AV 08th June 2024

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

R B I moves 100 tonnes of gold from U K to its vaults in India SEE PAGE - 22 12-year-old Indian American wins Scripps National Spelling Bee title

- 23

clearer picture as D-day approaches

With less than four weeks to go until the UK selects its next leader, the campaign discourse has predominantly revolved around the potential for a change in government Labour Party, u n d

Starmer, holds a substantial lead in

community in making well-informed decisions during this dynamic period, Asian Voice has curated a special four page coverage with candidate interviews, expert analysis of the assertions and initiatives of the political parties, community viewpoints, and a plethora of updates on the entire electoral process

on page 15 - 18

Subhasini Naicker

With the culmination of the Indian general election of 2024, the nation stands at the threshold of a new chapter in its democratic saga This time, the people of India (Bharat) and democracy have emerged victorious and kingmakers. Beyond the election results, their voices have shaped the nation's political landscape and future

Liloriya T h e L a b o u r P a r t y

B

Indian Business Reception’ on 3 June 2024 followed by an interaction with senior leaders of the party in the presence of several businesses, industry, trade and financial associations The Labour Party showed its determination to strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and the UK and to put the pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on fast track

Labour Party shows determination to strengthen bilateral relationship with India and place FTA on fast track Continued on page 08

Mahesh

L-R: Gareth Thomas, Krish Raval OBE, Deirdre Costigan, Virendra Sharma, Jonathan Reynolds, CB Patel, Vidhya Alakeson OBE, Harjeet Sahota, Hersh Thaker and Uday Nagaraju

Girl critical after Hackney shooting

ing occurred on Wednesday night

Me t Po l i c e D e t e c t i v e Chief Superintendent (DCS) Ja m e s C o n w a y, t h e l

To

London, stated, “We remain in close contact with our coll

The Malayali community in London has identif ied the victim as Lissel Maria, the daughter of Vinaya and Ajeesh from Gothuruthu in Kochi The family was dining at a Turkish restaurant in Hackney when the shoot-

l Health Ser vice (NHS), who have been working around the clock to provide urgent care to the victims, including the young girl, who I’m ver y ver y sad to say, remains in a c r i t i c a l c

thoughts of ever yone at the

Met remain with the girl and her family at this unimagina b l y d i f f

u

t t i m e Tw o other men, aged 44 and 42, remain in hospital in a stable condition, with one facing life-changing injuries The third man – aged 37 – has been discharged from hospital ” DCS Conway mentioned that the police investigation

i n t o t h e s h o o t i n g i n t h e

Kingsland High Street area of east London is ongoing s

d team of detectives striving to identify those responsible

UK ambassador to Mexico allegedly fired for pointing gun

T he UK a mbas s a d or to M e x i c o w a s re p o r te d ly

re liev ed of h is duties a fte r

a ssa ult rifle insid e a v ehic le ca rr y i n g e mb a s s y s taff

The UK government

s t a t e d i t h a d t a ke n "appropriate action" following the incident but d i d n o t c o n f i r m Jo n

B e n j a m i n's d i s m i s s a l

During a work trip to a

n o r t h w e s t e r n r e g i o n

a f fe c t e d b y d r u g c a r t e l

v i o l e n c e , B e n j a m i n w a s involved in the incident,

a s r e p o r t e d b y t h e

F i n a n c i a l T i m e s T h e

n e w s p a p e r c i t e d

u n n a m e d s o u r c e s i n d icating that Benjamin, a career diplomat, was dis-

m i s s e d a s a m b a s s a d o r s h o r t l y a f t e r t h e A p r i l episode It is common for foreign off icials to have bodyguards when travel-

ing to dangerous areas in Mexico

A v i d e o s h a r e d o n social media this week , a p p e a r i n g t o s h o w Benjamin playfully pointing the weapon towards the back of the vehicle, had the face of a passenger, described as a local e m b a s s y e m p l o y e e , blurred out The account @ s u b d i p l o m a t i c c r i t icised Benjamin's actions in light of the daily violence in Mexico caused by

drug dealers and alleged mistreatment of Mexican embassy staff

T h e U K Fo r e i g n

M i n i s t r y s p o ke s p e r

reports, stated, "We are

e n t and have taken appropriate action " The British g o v e r n

p

o y s "robust HR processes" to address internal issues as they arise, without providing further details

According to the ministr y's website, Benjamin ser ved as the UK ambass a d o r t o Me

cates that his posting in

ser vice in 1986, has previously held positions in G

, Turkey, and the US

Man awaits decision on admitting to false theft from mother’s Post Office

A n A sian man who adm itted t o ta ki ng fu n d s fro m h i s m oth er's Post Off ice to prev en t h er im p ri so nm ent i s now awaiting a decisio n on p otentially overturning h is convictio n

R a v i n d e r Na g a c o n -

fe s s e d t o t a k i n g £ 3 5 , 0 0 0 after auditors found a def icit at the Belville Street Post

O f f i c e i n G r e e n o c k Throughout the UK, many individuals were convicted based on evidence from the

flawed Horizon IT system

u s e d b y t h e Po s t O f f i c e

L e g i s l a t i o n p a s s e d o n Thursday aims to clear all affected sub-postmasters in

S c o t l a n d o f t h e i r c o n v i ctions Those convicted of "relevant offences" will have their convictions automatically overturned once the law takes effect

Na g a , f r o m Po r t Glasgow, advised his mother to claim he took the money to "buy some time " When

S TA R M E R V E R S U S S U NA K

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and His Majesty’s Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer engaged in their inaugural live television clash of the General Election campaign on ITV.

The showdown, marked their f irst opportunity to go headto-head in a bid to persuade the public why they are the most deser ving candidate for the role of prime minister leading IT V News Presenter Julie Etchingham having to inter vene multiple times to prevent the men from talking over each other

The debate centred on critical national issues such as the NHS, the escalating cost of living crisis, immigration, the conflict in Gaza, and the potential implications of the UK's relationship with Donald Trump, a convicted felon, if he were to return to off ice Following the conclusion of the debate, a YouGov poll revealed that the prime minister emerged as the preferred performer, with 51% favouring him compared to 49% in support of Starmer

the missing funds were not recovered, he pleaded guilty to theft, receiving a sentence of 300 hours of community ser vice Naga admitted his actions were to protect his mother, fearing she would n o t s u r v i v e p r i s o n H i s health suffered during community ser vice, and he faced challenges f inding employment

He shared how his parents had built their business, including the Post Off ice, from scratch after relocating to Scotland Naga's confession aimed to safeguard his mother's reputation, especially after his father passed a w a y b e fo r e t h e

shortfall was uncovered Na

a's

G

Cunningham, is uncertain if the new Scottish Parliament

client, given Naga was

Keir Starmer initiated the debate by asserting that Labour aims to "turn the page" and put an end to "the chaos and division witnessed over the past 14 years " He emphasised his efforts to transform the Labour Party and align it with the interests of working people

Prime Minister Sunak, on the other hand, emphasised the

Key highlights from the debut clash

need for decisive action and a clear plan during uncertain times, criticising Labour for lacking clarity beyond proposals to increase taxes and pensions He focused on discussing tax cuts and immigration policies. Star mer's tax debacle

A signif icant misstep for Starmer during the debate was his failure to challenge Sunak's claim that Labour would introduce £2,000 in tax hikes. This f igure was derived from Conser vative estimates suggesting Labour has £38 5 billion in spending commitments

Despite numerous opportunities, Starmer did not refute the £2,094 tax increase assertion and only addressed it after repeated mentions by Sunak, offering a lengthy explanation that did not begin with a direct denial Labour's election coordinator, Pat McFadden, had to inter vene on Twitter to clarify that Sunak's claims were unfounded Throughout the debate, Starmer focused more on his background and experience as a Human Rights Lawyer than on his political work and plans for the nation's future

Why was the Labour leader, who aspires to be Prime Minister, unable to effectively defend his vision for the countr y's future? This is really something to think about

How di d the tw o leaders fare?

During the debate, both leaders delivered a

mix of impactful statements and remarks that elicited groans and laughter, particularly in response to some of Sunak's comments regarding the NHS and immigration.

Throughout the debate, the duo maintained their customar y attack strategies, with Sunak accusing Starmer of lacking a concrete plan while the Labour leader critiqued the Tories' 14year governance, notably emphasising the repercussions of the Liz Truss mini-budget One leader focused on questioning the other's future strategies, while the other delved into past actions

Overall, the Prime Minister articulated sharp attack lines and steadfastly adhered to them, clearly outlining his positions on various issues Conversely, the debate underscored the limitations of Starmer's emphasis on offering sensible, practical governance, failing to provide viewers with a def initive vision of the Britain he envisions creating This performance did little to dispel the recurring criticism that the Labour leader's stance remains unclear

The debate laid bare the strengths and weaknesses of both sides While there was no distinct victor in the initial election debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, the outcome is likely more satisfying for Sunak than for Starmer

YOUR VOTE, YOUR VOICE

John Benjamin

Migrants, the backbone of British economy

Akhil Jenny's tale from southern India epitomises the intricate relationship between migrant workers and the British economy Driven by financial woes, Jenny pinned his hopes on a promised job in the UK as a care worker, only to confront shattered dreams when the sponsor failed to deliver Trapped in legal and financial limbo, Jenny's plight mirrors that of countless migrant workers, captured in a web of exploitation amidst tightening visa regulations and lax enforcement

In this ongoing debate on immigration policy, Sir Keir Starmer's pledge to curtail work-related immigration stands as a pivotal point of contention While his determination to reduce immigration resonates with prevailing sentiments, critics question the efficacy of linking visa regulations to training initiatives in addressing longstanding skills and labour shortages As Starmer vows to bar "bad bosses" from hiring overseas and intertwine immigration with skills policies, the discourse expands to encompass broader concerns about economic sustainability and social justice

Voices from various quarters echo the indispensable role migrant workers play in sustaining economic growth Gary Smith, representing the GMB union, emphasises their vital contribution, cautioning against divisive rhetoric exploited by the right Matthew Percival of the CBI underscores the intrinsic link between migration and economic prosperity, advocating for credible plans to address skill shortages

Yet, amidst the political jousting, accusations of flip-flopping on immigration and accusations of portraying Labour as soft on borders abound Such rhetoric underscores the inherent challenges of balancing economic imperatives with political exigencies Labour's reluctance to set specific migration

t

Cooper's cautious stance, reflects a nuanced approach aimed at addressing fluctuating factors such as global conflicts and economic fluctuations

While Starmer's vision for immigration reform garners

both support and scepticism, the broader discourse extends beyond party politics Neil Carberry of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation warns against crude immigration reduction goals, emphasising the imperative of fixing the skills system first The CBI advocates for a stronger link between labour shortages and available training, emphasising a holistic approach to address systemic challenges

Rishi Sunak has pledged an annual cap on UK work and family visas, aiming to distinguish himself from Sir Keir Starmer on immigration The cap, determined by parliamentary vote, is dubbed an "immigration lock" to manage migration levels Despite record highs in recent years, Sunak plans

Advisory Committee The cap, excluding students and seasonal workers, aims to prioritise sectors with shortages, but critics doubt its efficacy Labour's Yvette Cooper dismisses the Tory pledge, citing past failures Sunak asserts bold action, framing the cap as vital to fulfilling immigration promises

Meanwhile, the government released a report last year, that stated, skilled refugees are contributing nearly £1 million each year in income tax and national insurance thanks to UK government pilot schemes to help those fleeing their homes find employment, helping to boost the UK economy and enabling businesses to access the vital skills they need

Critics challenge the notion of blaming "bad bosses" for immigration increases, highlighting systemic issues within publicly funded sectors like higher education, social care, and the NHS As the debate rages on, one thing remains clear: the fate of migrant workers and the economic trajectory of the UK are intricately intertwined Their voices, stories like Jenny's, serve as poignant reminders of the human cost behind political rhetoric and policy decisions In the quest for immigration reform, their plight cannot be overlooked, their contributions cannot be understated

US faces uncharted waters with Trump

America has long been a dream for countless Indians, who aspire to its prosperity, big cars, buildings, expressways, and factories Yet, despite this admiration, many Indians view the American state with suspicion, sometimes bordering on hostility Several broad reasons contribute to the love-hate relationship between India and America: geopolitical conflicts, 'American exceptionalism' leading to interference in Indian affairs, and America's contradictory approach of wanting to be friendly while pursuing its own interests

A major issue has been America's military alliance with Pakistan since 1954, using it to project influence in Asia and protect Pakistan despite its transgressions against India This i n c l u d e s d e

9 7 1 Bangladesh War, ignoring Pakistan s support for terrorism, a n d d o w n p l a y i n g t h e P a

a Additionally, America's efforts to balance India's relations with Iran, interfere in trade and energy security, and hinder India's self-reliance in defence and manufacturing have further strained the relationship

As the US elections draw near, the Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump, finds himself ensnared in a high-stakes legal battle Following a swift trial presided over by Justice Juan Merchan in the New York Manhattan Court, a 12member jury reached a verdict in just over 9 hours, finding

Trump guilty on all 34 counts in the 'Hush money' criminal trial The sentence is set to be announced on July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention, where Trump is expected to be formally anointed as the presidential nominee If the verdict stands, Trump would become the first former American president in the country’s 250-year history to be convicted as a criminal by a court of law

A former American president being convicted as a felon has significant global implications due to the US’s economic and military power Despite China's rise, the US remains a dominant political force through its influence on global events and capital flows Trump re-election threatens the country’s credibility Opinion polls suggest this could sway some voters in the upcoming tight race with President Joe Biden in November One in four Republicans said they would not vote for Trump if he was found guilty in a criminal trial, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll of registered voters in April

The key question is whether Trump's conviction will have any legal or political fallout Surprisingly, it may work to his advantage American laws do not prevent a convicted felon from voting, campaigning, or holding public office While the world survived Trump's first presidency, the current landscape-with two nearby wars and an ongoing energy crisis-suggests that his return could be more tumultuous

Incremental growth of Modi’s India

Narendra Modi, who has been prime minister for ten years, has articulated his "big plans for India" as the Bhartiya Janata Party ( BJP) gears up for a third consecutive term in power, where he is poised to drive significant progress in India

While the BJP's inability to secure an outright majority surprised numerous observers, the slight setback for the BJP can be linked to its heavy dependence on Modi and his personal endorsement Modi is not just the party's leader; he embodies the party itself Although this strategy has been successful for a decade, it was inevitable that the electorate would eventually seek more than just the Prime Minister's charisma

However, this in no way reduces the value of Modi as an excellent leader that he is When Modi took office, the economy he inherited was on the brink of collapse Investor confidence was low, growth was sluggish, and the insolvency of twelve Indian billionaires had left banks with substantial bad debt, crippling their lending capabilities A decade later, India s economy is outpacing other major nations; its banks are robust, and the government's finances, despite the challenges of a global pandemic, remain stable Last year, India surpassed the UK to become the world's fifth-largest economy, and Morgan Stanley analysts predict it will surpass Germany and Japan to claim the third position by 2027

During Modi's two terms, national highways expanded by 60%, increasing from 91,287 km in 2014 to 146,145 km by the end of 2023 under the adept leadership of Nitin Gadkari Indian Railways, which transported 5 85 billion passengers in FY23, underwent significant modernisation under Ashwini Vaishnaw, including the introduction of the semi-highspeed Vande Bharat trains The aviation sector has also grown, thanks to the modernisation of airports and the integration of smaller cities into the aviation network Initiatives

like Start-up India, Make in India, Digital India Mission, and Skill India Mission have provided substantial support to the nation's youth

Modi is not only an excellent leader but also a connoisseur of leadership talent, as demonstrated by the work of Nitin Gadkari, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Nirmala Sitaraman , S Jaishankar, Manoj Sinha, and Anurag Thakur, among others His strategic appointment of civil servants to key ministries is another testament to his astute leadership In contrast to the Indian political scene's past reputation for being populated by unqualified individuals disconnected from the populace, there are now numerous leaders who are both educated and empathetic, offering a more sophisticated approach to politics and public policy

A prime example is Raj Kumar Singh, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Bihar cadre's 1975 batch, who currently serves as the independent minister of state for new and renewable energy and power and Harshdeep Singh Puri, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer who holds the positions of Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas

The shortcomings and results of Tuesday are disappointing and the Opposition took this chance to heavily criticise Modi Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but no one can deny Modi’s resilience and eagerness to serve the country, despite any personal setback His positive outlook even in crisis and clarity of thoughts are commendable and unique qualities in a leader He has consistently outperformed the Opposition leaders, many of whom are believed to be dynastic, dishonest or incompetent There is no denial that Modi’s leadership over the past decade has indeed led to substantial economic growth, infrastructural development, and a more dynamic and globally engaged India!

