AV 07th January 2023

Shefali Saxena

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and His Majesty King Charles III had their first official conversation over a telephonic call on Tuesday. This is the first time the King and Modi spoke since his ascension to the throne. PM Modi conveyed his best wished to King Charles III for his reign.

While Modi and HM King Charles III strengthen the 'Living Bridge', research shows that ethnic minorities are leading the way to build a better Britain. But, has this achievement percolated to the bottom-most strata?

Community shop owners kickstart 'Heat Hub

London sends a message of love and unity to the world with unique fireworks

Huge protests in India over Jain pilgrimage site Sammet Shikharji

PM Modi’s mother Hiraba passes away at 100

Indian PM Narendra Modi with HM King Charles III during CHOGM18 in the UK

Hon Alok Sharma MP Karenjeet Kaur Virdee

L awyers

In 2021, she moved to London to pursue a Masters of Law in Commercial Corporate and Arbitration from the Queen Mar y University, London which she completed this year with Distinction and Merit grades During her time at University, Prashansa worked with the Student Union, and was appointed as the Batch Representative and the PG Representative for the Indian Society She has also worked with the commercial legal aid clinic at the Queen Mar y ’ s in setting up free law workshops as Public Legal Educator and as the Editor of their Legal Newsletter

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

A n y c i t y i n I n d i a fe e l s l i ke h o m e Growing up, my family frequently moved a r o u n d M a d h y a P r a d e s h , O r i s s a , a n d Chhattisgarh and I went to law school in Bangalore and went on to explore many c i t ie s d u r i n g n a t io n a l c o m p e t i t io n s a n d internships which made me accustomed to feeling homely in any City, as long as it is in India, and I have my family & friends around me

2) What are your proudest achievements?

I am proud of becoming a Lawyer and obtaining distinctions at my law masters in my f ield of specialisation i e Finance and Investment Arbitration Laws while training and learning from world renowned professors, whose work I used to read at law school All my learning experiences are my prized lessons, and I am proud for living it so far and for having the strength to look for ward to more

3)

What inspires you?

My Parents and my vision I am constantly driven by the inspiration and motiv a t i o n t h a t c o m e s f ro m my f a t h e r a n d mother who support and encourage me in pursuing all my dreams and becoming an independent professional and an empowered woman and a leader, capable enough to help and enlighten others to overcome stigmas and grow together

4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

Joy and success in life and career is a journey, and not just an achievement goal This means that more than often, patience i s n e e d e d t o e n d u r e t h e a c h i e v e m e n t s before going on to work for the next milestone I f ind it challenging at times to be patient and easy-going in the fast paced and competitive world we live in 5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

My Father is who I took up to even before the leaders of my f ield for his humbling diligence and intelligence for maintaining a thoughtful balance between his work and life, for teaching me to value honesty, courage and generosity over ambi-

tiousness and success which earns respect and love among ever yone I also look up to Justice DY Chandrachud for his brilliant contributions to the industr y and his modest attitude

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

I wake up extremely excited for all the better differences and happiness that my contribution at my work brings for the people Being there for a person when they are in need and resolving their problems is the most noble work and it gives me immense peace and joy, especially when I am able to put all my learnings into something productive that actually helps someone

7) And the worst?

Dynamic work demands dynamic requisites It may get challenging at time to commit for or plan time for things outside of work

8) What are your long-term goals?

I envision to be an International Lawyer and a Leader to lead the advocacy of the rights of the underprivileged I want to be signif icant enough to be heard when I call o u t t o d i s r u p t t h e u n f a i r s t i g m a s a n d w r o n g f u l i d e o l o g i e s t h a t p r e v e n t s o u r world from being a safer and healthier place than it can be for all of us

9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?

If I am a Prime Minister, I would work on setting up a strictly independent institutional wing of the Government for Media that protects and promotes genuine news reporting and strictly safeguards the people f r o m w r o n g f u l a n d i n c i t e f u l n e w s a n d w o r d s M i s i n fo r m a t i o n c a u s e s m u c h dischord than we think

10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?

I love stories and poems and a good time in isolation delving into those stories and discussing about the characters and their perspectives from multiples angles I w o u l d b e t h r i l l e d t o p i c k W i l l i a m Shakespeare and discuss all his fascinating work and even listen to the unpublished ones

King Charles III’s Christmas message makes TV record

Th e BBC won in the com petition with stream ing rivals like Netflix when a reco rd 1 0 6 m il li o n v ie w ers watch ed the C hristmas Day messag e from King Charles III

T h e m o s t - w a t c h e d Christmas T V address by a monarch in the two decades d u r i n g w h i c h o f f i c i a l T V r a t i n g r e c o r d s h a v e b e e n monitoring audience levels was made from St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, where Elizabeth II had delivered her Christmas message in 1999 The eight-minute broadcast saw the new king

p ay i n g t r i b u t e t o h i s l a t e mother and addressing the c o s t - o f - l i v i n g c r i s i s a n d included footage from food banks and free meal distribution initiatives

‘An average of 8 1 million viewers watched the broadcast on BBC One, with 1 58 million tuning into IT V and 929,000 watching on BBC

Two, which included sign l a n g u a g e ’ , T h e Gu a r d i a n reported In fact, seven of the Top 10 most-watched s h o w s o n C h r i s t m a s D a y were from the BBC, with B B C O n e ’ s St r i c t l y C o m e

Dancing Christmas special t a k i n g t h e t o p s p o t BB C O n e , t h e m o s t p o p u l a r channel in the UK, attracted more viewers than subscription video-on-demand services BBC iPlayer too saw a surge in viewership during the weekend, with the king’s speech again being the most popular programme, along with EastEnders

Over 200,000 eligible children miss out on free meals

A ccording to a new analysis by the L iberal Demo crats, approxim ately 234 ,500 children are m issing ou t on Free Scho ol Meals (FS Ms) d espite being eligible because they ar e n o t re g i st ere d C am paig ners for children’s ri g h t t o fo o d h av e u rg ed m inisters to autom ate th e enrolment process so that the child ren did not go h ungr y due to lack of aw areness, language barriers, or o ther diff iculties faced d uring the ap pl i ca ti o n p ro c es s C h i l d ren m is s i ng o u t o n

F S M a ls o d ep r iv ed t h e schools of the pupil premium funding fo r each prim ar y and sec o nd ar y s tud e nt elig ible for FSM

The Liberal Democrats are also campaigning along with others to extend free school meals to all children in households in receipt of universal credit The costof-living crisis has also made the campaigners concerned about access to FSM vouche r s d u r i n g h o l i d a y s T h e g o v e r n m e n t a l l o c a t e d a n additional £200 million to

extend its holiday activities a n d fo o d p r o g r a m m e t o 2023, which currently covers only six weeks Campaigners told The Guardian that not all councils used the £412 million household support fund to supply food vouchers, using a postcode lotter y s y s t e m i n s t e a d T h e Gu a r d i a n a l s o q u o t e d a Department for Education spokesperson saying that a further £30 million would be r e s e r v e d t o e x t e n d t h e n a t i o n a l s c h o o l b r e a k f a s t programme to July 2024

Pathologist shortage delaying funerals, causing ‘grief crisis’

Th e hig h nu mber of excess deaths in 2022 caused by a h e alt h s y st em s ev e rel y i nj u re d b y th e p an d em ic , has in tu rn caused a shortage o f path olog ists, forcing f am i li e s t o w ai t u p t o a m o n th to c o nd u c t t h e f u ner al se r v i ce s o f t h ei r lo v ed o n es M o st p o stmo rtem s are carried out by NH S p ath o l o g i st s o u ts i d e th eir reg ular w o rk , and a backlog of cancer cases, a spurt in other diseases, and staff stresses have combined

to r ed u c e th e nu m b er o f h ou rs they can d ev o te to th ese tasks

Sky News quoted a government spokesperson saying, “We have taken steps this year to reduce the coroners' court backlog following the pandemic, including changing the law so that it is faster and easier for coroners to establish a death is from natural causes without t h e n e e d fo r a p o s tmortem ” £6 15 billion has been invested to help local

authorities recover from the pandemic

But many people, in the meantime, could not even b e g i n m a k i n g p l a n s fo r f u n e r a l s e r v i c e s d u e t o delays for up to a month in c o n d u c t i n g p o s t -m o r t e m s Sometimes, it took up to two weeks for the coroners to decide whether a postmortem was needed, forcing f u n e r a l d i r e c t o r s t o u s e camouflage makeup to make the body look presentable during the funeral ser vice

GP surgery accidentally texts patients they have cancer

On the af ternoon of Friday, 23 Dec ember, Askern Medical Practice re portedly te xted a num ber of patient s say ing t ha t they have

Britons to support future referendum on rejoining the EU

Nearly two-th irds o f Britons are now sho wing su pp ort to a referendum o n rejoi ning following the UK transitioning ou t of th e European Union

According to a Savanta sur vey d o n e fo r T h e I n d e p e n d e n t , i t shows that the number of people who oppose another vote has fallen, with less than a quarter of voters now against a referendum

On 31 Januar y 2020, the UK formally left the EU but the “transit i o n p e r i o d ” m e a n t i t o b s e r v e d Brussels laws and remained in the single market until 31 December 2020

Since then, the economy, the UK’s global influence and the ability to control our own borders have all gotten worse, the sur vey shows Chris Hopkins, from Savanta, said it could be that many overestim a t e d t h e p o t e nt i a l b e n e f i t s o f Brexit

“It’s hard to imagine being in the EU would solve any of the countr y ’ s current economic issues,” he said , “but perceptions matter ”

According to the sur vey, 54 per cent now say Brexit was the wrong decision, up from 46 per cent last year, on the f irst anniversar y of Britain’s exit

‘ aggres sive lung ca ncer with metas tas es ’ The mes sage s ent by the GP s urger y in Doncas ter also referred to a DS1500 form which is se nt t o terminall y ill patients

The matter was cleared up after around 20 minutes when the GP sent a follow-up text expressing their ‘sincere apologies’ for the mistake, clarifying that their actual intention had been to wish the patients on Christmas and New Year

At least one patient found the entire incid e n t ‘d i s g u s t i n g ’ 4 2 -y e a r- o l d C a r l f r o m Doncaster told Sky News that at f irst, he thought it might be a sick joke, but then began panicking because he was a smoker and was afraid that the GP might be on to something that he did not know Things started clearing up only when his mother told him that she got the same message as well According to Carl, the second message nonchalantly tried to sweep the issue aside He wanted to switch surgeries following the incident despite being registered at Askern for 30 years, and he might not be the only one

What’s next for Britain, after a tumultuous 2022?

UK rung in the New Year with spectacular fireworks display which paid tribute to the Queen and Ukraine Enthusiastic people across the UK, defied the wet weather and stood for hours to witness the fireworks back in its former glory, after two years of break As Big Ben bonged at midnight, the soldout show sent a message of “love and unity”, highlighting the Lionesses’ history-making Euro win at Wembley Stadium, and marking 50 years of London’s Pride (see p13 for story)

The New Year’s Eve also marked a great celebration for the Asian community honoured by His Majesty King Charles III Around 77 Asians and 50 Indian-origin members of the community have been awarded with New Year honours COP26 President and Agra born Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP h a

Lakhani CBE and Ivan Manuel Menzes have also been awarded Knighthood While Lakhani who is the Chair, F a c

M

During the Christmas period, the Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak was seen distributing food to the homeless A conversation between him and a homeless man grabbed attention of the media, where he asked if the man was in business Of course, it seemed completely out of touch for the Prime Minister to ask a homeless man this question, but often things taken out of context can rubbish a genuine effort Was this criticism fair? Was the exchange between Mr Sunak and Dean at the Passage homeless shelter inappropriate? In fact, no Dean asked the PM if he was sorting the economy out And when Mr Sunak replied that’s what he was trying to do, Dean replied it was best for business To that Mr Sunak asked if Dean had or worked for a business To that Dean replied he was homeless, but he was indeed interested in business Mr Sunak then asked what sort of business and Dean replied: finance

Thought for the week

Political Sketchbook

Solving the Big Political Problems of 2023

G e n

a l P r a c

a

n

H i g h g a t e M e d i c a l C e n t r e , Loughborough has been awarded the title for his services to General Practice, Pune-born Menzes, the Chief Executive Officer, Diageo PLC has been awarded for his services to Business and to Equality (see p1) Professor Sir Partha Sarathi Dasgupta, Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge has been awarded the Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire for his services to Economics and to the Natural Environment

Dasgupta was born in Dhaka on 17 November 1942 and raised mainly in Varanasi and is the son of the noted economist Amiya Kumar Dasgupta He is married to Carol Dasgupta, who is a psychotherapist They have three children, Zubeida (who is an educational psychologist), Shamik (a professor of philosophy), and Aisha (who is a demographer and works on the practice of family planning and reproductive health) His father-in-law was the Nobel Laureate James Meade

CB Patel, the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar has also been conferred with an award at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, to be held next week for his contribution in Media and leading his role as a ‘living bridge’

economic

PM Narendra Modi has spoken to His Majesty King Charles III about several topics of mutual interest including climate change and sustainability When the whole world is looking at cutting down carbon emissions to net zero by 2030, 7 years from now, in 2021, at Cop26, India’s Prime Minister mentioned the realistic goal of completing the same by 2070 This step was however severely criticised as a short-term strategy, especially the idea of “phasing down” of coal in the power sector

The Indian Prime Minister and His Majesty King Charles III spoke on several mutually beneficial topics, including the conservation of biodiversity, and innovative solutions for financing energy transition, besides conveying best wishes to each other The Indian Prime Minister also briefed His Majesty about India’s priorities for its G20 presidency and the relevance of Mission LiFE- Lifestyle for Environment, through which India seeks to promote environmentally sustainable lifestyles

The leaders also exchanged opinions on the strengthening of ties between these nations and a special mention was made of the role of the Indian community acting as a “living bridge” between the UK and India and enriching the bilateral relationships

Recent economic research however has indicated that British colonialism curbed the growth of India prior to India’s independence Though the magnitude of the harm cannot be measured the study shows if India was never colonised its per capita income would have been about 50% higher than it was in 1948, wrote Kevin R James, an economist in the Systemic Risk Centre at the London School of Economics in The Times of India However, Mr James added, “The 50% shortfall in per capita income that resulted from this stagnation could be overcome by a mere 7 years of 6% growth It follows that colonialism can only be said to have had a crippling effect on India’s economic future if it somehow prevents India from achieving high growth rates in the present But India’s colonial inheritance is more likely to facilitate high growth in the present rather than prevent it (this is not true of the colonial experience of all countries) ”

He also explained why India’s colonial legacy has put India in a potentially strong position First, Britain gave India a rule of law and a vibrant democracy- making it one of the largest It is the best foundation for a free market economy Second, it gave India a thriving civic culture Third, India has the advantage of speaking English in the Anglosphere, which is pushing the innovation frontier for the past 200 years These were no gifts under the British administration, due to their oppression and various other issues, but eventually, the fruits of India’s learning experience from the British rule worked out to India’s advantage or became realisable after they left, as pointed out by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen

Here is a man who has revamped his home at No 10, with his own money unlike his predeccesor He, even as the Chancellor, worked at the kitchen and distributed food at his local temple All that he was trying to do with Dean, was to be respectful, non-judgemental and not assume that a man standing in front of him, at a shelter was homeless A shelter or a soup kitchen or even a langar does not necessarily ID you to check if you are indeed homeless and eligible to eat a warm meal that you don’t have to pay for That is the main idea of sewa

Rishi Sunak was there because that’s what he always did and not everything was a photo-op As The Guardian said, what did he say that was so wrong? He was chatty, engaged and what was the indication that Dean did not have a business that fell into hard times? Does his current status reduce his past achievements to nothing?

2023 is a crucial year in many ways for the UK and this government Politically and socially These are the times when we need to focus on helping the NHS, try and stay h e a l t h y a n d f i g h t t h e c o s t - o f - l i v i n g c r i s i s T h e P r i m e Minister has a job to do- which the nation needs to support This is not the time to be petty and pick on a harmless interaction to define a man ’ s intention and ability to serve his people

in

As Mr James rightly pointed out in his conclusion, “India’s economic future is in India’s hands, and the prospects are excellent ”

Let’s look at India’s economic forecast for 2023 There is a challenge of inflation and there will be the effect of the global r e c e s s i o n i n I n d i a a s w e l l A c c o r d i n g t o N e w s O n A i r , Subhrakant Panda, President of FICCI reportedly said, with the world bank having upgraded the growth forecast on account of robust economic activity, as far as the financial year 2023 is concerned, a growth of about 7% is expected, though India is ready for any situation He added, though India’s inflation is within control, some degree of turbulence is expected

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said that the Indian economy is set to grow at 7 per cent, according to a report in the Economic Times The bank has kept its outlook for India's economic growth unchanged for the ongoing fiscal year and the GDP growth has been kept unchanged too at 7 2 per cent

On the other hand, the country’s innovation scene is warming up India, under its G20 Presidency, has made digital transformation one of its top priorities

The Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) of G20 has recently launched the ‘G20 Digital Innovation Alliance’ It is, reportedly, an attempt towards embracing and boosting innovative and digital technologies and to encourage innovations in mainly six fields They are: agri-tech, health-tech, ed-tech, fin-tech, secured digital infrastructure and circular economy

Microsoft Chairman Satya Nadella, visiting India for four days from 3 Jan, kicked off his trip by addressing a gathering of the country’s eminent CEOs at the Microsoft Future Ready Leadership Summit in Mumbai

While interacting with top business leaders, Mr Nadella reinforced the need for technology in every organisation During his speech, he highlighted how their product will be foundational to the success of India’s digital journey He also pointed out how Microsoft is innovating to support India’s ecosystem of developers, start-ups and companies across every industry

He reportedly said, “Our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and ultimately, we have to measure our success by achieving that mission

“In simple terms, I say, we should do well only when the world around us is doing well One of the most fantastic things even in this trip to India that I’m learning about, is not just what’s happening in the top cities of the country, but what’s happening across all the cities in the country and how digital is playing a role ”

Microsoft has been operating in India for more than 32 years and according to them, India is a hub of innovation and resourcefulness and is likely to become the world’s thirdlargest economy by 2033

We enter 2023 with h ope yet see po lit ical div isions and pro bl ems everywh er e F rom m ajor ones such as th e war in Ukr aine to perennial ones such as in t he M iddle E ast and with China

My top tips for resolving difficult political negotiations where both sides seem poles apart would be to focus on finding common ground and building a mutually beneficial solution

It can be helpful to identify the underlying interests and concerns of each party and look for ways to address them in the negotiation

Additionally, it can be helpful to involve a neutral third party, such as a mediator, to facilitate the negotiation and help to build trust between the parties, as the US was in Northern Ireland

Finally, it is crucial to maintain clear and respectful communication throughout the negotiation process in order to build a foundation of understanding and cooperation

1 Avoid getting stuck on small details and try to keep the big picture in mind

2 Use active listening skills to fully understand the other party's position

3 Stay patient and persistent, as resolving difficult negotiations can often take time and require compromise from both sides

4 Consider using interest-based negotiation strategies, which focus on finding solutions that address the needs and interests of all parties involved, rather than just their positions

5 Look for creative options that might not have been considered before, as these can often lead to more innovative and mutually beneficial solutions

6 Avoid taking a hardline stance and try to be open to finding middle ground

7 Set clear goals and priorities for the negotiation, but be prepared to adjust them as needed

8 Keep an open mind and be willing to change your own position if a better solution is presented

9 Use diplomacy and tact in your communication, as this can help to de-escalate tension and build rapport

10 Try to find ways to build trust with the other party, as this can help to create a more positive and productive negotiating environment

11 Take breaks as needed to regroup and recharge, as negotiating can be mentally and emotionally taxing

12 Stay focused on the negotiation and avoid getting sidetracked by unrelated issues

Yes, I know, as little Bhutto likens the PM of the world’s largest democracy to Osama Bin Laden, there is not much point talking And that is an element of negotiation The climate and time has to be right And not talking is also negotiating

Equally, with China, India clearly is talking at the border and deescalating each time The UK, with Brexit and the Northern Ireland protocol will find it easier I think in 2023 as the two Indian origin PMs of UK and Ireland negotiate!

Wishing us all a peaceful happy 2023

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Alpesh Patel

'India’s

future is

India’s hands, and the prospects are excellent’

Mum compensated for son’s neglect by london council

A moth er f rom N orth Wes t London was co mpensated by t h e H ar r o w C o u n c il f o r delaying f inding an app rop riate s cho ol f or her ch il d, and c a u s i ng b o t h m o t h er an d s on ’ s mental health to deterio rate

T h e c h i l d r e c e i v e d a finalised education plan from a p r e v i o u s c o u n c i l i n February 2021 suggesting he a t t e n d a m a i n s t r e a m s e co n d a r y s c h o o l f r o m September 2021, ‘where he w o u l d r e c e i v e o n e - t o - o n e

support to control his emotions, daily social interactions and mentoring to develop his understanding of social intera c t i o n s ’ , a s r e p o r t e d b y M y L o n d o n H o w e v e r , t h e L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t Ombudsman (LGO) investigator found no evidence of the Harrow Council considering any alternatives after its e f f o r t s a t m e e t i n g t h e requirements failed following the family’s move to Harrow in May 2021 Not only that, the place at a special school

o f f e r e d b y t h e C o u n c i l i n November 2021 while it continued to seek a long-term solution proved dangerous The son was bullied by an o l d e r c h i l d , p r o m p t i n g t h e mother to withdraw her son in February 2022

The LGO said in its ruling t h a t t h e C o u n c i l ‘ d i d n o t meet its duty from June 2021 to July 2022, disrupting the boy’s transition from primary t o m i d d l e s c h o o l T h e Harrow Council accepted the LGO ruling

MPs solicit prostitutes, indulge in ‘bad behaviour’ in foreign trips

An inves tigation carried out b y Politico of all -party parliam e nt a r y g r ou ps ( APP G s ) r e v e a l e d t ha t s e x wo r ke r s m et pol iticians a t their hotel during an off ic ial t rip t o a dicta tors hip MPs on off ic ial t rips al so ‘ a sk ed f or direct ions to the neares t brothel ’ a n d f a il e d t o t ur n u p f o r m eetings f ol lowing nights of heavy drinking, as reported b y The Independent

This has raised concerns about foreign powers using photos and information to

b l a c k m a i l t h e M P s R i s h i Sunak’s official spokesperson said on last Wednesday that while the reported behaviour of the MPs was very concerning, any reform of APPGs was ' a m a t t e r f o r t h e H o u s e rather than for government' Anti-corruption association T r a n s p a r e n c y I n t e r n a t i o n a l t e r m e d t h i s b e h a v i o u r o f MPs ‘extremely concerning’, saying that it made the politic i a n s v u l n e r a b l e t o u n d u e influence from foreign powers with questionable human

rights records

T h e c h a i r o f t h e s t a ndards committee, Labour MP Chris Bryant, demanded the power to shut down APPGs where there was a conflict of interest As over 130 APPGs are dedicated to interests in foreign countries, they are open to lobbying by both foreign powers and commercial entities Lavish trips for MPs arranged by the Qatari government ahead of the World Cup garnered much attention

Majority of junior doctors plan to quit the NHS

A poll of 4,5 53 jun ior doctors by the Bri tish Med ica l A s s o ci a ti on (B MA ) i n Nove mb er an d Decembe r s howed that nea rly h alf of t he m w a nt e d o ut o f the n a t i o n a l h e a l t h s e r v i ce e ven bef ore they quali fie d Forty per ce nt of the juni or d o c to r s s a i d t h e y w o u ld q ui t t he mo me n t th e y f ound another job A third of those surve yed sai d they w e re ey e in g j ob s ab r oad , e specially in Aus tralia

Eight out of 10 respondents said they wanted to q u i t b e c a u s e o f s l u g g i s h pay rise A newly qualified doctor earns a little more than £14 an hour, roughly equal to the average hourly pay for all workers in the UK But according to the B M A , d o c t o r s e n t e r i n t o h i g h l y d e m a n d i n g r o l e s already laden with education debt

T h e s u r v e y r e s u l t s came while junior doctors

decided to vote on holding s t r i k e a c t i o n i n J a n u a r y 2 0 2 3 , a n d f o l l o w s t h e b i g g e s t 9 9 9 s t r i k e i n 3 0 years in mid-December

A b l a m e g a m e i s o n b e t w e e n t h e g o v e r n m e n t and the workers' unions, w i t h T h e S u n q u o t i n g H e a l t h s e c r e t a r y S t e v e B a r c l a y s a y i n g t h a t t h e unions made a 'conscious choice to harm patients Union bosses, meanwhile, termed the reluctance of the government to negotia t e a n u n p r e c e d e n t e d ‘abdication of leadership’ in their experience

Hospitals declare critical incidents after A&E struggles

Th e usual flu flare-ups in winter, a spike in C ovid rates due to holiday socializing , and th e strike actio n of NHS fro ntline workers th e prev ious week com bined with staff sickness forced T rusts in Dorset, Su rrey and S ussex, Portsm outh and Nottingham to d eclare critical incid ents last Thursday

“High rates of flu, ongoing issues with delayed discharge and the disruptive impact of industrial action are compounding the longerterm issues of over 130,000 NHS vacancies, a decade-long lack of investment in capital and the elective backlog,” said Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, to i GP and mental health services were under immense pressure as well

The Greater Manchester medical executive lead for acute care requested people to call 999 or approach A&E only if they faced a lifethreatening emergency

Flu-related hospital admissions reached the highest levels since the winter of 20172018, with the waiting time for beds at Lincoln Hospital reaching 35 hours While there was a break in reporting due to the Christmas holid a y s , t h e t o t a l n u m b e r o f b e d s o c c u p i e d reached the highest on Boxing Day

On Wednesday night, the East of England Ambulance Service became the third ambulance trust to declare a critical incident last week

2022 warmest year on record for the UK

2022 was th e warmest year fo r the U K, according to the Met Office At 40 3C , th e h ighest tem perature ever in the country was recorded in Lincolnshire on 1 9 July Th e average temperatu re for the year is set to beat all prev ious records Expectedly, all four seasons featu red in the top 10 warm est on record fo r the U K, making th e heat consistent through out th e year

The Met Office warned people to expect more such warm years, which it attributed to global warming It issued the first ever red warning for extreme heat in July this year, a month which saw the London Fire Brigade responding to huge blazes due to grass fires breaking out across the city

The National Trust also predicted the weather extremes this year to become the new norm, and declared in its annual review that those have been especially challenging for species and their habitats Land owned by the Trust saw a spate of wildfires which destroyed habitats of rare lizards, insects and birds, and trees were hit by the drought The only ray of hope was the seeds and nuts produced en masse by trees in certain areas

in brief

MUM STILL SEEKING ANSWERS 25 YEARS AFTER SON’S DEATH

25 years after Ricky Reel’s lifeless body was found in the River Thames, his mother Sukhdev Reel is still seeking answers from the Metropolitan Police In a recent interview with The Mirror, his mother talked about the pain of spending yet another Christmas without him and without justice Mrs Reel sets out a chair for Ricky the only one missing at the family gathering during Christmas every year There would be nothing to tell him she said as she did not get a chance to meet the Metropolitan Police Commissioner before Christmas as she had hoped Mrs Reel was contacted by someone in July who claimed they knew who killed her son Following that, there was a chance of the police reopening the inquest had the information been proved credible In 1999, a jury inquest had ruled an ‘open verdict’, meaning that the case could never be closed, after it was proved that there were many lapses in the investigation, which Mrs Reel attributed to Ricky’s race In 2022, Mrs Reel published her book Ricky Reel Silence is not an Option and received a human rights award But the lack of answers continues to haunt her

NHS CURB ON PATIENT VISITS DUBBED ‘WRONG AND CRUEL’

The decision by Northampton and Kettering Hospitals to suspend visits to all adult inpatient wards earned the ire of senior Tory MP Alicia Kearns who dubbed the move wrong and cruel The Trust suspended visits from 29 December except for compassionate cases in the wake of an increase in Covid and seasonal flu cases, reminding people of the controversial steps adopted by hospitals during the height of the pandemic, when many could not see their dying relatives even in their final hours, except in Zoom calls

Following the recent move, however, the hospitals insisted that the maternity and paediatrics wards, and patients needing compassionate visiting would not be affected But all visitors were asked to wear masks

Chief Operating Officers of a few hospitals requested the people for cooperation and insisted that the steps were reintroduced following careful consideration Ms Kearns however was not convinced The Sun quoted her saying “This is very wrong and cruel Patients should not be locked away from their loved ones who advocate for their care understand their needs and recognise signs that more support might be needed We must learn from mistakes, not repeat them

The Duke of Sussex duri ng an ITV interview has said that he wants his father and b rother “b ac k” I t i s due to be broadc ast on Sunday, two days prior to the publicat i on of hi s hi g hl y anticipated memoir

T h e l a t e s t i n t e rview by Prince Harry is expected to again rock Buckingham Palace with revelations of its inner workings, is part of two interviews that are scheduled to be broadcast on the same day on either side of the Atlantic

In the other interview, with a U S b r o a d c a s t e r , h e a c c u s e d t h e palace of failing to protect his family in the same way as other royal family members

I n a p r e v i e w c l i p f r o m t h e

interview with the ITV News at Ten p r e s e n t e r s T o m Bradby, the prince says “I would like t o g e t m y f a t h e r back, I would like to have my brother back”

The 90-minute p r o g r a m m e , p r od u c e d b y I T N P r o d u c t i o n s f o r ITV, will be broadcast two days b e f o r e H a r r y ’ s a u t o b i o g r a p h y , Spare, is published on 10 January

It has been filmed in California where Harry lives with his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and their two children The interview will go into “unprecedented depth and detail” about his life in and outside the royal family, ITV said

MEASURES INTRODUCED TO IMPROVE COVID SURVEILLANCE FROM CHINA

The government has announced a series of precautionary and temporary measures to further improve the UK’s ability to detect potential new variants of Covid-19 from China following an increase in cases there and the easing of their border measures next week Passengers arriving from China to England from 5 January 2023 will need to show a negative Covid-19 pre-departure test taken no more than 2 days prior to departure Although there are no direct flights from China to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland we are working with the devolved nations to ensure this is implemented UK-wide as soon as possible The decision has been taken to introduce these measures specifically for China arrivals due to a lack of comprehensive health information shared by China The situation remains under review and the UK is working with China on the next steps If there are improvements in information sharing and greater transparency then temporary measures will be reviewed

I would like my father and my brother back, says Prince Harry

Are ethnic minorities really leading Britain?

Modi also took to Twitter and said, “It was a pleasure to speak with His Majesty King Charles III on issues of mutual interest, including envir o n m e n t a l p r o t e c t i o n , c l i m a t e resilience, and the Commonwealth A l s o d i s c u s s e d t h e p r i o r i t i e s o f I n d i a ' s G 2 0 P r e s i d e n c y , a n d t h e potential of Mission LiFE ”

Several topics of mutual interest were discussed during the call, including Climate Action, conservation of biodiversity, innovative s o l u t i o n s f o r f i n a n c i n g e n e r g yt r a n s i t i o n , e t c P r i m e M i n i s t e r expressed his appreciation for His M a j e s t y ’ s a b i d i n g i n t e r e s t a n d advocacy on these issues Prime Minister briefed His Majesty on I n d i a ’ s p r i o r i t i e s f o r i t s G 2 0 Presidency, including propagation of digital public goods He also explained the relevance of Mission LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment, through which India seeks to promote environmentally sustainable lifestyles The leaders exchanged views on the Commonwealth of N a t i o n s a n d h o w t o f u r t h e r strengthen its functioning They also appreciated the role of the Indian community in the UK in acting as a “living bridge” between both countries and enriching bilateral relations

Recent economic research indicates that British colonialism did i n d e e d s t u n t I n d i a ’ s e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t p r i o r t o I n d e p e n d e n c e I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o determine the precise magnitude of colonialism’s impact because doing so necessarily involves a somewhat s p e c u l a t i v e c o m p a r i s o n b e t w e e n how India actually did fare under colonialism and how it would have f a r e d w i t h o u t i t H o w e v e r , t h e B r i t i s h I n d i a n c o m m u n i t y h a s c o m e a l o n g w a y s i n c e I n d i a n became an independent nation

Not just the Indian diaspora, but the entire ethnic minority community in Britain, especially South Asians have remarkably turned the tide in the UK over the years with their intelligence, hard work and multiculturalism The Office for National Statistics recently published figures which showed for the first time that White British people are the minority in London The usual extremists used this to try to divide communities However, the New Year Honours have highlighted again how ethnic minorities are leading the way to build a better Britain There are over 70 south Asians in the New Year Honours List 2023 (see P14-17 for full list), that comprises over 40 people of I n d i a n o r i g i n F r o m C O P 2 6 President Alok Sharma, who has been awarded Knighthood in the King’s New Year Honours List 2023 to the current prime minister of Britain, Rishi Sunak, home secret a r y S u e l l a B r a v e r m a n t o R a c i a l Equality and Diabetes Co-Lead Dr Partha Kar OBE, Indians and people of Indian origin have been contributing significantly to the British politics, society, and economy 60 per cent of the recipients are recognised in this year ’ s honours have primarily undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or charitable capacity In an interaction with Asian V o i c e , D e e p e n P a t e l o f D e e p & Meet News Twickenham revealed that the Patels are helping people amid the ongoing cost of living crisis by offering them a seat or space of spend some time in their cosy

shop where the appliances generate enough heat, especially for those who are not able to afford high e n e r g y b i l l s a n d s e e k c o m p a n y amidst loneliness in such difficult times They call it the Heat Hub (read more on P12) If there is a significant contribution to the country being made via ethnic minorities, it is questionable whether the contribution is significant enough to pave the way for more members of the community to dream big? We decode

T racing back the contribution o f ethnic minoriti es in British econo my We need many such Meet & Deep News agents across the country to be able to accommodate all people who are reeling under the yoke of the cost-of-living crisis

According to Office of National S t a t i s t i c s d a t a f r o m N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 0 , h o u s e h o l d s w i t h a W h i t e British head were approximately nine times as likely to be in the top q u i n t i l e o f t o t a l w e a l t h ( w e a l t h above £865,400) as those of Black African ethnicity and 18 times as likely as those of Bangladeshi ethnicity The percentage of househ o l d s w i t h f i n a n c i a l d e b t s t h a t exceed their financial assets was highest for the Black African and Other Asian groups (both 44%) and was twice as likely for these households compared with the White British group Households with an Indian, Pakistani or White British head had the highest net property w e a l t h ( m e d i a n s o f £ 1 7 6 , 0 0 0 , £115,000 and £115,000 respectively) and were the most likely of all ethnic groups to hold net property wealth, with 80% (Indian head), 73% (Pakistani) and 69% (White British) of households having net property wealth

Yes, PM Rishi Sunak and his w i f e A k s h a t a M u r t y h a v e m a d e their debut on the Sunday Times R u c h L i s t 2 0 2 2 , t o p p e d b y t h e Hinduja family In 2020, Indian diaspora-owned companies with a combined revenue of 36 84 billion pounds employ over 174,000 people and pay over 1 billion pounds in C o r p o r a t i o n T a x , a c c o r d i n g t o f i r s t - o f - i t s - k i n d r e s e a r c h T h e 'India in the UK: The Diaspora Effect' report, analysed data related t o 6 5 4 I n d i a n d i a s p o r a - o w n e d c o m p a n i e s i n t h e U K w i t h a t u r n o v e r o f a t l e a s t 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 pounds and found that they collect i v e l y i n v e s t a r o u n d 2 b i l l i o n pounds through capital expenditure

There is also evidence in the ONS report of differing degrees of private pension participation by ethnicity with lowest participation i n B a n g l a d e s h i ( 4 8 % ) , C h i n e s e ( 5 7 % ) , A n y o t h e r e t h n i c g r o u p s (58%) and Black African (59%) headed households (compared with 83% a n d 8 2 % f o r I n d i a n a n d W h i t e British ethnic groups respectively) Which implies that no matter how high and huge the contribution of ethnic minorities is in Britain, the sum is still not significant enough

to level up all minority communities in the UK

No n-c onclu sive inquiries

Ministers have been slow to tackle systematic racism and racial i n e q u a l i t y d u r i n g t h e p a n d e m i c and persist in trying to explain away disproportionality in death rates, the head of the Covid-19 public inquiry has been told in a leaked letter from black, Asian and minority ethnic leaders The unforg e t t a b l e f a c t b e i n g , t h a t C o v i d death rates among BAME groups in England were significantly higher than for white British people

ONS marked that the ethnicity pay gap has been widely reported, highlighting inequality in earnings and income by ethnic group The ethnicity wealth gap is less well defined, primarily because of limited data When overseas staff and recruits from developing countries continue to fill the void in UK’s ongoing staff and labour shortage, it is rather melancholic to unders t a n d t h a t t h e i r p a y g a p s ( f o r menial jobs at cheap costs) are not even accounted for Richest Asians may be elevating the standards of UK’s economy, but the efforts of the ower-most strata that’s keeping the economy from collapsing is not even acknowledged in reports due to lack of initiation to gather data of how miserable they are Has racism go ne away?

