish to use them on your channels.
Former patient and hepatitis C expert Shabana Begum, South Asian Outreach Officer at The Hepatitis C Trust visited her GP in 2004, after years of experiencing tiredness and mood swings; following several rounds of tests she was diagnosed and treated for hepatitis C. She was one of the 50% of people living with the virus without knowing she had it. In the course of her treatment, Shabana experienced stigma from some people in her community due to some of the misconceptions about how hepatitis is transmitted. She believes she had been living with hepatitis C since she was 13-year-old and caught the virus whilst undergoing medical treatment in Pakistan, where she lived as a young woman in the 1980s.
Speaking to Asian Voice, Shaban Begum said, “When I was 13 my dad took me on a trip to visit family in Pakistan. During the trip, I fell ill and so he took me to see a local doctor. The doctor gave me some medication and an injection – after this, I saw the needle had been taken from a ( dirty metal container) contaminated bin with dirty water pooled at the bottom of it. I was very young so wasn ’t worried and not knowledgeable enough to be worried about any side effects, a little worried but didn ’t have any immediate side effects so thought nothing of it. ”
When asked how much she and her family knew about Hepatitis C, she said, “We really didn ’t know much about Hepatitis C –there was (and still is) a lot of misinformation about the virus within British South Asian communities with many associating the virus with stigmatised activities, such as sex and drug use. When I told my mum that I had been diagnosed with hepatitis C she told me that I shouldn ’t tell anyone because it was either passed from husband to wife as a sexually transmitted infection, or I had done something shameful to catch the virus. ”
This is where the Hep C, Ki campaign, created by Gilead and supported by the Hepatitis C Trust and NHS England, comes in – as it uses comedy to help break down some of the barriers that exist when trying to talk about a taboo subject like hepatitis C.
Sharing her thoughts on what she thinks South Asians need to learn about Hep C in order to fight the stigma around it, Shabana Begum said, “I think British South Asians need to learn that if you have spent time in India, Bangladesh or Pakistan at any time in your life – as a child or an adult, as a resident or a regular visitor then you might be at risk of hepatitis C. What’ s more, risk factors for hepatitis C can include common everyday practices when overseas, such as receiving medical, dental or cosmetic treatment (including vaccinations) using unsterilised equipment, blood transfusions and even equipment used by hairdressers or beauticians – such as nail scissors, clippers and razors – can pose a small risk if not effectively sterilised between customers. ”
“If someone thinks they could have come into contact with the hepatitis C virus, they shouldn ’t wait until they feel unwell to get tested. If you test positive for Hepatitis C, treatment involves taking tablets daily for 8 to 12 weeks. The treatment is usually easy to take with few side effects. Once treatment is complete, over 95% of people are cured, ” she added.
According to her, one must inform themselves about Hepatitis C and its risk factors by visiting the Hepatitis C Trust’ s website. Secondly, Begum urged that one must speak to their family members about Hepatitis C – in particular, their parents or grandparents if they grew up in South Asia as they may be at risk without knowing it. Having these conversations can be tricky, so consider sharing the Hep C, Ki comedy videos with them as a way to gently approach the subject.
“We are all at our wits' end” Street racers of London have residents fuming in anger
The street racers of London have caused continued disturbance over the years. This has left the residents of the city angry and the police cracking down on this illegal activity.
The infamous street racers of London have triggered noise complaints and headlines, alike, over the years. These racers organise exclusive events through social media to show off their modified cars and participate in drag races against each other. These groups meet up at large car parks or speed around the capital and what follows is a smokedup setting. The modified cars at these events also cause a lot of noise when revved up and cause problems for the residents of the city.
The race venues are announced by the admins of Facebook groups and Instagram, often an or two before the event. These secret meet-ups organised by these groups are in order to avoid tipping off the police of these illegal events. These groups, driving around ’ recklessly ’ , have been reported repeatedly by community groups across London. A man from a neighbourhood watch group in Dulwich expressed his anger about the racing across his area. “I’ ve had enough with these boy racers; they keep on going at crazy speeds across the area. They speed at upwards of 80mph down our 30 mph streets and it will not be long before they hit a child and cause some serious damage. What will it take until something stops them? A death?” , he told My London.