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

The Article You All Wish the New

York Times Did Write

I knew it w as fake as soon as I received it on WhatsA pp an d it said it w as the New York Times For a start, they have a policy of only w riting n egative articles about India It’s the same pol ic y as the Guardian and Econ omist

So here is the fake news article, you all wish they had written

“ THE INDIAN ELECTIONS - NEW YORK TIMES It is truly the greatest show on Earth, an ode to a diverse & democratic ethos, where 700 million + of humanity vote, providing their small part in directing their ancient civilization into the future

It is no less impressive when done in a neighborh o o d w h

Pakistan, China, and Burma

It's challenges are immense, more so probably than anywhere else, particularly in development & fending off terrorism -- but considering these challenges & its neighbors, it is even more astounding that the most diverse nation on Earth, with hundreds of languages, all religions & cultures, is not only surviving, but thriving

, Jainism & Sikhism were born, which is the second largest Muslim nation on Earth; where Christianity has existed for 2000 years; where the oldest Jewish synagogues & Jewish communities have resided since the Romans burnt their 2nd temple; where the Dalai Lama & the Tibetan government in exile reside; where the Zoroastrians from Persia have thrived since being thrown out of their ancient homeland; where Armenians, Syrians & many others have come to live; where the Paris-based OECD said was the largest economy on Earth for 1500 of the last 2000 years, including the 2nd largest, only 200 years ago; where 3 Muslim Presidents have been elected, where a Sikh was Prime Minister & the head of the ruling party a Catholic Italian woman, where the past President was also a woman, succeeding a Muslim President who as a rocket scientist is a hero in the nation; where a booming economy is lifting 40 million out of poverty each year & is expected to have the majority of its population in the middle class already, equal to the entire US population, by 2025; where its optimism & vibrancy is manifested in its movies, arts, economic growth & voting, despite all the incredible challenges & hardships; where all the great powers are vying for influence, as it itself finds its place in the world

Where all of this is happening, is India and as greater than 1/10th of humanity gets ready to vote, it is an inspiration to the entire World V Mitchell, New York, NY”

Harrow Business Centre,

429-433 Pinner Road North Harrow Middlesex HA1 4HN Tel: 020 7749 4080 • Fax: 020 7749 4081

Email: aveditorial@abplgroup com

Website: www abplgroup com

INDIA OFFICE

Bureau Chief: Nilesh Parmar (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt Ltd 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp Jain Derasar, Nr Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad-380 015

Tel: +91 79 4601 2649

Email: gs ahd@abplgroup com ©

UK families in limbo over visa fee waiver backlog Labour maintains status quo on health worker visas

e received a record-breaking 18,528 applications for visa fee waivers in the first quarter of this year However,

d

y 33,000 submissions are still pending, marking the highest backlog ever recorded by the Home Office

In the same period, only

6 9 a p p

ment, showing a significant d e c l i n e f r o m t h e n e a r l y

6,000 applications accepted in the first quarter of the previous year

Fee waivers are provided to certain individuals in the U K w h o a

e f i n a n c

y unable to cover the expenses of their visa application

These fees have seen a 20% increase for family visas, set-

t l e m e n t , a n d c i t i z e n s h i p since October 2023

E x t e n d e d p r o c e s s i n g times, now stretching from

approximately eight weeks to eight months according t

exacerbating anxiety among families This delay impacts a

individuals, including those w

r e a d y p o

s s l e g a l status in the UK

N i c k B e a l e s ,

campaigns at Ramfel, criticised the immigration system's mismanagement, citing systemic delays of over half a year in visa decisions

He highlighted the absurdity of requiring individuals o n m i n i m u m w a g e o r receiving benefits to afford nearly £4,000 for their visa without adequate justification from the government

Jeweller tells boss 'give me my P45' after stealing £600

gold ring

J a g d ee p P an es ar, 3 9, o f Eg ham, Surrey, w as caug ht o n CC TV trying to hid e a

s to l en £ 60 0 ri ng o n h is

b o s s' s c h ai r at T h e Goldsmiths C omp any Assay Office in L ondon After initi ally d enying any kno wl-

e d g e o f t h e m i s s in g j ewellery, P anesar ad mitted his

w ro ng d oi ng , sayi ng, " Gi v e m e my P 45, I f**ked up , " Inner London C row n Court h eard

W h e n h i s b o s s , A d a m P h i l l i p s , a s k e d a b o u t t h e missing gold band, Jagdeep Panesar denied any knowledge However, prosecutor Kevin Walsh told the court that Panesar was later seen entering the office with his hand inside his jacket, dropping a tissue onto a chair

T h e t i s s u e c o n t a i n e d t h e missing ring, and Panesar admitted, Give me my P45, I f**ked up, when Phillips found it

Desp ite a si gnificant drop i n NHS staff nu mbers following recent visa ru le changes, Labour has stated that th ey have "no plans" to revise regulatio n s p reve nti ng h eal th a nd car e workers from bringing their families to th e UK o n th eir visas

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasised the need to reduce reliance on overseas staff by focusing on recruiting and training workers within the UK

This year, there has been a 76% decrease in applications for health a n d c

l l o w i n g recent changes While the government sees this as a triumph in its efforts to reduce legal migration, experts warn of the considerable impact on the health service

In a separate development, the government has stated in writing for the first time that no asylum seekers w

a before the upcoming general election

Streeting confirmed at a campaign event in Worcester that there are no intentions to alter the rules regarding NHS workforce visas He emphasised Labour's stance against r e c r u i t

c i n g health worker shortages, stating it as

Additionally, he mentioned collaboration with Yvette Cooper to focus on nurturing local talent and reducing net migration

Detective wins tribunal over WFH ban

Scot la nd Ya rd d iscrimina te d ag ainst and ha rassed Det ective Ta rik Ah med, who has a se rious hea rt condit ion , by refusing t o allow him to wor k from home, a t ribun al ha s r ule d

Ahmed, a 22-year veteran of the force, testified at the employment h

aware of his coronary heart disease, as he had experienced several heart attacks

Ahmed, 57, stated that his condition was worsened by stress and anxiety from past alleged racism, which could be triggered by travelling to a n d w o r k i n g i n a p o l i c e s t a t i o n

Despite this, senior officers rejected his request to work from home permanently and repeatedly pressured him to return to the office

claim, making him eligible for compensation from the force The tribunal heard that Ahmed, assigned to a desk role due to his health, was placed on restricted duties He was unable to perform frontline policing tasks and was exempt from fitness tests

Ahmed testified that he had been working from home since 2020, with Metropolitan Police lawyers conceding there was no operational need for his office attendance The tribunal also heard that his predecessor had worked from home for seven years

Despite medical advice, Ahmed was pressured to return to the office, based on an unwritten policy and a broader push to bring staff back after the pandemic

in brief

LONDON SECONDBEST IN WORLD

London has been ranked as the second-best city globally by experts following New York City in the United States in a recent study conducted by Oxford Economics to determine the top 10 cities in the world based on the Global Cities Index The study aimed to identify the key factors that contribute to a city's success by analysing five categories: Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance The top ten cities, which include London, were recognised for their significant economic impact on the global economy, their role as educational hubs, and their provision of a high quality of life, among other factors

VEGAN MENU FOR COUNCIL EVENTS

Calderdale Council in West Yorkshire is considering a new catering policy that would exclusively offer plant-based food at its hosted events The proposed policy also emphasises a preference for seasonal and non-processed foods The council highlighted that the food industry contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, with meat and dairy products having a particularly detrimental impact As part of its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2038 both as a local authority and a borough the council aims to promote sustainable food choices Scott Patient the Cabinet member for climate action and housing, emphasised the importance of setting an example by implementing this policy, even though the council only caters for approximately a dozen events and meetings annually

SAVERS POUR RECORD AMOUNT INTO ISAS

Surgeon charged with assaulting colleagues

2009, where he was cautioned for stealing a laptop

April, although they did not lead to charges or convictions, according to prosecutor Kevin Walsh

P h i l l i p s r e p o r t e d t h e incident to the police, and Panesar attended a voluntary interview on December 13, 2022 Panesar claimed he didn't intend to steal but p a n i c k e d , c i t i n g P T S D Initially denying the theft charge and opting for a jury trial, Panesar changed his plea after a bad character application was made at a pre-trial hearing in April Had the trial proceeded, jurors would have learned

A

cha rge d with sexua lly assaulting six colle ague s

a hospit al in Bla ck pool, Lanca shir e police said

Amal Bose, formerly head of the cardiovascular surgery department at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, had his medical licence suspended last year during a police investigation He was

Bose, 54, is scheduled to appear in court next month

The police were told of the allegations by the hospital in March last year The alleged incidents took place between 2017 and 2022

Prior to his arrest, Bose held the role of treasurer for the Society for C

from 2012 until May last year, as indi-

Currently, he describes himself as "vocationally challenged

allegations of sexual assault on its employees, prompting an investiga-

tion Subsequently, after consulta-

Service, Bose was charged, according to a police spokesperson Bose has been bailed to attend Lancaster magistrates’ court on June

Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation

patients and their families

According to data released by the Bank of England today UK savers deposited a record-breaking amount of £11 7 billion into ISAs in April This figure marks the highest amount recorded since April 1999 when records began April typically sees increased ISA investments as it follows the reset of the tax threshold for investments However this year's total far surpassed previous April figures showing a nearly 30% increase compared to April 2023 It also stands as the highest monthly total since records began in April 1999 The significant surge in ISAs was primarily responsible for a substantial 250% rise in overall household deposits in interest-bearing accounts, reaching the highest level since September 2022

WOMAN IMPRISONED FOR DEFRAUDING CHARITIES

Parvinder Matharu has been sentenced to two years and two months in prison for defrauding several charities in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire of £47,000 After an investigation by Thames Valley Police, Matharu was convicted at Reading Crown Court last week on five counts of fraud by false representation Between 2013 and 2017 Matharu committed the fraudulent acts against Iver United Charity Wokingham United Charity the Link Foundation and an unnamed charity in Buckinghamshire Under the guise of supporting individuals in need of housing Matharu established a charity named Sewak in Slough However, instead of utilising the raised funds for their intended purpose, she misappropriated the money for personal gain, as confirmed by the police Although Matharu fraudulently sought £54,000, she managed to obtain £47,000 through her deceitful actions

Jagdeep Panesar

Amal Bose

Nick Beales

Wes Sterling

Sonu Nigam receives NISAU’s prestigious Honorary Fellowship

bridge uniting hearts, minds and nations through music; a n d f o s t e r i n g c o m m u n i t y through your philanthropic efforts be it your fight for performers’ rights or your c

band,” said Arora

highest award that NISAU

Sanam Arora, chairperson of NISAU, highlighted Sonu Nigam’s transformative impact on music and society “Sonu Ji, your musi-

r a n s c e n d s boundaries, touching millions of lives and uniting h e a r t s g l o b a l l y Y o u o n c e mentioned that music is not j u s t y o u r p r o f e s s i o n b u t your reason for being It is this passion, coupled with your commitment to give back to the community, that resonates deeply with what we stand for at NISAU We strive to empower, to lead, a n d t o i n s p i r e , p r i n c i p l e s you embody through your actions every day You are not just a musical icon, but a

can give, recognises people who have a major influence on social progress, education, cultural exchange, and India "We celebrate not just the artist but the philanthropist, the advocate, and the inspiration you are to

melodies, Arora added during the ceremony

K

Parliament member representing Ealing and Southall, Professor Rachel Dwyer, an E m e

P r o f e s s

r o f Indian Culture at SOAS, and NISAU Chairperson Sanam Arora presented the prize

Heart scans may save thousands of people from needless, invasive procedures

A routine card iac MRI scan cou ld save an unnecessarily invasive operation for thousand s of patients broug ht to h ospitals each year with susp e c ted h e ar t att ac ks , accord ing to research part i all y s u p p o rte d by t h e B ri ti s h H ea rt F o u nd a ti o n ( BHF)

Published in the Journal

o f A m e r i c a n C o l l e g e o f

C a r d i o l o g i s t s ( J A C C )

Cardiovascular Imaging, the work was presented at the B r i t i s h C a r d i o v a s c u l a r

S o c i e t y m e e t i n g i n Manchester

I n t h e U K , s u s p e c t e d non-ST elevation myocardial infarctions (NSTEMIs), in which the coronary arteries supplying the heart with blood are severely constrict-

e d b u t n o t f u l l y b l o c k e d , account for about 50,000 hospital admissions annuall y A c c o r d i n g t o c u r r e n t guidelines, patients who are thought to be at risk of more

i n c i d e n t s s h o u l d g e t a n invasive coronary angiography done within 72 hours

A

Dissatisfied patients turn to private midwives amid NHS shortcomings

patients are resorting to hiring private midw ives, with so me p aying up to £ 8,0 00, due to d issatisfaction with NHS services The Portland, the UK's so le

aternity hospital, has observed

BAME women ’ s experiences in pre-pregnancy care found that BAME women were 1 5 times more likely to report having had an experience of

R e s e a r c h e r s a t t h e University of Oxford have now demonstrated that in suspected NSTEMI patients, ordering a cardiac MRI scan

p r i o r t o a n a n g i o g r a p h y c o u l d a l t e r t h e c o u r s e o f care for at least half of the patients According to the study's findings, almost 25% of patients may be able to c o m p l e t e l y a v o i d i n v a s i v e c o r o n a r y a n g i o g r a p h y because their scans indicated that other cardiac condit i o n s , n o t a h e a r t a t t a c k , were the reason for their symptoms

The research was heade d b y D r M a y o o r a n S h a n m u g a n a t h a n , a U n i v e r s i t y o f O x f o r d research fellow and consult a n t c a r d i o l o g i s t " E v e n t h o u g h t h i s w a s a s m a l l study conducted in one hosp i t a l , i f w e f i n d s i m i l a r results in a larger multi-center trial, it could help thousands of patients annually

a v o i d i n v a s i v e p r o c e d u r e s that provide no benefit to them," he stated

recent report by MPs,

their care Th is trend follow

due to the

Consultant and Founder of

against by healthcare professionals than White women, which is simply not accept-

research stated that they felt like it was a constant fight to be given the same treatment during and post pregnancy –a battle no woman should be fighting during what can be an emotionally and physically difficult time

“It is essential that these inequalities are addressed; there is no longer room for systemic bias in our health-

care system Instead, advice, care and treatment should be personalised to the individual and carried out with their ultimate health outcome as the utmost priority Women must feel listened to and supported through-

improvements to healthcare

increased

and more varied data collection will

Addressing

Professor Geeta Nargund

Sonu Nigam being honoured

Sunak proposes university cuts to boost apprenticeships

R ishi Sunak is se t t o pledge a sig nificant re str uct urin g of u n iv e r s it y de g r e e p l a c e s u n d e r a pr osp e c t iv e

C o n se r v a t i v e g o ve r n me n t , with one in eight spot s sl ated f or e l i mi n a t io n I n st e a d , funding would be redirected t owar ds appren ticeships

Sunak will condemn universities for offering what he

t e r m s " M i c k e y M o u s e " courses, asserting that these d e g r e e s f a i l t o

n h a n c e young people's future earning prospects and are essentially a rip-off

Sunak will propose reallocating the funds towards

g e n e r a t i n g a n a d d

o n a l 100,000 apprenticeships by the conclusion of the next parliamentary term

This initiative may lead t

with the Conservative Party emphasising the closure of courses deemed less benefi-

prospects The projected savings of £910 million by the decade's end would then be

the apprenticeship program

P

would incentivise universities to create courses sup-

Ketan Dattani

porting apprenticeships that

young people

statistics indicating that one in five graduates would have experienced greater financial

university, and that one in

occupy roles not necessitating a degree

Consequently, the party argues that £1 out of every £4

remains unpaid, burdening taxpayers While universities f

strain, compounded by the freeze on domestic tuition

dence on international stu-

China

Khan voices concern over early release scheme impact on victim safety

S

because of the government's

cannot guarantee th e safety o f domestic abu se victi ms in t h e c a p i ta l f

abusers

The mayor of London

two probation officers who f e l t p o

early release of abusers from prison

He has urgently written to the justice secretary, Alex Chalk, seeking clarification on an extension to the early r e l e a s e s c h e m e

y implemented

The alteration permits

Sadiq Khan

c e r t a i n p r i s o n e r s t o b e released up to 70 days earlie r t h a n t h e i r s c h e d u l e d release date under the government's emergency endo f - c u s t o d y s u p e r v i s e d licence This measure was introduced to address overc r o w d i n g i n j a i l s , a s t h e p r i s o n p o p u l a t i o n h a s reached its highest levels in postwar Britain, surpassing the available capacity

Despite the exclusion of t e r r o r i s t s , s e x o f f e n d e r s , a n d d a

scheme, domestic abusers

raised by probation officers have highlighted the release of several domestic abusers u n d

assure Londoners, especiall y s u

abuse, regarding their safety

which prisons the scheme applies to and its duration, e

tance of this information for victims and associated service providers

Research shows ethnic minority patients with heart failure have higher risk of death

Patients from ethnic minorit ies with heart f ail ure have a s ig nif ic a ntl y hi gher ris k of dy in g than Whit e pat ie nts , a ccording to a review of dat a f rom over 16,700 cas es

T

B

H

s week in Manchester at the

B r i t i s h C a r d i o v a s c u l a r

S o c i e t y c o n f e r e n c e , f o u n d significant disparities in the management and prognosis of heart failure After an average of 17 months, patients

w i t h h e a r t f a i l u r e w h o belong to ethnic minorities

were shown to have a 36% h i g h e r r i s k o f d y i n g t h a n those who are White

A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e s t u d y demonstrated that the differe n c e w a s l a r g e r a m o n g p a t i e n t s w h o a l s o e x p e r ienced atrial fibrillation, a card i a c r h y t h m i s s u e A f t e r adjusting for variables like age, the researchers found that over the 17-month foll o w - u p p e r i o d , i n d i v i d u a l s from ethnic minorities had a d e a t h r a t e t h a t w a s m o r e than double that of White patients with atrial fibrillation

Newly elected Mayor for Crawley Borough Council

A t the A nnual M eeting of the Full C ouncil, Councillor

S i v a

ja h w as c h o se n to serv e as Mayor

Since 2022, Councillor Sivarajah has been the ward representative for Bewbush and North Broadfield She s t u d i e

Jaffna, Sri Lanka She earned her BTEC HND in Business in 2015

The data from the 12 clinical trials that were included in the analysis also revealed that beta blockers, a medication that is frequently prescribed to treat atrial fibrillation and heart failure, could r e d u c e d e a t h s i n W h i t e patients by 30% but could not

e patients from ethnic minorit i e s T h i s c a n b e b

e there were not enough participants in the analysis who came from ethnic minorities f o r

cernible differences

South Asian Communities

Thevibrant and kaleidoscopic South Asian community in the UK, which includes the lives of individuals hailing from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Afghanistan (to name a few), is a rich mixture of traditions. Amidst the exuberant celebrations such as Diwali and Eid and the comforting embrace of closeknit familial bonds, there lies a less discussed yet profoundly important issuemental health