On the surface, th is is a po sitive sto ry for diversity 2022 data reported in the press states that there has been a similarly sharp jump in the proportion of nurses and health visitors who are from overseas, which now stands at a quarter of the total (25 4 per cent of 313,679 staff), up from about one in six (17 1 per cent) in June 2016 Indian was again the most common non-UK nationality among this group, accounting for 7 3 per c e n t o f t h e t o t a l , f o l l o w e d b y Filipino (6 9 per cent), Nigerian (1 7 per cent) and Irish (1 3 per cent)

Despite the high percentage of Indians in the healthcare sector in the UK, there are hardly any known names sitting in the board rooms of the NHS In an article titled ‘Aspiring for Equity in outcome for t h e H e a l t h C a r e P r o f e s s i o n a l s ’ s h a r e d w i t h A s i a n V o i c e b y D r R a m e s h M e h t a C B E , h e w r o t e , “The UK society reflects multi-cultural identities, with over 14% of the population identifying with a non-white heritage This is reflecte d i n t h e m e d i c a l p r o f e s s i o n s w h e r e t h e d i v e r s i t y o f d o c t o r s entering the register has changed, particularly with the balance of gender and the increasing numbers of International Medical Graduates (41%) On the surface, this is a positive story for diversity However, equity in outcomes, opportunity, and workplace inclusion are far from a reality Seven years on from t h e l a n d m a r k B A P I O v s R o y a l College of General Practitioners ruling in 2014, the differentials are still more pronounced by ethnicity and gender over other protected characteristics ”

In his write-up he further mentioned, that BAPIO’s approach has been radically different and recognised that the societal bias reflected in institutional discrimination could not be solved by adopting small interventions to support the o p p r e s s e d / d i s a d v a n t a g e d Therefore, the BAPIO review has r e c o m m e n d e d s y s t e m i c c h a n g e a n d m e a s u r e s t h a t a d d r e s s t h e issue s root cause Our recommen-

dations are aimed at changing polic y a t t h e o r g a n i s a t i o n a l a n d national levels Ultimately, organis a t i o n s a n d t h e i r l e a d e r s m u s t recognise, acknowledge and lead the change They must be held a c c o u n t a b l e a n d c o m p r e h e n s i v e datasets must be collected, analysed, and presented annually We are working with project evaluation teams to develop self-assessment analytical tools for organisations and a national benchmark, w h i c h w i l l e n h a n c e t h e r e s u l t s from Staff surveys and Workforce Race Equality Standards ” Ho w many p eo ple are s itting o n the top ?

It is also worth pondering that high offices and cabinet posts are only going to senior people and the younger lot can only abide by the word inspired and not really see c o n c r e t e o p p o r t u n i t i e s c o m i n g their way Even the judiciary lacks more names and known faces from e t h n i c m i n o r i t i e s t o b e a b l e t o establish that the UK truly gives equal chances to its minority peop l e R i s h i S u n a k ’ s a s c e n s i o n t o Downing Street as the PM was seen

as a truly inspiring and historic moment in British history, but his success which truly mean something when the public elects him the PM in 2024 elections or more c a n d i d a t e s h a i l i n g f r o m e t h n i c minorities win prestigious posts, as big as the one at No 10

Community may be tilting the fairness balance thanks to King Charles III from time immemorial has paved the way for more multicultural exchange in the UK by visiting mosques, gurudwaras, temples, participating in festivals of ethnic minority community, and m o s t i m p o r t a n t l y , b y b e i n g approachable He challenged the orthodox traditions and broke the physical barriers and proximity to e m b r a c e m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s m i n Britain The Honours list is one such example of the number of ethnic minority people - men and women making waves in Britain However, the question remains, w h e t h e r t h i s g r e a t n e s s a n d achievements percolate to the bottom-most strata of these communities that have continued to suffer, otherwise

The contribution of the Jewish community to British society

Jonathan Metliss

Th e U K h as a lo ng con n e cti on with the Jewish community It wa s t h e N or ma n C o n q ue st t h a t prompt ed t he ar riva l of Je ws for the fir st time a nd first r ecords da te from 1070

T h e J e w i s h c o m m u n i t y w a s expelled from England in 1290 by Edward I Jews were not allowed to r e t u r n u n t i l 1 6 5 6 u n d e r O l i v e r Cromwell The 2021 census shows that there are now 271,327 people self-identifying as Jewish people living in England and Wales and the number has risen over the past decade Jews comprise 0 46% of t h e p o p u l a t i o n w i t h G r e a t e r London accounting for 53 6%

The contribution of the Jewish community (both Ashkenazi from Eastern Europe and Sephardi from Spain and Portugal, who came over in 1656) has been considerable and p o t e n t J e w i s h p e o p l e h a v e n o t only been active in all forms of business, but have been prominent in the professions (law, including t h e j u d i c i a r y , a c c o u n t i n g , a n d finance) as well as culture (theatre, media and music), medicine, sport (football and cricket in particular) and politics (being involved in all political parties) Perhaps the most famous Jewish man in politics was Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister from 1874-1880, although he was baptised at the age of 12 when his father joined the Anglican church

There are at least 10 ways that J e w i s h c u l t u r e h a s i n f l u e n c e d England and Wales, in no order of priority – fish and chips, bagels, t h e Y i d d i s h l a n g u a g e , t h e F u l l M o n t y , m o d s , p o r t a b l e m u s i c , modernist art, fairtrade, Freud and psychoanalysis and the City with a number of Jewish Lord Mayors

In 2019, the then parliamentary under secretary of state for the h o u s i n g c o m m u n i t i e s a n d l o c a l government Rishi Sunak, noted that the Jewish people have one of t h e m o s t e n v i a b l e r e c o r d s o f achievement of any demographic group in the United Kingdom’s

history “Despite only ever forming a small percentage of the population, British Jews have shone in a l m o s t e v e r y f i e l d T h e y h a v e inspired and entertained created and innovated They have become our doctors, our philosophers, our inventors, or musicians, our writers, our leaders, our role models, our parliamentarians, and indeed one of our Prime Ministers ” He went on to note the significant c o n t r i b u t i o n s m a d e b y s e v e r a l J e w i s h c h a r i t i e s , i n p a r t i c u l a r Jewish Care and Norwood

“ A s t h e l o n g e s t e s t a b l i s h e d religious minority in the UK, the Jewish people have led the way in demonstrating how to integrate fully and participate in our national life, while retaining our distinct a n d p r o u d i d e n t i t y ” I n d e e d , a prayer is said in Synagogue every Sabbath, confirming the allegiance of the Jewish community to the monarch of the day

Sadly, there has been growing a n t i s e m i t i s m o v e r t h e l a s t f e w years, both in politics from the Labour party and generally in UK society This is still a major problem, and the incidents of antis e m i t i s m a r e g r o w i n g T h i s i s being addressed by leading Jewish organisations, the Police and the Government and the Jewish community has to remain watchful (Jonathan Metliss is the Chairman of Action Against Discrimination, member of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Chairman of the Board of Deputies Committee on Antisemitism in Sport, Chairman of the Jewish Weekly and Chairman of Axiom DWFM solicitors)

Dr Ramesh Mehta CBE

Jonathan Metliss

The UK's problems will stay in 2023, says Rishi Sunak

R ishi Sunak has warned in h i s N e w Y e a r ’ s m e s s a g e that the U K's problems w ill n ot go away in 2 023

The prime minister said the government was taking "difficult but fair" decisions to "get borrowing and debt under control

He promised that his g o v e r n m e n t w o u l d p u t "people's priorities first"

He also said the coronation of King Charles III will

offer an opportunity to the country to "come together with pride"

Towards the end of a t u r b u l e n t p o l i t i c a l y e a r which saw his two predecessors - Boris Johnson and Liz Truss - brought down b y C o n s e r v a t i v e b a c kb e n c h e r s , M r S u n a k became prime minister

This year, while dealing with the rising cost of living and strikes in several sec-

Plea for smoking age change to avoid cancer cases

A m i l l i o n p e o p l e w i l l c o n t r a c t c a n c e r f r o m cigarettes by 2040 unless a tougher

Action is being taken to stop smoking, according to a report by Cancer Research UK

The government set a target for the country to b e c o m e s m o k e - f r e e b y 2030, in 2019

H o w e v e r , a s p e r t h e a n a l y s i s b y C a n c e r Research, this would not be a c h i e v e d u n t i l 2 0 3 9 , a n d hundreds of thousands of patients would suffer cancer as a result

A c c o r d i n g t o C a n c e r R e s e a r c h , s m o k i n g r a t e s need to drop 70 per cent faster to reach the goal of being smoke-free by 2030 I f p r e s e n t t r e n d s d o n ' t c h a n g e , t h e n s m o k i n g could cause a million cancer cases between now and 2040, it said

P r o f e s s o r C h a r l e s Swanton, the chief clinician a t C a n c e r R e s e a r c h U K , said: “Quitting smoking is one of the most popular new year ’ s resolutions, but people are rarely successful on their own they need support and the right tools to help them quit

D e s p i t e t h i s , b u d g e t s for stop-smoking services have been repeatedly cut, a n d a c c e s s v a r i e s g r e a t l y across the country

“If the government is serious about a smoke-free England, action to create an an environment that makes it easier for people to live healthy lives will be key It must take on board the reco m m e n d a t i o n s f r o m t h e Khan review [which looked into whether the 2030 target was being met] and publish a plan to stop people from ever starting to smoke and help people quit ”

At home with Akshata

A ksh ata Murty is the daughter of a billio naire, but in T a tl er m a g az in e A k sh a ta M urty’s friends insist th at sh e ’ s g rounded

Alot is talk about of the fact that Akshata Murty, the wife of Rishi Sunak, is an u n f e a s i b l y r i c h I n d i a n immigrant However, what is not so much recognised is that she is also first-generation rich

Murty approved selected friends to talk on her behalf in a new profile by A n n e M c E l v o y f o r T a t l e r magazine

According to the uphols t e r e r A l i c e C h a l l i s a t Murty’s favourite soft-furnishings company, Challis Interiors in Richmond, the c u r t a i n s a t K i r b y S i g s t o n were a gargantuan job

“Five or six times the usual widths and the biggest we have ever made ” Y e t t h e n e w c u r t a i n s

they have provided for the S u n a k s ’ f l a t a t N o 1 0 D o w n i n g S t r e e t , h a n dpleated with heavy tassels in red, gold and the ivory of the damask, in turn matching Murty’s addition of gold cornicing for the rooms, is described by Challis as lowkey

tors, including nursing and the rail industry, the new p r i m e m i n i s t e r f a c e s t h e c h a l l e n g e o f k e e p i n g h i s own MPs happy

M r S u n a k a c k n o w ledged the past year had not b e e n e a s y : " J u s t a s w e recovered from an unpreced e n t e d g l o b a l p a n d e m i c , Russia launched a barbaric and illegal invasion across Ukraine "

"I'm not going to pretend that all our problems will go away in the new year," said Mr Sunak, but added that "the very best of Britain" would be on display as it continues to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia

Nine passengers detained during Border Force strike

A f te r th e a rm ed s erv ic es w e re as ke d t o c o v er f o r striking Bord er Force staff, the nu mber o f passeng ers detained for further checks at the UK ’ s busiest airport plumm eted in the run-u p to C h r is t m as , le ak ed f i g u res show

Over three strike days f r o m 2 3 t o 2 5 D e c e m b e r , compared with 189 people over the same three days in 2021, just nine people were stopped at passport control and held at Heathrow

I n c o n t r a s t , o v e r t h e same three-day period last year, at Manchester airport, 27 passengers were stopped using the same powers, a

s l i g h t i n c r e a s e o n t h e 2 1 stopped over the same days last year As per the sources, nearly all of the 27 stopped this year were asylum seekers

B e n W a l l a c e , t h e defence secretary, said on a visit to Manchester airport, “The claim is just pure prop a g a n d a p u t o u t b y t h e unions That’s not the case I witnessed it today And I am the former security minister, so I know exactly how the borders work ”

However, the PCS gene r a l s e c r e t a r y , M a r k Serwotka, said that the figures showed otherwise

“Ben Wallace accused us

See near and far, for far less

Free varifocal lenses with glasses from £69

When Challis was asked f o r a c o m p a r i s o n t o t h e ornate tastes of a previous D o w n i n g S t r e e t w i f e i n charge of interiors, Carrie Johnson, Challis’s judgment w a s , g o l d - c o r n i c i n g notwithstanding: “Far less glitz ”

“Akshata is a total feede r , ” S t r a t t o n s a i d “ Y o u come away from any meal in her house stuffed to bursting, with a Tupperware box of food in your hands for the next day Just as you ’ re leaving, she and Rishi go to the fridge and load you up –they both hate waste ”

o f p r o p a g a n d a w h e n w e w a r n e d p a s s e n g e r s w e r e being waved through passp o r t c o n t r o l b e c a u s e t h e m i l i t a r y w a s n ’ t s t o p p i n g them These figures prove we were telling the truth,” he said “For a government that obsesses about security, that just 5% of the usual stops were carried out raises serious concerns about our borders The military is no subs t i t u t e f o r h i g h l y t r a i n e d , e x p e r i e n c e d B o r d e r F o r c e p r o f e s s i o n a l s w h o a r e trained to spot victims of people trafficking and those who are barred from entering the country ”

New curriculum changes to cut back on religious education

also include teaching foreign languages an hour a week f r o m t h e t h i r d c l a s s onwards, wellness, including belonging and resilience, for three hours a week, and the arts, including music, drama, d a n c e , f i l m a n d d i g i t a l media, for two hours a week

Teaching religion continues to be the bone of con-

Headteacher banned for running illegal school

A head teacher w ho d id not r eg i s ter h e r sc h o o l i n M it ch a m L a ne d es p it e r ep e ate d w ar ni ng s f ro m O fs te d w as b an ned f ro m teaching for life Nad ia Ali, 4 1, and her fath er A rshad A li, 75, were conv icted o f r u nni n g th e i ll eg a l A m ba ss a d o rs S c h o o l th a t ch arged £2,500 a year and h ad 34 stud ents in its register Ofsted inspectors found that the Islamic Schoo l neit h er c o nd u ct ed p ro p e r b ac kg ro u nd ch ec ks o n its teachers nor p rom oted fund amental Bri tish v alues, a ch arge M s Ali refu ted W h e n A m b a s s a d o r s attempted to get registered f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 , t h e Department for Education f o u n d t h e s c h o o l w a s already operational and that

i t w o u l d n o t m e e t t h e m a n d a t o r y I n d e p e n d e n t

School Standards Last year Ms Ali and her father were fined for continuing to run the school and Ms Ali was g i v e n a s u s p e n d e d p r i s o n s e n t e n c e S h e r e m a i n e d defiant, however, claiming t h a t h e r s t u d e n t s w e r e happy learners

The decision to ban Ms Ali permanently from teaching came after a teaching p a n e l m e e t i n g o n 1 3 December According to a spokesperson for the panel quoted by MyLondon, ‘her l a c k o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g t o always act within the statutory frameworks which set out a teacher’s professional duties and responsibilities, in particular, the teaching standards’, was the deciding factor against her

t e n t i o n a m o n g v a r i o u s groups In 2016, the Catholic Church resisted a proposal by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to make changes in t h e t e a c h i n g o f r e l i g i o n While the Education Act of 1998 protects the right of schools to devote some time each day to teaching subjects

reflecting their ethos, it does not specify the hours The current plan was made after a n e x t e n s i v e c o n s u l t a t i o n process and is part of an overall redevelopment of the c u r r i c u l u m b y t h e N C C A which is expected to be comp l e t e d b y t h e s u m m e r o f 2026, according to the Irish Independent

Charity reveals Sandhurst rape horror

Sa lu te Her UK , a c h ari ty wh ich su ppo rts female mi litary p erso nnel in the UK, re p o rt ed t h at n ea rl y 2 00 wo m en so u gh t s u p p o r t after being sexually abused at Royal Military Academy Sandh urs t o ver a p eriod o f mo re than 20 years

T h e c h a r i t y s a i d t h a t t h e r e i s a n ‘ e p i d e m i c ’ o f rape culture in the military, with chief executive Paula E d w a r d s t e l l i n g T h e Telegraph that more than half of the 3,170 women on t h e c h a r i t y ’ s d a t a b a s e reported rape during their time in the Armed Forces

The revelations came in a year which saw the public a t i o n o f t h e Z e r o T o l e r a n c e t o S e x u a l O f f e n c e s a n d S e x u a l R e l a t i o n s h i p s B e t w e e n I n s t r u c t o r s a n d T r a i n e e s

policy in March, and the Z e r o T o l e r a n c e t o U n a c c e p t a b l e S e x u a l B e h a v i o u r p o l i c y i n November, by the Ministry of Defence Neither of these can be applied retrospect i v e l y e v e n t h o u g h t h e R o y a l M i l i t a r y A c a d e m y b e g a n a d m i t t i n g w o m e n way back in 1984

The Evening Standard quoted a spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence saying,” The new independent Serious Crime Unit will ensure anyone found guilty will face the full weight of the law and immediate dismissal ” New legislation was a l s o b e i n g c o n s i d e r e d t o make sexual relationships with new recruits a formal o f f e n c e i n m i l i t a r y l a w , according to the statement by the spokesperson

1,800 officers recruited under PUP scheme have resigned

B o ri s J o hn s on ’ s Po li c e U p li f t Pr og ra m m e ( P U P) pledging to recruit 20,000 police offi cers i n E nglan d and Wales by March 2 02 3 mi ght be stutteri ng

While over 15,000 officers were recruited in 2022 a c c o r d i n g t o t h e g o v e r nm e n t , t h e i n e w s p a p e r found through a freedom of information request that at l e a s t 1 , 8 3 7 o f t h e m h a v e

already quit With 19 of the 43 forces withholding their d a t a , t h e a c t u a l n u m b e r could be much higher The Greater Manchester police h a d t h e m o s t q u i t t e r s a t 206, followed by the West Midlands police at 173 Sarah Charman, professor of criminology at the University of Portsmouth, is researching the reason for the large number of quitters

and has interviewed 62 people who have resigned since 2021 Chapman found the ‘ p r e s s u r e ’ o f u n i v e r s i t y work alongside police training and a full-time job to be a r e c u r r e n t c a u s e S o m e a l s o g o t o v e r w h e l m e d b y p h y s i c a l v i o l e n c e , f i t n e s s t e s t s a n d p u b l i c i n t e r a ctions

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e National Audit Office, the

PUP policy has already cost £3 6bn since 2019 A Home O f f i c e s p o k e s p e r s o n s e e m e d o p t i m i s t i c w h e n speaking to The Guardian “ T h e P o l i c e U p l i f t P r o g r a m m e i s o n t r a c k , with 15,343 additional offic e r s a l r e a d y r e c r u i t e d , e n s u r i n g p o l i c e h a v e t h e support and training they n e e d t o b e a r d o w n o n crime," they said

Heckling of gay Muslim speaker at school prompts investigation

After a g ay M uslim speaker was shou ted down by students follo wing w ith death th re ats , t h e Go v e rn m en t se nt i nv es ti g at o rs t o a sc h o o l T h e i n v es ti g a to rs will be w orking alongside lo cal officials after th e incid en t i nv o l v i ng K h a kan Qu re s h i, d u ri n g w h i c h a tea c h er m ad e c o m m en ts referencing 9/11

When Mr Qureshi was giving a talk about equality at Wood Green Academy in W e d n e s b u r y , n e a r B i r m i n g h a m , t h e l e s s o n turned into chaos The sixth form pupils asked him if he agreed that "being gay and Muslim is wrong" and was asked to "prove" that he was really a follower of the religion

P a r e n t s w e r e a g i t a t e d when the teacher made a r e f e r e n c e t o 9 / 1 1 a s h e attempted to explain that Britain was a diverse and

tolerant country

"We are tolerant of different religions," the teacher said "Twenty-one years a g o a g r o u p o f M u s l i m s s m a s h e d a e r o p l a n e s i n t o buildings to kill thousands of people " At that point people stood up and said, "No, we must not condemn M u s l i m s f o r w h a t a f e w have done "

A video of the incident was uploaded online When Mr Qureshi started receiving death threats, police were called in The incident prompted him to consider moving house

Following the incident, more than 40 students boycotted classes

" I t w e n t v i r a l a n d I received online hate, writt e n a b u s e a n d d e a t h threats," he said "It had a very negative impact on my mental health and affected m y p a r t n e r , w h o a l r e a d y

l i v e s w i t h a n x i e t y i s s u e s I've not received any aftercare from the school and

Government wants to privatise NHS ?

Th e g ov e rnm ent i s bei ng ac cu s ed o f i nte nti o n all y p u sh i ng t h e NH S to t h e brink of collap se

A p p e a r i n g o n G o o d M o r n i n g B r i t a i n , M a r i n a Purkiss said the current battle over nurses ’ pay is the “route to privatisation”

In November, it came to light that a lack of doctors and nurses in the NHS is forcing bosses to pay high rates for agency staff

As per the figures from the BBC, spending on agency staff rose 20 per cent last y e a r t o h i t £ 3 b i l l i o n i n England

I t s a i d t h a t , d u r i n g

m a n y s h i f t s , b o s s e s h a v e been so short-staffed they have been willing to violate Government pay caps for a g e n c y w o r k e r s , m o s t o f whom are doctors and nurses

Data supplied by Labour showed some NHS trusts have paid as much as £2,500 t o n u r s e s t o f i l l s h i f t s Currently, there are almost 47,000 nursing vacancies in the NHS

Purkiss believes the government could be underpaying nurses and pursuing a g e n c y r o u t e s p r e c i s e l y because they want to privatise the NHS

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2023

Vadhwana

Whe n one works se lfle ssly, withou t any exp ect at i o n o f r e w a r d , t h e fruits are much swe eter Alth ough the message of B hagaw at Geet a is ve ry cle ar th at one h as right over his w ork but not o ver its result , a few individu als can follow it in l ett er and spirit. Bu t thos e w ho do, end up get ting m uch more suc cess in t he e nd

This certainly refers to the prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2023 conferred upon the Editor in Chief of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar - CB Patel His dedication to the publication of these two weeklies for over 50 years has b e e n w e l l r e c o g n i s e d b y t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d British people alike in the UK He is well known and highly respected in India as well in the relevant circle This accolade has been a long in waiting and well deserved for him I am sure that many people who have known CB will be extremely happy and encouraged by this announcement

The hard work and enthusiasm of CB have been a motivation for many youngsters Not only in his work but also in social activities, CB has been a prominent figure. His leadership quality is great and admirable. His team-building approach is evident from the success these two weeklies have achieved ABPL teams in India and UK are working tirelessly to bring out better and better publications every week Balanced views and wide coverage of these two weeklies are plus points that can be attributed to CB's leadership The government of India has recognised his contribution to the Media as a testimony of quality and impartiality

With this award, I am sure the whole team of ABPL Group will be encouraged to work harder, contribute to the social cause and spread correct and accurate information in society I believe that although the Award is given to CB Patel, it is a reward for the dedication of the ABPL team as a whole.

Wish you all the best

Psychic

predicts

‘something awful’ will happen to Andrew

A psychic has predicted ‘d ifficult times ahead’ in 2023, which includ es g lobal food sh ortag es, a rev o luti on in China and a tragic accid ent with in the royal family

Craig Hamilton-Parker, k n o w n a s t h e ‘ n e w Nostradamus’, says he can s e e i n t o t h e f u t u r e a n d works with his wife Jane as spiritual medium

He correctly predicted t h e p a n d e m i c , B r e x i t , D o n a l d T r u m p b e c o m i n g p r e s i d e n t a n d e v e n t h e death of Queen Elizabeth II

Most recently, Craig saw a ‘vision’ of King Charles b e i n g h i t b y e g g s , w h i c h weeks later came true

After being inspired by Nadi astrologists during a visit to India, the 68-yearold has been practising the psychic arts since his early 20s

H e t o l d M e t r o c o u k that King Charles’ first year

a s m o n a r c h w i l l h a v e n o hindrances

‘ I s e e h i m a s b e i n g a reforming king,’ he said

‘ I n a d e e p m e d i t a t i o n state recently and when in c o n t a c t w i t h m y s p i r i t g u i d e s P r i n c e A n d r e w a p p e a r e d a n d s o m e t h i n g awful happened to him

‘ I t h i n k h e w i l l g o t h r o u g h a p s y c h o l o g i c a l breakdown and it really hits him with the death of his m o t h e r a n d I s e e K i n g Charles turning against him

‘He may do something like take an overdose but I didn’t see him dying

‘ I a l s o h a v e f e e l i n g s a b o u t t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l health of King Charles and him admitting later in the year of a depression after the high of the coronation ’

C r a i g a l s o r e c k o n s M e g h a n M a r k l e w i l l a l s o end up with her own Oprahstyle chat show

Rohit

(Expressed opinions are personal)

the police won't act on it u n l e s s I ' m p h y s i c a l l y attacked or threatened "

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention to kick off on 8 January, preparations on in full swing

P lenary sessions on youth, w orkforce, wom en and the d iaspo ra

The Convention has been divided into five Plenary Sessions over three days and will include cultural programmes celebrating the cultural heritage of India, with a focus on the host state of Madhya Pradesh The cultural celebrations come on the heels of the ICCR felicitating foreign artists of Indian dance

Malaysia and Iran in a talent recognition

event which was the first of its kind It was held in the last week of December 2022 in New Delhi The selected artists from around 10 countries are also expected to perform at the PBD Convention in Indore This will fit seamlessly with the theme of the third plenary session, which is ' Leveraging the soft power of India - Goodwill through craft, cuisine & creativity' on the 9th of January The ICCR's programme is scheduled to conclude the events on the second day

In keeping with the focus on Amrit Kaal, the events of the first day are grouped under ‘Youth Pravasi Divas’, and the first plenary session is on ‘Role of Diaspora Youth in Innovations and New Technologies’ In the time since the last PBD Convention which saw the emergence of names like Parag Agrawal and Arvind Krishna in the technology sector (along with the old names like Satya Nadella and Indra Nooyi), it is only natural that this Convention would kick off by considering the contributions to and the potential of the global technology sector for Indian youth, who also happen to be the largest youth demography in the world It also remains to be seen whether the Youth Pravasi Divas addresses the plight of over 50,000 students enrolled in universities in China, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and the United States whose lives have been hampered first by the pandemic and then by the RussiaUkraine war, forcing them to stare ahead at an uncertain future plagued by financial, professional and academic losses especially as Amit Lath, the CEO of Sharda Group, will be honoured with The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Overseas Indian Honour/Award), the highest Indian award for Non-resident Indian and Overseas Citizen of India, to honour exceptional and meritorious contribution in their chosen field/profession Lath is a native of Mandela, Rajasthan and Sharda Group has its business corporate office in Bhilwara According to a statement issued to Asian Voice by the CMD of Sharda Group, A n i l M a n s i n g h k a , “ # O p e r a t i o n G a n g a , a n initiative led by Government of India in rescuing the Indian Students from Ukraine and h e l p i n g t h e m g e t b a c k h o m e s a f e l y v i a Poland in which Amit Lath of Sharda Group played an active role” contributed to his a w a r d “ P r e s e n t l y m o r e t h a n 2 5 m i l l i o n

The conclave will conclude with two plenary sessions on the third day, on ‘Enabling global mobility of Indian workforce – Role of Indian Diaspora’ and ‘Harnessing the potent i a l o f w o m e n d i a s p o r a e n t r e p r e n e u r s towards an inclusive approach to nation building’ These will be the fourth and fifth sessions respectively These sessions promise to be especially interesting as it remains to be seen whether certain challenges in these areas, especially those faced by the Indian diasporic workforce, would be addressed in the sessions It is a welcome move that global mobility of the Indian workforce in a postpandemic world hit by recession and mass layoffs is prioritised in this event But before delving into the challenges, a few words on the good bits of India in the global market

Indian d iaspora shines o n the wo rld stage

According to Hemin Bharucha, Country Director- India of London & Partners, which is London’s economic development agency and the Mayor of London’s office in India, London continues to be a top business destination for Indians and 18 new Indian companies have decided to expand to London this financial year According to Bharucha, challenges like Brexit, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the fall in the value of the p o u n d s t e r l i n g h a v e a c t u a l l y w o r k e d i n India’s favour which continues to attract easy investment in the face of a global recession affecting more developed countries B

scheduled visit to India of Rajesh Agrawal, the re-elected Deputy Mayor of London for Business, who will lead a large delegation to cities across India in the month of February this year Regarding his involvement in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Agrawal told Asian Voice, “Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a great way to celebrate and strengthen the contribution of overseas Indians to India and to the world I am very excited that I will be attending it this year as it will take place in Indore, the city of my birth UK is home to over 1 5 million people of Indian origin and I am glad that I will see many of them in Indore next week ”

The Indian diaspora’s biggest cause of celebration most recently has been the election of Rishi Sunak as the Prime Minister of the UK at a time which saw the resignation

of two consecutive Prime Ministers during an immense cost-of-living crisis and a climate of anti-immigrant sentiments Even though Sunak identifies as British, he has himself acknowledged that the ties between India and the UK are more than that of trade The Indian diaspora in the UK looks at his election as the PM as a way to a speedy resolution of the Free Trade Agreement that would be mutually beneficial for both countries And for India, the FTA should ideally include some security blanket for contractual workers, especially in the technological sector

India’s NHS w oes in the UK Coming to the not-so-good bits, the Indian diaspora contributes a lot to the National Health Service, which has been hit severely by the pandemic and has been suffering for a long time due to a huge number of vacancies and lack of government fundi n g R e c e n t l y , 9 9 9 s t a f f e r s w e n t o n t h e

largest strike in 30 years, and junior doctors are contemplating following suit this month It needs to be seen how the workers belonging to the Indian diaspora are dealing with the crises This is especially important since over 32,000 workers of Indian origin are employed in the NHS, making it the largest country to contribute to the service outside the UK The daily struggles of diaspora workers lower down the employment rung like those employed in construction, real estate and the hospitality business need to be taken up by those wishing to harness the potential of the Indian diaspora Because beginning with the late twentieth century and now with the spread of second-generation immigrants in the UK, the idea of the diaspora should no longer be limited only to business People of Indian origin have been contributing to politics, media, the arts, entertainment, science and medicine for decades now, reaching the top positions in each of these spheres It should be seen that India too contributes to making the path easier for them in whichever way possible This is all the more because, despite facing immense comp e t i t i o n f r o m o t h e r m i g r a n t s o f A s i a n descent like the Chinese and the Filipinos, remittances back home by the Indian diaspora constitute the largest amount of remittance by a diaspora group, at $87 billion

It is only fair that these issues would be addressed at such an important platform, all the more because the blue-collar workforce not only has to compete with fellow migrant workers as mentioned above, but they also h a v e t o d e a l w i t h p r e j u d i c e s S u e l l a B r a v e r m a n r e c e n t l y c o m m e n t e d t h a t Indians were the largest group to overstay their visa, a claim refuted by both data from t h e H o m e O f f i c e , a n d b y L o r d K a r a n Bilimoria

Paramita Purkayastha

Indians are living abroad and it’s remarkable that out of few thousand nominations, 27 persons/organizations are selected by the high level committee,” the statement read

Rajesh Agrawal

Amit Lath

An outlook on year 2023: Insights into challenges including Climate Change

First off, the year 2022 has just passed by after throwing plenty of challenges at the world and humanity as a whole from a growing population to current Covid threats to climate change – to mention a few Still, there have been a lot more challenges on the cards in the form of economic slump and unemployment Of course, serious steps and strategies are required to tackle all those issues head-to-head

Well, what is the best way out? If so, where exactly is it? What on this beautiful planet have humans been doing towards Nature? First up, it is true that all these serious questions need serious answers very badly now By the way, the other day the US President Joe Biden was quoted by the media as talking about the 2023 outlook To be frank, such great things and inspirational talks are something to be appreciated by others In fact, Biden has b e e n r e p o r t e d t o h a v e c h a l k e d o u t a d v a n c e plans/strategies for accelerating economic growth across America in 2023 After all, growth begins at home - to begin with Way to go!

Added to this, big media houses like CNN had aired some interesting news feeds about climate change just before the dawn of 2023 – call it an exclusive report Given global issues like population, climate change, droughts, starvation and flooding, time has come now to pay attention and devote more time to the subject of climate change

As a matter of fact, farming [all agricultural activities] a n d g r e e n a c t i v i t i e s l i k e p l a n t i n g t r e e s m u s t b e encouraged to a greater extent Quite interestingly, massive public awareness of such issues as the climate crisis is the need of the hour now More to the point, I have usually been going through some of the best Tamil a g r i c u l t u r e m a g a z i n e s f r o m t h e w e l l - k n o w n m e d i a g r o u p s i n T a m i l N a d u l i k e A n a n d a V i k a t a n a n d K u m u d a m , w h i c h h a v e l o n g b e e n d i s c u s s i n g i s s u e s relating to farming activities, challenges and climate crisis in a brilliant manner Way forward indeed!

On the other hand, rigorous and constant agricultural activities have been going on in my native areas like Korkai, Tiruchendur, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Marthandam and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu – plus, I have just been in awe of all the tall green trees out there All things considered, it is only time for all countries t o g a t h e r t o g e t h e r a n d t h i n k a b o u t s t r o n g g r e e n strategies [aimed at farming on the whole] so as to be able to accelerate economic activities locally and globally in the wake of a growing population and climate crises

P Senthil Saravana Durai Mumbai, India

Rip-off Britain

TV consumer programme “Rip-Off Britain” is one of my favourite morning view programme But I never thought one day I may become victim of such dirty tricks by energy providers and multinational companies

Energy companies are holding billions of our money, having paid much more by direct debit (DD) than the cost of our monthly usage, that puts most customers having their accounts in credit, so often over a thousand pound

I was one such customer When I requested refunds, I was told to wait as the next bill will be ready soon Yes, even after this this bill, I was still in credit just under £700 and my request for refunds went unanswered I am thinking of reducing my monthly DD until my credit balance is used up But some of my friends told me that they may cut-off my gas and electrify even if I am in credit!

It is time for the government to protect venerable consumers But it seems this Conservative government cares more for the multinationals than for the under attack innocent consumers One step government could take is to force energy companies to pay interest to those whose accounts are in substantial credit, perhaps one to two percent above base rate I am sure this would put to rest over-charging but the law has to be vigorously enforced, for the government to appoint a minister whose duty should be to deal with complains fast and effectively, not to be taken-in by sweet words and false promises, as even after paying interest to us, it is much cheaper than a bank loan or overdraft, usual rate of interest is some 15% to 20%

So often we are told to complain to “Financial Ombudsman” but it is toothless, as it has no power to force businesses to participate, as it is voluntary and financed by businesses and as such FO is reluctant to bite the hands that feed them!

At election time, we should pressurise political parties to include such promises into their manifesto, so that cannot go back and leave us in lurch!

B hupendra M Gandhi

Happy New Year

New Year is something that we all look forward to It marks the beginning of a year and the end to another year

Everybody looks forward to begin the New Year with great fun and enjoyment and wish that the year ahead brings them good luck

Two days before the New Year could start, we start our preparations We clean our houses, get things in order, and buy crackers to burst them at the dot of 12

On New Year’s Eve, we enjoy the maximum From morning till night, we are busy packing up gifts and planning pranks that could be played with our family members, neighbours and friends when the clock strikes 12 00

Although different cultures have different calendars, the English calendar’s New Year is what is celebrated all around the world Different cultures also have their own New Year For example, the Chinese celebrate their New Year in February, while many Hindus in India celebrate it towards the end of March or the beginning of April The dates may vary across different cultures, but the theme of New Year remains the same, which is renewal

So much of fun is involved that we totally forget the passing time

Jube l D'Cruz, Mumba i, India

It was interesting to know that former prime minister D a v i d C a m e r o n i s g o i n g t o t e a c h p o l i t i c s i n A b u Dhabi(Asian Voice – 24-30 December 2022)

According to well-published news Ex-PMs of the UK are eligible to receive an allowance of up to £115,000 a year which comes to nearly £10,000 per month This is a reasonably good amount to live life happily

Being a prime minister he used to get lots of confidential and sensitive information about different countries which may be unintentionally used in teaching Not Abu Dhabi but other gulf states have poor human rights records which were discussed from time to time in the parliament especially when a UK politician visits a Gulf country

Instead of teaching in Abu Dhabi, Cameron should have decided to work for a UK-based organisation that is doing humanitarian work, ideally on a voluntary basis He may decide to give lectures in different schools in the UK to motivate the youth and provide expert advice on how to become better citizens He may put motivational videos online to impart his knowledge on different subjects An appropriate role at the United Nations – humanitarian work may also be considered where he can use his administrative skills for the benefit of more people Of course, finally, it is his choice

Varanasi

I recently went to Varanasi, also known as Kashi and Banaras, to disperse my dad's ashes in the Ganga with my brother and son We wanted his ashes to merge with those of countless ancestors, who have come to this exact place, over countless centuries, for a sure release from the ceaseless cycle of births and rebirths

I has last visited Varanasi as a student, backpacking across India in 1989 At the time, I had found it to be a noisy, dirty and over-crowded 'sacred city' The police were menacing, the priests grasping, its beggars were all pervasive The city was endlessly noisy due to honking cars, rickshaws and sheer number of loudspeakers that screeched from everywhere

Much water has flowed in the Ganges since and I wasn't sure what it would be like, 33 years on

As I landed at Varanasi international airport on 1st of December 2022, I was looking forward to the trip with a mix of apprehension and anticipation The efficiency and c o m p a c t n e s s o f t h e a i r p o r t w a s a p l e a s a n t s u r p r i s e Smooth drive from the Lal Bahadur Shashtri airport to the city was yet another surprise True, it was late, past 10:30pm actually, but the quality of the motorway was to be applauded When we got to our hotel at Assi ghat, it was seriously late and we dropped our bags in the room to find something to eat before all eateries closed I was surprised that though it was so late, the streets, even the cobbled street leading to our hotel was clean The lane leading to Assi ghat was free of plastic bottles, flowers, leftover food and even cow dung!