In an initiative to end reckless driving, noise cameras were installed in the Kensington and Chelsea of London. These cameras were triggered by 10,000 vehicles from June 2021 to February 2022. As a result, drivers are being fined for being as loud as a “ rock concert” , My London reported. The residents of the affected areas including Kensington and Chelsea expressed their discomfort in a city council report. “We are all at our wits' end” , they said.
Of the 10,000 offenders caught on camera, BMW drivers were in the highest numbers, followed by Lamborghini, Mercedes, Ferrari, Audi and Land Rover.
Home Sec to meet African ministers during Commonwealth Games to ‘discuss Rwanda-style deportations’
To try to strike new Rwanda-style deportation agreements, the Home Secretary will meet ministers from a number of African nations during the Commonwealth Games.
Priti Patel will use the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as diplomatic cover for discussions with potential partners for the Government’ s flagship immigration policy. Government sources, meetings are scheduled to take place with delegations from Botswana, Nigeria and The Gambia, as well as other Commonwealth states in Africa.
A senior Home Office official said: “The Home
Secretary has made no secret of the fact that she believes the Rwanda deal is a blueprint for dealing with illegal immigration. “The Commonwealth
Games offers an excellent opportunity for her to sit down with ministers from across the Commonwealth and discuss world events. Many of those meetings will include talks about the deportation of immigrants.
Shefali Saxena
Dr Kalpana Surendranath, Senior Lecturer and Leader of the Genome Engineering Lab at the University of Westminster, has been admitted as the Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB), for achieving distinction in the fields of biological research, teaching and application of biology.
Dr Surendranath created the Genome Engineering Laboratory in 2017 and focuses on innovative, highquality research. As a Senior Lecturer, she applies researchinformed approaches to engage students as co-creators in multiple workflows of knowledge construction. Supported by the Quintin Hogg Trust, she co-launched a student innovation community called ‘Gene Editors of the Future ’ , which contributed to the University ’ s efforts to reach the United Nations ’ Sustainability Development Goals, as evidenced in the associated report of the University.
She was born in a remote village in India to well-educated historian parents. Her steps toward a career in science sparked from the early morning study time conversations with her Dad about the science behind practices and traditions. She earned a BSc in Biotechnology and MSc in Microbial Gene Technology and through a national-level competitive process, where she was chosen to pursue doctoral studies at the premier research institute, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Today, Surendranath is a senior lecturer and creator and leader of the Genome Engineering Laboratory www.westmingenlab.uk of the University of Westminster, London.
In a special interview with Asian Voice, she shared her success story:
As a woman in science, what amount of perseverance and challenges did it take for you to be awarded this prestigious fellowship?
My career in the past decade was scattered with challenges including maternity, the demise of parents and the covid pandemic among many. However, it is during this time, I adapted the Nobel prize-winning CRSIPR tool for teaching and research and created the first-ever Genome Engineering Laboratory in a post-92 university in UK. My career in science involves genuine excitement and radical efforts to serve science, students, and society.
What does this mean to you and your family?
Being elected as the fellow of Royal Society of Biology for achieving distinction in biology is inspiring and energising. I am grateful to the University of Westminster for encouraging scientific innovations and supporting my initiatives in disease research and research-informed teaching. My 12-year-old son said, “I am proud seeing my mother excel in her career, she is destined to achieve furthermore in science. ”
Do you think more women of colour have an equal chance to reach where you are today?
Harnessing a growth mindset and seeking room to grow early in the workplace is crucial for the success of every woman. We cannot deny the struggles, glass ceiling discrimination is still preventing women and racial minorities from reaching the most powerful positions. Thanks to EDI initiatives across the world pushing
Dr Kalpana Surendranath towards achieving equity, diversity, and inclusion in organizations at multiple levels. Let us hope for a better tomorrow!
What would your advice be to our women readers who would like to pursue science and choose a path like you?
Getting more girls in STEM is the need of the hour, as a diverse think tank and workforce are required to find better solutions to major challenges facing today ’ s global population. Follow the cycle: think, question, collaborate, struggle, try, create, reflect, share knowledge, and help each other in sustainable ways to make a difference in an ever-changing world.
What do you look forward to under this fellowship? Please explain your project/work in layman's language for our readers.