Within the community, mental health is often cloaked in stigma and ignominy, making it a Herculean task for individuals to speak openly about their struggles This pervasive silence perpetuates untreated mental health issues, creating an insidious cycle of suffering that impacts not just p e o p l e , b u t e n t i r e h o u s e h o l d s

Environmental factors can further be a magnetic force and an overall influence of stress and questionable mental clarity

To better understand mental health as a whole, within the South Asian community residing in the UK, research, according to the South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF), illuminates that approximately 1 in 4 South Asians in the UK will experience a mental health disorder at some juncture in their lives Further exacerbating the issue, South Asian women report higher levels of psychological distress compared to their male counterparts Cultural norms o f t e n p l a c e a d d i t i o n a l p r e s s u r e s o n women, who are expected to fulfil multiple roles as caregivers, homemakers, and prof e s s i o n a l s T h e u n

these expectations can lead to heightened anxiety A commendable study by Masood et al (2009) underscores that South Asians in the UK face significant disparities in the prevalence and treatment of severe mental health disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder South Asian communities are at a heightened risk for these conditions, yet they are less likely to receive appropriate care The issue becomes worse when these same groups are exposed to p o o r e r e n v i r o n m e n t a l f a c t o r s , s u c h a s toxic fumes from living near manufacturing factories and being surrounded by traffic congestion, negatively gifting the population with over-the-top noise pollution In England, those which do not have access to fresh air, or green spaces, are far more likely to be on a wobbly playing field regarding mental health Moreover, living in areas with high crime rates, poverty, and limited resources can be burdensome Moreover, South Asian cultures in the UK, despite their environment, place an exalted value on collectivism, kin cohesion, and social harmony While these values foster robust support networks, they can also create an environment where individual mental health needs are overshadowed by the overarching needs of the group The relentless pressure to maintain family honour and avoid shame can make it arduous for individuals to seek help This is particularly true for women, who may feel compelled to uphold an image of resilience and self-sacrifice

In a similar light, language can be a formidable barrier to accessing mental health services Many South Asians in the U K , p a r t i c u l a r l y o l d e r g e n e r a t i o n s

recent immigrants, have limited proficiency in English, particularly in environmentally-lonesome or rural locations where there is not as much diaspora This can make it challenging to communicate their needs to healthcare providers, comprehend treatment options, and adhere to prescribed therapies Mental health terminology may not even exist in some South Asian languages, making it a Sisyphean task to describe their experiences accurately

As mental health services in the UK are often not tailored to the specific cultural needs of South Asians, this can lead to feelings of isolation and mistrust towards healthcare providers For instance, tradi-

and personal autonomy, may clash with the collectivist values of South Asian cultures Without culturally sensitive care, many South Asians may feel that their

and hierarchy plays a significant role within this as well - those who live fall into a lower-class socioeconomic background for example, may be less likely to pay for counselling or external services, while unfortunately, the majority of the time, these are

rougher environmental conditions Cases include blocks of flats where mould (which has scientifically been shown to increase lung problems) is prevalent, or tight spaces where there is emphasised crowding, or l

,

parks In short, there are lower living costs but weaker naturally-occurring environmental provisions, leading to worse mental health

From a social standpoint, integrating t r a

enhance the efficacy of care For example, mindfulness and meditation, which have roots in South Asian cultures, can be incorporated into therapeutic practices These approaches can help bridge the chasm between traditional beliefs and contemporary mental health care

Advocating for policies as a whole that

minorities is crucial as well This includes

and research on the mental health needs of South Asian communities Policymakers should be encouraged to prioritise mental health and to create inclusive healthcare systems Not only this, but incorporating mental health education into school curriculums can help normalise the conversation from a young age Schools can provide a safe environment for children and adolescents to learn about mental health, develop coping skills, and seek help if needed The Environmental Silence: Addressing Mental Health

Junior doctors' pre-election strikes criticised

J uni or doc tors h ave b een

c r i ti c i s e d f or e m pl oy i n g "highly cy nical" tac tics by sc heduling a five-day strike in the week before the general election

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) are set to strike from 7 am on June 27 until 7 am on July 2, leading to the cancellation of tens of thousands of appointments ahead of the July 4 polling day

The strike is expected to bring NHS pay and condi-

tions to the forefront of the e l e c t i o n c a m p a i g

announcement came as Sir Keir Starmer was outlining Labour s strategy to reduce NHS waiting lists during a campaign event

R

h i S u n a

c i s e d the junior doctors' union for their timing, suggesting political motivation due to their strike aligning with a Labour Party health event Meanwhile, Labour leader K

engage with junior doctors

Rishi Sunak

Councillor Sivarajah

Mental Health: ‘Cinderella’ service of the NHS

Shefali Saxena

The count of patients lingering in N HS mental health units in England, despite being medically fit for discharge, has surged to i ts hi ghest level i n at leas t ei ght years I n March, "delayed dis charges" hit 49 ,677 days, surpassing fi gures from any month s ince January 2016, when N HS Digital began reporting

According to The Guardian, these discharges climbed from under 17,000 in July 2020, a postpandemic low Reasons range from care home placement delays to insufficiently supported housing The issue, notably prominent at Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust, along with East London NHS Foundation Trust, not only prolongs patient stays unnecessarily but also strains hospital resources

An NH S spokesperson told As ian Voic e, “While services are being expanded and transformed thanks to £2 3bn NHS Long Term Plan funding, there is no doubt mental health services are under significant pressure with community crisis services seeing a 30% increase in referrals since before the pandemic, and delays in discharging patients who are clinically ready to leave hospital to places such as social care are affecting how quickly patients can access beds

“We work closely with colleagues in social care and local government to tackle factors affecting delays, such as housing and care home placements, and our commitment that funding for mental health services will grow faster than the overall NHS budget means we can continue to improve access to transform services, building on the progress made to date which includes seeing one million more patients a year for mental health conditions ”

Emeri tus Profess or of M en tal H ealth and Cultural Diversity at the I nstitute of Ps ychi atry, Psychology and N euros cience at King's College London, Professor D inesh Bhugra told us, “The reasons for delay in discharge are many Often patients may not have adequate support at home and overstretched services may not be able to offer proper nursing social support or social care after discharge Secondly, in many cases, families too need support which may be lacking Thirdly often there are limited or no facilities to offer patients day care or day centre support

Fourthly discharge depends upon the availability of aftercare whether offered by primary care or secondary care and both are under tremendous pressure The care is often provided in silos and not in an interconnected manner There are often no halfway houses where patients can stay for short periods to learn to manage their illnesses and symptoms and gain skills for occupation Over the past few decades, the number of psychiatric beds has been dramatically reduced so the pressure on beds and staff is truly enormous

“Services need to look at the delivery of care from several perspectives: crisis homes, halfway houses, hostels, day centres, and day hospitals which can often obviate the need for admission but also can provide a stepwise discharge from increased dependency to independent living Social care needs to be funded appropriately Local council budgets have been slashed by up to 40% in the last 14 years so there are fewer opportunities available to look after patients well NHS is running on the goodwill of the staff who go beyond the call of duty and staff are exhausted and demoralised with rates of burnout tremendously high These all need a carefully coordinated approach to ensure that inpatient services are not working in silos ”

suffering patients, resources are stretched and staff demoralised from not being able to provide the high standard they expect to provide, and patients expect from them

“So while bed numbers have reduced drastically over three decades, in England alone from 67,122 in 1987/88 to 18,171 in 2019/20, the disinvestment from inpatient services has not translated into more funding for community and social care

“Let me put the current mental health crisis into some context Around 3 58 million people were in contact with services at some point during 2022/23, just over 6% of the population The result of this is that mental health crisis teams (that generally manage the riskier patients) and community mental health teams are currently saturated with demand and they cannot often take on patients waiting in hospital beds to go home They are busy firefighting, and managing the risks of those in the community having a breakdown or being suicidal, so inpatients will be less of a priority because they are in a ‘safe place’ ”

Dr Bamrah added, “The solutions are equally complex, and as we have emphasised in a recent BMJ article on the future of the NHS The NHS founding principles are still appropriate today and provide a strong foundation for the future |

Indian Women’s Hockey Team's England tour celebrated by diaspora

T h e I nd i an Wo m en ’ s Hockey Team, led by Salim a Tete, participated in a diaspo ra celebration organized by the High C omm ission o f I nd i a i n L o nd o n p ri o r to their upcom ing m atch for the FIH Pro L eague over the weekend

Similar to the accolades bestowed upon the Indian M e n ’ s H o c k e y T e a m l a s t year, the women s team was welcomed with the iconic

anthem ‘Chak De India’ as a t t e n d e e s a p p l a u d e d t h e i r numerous accomplishments showcased during the event Indian High Commissioner t o t h e U K , V i k r a m Doraiswami, highlighted the diverse backgrounds of each team member, emphasizing their inspiring journeys of p e r s e v e r a n c e a n d s u c c e s s , reflecting the limitless possibilities in India

D o r a i s w a m i e x p r e s s e d

admiration for the players' dedication, acknowledging t h e i r i m p a c t o n I n d i a n h o c k e y a n d t h e n a t i o n

scored, every match played, and every training session a

H i g h C o m m

r extended his support to the team, praising their role in transforming Indian hockey

Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK, Sujit Ghosh, some team members and coach Harendra Singh

Speaking to the newsweekly, Dr JS Bamrah, Royal College of Psychiatrists - Consultant Psychiatrist said, “Mental health services have long been the ‘Cinderella’ service of the NHS, so that despite the increasing demand, soaring waiting lists, and the misery of

The BMJ, an incoming new government must declare it a national health and care emergency to relaunch the NHS involving all parts of society, such is the graveness of the situation we are facing In my over 40 years of service in the NHS, I have never seen so many different services in a state of distress at the same time Mental health has fared worse than other services because there has been no slack in the system We need a government that will commit resources to adequate and well-skilled staffing levels, adequate beds, an investment in housing and community services, and support to NHS partners in specialised units, local authorities and the voluntary sectors

There is no simple solution, but we should start at a point of making that declaration of an emergency to acknowledge that the new government is serious about tackling waiting lists and reducing the burden of mental illness on families, society and statutory services ”

Dinesh Bhugra

Dr JS Bamrah

Vikram Doraiswami addressing the players

The Indian Women s Hockey Team outside the India House

Labour Party shows determination to strengthen bilateral relationship with India and place FTA on fast track

British Indian businesses were hailed as the ‘living bridge’ between Britain and India

J o n a t h a n R e y n o l d s , Shadow Secretary of State

f o r B u s i n e s s a n d T r a d e ,

L a b / C o - O p C a n d i d a t e f o r Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley, Longdendale & Dukinfield

s a i d , “ T h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between India and the UK is

v e r y i m p o r t a n t , w e w i l l inherit the talks around the trade deal We think there is a huge potential in the trade deal and we want to see it succeed It's going to be a

g o o d d e a l t h r o u g h t h e Labour Party India is very important to us, the first trade foreign trip I took as a

S h a d o w S e c r e t a r y f o r

Business and Trade was to I n d i a O

t i o n s h i p w i t h I n d i a i s incredibly strong and meaningful for every part of the UK

“We have a practical and tangible way for the single market Our plans are ready

t o l a u n c h a c u t t i n g - e d g e trade and investment strate-

g y f o r i n c r e a s i n g U K exports, securing imports, and growing investment, to maximise the UK’s competitive advantage, growth and

p r o d u c t i v i t y , b o o s t i n g employment We will deliver a Net Zero Investment

P l a n t o s e c u r e t h e U K ’ s standing as a world leader in

g r e e n g r o w t h , f o s t e r i n g investment opportunities so

f i r m s w a n t t o i n v e s t a n d grow in the UK Success can create jobs, provide greater energy security and efficien-

c y , l o w e r e n e r g y c o s t s , increase tax receipts, fund

p u b l i c s e r v i c e s a n d h e l p avert a climate emergency

We will unlock the power of

U K r e g i o n s f o r a l i g n i n g industrial and trade strategy with the transformative role of UK Mayors, via a new industry-partnered Mayoral Economic Compact launching on 17 July 2024

”

H e f u r t h e r a d d e d ,

“When we say change, we mean it We can deliver the change and we are serious about it because we have changed ourselves ” S e e m a M a l h o t r a ,

Shadow Minister for Skills and Labour and Co-operative candidate for Feltham & H e s t o n s a i d , “ W e a l l know it's time for change

When you look at the damage the Tories have done to our country, the way living standards have fallen, the way infrastructure is tumbling, the long wait for the NHS, Schools are tumbling along with the challenge of price rise and poverty; you know the things are going wrong This election is one o f h o p e , a n d c h a n g e I t

recognises that there is a choice to select- continued

chaos of Tory or the change with the Labour Party

“We strongly believe in w o r k i n g i n p a r t n e r s h i p with businesses So much investment in our country has been held back because

t h e g o v e r n m

n

p p e d governing Decisions were no longer made No industrial strategy, no plan for g r o w t h N o w t h e r e i s a chance to rebuild Britain

“ T h a t ’ s w h y K e i r h a s decided to tackle barriers into opportunities as one of our five missions of the government Building a skilled nation is not going to happen without a plan for longterm dealing We are working with our communities

o n h o w w e a r e g o i n g t o m e e t t h e n e e d s o f t h e future and create opportunities for all We are going to reform the apprenticeship level to give flexibility needed to businesses We will work with the industry extremely closely to make sure that we have the qualifications and opportunities we need We will strengthen the crucial relationships between our education syst e m , b u s i n e s s a n d i n d u st r i e s T h a t i s t h e b i g g e s t area of transformation Our schools and colleges have struggled under the Tories Adult learners are halved, a n d s m a l l a n d m e d i u msized business apprentices dropped by 49% in the last 6 years It’s a record of failure ”

Seema further said, “I

only creating jobs and supporting our economy but they are also part of that living bridge between Britain a

our economy We need certainty and continuity We assure you that we won't m a k e c o n s t a n t c h a n g e s , which makes it very difficult for financial services and businesses to invest in o u r c o u n t r y O n

absolute ambition for transition to Net Zero We are not able to do that if we are n

We want to have a global standard for AI in financial services We want investors from India to come here ”

economy in the world Our

through our diaspora comm

S

S

a d o w Economic Secretary to the Treasury, and Labour candidate for Hampstead and Highgate said, “I conducted a financial services review to work on how we unlock the potential of the financial services sector to grow our economy After 14 years of decline, it is very necessary now We will use our financial services to grow

Primesh Patel, Krish Raval OBE, Chair Labour Indians

Nagaraju, Deirdre Costigan, V

entrepreneurs Bharat

, S a

Patel and Oshwal community members were some of the key guests invited to the reception

Rohit Vadhwana

changes as per seasons Fall, Winter, S pring, Su mmer or Monsoon - based on which season you are experiencing, natu re will sho w its ch aracteristics Just like the env ironment surrounding you, life will also have seasons L ife is not constant alw ays, there are chang es, ups and downs, w hich you m ay or may not like, but are inevitable parts of life

No one lives a life of happiness forever, and all times An individual has to go through some kind of suffering and grinding to experience the value of joy

Everyone learns lessons through hard times, an essential way of nature to teach us wisdom The gold doesn't glitter without being melted in fire We do not get our shine unless taken through a rough phase of life The seed has to be buried underground to emerge as a sapling

Many times we complain about the adversities coming in our life, but do not realise that without standing in rain and sun, a plant cannot bear fruits We too have to withstand hard sun and heavy rains in life, metaphorically, to bear fruits Unless you sustain the heat and cold of the seasons, life doesn't move to the next phase Avoiding any of the seasons in life simply means denying the benefit coming after that

No season is permanent in nature, or in life

Actually nothing is permanent in the universe Your sorrow and pain are temporary like winter There will be happiness and joy coming with the blossoms of the spring Trees will grow green again and the sky will be clear in life too Similarly, in good times too, do not forget that the next season will come when time is ready

So no one always lives in spring, amidst beautiful flowers, but have to undergo the frosting snow and barrenness of fall

Those who can understand this cycle of seasons in life, and accept all the seasons with magnanimity, can live life without being affected by them They accept p

drained away with the seasonality Living in harmony and peace requires us to accept the seasons of life, as them come, and in whatever order they show up

Homage to Mysore Vasudevachar

An ev ent o f C lassical music was org anised by KBC Arts on Sunday, the 19th o f M ay, at th e A uditorium of Mahalaksh mi temp le, Londo n, to celebrate the life and w orks of Pad ma Bhushan M ysore Vasudevachar (1865-1961 ), th e 20th century mu sician/comp oser who wrote about 200 comp ositions mostly in Telu gu and S anskrit Most of his compo sitions were in praise of L ord Rama This is the 15th event by KBC Arts which holds musical events with a focus on a specific

poet/Composer (The previous being Homages to Annamacharya, Ramdasa, M S Subbulakshmi, Balamuralikrishna, Narayana Theertha, Purandaradasa, Papanasam Sivan, Swati Tirunal, Oothukadu Kavi, Subramania Bharati, Meerabai, Balajim Bhaje Hum, Tulsidas/Ramdas/Surdas and Muthiah Bhagavatar)

The event was inaugurated with Lighting of the lamp by Ms Jayashree Varadarajan and had a medley of songs/dances on

Vasudevachar’s compositions, interspersed with informative pieces about his life’s journey narrated by the anchor Mahathi Srinath

In all 15 items were

presented by 50 artists The performers were accompanied on the Mridangam by a well-known professional Vijeyerajah Mylvaganam Mrs Geetha Kaza, who conceptualised the event, thanked the performers, the team members and the audience Photographs and videos were by Councillor Aaditya Kaza (Kaza Clicks)