Though surprised, I wondered, would it remain so clean as the city awoke the next day

Police cause security concerns by relying on Chinese technology

A s u r v e i l l a n c e w a t c h d o g has raised alarms over the p o l i c e u s i n g e q u i p m e n t from companies that could p o s e r i s k s t o n a t i o n a l security More than a third o f t h e p o l i c e f o r c e s u s e Chinese technology, from c o m p a n i e s h a v i n g c l o s e l i n k s t o t h e C h i n e s e

government According to F r a s e r S a m p s o n , t h e biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner, the u s e o f d r o n e s , C C T V c a m e r a s a n d o t h e r t e c h n o l o g i e s f r o m s u c h p o t e n t i a l l y c o m p r o m i s e d companies created a ‘digital asbestos’ situation

PM's call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine

The P rime Minister spoke to the Presid ent of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Tuesday afternoon

The leaders discussed the abhorrent drone attacks on Ukraine in recent days, and the Prime Minister said the thoughts of the UK were with the Ukrainian people as they continued to live under such bombardment

The Prime Minister said Ukraine could count on the UK to continue to support it for the long term, as demonstrated by the recent delivery of more than 1000 anti-air missiles

Work was also underway to provide further equipment in the coming weeks and months to secure Ukraine’s victory on the battlefield, the Prime Minister added

Discussing the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit in Latvia last month, the Prime Minister thanked the President for joining virtually and said the UK and JEF partners were working closely to provide the vital equipment requested The leaders agreed to stay in close touch in the coming weeks

Home Office immigration staff arrested on corruption charges

Four members of the Home Office immigration staff, including an immigration official, were arrested on 6 December on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and conspiracy to steal The arrest was made by the Home Office anti-corruption unit which has the same powers of arrest as police constables The arrest was first reported by The Sun and later confirmed by the Home Office All of them have been released on bail and suspended pending further investigation

Pharmacies to help patients who can’t seek GP’s appointment

An NHS drive to take the pressure off family doctors and A&Es by empowering community pharmacies made more than 440,000 people seek treatment for minor injuries and common illnesses at their local pharmacies after being referred by 111 or their GPs This was more than twice the number in 2021 For problems like rash, sore throat and earache, patients can now be referred directly to their local chemist Very soon, pharmacists will also be able to refer cancer patients directly to hospital specialists The drive to test the efficiency of this move will begin in Cornwall and will be aimed at those buying cough medication from their pharmacists repeatedly and frequently

EU-era laws spark election fears among Tory MPs

Rightwing Tory MPs urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to decide about certain EUera laws by a 2023 deadline for fear of Labour ‘exploiting’ the delay at the next election M P J a c o b R e e s - M o g g s a i d that those sensitive laws per-

tained to workplace and envir o n m e n t a l p r o t e c t i o n a n d unless they were reviewed or scrapped by the 2023 deadline, Labour would claim that Conservatives had a secret agenda to abolish them during the 2024 election

Note: Asian Voice will not be publishing its weekly column 'Kapil's Khichdi' for the next three months until March 2023, as columnist Kapil Dudakia is travelling

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit. Please keep contributing as always.

If you are new, then write to Shefali at shefali.saxena@abplgroup.com

Hi tesh Hingu Lon don

Interesting to know that former prime minister David Cameron is going to teach politics

Namrata Pandya: The Khushil Pandya Fund

ea se “Neil Ar mst rong a ct ually lo st h is d au ght er to DIPG,” Nam rata ad de d “The ca nce r is uncommon but incre dibl y tra gic ” ***

N a m r a t a e l a b o r a t e d o n the initial signs of DIPG as her young child, Khushil, had experienced it She poignantly described stroke-like symptoms which intensified into utter sensory deterioration: “Initially, he had a squint in his eye and eventually lost the elasticity completely around it At the optician’s, they said that they could see something in the back of his head It signalled danger It caused a loss o f b a l a n c e t h e n s h o r t l y Khushil’s swallowing became impaired Then his hearing, t a s t i n g , s e e i n g a n d e v e r y motor function was disrupted until there was loss of control of limbs and the whole of the b o d y . H e c o u l d n o t e v e n a u t o n o m o u s l y b r e a t h e W e had to watch our child regress and disintegrate in front of us The tumour sits right at the j u n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e s p i n a l chord and brain As a result, it cannot be detected in a biopsy You require an MRI scan to effectively identify it It is not hereditary It’s a very nasty condition that renders everybody involved powerless ” However, d e s p i t e t h e a l l - c o n s u m i n g v i c i o u s n e s s o f t h e c a n c e r , Namrata fights to focus on the positive, stating that Khushil, who was a vibrant and active spirit, would have wanted it this way “Khushil did not allow the p h y s i c a l s y m p t o m s t o d e t r a c t from his bubbly personality – he still attended school using crutche s a n d t h e n a w h e e l c h a i r H e would write down communicat i o n s u s i n g a n I - P a d w h e n h e could no longer speak He worked so hard up until the end He was even awarded Student of the Year! He would not let obstacles defeat him and lived life on his own terms Similarly, I will not accept that this cancer has to be terminal I was horrified when we were told of Khushil’s plight and no hope for recovery all in the same breath Radio therapy was offered but only by way of slowing down the illness Khushil lived relatively long despite the diagnosis, but no one should have to feel so overwhelmingly doomed ”

Service stoppages planned for January

M as s i n d u st ri al u n res t m ar ked th e e nd o f 2 0 2 2 when emp loyees across the tra ns p o rt ne tw o rk , N HS , Royal M ail, schools and the ci v i l s erv i c e to o k s tr i ke action

Wednesd ay 11 January

A m b u l a n c e w o r k e r s represented by Unison and G M B s e t t o s t r i k e i n England and Wales

T hursd ay 12 January

The beginning of 2023 will bring on further stoppages by rail workers, bus d r i v e r s , t e a c h e r s i n Scotland, nurses, ambulance workers and civil servants

NAMRATA PANDYA & KHUSHIL PANDYA

Honouring the inspiri n g p e r s e v e r a n c e o f h e r son then, Namrata beautif u l l y t r a n s m u t e s o t h e rw i s e i n t e n s e n e g a t i v i t y i n t o e n l i g h t e n m e n t , strength and joy One person ’ s emotional fortitude blazes the way for breaking through social barrie r s “ Y o u d o n o t k n o w h o w p o w e r f u l y o u a r e until you are pushed,” Namrata stated, and indeed, we don’t know what innovation is around the corner unless we try! The Khushil Pandya fund has been created to pay tribute to an incredible luminous life while assisting others in successfully managing the adversity of the illness a n d h o p e f u l l y p r o d u c i n g enhanced treatments as well a s , p o s s i b l y , t h e u l t i m a t e heartening cure “We also use the funds to drive research i n t o e v e r y f o r m o f b r a i n tumour which is the biggest killer of people Under 40, ” N a m r a t a s h a r e d Furthermore, the passionate pioneer is in the process of creating a documentary and a u t h o r e d t h e b o o k , Perception: Experiencing the Wonders of Life, to constructively guide those who are currently facing the illness through how best to spend t h e r e m a i n i n g i n v a l u a b l e time:

“ Y o u w a n t t o c e l e b r a t e your time together, creating w o n d e r f u l m e m o r i e s : g o abroad, do fun activities and h e l p t h o s e d i a g n o s e d l i v e fully as they deserve Give them quality and longevity K h u s h i l w a s a d r e a m c h i l d w h o w a n t e d t o h e l p p r e s e r v e endangered species – this way we can somewhat honour his wish by helping lift people who are faced with such abrupt death During his last years, we trave l l e d t o S c o t l a n d , I t a l y a n d Alaska!” Here, Namrata emphasised the heightening power of c o m m u n i t y i n b a t t l i n g g r i t t y individual strife together with personal courage “Friends and family rallying around you are i n t e g r a l i n w e a t h e r i n g d a r k times We have received so much support from others which has made this bearable and that little bit better ” Indeed, Namrata’s farreverberating fund has elevated r e s p e c t f u l c o m m e m o r a t i o n o f Khushil to benevolently immortalising him “We still celebrate his birthday every year, ” Namrata, who now also has a daughter, gushed “This time, we went on a w a l k t o L o n d o n Z o o ! K h u s h i l means happiness and so he really is all around us ” Finally, life transcends and is infinitely bigger No matter how dire the challenge, it seems to intuitively pave another invigorated way Khushil’s story has been rightly covered by The M e t r o a n d T h e M a i l T o g e t involved, please visit: W:

R i s h i S u n a k ’ s g o v e r nment is bracing itself for strike ballots for teachers in England and Wales and firefighters to close in January, w h i l e j u n i o r d o c t o r s w i l l also be balloted early in the new year

Here are a few of the main public service strikes that are planned for January

Tu esday 3 January

RMT members working for National Rail will restart strike action

N a t i o n a l H i g h w a y s traffic officers will begin a nationwide strike

Prospect members who work on the Elizabeth line will go on strike

Wednesday 1 8 January

Nurses represented by t h e R o y a l C o l l e g e o f Nursing (RCN) will begin a s e c o n d r o u n d o f s t r i k e a c t i o n i n E n g l a n d , W a l e s and Northern Ireland

M ond ay 23 January

Unison members working for five ambulance services in England to stage another walkout

Wed nesday 25 January

Bus drivers employed by Abellio in south and west L o n d o n c o n t i n u e s t r i k e action

Thursday 26 January

Bus drivers employed by Abellio in south and west L o n d o n c o n t i n u e s t r i k e action

£32.9 million to create national network of active travel experts

A c ti v e T r av e l E ng l an d i s inv esti ng £ 3 2 9 mi llio n to create a national netw ork of experts to w ork with comm u ni ti es , e nh a nc e h i g h st ree ts an d m a ke p la ce s truly w alkable and cyclable fo r ev ery o ne T h e f u nd could see up to 1 ,3 00 new g re en jo b s cr eat ed ac ro s s Eng land

L a u n c h e d o n 2 n d January by the Active Travel Minister Jesse Norman, the fund will drive thousands of well-thought-through local plans, co-created with the communities who will use them

A c t i v e T r a v e l M i n i s t e r Jesse Norman said: "Leaving t h e c a r a n d w a l k i n g a n d cycling instead is an easy way to get fit, save money a n d r e d u c e y o u r c a r b o n f o o t p r i n t B e t t e r - d e s i g n e d s c h e m e s , w h i c h t a k e i n t o account the views of local p e o p l e w i l l h e l p d e l i v e r i m p r o v e m e n t s t h a t h a v e w i d e s p r e a d l o c a l s u p p o r t S k i l l s t r a i n i n g a n d l o c a l c o m m u n i t y e n g a g e m e n t will help local authorities to make active travel an attract i v e c h o i c e f o r g e t t i n g around "

Archbishop of Canterbury urges leaders to fix social care

T h e A rc h b is h o p o f C ant erb u ry h a s ca lle d o n the leaders to take action to fix th e cou ntry's "bro ken" social care system in his new year message

T h e M o s t R e v e r e n d J u s t i n W e l b y s a i d c a r e homes are finding it difficult to deal with rising bills while trying to find the staff needed to keep going

H e s a i d t o r e p a i r t h e industry, the country needed to "rise to the challenge"

In response, the government said that it was providing £7 5bn in support over the next two years

In his televised message which was broadcasted on BBC One on Sunday - Mr Welby said: "We know our care system is broken, but it

doesn't have to be We can rise to the challenge of fixing it That means action from all of us: you, me, families, communities, government

"Caring goes to the heart o f w h a t i t m e a n s t o b e human It is hard, but it can also be the most life-giving thing we ever do It comes back to that essential lesson: we need each other "

Sunetra Senior

Na mra ta bega n th e Kh ush il Pa ndya Fund af ter t rag ical ly losing he r so n to a ra re fo rm of brain ca ncer kno wn as DIPG, or, Diff use Int rinsic Pontine G liom a: he r boy, Kh ushil , was only 14 ye ar s old at the time No w, th e r esilient mothe r h as de dicate d h er life t o ra ising a ware ness a bout th e f rustra ting ly cov ert mal ign cancer “The re ’ s so mu ch more we ca n do to not only m one tise re se arch into th e illness but also de te ct the sig ns a t a n e ar lie r sta ge M any GPs ha ve no t come acro ss DIPG and it can ea sily f all u nd er the r ad ar I wa nt to be a ble to circula te knowle dg e o f the conditio n mostly so othe r suf fer ers a nd fa milies can ma ke the most of the time th ey ’ v e le ft wit h the ir love d one s ” As of ye t, the re is no known cu re f or the dis-

"I will not accept that this cancer has to be fatal: I was horrified when we were told of Khushil’s plight and no hope for recovery all in the same breath"

Shefali Saxena

F irst the pandemic, then the cost of liv ing crisis, h ig h street m ark ets a nd s m al l b u si n es s o wners/sh op ow ners suffered enough in the last th ree years A cc o rd in g to B BC , in J u ne, m o nth s i nto a co st- of -li v ing crisis that was only set to g et w orse, a v ast new department store op ened in Liv erpool's city centre The past couple o f years h av e felt like battle after battle f o r re tai le rs No t o nl y th e C o v i d p an d em i c , b ut th e s oari ng cos t of energ y, s taff sh ortag es and rising wag e bills m ad e business tough That has b ee n to p p e d o ff by an e co no m i c d o w ntu r n, th a t i s p rom pting shopp ers to rein in their spend ing and rail strikes that are keep ing them at hom e T h e G u a r d i a n r e p o r t e d t h a t retailers have failed to benefit from a post-lockdown boost in UK high s t r e e t a c t i v i t y t h i s y e a r a f t e r soaring energy bills and the cost of living crisis forced households to rein in their spending Despite an increase in face-to-face shopping a f t e r t h e l i f t i n g o f C o v i d 1 9 r e s t r i c t i o n s , B a r c l a y c a r d d a t a r e l e a s e d f o r t h e w h o l e o f 2 0 2 2 showed retail spending fell 0 8% on the previous year

T h e d e b i t a n d c r e d i t c a r d c o m p a n y s a i d t h e n u m b e r o f transactions was up this year but t h e h i g h e s t i n f l a t i o n i n f o u r decades had resulted in smaller basket sizes as consumers sought to keep track of their budgets Overall in the retail sector, there w a s a n i n c r e a s e i n t h e t o t a l number of card transactions – up 5% – but the total amount spent was down by 0 8%

A 33% increase in energy bills resulted in consumers becoming more selective in their spending, with Barclaycard reporting people cutting back on subscriptions and home improvements

The UK’s annual inflation rate already stood at just over 5% at the s t a r t o f 2 0 2 2 b u t w a s p u s h e d higher by the impact on gas and electricity bills of Russia’s invasion o f U k r a i n e i n F e b r u a r y B y N o v e m b e r i t h a d m o r e t h a n doubled to 10 7%, slightly below October’s 11 1%

However, the community shop owners continue to do their bit to h e l p t h e c i t i z e n s S p e a k i n g t o Asian Voice, Deepen Patel of Meet & Deep News said, “This year more than ever, people are struggling to heat their homes with the cost of l i v i n g c r i s i s B u s i n e s s e s a r e s t r u g g l i n g t o k e e p a l l o f t h e i r f r i d g e s , f r e e z e r s , l i g h t i n g a n d equipment on for the long 16-hour days because the costs of electricity and gas have been increased by such a large percentage ”

H o w e v e r , t h e M e e t & D e e p f a m i l y o f n e w s a g e n t s i n T w i c k e n h a m , b e l i e v e t h a t businesses are not only there to serve as business owners, but also the main purpose of a business for us is also to add something to the community that they serve

“So we have decided to put a board outside our shop, and right on there, if anybody is struggling

t o h e a t t h e i r h o m e s a t t h e

moment, can come in and stand in our shop We can offer a seat, and people can sit down and can also work on their laptops from our shop,” Deepen told us

E x p l a i n i n g t h e r e a s o n w h y Patels took this humane step is that their shop is naturally warm Deepen explained, “We have no heating in our shop But we have t h r e e b i g c h e s t f r e e z e r s , t h r e e double doored fridges, and lots of lights and machines And all of this equipment creates a lot of heat e n e r g y S o o u r s h o p r e m a i n s naturally warm This is very good in wintertime and people come into the shop and comment on how cosy and warm it is Some people will come and stand in our shop and say they don’t want to buy anything and just wanted to warm up ”

“Of course, we let them stay t h e r e O u r G u r u i n t h e Swaminarayan temple in Neasden taught us that in our business, the first thing we should always do is practice kindness He said people should come first and profits will follow He said if we serve other people, then God or the universe will always serve us like karma So we love to use our shop and good ways to help others,” he added

At the moment when the cost of living crisis and the cost of e l e c t r i c i t y a n d g a s i s s k y h i g h , where people are struggling to heat t h e i r h o m e s , a n d t h e y h a v e t o make a choice between eating and heating, the Deep & Meet News family wants to be able to serve the c o m m u n i t y w h i c h h a s a l w a y s supported their shop

Deepen calls this the ‘Meet & Deep newsagents Heat Hub’ The family has talked about this on their Facebook page Meet & Deep N e w s T h e y a l s o r u n a n o t h e r Facebook page called Kind World through which they are trying to a p p e a l t o p e o p l e t o g i v e u s opinions about how we can make the world a bit of a kinder place f r o m o u r l i t t l e s h o p i n Twickenham

“We know that we are just a small shop and not as powerful as supermarkets But we genuinely believe if we make an effort, we can make a change Even a small change can help promote a bigger change,” Deepen told Asian Voice

First baby born in 2023 at Hillingdon Hospital

New Year is a time of beg innings, and t h e f ir st bab y b o rn a t Hilli ng d o n Ho sp ital bring s jo y and hop e for the year ah ead

The first baby delivered on N e w Y e a r ’ s D a y 2 0 2 3 a t t h e h o s p i t a l i n P i e l d H e a t h R o a d , Hillingdon, was a boy, so far unnamed, to mother, Priya Hans (28) and father, Pritpal Singh (33), of Hayes

He was born at 7 37am and w e i g h e d 3 6 2 6 k g ( 7 9 9 4 l b s ) , d e l i v e r e d b y P r i s c i l l a B a f f o u r , M i d w i f e T h e l i t t l e b o y i s a brother for Arnab Gill, aged 15 months

Krissy Moore, Labour Ward Co-Ordinator on New Year’s Day morning, said: “Everyone working in the department on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day feels a sense of hope and expectation for

Priya Hans, Pritpal Singh and their new-born baby boy, in the Labour Ward at Hillingdon Hospital

the year ahead, and the safe arrival of the first little one of the year gets the year off to a happy start

“We look forward to g i v i n g e x c e l l e n t c a r e t o t h e m o r e t h a n 4 , 0 0 0 m o t h e r s a n d t h e i r n e w babies we expect to look a f t e r a t H i l l i n g d o n i n 2023 ”

a n d t h e w h o l e t e a m i n t h e M a t e r n i t y D e p a r t m e n t a t

Hillingdon Hospital

T he first baby born on Christm as D a y a t H i lli n g d o n Ho s p i tal always brings a huge am ount of C hristmas cheer

The first baby delivered on C h r i s t m a s D a y 2 0 2 2 a t t h e h o s p i t a l i n P i e l d H e a t h R o a d , Hillingdon, was a girl to mother, Sarbjit Kaur and father, Harjinder Singh She was born at 5 49 am and weighed 3210g The family are doing well

At The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, all of the babies born every day and year a r e s p e c i a l b u t a s p e r t h e i r tradition, a bag of gifts is given to the family of the first child born on Christmas Day and New Year's Day o n L a b o u r W a r d a n d t h e M i d w i f e r y - L e d U n i t i n t h e M a t e r n i t y D e p a r t m e n t a t

Hillingdon Hospital

The first baby born on Christmas day was a girl to mother, Sarbjit Kaur and father, Harjinder Singh

Priya said: “I’m feeling very blessed with a baby born on New Year’s Day H e c a m e r e a l l y q u i c k l y a n d t h e s t a f f m a d e i t much easier for me and were very helpful and patient ” Happy New Year to the family,

Midwife Ann Palmer, who was o n d u t y o n C h r i s t m a s D a y m o r n i n g s a i d , “ W e a l w a y s l o o k forward to greeting our Christmas babies; it’s an exciting time for all m i d w i v e s a n d f a m i l i e s o n t h e ward This year we have a special bag of gifts for this little girl to welcome her I wish the family all the best for the future and a very H a p p y C h r i s t m a s t o e v e r y o n e working today ”

Patients forced to wait more than 30 hours for beds in A&E

Patients hav e been left w rithing in pain on the flo or at A &E waiting rooms as they are forced to wait for up to two d ays for a bed

With hospitals facing extreme demand this winter, NHS Trusts in Merseyside have told patients not t o a t t e n d A & E u n l e s s t h e i r condition is ‘life-threatening’

A patient at Royal Liverpool Hospital told the Echo: ‘There was a woman in the waiting room who

was vomiting into bowls, but there was no staff around to help her so other members of the public were helping her to clear it up

‘ W e w e r e t o l d b y a s t a f f member that there was a 30-hour wait for a bed He had a big threepage list of all the people who were waiting for a bed ’

M e a n w h i l e , a t t h e n e a r b y Aintree Hospital, a fleet of around 15 ambulances was seen queuing

o u t s i d e t h e e n t r a n c e t o t h e emergency department, waiting to offload more patients in need of treatment

One source said: ‘People were waiting up to 21 hours just to be seen and there were people lying on the floor, some because they were in that much pain

‘ P e o p l e w e r e t h e n s q u e e z e d into rooms on drips and left I have never seen anything like that ’

More than 400 flu victims in Birmingham hospital, some 'critical'

A large num ber of p eop le are down w ith flu and are in Birming ham and Solihull ho sp itals with some said to be fig hting for their lives

U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i t a l s B i r m i n g h a m N H S F o u n d a t i o n Trust (UHB), which runs the city’s main Queen Elizabeth Hospital, along with Heartlands, Good Hope in Sutton Coldfield and Solihull H o s p i t a l , s a i d t h e r e w e r e m o r e than 400 patients at its sites with flu the earlier week

Prof Dhruv Parekh said the Trust had ‘ never ’ witnessed such a number of patients admitted with flu And he said it was not just the e l d e r l y a n d t h o s e u s u a l l y considered ‘vulnerable’ to the virus b u t a l s o y o u n g p e o p l e a n d pregnant women

P r o f P a r e k h , w h o i s a n associate professor in acute and c r i t i c a l c a r e a n d c o n s u l t a n t i n c r i t i c a l c a r e a n d r e s p i r a t o r y m e d i c i n e a t U H B , s a i d : “ W e ’ r e s e e i n g a w o r r y i n g n u m b e r o f p a t i e n t s b e i n g a d m i t t e d t o o u r hospitals and our critical care units

so it is very concerning for so many patients to be admitted with flu We do have young patients, p r e g n a n t p a t i e n t s , a s w e l l a s people who would not typically f a l l i n t o a v u l n e r a b l e c a t e g o r y , e x p e r i e n c i n g s e r i o u s complications such as pneumonia and organ failure

A

blessed end to 2022 During this special time for so many families, I am grateful to have been able to visit the holy cities of Mecca and Medina to undertake the Umrah pilgrimage with my family Here s to a wonderful 2023 " - Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London completes Umrah pilgrimage

Kiwi shoe polish to wrap up UK business

K iwi shoe polish was withd rawing from the U K markets d ue to a “rise in casual shoes that don’t require formal poli s h i ng ” , ac c o rd i ng t o a sp okesperson for the company Since its launch as a fam ily business in A ustralia in 1 906, K iwi g rew o n to become a g lo bal g iant i n sh oe po lis h m anufacturing, serving the British for decad es

D a v i d J a m e s , a 6 2 - y e a r - o l d shoe cleaner and repairman, has n o t i c e d a c h a n g e i n c o n s u m e r

b e h a v i o r t o w a r d m o r e c a s u a l f o o t w e a r D a v i d ' s f a m i l y h a s worked in the sector for the previous 100 years, and he calls Kiwi's departure "a sign of the times "

Ministers mull plans to curb child terrorism

F ollowing a sp urt in cases o f child ren co mmitting terro rist offences in the past coup le of years, ministers are studying plans to bring in legislatio n to com bat the p roblem, T he Guard ian reported

Barring activities which endanger public safety, children would be given a choice between accepting help or facing jail for committ i n g l o w e r - l e v e l o f f e n c e s l i k e d o w n l o a d i n g m a t e r i a l s a n d indulging in propaganda, most of w h i c h a r e i n t e r n e t - b a s e d T h e plans include monitoring devices and contacts, and mentoring ses-

sions to help counsel those arrested instead of having a criminal r e c o r d a n d f a c i n g p r o s e c u t i o n These moves come in the wake of children, especially those with vuln e r a b i l i t i e s l i k e m e n t a l i l l n e s s , b e c o m i n g m o r e s u s c e p t i b l e t o o n l i n e m a n i p u l a t i o n f o l l o w i n g their lives getting disrupted by the pandemic These measures would be limited only to low-level terrorism by those still in the formative stages of their lives, according to Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation

Oxygen shortage, full mortuaries and 99 hours waiting reported amid NHS chaos

A co mbined surg e in Co vid and flu l ed to h o s p i tal s in H u ll, N o tti n g h am , L i v erp oo l , C r ew e, Derby and Durham running out of o xygen and patients hav ing to w ait for up to 99 h ours to av ail beds

The situation was so dire that according to The Sun, staff at the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton K e y n e s H e a l t h a n d C a r e P a r t n e r s h i p w e r e t o l d t r e a t i n g p a t i e n t s i n ‘ t e n t s i n h o s p i t a l g r o u n d s ’ w a s a r e a l p o s s i b i l i t y Many NHS trusts have declared

critical incidents and GPs in Surrey have been told that mortuaries are v e r y n e a r l y f u l l T a l e s h a v e e m e r g e d o f p a t i e n t s w a i t i n g i n trolleys for up to four days for a bed and sick children as young as three waiting for hours on chairs before being seen Most blamed a broken system with nobody from the government willing to listen for the crisis NHS England and BOC, its main oxygen supplier, however, denied that there was a shortage of oxygen cylinders

Over 33% UK adults unable to afford an extra £20

A survey of 2, 000 U K adults carried out by C itizens First found that mo re than 3 7% w ould find it im possible to d eal with a £20 rise in th eir monthly expenditure

T h i s s u r v e y s u p p o r t e d t h e claims of StepChange, the UK’s largest debt charity advice, which had told the Guardian that people were increasingly desperate measures like using candles and not using cookers to save up on energy bills As the UK grapples with a high cost of living crisis following

the pandemic and the war with Ukraine, debt advice charities have s e e n a r i s e i n d e m a n d s m u c h before January, which has till now been the usual busiest month A quarter of the people surveyed had spent more than their income on the essentials and most would not be able to continue for more than three months The Guardian quoted Dame Clare Moriarty, the chari t y ’ s c h i e f e x e c u t i v e , a s k i n g f o r immediate targeted intervention from the government

Lack of state support pushes UK headteachers to breaking point

Y ear s of cuts t o school fu nd ing a nd other pu bli c servi ces broug ht t hings to a he ad with t he pa nd e mi c , c a u si n g u np r e ce d e n te d s t r e s s a m o ng h e a d t e a ch e r s, a ccor ding to an annual su rvey o f t he well-be ing of school staf f in t he UK publishe d by t he cha rity E ducati on Su pport, the Gua rdi an r epor ted Si x i n 10 hea d tea ch ers a dmi tted to consid eri ng changi ng jobs i n th e past ye ar and e ven t aking up jo bs with less pay

T h e p r e s s u r e o f r u n n i n g s c h o o l s w i t h c h r o n i c f u n d s shortages during and after the pandemic, with teachers expect-

ed to fill in for the shortage of all kinds of public staff, made headteachers even pass out while on duty, forcing many of them to choose between their health and t h e i r c a r e e r S c h o o l s w h i c h r e c e i v e d g o o d r e v i e w s f r o m Ofsted had to deal with a lack of basic amenities, including staff, and had to also support poor families hit by the cost-of-living c r i s i s A c c o r d i n g t o a

D e p a r t m e n t f o r E d u c a t i o n s p o k e s p e r s o n , t h e g o v e r n m e n t planned to spend £58 8 billion by 2024/25, the highest real-terms spending in history

London sends a message of love and unity to the world with unique fireworks

Millions watched from around th e globe as London welcomed 2023 with a message o f love and unity using firewo rks and dro nes Th e cap ital's biggest-ever New Year's Eve show celebrated the Liones ses winning th e UEF A Women’s Euro 2022, marked 50 years of P ride, se n t a me s s ag e o f s u p p o rt to Ukraine and h o nou red th e late Qu e e n E l i z ab et h I I an d H i s Maje sty Ki ng Ch arles II I Mo re th a n 1 00 , 00 0 ti c k et h o l de rs enjo yed the return o f the spectacular p ublic celebratio n after two years o f being a T V event du e to th e p andemic

London sent a message of love and unity to the world as its globa l l y - r e n o w n e d N e w Y e a r ’ s E v e fireworks celebrations returned to the banks of the River Thames in spectacular fashion, with a surprise drone display above Horse Guards Parade for the first time ever The capital welcomed 2023 with unique fireworks and drone celebration that highlighted the L i o n e s s e s ’ h i s t o r y - m a k i n g E u r o 2022 win at Wembley, marked 50 years of London's Pride with a p o w e r f u l m e s s a g e f r o m P e t e r Tatchell from the Gay Liberation Front, and sent a message of support to Ukraine The display also paid tribute to the late Queen E l i z a b e t h I I , f e a t u r i n g a v o i c e recording from Her Majesty and words from Dame Judi Dench, and honoured King Charles III, togethe r w i t h a m e s s a g e f r o m H i s Majesty about the need to preserve our planet’s future

T h e c a p i t a l s b i g g e s t - e v e r show, organised by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, saw more than 100,000 ticket holders usher in the New Year on the banks of t h e T h a m e s , o p p o s i t e t h e l a s tminute com London Eye, for the first time in three years due to the

impact of the pandemic

This year ’ s display formed part o f t h e M a y o r ’ s “ L o v e L o n d o n ” tourism campaign, taking a ‘with l o v e f r o m L o n d o n ’ t h e m e T h e show was produced by Identity a n d i n c l u d e d 1 2 , 0 0 0 f i r e w o r k s from Titanium Fireworks and 400 drones from Celestial, with lighting designed by Tim Routledge a n d m u s i c d i r e c t e d b y K o j o S a m u e l , b o t h r e s p o n s i b l e f o r S t o r m z y ’ s i c o n i c G l a s t o n b u r y headline set The musical feast included Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet C a r o l i n e ’ , U k r a i n i a n E u r o v i s i o n winner Kalush Orchestra, and hits from Stormzy, Dua Lipa, Cher, Dave, Rihanna and Calvin Harris, concluding with the traditional Auld Lang Syne

The Mayor of London, Sadiq K h a n , s a i d : “ I ’ m d e l i g h t e d t h a t Londoners and visitors to the capital were once again able to join together on the banks of the River Thames to welcome in the new year with our best ever celebration Millions from around the world also watched our unique s h o w , w h i c h b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r f i r e w o r k s , d r o n e s , l i g h t i n g a n d music to remember key moments in 2022 and look ahead to 2023 I’m proud that we have sent a message of love, hope and unity and I am excited for 2023 as we continue to build a better, greener and more prosperous city for everyone ”

T h e M a y o r w a s u n d e r f i r e a f t e r h o l d i n g a s u r p r i s e N e w Year’s Eve fireworks display that c o s t £ 1 5 m T o r y L o n d o n Assembly member Tony Devenish

h i t o u t a t t h e m a y o r d

n

rm a n c e c o m m i t t e e m e e t i n g v i a v i d e o l i n k , c a l l i n g t h e d i s p l a y “pathetic” However the event did g e n e r a t e r e v e n u e A s i a n V o i c e asked community members who attend the event to know what they felt about the fireworks and spending

T u e s d a y ’ s b u d g e t a n d p

K o u s h i k S e n t o l d t h e newsweekly, “London welcomes 2023 with spectacular fireworks c e l e b r a t i o n s a l o n g t h e T h a m e s R i v e r i n C e n t r a l L o n d o n T h i s time I was in London to see fireworks and it was the best experience of my life The theme was "Love and Unity" and the Mayor of London wanted to send that message to everyone watching the event around the world The New Year s Eve show celebrated the L i o n e s s e s w i n n i n g t h e U E F A Women's Euro 2022, supported Ukrainian refugees with love and h o n o u r e d t h e L a t e Q u e e n Elizabeth II The Covid pandemic has destabilised London's economy, but the Mayor of London h o p e s u n i t y w i l l o v e r c o m e t h e economic crisis Where there is unity there is always victory ”

Sudipto Bhowmick told Asian V o i c e , “ L o n d o n f i r e w o r k s w e lcomed the crowd after 3 years The last time I went there was in 2019 The crowd was huge and it was an amazing experience for me and my friends There were lots of people of Indian origin and the DJ just made us feel special by playing s o m e f a m o u s P u n j a b i a n d Bollywood numbers We reached the viewing area at around 9 pm and finally after 3 hours we witnessed the amazing spectacle of the fireworks to welcome 2023 The spirit of the crowd was amazing and as they said it was truly "WithLoveFromLondon"

UKHSA warns adults to wear face-covering when going out

In ord er to mi ni mise the sp read of illness, a chi ef med ical advis er has warned adults to stay at home when feeli ng unwell or wear face coverings when goi ng ou ts id e

P r o f e s s o r S u s a n H o p k i n s , t h e c h i e f m e d i c a l a d v i s e r a t t h e U K Health Security Agency (UKHSA),

added that adults should avoid meeting vulnerable people when feeling unwell

To help protect children and vulnerable individuals as pupils return to schools and universities after the Christmas break, the advice comes as part of the UKHSA's "simple steps"

Inventor of chicken tikka masala dies at 77

A

of 77

Ali Ahmed Aslam’s death was announced b y h i s S h i s h M a h a l restaurant in Glasgow, which was kept closed for 48 hours as a mark of respect

The eatery announced: “Hey, Shish Snobs Mr Ali passed away this morning We are all absolutely devastated and heartbroken ” H i s f u n e r a l w a

Prof Hopkins added that it is "important to minimise the spread of infection in schools and other education and childcare settings", and recommended that in order to help stop the illness spreading, children feeling unwell should also stay home from school or nursery

Surveillance d ata sug gests a “h ighly transm issible” Co vid strain h as become ap parent and is already behind one in 25 cases in the UK

The strain, given the nickname XBB 1 5, is causing alarm in the US over its quick spread and a recent rise in hospitalisations

X B B i s a s u b v a r i a n t o f t h e Omicron BA 2 variant, and XBB 1 5 is a subvariant of XBB Professor Kei Sato wrote in a study by the U n i v e r s i t y o f T o k y o , H o k k a i d o University and Kyoto University that it emerged as a “recombinant lineage between the second generation Omicron variants”

Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told MailOnline that the emergence of the strain is a “wakeup call” and could worsen the NHS crisis

u r i

g

e r f o

award: 955 candidates have been selected at BEM, MBE and OBE levels, 305 at BEM, 431 at MBE and 219 at OBE 673 (60%) of the recipients are people who are recognised primarily for having undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or charitable capacity; 548 women are recognised in the list, representing 50% of the total (45% of recipients at CBE level and above are women)

Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire has been awarded to Professor Sir

People with Endocrine Disorders and Dr Ramesh Dulichandbhai Mehta OBE, President, British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin For services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Dr Gurdial Singh Sanghera, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc For services to the Technology Sector and Chair, City Sikhs For services to Charity, Faith Communities and to Social Cohesion, Jasvir Singh OBE has been awarded Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Executive Director, British Asian Trust For services to the British Asian Community, Hitan Mehta has been recognised in the list of Officers of the Order of the British Empire

The Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP, President, of the United Nations Climate Change

Conference of the Parties (COP26) has been awarded the Order Of St Michael And St George for services to tackling Climate Change Vineet Bhatia, Chef has been honoured with MBE for services to UK Cuisine, Hospitality and to International Trade in the Overseas And International List

Jawahir Roble, from London, who grew up playing football in war-torn Mogadishu, has also been awarded an MBE for services to football, after becoming the first black, female, Muslim, hijab-wearing referee in the UK Asrar Ul-Haq DL was one of the first Asian police officers in Greater Manchester Police and spent his career in policing building a positive relationship between marginalised communities and law enforcement His work bringing together people from different faiths and backgrounds for a common good has earned him an OBE