Creating opportunities for students to collaborate and innovate is the most wonderful part of my profession. DNA dictates the activities of our body every millisecond. My laboratory uses the CRISPR molecular scissors to edit the content of human DNA to dissect the root cause of diseases. We are excited about our recent discovery of a potential drug target for bowel cancers.
Birmingham ready to open biggest ever Commonwealth Games which will leave lasting legacy for region
Birmingham 2022 boasts the biggest sporting and parasport programme and more medals for women than men for the first time ever at the major multi-sport event
The biggest ever Commonwealth Games and the largest sporting event to be held in the West Midlands will open in Birmingham today on time and on budget.
Backed by £778 million of public funding, including £594 million from the central government, Birmingham 2022 is the most significant investment in a major sporting event since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Prince of Wales accompanied by The Duchess of Cornwall - will represent Her Majesty The Queen and officially open the Games at this evening ’ s Opening Ceremony, taking place at the newly-refurbished Alexander Stadium in front of over 30,000 spectators and an estimated global television audience of over one billion people.
Birmingham 2022 will be the quickest delivered Commonwealth Games in history ready in just four and a half years instead of the usual seven. It also boasts the biggest parasport programme in Commonwealth Games history and more medals for women than men for the first time at a major multi-sport event.
Birmingham is hosting 6,500 athletes and officials from 72 Commonwealth nations and territories competing in 11 days of sport across the West Midlands. More than one million tickets have been sold for events across the West Midlands from Cannock Chase to Coventry. B i r m i n g h a m 2022 Chief Executive Ian Reid said: “These Games will play host to the largest sporting programme of any Commonwealth Games and for the first time will see more medals awarded to women than men. Over the coming two weeks, we will be able to showcase the very best that we have to offer. Now is the time to celebrate our city and region. This is our moment.
All-female crew lead RAF flypast over Wembley for Euro 2022 final
A C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, crewed by three women, flanked by two Typhoon fighter jets as they fly over Wembley Stadium before England’ s historic fixture with Germany.
The aircraft flew over at 4:57 pm, immediately after the national anthems, before kick-off. The Hercules flew from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and both Typhoons will take off from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
According to a survey commissioned by Girl Guiding, almost a third of girls and young women in the UK cannot access free period products at their school or college, despite government schemes being in place for several years. Some 32% of girls and young women said they could not access free menstrual products at their school or college because they were unavailable. Girl Guiding is urging Department for Education to fully evaluate England’ s period products scheme and make it permanent.
Research by Savanta on 2,008 girls aged 11 to 18 across the UK between June 13 and 22 for the charity, found that more than onethird of students said they could obtain free period products in their school toilets (35%) but another third revealed they had to ask a teacher if they wanted to access them (32%). More than half (54%) of respondents said they felt uncomfortable asking for period products at school, while 30% said they felt too embarrassed, the Guardian reported.
A DfE spokesman said: “No one should be held back from accessing education due to their period, which is why we launched our free period product scheme to provide girls with period products when they need them.
“We continue to work with schools to tackle period poverty, providing advice and support on ways to promote the scheme to pupils that avoids embarrassment or stigma, and to involve pupils in what products should be ordered.
Defence demonstrates significant progress made for women in the Armed Forces
25th July marked the year anniversary of the recommendations made by Rt. Hon. Sarah Atherton MP in her report ‘Protecting Those Who Protect Us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life ’ . A year on, Defence have taken on these recommendations and introduced an extensive programme of work alongside the work that was already being undertaken to tackle unacceptable sexual behaviour, improve the experience for women in the Armed Forces and build trust in the Service Justice System.
Most recently Defence has launched three new measures that provide clearer direction to prevent and address incidents. These are the Zero Tolerance to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) Policy (JSP 769), the Zero Tolerance to Unacceptable Sexual Behaviour: A Victim/Survivor Focused Approach Policy (2022DIN01-073) and the Tackling Sexual Offending in Defence Strategy. These policies will ensure that Defence continues to tackle unac-
ceptable sexual behaviour and is a place where people are proud to work and have faith in their justice system.
In parallel to the recently published policies, a significant programme of work has been delivered across Defence and was set out in the Government’ s Response to Sarah Atherton ’ s Inquiry. This includes training developments, transformation of the Service Complaints System, the stand-up of the Defence Serious Crime Unit HQ, delivery of improvements to uniform and equipment, and the Servicewomen