Compensation fund levy triples after Axiom Ince issue

Law firms and solicitors will face a significant increase in contribu tio ns to th e comp ensatio n fu nd next year, w i th t h e S o l i ci to r s Reg ulation Au tho ri ty aimin g to ad dres s th e def ic it re su l ti ng fr o m h i g h

interv entions

d Metamorph, among others

The SRA had previously cautioned that solicitors would bear the financial burden to cover such expenses While ruling out a one-time levy t h r e a t , t h e r e g u l a t o r announced that annual contributions will need to be raised starting from October 2024

In 2023, the compensation fund incurred a loss of £29 1 million due to escalating costs from interventions following the collapses of A x i o m I n c e

tions, typically covered by firms, will rise from £30 to £90, while the firm levy will i

£2,220 This fee applies to all firms holding client funds and remains fixed regardless of the firm's size

The SRA highlights that t

remain consistent with the 2018/19 levels Although the

£1,680 during that period, the reduction in firm numbers since then has resulted

tices

For the first time, the SRA has secured a potential b

large-scale

tions in the upcoming year

CB Patel, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar with Seema Malhotra MP and Nilesh Shah

Seema Malhotra, Shadow Minister for Skills and Labour speaking at the reception

Jonathan Reynolds, Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade, addressing the guests

CB Patel, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar with Sam Patel and parliamentary candidate Rajesh Agrawal

Evolving acceptance of LGBTQ+ in South Asian community

The acc epta nce of queer people wi thin the South A sian comm unity i n the U K has s een signi fic ant e volution over the years

Historically, traditional cultural values and religious beliefs have often posed challenges to full acceptance and understanding, leading to a complex environment for LGBTQ+ individuals

Many have faced stigmatisation and pressure to conform to heteronormative expectations, resulting in a need for secrecy and suppression of their identities

Project lead of The Open Minds of Project, Kulji t emphasised that in South Asian cultures, family and community play a central role in cultural life He said, “Many LGBTQ+ individuals worry that revealing their identities to their families might lead to exclusion from these vital social circles The relative invisibility of LGBTQ+ people in South Asian cultures exacerbates this issue, making it challenging for LGBTQ+ individuals in the UK to feel fully accepted as both LGBTQ+ and South Asian ”

“People of South Asian heritage in the UK have diverse migration histories and opportunities for integration, so it's important not to overgeneralise their LGBTQ+ experiences

While some find acceptance and integration, their stories are often unheard Sexual and gender diversity has always existed in South Asian cultures and

Dear readers

e invite our subscribe W anniversary on May 5th, 2 be , Gujarat

recognising these differences enriches our experiences and strengthens our communities We need more allies within South Asian communities and better representation in arts and cultural spaces to foster positive change”, he added

Founder of ‘Finding A Voice’, Khakan Qures hi B EM highlighted that the attitude depending upon the LGBTQ+ individuals vary from family to locality, in the UK He said, “Some people tolerate us, whilst others accept us for who we are But there are factions which want to ignore us or think we are a hindrance to the cycle of procreation Within some sectors of the Muslim community, we are constantly perceived as being haram (forbidden) and a number of LGBTIQ+ individuals including myself, have received death threats and online abuse

However, I find that some Hindus and Sikh people have a better threshold, and seem to carry a “let them live and let live” attitude Whilst this may seem controversial to many, the South Asian community still has a long way to go to acknowledge

and accept that South Asian LGBTIQ+ individuals exist ”

Additionally, advocacy groups and support networks have emerged, offering safe spaces for queer South Asians to connect, share their experiences, and find solidarity Khakan said, “Many South Asian LGBTIQ+ individuals and organisations tirelessly educate the wider community on acceptance and advocate for the Equality Act and UK laws to promote understanding and inclusion Social support groups like the GIN network, Sarbat LGBT+ Sikhs, British Asian LGBTI, and my group, Finding A Voice, use recreational activities to foster change informally Structured efforts by The Naz and Matt Foundation, Imaan LGBTIQ, and Hidayah involve campaigns, workshops, conferences, and events Influential figures like Laks Mann, Asifa Lahore, and DJ Ritu also contribute through creative means, sparking discussion and socio-political change Together, we strive to bring positive changes within the South Asian community ”

Gareth Thomas, Labour and Co-op Parliamentary candidate for Harrow West launched his General Election campaign

and Co-op Parliamen tary

West

aun ched his Gen eral Elec tion campaign which was atte nd ed by a l arg e numb er of residents, busin

Gareth was first elected in May 1 997 as a Memb er of

West

grew up here, have always lived here and it’s where I’m raising my young family Under the last Labour government, you could see a GP when you needed to, NHS waiting lists were at their shortest and satisfaction ratings at their highest Sadly, and despite the incredible hard work and d e d i c a t i o n o f o u r N H S staff, waiting lists are now s t a n d i n g a t a n a l l - t i m e high This must change “We also need a return

t o c o m m u n i t y p o l i c i n g

More police on our streets

a n d a d e d i c a t e d T o w n

C e n t r e P o l i c e T e a m f o r

Harrow I will continue to

t a k e a k e e n i n t e r e s t i n

i n t e r n a t i o n a l i s s u e s a n d the relationship between

the UK and India I have pushed the Home Office

o n v i s a c o n c e r n s , c a mpaigned on the teaching of South Asian languages and will continue to support efforts to boost trade with India ” N a v i n S h a h C B E , C h a i r o f H a r r o w W e s t

Labour Party, longstandi n g f o r m e

A s s e m b l y M e m b e r a n d

Assembly Chair attended the launch

proud to have Gareth as my local MP for the last 27 y e a r s H

s f o r

h

o c a l c

n i t y a n d businesses and he’s a true champion of local issues O n e o f H a r r o w ’ s k e y s t r e n g t h s i s i t s d i v e r s e c o m m u n i t y G a r e t h h a s played a big part in engaging with all communities and promoting harmony ”

Kuljit

Khakan Qureshi

Gareth Thomas and Navin Shah

Out About & Upcoming show

This weekend's Out & About features a fireside chat with 'Daaji', the Global Guide of Heartfulness, as he participates in a panel discussion at both the House of Lords and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India UK Chapter

Don’t miss to watch the show, only on Zee tv, Sunday 09 June 2024 @ 6 pm

Sky 707 Virgin 809

Last week on 'Soneri Sangat,' we delved into the personal and collective journeys of migration The speakers included Dr Jagdish Dave, Kusumben Popat, Dhiru Gadhvi, Jyotsna Shah, Kokila Patel, Devi Parekh, and CB himself Each speaker shared a unique and inspiring story Despite their v a r i e d e x p e r i e n c e s a n d n a r r a

emerged: they all made Britain their home and established roots here

Read the full report in Gujarat Samachar this week on pg 21 Fo r th ose wh o mis sed it, catch up o n this event and previo us episo des by vis iting our Yo uTube ch annel @abpl gro up877 2 Stay tuned f or more exc iting content c oming yo ur way!

Is India a proud secular nation?

The pre-independence era was a nostalgic period in the lives of most Indians, especially those who were directly involved in freedom fight while studying In England They formed a hub of like-minded people, the so called freedom fighters, as practically one third of the globe was ruled by Britain, directly or indirectly, as the situation may demand

These freedom-fighters were by no means hucksters, far from it They were sophisticated, intellectual and men and women of principle whose burning desire to free their motherland from the clutches of the British imperialism

Names that readily spring to my mind are that of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian nation and “The Person” of the 2 0 t h C e n t u r y O

Rabindranath Tagore, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Subash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Bipin Chandra Pal, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and intellectual persons like Rajendra Prasad, Doctor Zakir Hussain and many more, not forgetting one and only Sardar Valabhi Patel whose hundred feet tall statue proudly stands on the bank of the river, providing education and entertainment to millions of visitors from all over the world He was the true freedom fighter, not Gandhi and Nehru, the weak link in the chain of liberation army that did not served India well

One prominent name that normally fronts such a list I have omitted is that of Rani of Jhansi After studying her life, I came to conclusion that whatever she did, fought the British was for her own selfish interest, as without a heir to the throne, her small kingdom was being taken over by the Raj and most of her leading army personal were hired mercenaries, recruits from outside India, mainly from Central Asia But she did command her army and fought bravely, giving British a though time on the battlefield as well as on the diplomacy front They did not like being defeated or outsmart by a woman who fought like a devil

Fortunately in present Indian Premier Narendra Modi, India has discovered another jewel in the Crown, the modern version of Sardar Patel who will take India to a new height on international stage at the right time, the only world leader who commands respect from both world leaders, eighty one year old US president Joe Biden and seventy one year Russian President Putin who both are in regular contact with Indian PM Modi It is rumoured that it was the diplomacy of Modi that prevented direct confrontation between US and Russia over Ukraine

Let us hope India will keep on giving the world leaders that can serve humanity and keep peace, as an all-out war is unthinkable, that could send us back to stone-age Bh upendra M Gandhi

Modi’s long arm

In last week’s Asian Voice (29 May 2024) Subir Sinha, Director of the SOAS South Asia Institute made some remarks about political behaviour and voting patterns among South Asians In three places in the interview, he cites the Modi-Hindutva factor as influential for Hindu voting patterns in past and coming elections, suggesting that the Tories would use this factor to leverage votes for them

Sinha is among a number of academics in Britain who happen to think that the voting behaviour of Hindus in Britain is somehow linked to the Modi-Hindutva factor It is significant that he does not cite any figures or show how the Modi-Hindutva factor could possibly have any bearing on how Hindus in Britain vote I would attribute this explanation to the fact that the academics in question, Sinha included, have a demonstrable hatred for Hindutva and Modi combined with an irrational view of Hindus Indeed, for them, the Modi-Hindutva factor acts as some kind of meta-explanation controlling Hindus by remote no matter what the evidence throws up

The position has consequences beyond election analysis and concerns the safety and security of Hindus in Britain A stark instance is how the Leicester unrest of September 2022 has been pinned on the alleged loyalty of Hindus to Modi and Hindutva This explanation became

September 2022 It was cited by the mayor of Leicester and the Leicester East MP and propelled worldwide through the media It was cited by the University of Leicester academic whom the mayor appointed to chair the inquiry, before he turned out to be a 9/11 conspiracy theorist and the inquiry got cancelled

although that has not prevented academics from repeatedly citing it as the cause of the unrest, thereby pinning the blame on the local Hindus If anything, this proffered explanation has acted as a blood libel to justify violence against Hindus

There is a plausible argument that the Hindu youth were demonstrating that night because of prior repeated attacks on them by Muslims, the continuous stream of blood libels on social media asserting Hindus were perpetrating attacks on Muslims, and the partiality of local police who appeared not to be interested in investigating complaints made by Hindus The city authorities also seem complicit Just weeks after the unrest, the city council adopted the toxic definition of Islamophobia, again showing the authority’s partiality towards one group of residents

Sinha is part of an allegedly independent commission to inquire into what happened in in Leicester that September SOAS receives funding for that inquiry from George and Alexander Soros’ Open Society Foundations, which have a record of funding anti-Modi-Hindutva propaganda, including by financially supporting a network of universities that includes Sinha’s SOAS It would not be surprising if the same Modi-Hindutva explanation is going to resurface in the SOAS-Soros report, and if they supress the key story of violence, intimidation and cleansing of Hindus from areas of Leicester that Muslims consider to be “theirs” Might this be a reason why a Muslim organisation such as 5 Pillars has declared support for the SOAS-Soros inquiry?

One hopes at least that the official review begun by Michael Gove and chaired by Lord Ian Austin, the deadline for which has been extended until the end of July 2024, will come up with a more substantial explanation for the unrest It certainly isn’t the Modi-Hindutva factor

Dr Prakash S hah

Re ader in Culture and Law, Quee n Ma ry , Uni versity of London

The Sir chaos

How would Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer fare as British prime minister? Not very well, in my opinion He would be expected to make snap decisions on a barrage of urgent matters popping up around the clock Starmer already has a reputation for taking ages to decide anything and then quickly changes his mind As prime minister, with this confused “ yes, no ” approach, he would be swamped and unable to function Sir Keir would soon be dubbed Sir Chaos

K A P I L’ S K H I C H A D I

Hat-Trick for Modi

4th June 2 024, PM Modi continues to makehi story by scori ng a hat-tric k of election vi ctories

Of course for those of us who know India, who know PM Modi, and who have followed the massive transformation of India over the past 10 years,we knew that when it comes to electing their government the people of Bharat would choose PM Modi again

The lunatics on the leftacross the world used every tactic to undermine PM Modi Western lobby groups, vested interest groups, even nations and their leadership spent millions of dollars to feed their proxies in India to undermine the nation Their objective was simple, to ensure India remained an enslaved nation And to do that, it had to stop PM Modi at any cost They failed spectacularly, again

Let’s not forget that the Labour Party under the leadership of Ed Miliband, Jeremy Corbyn and now even Keir Starmer has done everything to undermine India, and the Indic community They led the way to stop Modi ji by campaigning for a visa ban, they are in bed with Pakistani sponsored extremists who support PoJK, they caress the madness of Khalistanis, they appoint Labour MPs to positions of power who openly express anti-India and even anti-Hindu sentiments And guess what, with PM Modi winning his third successive term it’s going to make the Labour front bench a very uncomfortable place to sit

So let’s consider the hat-trick In 2019 I wrote and gave seven points that I felt the BJP government should focus on amongst other competing priorities These were:

1 Making the availability of clean water to every citizen the prime policy

2 Revoking Article 370 and Article 35A immediately There can only ever be one law under which all citizens are governed

3 Defence of the nation with latest technology

4 Continue with infrastructure development

5 Education: It’s time significant capacity is built in Higher Education that is on par with some of the best universities in the world

6 Expedite the conclusion of all outstanding cases of corruption

7 National Health Scheme to be embedded and made the rock for the nation

I am pleased to inform you that PM Modi has made massive strides on all of these and has achieved some of them in their totality In my view some of these will rightly continue to be the focus during his third term

In addition to this, and of course the day-to-day task of running a nation, of improving the quality of living, better employment prospects, reducing poverty, infrastructure projects, transportation, utilities, safety and security, etc, I feel during the third term PM Modi should accelerate restorative justice by:

a Looking at all leading Hindu (Indic) sites that have been destroyed and used to build structures that promote the enslavement of Bharat

b Free all Hindu Mandirs from the grip of government entities, ensuring that systems and structures are in place to protect the assets of all mandirs for the welfare of Hindus

c Immediately revoke the Waqf Act and bring back ownership of every asset stolenback to the nation

d Enforce UCC in every state, by mandatory national law

e Make the Rupee fully convertible as soon as financial structures make it possible

f Amend the constitution to reflect more accurately the aspirations of Bharat

g Introduce the true history of Bharat in the National Curriculum that is mandatory for all state and private schools

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 Anusha at anusha.singh@abplgroup.com

Life is about to become very testing for all the antiIndiaforces, both domestic and international The past ten years have shown what can be achieved if there is leadership, vision and a strong belief in the people of Bharat This partnership between people and PM Modi is unique We have not seen anything like this in the past, and dare I say, it may be a while before we see it again with anyother future leader So a simple message to the people of Bharat, make the most of this unique man, it’s not everyday a nation is blessed with such a leader

In 2019 I signed off my article with this quote:

In the words of Swami Vivekananda ji: “Every nation has a message to deliver, a mission to fulfil, a destiny to reach The mission of India has been to guide humanity”

Let’s add to that, the words of PM Modi ji:

"We must redefine our heritage in a modern way while embracing ancient values in a modern context"

Kapil Dudakia

Soneri Sangat

“I hope to encourage and inspire more women and minorities to engage in politics”

Anusha Singh

Coun cillor Prerna Bhardwaj was un anim ously e lec ted as Mayor of the Ge rrards Cross Town C ounc il for the civi c year 2 024-2 025

Councillor Bhardwaj's election marks a historic moment as she becomes the first female Mayor of the town She is also the first Indian-origin person to hold the position Her professional background and dedication to community service position her to make significant contributions to Gerrards Cross during her tenure Born in Essex, the Councillor brings extensive experience to the Council, having worked in finance and media in the City of London and internationally Now residing in Gerrards Cross with her young family, she is known for her passion for the local community and her commitment to giving back

Speaking to Asian Voice, she discusses her historic appointment, her vision for the community and other details

Can you tell us about your journey from Essex to becoming the Mayor of Gerrards Cross? What inspired you to enter local politics?

Growing up, my parents campaigned hard to get a licence to run a local radio station and it was only when they wrote to their MP and had his support, they were successful in getting the licence and now have Nusound Radio 92FM

This experience stayed with me and made me realise that being in politics, you have the immense potential to make a positive change to people’s lives be it at a local or national level

When I was 16 years old, I was also fortunate enough to shadow Baroness Flather in the House of Lords and was really inspired by the amount of work she carried out to help others, particularly women and children in developing countries and rural areas

After that experience, I was determined to try and live my life where I would be able to help others and follow in the Baroness’s footsteps I joined the Conservative Party when I was 16 and became an active member of the Ilford South Conservative Association where I grew up I also stood for local elections in Ilford when I was 21

whilst studying for my law degree at university and thoroughly enjoyed speaking to people on the campaign trail I was called to the Bar and then went on to work for UBS and Goldman Sachs however felt that I wanted to follow my passion for politics I was elected as a Gerrards Cross Town Councillor in a by-election on the 7th December 2023 and was voted in as Mayor on the 20th May I enjoy local politics as you can make a difference and relate to people at a grass root level and help shape change to help with everyday life

Whatare your top priorities for Gerrards Cross during your tenure and what are some of the immediate challenges you see the community facing? How do you plan to involve and engage with the residents in your decisions and policies?