24-year-old Neil Shonchhatra is one of the youngest British Indians in Gujarati to have received the honour Neil has been awarded a BEM for his services to the Covid-19 response

Partha Sarathi Dasgupta and Ivan Manuel Menezes, Chief Executive Officer, Diageo PLC for services to Business and to Equality

Professor Robina Shahnaz Shah MBE DL JP, Director, Doubleday Centre for Patient Experience for services to

Patient Care has been awarded Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Knighthood has been awarded

to Dr Mayur Keshavji Lakhani CBE, Chair, Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management and General Practitioner, Highgate Medical Centre, Loughborough For services to General Practice

Amongst renowned names of the community, is Professor

Vengalil Krishna Kumar Chatterjee FRS, Professor of Endocrinology, University of Cambridge For services to

Key members of the England Lionesses football team are also honoured after their outstanding performance in the summer Squad captain Leah Williamson receives an OBE, while star player Lucy Bronze, golden boot Beth Mead, and England women's top international goal scorer Ellen White are all awarded MBEs

Jasvir Singh

Dr Jyotiben Shah

Alok Sharma

Keranjeet Kaur Virdee

Dr Mayur Keshavji

Lakhani

Ivan Manuel Menezes

Jawahir Roble

Professor Nishi Chaturvedi

Professor Sir Partha Sarathi Dasgupta

Squad captain Leah Williamson

Vengalil Krishna Kumar Chatterjee FRS

Order of th e C ompanio ns of Honour M em bers of the Ord er of the Com panions of Honour Order of the British Emp ire K nigh ts Grand Cross o f the Order of th e British Empire P ro fess o r S ir P arth a S arath i

DA S G U P T A F r a n k R a m s e y

Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Cambridge For services to Economics and to the Natural Environment (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire)

Iv an Manuel MENEZES Chief E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e r , D i a g e o P L C For services to Business and to E q u a l i t y ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

Order of the British Emp ire Dames Com mander o f the Order of th e British Empire

P r o fes s o r Ro b in a S h ah n az

S HA H M B E D L J P D i r e c t o r , D o u b l e d a y C e n t r e f o r P a t i e n t

Experience For services to Patient C a r e ( S t o c k p o r t , G r e a t e r Manchester)

Knights Bachelor Knigh thoo ds

Dr M ayur Keshavji L AKHANI C BE C h a i r , F a c u l t y o f M e d i c a l Leadership and Management and G e n e r a l P r a c t i t i o n e r , H i g h g a t e Medical Centre, Loughborough For services to General Practice (Rothley, Leicestershire)

Ord er of the Bath Com panions of the Order of the Bath C omm anders of the Ord er of th e British Empire

N ad ra A H M E D OB E D L E x e c u t i v e C h a i r , N a t i o n a l C a r e Association For services to Social Care (West Malling, Kent) P r o fes s o r V eng ali l K ri s h na Ku m ar C HA T T E R J E E F R S P r o f e s s o r o f E n d o c r i n o l o g y , University of Cambridge For services to People with Endocrine D i s o r d e r s ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

D r R am e sh D u l ic h an d b h ai

ME HTA OBE President, British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin For services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Bedford, Bedfordshire)

N ag e sh w a ra Dw ara m p u d i

REDDY Portfolio Director, Labour M a r k e t a n d P l a n f o r J o b s , D e p a r t m e n t f o r W o r k a n d P e n s i o n s F o r P u b l i c S e r v i c e (Lytham St Anne's, Lancashire)

Dr Gurdial Singh S ANGHERA

Founder and Chief Executive O f f i c e r , O x f o r d N a n o p o r e Technologies plc For services to the Technology Sector (Oxford, Oxfordshire)

Jatinder Kumar S HA RMA OBE DL Principal, Walsall College For s e r v i c e s t o F u r t h e r E d u c a t i o n (Perton, Staffordshire)

Jasvir SINGH OBE Chair, City Sikhs For services to Charity, to Faith Communities and to Social C o h e s i o n ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

P r o fes s o r K es h av S I NG HA L MBE For services to Medicine and t o t h e c o m m u n i t y i n W a l e s (Wenvoe, South Glamorgan)

Officers of the Order of the British Empire U sm an A L I L a t e l y C h a i r , B l a c k W o r k e r s ' C o m m i t t e e ,

NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST 2023

Awards for New Year 2023

Scottish Trades Union Congress F o r s e r v i c e s t o E q u a l i t y a n d C o h e s i o n i n S c o t l a n d (Thornliebank, Renfrewshire)

A fs h i n A M I RA H M A D I M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r , A r l a F o o d s U K F o r s e r v i c e s t o t h e D a i r y Industry (Leeds, West Yorkshire)

Rash id BEGU M Lately Acting D e p u t y D i r e c t o r , H o m e O f f i c e For Public Service (Chelmsford, Essex)

P rofessor Nishi CHA TURVEDI P r o f e s s o r o f C l i n i c a l E p i d e m i o l o g y a n d D i r e c t o r , Lifelong Health and Ageing Unit, University College London For s e r v i c e s t o M e d i c a l R e s e a r c h (London, Greater London)

P rofessor Peter GHA ZAL Sêr C y m r u I I P r o f e s s o r o f S y s t e m s Medicine, Cardiff University For services to Systems Immunology (Cardiff, South Glamorgan)

Hadley GILL Senior Officer, National Crime Agency For services to Law Enforcement and to D i v e r s i t y ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

R av i n d er G I L L F o u n d e r , College of Accountancy Ltd For s e r v i c e s t o H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n (Weybridge, Surrey)

P u ne et G U P T A C o - F o u n d e r and Chief Executive Officer, PG Paper For services to Business, to Charity and to the community in S c o t l a n d ( K i l m a c o l m , Renfrewshire)

M ou h s s i n I S M A IL L a t e l y P r i n c i p a l , N e w h a m C o l l e g i a t e S i x t h F o r m C e n t r e , L o n d o n Borough of Newham For services t o E d u c a t i o n ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

S aika J ABEEN Assistant Chief O f f i c e r , N o t t i n g h a m s h i r e P r o b a t i o n S e r v i c e F o r P u b l i c Service (Littleover, Derbyshire)

S haron Kaur JANDU Director, Y o r k s h i r e A s i a n B u s i n e s s A s s o c i a t i o n F o r s e r v i c e s t o International Trade (Leeds, West Yorkshire)

D r H ar ren J HO T I F R S F o u n d e r , P r e s i d e n t a n d C h i e f E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e r , A s t e x Pharmaceuticals For services to C a n c e r R e s e a r c h a n d t o D r u g D i s c o v e r y ( C a m b r i d g e , Cambridgeshire)

Dr Krishna Rohan KANDIAH F o u n d e r , T h e S a n c t u a r y F o u n d a t i o n F o r s e r v i c e s t o R e f u g e e I n t e g r a t i o n ( H e n l e y , Oxfordshire)

F u kh er a K HA L I D M a n a g i n g Director, Elbrook Cash and Carry For services to Business, to Charity and to the community in North London (Great Warley, Essex)

P rofessor Kantilal Vardich and M A R DI A S e n i o r R e s e a r c h

Professor, Leeds University For s e r v i c e s t o S t a t i s t i c a l S c i e n c e (Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire)

H i tan M E H T A E x e c u t i v e

Director, British Asian Trust For s e r v i c e s t o t h e B r i t i s h A s i a n C o m m u n i t y ( R i c k m a n s w o r t h , Hertfordshire)

G o tz M OH IN D RA S e n i o r

Volunteer, Conservative Party For Political Service (London, Greater London)

P r o fe ss o r M o h am e d

P OU R K A S H A NI A N M a n a g i n g

D i r e c t o r , E n e r g y I n n o v a t i o n C e n t r e , U n i v e r s i t y o f S h e f f i e l d For services to Net Zero Research a n d t o I n n o v a t i o n ( A l t r i n c h a m ,

Greater Manchester)

S heikh A liur RAHMA N Chief E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e r , L o n d o n T e a Exchange For services to the Tea I n d u s t r y a n d t o Y o u n g P e o p l e (London, Greater London)

Riaz SHA H Founder and Chair of Trustees, One Degree Academy For services to Education (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire)

P r o fe ss o r S un i l S H A U N A K Emeritus Professor of Infectious D i s e a s e s , I m p e r i a l C o l l e g e London For services to Infectious D i s e a s e s a n d D r u g D i s c o v e r y (Hertford, Hertfordshire)

Remzije SHERIFI For services to Refugee Integration in Glasgow (Bearsden, Dunbartonshire)

M ah anta Bahad ur SHRES THA Philanthropist For services to the c o m m u n i t y i n t h e L o n d o n B o r o u g h o f E a l i n g a n d t o t h e N e p a l e s e c o m m u n i t y ( L o n d o n , Greater London)

A srar U L-HAQ DL For services t o t h e c o m m u n i t y i n G r e a t e r M a n c h e s t e r ( R o c h d a l e , G r e a t e r Manchester)

Members of the Order of th e British Emp ire

M esba AHM ED Founder and Chief Executive, London Tigers Charity For services to the comm u n i t y i n L o n d o n ( L o n d o n , Greater London)

S y ed S a m ad A L I L a t e l y T e a c h e r , T h o r n h i l l A c a d e m y , Sunderland, Tyne and Wear For services to Education (Sunderland, Tyne and Wear)

D r M in al BA K H A I ( M i na l J A Y A K U M A R) G e n e r a l Practitioner and Director, Primary C a r e T r a n s f o r m a t i o n , N H S England For services to General P r a c t i c e , p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r i n g C o v i d - 1 9 ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

N i p a D ev end ra D O S HI Product and Furniture Designer For services to Design (London, Greater London)

S aleem FAZA L Co-Chair and C o - F o u n d e r , F r e e h o l d L G B T + CIC For services to Inclusion in the Property Industry (London, Greater London)

S usan Elizabeth GHU LAM For services to Children with Special E d u c a t i o n a l N e e d s a n d Disabilities (Newcastle, Tyne and Wear)

Jo hn GILL For services to the Arts, to Culture and to Education (Brighton, East Sussex)

K enneth Brian GILL For serv i c e s t o t h e c o m m u n i t y i n R y e d a l e , N o r t h Y o r k s h i r e ( P o c k l i n g t o n , E a s t R i d i n g o f Yorkshire)

P r o fe ss o r Ni h al T rev o r GU R U S I NG HE F o r C h a r i t a b l e Services (Preston, Lancashire)

S h ad i m H U S S A IN C h i e f Executive, My Foster Family For services to Equality and to the F o s t e r C a r e S y s t e m ( B r a d f o r d , West Yorkshire)

S arah JOHAL Strategic Leader, Regional Adoption Agencies For services to Adoption and Fostering (Leeds, West Yorkshire)

Inderp aul Singh JOHAR CoF o u n d e r , D a r k M a t t e r s L a b o r a t o r i e s F o r s e r v i c e s t o A r c h i t e c t u r e ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

D r A ti y a K A M A L H e a l t h Psychologist and Senior Lecturer, S c h o o l o f S o c i a l S c i e n c e s ,

Birmingham City University For services to Health Psychology during Covid-19 (Burton on Trent, Staffordshire)

M o h am m ed W akk as K HA N DL Founder, Young Interfaith For s e r v i c e s t o C h a r i t y , t o Y o u n g People and to Interfaith Relations ( W h a l l e y R a n g e , G r e a t e r Manchester)

Dr Shaid M AHMOOD Chair of Governors, Leeds City College G r o u p F o r s e r v i c e s t o F u r t h e r Education in Leeds (Leeds, West Yorkshire)

Jaspal Singh M ANN Director, Simply Shred and Recycle Ltd For s e r v i c e s t o t h e E n v i r o n m e n t (Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands)

Syed Khaja M ohi MOINUDD IN C u s t o m s C o o p e r a t i o n Agreements Lead, HM Revenue and Customs For Public Service (Westcliff on Sea, Essex)

P ro fe s so r D r S y ed Nas e em NA QV I P r e s i d e n t , B r i t i s h Blockchain Association For serv i c e s t o B l o c k c h a i n a n d Distributed Ledger Technologies (Blackpool, Lancashire)

Ha m m ad N A S A R C u r a t o r , Author and Art Historian For services to the Arts (London, Greater London)

Dr No o r alh a q NA S I M I Founder, Afghanistan and Central Asian Association For services to R e f u g e e s ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

A ni s ah O S M A N BR IT T O N Founder, 23 Code Street For serv i c e s t o D i v e r s i t y i n t h e T e c h n o l o g y S e c t o r ( M a r g a t e , Kent)

Bh a v en a P A T E L S e n i o r Relationship Manager, Institute of A p p r e n t i c e s h i p s a n d T e c h n i c a l Education For services to Further E d u c a t i o n ( C o v e n t r y , W e s t Midlands)

Ve ej ay ku m a r C h i m an la l P A T E L F o u n d e r , B u s i n e s s 2 Business UK Limited For services t o E m p l o y m e n t a n d T r a i n i n g (Leicester, Leicestershire)

P ro fe s so r P ra s h ant P I L L A I D i r e c t o r , C y b e r Q u a r t e r a n d A s s o c i a t e D e a n , U n i v e r s i t y o f Wolverhampton For services to Cyber Security and to Education (Solihull, West Midlands)

Aneeta PREM JP Founder and President, Freedom Charity For C h a r i t a b l e S e r v i c e ( N o r w i c h , Norfolk)

Dr M o h a m m e d Q A S I M L e c t u r e r a n d W e l f a r e O f f i c e r , Gower College, Swansea For services to Academic Research and to Y o u n g P e o p l e ( S w a n s e a , W e s t Glamorgan)

Abdul Aziz QAZI Imam and Founder, Jamia Islamia Ghousia Trust For services to the commun i t y i n L u t o n ( L u t o n , Bedfordshire)

Zebina RAT ANSI Director of Nursing, Whipps Cross University Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust For services to Nursing Leadership (London, Greater London)

Jawahir ROBLE Referee and V o l u n t e e r , F o o t b a l l B e y o n d B o r d e r s F o r s e r v i c e s t o A s s o c i a t i o n F o o t b a l l ( L o n d o n , Greater London)

Dr Jyo tiben SHAH Macmillan C o n s u l t a n t U r o l o g i c a l S u r g e o n , University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust For services to Medicine (Ashby-

de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire)

Ram a V ENC HARD Chair of Trustees, STEP Academy Trust F o r s e r v i c e s t o E d u c a t i o n (London, Greater London)

Keranjeet Kaur VIRDEE Chief Executive and Artistic Director, South Asian Arts UK For services t o t h e A r t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y S o u t h Asian Music and Dance (Leeds, West Yorkshire)

P ro f es so r U r s ul a M ar g ar et WAITE (U rsula LA VERY) For services to the Agri-Food Industry and to the Economy in Northern Ireland (Moira, County Down)

Medallists of th e Order of the British Empire

Nu ra Om a r A A BE F o u n d e r , A u t i s m I n d e p e n d e n c e F o r s e rv i c e s t o P e o p l e w i t h A u t i s m (Bristol, City of Bristol)

Sheila A SHBU RNER For serv i c e s t o t h e c o m m u n i t y i n M i l n t h o r p e , C u m b r i a (Milnthorpe, Cumbria)

Zu l qa rna i n T o ny A S L A M Councillor, Wellingborough Town Council For services to the community in Wellingborough during C o v i d - 1 9 ( W e l l i n g b o r o u g h , Northamptonshire)

Shah Sheikh Sh epali BEGUM

L a t e l y O u t r e a c h a n d I m p a c t s Manager, Commonwealth Games L e g a c y T e a m F o r s e r v i c e s t o Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Birmingham, West Midlands)

Dr Wi ri nd er K u m a r A m ar Na th B H A T I A NI L a t e l y C h a i r , N H S B o l t o n C l i n i c a l

Commissioning Group For services to Health and to Diversity in Greater Manchester (Birchanger, Essex)

Zakaria A rif DADA For services to the community in the London Borough of Merton duri n g C o v i d - 1 9 ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

J ah s w i ll R o h i A l ex and er E M M A NU E L F o u n d e r , M u l t iE t h n i c S p o r t s a n d C u l t u r e s Northern Ireland For services to t h e c o m m u n i t y i n N o r t h e r n Ireland (Belfast, City of Belfast)

Ree na GU D K A S e n i o r Executive Officer, Department for L e v e l l i n g U p H o u s i n g a n d Communities For services to Civil S e r v a n t s A f f e c t e d b y E a t i n g D i s o r d e r s ( L o n d o n , G r e a t e r London)

J av a id IQ BA L F o s t e r C a r e r , Birmingham Children's Trust For s e r v i c e s t o F o s t e r i n g (Birmingham, West Midlands)

Sam ina Qasim IQBAL Foster C a r e r , B i r m i n g h a m C h i l d r e n ' s Trust For services to Fostering (Birmingham, West Midlands)

S h i rle y I R L A M L u n c h t i m e Supervisor, Wistaston Academy, Crewe, Cheshire For services to Education (Crewe, Cheshire)

Dr S ayyad a M AWJI For services to Healthcare during Covid19 (London, Greater London)

Nei l S H ONC HH A T R A F o r services to the Covid-19 Response (London, Greater London)

Am arjit Sing h S OORA For services to the community in Ilford, L o n d o n B o r o u g h o f R e d b r i d g e (London, Greater London)

Jag raj Singh SRAN For services to Charitable Fundraising and to t h e c o m m u n i t y i n C r a n f o r d , L o n d o n B o r o u g h o f H o u n s l o w (Middle Green, Buckinghamshire)

NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST 2023

Dr Ramesh Mehta receives CBE for his services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Scotland and Northern Ireland With his colleagues and Executive team in BAPIO he has expanded the organisation into a medical defence arm, Medical Defence Shield; a teaching and training arm, the BAPIO Training Academy; a research body, BAPIO Institute of Healthcare Research; a nurses ’ arm ’ s length body, British Indian Nurses Association; and a Faculty of Leadership

on (EDI)

Dr Ramesh Mehta, a retired paediatrician, founded BAPIO in 1996 after he witnessed the struggles of overseas doctors in the NHS He dedicated himself to the cause of equality and justice He established an organisation which has, since inauguration by the then Secretary of State, Ms Tessa Jowell, continued to challenge inequalities and has worked steadfastly on his mission of eradicating discrimination

Under his stewardship, BAPIO has forged partnerships and working relationships across the NHS, GMC, Medical Royal Colleges, and across the globe The small unit he once set up from his base in Bedford now stretches across England, Wales,

Dr Mehta has a unique style of statesmanship which is inspirational, visionary and collaborative He is forthright in his mission in eliminating discrimination and is not afraid to mount legal challenges when necessary In 2006 he fought for parity between doctors recruited from Europe with those from the Indian subcontinent; in 2013 he guided BAPIO in a Judicial Review against the regulator and the Royal College of General Practitioners, on the basis that overseas doctors were unfairly disadvantaged in the Membership examination

Over the last quarter of a century, he has worked collaboratively with NHS organisations and regulatory authorities in developing a better understanding of EDI, and supported research into effective solutions, while at the same time challenging sys-

Awards for New Year 2023

tems where discrimination has occurred

Dr JS Bamrah, the Chair of BAPIO, echoes the pride of the entire organisation and its members in this award ‘Dr Mehta is a pioneer He has bravely trodden where others have not dared to His courage and determination have made the NHS a better place to work in, and this award, which comes on the heels of an OBE in 2017 for services to the NHS, is well deserved ’

The Secretary of BAPIO, Professor Parag Singhal, commented: ‘Dr Mehta has the rare quality of vision and transformation of systems He has often led a lonely path, but his commitment to eradicating discrimination in the NHS and medical world has never wavered I am delighted that he has been awarded a CBE in the King’s Honours list ’

Speaking to Asian Voice about receiving this honour, Dr Mehta said, “I am delighted to receive this honour for my services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion I hope that this recognition will give further impetus to the EDI agenda I am pleased that there is improvement in the discrimination of ethnic minority staff but a lot more work needs to be done to achieve the equity of treatment ”

Hitan Mehta, of British Asian Trust, awarded OBE in New Year Honours

ing on projects such as encouraging vaccine uptake, interfaith relations and more recently channelling the community’s support for Ukrainian refugees

In reco gnition of h is 15 years ’ service to the British Asian co mmunity, Hitan Mehta, Executive Directo r o f th e British Asian T ru st, has been awarded th e Mo st Excellent Order of th e British E mp ire (OBE) by Hi s Majesty K ing Charles III in the New Year Ho no urs List 2023

Hitan Mehta OBE has a long history of working for and with the community He has served as a leading volunteer with Neasden Temple (BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London) for 28 years, lead-

Hitan worked extremely closely with The former Prince of Wales, Manoj Badale OBE and other distinguished British Asian business leaders to establish the British Asian Trust in 2007 to help tackle development challenges and opportunities across South Asia

For the past 15 years, Hitan has worked on impactful programmes in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the areas of education, livelihoods child protection, mental health and conservation Under his guidance and leadership, the British Asian Trust has galvanised support from the British Asian diaspora and helped to improve the lives of almost 7 million people

Lord Jitesh Gadhia, Chair of the British Asian Trust, commented: “We are delighted to see this richly deserved recognition for Hitan’s significant contribution in both South Asia and the UK His work in the community and for the British Asian Trust has changed lives worldwide and made an enormous impact He is a wonderful example of how British Asians have excelled in many fields, integrating successfully and contributing to British society in multiple ways ”

Hitan Mehta OBE added, “I am honoured and humbled by this recognition of my work The British Asian diaspora is a significant part of the United Kingdom, and it has been a privilege to amplify their voices and provide, through the British Asian Trust and through community work, a platform through which I have been able to serve the diaspora "

24-year-old awarded BEM for Covid-19 response

Neil Sonchhatra is 24 years old British-born Gujarati He is the son of Dinesh Sonchhatra of Major Estate and Mortgage brokers He has been awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) in the 2023 New Year Honours List for his services to the Covid-19 response

First Michelin-starred chef of Indian origin to be awarded an MBE

Masood

Dr

The

Mohammed SHOKA T, Consular Regional Director Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, British Embassy Dubai, United Arab Emirates For services to British Nationals overseas

For his serv ices to U K Cuisine, Hosp itality and to Internatio nal Trad e, Chef Vineet Bh atia has been awarded an M BE in the Ov erseas and International list He tweeted: “Honoured to be th e first Michelin-starred chef of Indian origin to be awarded an M BE

A wonderful privilege to have the opportunity to make the world “See things differently” about the United Kingdom I dedicate this to my mother & wife for their unconditional love & support!”

Vineet Bhatia arrived in London way back in 1993

with little more than a suitcase full of books, a lofty ambition, his love of Indian cuisine and a passion for cooking Fast-forward a few years and Vineet is now a globally renowned chef and seen as the face of progressive modern Indian cuisine having published successful cookery books, recorded multiple TV series, opened several restaurants across the globe and is the first Indian chef-patron to be been awarded a Michelin star When he is not cooking at one of his many restaurants or shooting for TV, he is setting records and creating experiences of a culinary kind Most memorable was the trek up to the Everest Base Camp in June 2018 to set up a ‘ popup restaurant’ for ten lucky diners that flew in via helicopter In December 2019 he prepared a gourmet Indian meal each day on board the French cruise liner Ponant along with Chef Alain Ducasse’s team, for the ten-day sail to Antarctica

Anis ah has dedicated her career to ensu ring that building th e fu ture is an inc lus ive venture by fo cus ing o n pro viding

VC

Capital Fund

a startup life reporter

Sifted She also founded coding school for women 23 Code Street On receiving this honour, she tweeted: “To end what has been a true rollercoaster of a year, I have been made an MBE in the King's New Years Honours list 2023 for services to diversity in tech Although I'm using this as a moment to pause, celebrate and reflect on the last decade, the recognition has re-energised my personal belief and mission we need a tech workforce that reflects the diverse society we live in so that we have innovation that serves everyone ”

In case you have received an honour in this year’s Honours list and your name hasn’t appeared in our newsweekly, kindly write to us at shefali saxena@abplgroup com with a short bio, your photo and a quote in 100 words We’d be happy to publish it in our upcoming issue

KING'S AM BULA NC E SERVICE ME DA L ENGL AND AND WAL ES K A M

Salman DESAI, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Transformation, North West Ambulance Service

ORDER OF ST M ICHAEL AND ST GEORGE

AHMED, President, Center for Global Development For services to International Development

Mohamed IBRA HIM , Founder, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation For services to Charity and to Philanthropy

Rt Hon Alok SHA RM A MP, President, the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) For services to tackling Climate Change NEW YEAR 2023 OVERSE AS A ND INT ERNATIONAL L IS T ORDER OF THE BRIT ISH EMPIRE OBE

Sonashah SHIVDA SANI, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Soneva; and Founder, Six Senses For services to Tourism, to Sustainability and to Charity

M BE

Vineet BHATIA , Chef For services to UK Cuisine, to Hospitality and to International Trade

Dr Ra mesh M ehta

OB E has b een awarded a CB E i n the New Yea r ’ s Ki ng ’ s Honours lis t, for servic es to Equality, Divers ity an d I nclusi

Dr Ramesh Mehta

Hitan Mehta

Vineet Bhatia

Anisah Osman Britton honoured with the MBE

tech skills , knowl edge, and cap ital to underrep resented peo ple, sh e h opes th at the fu ture o f the tec h industry will represent and s erve the so ciety we live in

Anisah is the director of storytelling at alternative

fund Calm

and

at

Anisah Osman

NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST 2023

Alok Sharma knighted in New Year Honours List

Prof Robina Shah receives OBE

Alok Sha rma , has bee n k night ed for his con tribution to combatt ing clima te chan ge t hrough his le ade rship a t t he CO P26 summit by King C harles III in his fir st New Ye ar Honours list r elease d h ere

Agra-born Sharma, 55, who was a Cabinet-level minister until October, is named on the “Overseas List” and leads a tally of over 30 Indian-origin campaigners, economists, academics, medics and philanthropists to be honoured in the annual list issued in the name of the

British monarch for their “incredible public service” across the UK and abroad “Alok Sharma receives a Knighthood for his contribution to combatting climate change through his leadership at COP26 and driving the UK to agree on a historic agreement from individual countries that will have a major impact in addressing climate change in the future,” reads a UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) statement with reference to the list honouring overseas contributions

Alok Sharma was appointed full-time President for COP 26, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, on 8 January 2021

He was previously Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and President for COP 26 between 13 February 2020 and 8 January 2021

He was previously Secretary of State for International Development from 24 July 2019 to 13 February 2020, and Minister of State for Employment at the Department of Work and Pensions from 9 January 2018 until 24 July 2019

He was Minister of State for Housing and Planning, for the Department for Communities and Local Government from 13 June 2017 to 9 January 2018

Alok was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 17 July 2016 to 13 June 2017

He has served as a member of the Commons Treasury select committee, a member of the Commons Science and Technology select committee, a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Treasury and from 2012 to 2015 as a Conservative Party Vice Chairman Alok was appointed in 2016 as the Prime Minister’s

Infrastructure Envoy to India

He also served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, the former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who had overall responsibility for the Cabinet Office He was elected as the Conservative MP for Reading West in May 2010

Prior to entering Parliament, Alok qualified as a chartered accountant with Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte and then worked for 16 years within banking, first with the Japanese firm Nikko Securities and then Enskilda Securities (the investment banking arm of SE Banken), where he held senior roles based out of London, Stockholm and Frankfurt, including serving as a member of the bank’s Corporate Finance Global Management Committee

Alok is married and lives in Reading Borough with his wife and 2 daughters

Prof Robina Shah MBE DBE h a s b e e n a w a r d e d D a m e s Commander of the Order of the B r i t i s h E m p i r e i n t h i s y e a r ’ s h o n o u r s l i s t S h e t w e e t e d , “ T r u l y h u m b l e d , h o n o u r e d , thankful to everyone who has e n r i c h e d m y l i f e ’ s j o u r n e y Deeply indebted to my parents, husband Tariq, and children, Z a i n a b , R a a b i y a h , a n d Sulaymaan Heartfelt thanks to p a t i e n t s , c a r e r s , f r i e n d s , a n d colleagues This recognition is for all of us ” Robina is a Chartered Consultant Psychologist, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Doubleday Centre for Patient Experience in the Division of Medical Education, University of Manchester She is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners and President of the Medicine and Society Council at the Royal Society of Medicine Robina is an established author with a specialist i n t e r e s t i n m e d i c a l e d u c a t i o n , p s y c h o s o c i a l m e d i c i n e , Equality Diversity and Inclusion, person-centred care and supporting children with a learning disability She is also passionate about promoting young people and involving them in decisions about their education, health and mental well-being Robina led the Trust to be one of the first of only ten NHS Trusts to be awarded Foundation Trust Status in 2004 When she completed her tenure, Robina was the youngest and longest-serving Chair of an NHS Trust in England Robina was appointed personally by Her Majesty t h e Q u e e n ; H i g h S h e r i f f f o r t h e C o u n t y o f G r e a t e r

Jasvir Singh CBE amongst many other Sikhs recognised in the New Year Honours List 2023

Sikh s and people of Sikh heritag e are am ongst m any being hono ured in the New Year Honours L ist o f 2023 , wh ich are the first set of honours to be g ranted by His Majesty the King , Ch arles III

Amongst the recipients is Jasvir Singh, Founding Chair of City Sikhs and prolific community activist He is the main Sikh contributor to BBC Radio 4 ’ s ‘Thought for the Day’, with around 6 million listeners each day He is co-founder of the ground-breaking South Asian Heritage Month, which celebrates and commemorates South Asian identity in Britain As Chair of the British Sikh Report, he has led a team producing robust data on Sikhs every year for the last decade He is also Vice Chair of the Faiths Forum for London, working with the capital’s faith communities in encouraging and promoting interfaith social initiatives In 2021, he was appointed one of the Mayor of London’s Commissioners for Diversity in the Public Realm, ensuring that public spaces better represent the diverse communities of London past and present In addition to his extensive charity work, Jasvir is an established family law barrister in practice for over 16

years

At the age of 42, Jasvir Singh becomes the youngest ever Sikh to receive a CBE

When asked about his honour, he said “I feel incredibly humbled to receive this honour Britain is a very different place to what it was when my grandfather moved here almost 60 years ago, and our nation has become a beacon for diversity and intersectionality across the globe It’s been a privilege to be able to support diverse communities through interfaith relationship building, showcasing South Asian culture and identity, and supporting vulnerable groups in society including LGBTQ+ people and victims of domestic violence I dedicate this honour to all of those communities and with Waheguruji’s grace I hope to continue this work for many years to come ”

Another recipient is Keranjeet Kaur Virdee who over the past 25 years has taken South Asian Arts UK a registered Arts and Culture Charity from a small

community organisation to a leading organisation in the North, creating, producing, training and presenting excellent classical and contemporary South Asian Music and Dance In 2019 she also set up Generation 21 to promote professional development with the aim of nurturing tomorrow ’ s cultural leaders from minority backgrounds She receives an MBE

On hearing the news, Keranjeet said “Receiving this award is a huge compliment and acknowledgement of my passion to empower others through creativity by providing equal access to culturally relevant arts that enable individuals to realise their creative potential However, this award is not mine alone, it is for my parents, family, friends, Trustees and my Team It is with their support and trust in my direction that has empowered me to be of service to others for over 20 years As a custodian of South Asian Music and Dance, I am extremely grateful, and humbled especially as this honour

has come as a complete surprise ”

Gordon Sanghera is co-founder of Oxford Nanopore with Spike Willcocks and Hagan Bayley He was appointed CEO in May 2005 and has led the company through multiple finance rounds, and in 2021, a listing on the London Stock Exchange The company has developed a new generation of nanoporebased sensing technology The first products enable the real-time, high-performance, accessible and scalable analysis of DNA and RNA, and this new class of sensing has the potential to expand into proteomics and metabolomics He receives a CBE

Gordon said, “When I found out about this award, the first person I thought of was my Grandfather He was born in the Punjab region in India to a poor family, and he fought in Burma for the Allies in WWII Life was hard in the UK for the family; they worked tirelessly to find their footing here and were frequently reminded of their status as ‘other’ They did fight and challenge an oftenclosed professional environment, and I think I inherited that spirit of defiance, a Punjabi work ethic – some have told me I can be a bit relent-

Manchester (April 2018-April 2019) Since 2004 she has also been a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater Manchester Recent appointments include Chief Ambassador for Greater Manchester Mayor Meet You Future and Bridge GM and UK Health Service Director and Vice Chair National Emergency Services Memorial Trust

less to create something even when it seemed impossible British society has evolved considerably since then and this honour reflects how much more diverse we ’ ve become both in public service and business And yet there’s still room for improvement Just as the Premier league became one of the world’s most popular sporting competitions – raising the standard of the game in this country considerably – by drawing on the talents of players from all around the world, the business community that I play a part in has a role in modelling inclusiveness and embracing diversity ”

The full list of recipients of Sikh heritage in the list includes:

Param Singh MBE, Deputy Chair of City Sikhs, said, “This time of year is so special for people across the country as we take the opportunity to slow down the pace of life by spending time with our loved ones, and it is even more special with such an inspiring list of Sikhs that have been recognised by His Majesty The King for their diverse contributions to society There are now over half a million Sikhs in the UK and it’s important that we continue to be recognised for the great work that is done

Congratulations to everyone on the Honours list ”

Elbrook Group Founder Awarded OBE

Fukhera Kh alid [ also known as Frank Kh alid] , C EO of th e Elbrook Grou p & FA R S ports, w as among those named in the Honou rs 2022 list Frank has been award ed an OBE for services to Business, to Charity and to the Com munity

Those who know Frank well will know of his many years of tireless work in this area and in many other sectors both locally and nationally He receives this OBE in recognition of his national contribution

Responding, Frank said:

I am truly humbled & pleased with the news that I have been awarded an OBE by his Majesty the King Charles III Even though this is an induvial award, thanks to my staff, suppliers, friends and especially family who without their help I would not have got this award I want to dedicate this honour to my dad who passed away 18 months ago, and I know he will be smiling down to me from heaven

2023 is a very exciting year for me with my businesses, my second Film Studios will be opened, busy year for my new Far Sports Agency which mainly d e a l s w i t h f o o t b a l l , a n d m y f a m i l y ’ s businesses in Pakistan Over 2k people work for me worldwide and I will strive to carry on my success, continue with my charity work as well and help others less fortunate

Prof Robina Shah

Alok Sharma

From left to right: Keranjeet Kaur Virdee MBE, Jasvir Singh CBE and Gordon Sanghera CBE

Dear Financia Voice Reader Alpesh Patel OBE

Happy New Year So, how do we get that 40% return I demand, try, aim for each year on my pension Doesn’t happen every year Some like 2020, 2021 are much better than others like last year But if I hit an average of 20%, I am happy

So following on from my last column where I said there is talk smaller companies may be the winners, here are more insights I have gathered I do not own any of the stocks mentioned unless clearly stated and do not intend to Mor gan Stan le y

As measured by the S&P 500 Index, U S large-cap stocks don't look as attractive Investing in them is still too expensive, and the benefits of owning them over risk-free debt are m i n i m a l a n d s o s m a l l e r c o m p a n i e s a n d m i d - c a p a r e favoured in 2023

Yahoo Finan ce

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, small-cap shares are cheaper than their larger counterparts, making them more appealing to investors When dividends are reinvested, small-cap stocks have outperformed large-cap stocks According to Yahoo Finance, Calavo Growers, Inc (NASDAQ:CVGW), which pays a quarterly dividend of $0 285 and has a dividend yield of 0 77%, is one of the best smallcap dividend stocks to buy now The company has consistently paid dividends since it went public in 2002, making it one of our best dividend stocks Due to its dividend consistency, it is a good choice for dividend portfolios alongside t h e l i k e s o f C a t e r p i l l a r I n c ( N Y S E : C A T ) , C h e v r o n Corporation (NYSE:CVX), and Pentair plc (NYSE:PNR) Na sd aq

Nasdaq listed H&E Equipment Services (HEES) and Patrick Industries (PATK) as two small-cap stocks that are rated as Strong Buys Currently, H&E shares are trading at $40 73, and their average target of $52 implies a gain of 28% over the next year Having a market cap around $1 5 billion, H&E has small-cap credentials by US standards

PATK shares are rated a Buy as well, with a $60 price target With the figure met, investors will pocket gains of 25% in a year Ya hoo Fin ance ’ s list of top small cap stocks includ es:

• SmartRent, Inc (NASDAQ:SMRT)

• PubMatic, Inc (NASDAQ:PUBM)

• Upstart Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ:UPST)

• Axcelis Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:ACLS) (I used to own)

• GoPro, Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO)

Yahoo Finance shares 15 stocks that will double in 2023 they think (seems optimistic)

• Blink Charging Co (NASDAQ:BLNK)

• Lithium Americas Corp (NYSE:LAC)

• The Lovesac Company (NASDAQ:LOVE)

• Riot Blockchain, Inc (NASDAQ:RIOT)

• AppHarvest, Inc (NASDAQ:APPH)

• Solid Power, Inc (NASDAQ:SLDP)