My top priorities are to make Gerrards Cross clean, safe and engage more with our younger residents and women We have several schools in the area and a large population of young families as well as the elderly I am keen to reach out to all segments of residents to help them raise their political voice and campaign for issues that are most important to them The immediate challenges the community face are potholes, speeding, parking issues and litter Whilst some of these issues falls under the Buckinghamshire Council remit, I am keen to work alongside our Buckinghamshire Councillors together with our Gerrards Cross Town Councillors to make a difference The residents are welcome to attend all our Council meetings and have a dedicated allotted time to speak at the beginning of each meeting I am keen to revamp our website and social media so that meeting dates are better publicised as well as all

the work we do

Howdoes it feel to be the first female Mayor of the town? You also represent a minority within a minority as a South Asian woman. How will you ensure that the concerns and voices of the minorities within the community are heard?

It is a great privilege and honour to be the first female Mayor of Gerrards Cross as well as the first Mayor of Indian origin I hope I can use this role to encourage and inspire more women and minorities to engage in politics and be more politically active Anyone is free to email me: prerna bhardwaj@gerrards cross gov uk and I would be happy to speak to them about their concerns As mentioned above we hold regular town council meetings and I would welcome them to attend our meetings and speak to me or write in a letter/email which will be read out at our meeting under the “Correspondence” section of the agenda

Balancing professional responsibilities and family life can be challenging How do you manage your various commitments?

It can be challenging being a mother of two small children, but I am fortunate to have a very supportive husband and family who all help me keep my professional commitments I like to be productive and manage my time efficiently when I do have childcare so that I am able to spend quality time with my children and family the rest of the time What role do you see for young people in the development of Gerrards Cross, and how do you plan to involve them in local governance?

Young people shape the future and it would be good to galvanise their opinions of how we can better the town We have great schools in the area and I would like to speak to children to try and encourage them to join politics and activate their political voice

One bead at a time

Geetali s journey was one of u ne xp e ct ed tu r ns and d e li g h tf u l

f ir st , I w a s

d e ep i n numbers, crunching fig ures as a Finance Manager, " she rem inisced to A sian Voice "But th en life to ok a turn wh en I decided to dedicate myself to raising m y children And th at's when my passion for jewellery design beg an to sparkle " What began as a simple pastime of crafting bracelets for her pleasure soon blossomed into something more

d her heart and soul into each delicate piece she created, infusing it with a personalized touch that spoke volumes to her growing clientele

As word spread of her talent, custom orders began to pour in, each a testament

to her artistry But Geetali was not one to rest on her laurels She saw every piece as an opportunity to learn and grow, continually pushing the boundaries of her craft

Today, her workshop is

with the hum of tools and

bounds From delicate glass charm rings to intricate wall

Geetali can't create with her skilled hands

Tata Steel - union battle intensifies

union

ing

Por t Talbot plan t in south Wa

ed Unite has threatened to

following Tata's warning of potential cuts to redundancy pay amid the dispute Tata previously informed workers of its intention to reduce r

a n upcoming voluntary redund

Unite's announcement of an

overtime ban and work-torule starting from June 18

steel producer, plans to shut

n g blast furnaces at Port Talbot this year and replace them with a greener electric arc furnace, potentially resulti n

Under an agreement with Rishi Sunak’s government, the state will provide a £500 million grant to support the transition

The unions oppose the

job cuts, offering an alternative plan to decarbonise steel production at Port Talbot, keeping the blast furnaces operational until 2032 Tata r e j

against the furnace closures T h e s i t u a t i o n

s f u r t h e r complicated by Sunak's call for a snap election on July 4 While the government has yet to officially finalise its deal with Tata, Labour, leading in the polls, has criticised Sunak's agreement

Mayor Prerna Bhardwaj

Saima Mir continues the saga with ‘Vengeance: The Khan 2’, promises new adventure

Subhasini Naicker

A literary force po ised to captivate read ers o nce again w ith the h ighly anticipated release of the second part of their enthralling novel, " Vengeance: T he Kh an 2 " With the first instalment leaving readers on the edge of their seats, Saima Mir returns to continue the saga, promising an unforgettable journey into the heart of intrigue, adventure, and historical richness As a master storyteller, Saima Mir weaves together a tapestry of vivid characters, sweeping landscapes, and gripping plotlines that will transport readers to a world of unparalleled depth and excitement

In an interview with Asian Voice, Saima Mir spoke about the character evolution in the sequel of The Khan, representation of South Asian culture in the writing and advice for aspiring writers

What inspired you to continue Jia Khan' story in "Vengeance: Th Khan 2"? How has her character evolved since the first book?

In the second instalment of "The Khan," a striking evolution takes place, marked by a shift from raw anger to a deeper exploration of vengean and justice As the narrative unfolds side b side with the first book readers will notice a transformation in the protagonist's character While the initial instalment brimmed with fury and rage, the sequel delves into the nuanced journey of a woman seeking retribution for the injustices she has faced This evolution is not merely about seeking revenge; it embodies a profound understanding of the need for change The narrative expands to include more female perspectives, offering insight into what a world shaped by women's perspectives and actions would entail Through this lens, the story explores themes of empowerment, justice, and the desire for meaningful transformation The power struggle and quest for justice are central to the plot. Can you give us a glimpse into the new conflicts and challenges Jia faces in this instalment?

within a predominantly male-dominated world

This realisation sparked a desire to bring more female characters into the narrative The narrative delves into the complexities that arise when Jiah finds herself in a position of power amidst a patriarchal society, juxtaposed with the stagnant circumstances faced by the women in her community The sequel

encounter When I tell stories, the characters and narrative often take on a life of their own, reflecting my experiences and perspectives However, I'm mindful that I can't fully capture the diversity of my culture or the spectrum of women s experiences as a single storyteller While I primarily write crime fiction, I strive to include diverse characters to add depth and richness to the narrative

I aimed to capture the essence of being an Asian woman through my writing, portraying the strength, intelligence, and resilience that I see in the women around me While acknowledging the challenges we face, I also wanted to celebrate the beauty and richness of our culture the humour, the ditions, the sense of erhood, and the deep pect for family and ers My goal was to sent these aspects in a mmercially appealing y, rather than in a rely intellectual course I wanted to pict British Asian omen engaging in the me dynamic and ultifaceted activities as haracters like Michael orleone from "The odfather " Writing in his style was mmensely enjoyable, llowing me to explore hese themes in a fun nd engaging manner

g , including Henry Paxton and Meera Shah, adding depth to the conflicts faced by the characters I hope readers will find the continuation of Jiah's journey engaging and enjoyable I certainly did

One surprising aspect for me was the reception of Sakina, initially a side character in "The Khan " While I hadn't envisioned her as a central figure, many British Asian women resonated with her character This prompted me to delve deeper into her story, exploring the impact of opportunities, support, and mentorship on women's journeys Reader feedback played a significant role in shaping this exploration

Upon completing "The Khan," I found myself drawn back to its pages for a second read Reflecting on its publication, I realised that despite Jiah Khan's strength and resilience as a woman, she still navigates

How important is it for you to represent your culture in your writing, and what challenges have you faced in doing so?

As a British-Pakistani writer, my cultural background naturally influences my writing it shapes the things I love, the familiar aspects of life, and the frustrations I

The story behind "Brotherless Night"

Anusha Singh

V V Ganeshananthan is an author and form er vice p resid ent o f the South Asian Journalists Association

She has served on the board of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and currently holds board positions with the American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies and the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop

Her book, "Brotherless Night," was recently shortlisted for the 2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction Set during the early years of Sri Lanka’s three-decade civil war, the novel offers a heartrending portrait of one woman's moral journey, highlighting both the enduring impact of war and the bonds of home

In a recent interview with Asian Voice, Ganeshananthan discussed her book, its central character, and the impact she hopes her work will have

Whatdo you hope readers take away "Vengeance: The Khan 2"? Is there a particular message or feeling you want to leave them with?

Here's the advice I'd offer to my younger self and to aspiring writers: Write freely without inhibition, allowing your story to flow without interruption Don t pause to critique or revise as you go just focus on capturing the essence of your narrative as it resonates with you Once you've completed your first draft, set it aside for a while before revisiting it Take the time to identify and appreciate the passages that shine with your unique voice and style

Then, after a few weeks, return to your draft with fresh eyes, ready to dive into the editing process Remember, every writer faces doubts about their work, especially in the early stages Embrace the imperfection of your initial draft, knowing that refinement will come with time and revision Trust in your process and allow your story to evolve naturally

Can you share with u s the inspiration behind Broth erless Nig ht and what drew you to explore the themes of w ar and m oral am big uity?

Brotherless Night traces history that runs parallel to the earliest years of my own life I grew up hearing stories about the war The impact of that is reflected in the book and other stories that I didn't initially hear and learned later are also reflected in the book I came to know a number of people who were in Jaffna during this time, and I was interested to hear from them what it was like to endure that period, particularly as Tamil civilians I was interested in hearing from women, students, political dissidents, and people whose stories had been somewhat less represented in the histories of this period

Ho w did you d ev elop Sashi s character and h er relationship w ith her homeland? What ch alleng es did you face in po rtraying her ev olution?

Sashi arose from my desire to portray a hunger strike that was in some

respect for her They understand her to be deeply intelligent

ways adjacent to one that took place at the Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna, Sri Lanka in 1987 In searching for a point of view from which to tell that story, I ended up inventing a young woman a medical student who was observing the hunger strike: Sashi She gave me a lot of opportunities to learn things that I was interested in, including medicine and the particular challenges of getting an education under these circumstances C an you elaborate on th e role of fem inism , shap ing S ashi's journey, and the broad er themes of the book?

Most of my work is in some way feminist This is very much part of my worldview, so on some level, it's hard for me to think about conscious decisions I might have made this is my subconscious at work Even at the very beginning of the book, we know that Sashi is the granddaughter of someone who provided reproductive health care to women in Colombo, and she wants to follow in his footsteps So to some extent, she's coming from a lineage of men who care about women This is not always the version of masculinity that we see portrayed in Asian narratives, but it's one that is pretty familiar to me I wanted to represent in Sashi's life how she feels both dutiful to the men in her life in a way that we might recognise as coming from patriarchy, but also that they support and have

Some of my most powerful interactions with my own students and teachers have also been shaped by feminism and its role in making us think of ways that we can support one another, and so that educational theme also emerges in the book Sashi participates in a feminist book club That space for women to talk through ideas with each other is a space that has been important to me, and I thought it was a space that would be interesting to depict for her Through interviewing people about that time period, I came to understand that such a space that did exist then and was vital for some of the people navigating these politics in the 1980s

What d o you h ope readers w ill ultimately take away from Broth erless Nigh t, and w hat messag e wou ld you like to impart to those w ho embark on Sashi's jo urney?

This question is very generous and also broad Readers fall along a huge spectrum There are, of course, readers who are connected to Sri Lanka in some way and have some awareness of the history, and there are other readers who are Sri Lankan and don't know all the history There are readers who are not Sri Lankan and know the history, and there are readers who are not Sri Lankan and don't know the history Those are four very loose groups, most likely better represented along a spectrum I am primarily writing to and for people of Sri Lankan heritage, but I'm also interested in interrogating the question of who is expected to explain a history like this Who is expected to do the work of figuring out what that history actually is? Who thinks that they're owed an explanation? Who are the listeners and who are the tellers of the story here? Throughout the book, Sashi addresses the audience directly, and asks those questions She asks who the audience is, who are her listeners, and what is she assuming about them Is she perhaps wrong?

That's part of the structure or the way that the book is written she's talking to you, really Beyond that, I will leave readers to take away what they will from Brotherless Night, because now that it is out of my hands, it is up to them It's been a great privilege to hear from people who have read the book They've shared exciting and surprising and thoughtful interpretations, and it has been wonderfully gratifying to have people enter Sashi’s world so wholeheartedly

Saima Mir

V V Ganeshananthan

Empowering diversity

Sanchita Basu’s impact on children's literature

Subhasini Naicker

Sanchita Basu De Sarkar, the owner of The Children’s Bookshop, had an unexpected journey At 22, university had dampened her joy of reading, so she turned to children's books to heal and find joy again What she thought would be a temporary stop before a career in publishing became a deep love for the world of book selling and its community

W h e n t h e p r e v i o u s o w n e r ,

Kate Agnew, decided to sell the shop, she encouraged Sanchita to

t a k e o v e r T h o u g h h e s

n t a t first, Sanchita took a leap of faith and became the owner Recently,

t h e b o o k s h o p w o n p

e s f o r Children’s Bookseller of the Year and Best Book Retailer of the Year at the British Book Awards

In an interview with Asian Voice, Sanchita discusses her heritage influencing the curation of books, growth in the number of South Asian writers, promoting and supporting South Asian writers and books, and much more

Asa British-Indian, how has your heritage influenced the curation of books and the overall atmosphere of your bookshop?

We have always been a wonderfully inclusive bookshop, and this commitment has endured for decades I believe that this inclusivity sets us apart Since taking over, I have been especially conscious of fostering these values, ensuring we have ongoing conversations about the importance of inclusive books where children can see themselves represented We emphasise the importance of a u t h e n t i c r e p r e s e n t

n g beyond broad labels like "Indian "

Our advocacy for inclusivity has made our bookshop a supportive hub for South Asian writers and illustrators We maintain

w a r m r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h n e wcomers and established figures,

r e f l e c t i n g t h e d i v e r s i t y o f o

c o m m u n i t

e

I

s

w o n d e r f u l network, and I do a lot to support i t , i n c l u d i n g o r g a n i s i n g s c h o o l events and promoting their work in the right areas where their books will be truly appreciated We strive to create a sense of community, making these creators feel like they belong to a s u p p o r t i v e n e t w o r k , b e c a u s e there still aren't that many of us

This is also why I want to host a

festival in a few months It can be quite isolating to be one of only a few people in a room There have been some brilliant books published in recent years, and I want us all to come together to harness that energy, celebrate each other's achievements, and discuss what more needs to be done But mainly, I want us to recognise and uplift each other, acknowledging the great work everyone is doing in this space

Inrecent years, have you observed the growth in the number of South Asian authors writing children's books? If so, what do you think has contributed to this increase?

When I first joined the bookshop, there was hardly any representation in the books available There were maybe one or two high-quality books published in the UK that I felt confident recommending to people This lack of representation used to make me feel quite depressed We work

c l o s e l y w i t h a n o r g a n i s a t i o n called the CLP, which provides detailed reports on the disparity between the South Asian population of children in the UK and t

The gap in representation was disheartening, signalling a signific a n t i s s u e i n t h e p u b

industry However, in the last few years, there's been a noticeable shift Efforts to address this disparity have led to more books featuring diverse characters While we still have a long way to go, the progress is encouraging, with a growing number of books reflecting diverse experiences and cultures

How has the reception been among children and parents towards books written by South Asian authors? Are you noticing a greater interest in engagement from your young readers?

Children are so open-minded that what they want most is a good story, whether it s funny or c a p t i v a t i n g T h e y ' r e n

v e r l y concerned about the heritage of the characters; if a book is good, they'll read it, walk in someone else's shoes, and have a brilliant e x p e r i e n c e T h e y m i g h t n o t specifically say, "I loved the book because the child was Bengali," but they will have absorbed something meaningful, enriching their u n d e r s t a n d

However, we do find that many

Asian heritage, are very conscious of this aspect They often seek out books that reflect the stories they grew up with For instance, the author Nikita Gill, a popular spoken word poet, recently published

Panchatantra It's been wonderful to finally have a beautifully illustrated book featuring these folktales Many families from India,

delighted to find something they

alongside the Greek myths and fairy tales everyone knows

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges and opportunities currently facing independent bookstores, especially those specialising in children's literature?

We face challenges like business rates, soaring rents, and the cost of living, common to many businesses Yet, the opportunities are vast Working with children,

immense joy as we impact curriculums and witness reluctant

schools and charities enriches our work One memorable experience

w

Ahmed Pathak, of Bangladeshi origin, to a school with a high Bengali population The connections formed between her and the children were magical I often spend entire days in schools, talking to every child and recommending books These exhausting yet rewarding days involve hundreds of meaningful conversations about books Additionally, I

- p l e a s u r e workshops and conferences for t e a c h e r s , i n s p i r i n g t h e m t o engage their students Working w i t h s c h o o l s i s o n e o f m y favourite aspects of the job

NHS cyber attack disrupts operations and blood transfusions

London h os pitals, inclu ding Guy’s and St Th omas ’ and King’s C oll ege Ho spital Tru sts, are grapp ling with a c yber attack

The attack, which initially targeted hospitals in London, is reportedly having a special effect on transfusion services It is harming the hospital trusts at Guy's, St Thomas', and King's College Employees are being compelled to abruptly transfer patients to different hospitals or postpone important surgeries

It is believed that the hack was directed at the NHS pathology labs' IT system Synnovis

plant procedures have reportedly had to be cancelled at the Royal

Evelina London Children's Hospital also being impacted

In addition to hospital services, the affected GP practices are located

Southwark, and Lambeth

College Hospital in London said that the cyberattack, which is said to have impacted multiple NHS trusts in the city, had an impact on the hospital

Tik Tok unsafe for women?

Shefali Saxena

Ove r half of the UK's 12 to 1 5-ye arolds have faced som e form of bullying, in cluding cy be rbully ing ov er t h e la st y e a r R e se a r ch b y t h e

N a t i o n a l C e n t r e fo r S o ci a l

Rese arch found t hat 4 7% of young people rep orte d bein g bullied at the a ge of 14 The Me t website say s tha t ha rassme nt r equire s a cle ar course of conduct , in volv in g two or more relat ed occurre nces causing alarm or distr ess A single communication may constitut e a malicious communicat ion if it's indece nt , offen siv e, obsce ne, or thre atenin g when se nt t o someon e Matilda Khan, a London-born d e n t i s t , h a s f a c e d c y b e r b u l l y i n g and is now urging action against t h e a l l e g e d a b u s e o f M u s l i m women on TikTok Speaking to A s i a n V o i c e , K h a n i n s i s t e d t h a t despite reassurances from police f o r c e s , t h i s i s s u e p e r s i s t s a n d demands urgent attention S h e e m p h a s i s e d t h e i m p o rtance of representation and acceptance of immigrants in combating s u c h a b u s e A c c o r d i n g t o h e r , “Police forces are working alongside TikTok to establish the serio u s n e s s o f t h e s e c r i m e s ” H e r efforts highlight the critical need for TikTok and law enforcement to t a k e s e r i o u s a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h i s a l a r m i n g t r e n d a n d e n s u r e t h e safety of vulnerable communities online

Khan’s own experience of being a cyberbullying victim made her d e t e r m i n e d t o h e l p o t h e r s S h e points out that TikTok has become a platform for exerting power and oppression, where cyber hate takes many forms, from abusive material to cyberstalking and harassment “Despite the platform's community guidelines, it's nearly impossible to get hold of TikTok’s customer service, making it difficult for victims to report their abuse and get help,”

Matilda told the newsweekly

K h a n a l s o b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e number of Asian representatives in UK political parties shows the need f o r g r e a t e r s u p p o r t a n d a c t i o n a g a i n s t o n l

worked tirelessly to bring attention to the issue She collaborated with Asian Express for a story last year, but little has changed She believes that with more media coverage and public pressure

Matilda said, “The Parliament can compel TikTok to strengthen

address the abuse ” She underscored that sexual exploitation, character assassination, and bullying against Muslim women are daily occurrences on TikTok ” The platform's misuse leads to real-world violence and

seen in cases where victims have committed suicide due to relent-

claimed

She calls for immediate action f

forces, and TikTok She insists that reporting cyberbullying is crucial for investigations to proceed and for perpetrators to be brought to justice Her campaign is a plea for safety, dignity, and justice for all women, particularly those from

online abuse

Her message is clear, “TikTok must act upon reports swiftly and cooperate with law enforcement to stop the horrific abuse happening daily ” She urges the community to

dents, assuring that the police will act on the intelligence provided She aims to create a safer and more inclusive digital space for every-

Monika Plaha from the BBC and insists victims need to report the abuse to police She believes the police are committed to investigating the issue thoroughly L a s t y e a r ,

c t o b e r 2 0 2

, Asian Express uncovered TikTok's

women and minorities in the UK Khan had condemned the plat-

ment trends

c h e d o u t t o TikTok UK for an official statement but they told us that they need to understand the details of the victim’s experience on the platform and would like to get more details of such account handles and any screenshots of the hateful b e h a v i o u r , c y b e r b u l l y i n g , o r exploitation that the victim has experienced to investigate properl y a n d r e m o v e a n y v i d e o s , accounts, or comments that viol a t e T i k T o k ’ s C o m m u n i t y Guidelines

Both MetPolice and NPCC did not comment on this matter when approached by the newsweekly

Rowling questions Labour’s women’s rights stance

The Health Service Journal (HSJ) claims that the system has been the target of a ransomware attack, citing many high-level sources There are rumours that hospitals' emergency and urgent care departments would suffer since they might not have access to fast blood test results

' C l i n i c a l l y u r g e n t ' o r d e r s f o r critical tests, like blood tests and swabs, should only be placed by physicians, according to an email distributed to Guy's and St Thomas' employees According to another, b l o o d w i l l o n l y b

o v i d e d i n "urgent" situations with "critical" needs

JK R o w li n g h a s c om e t o t h e d e fe n ce o f K e mi Ba d e n oc h a n d cr iticise d the La bour part y for what she per ceive s a s "compla ce ncy a nd in d if fe r e n ce " t o wa r d s w o m e n ' s right s The renowned author, known for her advocacy on transgender issues, acknowledged that she and B a d e n o c h , t h e M i n i s t e r f o r Women and Equalities, may not see eye to eye on many matters In response to criticisms directed at Badenoch following recent interviews, Rowling questioned the frequency with which male politicians are labelled as "spiteful " B a d e n o c h h a d u n v e i l e d t h e Conservative Party's commitment to amending the Equality Act to define sex based on biological characteristics Despite this, she faced online criticism, being described as a "spiteful, toxic political personal-

ity" by a commentator Rowling shared her thoughts on the matter, highlighting the disparity in how m

judged She questioned whether Badenoch s demeanor was being unfairly scrutinised for not conforming to traditional expectations of "womanly sweetness, kindness, and deference " I

Alistair Campbell, a former Labour s

that Badenoch also holds the position of Minister for Women and Equalities She thanked Campbell for shedding light on what she perceives as Labour's lack of attention a n d c o n c e r n t o w a r d s w o m e n ' s rights, which she views as a reflection of their indifference towards a s

torate

Sanchita Basu De Sarkar (in the middle) with Lauren Laverne and Rhys Stephenson

AI and technology in modern world

A dv ancem ents in artificial intelligence are cont i nu o u sl y sh a p i ng th e future of various indu stri es, p layi ng a p iv o tal role in technolog ies such as big data, robotics, and th e Internet o f Th ing s ( Io T) The emerg ence of g enerative A I has further broad ened the ho rizons and ap peal of A I

As per a 2023 survey by IBM, 42% of larges c a l e b u s i n e s s e s h a v e a l r e a d y i n t e g r a t e d A I i n t o t h e

with an additional 40% contemplating its adoption Moreover, 38% of o r g a n i s a t i o n s h a v e incorporated generative AI into their workflows, while 42% are exploring the possibility of doing so

W i t h t h e s e r a p i d changes unfolding, the evolving landscape of AI has significant implications for diverse indus-

t r i e s a n d s o c i e t y a s a w h o l e , a f f e c t i n g l i v e l i -

h o o d s a n d d e m o c r a t i c process

Here, Deepika Singh, C E O a n d C h i e f C y b e r Officer at Deepcytes, an

A I - E n a b l e d C y b e r

I n t e l l i g e n c e c o m p a n y

d i s c u s s e s t h e e f f e c t o f technology in the modern world

How far have we come with technology and AI, and how do they affect the world around us today?

Currently, the world is experiencing both the benefits and challenges of generative technologies After the dot-com boom, the next significant technological shift was expected with the r i s e o f t h e m e t a v e r s e

However, the metaverse d i d n o t a c h i e v e t h e anticipated hype or valuations for various comp a n i e s N o n e t h e l e s s , i t provided an alternative reality, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, by globally connect-

i n g p e o p l e U n f o r t u n a t e l y , i t a l s o opened new avenues for fraud, with technologi-

c a l c r i m e s c a u s i n g a n estimated $8 trillion in losses equivalent to the w o r l d ' s t h i r d - l a r g e s t economy, after the US and China This figure includes not only financial losses but also reputational and operational damages

In terms of commun i c a t i o n s , v e r i f y i n g a p e r s o n ' s i d e n t i t y h a s become increasingly dif-

f i c u l t F o r i n s t a n c e , d e e p f a k e s c a n m i m i c faces with startling accur a c y T h i s g e n e r a t i v e

t e c h n o l o g y c a n m a p your face and recognise y o u f r o m c h i l d h o o d photos to adulthood by analysing facial vectors

Despite the potential for misuse, such as identity theft and cyberbullying,

t e c h n o l o g y a l s o o f f e r s n o b l e a p p l i c a t i o n s l i k e

d r o n e d e l i v e r i e s o f medicines and vaccines during Covid, highlighting the need for vigilant and responsible use

Given that AI and technology come with both pros and cons, how do you think they will influence the election process, especially in this year when many countries globally are choosing new leaders?

There are two main roles that AI and technology play in the elec-

t i o n p r o c e s s : p r e - e l e ction preparation and the v o t i n g p r o c e s s i t s e l f When it comes to pree l e c t i o n p r e p a r a t i o n , there are various scandals where targeted ads were used to profile voters and influence their opinions, leveraging cogn i t i v e b i a s e s M i x i n g psychology, philosophy, a n

method exploits the pred

behaviour based on personality traits This has led to a rise in partisan p o l i t i c

teenagers are now familiar with terms like left-

,

l media chatter plays a significant role However,

t e c h n o l o g

i s e s concerns about data privacy Profiling individuals based on their online activity can lead to invasive targeting, with limited data privacy regulations currently in place With the actual voting process, traditional ballot systems lack a digital trail, meaning that paper ballots can be easily destroyed or tampered

w i t h I n t r o d u c i n g a blockchain-based system could ensure that each vote is securely encrypted and immutable This would prevent tampering and ensure that votes are recorded accurately without targeting indi-

v

, gender, or preferences

can aid in understanding

used social media senti-

ment analysis to create their manifestos, reflecting the public's concerns

a

e accurately While social media can be a powerful tool for governments to understand and respond to their citizens, it must be used responsibly to

a v o i d p r o f i l i n g a n d manipulation

IsAI really a threat to the workforce and can go after livelihoods as feared by governments and individuals?

The AI lobby much like the Bitcoin lobby

c o m p r i s e s c o m p a n i e s and individuals who tout their AI as superior and c a p a b l e o f r e p l a c i n g human jobs, eliminating human errors Based on my experience leading a team of 36 members who have analysed over 1,500 AI tools, I can confidently say that AI is not yet close to human intelligence The jobs at risk

a r e p r i m a r i l y r o u t i n e , robotic tasks AI current-

l y l a c k s t h e a b i l i t y t o think creatively, a vital human trait While AI can serve as a valuable tool to enhance productivity like the horizontal moving walkways in airports that speed up o u r j o u r n e y w i t h o u t much effort it cannot replace human creativity

a n d c o m p l e x d e c i s i o nmaking For those unfamiliar with AI, there is a risk of being deceived by

t e c h n o l o g i e s s u c h a s deep fakes and sophisticated filters, which have b e e n m i s u s e d i n c r e a singly Unfortunately, as t e c h n o l o g y b e c o m e s more diverse, attributing t h e s e a c t i o n s b e c o m e s increasingly difficult

AI misinformation can affect elections

T he C E O o f I TN h as h i gh l i gh te d c

c e rn s that Bri tish news networks may s truggle to promptly addres s dan-

d mi sinformation on the day of the general election R a c h e l C o r p , w h o has been engaging with t h e g o v e r n m e

applicable only on election

The AI Frontier: Balancing Democracy and Policy Implementation and Ethical Constraints

Balance Innovation and Integrity - How AI is Transforming Democratic Governance and Policymaking

Dr Param Shah, Director – UK, FICCI

The adve nt of Art ificial In tellige nce (AI) has int roduced sign ificant cha nge s a cr oss va rious se ct ors, fun dame nt ally a lte ring how socie tie s oper at e In d emocrat ic fra mework s it s in teg rat ion pre se nts bot h oppor tunit ie s a nd challe nge s which must be ca refully conside red in policy for mula tion a nd e thics

A I's role in De mocr acy

Egality and participation are cornerstones of democratic societies Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support these ideals through improved access to information, streamlining of public services and data-driven decision-making AI systems can use digital governance platforms like e-residency or voting to increase democratic participation and transparency, while providing seamless accessibility for citizens

AI-powered platforms offer citizens better tools to engage in democratic processes These platforms can be used by governments to gather opinions about legislative issues These platforms encourage a more informed and engaged public by incorporating the opinions of citizens into policymaking

C hallen ges & R isk s AI integration into democratic systems poses challenges and risks

The potential for bias is a major concern Biased data can lead to biased outcomes and undermine democratic principles like equal treatment

Transparency is another major concern with AI decision-making Transparency is a key factor in accountability, but AI systems that use complex machine-learning techniques can be difficult for auditors or members of the public to examine Lack of transparency can lead to mistrust and make it difficult for people to understand how decisions are made, which is against democratic governance principles

Policie s t o con side r in an AI W orld

In order to address these challenges, policymakers need to strike a balance between leveraging AI s potential and mitigating the risks Transparency, accountability, and inclusivity are key to a successful AI policy Policymakers should ensure AI systems are thoroughly evaluated for biases prior to being put into operation

Inclusion in policymaking refers to the inclusion of diverse stakeholders, including technical experts, ethicists, and sociologists as well as representatives from marginalized groups and minority groups Inclusion in policy making helps to ensure that AI technology serves all segments of society, rather than just those who have access to it

Reco mmend ations to Lead ing Nations

In 2024, 64 countries, including major democracies such as the UK, USA, and India, will hold their general elections This is a unique opportunity for these nations to establish an ethical and effective AI model in governance

The UK should strengthen the

AI regulatory framework by requiring greater transparency in algorithmic design, especially for high-stakes fields such as criminal justice and education Public engagement initiatives, which educate citizens about AI and engage them in the decisionmaking process must be given priority

India needs to prioritise AI that is equitable and inclusive, in order for it to close its digital divide By introducing robust data protection laws, and by making AI accessible to all members of society, we can avoid further exacerbating inequalities

To promote responsible AI technology in public service, the U S needs to establish transparent AI governance frameworks and audit AI systems extensively used for delivery of public service A national AI ethical board made up of diverse stakeholders could also ensure that AI technology is in line with democratic values and the public interest

Ethical C onsid erations

Ethics is crucial to the integration of AI into democratic systems Ethics in AI means respecting human right and ensuring AI systems do not harm individuals or community This requires adhering principles like fairness, transparency, and accountability

Ethics in AI means that the well-being of all citizens is a priority The policymakers must carefully consider AI’s potential social effects, such as job loss or privacy concerns, and take proactive steps to mitigate these

Conclusion

This evolving intersection of democracy, AI, and policymaking, as well as ethics, is a complex and wide-ranging issue AI has the potential to enhance democratic processes and improve public services However, it also poses challenges that require thoughtful policy responses When considering AI applications, policymakers should prioritize transparency, inclusivity, and ethical considerations to ensure that it helps create more equitable societies We will need to continue to dialogue and work together across sectors to navigate this new frontier

* * *

Disclaimer: The views expressed herein constitute the sole prerogative of the author They neither imply nor suggest the orientation, views, current thinking, or position of FICCI FICCI is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by the author

Dr Param Shah

Anusha Singh

Ameet

Jogia is a British Indian politician in the UK An active Conservative Party member, Ameet joined the Party on his 16th birthday and has remained involved ever since

He was first elected as a Local Councillor in Harrow in 2014 and reelected in 2018 He also ran for Parliament in Brent North during the 2017 General Election In May 2014, Ameet became a Councillor in the London Borough of Harrow, receiving the highest number of votes of any candidate in the borough Currently the youngest Councillor in Harrow, Ameet has also served in the Shadow Cabinet, holding the position of Cabinet Member for Culture and Community

As he now campaigns as the Conservative candidate from Hendon for the 2024 elections, Ameet shares with Asian Voice, his vision and priorities for the constituency, representing diverse voices and the work of Conservative Party

You have a diverse background as a Downing Street adviser, a local councillor, and an aide to Lord Popat. How have these roles prepared you for the position of MP for Hendon?

I have worked in politics for over 15 years and I have loved every moment I have had the opportunity to work in a range of environments but the one thing that has been consistent has been my connection to Hendon I was born in Edgware and grew up around the constituency My experience in Westminster and my love for my home town means that I have the skills to be able to represent local people and give back to the area that has given so much to me over the years

Whatare your top three policy priorities for the Hendon constituency if you are elected as an MP?

I am against Labour's plans to introduce a 20% tax on private schools This would disproportionately impact the British Indian and Jewish community which is incredibly unfair Parents will not be able to absorb the costs and this will in turn increase strain on state schools I believe we should be encouraging aspiration I'm also committed to reducing crime, especially after the horrific news of a mother in Burnt Oak Finally, I'm in favour of supporting developments that are in keeping with the area, and opposing those which are not, such as the plans to build tower blocks over the Broadwalk centre in Edgware

Asyou step into the role previously held by Matthew Offord, you inherit both his achievements and challenges What are some of the key initiatives or policies he championed that you plan to continue, and what changes do you intend to bring to the table?

It is an honour to take over for Matthew Offord and all of the fantastic work he has done for Hendon over the last 14 years He has supported the Jewish community in the area, and this is something that I want to continue to do I am proud to stand by a Government who has shown unequivocal support for Israel and the Jewish community I want to ensure that Jewish people feel safe in Hendon in an increasingly hostile environment

As an individual of South Asian descent who can relate to the lived experiences of the minority communities, how do you plan to uplift their voices and ensure their concerns are addressed?

I will continue to work with community leaders to

ensure that minority voices are protected and amplified Over the last few months I have visited a number of communal institutions in Hendon that do remarkable and selfless work, caring for the most vulnerable members of minority communities I hope to continue to support these organisations in the future in Parliament as the work they do is vital There are large Indian and Jewish communities in Hendon who I hope to continue to support

Whatis your stance on the current immigration policies, which remains a hot topic in national politics?

The Government has reduced boat crossings by 36% and if re-elected they will continue to take bold actions as more needs to be done Starmer has said that if elected he will stop the Rwanda scheme even when it is working This would make the UK a magnet for illegal immigration in Europe Labour’s immigration policy would mean an extra 250,000 migrants coming to Britain which would increase strain on our public services

Asa leader within the Conservative Party, what do you believe are the party's greatest strengths and opportunities in the current political landscape?

One of the greatest strengths of the Conservative party is that as the incumbent, it is the party of stability By sticking with the Conservative plan, Rishi Sunak will continue to make progress for the good of the country Inflation is down from 11 1% to 2 3%, the lowest since 2021 Our economy is growing and the country is back on its feet With a Conservative government, I will be able to act quickly and effectively in Parliament to give the people of Hendon what they need and deserve

Election analysis

Domestic focus and foreign policy gaps

Anusha Singh

Prof Anand Menon holds the position of Director at UK in a Changing Europe and serves as a Professor specialising in European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London. An expert on EU politics and policy and on UK-EU relations, he discusses the upcoming UK elections in an interview with Asian Voice

Amidst heavy discussions about NHS overhaul, pension plans, and other domestic issues, no one is discussing foreign relations. Why is it so and what happens on that front?