• EXACT Sciences Corporation (NASDAQ:EXAS)

• Transocean Ltd (NYSE:RIG)

• Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings Inc (NYSE:DNA)

• Zscaler, Inc (NASDAQ:ZS)

• Cloudflare, Inc (NYSE:NET)

• Bill com Holdings, Inc (NYSE:BILL)

• Marvell Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MRVL)

• Atlassian Corporation Plc (NASDAQ:TEAM)

• Block, Inc (NYSE:SQ)

Mar ket Be at

Below are 7 small-cap stocks well-positioned for market trends likely to stick around through 2023

• Boot Barn (NYSE:BOOT)

• Hudbay Minerals (NYSE:HBM)

• Gossamer Bio (NASDAQ:GOSS)

• Vivid Seats (NASDAQ:SEAT)

• Maxar Technologies (NYSE:MAXR)

• Hain Celestial Group (NASDAQ:HAIN)

• ThredUp (NASDAQ:TDUP)

Like I wrote above I don’t own these and will share my own insights in the next column and on my Telegram channel, you can find it through www campaignforamillion com

Hospitality sector lost £1.5b in December due to rail strikes

T he r a il s t r ik e s h av e c o s t b ars, pub s, res taurants and h ot e l s in t h e UK a t l e a s t £ 1 5 b n i n D e c e m b e r a l on e a nd – couple d with the cos t of living c ris is – will result in a “huge s wathe of bus iness es a nd jobs los t”, indus try bodies have warned Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UKHospitality, said the financial impact of train strikes on the sector w a s w o r s e t h a n e x p e c t e d , resulting in a “perfect storm”

for businesses battling soaring energy bills and inflation that meant “undoubtedly we will see more business failu r e s ” i n t h e n e x t t h r e e months The NTIA has predicted the loss in trade to its members will be even higher, at £2bn Its boss said many businesses lost up to 50% of revenues during the key festive period, which they were r e l y i n g h e a v i l y o n t o s e e them through early 2023, traditionally a quieter period

Banks at rescue of struggling borrowers

S om e of t h e U K’ s la r g e st ba nk s ha ve agr eed mea sur es with th e gove rnme nt to help strug glin g bor rower s a s they br a ce fo r a su r g e in la t e mort gage pay ment s

T h e s o - c a l l e d f o r b e a rance measures, which were used during the 2008 financial crisis, are an attempt by b a n k s i n c l u d i n g H S B C , B a r c l a y s , L l o y d s B a n k i n g G r o u p a n d N a t W e s t t o a v o i d r e p o s s e s s i o n s a n d more pain for borrowers on top of soaring inflation and h i g h e n e r g y b i l l s S o m e m e a s u r e s c o u l d i n c l u d e

switching mortgage holders

t o i n t e r e s t - o n l y d e a l s o r moving them on to competitive fixed-rate deals without having to take another affordability test The move f o l l o w s a m e e t i n g t h i s m o n t h b e t w e e n J e r e m y Hunt and the UK’s largest banks, when the chancellor made clear lenders would n e e d t o h e l p s t r u g g l i n g h o m e o w n e r s r e p a y t h e i r debt It highlights the difficult time ahead for borrowers with about 1 8mn people i n B r i t a i n n e e d i n g t o r e m o r t g a g e n e x t y e a r a s

their existing fixed-rate deal comes to an end, leaving them with the prospect of much higher costs One of the bankers at the recent meeting said the tone was “lean in to help, which we all are The last thing any bank wants to do is repossess a house ”

UK lenders are already preparing to set aside further provisions in their fullyear results in February to cover the expected increase in loan losses as more borrowers struggle with their mortgage repayments But

N i g e l T e r r i n g t o n , c h i e f executive of Paragon Bank, s a i d : “ B a n k s a r e l i k e l y t o achieve strong profit growth this year, so the extra provisioning will be affordable ” According to the banking industry body UK Finance, the number of mortgages in arrears is predicted to reach 98,500 next year, up from an estimated 80,100 in 2022

The number of housing transactions is also likely to drop as prices fall and home movers in particular grapple with the prospect of taking out a costlier mortgage

Affordable bank loans getting difficult for small companies in the UK

S m al l c o m p a ni es a re in cr eas i ng ly s tru g g li ng to se cu r e a ff o rd a bl e ban k loans, acco rding to research th at als o f o u nd t h es e bu sinesses are carrying an ad d i ti o n al £ 3 6 bn o f d eb t co m p a red to bef o re th e co ronav irus crisis

The Federation of Small Businesses, a lobby group f o r t h e U K ’ s s m a l l e s t companies, said a survey of m e m b e r s f o u n d t h a t successful applications for b a n k l o a n s a n d o t h e r f i n a n c i n g h a d d r o p p e d “ p r e c i p i t o u s l y ” L e s s t h a n h a l f o f a p p l i c a t i o n s w e r e s u c c e s s f u l i n t h e t h i r d quarter of 2022, compared to nearly two in three before

C o v i d , s a i d t h e F S B i n a r e p o r t T h e l o b b y g r o u p found the smaller a business w a s , t h e l e s s l i k e l y i t s request for a bank loan was t o b e a p p r o v e d I n t e r e s t r a t e s o n l o a n s o f f e r e d t o small companies have been r i s i n g , a s t h e B a n k o f England tightens monetary policy in response to high inflation Nearly a third of s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s t h a t applied for finance in the third quarter were offered an interest rate of 10 per cent or more

Three in 10 companies told the FSB in its survey that they thought unfair clauses and provisions were included i n a p p l i c a t i o n s f o r b a n k

Business confidence will improve in 2023 in UK

Confidence in pr ospects for the UK's economy are set to improve in 2023, a ccording to an IoD in dex The In st i t u t e of D ir e c t or s ( Io D ) D ir e c t or s ’ Eco n om i c Confidence Index mea sures business l eader optimism in prospe cts for the UK economy It rose to -5 8 in D e ce m b e r , u p f r om - 6 4 i n N o v e mb e r w it h im pr o v e me n t s i n e x pe c t a t io n s fo r r e ve n u e , empl oyment, investment a nd in directors’ optimism for the prospects of their own organisations

The IoD is a non-party political organisation with a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 0 , 0 0 0 m e m b e r s M e m b e r s i n c l u d e CEOs of large corporations as well as entrepreneurial directors of start-up companies The organisation surveys the concerns of business directors for its index T h e f o c u s o f i t s r e c e n t s u r v e y w a s o n e c o n o m i c confidence When it comes to key issues for business owners, 66 per cent of IoD members stated that inflation was one of their top priorities for government action in 2023 Recession was highlighted as a second key priority for business support The index also clarified that 55 per cent of business leaders expect higher revenue in the next 12 months while around 30 per cent expect higher business investment and per cent expect higher employment rates

loans and other financing

T h e F S B r e p o r t c o m e s a s small businesses worry about how to repay or refinance t h e l a r g e a m o u n t o f d e b t they accumulated to survive the pandemic, when many companies took on loans for

to FSB analysis of BoE data

Government will reduce energy support to businesses by 50%

Th e U K g overnment is set to h alv e th e lev el o f s up p o rt i t g ives to businesses to help with their energy bills

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has been weighing how much assistance to provide companies when an existing sixmonth program of energy support worth £18 billion ($21 7 billion) expires at the end of March He had initially planned for the aid to become more targeted at vulnerable sectors, but officials in recent weeks indicated he was l e a n i n g t o w a r d s a universal extension of the prog r a m , w h i c h w a s d e s i g n e d t o shield firms from the pain of soaring costs linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine Recently it was reported that Hunt now plans to announce a 12-month extension in which businesses receive aid at

below half the current level, with t h e n e w p a c k a g e c o s t i n g l e s s than £20 billion over the longer time frame The paper didn’t say how it obtained the information

Hunt has been paring back Britain’s energy support packages as he tries to stabilize the nation’s public finances, which s u f f e r e d a s h o c k u n d e r t h e short-lived premiership of Liz Truss Under the existing business support program, companies get a saving of up to £345 for a megawatt hour of electricity and £91 for a megawatt hour of gas Hunt was due to make an announcement on what would happen from April by year-end b u t t h e d e c i s i o n h a s s i n c e been delayed, sparking consternation from businesses facing u n c e r t a i n t y o v e r t h e i r e n e r g y bills

Store closing-down was at record high in 2022

A new ana lysi s rep ort ha s rev ealed that the number of stores that clo sed their business in 20 22 rem ained high est co mpared to th e prev ious five years and 20 23 will also be facing sim ilar challeng es

The Centre for Retail Research has revealed that 47 sites shut down shop for the last time every day last year A total of 17,145 shops on high streets and i n o t h e r l o c a t i o n s c l o s e d i n 2 0 2 2

Whereas almost 50 per cent of the 11,449 shops were closed in 2021, during the COVID pandemic Also, it came

to light that 1,51,474 retail jobs across the UK were lost last year, including those from online retailers, which represents 43 per cent of the 105,727 jobs lost in the previous year The report stated that 5509 shops were closed because the retailers failed to run the business, due to some form of insolvency, while a further 11,636 shops were s h u t a s p a r t o f c o s t - c u t t i n g p r ogrammes by large retailers or independents who simply closed their business for good The report further revealed t h a t t h e n u m b e r o f s t o r e c l o s u r e s

caused by the big chains, those with 10 or more outlets, saw a dip of 56 per cent because most of the poor performers had already closed their businesses in previous years The research revealed that a total of 11,090 shops were closed by independents in 2022, whereas large retailers closed 6,055 shops The property adviser Altus Group estimated that retailers and landlords are required to pay nearly £1 1bn from April 1 over the next tax year to cover the business rates on empty sites that have not been used for three months

t h e f i r s t t i m e S m a l l a n d m e d i u m - s i z e d e n t e r p r i s e s were carrying about £203bn of debt in September 2022, c o m p a r e d t o £ 1 6 7 b n i n January 2020, just prior to the pandemic, according

India eyes MacBook production after success in iPhone

Top sources in the IT m i n i s t r y s a i d t h e government wants Apple’s manufacturing eco-system t o g r o w b y l e a p s a n d bounds in the country at a

t i m e w h e n t h e A m e r i c a n electronics giant looks at a C h i n a - p l u s - o n e s t r a t e g y w h e n i t c o m e s t o g l o b a l procurement of products The IT ministry, which is t h e n o d a l m i n i s t r y f o r b o o s t i n g e l e c t r o n i c s m a n u f a c t u r i n g i n t h e country, has already sent a proposal for enhancement o f t h e s c h e m e , a n d t h e

Oil and Natural Gas C orp oration (ONGC) said that th e o ffshore d rilling Rig of the com pany - 'Sagar Sam rat' - has been co mmissioned as a mo bile offshore production unit ( MOPU) on 23 December 2022

Sagar Samrat MOPU will be able to export gas at a maximum rate of 2 36 million cubic metres per day and handle up to 20,000 barrels of crude oil per day It is a n t i c i p a t e d t h a t S a g a r S a m r a t M O P U w o u l d i n c r e a s e ONGC's oil production by 6,000 barrels per day in the coming days The first oil from the WO-16 cluster began to flow into MOPU's processing system, and dispatch to the onshore terminal was started

WO-16 is a cluster of four marginal fields in the Arabian Sea at a water depth of 75-80 m and 130 km from Mumbai It was intended to establish a MOPU for the production, processing, and transportation of oil and gas from the WO16 Cluster because there is no local facility to produce from this field

ONGC further stated that the project to convert Jack-up rig Sagar Samrat into a MOPU was awarded to a consortium of Mercator Oil & Gas Ltd, Mercator Offshore (P) Ltd and Gulf Piping Company (GPC) on 17 November 2011

Greenko and Granules collaborate on green molecular solutions

In a fir st fo r t he Indi an pha rmaceuti ca l se cto r, ph arma g ia nt Granule s Indi a Ltd ha s pa rtne red stra tegi cally with t he Gree nko Grou p, which is backe d by GIC Holdi ngs Pte L td, th e Abu D habi Investment Authori ty, a nd Ja pan's O RIX Corp T he two companie s wil l wor k tog ethe r on g ree n mole cule soluti ons and thei r expande d a ppli ca tions i n p h a r m a c e u t i c a l s t o st r e n g t h e n t h e i r p o si t i o n i n sustai na bi lit y a nd circula r e conomy initi ati ve s According to a regulatory filing by Granules, the two c o m p a n i e s w o u l d c o l l a b o r a t e t o i n i t i a l l y c r e a t e a n d promote integrated green pharmaceutical zones (GPZ) in K a k i n a d a , A n d h r a P r a d e s h T o p r o d u c e k e y s t a r t i n g materials (KSMs), intermediates, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), and fermentation-based products on a big scale, the company will construct a greenfield plant based on sustainability principles

At a price that is one-third l e s s t ha n th e i n n ov at or b rand, BD R Pharmaceutical i ntroduced the first generic v e rs i on of t he im p ort a nt pros tate canc er medic ation a p al ut a mi d e un d er t he t r ad e na m e A p at i de i n I ndi a

R a h e e l S h a h , D i r e c t o r B u s i n e s s D e v e l o p m e n t , BDR Group said that the p r o d u c t w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e across India in strengths of 60mg in packs of 60 tablets and 120 tablets “Typically a patient is put on this drug for two months with a gap of one week in between the two months,” Shah said

The price for a bottle of 60 tablets is Rs 22,500 and for a bottle of 120 tablets is Rs 45,000

T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f California system invented a p a l u t a m i d e , w h i c h w a s p r i n c i p a l l y d e v e l o p e d b y J a n s s e n R e s e a r c h & D e v e l o p m e n t , a u n i t o f Johnson & Johnson A p a l u t a m i d e w i l l

matter is now in the hands o f t h e f i n a n c e a n d s o m e o t h e r r e l a t e d m i n i s t r i e s Apple has been cagey about g e t t i n g p r o d u c t s b e y o n d i P h o n e s t o b e manufactured in India as the company tries to strike a b a l a n c e w i t h C h i n a , which is not only its biggest production base but also an equally strong sales market A l s o , t h e c o m p a n y f e e l s handicapped by the absence of a strong supplier base in the country, as getting its c o m p o n e n t m a k e r s f r o m China to India has not been easy following the growing tensions between the two countries

While companies have

b e e n p u s h i n g t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o e a s e t h e checks for allowing Chinese investments into India, the permissions and approvals still take time as the Centre does not want to hand over the control to entities from the neighbouring country “Joint venture is one route t h a t w e a r e c o n s i d e r i n g , p r o v i d e d t h a t I n d i a n e n t i t i e s h a v e a s a y a n d control,” the source said

T h e g o v e r n m e n t f e e l s t h a t g e t t i n g A p p l e a n d other top sellers such as HP and Dell broad-base their I n d i a s o u r c i n g w i l l b e critical to get scale and the s t a t u s o f a ‘ g l o b a l manufacturing hub’

India joins western countries to shut out China from 5G

The chiefs of the US and th e U K security ag encies held an u n p rec ed ent ed p res s c o nf ere nc e and i s su e d a joint w arning ag ainst C hina ea rly J ul y th is ye ar T h e head s o f FBI and M I5 alleged that C h ina p os ed a longte rm t h rea t t o ec o no m i c an d n at io n al s ec u ri ty Ch ina, on its part, called th e accusations groundless

B u t t h e w i n d a g a i n s t China has been blowing for q u i t e a w h i l e n o w A n d accusations of cyber-attacks and spying are also not new C h i n a ’ s b i g g e s t t e c h company, Huawei, has seen i t s 5 G b u s i n e s s p r o s p e c t s b e i n g b l u n t e d a c r o s s t h e world, especially since the U S h a s b e e n a c t i v e l y pressing its allies to ban the company ’ s equipment from t h e i r n a t i o n a l n e t w o r k s I n d i a t o o b e c a m e m o r e c i r c u m s p e c t a f t e r t h e D o k l a m i n c i d e n t I t h a s joined a growing number of Western countries that have shut out China from 5G In M a y , C a n a d i a n w i r e l e s s carriers were barred by their g o v e r n m e n t f r o m u s i n g Huawei or ZTE equipment in their 5G networks The US, Britain, Australia, and N e w Z e a l a n d , w h o a r e m e m b e r s o f t h e F i v e

g r e a t l y i n c r e a s e p a t i e n t s w i t h m e t a s t a t i c c a s t r a t i o ns e n s i t i v e p r o s t a t e c a n c e r ' s o d d s o f survival when used in conjunction with antia n d r o g e n t h e r a p y I n non-metastatic castrationr e s i s t a n t p r o s t a t e c a n c e r , t h e c o m b i n a t i o n o f a p a l u t a m i d e a n d A D T ( a n d r o g e n - d e p r i v a t i o n t h e r a p y ) s i g n i f i c a n t l y lowers the risk of disease progression and mortality, according to the company B D R s j o u r n e y f o r t h e t r e a t m e n t o f P r o s t a t e C a n c e r s t a r t e d w i t h

E y e s i n t e l l i g e n c e - s h a r i n g alliance along with Canada, had also previously banned H u a w e i f r o m t h e i r respective 5G networks

This is the result of years o f U S l o b b y i n g w i t h i t s allies In fact, the US has gone so far as to warn them t h a t i t w o u l d r e c o n s i d e r i n t e l l i g e n c e s h a r i n g w i t h a n y c o u n t r y t h a t u s e s Huawei gear over fears of Chinese cyber-espionage In 2 0 1 8 , t h e J a p a n e s e g o v e r n m e n t e f f e c t i v e l y b a n n e d H u a w e i a n d Z T E f r o m o f f i c i a l c o n t r a c t s S w e d e n a l s o b a n n e d H u a w e i a n d Z T E f r o m its 5G network in 2020 So i n I n d i a t o o , C h i n e s e telecom gear makers were not permitted to participate i n t h e 5 G r o l l - o u t G i v e n that the Chinese accounted for 20 percent of India’s 4G gear market and Huawei’s p o s i t i o n a s a g l o b a l 5 G leader, it is not a far-fetched idea that Chinese vendors c o u l d h a v e c o r n e r e d a s i z a b l e s h a r e o f t h e g e a r m a r k e t f o r t h e n e x tgeneration networks

Abiratarone Acetate, then L e u p r o l i d e A c e t a t e followed by Enzalutamide a n d , t h e n D e g a r e l i x a n d Triptorelin

By 2030, the burden of prostate cancer is projected to increase to 1 7 million new c a s e s a n d 4 , 9 9 , 0 0 0 n e w deaths worldwide due only t o p o p u l a t i o n g r o w t h a n d ageing Prostate cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer deaths among males worldwide and the second most common malignancy in India With no acceptances, information about the illness is only minimally accessible to people

Prepare the war chest

It will be interesting to see how the proper ty m arket behaves this coming year , with al l the uncert ainty that’s in the world currently

Of course, there will be the expected overall dip in prices in general, but what I’m interested in is what happens within certain price points and geographic locations

It will be very difficult for a simple BTL deal to stack up in the coming times, especially in desirable locations, as the yields in these locations tend to be low anyway; therefore, for it to stack up on a conventional mortgage will prove to be tough However, there will still be interest from certain investors, as they will be focused on capital growth, which will more than make up for the subdued yield

However, this will mean ordinary buyers will be priced out, and leaves the door open for cash buyers, those who have existing credit lines, and private banking clients, where yield tends not to be a consideration

Development projects will tend to go down the most in value because there are more moving parts associated with a project This combined with a background of economic uncertainty is not a good combination to be occurring together

If a project takes say twelve months to complete, there is the risk of build costs increasing during this period You may say this is the builder’s problem not yours; it will be very much your problem when the builder walks off the project due to it being unviable

There is the issue of being able to sell or refinance the project at completion Buy to Let rates are floating at about the 4-5% mark at the moment; therefore, they may just about stack up if you manage to find a well yielding BTL deal

Although, I feel the interest rate is destined to rise, and in the short-term buying a BTL property as an investment may become unviable for many If you decide to keep the project due to being unable to sell, you may face the same issues in regards to refinancing; in fact, it may be a bigger problem, as the asset will be larger Therefore, the risk is higher and the Loan to Value lower

This means one is likely to be able to pick up good development deals, if they have the backing of a good builder and cash funds to weather any storm If this is your position it is time to go hunting; starting about now

The reason why I said earlier it will be interesting to see how certain pockets in the market behave, is I believe, there is a huge amount of confidence and appetite for property in the UK More so than the rest of Europe In bygone times d u r i n g f i n a n c i a l d i f f i c u l t y , p r i c e s i n c e r t a i n l o c a t i o n s actually unintuitively increased Why? Because funds were better placed in a property asset in London rather than floating around in bank or any other investment In fact, these locations were seen as a very safe, safety deposit box, a viewpoint held not just in the UK but globally

Given the above, I have put an offer forward for a £4M development project, at £2 5M, after the agent was pressing me for one I smelt desperation, and therefore agreed to make the offer If he agrees, this will be a project which due to the buying price will be able to handle a few speed bumps along the way

S

Borrowing (ECB) is a five-year loan and is under SFL's Social Finance framework to provide credit towards the purchase of new and used vehicles throughout India ”

The money received from the ADB can be used to finance electric and BS VI compliant vehicles for commercial usage, finance women entrepreneurs, assist underdeveloped regions of the nation, and improve the social and economic standing of underserved areas, it was said

Along with the ADB loan, SFL has also been successful in securing USD 250 million from the US Development Finance Corporation and USD 475 million through a 144A Bond from the international market in 2022, further diversifying its funding profile and advancing its goals for financial inclusion

C o m m e n t i n g o n t h e f u n d r a i s e , S F L e x e c u t i v e v i c e chairman Umesh Revankar said the company will finance for buying of vehicles and equipment in new and untapped m a r k e t s t o p r o v i d e b u s i n e s s o p p o r t u n i t i e s a n d g e n e r a t e employment This would empower more communities in semi-urban and rural areas to optimise their income and to have a better quality of life, he said

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

Over 2000 years old looted Egyptian coffin returned by US

A looted ancient Egyptian sarcoph ag us th at was on d isplay at a U S m u s eu m h as b een returned to Eg yp t

The 2 9m (9 5ft) long "Green Coffin" dates back to the Late Dynastic Period, which spanned 664 BC to 332 BC, and belonged to a priest called Ankhenmaat I t w a s l o o t e d f r o m

by a global art trafficking

through Germany into the US in 2008 A collector loaned it to t h e H o u s t o n M

Natural Science in 2013 The s a r c o p h a g u s w a s r e p a t r i a t e d after an investigation that lasted several years and was formally handed over by US diplomats at a ceremony in Cairo The

event

s m u g g l e d a r t e f a c t s I n

in brief

WORLD'S TALLEST GREEN TOWER WILL BE BUILT IN ZANZIBAR

M

A h m

d Issa Mr Issa said the return of the sarcophagus showed Egypt's s t r e n u o u s e f f o r t s t o r e c o v e r

Canada bans foreigners from buying house

A ban on foreigners buying r es i d en ti a l p r o p er ty in Canada to ok eff ec t on 1s t J a n u ar y, ai m i ng to ma k e m o r e h o me s a vai l ab l e t o l o c a ls f a ci n g a h o u s i n g c run ch S everal excep tio ns i n th e act allo w individu als su ch as refu gees and permanent residents who are not citizens to buy ho mes

In late December, Ottawa also clarified that the ban would apply only to city dwellings and not to recreational properties such as summer cottages The t e m p o r a r y t w o - y e a r m e a s u r e was proposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the 2021 election campaign when soaring prices put home ownership b e y o n d t h e r e a c h o f m a n y Canadians Following their 2021 e l e c t i o n v i c t o r y , t h e L i b e r a l s q u i e t l y i n t r o d u c e d t h e Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by NonCanadians Act

M a j o r m a r k e t s s u c h a s Vancouver and Toronto have also introduced taxes on nonr e s i d e n t s a n d e m p t y h o m e s Despite a recent heyday, the

country's real estate market has cooled for sellers as mortgage r a t e s f o l l o w e d t h e B a n k o f Canada's aggressive monetary policy in a bid to rein in inflation According to the Canadian Real Estate Association, average home prices have fallen from a p e a k o f m o r e t h a n Can$800,000 (US$590,000) at the start of 2022 to just over Can$630,000 (US$465,000) last month

Many experts have also said the ban on foreign buyers who a c c o u n t e d f o r l e s s t h a n f i v e percent of home ownership in C a n a d a , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e n a t i o n a l s t a t i s t i c a l a g e n c y w o u l d n o t h a v e t h e d e s i r e d effect of making homes more affordable Rather they point to a need for more housing construction to meet demand

September, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the Green Coffin, which was valued at over $1m (£830,000), was illegally trafficked out of Egypt by a multinational network of antiq-

uities smugglers The network was also responsible for trafficking the "Gold Coffin", which w a s w h i c h w a s r e t u r n e d t o Egypt in 2019, the Stele of Padi-Sena, which is also from the Late Dynastic Period and was handed over in 2020, and five pieces seized from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art last year The US is not the only country to have returned antiquities to Egypt recently In 2021, Israel handed over 95 relics which had been smuggled into the country or put on sale in Jerusalem Last month, a university in the Republic of Ireland said it was planning to repatriate a sarcophagus, mumm i f i e d h u m a n r e m a i n s a n d canopic jars

1,668 journalists killed globally in past 20 years

Ac cording to Reporters Without Borders (RSF)c alculations, which ar e bas ed primarily on its yearl y round-ups , 1,668 journalists have be en kill ed globall y in t he las t t w o d e c a de s (2 0 03 - 2 02 2 ) a s a r e s u l t o f m u r de r s , c on t r ac t k i l l in g s , a m b us he s , d e a th s i n c om bat zones, and f atal injuries

This gives an average of more than 80 journalists killed every y e a r , a c c o r d i n g t o P a r i s - b a s e d R S F R S F s e c r e t a r y - g e n e r a l , C h r i s t o p h e D e l o i r e s t a t e d "Behind the figures, there are the f a c e s , p e r s o n a l i t i e s , t a l e n t a n d commitment of those who have p a i d w i t h t h e i r l i v e s f o r t h e i r i n f o r m a t i o n g a t h e r i n g , t h e i r search for the truth and their passion for journalism "

H e a d d e d " I n e a c h o f i t s a n n u a l r o u n d - u p s , R S F h a s c o n t i n u e d t o d o c u m e n t t h e u n j u s t i f i a b l e v i o l e n c e t h a t h a s s p e c i f i c a l l y t a r g e t e d m e d i a workers This year's end is an appropriate time to pay tribute to t h e m a n d t o a p p e a l f o r f u l l r e s p e c t f o r t h e s a f e t y o f journalists wherever they work and bear witness to the world's realities "

The annual death toll peaked in 2012 and 2013 with 144 and 142 j o u r n a l i s t s k i l l e d , r e s p e c t i v e l y These peaks, due in large measure to the war in, were followed by a gradual fall and then historically low figures from 2019 onwards In 2022, several journalists killed in connection with their work was 58, according to RSF's Press F r e e d o m B a r o m e t e r o n D e c e m b e r 2 8 , w h i c h w a s t h e highest in the past four years and was 13 7 per cent higher than in 2021

During the past two decades, 80 per cent of media fatalities have occurred in 15 countries The two countries with the highest death tolls are Iraq and Syria, with a combined total of 578 journalists killed in the past 20 years, or more than a third of global total

Two helicopter’s crash over Australian gold coast

Four people have died after a m id-ai r c olli sion between tw o heli copters nea r Seaw orld on A us trali a's Gold Coast

Queensland Police say initial investigations suggest the crash happened as one aircraft was taking off and the other was landing Those who died w e r e t r a v e l l i n g i n t h e s a m e helicopter Three other passengers are in a critical condition Five of the six people on the other aircraft, which made an e m e r g e n c y l a n d i n g , s u f f e r e d minor injuries The Australian T r a n s p o r t S a f e t y B u r e a u (ATSB) is investigating the coll i s i o n , w h i c h h a p p e n e d a t about 14:00 local time (04:00 GMT) The two aircraft came d o w n n e a r a t o u r i s t s t r i p known as Main Beach, about 7 5 k m ( 4 7 m i l e s ) s o u t h o f Brisbane

G a r y W o r r e l l o f t h e Queensland Police Service told reporters the four deaths and

three serious injuries had all occurred in the same aircraft "It's a difficult scene," he said "Due to the area it's located, on the sand bank, it was difficult to gain access, to get our emergency services to the scene to m a n a g e i t a p p r o p r i a t e l y I m a g e s f r o m t h e c r a s h s i t e show debris strewn around the area and a mangled helicopter

apparently lying upside down opposite the Seaworld resort

The other helicopter has the popular marine park's logo on its fuselage and appears to have made an emergency landi n g a f t e r t h e c o l l i s i o n A c c o r d i n g t o t h e S e a w o r l d website the park offers sights e e i n g h e l i c o p t e r f l i g h t s f o r tourists, as well as carrying out

o t h e r c h a r t e r o p e r a t i o n s S e a w o r l d D r i v e , t h e m a i n access road to the marine park, has been closed to traffic by l o c a l p o l i c e T h e y u r g e d motorists and pedestrians to avoid the area as first respond e r s i n s p e c t e d t h e s c e n e Investigators from the ATSB's o f f i c e s i n B r i s b a n e a n d Canberra are being deployed to the scene to gather evidence, e x a m i n e t h e w r e c k a g e a n d i n t e r v i e w w i t n e s s e s A T S B c h i e f c o m m i s s i o n e r A n g u s Mitchell has also asked eyewitnesses who saw the collision or the helicopters in flight to contact investigators

A preliminary report will be made public in the next six to eight weeks, with a final report to follow once the investigation i s c o m p l e t e , h e a d d e d T h e Gold Coast region is currently in its peak tourist season, with c h i l d r e n o n t h e i r s u m m e r breaks

The government of Zanzibar intends to construct the "Burj Zanzibar " a 28-storey timber skyscraper that will be the tallest green structure in the world Its creators, a group of experts from the US Switzerland, South Africa, Tanzania, Austria and other countries, have declared it will be a significant environmental achievement for all of Africa as well as the tourist hotspot in the Indian Ocean The “vertical green village” will occupy a plot in the seaside city of Fumba, a one-milewide eco-town designed by German engineers to entice tech workers The Burj Zanzibar, which stands meaning tower in Arabic and is 96 metres tall will establish a "new benchmark of building in the 21st century " according to the architects It will provide 266 residences with ocean views for between £65 000 and £785

NORTH KOREA FIRED 3 BALLISTIC MISSILES

North Korea has fired three short-range ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan, the latest launches in a year that has seen an unparalleled onslaught of missile tests by an increasingly belligerent Pyongyang Japan’s Ministry of Defence said the first ballistic missile was fired on last Saturday morning shortly after 08:00am local time (23 00 GMT) the second was launched at approximately 08 14am (23 14 GMT), and a third missile took off a minute later All three missiles were launched from Pyongyang's suburbs reaching a maximum altitude of 100 kilometres (62 miles) and travelling for an estimated 350 kilometres (217 miles) According to the ministry and news agencies, the missiles landed in the Sea of Japan but outside of Japan s exclusive economic zone a body of water that stretches outward from the country's shoreline by around 370km (200 nautical miles)

FIRST FEMALE NEWS ANCHOR IN AMERICA DIES

Barbara Walters, one of the most visible women on U S television as the first female anchor on an American network evening news broadcast and one of TV s most prominent interviewers, died on Friday at age 93, her longtime ABC News home said Walters, who created the popular ABC women's talk show "The View" in 1997, died at her home in New York, Robert Iger, chief executive of ABC s corporate parent The Walt Disney Co said in a statement The circumstances of her death were not given

CAMBODIAN CASINO BLAZE KILLS 19, DOZENS MORE MISSING

A massive fire tore through a casino-hotel complex in a Cambodian town near the Thai border, killing at least 19 people and leaving up to 30 people missing When the fire started, there were about 400 personnel and guests inside the Grand Diamond City casino and hotel in Poipet, and up to 30 people are still unaccounted for "The number of deaths may reach more than 20 " said Sek Sokhom, head of the Banteay Meanchey provincial information department Sixty people had been injured, he said

CHAOS AT MANILA AIRPORT IN PHILIPPINES

DUE TO POWER FAILURE

A power outage hit Manila airport in Philippines on New Year s Day, affected 300 flights and left thousands stranded As per the media, over 65,000 people were stranded as a result of nearly 300 domestic and international flights at the Manila airport in the Philippines being either delayed, cancelled, or diverted As a result of the power outage all flights in Philippine airspace, lost internet, radio, and communication capabilities

in brief Thousands queued up to pay last respects to Pope Benedict XVI

INDIAN-AMERICAN SWEARS TO SERVE AS A COUNTY JUDGE IN TEXAS

Juli A Mathew, an Indian-American Democrat, took the oath to serve a second term as a judge in Fort Bend County, Texas Mathew, a native of Thiruvalla in the state of Kerala was sworn in by videoconference from Bheemanady in Kasaragod and will keep her position as presiding judge for Fort Bend County Court Number 3 for another four years She stood for re-election and defeated Republican Andrew Dornburg with 123 116 votes Mathew defeated Republican Tricia Krenek in her 2018 election race for the court by a commanding 8 24 percent margin, becoming the first Indian-American woman elected to the bench in the US

IRAN ISSUED NOTICE

ON MANDATORY HEADSCARF IN CARS

Iranian police have resumed warnings that women must wear mandatory headscarves even in cars, stated by media as unrest continues following the death of Mahsa Amini Protests have gripped since the September 16 death of Iranian-Kurdish Amini, 22, after her arrest in Tehran for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic s strict dress code for women

SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED AN ORGANISM THAT EAT VIRUS

The first known virovore or organism that consumes viruses, has been discovered by researchers Organic matter is the food source for every known type of living in the planet This is probably far closer to an entire, uncharted food chain John DeLong, a microbiologist from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the United States, and his team made the breakthrough He reportedly wanted to see whether any bacteria actively consumed viruses and whether such a diet could support both individual and communal population development Researchers discovered that a type of Halteria, tiny ciliates that live in freshwater all over the world, may consume a large number of infectious chloroviruses that live in the same aquatic environment For the first time the team s laboratory tests have also demonstrated that a virus-only diet or "virovory " is sufficient to support an organism s physiological growth and even population increase

BANGLADESH COMMENCED FIRST-EVER METRO SERVICE IN CAPITAL

Bangladesh launched its first metro rail service with Japanese assistance to ease commuting in the capital Dhaka one of the most congested cities in the world

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the service accompanied by newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador Kiminori Iwama and Ichiguchi Tomohide, the chief representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which funded the project

The premier opened a 20-kilometre section of the urban rail project, connecting the capital s northern zone at Uttara area to Agargaon point, a hub of government offices and hospitals in the middle of the city, for now Construction was underway to extend the tracks to Motijheel business district in the south, cutting through the city to ease the notorious traffic jams in Dhaka, one of the world’s most densely populated cities

Thousan ds of people ha ve b een pa ying t he ir respects to former Pope Be nedict XVI at his ly in g-in sta te in t he Vat ican H e die d on New Year's Eve at the age of 95, almost a d eca de aft er he st ood down because of il l hea lth Pope Fr a n ci s w il l p r e si d e o v e r Thur sd ay 's fun e r al - t he fir st time a Pope will be buried by his successor

A s d a w n b r o k e o v e r t h e V a t i c a n , a q u e u e h a d a l r e a d y formed at the edge of St Peter's Square And Vatican police said some 40,000 people filed past his body in the first five hours, where a pair of Swiss Guardsthe traditional papal bodyguards

- s t o o d w a t c h B e n e d i c t X V I became the first Pope to resign in 600 years in 2013, citing ailing health His body will be displayed for three days in an open

casket at St Peter's Basilica, with p e o p l e a l l o w e d t o p a y t h e i r r e s p e c t s u n t i l 7 p m e a c h e v e n i n g M a n y o f t h o s e w h o filed into the basilica on Monday

m a d e a s i g n o f t h e c r o s s o r stopped to pray as they passed the former Pope's body - which h a s b e e n d i s p l a y e d w i t h o u t papal insignia or regalia Others took pictures on their mobile phones One man who had been inside, Mountain Butorac, said the experience was "beautiful" and "humbling"

T h e C a t h o l i c p i l g r i m a g e organiser was queueing to view the former Pope's body for a second time, this time with his family He said the mood was sombre but joyful He described Benedict as a "a very gentle" and "humble" man, who was like a "papal grandfather" to him

Pak Hindu woman murdered and skin reportedly peeled off

Accordi ng t o r eport s, a Hindu

n was slai n i n Pakistan's

I n a t we e t , Pakista n's f irst f emale senator

h

H i nd u m i no r i t y , K r i

h

K u m a r i , t w e e t e d about the 40-ye ar-old woman

r o m Bh e e l c o m mu n i t y m e m be r a s h a v i n g h a d h e r br e a st c h o p p e d o f f a nd be hea de d

The Pakistan Peoples Party leader said that skin was peeled off from the victim's body and face The woman is survived by four children

" D a y a B h e e l , 4 0 - y e a r - o l d widow brutally murdered and her body was found in very bad c o n d i t i o n H e r h e a d w a s separated from the body and the savages had removed the flesh from the whole head " she tweeted