I think when it comes to big foreign policy issues, apart from on the EU, the Labour and Conservative parties are in the same place One of the reasons why you're not hearing much about specific foreign policy is what s the point in talking about stuff that everyone agrees on The other thing is both parties, in slightly different ways, have stressed insecurity in this campaign The Conservatives have promised to raise defence spending to two and a half percent of GDP by 2030 without actually telling us how they'll pay for it The Labour Party, on the other hand, have pledged to raise defence spending to two and a half per GDP when economic conditions allow, which is basically meaningless So they are talking a little bit about it, but it s not going to be a key part of any election, partly because the two parties agree and partly because you don't win or lose general elections on foreign policy in this country, the public aren't that interested

There’s been a lot of discussion about withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights What’s your opinion on this? Is it a wise decision to withdraw from the convention?

the right-wing faction of the party If the UK were to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, it would cause significant complications

Beyond the potential reputational damage being the only European state apart from Russia to withdraw there are practical difficulties to consider The European Convention on Human Rights is integral to the Good Friday Agreement, which ended the conflict in Northern Ireland, and is specifically referenced in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the European Union Withdrawing from the court could cast doubt on both of these agreements So, while it may seem like an appealing slogan, the reality is far more complex

Given that Rishi Sunak took over as Prime Minister during a very complicated situation, how would you describe his tenure so far? Has his short time in office demonstrated that he is a credible candidate for re-election?

It’s true that Rishi Sunak didn't inherit a particularly good situation

There are two main things we can credit him for: first, rebuilding economic stability after the crisis of Liz Truss, and second, normalising relations with the European Union by signing the Windsor Framework However, he s a rather peculiar Prime Minister because he lacks political instinct For instance, he made errors like cancelling a train line to Manchester during the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester He's not a particularly good orator and often appears thin-skinned, becoming bad-tempered with interviewers who challenge him He doesn't seem to have the requisite skills to be a prime minister, especially the ability to tell a compelling story about the future Interestingly, many of these same criticisms can be made of Keir Starmer Perhaps they're fortunate to be running against each other, as neither seems to inspire much enthusiasm

damaged their brand These issues aren't related to Rishi Sunak's heritage, but they present significant challenges for any politician Encouragingly, there was little comment about his South Asian background when he became Prime Minister While a small number might have an issue, it's very minor

RegardingSunak's open pride in his Hindu heritage, do you think this will positively influence his support among South Asian communities, or could it have other implications?

It appeals to socially conservative voters because themes of family and God resonate regardless of specific religion The Conservatives are targeting the Indian Hindu community, which has traditionally supported Labour due to its stance on race and immigration, despite Labour's social liberalism clashing with many Indians' social conservatism Since 2019, Labour has alienated many Indian voters, especially after Jeremy Corbyn’s resolution on independent Kashmir, which was unpopular with Indian Hindus The Conservative Party has placed more Indians in senior positions and increased immigration from India, leading to a shift of Hindu Indians towards the Conservatives Although Labour's lead in the polls makes this a minor issue for the current election, it could be significant in the future Labour needs to be cautious about losing ethnic minority voters, as they are also starting to lose Muslim voters due to their stance on Gaza

Caroline Lucas, along with other MPs, penned a letter

indefinite leave to remain applications submitted by foreign nationals residing in the UK on a spouse visa whose British partners have passed away

remain is the status that allows foreign individuals to settle in the UK, grant-

and enabling them to pursue British citizenship

The letter highlighted

afford the £2,885

appli-

partner concession (BPC) Additionally, many grieving foreign spouses have

citizens

There are several aspects to consider regarding the statements Many Conservative politicians are currently not just focusing on the general election but also on positioning themselves for the Conservative leadership election that will follow Taking a strong stance on the European Convention on Human Rights is a strategic move to appeal to

Do you think Britain is currently in a place where it could elect a South Asian or a Prime Minister from the BAME community, regardless of whether it's Rishi Sunak or someone else?

We could elect a South Asian Prime Minister, but I don't think it will be this one The Conservatives have been in power for 14 years, and events like Partygate under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss's mini-budget have severely

If the Labour party wins, how would a Keir Starmer victory impact the UK's relationship with India? Labour has been very clear about wanting a strong UK-India relationship for several reasons, including attracting back Indian Hindu voters Labour will likely strive to maintain a close relationship with Modi to counter rumours of anti-Indian bias, strengthen an important international relationship, and manage tensions with China

Prof Anand Menon

“My

life philosophy focuses on fighting for marginalized communities”

Dr Debojyoti Das is the Green Party candidate for the Kingston and Surbiton constituency in the upcoming elections In an interview with Asian Voice, he shares his alignment with the Green Party s values outlines his priorities if elected, and offers his views on various issues affecting the constituency

Why did you choose the Green Party for your representation? How does the party’s values align with that of yours?

The Green Party vision

s y m b o l i z e s r e a l h o p e a n d change, contrasting the traditional "business as usual" policies I admire Caroline

L u c a s ' s c o u r a g e , h o n e s t y , and dedication, which have led her to serve Brighton Pavilion for 14 years, each

Over the past five years, as the Tories faced policy failures, the Brexit debacle, PM changes, and a growing cost of living crisis, I was drawn to the Green Party's vision on several issues

M y v a l u e s a l i g n w i t h their policies, such as bringing privatized water companies back into public ownership to invest in cleaning up rivers and ending the ineffi-

c i e n c y o f c o m p a n i e s l i k e

T h a m e s W a t e r

Additionally, I support the Green Party’s stance on taxing the ultra-wealthy to cre-

a t e a f a i r e r s o c i e t y T h e party advocates for an equi-

t a b l e a n d g r e e n c o u n t r y with actual plans for a Net

Z e r o f u t u r e , u n l i k e t h e Conservatives and Labour, who have abandoned their 2030 targets

M y l i f e p h i l o s o p h y

f o c u s e s o n f i g h t i n g f o r marginalized communities, anti-austerity measures, and bringing public services into p u b l i c h a n d s , i n c l u d i n g building more social housi n g a n d i n t r o d u c i n g r e n t control The Green Party’s i n n o v a t i v e , p r a c t i c a l , a n d community-focused policies give hope for a sustainable and equitable future

What key issues do you plan to prioritize in your campaign for the upcoming parliamentary election, and how are you reaching out to the constituents to understand their needs and problems? What are some of the issues that have come to light so far?

Majorly, concerns about the cost of higher education are widespread, with many advocating for the end of

t u i t i o n f e e s T h e G r e e n Party is committed to this and has included it as a fully costed item in their manifesto Residents also want e a s i e r a c c e s s t o d o c t o r s ' appointments without the h a s s l e o f f o r m s a n d c a l lbacks This makes reducing reliance on agency workers and ensuring fair wages for doctors and nurses through proper NHS funding essential Voters in Surbiton want

t o p r e s e r v e t h e S e e t h i n g Wells Filter Beds as a natural resource and stop Thames W a t e r f r o m d u m p i n g sewage into the Hogsmill

chalk stream Concerns also extend to Thames Water's plan to extract water from the Thames and replace it with treated sewage, highlighting the need for fixing leaks to increase water supply Apart from these, bus users are unhappy about the reduction in the 57 and 213 bus services, housing affordability and the proliferation of empty shops on local high streets and the loss of inde-

action, improved public

issues that need addressing

NHS is one of the prominent aspects of the upcoming elections How are you going to help your constituencies with their health care needs, if elected?

M e e t i n g h

needs is one of the biggest c h a l l e n g e s f a m i l i e s f a c e today, exacerbated by austerity measures and an agei n g p o p u l a t i o n t h a t demands additional healthcare services, straining our NHS resources The Green Party is committed to fully resourcing the NHS to prevent its collapse, which will require funding that could come from taxing the ultraw e a l t h y A d d i t i o n a l l y , w e can utilize community volunteering and champions to support the NHS

Investing in local NHS

t r u s t s a n d r e d u c i n g s t a f f o u t s o u r c i n g a r e e s s e n t i a l steps We need to provide b e t t e r t r a i n i n g a n d o p e n c l i n i c s o n w e e k e n d s t o a d d r e s s b a c k l o g s E l d e r l y p e o p l e o f t e n s u f f e r f r o m anxiety and depression due to lack of support, financial constraints, and loneliness

E

v i t i e s f o r senior citizens can significantly alleviate these issues

I n o u r b o r o u g h , y o g a classes, Pilates lessons, and g a r b a d a n c e s e s s i o n s a r e h o s t e d b y g r o u p s l i k e Malaap and Kingston Saheli W e a l s o h a v e a s t r o n g Korean Community Centre, reflecting our multicultural community in Kingston and S u r b i t o n U n d e r s t a n d i n g and embracing each other's c u l t u r e s i s c r u c i a l i n

addressing health and mental health issues in the borough I am actively working with the community to promote holistic well-being

How do you differentiate yourself and your policies from those of the incumbent MP, Ed Davey? What strategies do you have in place to engage and mobilise voters, particularly those who may not traditionally support the Green Party?

S i r E d D a v e y , d e s p i t e being the leader of the Lib D

t h a t s u c c

s f u l i n k

n g t h e promises he made when he w

s

e d i n 2 0 1 9 Kingston has seen unprecedented growth in high rise apartments with a squeeze on social housing And the L i b D e m C o u n c i l d e m o lished the Kingfisher Leisure Centre in 2019 with a plan t

2024 But today building work on a new Kingfisher has yet to start leaving residents with only one swimming pool to use I see Ed Davey just playi

mongering card in all their leaflets They are good at p u b l i s

i n g t

e s o f people without clearly outlining what promises they have fulfilled in the past five years And residents have n

Government

Given the current narrative of islamophobia and antisemitism, minorities may not feel safe or supported As part of a minority group, how do you plan to uplift their voices and ensure their concerns are addressed?

We believe in the politics of hope, not fear The Green Party has consistently c

bilateral ceasefire in Gaza since the conflict began We are committed to respecting

social values, which are the essence of a multicultural

firmly against all forms of

racial and gender-based discrimination Our vision and

diversity I

seen as a bane in the UK, but we believe the real issue lies in the underinvestment in public services By providing universal basic income and investing in the NHS and higher education, immigration will no longer be a con-

Universal Basic Income can

rounding immigration and promote a more inclusive society

Pakistani community leaning away from Labour

Th e U nited Kingd om hosts the largest P akistani commu nity in Europe, with over 1 6 m illion British Pakistanis recorded in the 2021 C ensus British Pakistanis represent the second-largest ethnic minority group in the UK and constitute the sec-

among the largest Overseas

, comparable in size to the

UAE

As the UK heads towards the general election, issues like the NHS, cost-of-living crisis, economy and housing crisis are front and centre as factors of contention For the minority communities, a n o t h e r i s s u e t h a t s t a n d s out is the currently increasing stance of islamophobia in the country and political

p a r t i e s a n d t h i s w i l l p l a y m a j o r l y i n t o h o w t h e

Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities vote H

v e r s i t y d

u s s e s t h e needs and concerns of the Pakistani diaspora and how t h

leaning

What do you think is th e Pakistani com munity in th e U K

comes to th e next leader of th e co u n try? Wh a t i ss u es w i th i n t h e c o m m u n it y require urg ent attention?

The Pakistani community in the UK, like everyone else in the country at the m o m e n t i s l o o k i n g f o r a leader who can provide hope and opportunities Things which seemed perfectly reas o n a b l e n o t s o l o n g a g o , being able to see your local GP or being able to get on the property ladder, functioning public services from education to health to transport seem to be at present e x t r a o r d i n a r y u n m e e t a b l e demands Internationally, the issue of the conflict in the Middle East and the call for a ceasefire in Gaza is an important issue for many too And whilst traditionall y , t h e B r i t i s h P a k i s t a n i community has been loyal to the Labour Party, viewing it as the party most hospitable to immigrants and s o c i a l j u s t i c e , t h e L a b o u r Pary’s early stance, not call-

ing for a ceasefire has left many disillusioned Does the po litical stance of d ifferent parties reg ardi ng th

accusations o f Islamoph obia and anti- Sem

Conservatives?

It was clear from the results of the local elections on in May that some in the Muslim community h a d t u

Labour, in large part due to the party’s stance on

alongside the main political parties In that sense, this election will have a significant number of

ers to these Independent candidates What is your opinion on t

immigration stance A clear strategy of the Conservative Party is to try to stave off losing votes to the Reform Party So, it will continue to focus on

tion, which will appeal to those tempted by reform

Abbott to contest Labour seat, declines Lords offer

Diane A bbott has confirmed her intention to run as the

Following a shadow cab-

Starmer stated that Abbott

stand for Labour, retracting previous plans that would have prevented her candidacy Baroness Chakrabarti, a

advised her to take time for reflection amidst the situa-

rised briefings from certain

individuals A

commitment to running for Labour, denying any offers of a seat in the House of Lords Reports emerged sug-

gesting that Abbott, along with other former Labour MPs, had been offered peera

Commons seats and create opportunities for Starmer's a

the Labour Party faced accusations of purging left-wing members during candidate selections When questioned about

Yvette Cooper stated that

appointments, highlighting

norms

British businesses need migrant workers

B u si n e ss g r o up s a n d a prominent union supporting Lab our ha ve advised Sir Keir Star me r that Britain req uire s for eign work ers, coun tering his ple dge to de cre ase immigra tion l evel s Starmer expressed concerns over Britain's overreliance on foreign workers to a d d r e s s s k i l l s h o r t a g e s , labelling migration levels as " s k y - h i g h " H e p r o p o s e d a Labour government's focus on training British workers to fill these gaps, aiming to address criticisms of being soft on migration, particularl y f r o m t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e Party

However, this proposal r e c

n e s s e s , which emphasised the necessity for Labour to present credible plans to enhance the s k i l l s o f B r i t i s h w o r k e r s G a r y S m i t h , h e a d o f t h e GMB union, highlighted the e s s e n t i a l r o l e o f m i g r a n t workers in the economy and c a u t i o n e d a g a i n s t d i v i s i v e migration agendas exploited by the right-wing Matthew Percival of the CBI stressed the importance o f l i n k i n g s k i l

Despite Starmer's pledge

Dr Debojyoti Das

Dr Parveen Akhtar

Diane Abbott

Prabhdeep Singh's promise to Feltham and Heston

Subhasini Naicker

Prabhdeep Singh, a dedicated advocate for social justice, is the prospective parliamentary candidate for Feltham and Heston with the Reform UK party Born in Punjab, India, Prabhdeep has been a British resident since 2003

He served in the British Army’s Royal Army Dental Corps before transitioning to entrepreneurship He also leads the Fight2Survive movement, which aims to bring pressing community issues to Parliament, ensuring that the voices of the underrepresented are heard and addressed

In an interview with Asian Voice, Prabhdeep discussed his reasons for joining Reform UK and outlined his measures to promote social cohesion and inclusivity within the constituency, among other important topics

1)What motivated you to become a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Reform UK in Feltham and Heston?

My motivation to become a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Reform UK in Feltham and Heston stems from a deep-seated commitment to public service and a desire to address the pressing issues facing our community My journey, from serving in the British Army to leading protests against the cost of living crisis and the ULEZ expansion, has shown me firsthand the struggles and aspirations of ordinary people I believe that the traditional political parties have lost touch with the realities of everyday life and that Reform UK offers a fresh, common-sense approach to governance

2)What are the primary areas of emphasis for Reform UK compared to other political parties concerning the economy, healthcare, and other policy domains?

Reform UK is dedicated to implementing practical, effective solutions that prioritise the well-being of all citizens Our focus spans several key areas In the economy, we aim to cut government waste, lower taxes, and make work pay by fostering a business-friendly environment to stimulate growth and ensure financial stability for everyone In healthcare, our comprehensive plan includes increasing

funding for the NHS, reducing bureaucracy, and ensuring timely access to services, with the goal of providing high-quality, accessible healthcare for all For public safety, we will bolster police numbers and equip them with the necessary resources to effectively combat crime, particularly the rise in knife crime In education, we are committed to improving the system by investing in schools, supporting teachers, and ensuring every child receives a quality education Compared to other parties, we emphasise efficiency, accountability, and the urgent need to restore trust in public institutions

3)Considering the persistent issue of antisemitism, what measures will you take to promote social cohesion and inclusivity within the constituency of Feltham and Heston?

Promoting social cohesion and inclusivity is a top priority for me, and I am committed to actively challenging and eradicating all forms of discrimination, including antisemitism To achieve this, I plan to implement several measures First, I will establish regular forums and town hall meetings to encourage open dialogue and understanding among diverse community groups In education, I will support programs that promote diversity, tolerance, and respect from an early age Additionally, I will provide resources and support services for victims of hate crimes and discrimination to ensure they receive the justice and assistance they need I will also collaborate closely with local law enforcement to ensure that hate crimes are promptly investigated and perpetrators are held accountable By fostering an environment of mutual respect and understanding, we can build a more cohesive and inclusive community

4)How do you plan to differentiate yourself from Seema Malhotra, the longstanding Labour MP for Feltham and Heston, and what are your top priorities and strategies for Feltham and Heston?

I plan to differentiate myself from Seema Malhotra by bringing a fresh perspective and a proven track record of proactive activism Unlike the Labour Party,

which has often focused on rhetoric rather than results, I am committed to delivering tangible, impactful change My top priorities for Feltham and Heston include tackling crime by implementing effective strategies to reduce knife crime and ensure public safety, addressing the housing crisis by increasing the availability of affordable housing and reducing homelessness through targeted policies and investment, improving access to quality healthcare services and reducing NHS waiting times, and fighting to lower energy costs and address the broader cost of living crisis To address these issues, I will collaborate with local organisations, law enforcement, and healthcare providers to develop and implement practical solutions that meet the needs of our community

5)What personal qualities or experiences do you believe make you well-suited to represent the people of Feltham and Heston in Parliament?