D a y a B h e e l , w h o w a s b r u t a l l y m u r d e r e d h e r c a s e w o n ' t b e h i g h l i g h t e d i n t h e media, nor will Politicians in I s l a m a b a d o r t h e S i n d h Government Issue a statement W i l l t h e p o l i c e a p p r e h e n d c u l p r i t s ? W i l l H i n d u s b e

Prisoners escape after deadly attack on a jail in Mexico

D oz e n s of i n m a te s ha v e e s c ap ed f r om a p ri s o n i n northern Mexico after gunmen, suspected to be members of a drug c artel, opened fi re on the facility

The men arrived outside the C h i h u a h u a s t a t e p r i s o n i n armoured vehicles and began firing on the guards, authorities say Ten were killed, along with four prisoners, during the audacious and brutal attack in the border city of Ciudad Juarez P o l i c e s a y s o m e 2 4 i n m a t e s e s c a p e d F i g h t i n g w i t h i n t h e prison, where inmates from differing criminal bands and drug cartels are housed in separate cellblocks, also left 13 people injured Four of them are being t r e a t e d i n h o s p i t a l , p r i s o n authorities said Outside, relat i v e s g a t h e r e d , h u g g i n g e a c h other and crying as they waited for news

One woman said the attackers were dressed in black, were better armed than the police, and were shooting at any vehicles that passed by The army and the national guards were c a l l e d i n t o s u p p o r t l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s i n t h e a f t e r m a t h The city has seen years of violent clashes between the rival Sinaloa and Juarez drug cartels, killing thousands of people in the past decade The prison was also the site of an uprising last August in which a riot inside the jail spilled over into the streets, killing 11 people

B o t h i n c i d e n t s u n d e r l i n e the strength which the drug cartels still exert on the prison

system Prosecutors in the city, which is across the border from El Paso, Texas, have promised an investigation into the latest a t t a c k M i n u t e s b e f o r e t h e e s c a p e , a r m e d m e n f i r e d o n police on a nearby street, setting off a car chase that ended u p w i t h f o u r m e n b e i n g detained In a different area of the city, two more drivers died after what officials called armed a g g r e s s i o n A u t h o r i t i e s h a v e not yet said whether the incidents are believed to be linked

t r e a t e d a s e q u a l c i t i z e n s i n t h e i r m o t h e r l a n d S i n d h ? tweeted by a nonprofit news organization

In response to the murder o f a H i n d u w o m a n n a m e d Daya Bheel in the province of Sindh, India urged Pakistan to s a f e g u a r d i t s m i n o r i t y ’ s members

S p e a k i n g a t t h e w e e k l y media briefing of the Ministry o f E x t e r n a l A f f a i r s , spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "We have seen reports about it, but we don't have

specific details on the case, but w e h a v e r e i t e r a t e d t h a t P a k i s t a n s h o u l d p r o t e c t i t s m i n o r i t i e s a l o n g w i t h t h e i r safety, security and well-being, which is their responsibility "

H i n d u s , a m i n o r i t y i n P a k i s t a n , a r e r e g u l a r l y t h e v i c t i m o f h o s t i l i t y , k i d n a p p i n g s , r a p e s , f o r c e d marriages, and even murder Last year in Pakistan's Punjab, a H i n d u w o m a n w a s undressed, raped, and tortured for requesting payment of her daily wage

Dubai suspended alcohol tax to stay as Gulf’s party capital

In an effort to solidify i ts s tatus as the tourism and c om merci al hu b o f t h e G u l f, D ub a i suspended a 30% tax on alcohol sales to ring i n the N ew Year Ex ecutives i n the bus iness who were notifi ed of the dec isi on have ref erre d to the proj ec t, w hi c h w e n t i n to f or c e l a s t Sunda y and wi ll las t for a year, as a tri al phas e I n o r d e r t o r e c r u i t m o r e f o r e i g n w o r k e r s , D u b a i , t h e region's business and tourist h u b w h e r e f o r e i g n e r s

outnumber locals nine to one, h a s r e c e n t l y l o o s e n e d l a w s Saudi Arabia, which has been luring numerous expats with generous salaries, is creating new sectors and expanding its e n t e r t a i n m e n t m a r k e t P r e v i o u s l y o n l y o p e n t o pilgrims, the monarchy is now a d v e r t i s i n g i t s h i s t o r i c a l l a n d m a r k s a n d d e b a t i n g t h e possibility of making alcohol sales legal In Qatar, they have showcased themselves during the Fifa World Cup

Probe into 18 children's deaths in Uzbekistan linked to India-made cough syrup

Uzb ekistan ha s cla imed that a t le ast 18 chil dren in t he countr y have die d after all egedl y ta king coug h sy ru p ma nufa ct ure d i n India In a st atemen t, the heal th ministr y of Uzbe kist an, said t ha t t h e c hi l d r e n wh o d i e d h a d con sum ed coug h sy rup Do c-1 Max, ma nufacture d by Noidaba sed Marion Biotech

I n d i a h a s o p e n e d a n investigation into the matter, and production of the cough s y r u p h a s b e e n h a l t e d u n t i l samples are tested

A c c o r d i n g t o H e a l t h Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, t h e s a m p l e s h a v e b e e n transferred to the Regional Drug T e s t i n g L a b o r a t o r y i n C h a n d i g a r h f o r t e s t i n g H e f u r t h e r s t a t e d t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t w o u l d i n i t i a t e additional action depending on the inspection findings "

A s p e r t h e U z b e k i s t a n ' s h e a l t h m i n i s t r y r e p o r t , laboratory tests of a batch of syrups found "the presence of e t h y l e n e g l y c o l , " a t o x i c s u b s t a n c e A d d i t i o n a l l y , i t claimed that the syrup was given to children at home without a doctor's prescription, either by their parents or on the advice of p h a r m a c i s t s , w i t h d o s e s t h a t exceeded the standard dose for children

The ministry said that they found that the children, before b e i n g h o s p i t a l i s e d , t o o k t h i s

syrup at home for 2–7 days, in doses of 2 5–5 ml three to four times a day, which exceeds the standard dose

A f t e r t h e d e a t h s o f 1 8 children, Doc-1 Max tablets and s y r u p s h a v e b e e n w i t h d r a w n f r o m a l l p h a r m a c i e s i n t h e c o u n t r y , t h e s t a t e m e n t s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t s e v e n e m p l o y e e s were sacked because they failed to analyse the situation in time and take steps

A c c o r d i n g t o l o c a l m e d i a reports, the chemical ethylene glycol was found in the syrup d u r i n g l a b t e s t s T h e s a m e chemical, which is a common c o n t a m i n a n t i n p h a r m a p r o d u c t s m a d e w i t h o u t a d e q u a t e s a f e g u a r d s , i s w h y a n o t h e r I n d i a n c o m p a n y , Haryana-based Maiden Pharma, is under investigation which is linked in 70 deaths in Gambia

Juli A Mathew

Huge protests in India over Jain pilgrimage site Sammet Shikharji

S h i k h arj i , al so kn o w n as S a m m e d o r S a m m e t S hikh arji, is a pilgrim ag e site f o r t h e J ai n rel ig io n in India’s Jh arkhand state L ocated o n Parasnath hill, it is the most im portant Jain T irtha (pilgrimage site) fo r both Digambara and Śvētām b ar a s ec ts o f th e J a in c o m m u n i ty T h i s i s th e p lace where twenty o f the t w en ty- f o u r J ai n G o d s k no w n as t i rth a nka ras att ai ne d M oksh a (liberation of soul) a lo n g w i th m a ny o th e r m onks A ccord ing to beliefs o f th e J a i n c om m u ni ty , S h i k h arj i i s r ank ed w it h A s h tap ad , Gi rnar, D ilw ara T em ples of M ount Abu and S h a tru n j aya a s th e ‘ S v etam bara P anch a T irth ’ o r th e fi v e p ri n ci p al p ilg rimage shrines

The tension has been fueling for a few weeks now within the Jain community after the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand government has notified the pilgrimage site

a s a t o u r i s t d e s t i n a t i o n M e m b e r s o f t h e J a i n c o m m u n i t y h a v e b e e n protesting in many parts of t h e c o u n t r y ; i n f a c t , a d e l e g a t i o n e v e n r e a c h e d Delhi to hand over a letter to t h e P r e s i d e n t J a i n s h a v e been urging the Jharkhand C M t o r e c o n s i d e r t h e decision Several members o f t h e J a i n c o m m u n i t y protested in several parts of

t h e c o u n t r y a g a i n s t t h e J h a r k h a n d g o v e r n m e n t ’ s decision of declaring ‘sacred’ S h r i S a m m e d S h i k h a r j i a tourist place

Jains fear that the move to turn a religious site into a t o u r i s m h u b c o u l d i r r e d e e m a b l y a l t e r t h e spiritual characteristics of the place and strip it of its divine significance “It is a dangerous move because it

s e t s a p r e c e d e n t f o r t h e g o v e r n m e n t s t o u s e religious sites for boosting their tourism revenue The government exchequer is filled at the expense of the religious salience of a holy s i t e , ” s a i d K i r t i V o r a , a m e m b e r o f t h e A n a n d j i K a l y a n j i T r u s t , a n esteemed body that looks after another sacred Jain p i l g r i m a g e c e n t r e i n

Nun detained under threat of Dalai Lama safety

A C hinese nu n who followed the Dalai L am a t o o n e o f I nd i a ’ s h o li es t Bud dhist sites has been arrested on suspicion o f posing a threat to h is safety

Song Xiaolan, 50, was taken into custody after overstaying her visa to India She was held in Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where Buddha was thought to have achieved enlightenment sitting under a tree

The Dalai Lama visited the area annually and remained for a month prior to the pandemic On Thursday of last week, he returned after a two-year h i a t u s T h e w o m a n w a s d e t a i n e d , according to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, for "security" reasons H a r p r e e t K a u r , s e n i o r superintendent of Bodh Gaya police,

said it was still not clear what Song had been doing since she entered India in January last year “We got inputs about a suspected Chinese woman, who has b e e n o v e r - s t a y i n g i n I n d i a a n d presently said to be in Bodh Gaya as a nun The security personnel deployed for security of the Dalai Lama have been alerted,” Kaur told media agency P i l g r i m s a r e b e i n g v e t t e d a n d

security has been strengthened in the town Since a bomb detonated in 2018 and two live ones were found during t h e D a l a i L a m a ' s v i s i t , s e c u r i t y surrounding the Mahabodhi Temple, the location of the enlightenment, has been tight

At 87, the Dalai Lama is frail but in g o o d h e a l t h H e h a s l i v e d i n Dharamshala in the Himalayas, also home of Tibet’s government-in-exile, since fleeing his homeland in 1959 after a failed uprising

His presence in India has been a continuous irritation to China though h e n o w o n l y a d v o c a t e s m o r e a u t o n o m y f o r T i b e t r a t h e r t h a n independence This has not stopped C h i n a v i l i f y i n g h i m a s a “ w o l f i n monk’s robes”

Palitana, Gujarat “When a cultural site is thrown open t o t o u r i s m , i t n o t o n l y results in the violation of i t s r e l i g i o u s s a n c t i t y b u t a l s o l e a d s t o t h e degeneration of the place and artefacts attached to i t , ” V o r a s a i d w h i l e h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e c h r o n i c v a n d a l i s m o f h i s t o r i c a l m o n u m e n t s c a u s e d b y tourists

Mital Lalan, who is a Madurai based social media influencer working for Jain causes, there has been a m a s s i v e p r o t e s t i n I n d i a a g a i n s t t h e d e c i s i o n I n fact, people of all ages and followers of other religions h a v e a l s o s u p p o r t e d t h e protest The declaration of tourist spot will encourage meat, alcohol, dance, music and several other activities at a place that is considered most pious by Jains, who have been one of the most p e a c e f u l c o m m u n i t i e s t h r o u g h o u t h i s t o r y s p r e a d i n g o v e r s e v e r a l

centuries ” Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, New Delhi, Surat, and many other cities saw l a r g e c r o w d s o f J a i n s p r o t e s t i n g a g a i n s t t h e J h a r k h a n d g o v e r n m e n t ' s d e c i s i o n t o p r o m o t e r e l i g i o u s t o u r i s m a t P a r a s n a t h H i l l s T h e p r o t e s t s r e a c h e d a c r e s c e n d o o n J a n u a r y 1 , when thousands of Jains hit the streets demanding a rollback of the Jharkhand g o v e r n m e n t ’ s d e c i s i o n Notably, the Hindu rights organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), extended support to the protesting J a i n c o m m u n i t y I n a s t a t e m e n t i s s u e d b y t h e VHP, it is stated that the organization is bound to protect the sanctity of the pilgrimage sites of India T h e e n t i r e P a r s h w a n a t h hill should be declared a holy site (teerth), and no tourist activities involving meat or drugs should be permitted

Veer Bal Diwas: A tale of courage and sacrifice

Prime M inister Narend ra Mod i p aid resp ects to Zorawar Singh and Fateh Sing h, Guru Gobind Sing h s sons who laid do wn their lives w hile defending their faith as Ind ia celebrated Veer Bal Diwas on 26th Decem ber 2022 T he day is observed as 'Veer Bal Diwas' to mark th e m artyrd om of Guru Gobind Singh’ s sons

In the year, 1704 when Anandpur the residence of the Guru Gobind Shah dynasty came under siege by the armies of Mughals Guru Gobind Singh’s sons, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh (9) and Sahibzada Fateh Singh (7) were killed following the attack But what led to the attack?

Guru Gobind Singh, who was raising an army, founded the Khalsa in 1699 This elite warrior force was composed of devout Sikhs, and its goal was to protect people from religious persecution The Khalsa were viewed as a threat by the Mughal Empire

Guru Gobind Singh's four sons -- Ajit Singh, Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh -- were all part of the Khalsa According to history, kings and Mughal governors made a pact with the Sikhs and vowed not to start a war unless Guru Gobind Singh departed Anandpur Sahib But close to the Sarsa River, Guru Gobind Singh and his supporters came under attack

Many Sikhs were swept away while crossing the river Guru Gobind Singh’s family was separated The Guru himself with his two eldest sons, Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh, and 40 other Sikhs moved toward Chamkaur Sahib but soon found themselves surrounded A small number of Sikhs fought against an army of Mughals Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh lost their lives in the battle

The other two sons of Guru Gobind Singh, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, were abducted and eventually bricked alive for refusing to acquiesce to the demands of a Mughal governor

Everyone began to make pilgrimages to the Bhora Sahib, the chamber where the Sahibzadas were bricked in A G u r d w a r a e v e n t u a l l y s p r u n g u p a l l a r o u n d i t T o commemorate the hardship and sacrifice of the family that upheld the honour of their religion and refused to submit to an authoritarian Islam, people now gather annually in the final week of December

Dalai Lama

Narendra Modi

PM Modi’s mother Hiraba passes away at 100

Prim e Minister Narendra Mod i’s mother, Hiraba, passed away on las t F ri d ay at a n A h m ed a ba d hospital

D u e t o m e d i c a l c o n c e r n s , Hiraba was admitted in the UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre in Ahmedabad “ H i r a b a M o d i p a s s e d a w a y o n 3 0 / 1 2 / 2 0 2 2 , a t 3 : 3 0 m o r n i n g , d u r i n g t h e t r e a t m e n t a t U N M e h t a H e a r t H o s p i t a l , ” t h e medical bulletin said She lived with her younger son P a n k a j M o d i , a r e t i r e d g o v e r n m e n t o f f i c i a l a t R a y s a n village in Gandhinagar district In a tweet, Modi, who flew to G a n d h i n a g a r f o r t h e l a s t r i t e s , said, “A glorious century rests at the feet of God In Maa, I have a l w a y s f e l t t h a t t r i n i t y , w h i c h contains the journey of an ascetic, the symbol of a selfless Karmayogi and a life committed to values ” He added, “When I met her on her 100th birthday, she said one thing - Always remembered - Work with intelligence, live life with purity ” Modi first visited Raysan and t h e n a c r e m a t o r i u m i n Gandhinagar for the last rites G u j a r a t c h i e f m i n i s t e r Bhupendra Patel, his predecessor Vijay Rupani, and former Union

m i n i s t e r S h a n k e r s i n h V a g h e l a were among those who attended the funeral Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “The news of the demise o f P r i m e M i n i s t e r N a r e n d r a Modi’s mother Hiraba is very sad In this difficult time, I express my deepest condolences and affection to him and his family members ” P M M o d i u s e d t o s e e k Hiraba's blessing on special events l i k e h i s b i r t h d a y s a n d t h e beginning of election campaigns by meeting her whenever he could while in Gujarat After the historic victory by the BJP in the state elections, he recently paid Hiraba a visit at her home in Raysan

Co ndo lences pou r in after PM Mo di’ s mo th er demise

Condolence messages poured in from India and throughout the world as soon as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his m o t h e r H i r a b a p a s s e d o n D e c e m b e r 3 0 t h , 2 0 2 2 L e a d e r s f r o m a l l p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s , including Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Ministers, and P r e s i d e n t D r o u p a d i M u r m u , conveyed their sorrow Many of t h e m r e m e m b e r e d h e r straightforward and kind way of living

S e v e r a l w o r l d l e a d e r s , i n c l u d i n g P a k i s t a n ’ s P r i m e Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Japanese

Bihar's Gaya elected manual scavenger as Deputy Mayor

T he civic body elections in Bihar's Gaya have scripted h istory by electing a woman w h o h as be en a m an u al s c av en g er fo r th e l as t 4 0 years to a to p po sition in g o v er nm e nt I n th e m o s t recent municipal elections, C hinta Dev i was chosen as Gaya's Deputy Mayor

Such a milestone, however, is not new for Gaya B h a g w a t i D e v i , a w o m a n from the severely underrepr e s e n t e d M u s a h a r g r o u p and a stone crusher by trade, w a s c h o s e n b y N i t i s h Kumar's Janata Dal to represent the Gaya constituency in the Lok Sabha in 1996 (United)

" G a y a i s s u c h a p l a c e where people seek enlightenment, and it is also the place from where a musahar woman can go to the Lok

Sabha This time the people here have set an example, p r o b a b l y f o r t h e e n t i r e w o r l d , b y e l e c t i n g C h i n t a D e v i w h o u s e d t o c a r r y human feces on her head as a sanitation staff when there were few toilets here This is historic," Gaya's Mayor-elect Ganesh Paswan said I n a d d i t i o n t o s e l l i n g

Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son gets engaged

A nan t A m ban i , s on o f M ukesh Am bani and Nita A m ba ni , g o t en g ag e d to R ad h i k a M e rc h ant , th e d au ghter of Viren M erchant and S haila Merch ant, at the S h r i nat h j i T em p le i n Nathd wara, Rajasthan

T h e " R o k a " (engagement) ceremony was held in front of family and friends and was blessed by priests from the temple The young couple spent the day at the temple doing the Rajb h o g s h r i n g a a r r i t u a l s a n d praying to Lord Shrinathji f o r h i s g r a c e o n t h e i r forthcoming union

L a t e r , t h e h a p p y o c c a s i o n w a s j o i n t l y

celebrated by their family a n d f r i e n d s A n a n t a n d Radhika's Roka ceremony, w h i c h w a s h e l d a t t h e temple, was confirmed by Parimal Nathwani, Director o f C o r p o r a t e A f f a i r s f o r Reliance Industries Limited

Anant Ambani received his education from Brown U n i v e r s i t y i n t h e U n i t e d States and has since held a number of positions with R e l i a n c e I n d u s t r i e s , i n c l u d i n g b o a r d p o s i t i o n s w i t h J i o P l a t f o r m s a n d Reliance Retail Ventures He is now in charge of RIL's energy division

R a d h i k a M e r c h a n t graduated from New York

vegetables, Chinta Devi has w o r k e d a s a s a n i t a t i o n w o r k e r F o r m e r d e p u t y m a y o r M o h a n S r i v a s t a v a e n d o r s e d M s D e v i a n d claimed that by winning the race, she had made history He continued by saying that t h e r e s i d e n t s o f t h e c i t y assist the weak and seek to advance them in society

PM Fumio Kishida and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, also offered their condolences to the bereaved family

P r e s i d e n t t w e e t e d i n H i n d i “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s mother Hiraba’s hundred years of struggle is a symbol of Indian ideals Shri Modi imbibed the spirit of #Matradevobhav and the values of Hiraba in his life I pray for the peace of the holy soul My condolences to the family!”

Congress leaders Mallikarjun K h a r g e , R a h u l G a n d h i , a n d P r i y a n k a G a n d h i V a d r a , T a m i l Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, W e s t B e n g a l C h i e f M i n i s t e r M a m a t a B a n e r j e e , R a j a s t h a n

B J P v e t e r a n L K A d v a n i

the Prime Minister f r e q u e n t l y s p o k e a b o u t t h e unique relationship he had with his mother, about her kindness a n d s i m p l i c i t y , a n d h o w t h e s e q u a l i t i e s w i l l a l w a y s b e remembered and mourned by all

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said in a statement, “Mataji’s life was a great example of a meaningful life of continuous work on the strength of devotion to values and unwavering faith in God even in extremely difficult circumstances ”

N e p a l ’ s P r i m e M i n i s t e r Pushpa Kamal Dahal tweeted, “At t h i s h o u r o f g r i e f , I e x p r e s s heartfelt condolences to PM Modi ji and the family members and p r a y f o r e t e r n a l p e a c e o f t h e departed soul ”

Pakistan’s PM Mr Sharif said, “There is no greater loss than l o s i n g o n e ’ s m o t h e r M y c o n d o l e n c e s t o P M N a r e n d r a Modi on the passing away of his mother ”

SC rejected pleas challenging 2016 demonetisation

T h e S u p rem e C o ur t d i s m i s se d t h e p e ti ti o ns ag ai ns t 20 1 6's d e m o ne ti sa ti o n i n a 4 : 1 m aj o ri ty ju d g m e nt Wh il e dism issing the petitions, the Sup reme Court stated that d em oneti sati on c annot be ov erturned just because the C entre started the process w h e n i t d is m i s s ed t h e petitions

T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t ' s Justice BV Nagarthana said, “ T h e d e m o n e t i s a t i o n e x e r c i s e c a n n o t b e s t r u c k d o w n o n g r o u n d s o f p r o p o r t i o n a l i t y ” J u s t i c e Nagarthana added that it is not here to decide on the m e r i t s o r d e m e r i t s o f economic and/or financial decisions while adding that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the bulwark of the Indian economy

“I have noted that RBI is the bulwark of the Indian e c o n o m y I h a v e c i t e d h i s t o r y o f s u c h d e m o n e t i s a t i o n e x e r c i s e world over The court is not t o s i t o v e r t h e m e r i t o f e c o n o m i c o r f i n a n c i a l d e c i s i o n , " t h e S C j u d g e noted

H o w e v e r , J u s t i c e Nagarthana also emphasised that legislation, rather than the government, might have b e e n u s e d t o i m p l e m e n t demonetisation "Compared to demonetisation on the a d v i c e o f t h e R B I , d e m o n e t i s a t i o n a t t h e direction of the Centre is a c o n s i d e r a b l y m o r e significant issue Due to the s i z e o f t h e U n i o n g o v e r n m e n t ' s p o w e r s , h e a r g u e d t h a t l e g i s l a t i o n s h o u l d a l w a y s t a k e

The arguments against d e m o n e t i z a t i o n c i t e d Section 26 (2) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Act and c a l l e d i n t o q u e s t i o n t h e d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g p r o c e s s , t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n ' s consideration of pertinent factors, the achievement or f a i l u r e o f t h e g o a l o f d e m o n e t i z a t i o n , a n d w h e t h e r i t p a s s e d t h e p r o p o r t i o n a l i t y t e s t T h e petitioners also said that the t o p c o u r t h a s p o w e r s t o g r a n t d e c l a r a t o r y r e l i e f Section 26 (2) of The Reserve Bank of India Act focuses on demonetisation and states any series of bank notes of a n y d e n o m i n a t i o n s h a l l cease to be legal tender by notification in the Gazette of India

Child killed and 5 injured in J&K blast

A ccording to the police, an explosion in the v illag e of Dang ri in the Rajou ri district of Jammu and Kashmir resu lted in the d eath of a child and at least five injuries Th e explosion w as heard clo se to the resid ence of one of th e terrorist attack victim s

University with a bachelor s d e g r e e i n p o l i t i c s a n d economics She is a member o f t h e E n c o r e H e a l t h c a r e Board of Directors

T h o u g h R a d h i k a a n d Anant were reported to be engaged in 2019, the family did not confirm the news Radhika has a special bond with the Ambani family and p e r f o r m e d a t I s h a Ambani's sangeet ceremony in 2018

"A blast has taken near the house of the first firing incident Five people have been injured One child has died of injuries and a n o t h e r i s c r i t i c a l M e d i a p e r s o n n e l a r e requested to be cautious Another suspected IED spotted which is being cleared," a police official said

According to police, the event happened during a significant search and cordon operation to find two alleged terrorists who were involved in the attack The relatives of the victims of the event would receive Rs 10 lakh in compensation and a government position, according to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha He stated that Rs 1 lakh would be handed to the badly injured "I strongly condemn the cowardly terror

attack in Rajouri I assure the people that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families," Mr Sinha said in a tweet

The village chief also mentioned the "failures of administration " After one of the injured people passed away in the hospital, the number of fatalities in the district s terrorist attack is increased to four

The death count in terrorist attack has climbed to four after one of the injured civilians died in hospital Nine others injured in the incident are being treated, and doctors at the Government Medical College, Rajouri, said the condition of some of them is "very critical"

T h e v i c t i m s h a v e b e e n i d e n t i f i e d a s Deepak Kumar, Satish Kumar and Pritam Lal and Shiv Pal This is the second incident of civilian killings in Rajouri district in the past two weeks, after two people were killed outside an Army camp on December 16

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and B i h a r C h i e f M i n i s t e r N i t i s h K u m a r w e r e a m o n g t h e numerous leaders who expressed their sorrow for the loss

recalled that

precedence over executive orders

Chinta Devi

in brief

Home quarantine mandatory for arrivals in Bengaluru from 6 high-risk nations

flyers from th ese d esig nated hig h-risk countries

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e s t a t e ' s u p d a t e d regulations, travellers arriving from these countries will be checked to make sure t h e y a r e C o v i d - n e g a t i v e b e f o r e b e i n g permitted to leave the airport grounds T h e g u i d e l i n e s a l s o s t a t e t h a t i f a n y international travellers from these nations are discovered to be symptomatic, they must be immediately isolated, taken to the d e s i g n a t e d m e d i c a l f a c i l i t y ( p u b l i c o r private), and if they test positive, samples must be collected and submitted for RTPCR testing and genome sequencing

"Other asymptomatic passengers shall leave the airport and self-monitor their health for Covid symptoms and comply with Covid appropriate behaviour (CAB) l i k e w e a r i n g o f f a c e m a s k s , s o c i a l

distancing, practice respiratory and hand hygiene, etc, and strictly remain under home quarantine for next seven days," the guidelines read

It further warned that people should s e l f - i s o l a t e a n d r e p o r t t o t h e l o c a l monitoring team for testing if they have symptoms including fever, cough, cold, b o d y a c h e , l o s s o f t a s t e a n d s m e l l , diarrhoea, and breathing difficulties After seven days, if the genome sequencing r e p o r t s h o w s B F 7 o r a n e w subvariant/variant, a new sample must be collected for RT-PCR, and the subject must then adhere to CAB until the results are known

6 member of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang detained in Punjab

A s p er re p o rt s th e p o l ic e arrested six members of the J a gg u Bh agw an p u r i a ga ng c a u gh t u p i n s m u ggl i ng weap ons and drugs with 12 weap ons and 50 cartridges in Ru pnagar distric t of P unjab Jagdeep Singh, alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, is an aide of j a i l e d g a n g s t e r L a w r e n c e Bishnoi, the main accused in Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala’s murder last May

Addressing a press conference, Rupnagar senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vivek Sheel Soni said that the six accused, who were r u n n i n g a r a c k e t o f s m u g g l i n g arms and drugs on a large scale, were planning to carry out a strike with the weapons seized

Four suspects were detained on December 15 by a squad from the crime investigating agency (CIA), Rupnagar, who also found four pistols and 20 cartridges The CIA t e a m r e m o v e d o n e o f t h e defendants, Arshdeep Singh, alias

the illegal weapons found

A n o t h e r a c c u s e d w h o remained furtively by disguising his name as 777, later identified as V a r i n d e r p a l S i n g h , V i c k y , w a s arrested, Soni said, adding that his interrogation led to the recovery of e i g h t m o r e p i s t o l s a n d 3 0 cartridges

G a u r a v Y a d a v , t h e P u n j a b d i r e c t o r g e n e r a l o f p o l i c e , promised that anyone operating an illegal firearms network will face harsh punishment

K OC HI: According to a source at the Kerala S t ate Be v era g es C o r p o rati o n L td ( B E V C O) , K erala record ed a New Year's Eve alcoh ol sales record of over Rs 1 00 crore Accord ing to a s o u rc e, " th a t w a s a n a ll -t i m e r ec o rd f o r Decem ber 31 and fo r any other day of the year u p to now On December 31, 2022, around Rs 1 07 crore w orth o f alcohol w as so ld from the 268 BEVCO outlets across the State, the sou rce said

During the festive season from December 22 to December 31, alcohol worth around Rs 690 crore was sold, he said According to him, the B E V C O o u t l e t o n P o w e r h o u s e R o a d i n Thiruvananthapuram reported the highest sales as of December 31, selling alcohol worth Rs 1 12 crore "Sales of more than Rs 10 lakh were recorded at every BEVCO location, even those in affluent regions of the State Such sales have n e v e r o c c u r r e d i n t h o s e a r e a s , " a d d e d t h e source The insider added that better logistics, s t o c k a v a i l a b i l i t y , a n d g r e a t e r E x c i s e Department enforcement against the selling of illegal alcohol were the causes of the increased sales Of the Rs 690 crore earned over the holiday season, he said that Rs 600 crore will be paid to the government in taxes and charges

Haryana Sports Minister booked for sexual

The woman coach filed a police complaint against the minister at the Chandigarh police headquarters She submitted the complaint to the Superintendent of Police (City) Shruti Arora Later, the complainant met with SP Arora and Senior Superintendent of Police (UT) Manisha Chaudhary According to reports, the woman spoke with the two officers for at least an hour After lodging the complaint, the woman coach said, “I've been promised a fair investigation I also brought up the subject of my safety On my social media sites, I've been getting threatening messages I've stopped returning phone calls out of dread Between February and November, the minister bothered me in his office and elsewhere He even once requested that I see him in Sector 7 He spoke with me primarily on social media At his Chandigarh home, he made unwanted physical contact with me I've told the Chandigarh police what happened in order ”

Singh sent her texts in "disappearing mode," thus the complainant, who appeared at the police headquarters alone, said she had no trace of those exchanges She made the accusations for the first time at a press conference held in Chandigarh at the home of INLD leader Abhay Chautala

A spokesperson for Chandigarh police said, “In the matter of complaint made by a woman coach of Haryana against the Haryana Sports Minister, an FIR under sections 354, 354A, 354B, 342, 506 of the IPC has been registered at the Sector 26 police station and is being investigated”

Kerala drank Rs 100 crore-worth liquor on NYE India's first underwater tunnel in West Bengal

anticipated to be put i n t o s e r v i c e i n December 2023

The tunn el i s bei ng b uilt under the Hooghly River i n W e st B en ga l at a c ost of about Rs 120 crore as part of the E ast West Metro Corridor

T h e t u n n e l i s t h e I n d i a n version of Eurostar's LondonParis corridor which is 13 metre below the riverbed and 33 metre below ground level The 520metre tunnel is part of the East West Metro Corridor of Kolkata from the IT hub of Salt Lake

VAISHNAVA TEMPLES ACROSS AP DECORATED FOR VAIKUNTA EKADASI

The shrines of the various forms of Lord Vishnu have been adorned at Vaishnava temples throughout the state of Andhra Pradesh in preparation for the upcoming Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, which is expected to be celebrated in style Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has made elaborate arrangements for the grand conduct of the festival at the hill temple of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala The Vaikunta Dwaram surrounding the temple's sanctum sanctorum will be opened for ten days starting on Monday morning after the completion of some pre-dawn religious rituals In preparation for a large crowd, TTD had erected intricate barricading measures at a number of neighbourhood temples in Tirupati and its outskirts

MAN DETAINED FOR SEXUAL CRUELTY OF COWS AT KOLLAM FARM

In Kerala s southern Kollam district

Chadayamangalam Police have reported an instance of a man sexually abusing cows The perpetrator of the weekend bestiality at a farm has been taken into custody by the police The accused named Mani, a Peredam local, badly mistreated the animals The crime was discovered in the early hours of last Sunday

When the farm workers arrived at the cow shed around one in the morning, they heard the cries of the cattle; however, Mani leaped over the compound wall and ran away After reviewing the CCTV footage, the offender was later recognised and the police were notified Mani admitted of mistreating the cows sexually He has been kept in detention on remand The police are currently investigating whether the accused has committed similar crimes against animals earlier Last year, dairy farmers had come out against a man who used to abuse domestic animals and cattle in a similar manner

FOLLOWERS CROWDED GOLDEN TEMPLE ON FIRST DAY OF 2023

On the first day of the New Year thousands of followers flocked to the Harmandir Sahib also known as the Golden Temple Late on Saturday night, a swarm of worshippers arrived, and by midnight, the shrine complex was filled The shrine complex was illuminated for the occasion With the dawn of the first day of 2023, thousands were seen queued up to offer prayers at Harmandir Sahib - the sanctum sanctorum and the holiest of the Sikh shrines Worshippers throng to the Golden Temple to pray at the shrine and take a dip in the sacred sarovar despite the chill People flocked to other shrines in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala and other cities throughout Punjab

After the completion of the 2 5-km segment in the corridor b e t w e e n E s p l a n a d e a n d S e a l d a h , t h e t u n n e l ' s construction is finished and is

K o l k a t a M e t r o R a i l C o r p o r a t i o n G e n e r a l M a n a g e r (Civil) Sailesh Kumar said that "The tunnel i s e s s e n t i a l f o r t h e E a s t W e s t C o r r i d o r and it was vital The under-the-river-alignment was t h e o n l y a l i g n m e n t p o s s i b l e with residential areas and other technical issues involved "

"This metro route between Howrah and Sealdah cuts down t h e c o m m u t e t i m e t o 4 0 minutes as against 1 5 hours by

road It will also ease congestion at both ends," he said T h e t u n n e l s e x t e r n a l diameter will be 6 1 metres, and its internal diameter will be 5 55 m e t r e s T h e u p a n d d o w n tunnels will be 16 1 metres apart centre to centre T h e N a t i o n a l F i r e Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines are being followed by p r o v i d i n g e m e r g e n c y e s c a p e shafts inside the tunnel that can reach a length of 760 metres F o r t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e p a s s e n g e r s , e v a c u a t i o n s h a f t s are available at Howrah Station in the west and Strand Road in the east

KOLKATA MAN SET

UP REALISTIC SILICONE

STATUE OF LATE WIFE

A 65-year-old man in Kolkata's Kaikhali constructed a lifelike silicone statue of his deceased wife costing Rs 25 lakh in their residence The replica was set up by retired government worker Tapas Sandilya in memory of his late wife Indrani who died during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic The 30-kg statue is perched on a sofa in Indrani's favourite room of their VIP Road house It dons the gold jewellery that she liked most when she was alive and wears a silk sari from Assam, which she wore at her son's wedding reception This lifelike statue was created by Subimal Das over the course of more than six months, and it was modelled after the lifelike statue of AC Bhaktivedanta Swami, the founder of the Isckon temple, that the couple saw at Mayapur

Fouji, from the Amritsar jail using a p r o d u c t i o n w a r r a n t i n o r d e r t o establish the connection between

A day after a wo man junior coach lod ged a po lice complaint against Haryana S ports Minister Sand eep Singh for sexual harassment, Chandigarh p olice booked him for stalking, illegal confinement, sexual harassment and criminal intimid ation, officers said

Sector V in the east to Howrah Maidan in the west across the river

Woman killed in a rare hit-and-run crime

A 20-year-old woman was killed after her scooter was hi t by a car that dragged he r f o r a lm o s t 4 k m f ro m S ul ta n pur i to Kanj hawala In s ome parts on the Kanj hawala stretc h, wh e re th e w om a n w a s dragged, there were large ro c k s a nd p i ec e s o f concrete

The incident took place in the wee hours of last S u n d a y , w h i c h w a s N e w Y e a r D a y P o l i c e w h o i n v e s t i g a t e d t h e m a t t e r s a i d t h a t t h e b o d y w a s found almost an hour later The victim, Anjali Singh, who was an event organiser was returning from work at t h e t i m e t h e i n c i d e n t happened Five men who were inside the car have

unpleasant incident Delhi C h i e f M i n i s t e r A r v i n d Kejriwal called the incident "rarest of rare" crime and urged Lieutenant Governor V K S a x e n a t o t a k e "exemplary action'' against the accused "It is a rarest of rare crime I don't know

where society is heading I h a v e l e a r n t t h a t t h e postmortem is underway, " h e s a i d C a l l i n g i t a n " e x t r e m e l y s h a m e f u l " incident, he said, "I appeal that the accused, despite w h a t e v e r i n f l u e n c e t h e y might hold, be given the strictest punishment "

The accused have been

r e c o g n i z e d a s D e e p a k Khanna (26), Gramin Seva auto driver; Amit Khanna (25), who worked in a bank on a contract basis; Krishan ( 2 7 ) , w h o w o r k e d a t S p a n i s h C u l t u r e C e n t r e ; Mithun (26), a hairdresser and Manoj Mittal (27), a r a t i o n d e a l e r T h e c a r belonged to a relative of Amit Khanna’s friend

The woman resided in Sultanpuri with her family and was unmarried She is survived by her mother and five siblings The woman's m o t h e r c l a i m s t h a t t h e males sexually attacked the w o m a n a s s o o n a s t h e y found her naked However, p o l i c e h a v e r e f u t e d t h e v i c t i m ' s m o t h e r ' s assertion

Capt. Shiva Chouhan: First female officer to serve in Siachen

A s stated by the Indian A rm y, C aptain S hiva Ch ouhan w as the first female o fficer to be operationally deployed at the highest battleground in the world , S iachen

C h o u h a n u n d e r w e n t a r i g o r o u s month of training at the Siachen Battle School with other Indian Army officers prior to her deployment The training included endurance training, ice wall climbing, avalanche and crevasse rescue and survival drills

“ I n s p i t e o f v a r i o u s c h a l l e n g e s ,

to the Siachen Glacier,” the Army said in a statement

After an arduous climb, she was officially welcomed into the Siachen G l a c i e r o n J a n u a r y 2 , 2 0 2 3 T h e Sappers squad, lead by Capt Shiva Chouhan, will be stationed at the position for three months and will be in charge of many combat miss i o n s S h e a t t e n d e d s c h o o l i n Udaipur and graduated from NJR Institute of Technology, Udaipur, in civil engineering

Arunachal Pradesh gets a bridge connecting to China border

D efe nce Mi ni ste r Ra jnath S ingh on T uesday i na ugur a t e d 28 v i t a l p r o j e c ts , m o st ly a l on g th e bo rd e r wi th Ch ina, from a stra teg i c b r i d g e i n Ar u na ch a l P rad esh

T h e B o r d e r R o a d s Organisation (BRO) completed these projects at a c o s t o f R s 7 2 4 c r o r e , including 12 in the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir, five in Arunachal Pradesh, three e a c h i n S i k k i m , P u n j a b , and Uttarakhand, and two in Rajasthan

M r S i n g h u n v e i l e d these projects from the 100 metres-long Siyom bridge o n t h e A l o n g - Y i n g k i o n g Road over the Siyom river in Siang district For troops to reach the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the centre of Arunachal Pradesh, namely the Tuting subdivision bordering China, they m u s t c r o s s t h i s c l a s s 7 0 steel arch superstructure bridge

These areas were once connected by a Bailey suspension bridge across the Siyom river In June 2021, a flash flood washed it away, resulting in the deaths of three people and the disruption of communication to the border regions

Among the other projects is a bridge across the O y o n g r i v e r i n K u r u n g Kumey district connecting H u r i v i l l a g e , o n e o f t h e

U n d e r l i n i n g I n d i a ’ s efforts to develop the border areas, Mr Singh said India has neither started a w a r a g a i n s t a n y c o u n t r y n o r g r a b b e d a n i n c h o f land from any country He

s a i d “ B u t w e s h o u l d n e v e r b e t a k e n f o r granted Our troops are c a p a b l e o f f a c i n g a n y c h a l l e n g e s a l o n g t h e borders ”

He lauded the BRO’s commitment to establishing connectivity in far-flung areas by ensuring timely completion of these roads and bridges “Along w i t h t h e s e 2 8 , t h e B R O dedicated to the nation a record 103 infrastructure p r o j e c t s c o m p l e t e d i n 2022, ” Mr Singh said

4 05 days Indonesia is the largest source of foreign visitors to Singapore with 9 8 6 , 9 0 0 v i s i t o r s u p t i l l November, while Malaysia i s i n t h i r d p l a c e w i t h 4 9 5 , 4 7 0 , f o l l o w e d b y Australia (476,480) and the Philippines (325,480)

6 6 days, Malaysians for 4 28 d a y s a n d A u s t r a l i a n s f o r

The number of foreign a r r i v a l s i n S i n g a p o r e reached 5 37 million In July t h i s y e a r , t h e S i n g a p o r e Tourism Board said that S i n g a p o r e e x p e c t e d t o receive between 4 and 6 m i l l i o n v i s i t o r s i n 2 0 2 2 W i t h C h i n a a n n o u n c i n g that it will finally allow its c i t i z e n s t o t r a v e l a b r o a d again, it looks like 2023 will s e e S i n g a p o r e t o u r i s m r e a c h a n e w p o s tpandemic level

Ahead of the EC's delimitation, Assam merges 4 districts & redraws boundaries

The A ssam Cabinet decided to m erge fo ur d istricts with existing o nes and red raw boundaries in 14 places, a d ay ah ead of th e Elec tio n Co mm issio n ’ s ( EC) d ead line o n starting th e d elimitation exercise for assem bly and parliam entary seats

The choice was made during a cabinet meeting for Assam in New Delhi This will result in the merger of the districts of Tamulpur and Baksa, Hojai and Nagaon, Bajali and Barpeta, and Biswanath and Sonitpur

The decision comes into effect immediately and notifications have been issued The number of districts in Assam will now get reduced from 35 to 31

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said it had to be done despite him not being very happy with them

He said “I am not very comfortable with the decisions taken today, but sometimes we have to take some measures keeping the overall good of the state’s people in mind, due to administrative exigencies and for a better future of Assam ”

“This is a transitional phase and we will revive the four districts again once the delimitation exercise is over In the meantime, the judicial, police and administrative offices in the four districts will keep functioning as usual,” Sarma added

The formation of new administrative units would be prohibited beginning on January 1 according to EC's announcement on December 27 regarding the redistricting of 126 assembly seats and 14 parliamentary seats Delimitation w o u l d r e s u l t i n c e r t a i n c o n s t i t u e n c y b o u n d a r i e s b e i n g altered, but there would be no increase in the number of seats

The chief minister said that there would be redrawing of boundaries in 14 areas for administrative reasons While details of all such places have not been disclosed, he mentioned that the municipal area of North Guwahati, which falls in Kamrup (Rural) district, will now get included in Kamrup (Metropolitan) district

4,000 families get eviction notice by Uttarakhand HC

Following an order issued by the Uttarak hand Hi gh Court, over 4,000 families l i vi n g i n un au th or i s e d c o lo ni e s n e ar H a ld w an i r ai l w ay s t at i on w i ll be served eviction notices and given seven days to vacate t he a r ea A c c or di n g t o Naini tal dis trict offici als , a t ot al of 4 , 3 65 e n c r oa c hments will be removed from t he a r ea Th e re s i d en t s , some of whom have been l i vi n g t he re f o r d e c a de s , h av e b e en pr ote s t i n g against the court order

The homes and other buildings built on the 2 2 kilometres of railway land h a v e r e p o r t e d l y a l r e a d y started to be demolished, according to railway offic i a l s R a j e n d r a S i n g h ,

Railway PRO, Izzat Nagar stated that “Around 10 days ago, the High Court judgment came to remove all encroachments on the railw a y l a n d i n H a l d w a n i There are 4,365 encroachments and we will serve a notice through local newspapers The occupants will be given seven days’ time to shift; after that we will take action ”

T h e s t a t e a d m i n i s t r at i o n c l a i m e d d u r i n g t h e c o u r t t h a t i t h a d n o s a y r e g a r d i n g t h e a f o r e m e ntioned property owned by the railways The railways f u r t h e r s t a t e d t h a t n o intruder could present any l e g a l d o c u m e n t a t i o n t o claim the aforementioned territory In a lawsuit that

lasted for almost ten years, the court decided in favour o f r a i l w a y s a f t e r h e a r i n g from all the parties

In accordance with the court decision, joint teams of railway and tax authorit i e s s u r v e y e d t h e e n c r o a c h e d a r e a u s i n g drones Earlier this week, thousands of residents took out a candlelight march to register their protest They claimed they would become homeless due to the demolition push Many of the occupants were born in the very homes that are curr e n t l y a n t i c i p a t e d t o b e demolished in the following 10 days Some of the families have been residing in the illegal colonies for 40 to 50 years

India and Pakistan shared names of detainees lodged in their jails

I n a m a j or d e v el o p m en t, India and Pakistan shared a list of d etainees boo ked in the jails of both countries

A s p er th e re p o rt f ro m Ministry of External A ffairs, th e l i st w a s ex ch ang ed under the provisions of the 2 0 0 8 A g re em e nt o n C onsular Access and added s u ch l i st s ar e ex ch ang ed every year on Janu ary 1 and July 1

A c c o r d i n g t o i n f o r m ation released by India, there are currently 434 Pakistani nationals detained in Indian

p r i s o n s , o f w h i c h 3 3 9 a r e civilians and 95 are fishermen

Similarly, Pakistan has s h a r e d l i s t s o f 5 1 c i v i l i a n prisoners and 654 fishermen i n i t s c u s t o d y , w h o a r e Indians or are believed to be Indians

The Indian Government has requested the prompt release and return of civilian p r i s o n e r s , m i s s i n g I n d i a n defence personnel, and fishermen and their boats from P a k i s t a n i c a p t i v i t y w h i l e also sharing the details with

the neighbouring country

In this context, Pakistan was asked to rush the release a n d r e p a t r i a t i o n o f 6 3 1 Indian fishermen and two I n d i a n c i v i l i a n p r i s o n e r s , who have completed their sentence and whose nationa l i t y h a s b e e n c o n f i r m e d and conveyed to Pakistan

According to the MEA statement, India is still comm i t t e d t o p r i o r i t i s i n g a l l humanitarian issues, particularly those involving prisoners and fishermen in each other's countries

Captain Shiva with unflinching commitment successfully completed the training and was all set to be inducted

remotest villages in India along the LAC

Let’s keep evolving and revolutionising inclusion and access for everyone

Shefali Saxena

T he U K arts sector suffered its und ue share o f repercussions d uring the p andemic and the freelance commu nity persevered to keep g oing in whatever they co uld get their h ands o n Amid th e cost of liv ing crisis in the UK T h e g o v e rnm ent an no u nc ed p la ns in F ebruary 2022 to red istribute A rts C ouncil E ng land (A CE) funding acro ss regio ns in England to “level up ” access to the arts A CE p ublished its latest funding allocations fo r 20 23–26 in Nov em ber 2022 It said 21 8% m ore investm ent would be giv en to regio ns o u t si d e o f L o n d o n w h en c o m p a red to 2 0 1 8 / 1 9 S o m e art s o rg a ni s ati o n s an d p arliamentarians have raised concerns abou t A CE’ s fu nd ing distribution and the impact o n le ad i n g c u ltu r al in s ti tu ti o ns A C E announced its 2023 –26 inv estment portfolio i n N o v em b er 2 0 2 2 T h i s s e t o u t w h i c h m useu ms, libraries and arts organisatio ns acro ss England wo uld become part of AC E’s n ew na ti o na l p o rtf o li o o f f u nd e d o rganisations from Ap ril 2023 until M arch 20 26

More than 1,700 organisations applied to become part of the 2023–26 portfolio Of these, 990 were successful and set to receive a share of £446mn over three years This includes 276 organisations joining ACE’s portfolio for the first time Of the 990 organisations, 950 have been awarded NPO status The remaining 40 organisations have b e e n d e s i g n a t e d ‘ i n v e s t m e n t p r i n c i p l e s support organisations’ (IPSOs) IPSOs are required to provide creative and cultural

a

investment principles, set out in its strategy for 2020–30: ‘Let’s Create’

The 2023–26 portfolio will replace ACE’s 2018–22 portfolio, which ends on 31 March 2023 The 2018–22 portfolio was originally due to end on 31 March 2022, however ACE granted a one-year extension for 2022/23 as p a r t o f i t s r e s p o n s e t o t h e C o v i d - 1 9 pandemic

A spokesperson at Tara Theatre told Asian Voice, “A full year and more since Theatres reopened and in 2022, we thrived, executing lessons learnt, by holding each other up through challenges, celebrating each other's achievements and opening our doors generously and widely to everyone As w e c o n t i n u e t o b u i l d b a c k b e t t e r , o u r c o m m u n i t i e s g r o w s t r o n g e r a n d m o r e e f f e c t i v e i n a d v o c a t i n g f o r c h a n g e , representation & a better world This new year, let’s keep evolving & revolutionising i n c l u s i o n a n d a c c e s s f o r e v e r y o n e , reiterating that this is a journey, not a race and remembering the power of standing U n i t e d i n t h e f a c e o f a n y a d v e r s i t y Together, we are better ”

Theatre of diverse stories: New directions and plans for artistic vision at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry

L aura Elliot and C orey C am pbell, the new leadershi p team of the Belgrad e Theatre C oventry, are delig hted to rev eal a broad o v erv ie w o f s o m e o f th e i r p la ns an d initiativ es for the next th ree years, as w ell as their overarch ing artistic v ision, and w hat h as led them to th e p ositio ns they now o ccup y This comes in the w ake of th e recent news that the Belgrade has retained its status as a National Portfolio Organisation, and h as been awarded a 30% increase in its core annual funding fro m Arts C ouncil Eng land to £1 ,229,552 for the period 20 23 – 26

In January 2022, Laura Elliot took over as C h i e f E x e c u t i v e , r e s p o n s i b l e f o r o v e r a l l strategy and to run the commercial side of the Belgrade, and Corey Campbell – whose long association with the theatre included a s t i n t a s o n e o f t h e t h r e e C o - A r t i s t i c Directors of the Belgrade for Coventry’s year as City of Culture 2021 – was appointed to the new post of Creative Director, focusing on the Theatre’s artistic output across both its professional and community areas They t o o k o v e r f r o m t h e o u t g o i n g l e a d e r s h i p team, CEO Joanna Reid and Artistic Director Hamish Glen, who’d been in post for the previous 18 years L a u r a E l l i o t e x p l a i n s , “ T h e B e l g r a d e T h e a t r e f i r s t o p e n e d a s p a r t o f t h e redevelopment of a city still healing from the collective trauma of the Blitz To a large extent, we see our role the same today – as piece of vital municipal infrastructure to enrich the lives of the people of Coventry and wider region”

This v isio n is underpinned by three main, interlinking areas o f w ork:

- As a Theatre Of Diverse Stories: We will p r o d u c e , p r e s e n t a n d c o - c r e a t e performance that celebrates our city and region’s people and stories; and share t h e m w i t h t h e W o r l d ; b u i l d i n g a r e p u t a t i o n f o r d i v e r s e , i n s p i r a t i o n a l theatre - As a Theatre Of Learning: We will invest

in our region’s talent, using our facilities a n d s t a f f t o p r o v i d e t r a i n i n g a n d opportunity for the next generation of creatives and leaders -

A s a T h e a t r e O f T r a n s f o r m a t i o n : I n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h s c h o o l s , h e a l t h providers and charities, we will provide creative opportunities to enrich peoples wellbeing, belonging and education

A s T h e a t r e O f D i v e r s e S t o r i e s , t h e produced work will focus on realising a cocreation model for new productions cocreated with the people of Coventry and wider region; with a particular focus on work with young people, and the South Asian, Irish and Afro-Caribbean Diasporas This is something Corey Campbell trialled through City of Culture by creating a digital TV series Seaview with six new writers from C o v e n t r y a n d a c o m b i n e d t e a m o f 1 2 5 participants and professionals

L a u r a s a i d , “ O u r T h e a t r e o f D i v e r s e Stories will be delivered in partnership with n a t i o n a l l y a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y l e a d i n g theatre companies such as the the Bush Theatre, Tamasha, Headlong, Complicité, Paines Plough and Leeds Playhouse to name a few, which will support us place Coventry on a world stage This will be complimented by an increase in West End hits and musicals c o m i n g t o t h e t h e a t r e a s p a r t o f o u r presented programme, something which we know is greatly wanted in Coventry Much of this can be seen in our upcoming season with more to be announced in the New Year ”

Jaipur Literature Festival 2023 to celebrate the best of contemporary and indigenous art

T h i s ye ar, th e i c on i c J ai p u r L i t era tu re Festiv al is all set to run from 19th – 23 rd J an u ary a t Ho t el C l ark s A m er, J ai p u r Marking another year of ‘ the g reatest literary show o n Earth’, the F estiv al will recog nise and celebrate v isual art with excep tio nal indigenous (tribal/traditional) artistic talent along w ith co ntem porary artists The Ojas A rt A ward remains one of the h ighlights of th e Festiv al, d isp laying artwo rks co v ered since 2015 at the Festiv al

style begins and the other’s ends

Anubhav Nath, Director, Ojas Art, said, “This year, the Ojas Art Award celebrates excellence in the field of arts, with the confluence of indigenous and contemporary art at the sixteenth edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival Viswaroopa, a landmark w o r k c r e a t e d b y t h r e e a r t i s t e s : B h a j j u Shyam, Manjunath Kamath and Santosh K u m a r D a s , w i l l b e p r e s e n t e d a t t h e Festival ” N a t h h a s c o m m i t t e d t o a l o n g - t e r m

The 2023 edition of the Festival will host some iconic artworks representing Gond Art (Madhya Pradesh), Madhubani-Mithila Art ( B i h a r ) , B h i l A r t ( M a d h y a P r a d e s h ) , P a t t a c h i t r a A r t ( B e n g a l ) , W a r l i A r t (Maharashtra), and Pattachitra Art (Odisha) The Festival will also feature Padma Shri awardees and their incredible work through a c o l l a b o r a t i v e e f f o r t , b l e n d i n g a r t a n d culture

This year, an artwork - Vishwaroopabased on nature and her elements, curated by three artistes - a practitioner of Gond art, Padma shri Bhajju Shyam; artist Manjunath Kamath, and Mithila artist Santosh Kumar D a s , w i l l b e s h o w c a s e d T h i s e x e m p l a r y a r t w o r k , w a s a r e s u l t o f m u l t i p l e c o n v e r s a t i o n s b e t w e e n t h e a r t i s t e s a n d initiated over a two-week long workshop in Delhi Post the workshop, the artistes also worked on the artwork individually, lending it their signature styles The work measures an impressive 8 feet on Wasli paper, mainly u s i n g i n k s U n i q u e l y , t h i s i s t r u l y a collaborative work where the styles of the three artistes are intertwined to the extent that it is difficult to make out where one ’ s

project

Heritage Bengal Global to mark Saraswati Pujo and Netaji’s birthday

Saraswati p ujo will be h eld for the first time in the Nelson and Victoria Halls of Ealing To wn hall by Heritag e Bengal G lo ba l, a U K - ba se d n o t- fo r- p r o fi t organisation on 22nd January from 1 2 noon to 8 pm T he Puja will be followed by pu shpanjali, Haatey Kho ri - a Bengali ri tu a l w h er e ki d s a re i nt ro d u c ed to Script (letters) in front o f the g odd ess of ed uc ati on - S aras wati T h ere wi ll be cultural ev ents as well

H e r i t a g e B e n g a l G l o b a l w i l l a l s o m a r k N e t a j i S u b h a s C h a n d r a B o s e ’ s 125th birthday

T h e r e i s a p o r t r a i t d r a w i n g competition that will take place on the s a m e d a y T h e i d e a o f t h i s p o r t r a i t drawing by the diaspora came from the Indian Deputy HC Sujit Ghosh and it g o t a w o n d e r f u l r e s p o n s e f r o m t h e diaspora across the globe Some of the participants include Aaliya Sen (12) from G e r m a n y , D y u t i m o y B a n e r j e e f r o m K o l k a t a , N a n d i n i K u m a r , a s t u d e n t o f Pearson art school New York, Rajib Saha f r o m H a r r o w , K a l y a n m o y R o y f r o m C a m b r i d g e , S a y a n t a n C h a k r a b o r t y f r o m Ruislip, Mahua Bej from Sutton, and Sourav Pal from Harrow There will be an exhibition a t t h e E a l i n g T o w n h a l l o n t h e d a y

Interestingly enough, amidst all these, there will be representatives of the Royal Army, Navy and Air Force This is part of the Azadi K a A m r i t M a h o t s a v e v e n t o f t h e G o v e r n m e n t o f I n d i a T h e E a l i n g a n d S o u t h a l l M P V i r e n d r a S h a r m a h a s b e e n working closely with the team with his guidance and advice

wherein a well-known contemporary urban artist will work alongside indigenous artistes as a mentor, finally culminating in an exhibition Audiences will also get to witness some magnificent installations

Positive life events beneficial to your well-being: Study

A new stud y has revealed t h at co n s ci o u s ef f or ts to reco gnise p ositiv e life events w hile meeting fo r food and d rink can leave you feeling m o re s o c ia ll y a cc ep t ed P ublished in the Journal of P ublic P olicy & M arketing, t h e r es ear ch fi nd s t h at celebrations invo lv ing three c o nd it i o ns - s o c i al g ath e ri ng , e ati ng o r d rinking, and intentio nally m arking a positive life ev ent, w il l in cr ea se p er ce i v ed social sup port

P r e v i o u s r e s e a r c h h a d e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t p e r c e i v e d social support is the belief you have a social network that will be there for you in case of future negative life e v e n t s T h a t b e l i e f i s associated with health and w e l l - b e i n g o u t c o m e s , including increased lifespan and decreased anxiety and d e p r e s s i o n K e l l e y G u l l o Wight, assistant professor at t h e I n d i a n a U n i v e r s i t y K e l l e y S c h o o l o f B u s i n e s s and co-author of the study, said, “Many celebrations this time of year include two of the three conditions - eating a n d d r i n k i n g w h i l e gathering together Adding the third condition, making a n i n t e n t i o n a l e f f o r t t o r e c o g n i s e o t h e r s ’ p o s i t i v e achievements is key ”

“For example, take the t i m e t o c o n g r a t u l a t e

s o m e o n e f o r g e t t i n g a c c e p t e d t o t h e i r f i r s tchoice university, or a work project that went well, or a n e w j o b o f f e r T h i s w i l l m a x i m i s e t h e b e n e f i t s t o y o u r w e l l - b e i n g a n d t h e w e l l - b e i n g o f a l l t h e a t t e n d e e s a t t h a t h o l i d a y party ”

The scientists involved i n t h e s t u d y u s e d behavioural experiments to s u r v e y t h o u s a n d s o f p a r t i c i p a n t s o v e r s e v e r a l y e a r s T h e i r r e s e a r c h r e v e a l e d t h a t e v e n i f g a t h e r i n g s a r e v i r t u a l , i f e v e r y o n e h a s f o o d a n d d r i n k a n d t h e y ’ r e celebrating positive events, t h i s a l s o i n c r e a s e s a p e r s o n ’ s p e r c e i v e d s o c i a l s u p p o r t , a n d t h e y c a n receive the same well-being benefits from it Assistant professor of marketing at t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Connecticut and co-author on the study, Danielle Brick said, “We found that when p e o p l e f e e l s u p p o r t e d

socially after a celebration, t h e y ’ r e m o r e “ p r o - s o c i a l , ” a n d m o r e w i l l i n g t o v o l u n t e e r t h e i r t i m e o r d o n a t e t o a c a u s e T h i s would be a good time for n o n - p r o f i t s t o m a r k e t donation campaigns, when m a n y p e o p l e c e l e b r a t e p o s i t i v e l i f e e v e n t s , l i k e holidays or graduations ”

T h e r e s e a r c h e r s n o t e t h a t h o s t i n g c e l e b r a t i o n s t h a t i n c r e a s e p e r c e i v e d s o c i a l s u p p o r t c a n b e e s p e c i a l l y b e n e f i c i a l a t places serving populations more at-risk of loneliness and isolation, like nursing h o m e s o r c o m m u n i t y centres They also note the i m p o r t a n c e o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e w e l lb e i n g b e n e f i t s o f c e l e b r a t i o n s f o r p o l i c y m a k e r s l o o k i n g t o i m p l e m e n t r e g u l a t i o n s o r measures that could impact social gatherings, like Covid l o c k d o w n s , t o a v o i d n e g a t i v e c o n s e q u e n c e s t o mental health

Nasal cell destruction primary cause of smell loss in long Covid-19: Research

A te am of scient ist s le d by Duke Hea lth r eport r eve aled t h a t p e o p le w h o d o n o t r ecover t heir sen se of smell a ft er C ov id-19 are due t o an on going imm un e assa ult on olfa ct ory n erv e ce lls an d an a sso cia t ed d ecr e a se in t he n u m be r o f t h o se c e lls P u bli s he d o n li n e in t h e j o ur n a l S ci e n c e Tr anslation al Med icine , the f in d in g p r o v id e s a n impor ta nt insight into t he m a s s p r o ble m a f fe ct i n g millions ar ound the globe

While focusing on the loss of smell, the finding also sheds light on the possible underlying causes of other l o n g C o v i d - 1 9 s y m p t o m s i n c l u d i n g g e n e r a l i s e d fatigue, shortness of breath, and brain fog that similar b i o l o g i c a l m e c h a n i s m s might trigger Senior author B r a d l e y G o l d s t e i n , M D , Ph D , associate professor in Duke’s Department of Head a n d N e c k S u r g e r y a n d C o m m u n i c a t i o n S c i e n c e s a n d t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Neurobiology

G o l d s t e i n s a i d , “Fortunately, many people w i t h a n a l t e r e d s e n s e o f smell during the acute phase o f v i r a l i n f l e c t i o n w i l l r e c o v e r s m e l l w i t h i n t h e next one to two weeks, but some do not We need to better understand why this s u b s e t o f p e o p l e w i l l continue to have persistent

Cell therapy helps to reduce kidney damage from type 2 diabetes: Study

A clinical trial for cell therapy experiments for adults with diabetes has produced encouraging findings The NEPHSTROM clinical trial is starting to look into the potential of new cell therapy for treating adults with type 2 d i a b e t e s a n d i n c r e a s i n g k i d n e y d a m a g e d e s p i t e receiving the best medical c a r e R e s u l t s f r o m t h e NEPHSTROM clinical trial w e r e p r e s e n t e d i n November at the American S o c i e t y o f N e p h r o l o g y ’ s K i d n e y W e e k m e e t i n g i n Orlando, Florida

It showed that a single dose of ORBCEL-M, given i n t r a v e n o u s l y t o c a r e f u l l y selected adults with worsening kidney disease due to diabetes was safe and associated with better preservat i o n o f k i d n e y f u n c t i o n c o m p a r e d t o a p l a c e b o Patients taking part in the trial were followed closely for 18 months after receiving ORBCEL-M

T h e O R B C E L - M c e l l therapy is a mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) preparat i o n m a n u f a c t u r e d f r o m healthy bone marrow which was discovered and developed in Galway by Orbsen

The clinical trial is being l e d b y t h e M a r i o N e g r i I n s t i t u t e f o r P h a r m a c o l o g i c a l R e s e a r c h IRCCS in Bergamo, Italy and carried out jointly at leading medical centres in Galway, Bergamo, Birmingham and Belfast

T r i a l i n v e s t i g a t o r P r o f e s s o r M a t t G r i f f i n , a s e n i o r r e s e a r c h e r a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f G a l w a y ' s R e g e n e r a t i v e M e d i c i n e Institute (REMEDI) and a Consultant Nephrologist at G a l w a y U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i t a l s , s a i d , “ N e a r l y a quarter of a million people in Ireland are living with diabetes, and we know that more than 40% of them have evidence of kidney disease -

often referred to as diabetic kidney disease or DKD for short ”

He added, “In type 2 diabetes, as many as one-third o f t h o s e w i t h D K D h a v e worsening kidney function d e s p i t e t h e b e s t m e d i c a l therapy we can offer These people are at high risk for requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation in the years ahead - both of which are c o m p l e x t r e a t m e n t s w i t h potentially serious complications ”

"In NEPHSTROM, our goal is to secure evidence that cell therapy, such as ORBCEL-M, is safe and can slow the course of DKD to help more people with diab e t e s a v o i d t h e n e e d f o r dialysis or transplantation It was exciting to report that our first analysis of results

from the trial supports that goal ”

P r o f e s s o r T i m o t h y O ' B r i e n , D i r e c t o r o f t h e R e g e n e r a t i v e M e d i c i n e Institute (REMEDI), at the U n i v e r s i t y o f G a l w a y a n d C o n s u l t a n t P h y s i c i a n i n E n d o c r i n o l o g y a t G a l w a y University Hospitals and the overall lead of the NEPHS T R O M p r o j e c t , s a i d : " U n i v e r s i t y o f G a l w a y ' s ecosystem is set up to facilitate and lead international trials of this nature The Cell Therapy GMP manufacturing facilities at the Centre f o r C e l l M a n u f a c t u r i n g I r e l a n d , l o c a t e d i n t h e University, along with the H R B C l i n i c a l R e s e a r c h Facility, the close partnership with Saolta University H e a l t h C a r e G r o u p a n d REMEDI have been instrumental in making the prog r e s s i o n o f t h i s p o t e n t i a l n e w t h e r a p y p o s s i b l e F u n d i n g f r o m S F I , t h e Higher Education Authority a n d t h e H e a l t h R e s e a r c h B o a r d h a s s u p p o r t e d a n d helped build this ecosystem a n d a l o n g w i t h E u r o p e a n C o m m i s s i o n f u n d i n g h a s made the advancement of this research possible ”

s m e l l l o s s f o r m o n t h s t o y e a r s a f t e r b e i n g i n f e c t e d with SARS-CoV2 ”

R e s e a r c h e r s a n a l y s e d olfactory epithelial samples collected from 24 biopsies, i n c l u d i n g n i n e p a t i e n t s s u f f e r i n g f r o m l o n g - t e r m smell loss following Covid1 9 T h e b i o p s y - b a s e d a p p r o a c h , u s i n g s o p h i s t i c a t e d s i n g l e - c e l l a n a l y s e s i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n with Sandeep Datta, M D, Ph D , at Harvard University, r e v e a l e d w i d e s p r e a d i n f i l t r a t i o n o f T - c e l l s engaged in an inflammatory r e s p o n s e i n t h e o l f a c t o r y epithelium, the tissue in the nose where smell nerve cells are located

Additionally, the number of olfactory s e n s o r y n e u r o n e w e r e d i m i n i s h e d , p o s s i b l y d u e t o d a m a g e t o t h e delicate tissue from t h e o n g o i n g inflammation “The f i n d i n g s a r e s t r i k i n g I t ’ s a l m o s t r e s e m b l i n g a s o r t o f autoimmune-like process in the nose, ” Goldstein said He said learning what sites are damaged and what cell types are involved is a key step toward beginning to design treatments He added that t h e r e s e a r c h e r s w e r e e n c o u r a g e d t h a t n e u r o n e appeared to maintain some ability to repair even after t h e l o n g - t e r m i m m u n e onslaught “We are hopeful t h a t m o d u l a t i n g t h e abnormal immune response or repair processes within the nose of these patients c o u l d h e l p t o a t l e a s t partially restore a sense of smell,” Goldstein said

Smoking raises the risk of midlife memory loss, confusion

A new study suggests middle-aged smokers are considerably more likely than nonsmokers to experience memory loss and confusion They also suggested that the chance of cognitive decline is lower for those who have quit smoking recently The research by The Ohio State U n i v e r s i t y i s t h e f i r s t t o e x a m i n e t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between smoking and cognitive decline using a oneq u e s t i o n s e l f - a s s e s s m e n t a s k i n g p e o p l e i f t h e y ’ v e experienced worsening or more frequent memory loss or confusion The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease

L e a d a u t h o r o f t h e s t u d y , J e n n a R a j c z y k s a i d the findings build on previo u s r e s e a r c h t h a t e s t a bl i s h e d r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n s m o k i n g a n d A l z h e i m e r ’ s d i s e a s e a n d o t h e r f o r m s o f d e m e n t i a a n d c o u l d p o i n t t o a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o i d e n t i f y signs of trouble earlier in life A Ph D student in Ohio S t a t e ’ s C o l l e g e o f P u b l i c Health, Rajczyk and senior author Jeffrey Wing, assistant professor of epidemiology, said the study result is also a piece of evidence that q u i t t i n g s m o k i n g i s g o o d not just for respiratory and cardiovascular reasons but t o p r e s e r v e n e u r o l o g i c a l health

Wing said, “The association we saw was most sign i f i c a n t i n t h e 4 5 - 4 9 a g e group, suggesting that quit-

ting at that stage of life may b e n e f i t c o g n i t i v e h e a l t h ” He said a similar difference wasn’t found in the oldest group in the study, which c o u l d m e a n t h a t p u t t i n g e a r l i e r a f f o r d s p e o p l e greater benefits The data for the study came from the n a t i o n a l 2 0 1 9 B e h a v i o r a l R i s k F a c t o r S u r v e i l l a n c e System

It allowed the research team to compare subjective c o g n i t i v e d e c l i n e ( S C D ) measures for current smokers, recent former smokers, a n d t h o s e w h o h a d q u i t years earlier The analysis included 136,018 people 45 and older, and about 11 per c e n t r e p o r t e d S C D T h e prevalence of SCD among smokers in the study was a l m o s t 1 9 t i m e s t h a t o f n o n s m o k e r s T h e p r e v alence among those who had quit less than 10 years ago was 1 5 Tims that of nons m o k e r s R a j c z y k s a i d , “These findings could imply that the time since smoking cessation does matter and may be linked to cognitive outcomes This is a simple a s s e s s m e n t t h a t c o u l d b e easily done routinely, and at younger ages, than we typically start to see cognitive declines that rise to the level of a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia It’s not an intensive battery of questions It’s more a personal reflection of your cognitive status to determine if you ’ re feeling like you ’ re not as sharp as you once were ”

Therapeutics Ltd, a spinout c o m p a n y f r o m t h e University of Galway

F O U R I N D I A N F I L M S N O M I N A T E D F O R O S C A R

Good news for India as not one but four films have been shortlisted for nominations at the upcoming 2023 Oscar Awards 'Chhello Show' ("The Last Film Show'), 'All That Breathes', "The Elephant Whisperers' and 'Naatu Naatu' song from period drama ‘RRR' have been shortlisted for nominations in four different categories at the 95th Academy Awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body behind the awards, on T u e s d a y a n n o u n c e d t h e s h o r t l i s t s i n 1 0 categories The nominations for the 95th A c a d e m y A w a r d s w i l l b e a n n o u n c e d o n January 24, while the Oscars ceremony will be held on March 12, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles Directed b y P a n N a l i n , ' C h h e l l o S h o w ' h a s b e e n shortlisted in the International Feature Film

category and will be competing with 14 other films including 'Argentina, 1985' (Argentina), 'Close' (Belgium), 'Decision to Leave' (South Korea) and 'All Quiet on the Western Front' (Germany), to make it to the final 'Chhello Show', produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Dheer Momaya, is a Gujarati-language coming-of-age story of a young boy's love affair with cinema in a village of Saurashtra Meanwhile, the song 'Naatu Naatu' from S S R a j a m o u l i s m a g n u m o p u s ‘ R R R h a s found a spot in the Best Music (original s o n g ) s h o r t l i s t T h i s i s t h e t h i r d m a j o r international nomination for Naatu Naatu , which is composed by MM Keeravaani and

nominated for a Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award

Gujarati connection to short film in consideration for Oscars

'Highway Nights' is a live-action short film inspired by the life of Indian tribal sex workers of the Banchhada tribe who have been forced to work as sex workers since the time of British colonization as a punishment for killing a British sepoy by one of the tribals The film was the first runner-up at Dada Saheb International Film Festival and also won the grand jury prize at the Best of India Short Film Festival.

Elisha Patel, popularly known as Elisha Kriis, who hails from Gujarat is a film actress w h o h a s a p p e a r e d i n A m e r i c a n , H i n d i , Telugu and Gujarati films and shows Since 2014 Elisha has her own film production company in Hollywood

Talking to Asian Voice from Los Angeles, Elisha s a y s , “ I a m a n a s s o c i a t e p r o d u c e r o n t h i s f i l m , whose main lead is played by national-award winning f i l m m a k e r - a c t o r P r a k a s h Jha and I am in charge of s u p p o r t i n g a n d e x e c u t i n g t h e d i r e c t o r ’ s vision and every aspect of the film, including marketing, promoting and representing the f i l m a n d i t s c a u s e o n a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l platform This short film was made with the earnest intention to highlight the issue of the MP based tribe and become an influence in bringing a change ”

C u r r e n t l y w o r k i n g o n i n c r e d i b l e e x p e r i e n c e s o f X R u s i n g n e w i m m e r s i v e t e c h n o l o g y i n U S a n d e n g a g i n g w i t h international content creators, Elisha says, “I am extremely proud of being a Gujarati I visit Gujarat twice a year just to spend time with my loved ones and stay connected with my roots My education at MS University, Vadodara has immensely helped me in my career I take pride in being called a Gujarati in Hollywood where there are not many Gujjus ”

Ahmedabad based corporate executive

Hollywood

V

Elisha from early days says, “Elisha’s parents served as Judges in Gujarat Elisha’s is an inspirational story of a

The film has received critical acclaim and has been awarded the grand jury prize at the Best of India Short Film Festival in 2021 A Hollywood release is anticipated for the film in LA, USA soon

Elisha says, “I live in LA as an actress and film producer I only pick up projects worthy of my time, energy and effort Once I am committed to a project then there is no looking back and I want to give it my all Language and country are not a barrier and good entertainment transcends borders I have been a part of English, Hindi, Telugu and Gujarati projects in the past My US films and English language travel show have been shot and distributed all over the world and translated into multiple languages I am also currently working on an inspirational biopic on the life of Sindhutai Sapkal, famously known as Mother of 1,400 orphans ”

Bollywood remembers Pele

SeveralBollywood celebrities have mourned the death of soccer legend Pele who died on Thursday in Sao Paulo, Brazil He was 82 and was battling colon cancer While Abhishek Bachchan revisited his childhood and how he and Amitabh Bachchan collected videotapes of his matches, Vicky Kaushalshared a post about what Pele had said about meeting Diego Maradona after death

A b h i s h e k B a c h c h a n s h a r e d a f o n d m e m o r y f r o m h i s c h i l d h o o d a b o u t h o w Amitabh Bachchan introduced him to Pele and football Sharing two pictures of the late footballer, Abhishek wrote on Instagram, “As a child my father introduced me to Pelé and his magic And thus began a lifelong love for football We had shelves filled with VHS t a p e s o f h i s a n d t h e B r a z i l i a n t e a m ’ s matches I would religiously watch them with my father A magician we ’ ve all been blessed to witness ” He further added, "A few years ago, whilst visiting India I somehow

managed to get an autographed jersey of his It has pride of placement in my office Thank you, sir for teaching us about joga bonito and being such a hero and idol to billions Rest in Peace to the greatest! @pele " Vicky Kaushal shared a social media post about what Pele had said on footballer Maradona's death The post read: "When Maradona died, Pele said he hoped someday he'll ‘play ball with Maradona in the sky’ Today is that day Rest in peace "

A n u p a m K h e r c a l l e d P e l e ' s l i f e “inspiring” He wrote on Twitter, "Dearest Pele! You and your game, and the way you played it, will always be #GameChanger for m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d Whether they played football or not Thank y o u f o r y o u r i n s p i r i n g l i f e # R i p L e g e n d # O m S h a n t i # P e l e " M a d h u r B h a n d a r k a r also tweeted, "Farewell, Pelé (broken heart emoticon) You have changed the History of football One of the greatest to have graced the beautiful game, Sir your legacy will always be in our hearts #RIP "

Celebrities pay tribute to PM Modi’s mother

Modi's

mother

mother May god give you the strength to bear this loss @narendramodi g Om Shanti," tweeted Akshay Kumar in Hindi

life with purity”

Bollywood celebs extended support to PM Modi on this difficult day Kangana Ranaut, Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher among others condoled the sad demise "There is no greater sorrow than losing a

Anupam Kher extended support to the PM Sharing Modi s photos with his mom, Anupam Kher wrote in Hindi, "Respected Prime Minister @narendramodi ji! Hearing about the demise of your Matashree Hiraba ji, I am saddened as well as distraught Your love and respect for her is evident in the world No one will be able to fill her place in your life! But you are the son of Mother India! The blessings of every mother of the country are on you My mother too!" Ajay Devgn, Rajinikanth, Swara Bhaskar among many others shared messages for PM Modi

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor's unseen proposal picture going viral on social media

Co-star medically examined in TV star Tunisha’s death

TheWaliv Police in India’s Maharashtra recently took actor Sheezan Khan, the accused in Tunisha Sharma's death case, for a general medical examination

S h e e z a n ' s p o l i c e c u s t o d y w a s supposed to be completed earlier But, the police had not completed the interrogation and investigation with him, so they sought his remand to be extended The Police have recorded s t a t e m e n t s o f n e a r l y t w o d o z e n people in connection to the death of Tunisha Sharma, who allegedly died by suicide Tunisha was found dead on the sets of her ongoing TV show Alibaba - Dastaan-e-Kabul a few days ago

A day later, her ex-boyfriend and co-star from the show, Sheezan Khan was arrested o n c h a r g e s o f a b e t m e n t t o s u i c i d e o n December 25 If reports are to be believed, S h e e z a n a n d T u n i s h a b r o k e u p 1 5 d a y s

viral on social media. The same was shared by Alia’s mother in the form of a reel but she soon went on to delete the post later

Talking about the picture, it shows Alia rather in an emotional moment wherein she can be seen breaking down to tears as Ranbir Kapoor goes down on his knees to pop up the question While Ranbir can be seen w e a r i n g a n a v y - b l u e t - s h i r t w i t h k h a k icolored pants and a cap, Alia can be seen in a green-colored full-sleeved attire that she has paired up with khaki-colored pants too The Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani actor proposing to his ladylove amidst the backdrop of a jungle and leaving her overwhelmed with joy is too

endearing to witness However, many fans are also against the picture going viral on social media Alia’s mother Soni Razdan for some reason had gone on to delete the reel consisting of this picture This led to many fans believing that the Raazi actress didn’t want this particular picture to be circulated Earlier Alia had sent her fans gushing while talking about the proposal

The actress had said, “In terms of Ranbir and his planning, he totally blew my mind away because I was not expecting it We were not even talking about it We were talking about it for a very long time but then there were so many pandemic delays, that we decided we won’t talk about it We’ll just go with the feeling And that’s exactly what he did He didn’t tell anyone He just carried the ring and he did it in the most amazing place, Maasai Mara He had planted our guide to take the picture also ” The couple tied the knot in April this year and welcomed their daughter, Raha in November

Kiara

Bollywood film Pathaan boycott controversy

The latest Bollywood film in the line of fire is Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone-starrer Pathaan that will hit theatres on January 25, 2023. The film is one of the biggest releases in the March quarter that exhibitors are counting on for strong business at the box office.

The bone of contention in the Pathaan row is the film's song titled Besharam Rang(shameless colour) that released on December 12 and set off a furore over the saffroncoloured swimwear that Padukone wore

Raising objections against the costumes, among many others, was Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra, who said the song reflects a d i r t y m i n d s e t a n d u n l e s s t h e objectionable parts were changed, the film may not be allowed to release in the

Kiara and Vicky Kaushal to be on KBC14

Advani

online

For both Kiara and Vicky, their visit to the KBC 14 sets was a dream come true The two actors posted pictures and videos from the sets on t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e s o c i a l m e d i a handles and expressed how they finally made it on the show after having grown up watching it on TV all these years In a new promo from the episode of KBC 14, featuring Kiara and V i c k y , t h e t w o a c t o r s m a d e s o m e

Shahid Kapoor & Siddharth

Malhotra make to ‘Most Handsome’ list

interesting confessions on the hot seat Vicky revealed something rather baffling about his body and told Amitabh Bachchan

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e l i s t r e l e a s e d b y T C Candler, this is the 10th time Henry Cavill has been named on the list The former superhero is followed by Stray Kids' rapper, dancer and singer Hwang Hyungjin aka Hyunjin This is his 3rd year on TC Candler's list The third spot o n t h e l i s t h a s b e e n t a k e n b y T i m o t h e e Chalamet, followed by Chris Hemsworth and Keung To, who is a singer from Hong Kong Boy band Mirror On number 6 is Emily In

t h a t h e h a s a ‘ p r o b l e m ’ o f n o t p u t t i n g o n w e i g h t T h e v e t e r a n actor was left amazed when Vicky confessed that he can lose weight even while gorging on burgers and pizzas every day

C u r i o u s a b o u t t h i s p r o b l e m , like you are, Amitabh then asked Vicky what he had to do to gain w e i g h t T h e S a r d a r U d h a m s t a r claimed that to gain weight he has t o g o o n a ‘ b o r i n g ’ d i e t w h e r e everything is grilled He made the audience laugh out loud when he added that people went to the gym to lose weight but he is someone who goes there to gain some weight calling it a very good problem for a Punjabi to have

P a r i s a n d C o r o n a t i o n S t r e e t s t a r L u c i e n Laviscount, followed by BTS s Kim Taehyung aka V at No 7 Notably, this is the 7th time V has featured on TC Candler's list The rest of the spots include on Number 8 the 20-year-old content creator and TikTok p e r s o n a l i t y V i n n i e H a c k e r , f o l l o w e d b y

Nishimura Riki aka Ni-Ki, who is the youngest person in the boy band Enhypen O n N u m b e r 1 0 i t s D e a n Schneider, who is the founder of the animal sanctuary and a social media personality based in South Africa at the 8th, 9th and 10th position respectively

state On December 16, a complaint was filed b e f o r e a c o u r t i n B i h a r ' s M u z a f f a r p u r district, seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and others for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus in the song The same day, Vishva Hindu Parishad workers staged a protest in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal by burning posters of the song

A complaint has also been filed with I&B ministry office to seek a ban on the song The share of Hindi (Bollywood) language films to overall India box office business currently stands at 35 percent, lower than 44 percent in 2019 The average gross collection of the top five Bollywood movies, including Brahmastra and Laal Singh Chaddha for PVR dropped by 37 percent in the September quarter in FY23 at Rs 256 million versus Q2 F Y 2 0 , w h e n t h e a v e r a g e c o l l e c t i o n w a s around Rs 410 million With Rs 30 3 billion in Hindi box office collections so far, revenue is expected to recover to 80-85 percent of preCovid levels in FY23, and fully recover by FY24

before she died by suicide Tunisha was also reportedly hospitalized after she suffered a n x i e t y a t t a c k s a f e w m o n t h s a g o T h e actress suffered from depression and anxiety around 2018 as well

When a picture of Ranbir Kapoor proposing to Alia Bhatt in Masai Mara had gone viral on social media, courtesy of the actress’ mother Soni Razdan, fans couldn’t get enough of the adorable moment Alia had also gone on to narrate the story of her proposal on her episode of Koffee With Karan. Now, another picture from the special moment has been going

and Vicky Kaushal will be seen on Kaun Banega Crorepati 14 and some interesting banter between the Govinda Naam Mera actors and mega star host of the show Amitabh Bachchan , has now found its way

Former 'Superman' Henry Cavill has another feather to his cap The actor has topped the list of the Most Handsome Face Of 2022, beating the likes of Australian heartthrob Chris Hemsworth and K-Pop sensation BTS' V

Sequel of Mani Ratnam’s PS-1 to be released in April

Lyca Productions has officially announced that the sequel to 2022's biggest Tamil film i e the Mani Ratnam directed Ponniyin Selvan, will be releasing under the title PS-2 on April 28, 2023 [Friday] The release date is now 4 months away and comes right on the heels of Tamil New Year week that month

Ponniyin Selvan: I aka PS-1 ended with Jayam Ravi's titular character perc e i v e d t o b e d e a d , h i s e l d e r b r o t h e r Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) setting out to a v e n g e h i s f o r m e r l o v e r N a n d i n i (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) for the same, and the rest of Ponniyin Selvan's family and the Chola clan being devastated by the news

The first glimpse of PS-2 however shows Ponniyin Selvan lurking in disguise among common citizens, and a gravely injured Vanthiyathevan (Karthi), who was also caught in the ship believed t o h a v e s u n k t h e C h o l a p r i n c e A r u n m o z h i V a r m a n T h e m y s t e r y behind Aishwarya Rai's older character is also expected to be unveiled in PS-2 The Ponniyin Selvan movies are based on a 1 9 5 0 s f i c t i o n a l n o v e l b y K a l k i K r i s h n a m u r t h y , t h a t t h e a u t h o r h a d p e n n e d a s s e r i a l i z e d s t o r i e s i n i t i a l l y based on the real life Tamil King Arunmozhi Varman The book is considered one of

TV Listing

SATURDAY 14 JAN 2023

6:00 KAYADO

9:00 SHUBH PRABHAT 9:30 SUR PRABHAT

10:00 DESHI BEATS 17:00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR 17:30 RASOI SHOW

RRR has a new celebrity fan

"Game of Thrones" actor Nathalie Emmanuel is the latest international celebrity to join the ever-growing fan club of SS Rajamouli's " RRR " as she described the blockbuster film as a "superhero bromance"

I n a T w i t t e r t h r e a d s h a r e d recently, Emmanuel, who recently watched the movie, gave a shoutout to the team behind the period a c t i o n d r a m a f o r d e l i v e r i n g a n entertaining experience "RRR is a sick movie and no one can tell me otherwise," the English actor tweeted, adding "Sick as in GREAT" In a follow-up tweet, she captioned a GIF from the film: "Anyway love a superhero bromance " “RRR” follows a p r e - I n d e p e n d e n c e f i c t i o n a l s t o r y w o v e n around two real-life Indian revolutionaries

Gautham Menon to act in Thalapathy67

In a recent interview to Galatta Plus, director Gautham Menon has confirmed that he is doing a film with Lokesh Kanagaraj as the director, which is indeed Thalapathy67 After the inclusions of Mansoor Ali Khan and Trisha were confirmed, now, the director-actor has confirmed that he is a part of the film as well.

T h e o f f i c i a l a n n o u n c e m e n t f o r Thalapathy67 is coming out next month, a f t e r t h e r e l e a s e o f V a r i s u i n t h e a t r e s Though the team has already got done with

Chiranjeevi’s awaited movie to be released soon

MON 9 JAN - FRI 13 DEC 2022

6:00 DUKHDA KHAME EE DIKRI 9:00 SHUBH PRABHAT

9:30 SUR PRABHAT

10:00 DESHI BEATS

17:00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR

17:30 RASOI SHOW 18:30 SURI

19:00 JODE REJO RAAJ

19:30 MARU MAN MOHI GAYU

20:00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI

20:30 MOTI BAA NI NANI VAHU

21:00 SORATHNI MRS SINGHAM 21:30 GEETA

22:00 MARI LADKI RE

18:30 SURI

19:00 JODE REJO RAAJ

19:30 MARU MAN MOHI GAYU

20:00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI

20:30 MOTI BAA NI NANI VAHU 21:00 SORATHNI MRS SINGHAM

21:30 GEETA

22:00 MARI LADKI RE SUNDAY 15 JAN 2023

12:00 Dhaakad 15:00 MARI LADKI RE 17:00 RASOI SHOW 20:00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI 22:00 MOTI BAA NI NANI VAHU

PAGLA PADYA

VADHU SEASON 1

BANE HUMSAFAR

KA LIKHA

KAWACH MAMTA

NIGHTS WITH KAPIL

Superstar

Chiranjeevi 's highly anticipated mass action movie Waltair Veerayya has a lot of hype surrounding it ahead of its release

The movie will mark the actor's first collaboration with director K S Ravindra, whose last movie Venky Mama which starred Venkatesh and Naga Chaitanya was a big hit

During a recent Q&A session with the cast and crew of the movie, Chiranjeevi spoke about the team s hard work and dedication and said that he has complete confidence in director K S Ravindra after he heard the script The actor also spoke about his co-stars and the production team for all t h e i r h a r d w o r k o n W a l t a i r V e e r a y y a Waltair Veerayya will mark the first onscreen collaboration between Chiranjeevi

Chiranjeevi's last movie Godfather was a remake of the 2019 Malayalam movie Lucifer was a massive success and went on to gross over one hundred crores at the

has an

supporting cast that includes Shruti Haasan, Catherine Tresa, Bobby Simha, Rajendra P r a s a d , V e n n e l a K i s h o r e , a n d U r v a s h i Rautela who will be performing in an item number

The movie is produced by Mythri Movie Makers with award-winning composer Devi Sri Prasad serving as music director, Arthur A Wilson behind the camera, and Niranjan Devaramane in charge of editing

Tamil Actress-Director ties knot

ActressDhanya Balakrishnan and director Balaji Mohan are now married The actress Dhanya Balakrishnan, known for her supporting roles in a number of movies including “7 Aam Arivu,” “Kadhalil Sothapuvathu Eppadi,” “Neethane En Ponvasantham,” and “Raja Rani,” is now married to her Balaji Mohan According to reports, the pair tied the wedding knot in a private ceremony, sealing their courtship in holy matrimony

Intriguingly, Balaji Mohan’s most recent post on his social media accounts depicts h i m b e i n g r e s t r a i n e d b y D h a n y a Balakrishnan, which also suggests that they are a couple According to the sources, Balaji Mohan wed Dhanya in January 2022, but the couple kept their nuptials a secret until the news just surfaced online However, neither Balaji Mohan nor Dhanya Balakrishnan has confirmed anything as of yet, so we’ll have to wait until they do

D h a n y a B a l a k r i s h n a n , m e a n w h i l e , i s occupied with the promotion of her Telugu movie “Jagamemaya,” which had a direct O T T p l a t f o r m d e b u t H o w e v e r , B a l a j i

Mohan will be making his Bollywood debut as a director with the Hindi action drama “Click Shankar,” which will include more parts In May of last year, the first look poster for “Click Shankar” was released, and production on the movie has already begun Dhanya made her debut through a film named “ 7aam Arivu” of A R Murugadoss Her notable performances came in movies s u c h a s “ R a j a R a n i ” “ N e e t h a n e E n

Ponvasantham”, “Love Action Drama” etc After playing as a lead in many of other language films, she debuted as a lead in Tamil through a film named “Carbon” in which Viddharth played the main lead

T

Ratnam is the first Kollywood personality to successfully adapt it into a film

A l l u r i S i t a r a m a R a j u a n d K o m a r a m Bheem in the 1920s

Starring Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead, the film released worldwide in March in five languages Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi It also stars Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn in key roles

the pooja for the film, the updates on the same are yet to flow out

and Ravi Teja , who will be playing the role of ACP Vikram Sagar

global box office Waltair Veerayya

impressive

Netflix to end password sharing in 2023

Netflix has made up its mind to put an end to password sharing in 2023 once and for all. Anyone who wants Netflix access will be asked to pay for it

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e c o m p a n y , over 100 million Netflix viewers c o n s u m e t h e s e r v i c e u s i n g passwords borrowed from friends and family This will not be the case anymore in 2023 where the company will ask people to pay up for sharing accounts The United States may be used as the testing

ground for the decision

I n a f e w L a t i n A m e r i c a n c o u n t r i e s , N e t f l i x h a s a l r e a d y s t a r t e d t e s t i n g a d d i t i o n a l f e e s c h a r g i n g a r o u n d $ 3 e x t r a f o r password sharing

In these countries, the actual s u b s c r i b e r h a s t o p r o v i d e a v e r i f i c a t i o n c o d e t o a n y o n e outside the household wanting to access the account and the code o b v i o u s l y d o e s n ’ t c o m e f r e e N e t f l i x r e p e a t e d l y p r o m p t s t h e outside user asking for the code

Indian man uses Netflix trailers to create resumé

Aman creates a video resumé to impress the streaming giant Netflix His video is now going viral.

Adityajit Shergill c a m e a c r o s s a j o b o p e n i n g i n N e t f l i x public relations team in Canada Shergill, w h o i s a c o m m u n i c a t i o n s a n d brand management professional, knew that his resumé needed to be exceptional, hence he decided to do something different to catch the recruiter’s attention

A c c o r d i n g t o T h e M e s s a g e , Shergill dedicatedly spent six to seven hours watching the trailers o f d i f f e r e n t N e t f l i x s h o w s a n d stitched together a video resumé Using snippets from Netflix shows like Emily In Paris, Wednesday, Hey Pepsi and more, he created a one-and-a-half-minute video that is going viral on LinkedIn

“The best way to apply for a job

t o N e t f l i x ? M a k e a t r a i l e r o f yourself using Netflix trailers Well that's what I thought,” he wrote while sharing the trailer

He told The Message that the idea came to him while watching the Netflix YouTube channel

“I sat down, poured myself a c o f f e e , a n d j u s t w a t c h e d a l l o f them,” he said “Whenever I came a c r o s s a s e n t e n c e o r a b i t o f d i a l o g u e I t h o u g h t c o u l d contribute to the narrative, I made a note on an Excel sheet I knew what I wanted to say about why I selected Netflix, why I would be a good fit ”

Lionsgate Play aiming doubledigit share in Indian OTT market

Lionsgate India’s subscription video on demand (SVOD) platform

Lionsgate Play, is targeting a double-digit share of the paid OTT market in the country

Rohit Jain, MD, Lionsgate South Asia, believes Indian SVOD market’s subscribers will rise to 75–80 million in the coming years Currently, this market has 50–60 million paying subscribers

"Our large screen consumption (connected TV) is 50%, whereas the industry average is 20–25%," he said

Lionsgate Play is planning to premiere at least one title in a week targeting young urban audiences I t s c o n t e n t s t r a t e g y s t a n d s o n three key pillars – global titles,

international content in six Indian languages

"In the last two years, we have done more than 100 premieres of global titles Next two years, we aim to do 150 premieres We have done five Indian originals this year and intend to do six to 10 originals in a year,"Jain said

“Next year is going to be the biggest year for Lionsgate India as f a r a s t h e a t r i c a l r e l e a s e s a r e concerned," Jain said

Vikram Vedha to be released on OTT, date leaked

On 30th September, 2022, Vikram

Vedha (Hindi) starring Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan was released in theatres worldwide. The movie also has Radhika Apte, Rohit Saraf, and Yogita Bihani in supporting roles As per the reports, Vikram Vedha Hindi OTT will be released on January 9th, 2023 and will stream on Jio cinema and Voot

This film is a remake of Vikram Vedha Tamil, which was written and d i r e c t e d b y t h e s a m e I n d i a n filmmaking duo, Pushkar-Gayathri and released in 2017

After its release, Vikram Vedha Hindi garnered positive reviews from c r i t i c s H o w e v e r , t h e b o x o f f i c e collection of the movie was not that huge The official trailer of the movie has received up to 60 million views on YouTube

T h e m o v i e r e v o l v e s a r o u n d a n h o n e s t p o l i c e officer whose single motive is to hunt down and kill a dreaded gangster It stars Saif Ali Khan as SSP Vikram

Amazon reportedly working on standalone app for sports

an effort to add a new revenue stream, Amazon is reportedly working on creating a standalone app for sports content

In

However, there is no clarity on the roll out plan of the app, the report states Moreover, Amazon already has the rights to stream games from events such as the N a t i o n a l F o o t b a l l L e a g u e ' s

Thursday Night Football franchise a n d P r e m i e r L e a g u e s o c c e r matches in the UK

Calling live sports “ a unique asset”, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy s a i d t h a t t h e c o m p a n y w i l l continue to invest in that space Amazon has also invested in other s p o r t s c o n t e n t s u c h a s o r i g i n a l sports talk shows

According to a report by news agency Reuters, the US audience is increasingly switching from pay T V s u b s c r i p t i o n s t o s t r e a m i n g apps Recently, Google’s YouTube secured the rights to stream the N F L S u n d a y T i c k e t a n d A p p l e struck a deal to live stream Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer games

The most-awaited Hindi web series of 2023

In 2023, a few actors like Shahid Kapoor, Kajol, Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Dulquer Salmaan will make their streaming debut along with the release of the second season of some of the most acclaimed shows.

The Good Wife Pyaar, Kanoon, Dhokha (Disney+ Hotstar)

After her Netflix film (Tribhanga), Kajol will be seen making her series debut with The Good Wife, an adaptation of the popular US TV drama of the same name For the first time Kajol will be seen as a lawyer Directed by Suparn Varma, whose credits include The Family Man 2, and produced by Banijay Asia, it is c o n s i d e r e d a s H o t s t a r ’ s b i g g e s t offerings in 2023

Farzi (Am azon Prim e Vid eo)

After the hit horror comedy film Stree and the Family Man, Raj & DK are back with their second series Farzi where the two have brought t o g e t h e r S h a h i d K a p o o r , V i j a y Sethupathi (most likely his Hindilanguage debut), Kay Kay Menon and Amol Palekar among others for racy thriller

Made in Heav en 2 ( Amazon P rime Video)

With Made In Heaven, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti gave us the drama about two wedding planners presenting the privileged and middle class New Delhi with a perfect mix of socio-cultural insight and wry humour The jodi is back to deliver an equally good second season which will unfold more weddings with drama, with talented Sobhita Dhulipala and Arjun Mathur setting BFF goals

Rocket Boys 2 (SonyL IV )

Director Abhay Panny made the impossible task of engaging the audience with plenty of science talk with Rocket Boys and it garnered positive reviews The season two of Rocket Boys will continue to showcase the journeys of Dr Homi Bhabha (Jim Sarbh) and Dr Vikram Sarabhai (Ishwak Singh) but is ikely to devote more screen time to the rise of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam (played by Arjun Radhakrishnan)

H

s a l

everyone ’ s eyes are on his next show The makers this time will work o

b

u l K a r i m T e l g i , t h e mastermind of the Stamp Paper scam of 2003 Like the previous one, this too is based on a book, Reporter Ki Diary, by journalist Sanjay Singh, who broke the Telgi story

S oup (Netflix)

Manoj Bajpayee and Konkana Sensharma, two stellar actors will be seen together in a dark comedy crime show, which is loosely based on a true-life

C h a

b e y , w h o s e filmography includes the Ishqiya films, Udta Punjab a

o r e

h i S h e t t y , a n incompetent cook who wants to own a restaurant, while Manoj is Prabhakar, the suspicious husband who discourages her with her aspirations

Gu ns & Gulaabs (Netflix)

The writer-director Raj & DK to make their Netflix series debut with a crime comedy Rajkummar Rao, Dulquer Salmaan, Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger and Hostel Daze fame) and Gulshan Devaiah are a bunch of misfits in what Netflix describes as “ a deliciously wicked tale of crime, love and innocence that uniquely blends the romance of the 90s with a fast-paced crime-thriller”

and Hrithik Roshan as Vedha Betal Both of them are i n t h e l e a d r o l e s T h e P u s h k a r – G a y a t h r i f i l m i s produced jointly by YNOT Studios, Jio Studios, Theme S t u d i o s , T - S e r i e s F i l m s , F r i d a y F i l m w o r k s , a n d Reliance Entertainment

Scam 20 03 : T he Telgi Story (SonyL IV) After the success of The Harshad M e h t

England stars cash in on success at IPL 2023 Auction

join up with his England teammates B e n S

85 million deal with Punjab Kings after a fierce bidding war b e t w e e n s i x o f t h e t e n f r a n c h i s e s H e w a s a l s o a n attractive pick because he is a left-armer who can bowl at any point in the innings and offers plenty with the bat He will

in brief

RONALDO JOINS AL

NASSR FOR $200M

o k

a l s o h a d a bumper pay day, becoming the third-most expensive player in IPL history as he went for £1 63 m i l l i o n t o C h e n n a i S u p e r Kings He previously played for R i s i n g P u n e S u p e r g i a n t a n d Rajasthan Royals but missed t h e p a s t t w o y e a r s , f i r s t because of a broken finger and then last season to focus on his Test captaincy

Harry Brook also became a n I P L m i l l i o n a i r e a f t e r a n o t h e r f i e r c e b i d d i n g w a r , capping an extraordinary 2022 f o r t h e Y o r k s h i r e b a t s m a n Having played a key role in

England’s T20 series w i n i n P a k i s t a n , lifted the T20 World C u p t r o p h y a n d t h e n b e e n named player of the series after t h e t h r e e T e s t s a g a i n s t Pakistan scoring a century in each match Brook was bought b y S u n r i s e r s H y d e r a b a d f o r £1 32 million

Adil Rashid has struggled to get picked up in previous a u c t i o n s o v e r s e a s s p i n n e r s t e n d t o n o t b e a s p o p u l a r because of the abundance of I n d i a n a l t e r n a t i v e s b u t t h e E n g l a n d l e g s p i n n e r w a s b o u g h t b y S u n r i s e r s Hyderabad for £200,000 Josh Little, the 32-year-old

all-rounder who caught the eye at the T20 World Cup, became the first of the present crop of Ireland players to be picked up in the auction by securing a deal with Gujarat Titans for £450,000

In the past, England players h a d t o c u t s h o r t t h e i r I P L participation in order to return to the UK for the early summer T e s t m a t c h e s R o b K e y , t h e managing director of England cricket, and McCullum believe t h a t I P L i n v o l v e m e n t i s extremely vital for players of all forms

Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant injured in car accident

I n di a n wi c k et ke e p er a n d b a ts ma n R i s h ab h P a nt w as s e ri o u sl y i nj u re d i n a r o a d a c c i de nt wh i l e d ri v in g h o m e f r o m D el h i t o R o o r k ee a t N a rs a n, H a ri dw ar di s tr i ct , abou t 90kms from D eh radun As per po lice’s rep ort, h e was a l o ne i n t h e c a r w h en h i s M e rc ed es G L E c ar h i t th e divider railings o n the Delh iH a ri dwar h i gh wa y at aro u n d 5 30am (GS T 4:00 am) Th e car then turned a few times before turning into a ball of fire S w a p n K i s h o r S i n g h , s u p e r i n t e n d e n t o f p o l i c e , H a r i d w a r ( r u r a l ) , w h o w a s

among the cops rushed on the spot, stated that "Hearing a loud sound of the accident, nearby villagers along with the local cops, gathered at the spot and pulled him out of the car He was then rushed to a nearby h o s p i t a l f r o m w h e r e h e w a s referred to a major hospital in

Football prodigy Pele dies at 82

Pele, the legen dary B razilia n footballer who clim bed from b arefoot squalor to b ecome one of the m os t f a m o us a n d f a m o u s a th l e te s i n c on t e m p or a ry h i s t o ry , pa s s e d aw ay at the age of 8 2 i n Sa o P a u lo A fter a tumour w as disc overed o n h i s c o lo n , h e s pe n t t he previous few months going in an d out of the hospital

Pele, whose given name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, s c o r e d a w o r l d r e c o r d 1 , 2 8 1 goals, and is the only player e v e r t o w i n t h e W o r l d C u p three times

H e p l a y e d h i s l a s t professional game in 1977 but continued to be sought after by brands He went from having l i t t l e f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n t o b e c o m i n g p o l y g l o t H e a l s o worked for UNICEF and has a law in Brazil named after him

According to data compiled by FIFA's website, Pele scored 1,281 goals in 1,366 games, or 0 94 goals per game He scored 7 5 7 g o a l s i n 8 1 2 g a m e s , including some friendlies and contests he played in as part of h i s m i l i t a r y o b l i g a t i o n s Nevertheless, he was equally as a c t i v e i n c o m p e t i t i v e tournaments H e h a d s u f f e r e d f r o m a

s e r i e s o f h e a l t h i s s u e s i n r e c e n t y e a r s , i n c l u d i n g h i p s u r g e r y t h a t l e f t h i m w i t h r e c u r r i n g p a i n a n d t r o u b l e walking unaided H e r e d u c e d h i s p u b l i c a p p e a r a n c e s , b u t r e m a i n e d a c t i v e o n s o c i a l media

Dehradun "

A n o t h e r p o l i c e o f f i c e r , privy to the accident while informing about the possible r e a s o n b e h i n d t h e a c c i d e n t , s a i d , " P a n t p r o b a b l y f e l l a s l e e p w h i l e driving because there was no roadside fog that may have reduced visibility In addition to having bruises on his back, he has a cut on his left brow and a right knee ligament injury " He added "The charred car has been t a k e n a w a y f o r f u r t h e r investigation It is not known whether the airbags had opened or not because nothing is left

inside to verify that A probe is o n " C h i e f M i n i s t e r P u s h k a r Singh Dhami tweeted in Hindi," Praying for the speedy recovery of cricketer Rishabh Pant, who w a s i n j u r e d i n a v e h i c l e a c c i d e n t , h a v e d i r e c t e d t h e officials to ensure all possible a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r h i s treatment "

The forthcoming ODI and T20I series between India and S r i L a n k a a t h o m e w i l l n o t feature Pant He was slated to leave for Bengaluru to be at the National Cricket Academy for s t r e n g t h a n d c o n d i t i o n i n g programme

BCCI selected 20 players for ODI world cup 2023

T he B o a rd o f C on t rol fo r C r i c ke t i n I n di a ( B C CI ) convened a meeting in Mumb ai to evaluate the performanc e of the Indian Men's Team in 2022 In the meeting, which was also a t te n de d b y In d i a n c a pt a i n Rohi t Sharma and head coach Rahul D ravid, the BCCI made a n um b e r of s i g ni f i c a n t decisi ons

According to reports, the BCCI has chosen 20 players for

IND beat SL by 2 runs in first T20I

India takes the lead in the three-match series w ith an exciting tworun victory over Sri Lanka in the first T20I T he first m atch was held at Wankhede Stadium , Mum bai After reaching 160 in 20 o vers wh ile chasing 163 , Sri Lanka's innings was d ism issed on the gam e's final ball

Shivam Mavi, who made his India debut, had a brilliant outing with the ball The pacer took four wickets and conceded just 22 runs in his four-over quota Umran Malik and Harshal Patel scalped two wickets each

A x a r P a t e l a n d D e e p a k H o o d a p u t u p a 3 5 - b a l l 6 8 - r u n partnership earlier in the evening to lead India to 162/5 in 20 overs Both the batsmen returned unbeaten, with Hooda scoring 41 off 23 balls, and Axar chipping in with 31 off 20 balls India had got off to a blazing start but the hosts soon found themselves on backfoot after losing Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav in the powerplay Sanju Samson also made a bad fall Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya formed a key middle partnership Pandya was caught behind for 29, while Ishan was dismissed at 37

During time presentation ceremony, Sri Lanka’s skipper Dasun Shanaka said “Really disappointed with the way we finished, it was a game we should have won At Wankhede, the batters need to cross the line easily when you are chasing 163 We used the match-ups well to restrict India This bunch of youngsters is a very good bunch of players, they will come back strongly ”

t h e I C C C r i c k e t W o r l d C u p 2 0 2 3 , w h i c h w i l l b e h e l d i n I n d i a i n O c t o b e r a n d November

At the review meeting, the B o a r d d e c i d e d t h a t t h e s e players will be rotated before t h e 2 0 2 3 W o r l d C u p " W e e x a m i n e d p a s t p e r f o r m a n c e and made plans for upcoming t o u r n a m e n t s , i n c l u d i n g t h e ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship It was a r e a l l y p r o d u c t i v e m e e t i n g ( W T C ) W e w i l l p r i o r i t i s e i n t e r n a t i o n a l c r i c k e t w h i l e preventing a dilution of the IPL "a source who was present at the discussion confirmed this In fact, in the build-up to t h i s m e e t i n g , t h e r e w e r e a series of meetings at the BCCI H Q h e r e b e t w e e n t h e B C C I b i g w i g s " O n l a s t S a t u r d a y , there was a meeting attended by the BCCI office-bearers In the coming days, you will see a l o t o f i m p o r t a n t d e c i s i o n s b e i n g t a k e n t o i m p r o v e t h e h e a l t h o f I n d i a n c r i c k e t , " a source revealed " T h e i s s u e s o f p l a y e r a v a i l a b i l i t y , w o r k l o a d m a n a g e m e n t a n d f i t n e s s parameters were also discussed at length during the meeting along with the roadmap to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023," the BCCI said in a statement release later

In a transaction that is historic for Middle Eastern soccer but will see one of Europe s brightest stars leave

the sport's top stage, Cristiano Ronaldo completed a lucrative move to Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr Al Nassr posted a picture on social media of the five-time Ballon d’Or holding up the team's jersey after Ronaldo signed a deal until June 2025, with the club hailing the move as “history in the making ”

The club wrote “This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league our nation and future generations boys and girls to be the best version of themselves ” Additionally it provides Ronaldo 37 with a big payment in what may be his final contract of his career According to media sources the Portugal star s contract may pay him up to $200 million annually, which would make him the highest-paid soccer player in history

Ronaldo said in a statement that he was “eager to experience a new football league in a different country " He added “I am fortunate that I have won everything I set out to win in European football and feel now that this is the right moment to share my experience in Asia "

KOUSTAV CHATTERJEE

BECOMES

10TH GM IN BENGAL AND 78TH IN INDIA

Koustav Chatterjee became the 78th Grandmaster of India in the new year The youngster from Kolkata increased the number of GMs in the state to ten by drawing with GM Mirtabha Guha who also happened to be Bengal s last and ninth GM in Round 10 of the National Chess Championship in New Delhi Since the Covid epidemic, the 19-year-old boy s life has quickly transformed The youngster realised how important it is to have a clear mind and a strong body throughout the lockdown He started doing daily workout to lose about 50 kg and his obese appearance On the chess front too, things started to happen just when he thought of focusing more on his studies and seriously working on becoming an IAS officer, as per his mother Babita's wishes, who is a state government employee He scored almost 95 per cent marks in his Class 12 board examination earlier this year After lockdown, Koustav achieved his first GM norm in the Sheikh Russel GM s meet in Bangladesh in October 2021 In the first week of November2022 at the Asian championship he followed it up with his second GM norm After passing the 2500 Fide magic rating in August 2022 he was waiting for his third norm He said I feel I could have become a GM earlier if I could have participated in some overseas tournaments But I waited for my opportunity " He was Introduced to the game by his father Kalyan, Koustav and instantly attracted to it as he started playing in 2010 He earned his International Master (IM) title in 2019 but his father could not see his son make the next grade as he passed away last year

Sam Curran , Harry Brook , and

(From left) Ben Stokes Sam Curran and Cameron Green

Pele