My background in the British Army has instilled in me a strong sense of discipline, dedication, and resilience Leading protests against the costof-living crisis and ULEZ expansion has shown my commitment to fighting for the rights of the people As a business owner, I understand the challenges faced by local businesses and the importance of a thriving economy I am approachable, empathetic, and deeply committed to serving my community My ability to listen, understand, and act on the concerns of the people of Feltham and Heston makes me well-suited to represent them in Parliament I am driven by a genuine desire to make a positive difference and ensure that every voice in our community is heard and respected

Lib Dems promise free adult personal care

disabl ed individuals at

if they were in government

commitment, coupled with

individuals to remain in their homes

T

financed by reverting the tax cuts granted to major banks by the Conservatives, thereby covering the estimated £2 7 billion cost by 2028-29 While the exact figures a

indicate that the potential expenses associated with this policy may be greater

establishing a Royal College of Care Workers similar to

Nursing and Midwifery

Sir Ed, who has firsthand

disabled son and previously

Mega-poll predicts Tory election wipeout with only 66 seats

The Conser vat ives a re fa cin g a n ele ctora l disaste

poten

t

lly winnin g on ly 66 sea ts in Parliame nt, according to a n ew mega -poll

This would result in a Labour landslide, with Sir Keir Starmer's party securing 476 MPs a majority of 3 0 2 f a c t

i n t a c t i c

l voting B i g n a m e s p o t e n t i a l l y l o s i n g t h e i r s e a

and Defence Secretary Grant

Shapps

However, Rishi Sunak is expected to retain his seat in Richmond, North Yorkshire, a l b e i t w i t h a s i g n i f i c a n t l y reduced majority The poll shows Labour at 46 percent, a substantial 27 points ahead of the Conservatives, who are at just 19 percent

The scale of the Tory defeat would leave the party with just seven more MPs than the Liberal Democrats, who are predicted to win 59 seats, according to a poll by Electoral Calculus and Find

Out Now for GB News Electoral Calculus stated, "Our figures indicate a s u b s t a n t i a l L a b o u r l a n ds l i d e , w i t h K e i r S t a r m e r gaining a majority of over 300 seats at Westminster T h

d have fewer than 100 seats They would be the official opposition, but with only 72 out of 157 opposition MPs " T h i s r e s u l t c o u l d a l s o significantly impact a Tory leadership contest, which is widely expected if the party loses the election

Lyn Brown and John Cryer steps down ahead of election

Tw o ad ditional long-serv ing Labour M Ps in London have rev ealed they w ill retire at the u pcoming g eneral election on July 4 th W e s t H a m M P L y n Brown is the latest among t h

m Westminster This decision f o l l o w

ments by John Cryer, MP for Leyton and Wanstead, and V i r e n d r a S h a r m a , M P f o r Ealing Southall, stating they would not seek reelection in the snap summer election

After 16 years representing her constituency, Mrs Brown described her decision as a "huge wrench," citing the need for new Labour MPs to tackle local issues like homelessness and child

struggles also influenced her choice She emphasised the impact of Tory governance o

address these challenges

Mr Cryer, Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party, a

time with his young children Describing the decision as "extremely difficult,"

caseload in their constituency and the toll of austerity on vulnerable populations

with the erosion of elected

enact change

Akshata Murty participates in Rishi Sunak's campaign trail

Murty,

Prabhdeep Singh

Ed Davey

Lyn Brown John Cryer

R I T I S H A S I A N F A C E S I N U K E L E C T I O N

As the UK prepares for its upcoming general election, a diverse group of British Asian candidates is emerging as key contenders across various constituencies These individuals, representing different political parties, bring unique perspectives and experiences, reflecting the rich multicultural fabric of the nation Here are the lists of British Asian candidates to watch in the upcoming UK general election This is an update for the list included in the last week’s newsweekly

Nigel Farage

reverses decision, joins Reform UK for election

sign ifican

d ecla red his in te ntion to run a s a n M P a n

e R eform par ty for the ne xt five y ea rs T h e f o r m e r U k i p a n d

B r e x i t p a r t y l e a d e r announced his decision to stand in Clacton, Essex, after a change of heart during his time on the campaign trail, stating his commitment to not letting down his supporters Farage will assume

l e a d e r s h i p o f R e f o r m U K from Richard Tice, vowing to serve a full parliamentary term

His announcement not o n l y p o s e s a n i m m e d i a t e challenge to the Tory candi-

d a t e i n C l a c t o n b u t a l s o injects energy into his party's national campaign, potentially dividing the right-wing vote in other constituencies

A d d i t i o n a l l y , i t r a i s e s

c o n c e r n s a b o u t F a r a g e ' s p o t e n t i a l a n t a g o n i s m toward the Tories as they c o n f r o n t a p o s t - e l e c t i o n struggle for the direction of their party

F a r a g e ' s a t t e m p t t o secure victory in Clacton, a constituency that elected a Ukip MP in 2014 and currently holds a Tory majority of 24,702, marks his eighth

e n d e a v o u r t o e n t e r P a r l i a m e n t D e s p i t e s e v

i n s u n d e t e r r e d A d d i t i o n a l l y ,

YouGov's initial MRP constituency projection, preceding Farage s announcement,

s u g g e s t s a p o t e n t i a l l a n ds l i d e v i c t o r y f o

majority of 194 exceeding

even Tony Blair's 179 majority in 1997

T h e p r o j e c t i o n p l a c e s Labour at 422 seats (a gain of 222 from the 2019 election, considering new constituency boundaries), the Tories at 140 (a loss of 232), the Lib Dems at 48 (an increase of 40), and the SNP at 17 (a decrease of 31) One senior

T o r y d e s c r i b

risk

R i s h i S u n a k c a u t i o n e d voters that supporting Nigel Farage in the upcoming election could jeopardise every-

thing they value

He said, "On July 5th, either Keir Starmer or I will be Prime Minister A vote for a n y o n e o t h e r t h a n a C o n s e r v a

Labour victory more likely

"Consider the issues that matter to you If you care a

tion, I’ve already cut boat crossings by a third and have flights ready to Rwanda in July Keir Starmer will cancel these flights, release everyone, and offer an amnesty

"If you care about net zero without imposing extra costs on families, I’m the one

w h o w i l l d e

t h a t Starmer would ban North Sea oil, harming our energy security and raising costs

"And if you want lower

t a x e s , t h a t ’ s m y p r i o r

f

y We’re cutting taxes by £900

g taxes for pensioners with a triple lock plus "

Faiza Shaheen decries 'huge injustice' over Labour candidacy bar

Faiza S hah een says she feels a "h uge injustice has been do ne" after she w as barred f ro m s tan d i ng as L ab o u r cand id ate

The former candidate f o r C h i n g f o r d a n d Woodford Green in northeast London posted a statement on social media after allegedly endorsing a series o f p o s t s t h a t m i n i m i s e d a c c u s a t i o n s o f a n t i -

Semitism She stated, "Last night at 9 pm, via email, I discovered that Labour has revoked my candidacy for C h i n g f o r d & W o o d f o r d Green, less than six weeks before the General Election, after dedicating over four years to winning this seat "

"I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has reached out with their support I believe a significant injustice has been committed, affecting not only me but our entire community

" A t t h i s m o m e n t , I ' m

feeling quite overwhelmed, so I'll take this morning to meet with my campaign and legal teams to determine my next course of action, and of course, to spend some quality time with my baby

"Rest assured, this isn't the end of my journey, and I'll be sharing all the details of my experience publicly very soon

Channel 4 News obtains Faiza Shaheen’s NEC candidacy interview tape

C h a n n e l 4 N e w s h a s

Lib Dem Ayoub Khan resigns to run as independent candidate

City councillor Ayoub Kh an h as r es i g ne d f ro m th e L i ber al De m o c rat s af ter al leg in g th at h e w as informed he could o nly be th ei r M P ca nd i d a te fo r Perry Barr if he agreed to stay silent on Gaza Khan, a barrister, stated that he could not comply with party officials vetting h i s s t a t e m e n t s o

cause as a prerequisite for his candidacy Khan asserted that adhering to such conditions would compromise his integrity and inde-

pendence as a representative of the people

He declared his decision to run as an Independent candidate, confident in his ability to challenge sitting

L a b o u r M P K h a l i d Mahmood, who holds a significant majority of 15,317 v o t e s W h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g his position as an Aston city c o u n c i l l o r a s a n I n d e p e n d e n t , K h a n expressed appreciation for

t h e s u p p o r

party members

Khan explained that he could not reconcile remaini

Democrats while advocating vigorously for an imme-

diate ceasefire and an end t

which he viewed as a crucial h u

stituents Earlier this year, Khan faced criticism for a TikTok video in which he questioned the credibility of certain Israeli accounts detailing the Hamas massacre of October 7 Despite claiming he was m

curiosity, his remarks led to c

political adversaries

obtained an exclusive audio recording of Faiza Shaheen's c a n d i d a c y i n t e r v i e w w

t h t h e N a t i o n a l E x e c u t i v e Committee, held just hours before she was informed she could not run as a Labour candidate

T h e r e c o r d i n g s h e d s light on the events leading t o t h e r e j e c

n o f t h e C h i n g f o r d a n d W o o d f o r d Green prospect from standing for the Labour Party in her local constituency T h i s d

p m

n t occurs amid ongoing accusations of Labour purging prominent left-wing voices from the party The meeti n g

d

h

taken place on May 28th at 6 pm, left Shaheen with minim

d unable to secure childcare for her young child, as heard in the recording where she expresses distress with her baby

In the audio, Shaheen expresses concern that her stress is affecting her baby

This marks the first public

selection meetings

dating back to 2014,

received notice of the meeting just hours before, hin-

Rahman,

member of the NEC, describes the clips

narrow approach The Labour Party states the meeting was prompted by new material, leading to a decision for a change in the parliamentary candidate

Sojan Joseph Ashford Tahir Ali Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley

Khalid Mahmood Birmingham Perry Barr Imran Hussain Bradford East

Shama Tatler Chingford and Woodford Green

Ryan Jude Tatton

Zain Ahmed Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley

Imran Ali Khan Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North

Sukhinder Paul Hundal Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard

Gita Joshi West Bromwich

Sanjana Madan Mohan Karnani Walthamstow Maria Khan Ealing North

Rehman Chishti Gillingham and Rainham

Shivani Raja Leicester East

Saqib Bhatti Meriden and Solihull East

Sadik Chaudhary Bedford

Vikas Chopra Wolverhampton West

Mohammad Akunjee Bethnal Green and Stepney Sham Uddin Bethnal Green and Stepney

Nandita Lal Tottenham

Nigel Farage

Faiza Shaheen

Ayoub Khan

Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel

I have 7 1m views of my most popular TikTok video It’s about AI picking stocks So for this article of Asian Voice I thought I would share what I asked it Okay, first the science, or rather the java code (for those Indian readers in IT – can’t be many of you ��) then I will share some of

t h e s t o c k s

recommendations or advice)

(

I fed ChatGPT4o a lot of data about thousands of companies via excel

And I suggest you see www alpeshpatel com/links if this are is fascinating

# Define a function to normalize the data def normalize(series):

r

series min())

# Calculate the weighted score df['Score'] = (

0 20 * normalize(df['Alpesh value/growth rating']) +

0 15 * normalize(df['CROCI (%)']) +

0 15 * normalize(df['Sortino Ratio']) +

0 15 * normalize(df['Return Alpha %']) +

0 10 * normalize(df['PEG'] fillna(df['PEG'] median())) + - 0 1 0 * n o r m a l i z e ( d f [ ' V o l a t i l i t y % ' ] ) + # L o w e r volatility is better

-0 05 * normalize(df['Return Beta'] abs()) + # Lower beta is better

0 05 * normalize(df['% from high'] fillna(df['% from high'] median())) +

-0 05 * normalize(df['Correlation'] abs()) # Lower correlation is better)

# Sort the stocks by the computed score

top 50 stocks = df nlargest(50, 'Score')

i m p o r t a c e t o o l s a s t o o l s ;

tools display dataframe to user(name="Top 50 Stocks", dataframe=top 50 stocks)

top 50 stocks[['Name', 'EPIC', 'Score']] ``` ​:citation[【oaicite:0】]​ Dominion Energ y Inc (D)

Dominion Energy is a large American power and energy company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia It supplies electricity in parts of Virginia and North Carolina

a n d n a t u r a l g a s t

Georgia The company operates through four segments:

Transmission & Storage, and Dominion Energy South Carolina

I nv e st m en t P ro s p

dividend yield, making it attractive for income-focused investors The company's focus on renewable energy and i n f r a s

long-term growth opportunities

Risks: Regulatory risks and fluctuations in natural gas prices could impact earnings

Bio-Techne C orpo ration (TEC H) Bio-Techne Corporation develops, manufactures, and s e l l s b i o t e c h n o l o g y p r o d u c t s a n d c l i n i c a l d i a

controls worldwide The company operates through P

segments

I nv e st m en t P

product portfolio and consistent revenue growth make it an attractive investment in the biotechnology sector The

continued innovation positions Bio-Techne well for future growth

Risks: High valuation and competition in the biotech sector are potential risks

E astm an Ch em ical C omp any (E MN)

Eastman Chemical Company manufactures and sells materials, chemicals, and fibers in the United States and internationally The company's products are used in various end markets, including transportation, building and construction, and consumables

Inv estment P rospects: Eastman's focus on specialty chemicals with high margins and its consistent dividend payout make it appealing Innovations in sustainable materials could drive future growth

Risks: Exposure to raw material price volatility and economic downturns could affect performance

NextEra Energy, Inc (NEE)

NextEra Energy is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida It operates through two segments: Florida Power & Light and NextEra Energy Resources

Inv estment Prospects: As one of the largest producers of wind and solar energy, NextEra is well-positioned for growth in the renewable energy sector The company's

c o n s i s t

to investors

Risks: Regulatory changes and project execution risks could impact the company

Government reduces NatWest stake to 22.5%

The g overnment has raised an add itional £ 1 24 billion by selling another portion o f its stake in NatWest back to the bank

This transaction reduces the state's shareholding to 22 5 percent, advancing its goal of fully exiting NatWest by 2026 The sale follows a postponed retail offering of NatWest shares due to Rishi Sunak's decision to call

had aimed to replicate the public sale model used in

described the sale

Sid” privatisation

UK Finance appeals to incoming government Boohoo resolves bonus dispute to avoid revolt

ancial in clusion In its financial services manifesto, the lobby group

education to be integrated into the school curriculum

public support, with 80% of voters favouring improved

calls for enhanced measures to combat fraud and scams It suggests that technology, social media, and telecoms companies should share the burden of tackling economic

c r i m e a n d f r a u d reimbursement

e t h e a c c u r a c y o f information at Companies House, citing instances of fraudulent filings affecting its members The trade body also seeks clarity on net-zero p l a n s , u r g i n g a c l e a r roadmap for investment in key sectors of the economy

T o p r o m o t e e c o n o m i c g r o w t h , U K F i n a n c e proposes the appointment of a government champion f o r c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s t o review regulatory burdens in f i n a n c i a l s e r v i c e s I t a l s o

r e c o m m e n d s t h e introduction of a new digital gilt backed by the Treasury D a v i d P o s t i n g s , c h i e f

e x e c u t i v e o f U K F i n a n c e ,

s a i d : “ I h o p e t h a t b y outlining the policy agenda the sector would like to see taken forward postelection, a n d t h r o u g h w o r k i n g i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h

g o v e r n m e n t , w e c a n h e l p build a better society for all ”

Th e a c qu is i t io n o f R o y a l

Ma il b y C z e ch bi lli o n a i r e

Da niel Kř etín sk ý has moved clo s e r f o llo w i n g t h e

a g r e e m e n t on t e r m s a n d con ditions for a £3 57 billion offer by its owne r International Distribution

S e r v i c e s ( I D S ) , t h e p a r e n t company of the postal service, announced its acceptance of a cash offer from Křetínský’s EP

to waive their bonus entitlement

company's financial performance Boohoo's annual report acknowledged that executives were ineligible for bonuses due to missed financial targets Nevertheless, the remuneration committee decided to proceed with payouts, citing the executives' exceptional performance Kamani and Kane were set to receive £1 5 million each, while Lyttle's pay was £1 7 million for the financial year Additionally, a vote on a new incentive plan, combining annual bonuses and long-term incentives, was withdrawn f

discontent Investors criticised the lack of consultation on the proposed incentive scheme and questioned the inclusion of Kamani, who was previously removed from the plan Boohoo pledged to engage with shareholders on the matter in the future This incident marks another confrontation between Boohoo and shareholders over incentive schemes, following a 3 7 % v o

challenges, Boohoo's shares have fallen by approximately 17% in the past year

c e r t a i n t y S h a r e h o l d e r s a w

whether to review the sale under the National Security a n d I n v e s t m e n t A c t , granting ministers authority t o b l o c k t r a n s

c

i o n s i n v o l v i n g c r i t i c a l n a t i o n a l infrastructure I D S e x e c u t i v e s p r

U p o n m a r k e t o p e n i n g , IDS shares rose by 3% to 331p, i n d i c a t i n g i n v e s t o r skepticism about the deal's

G r o u p T h e d e a l e n t a i l s K ř e t í n s k ý , k n o w n f o r h i s e n e r g y v e n t u r e s a n d ownership of a minority stake in a major gas pipeline from Russia to Europe, paying 360p per share for the remaining 73% of Royal Mail

Bloomsbury acquires Rowman & Littlefield's academic division

The London-l is ted Bl ooms bury Publ is hing has announc ed it s larges t ac quis ition t o date, purchas ing the a cademic publ is hing bus iness of Ame ric an riva l Rowman & Littl efiel d f or £65 million

This strategic move aims to expand Bloomsbury's presence in the United States and diversify into new subject areas such as business and psychology The acquisition, financed from Bloomsbury’s cash reserves and a £30 million three-year loan from Lloyds Banking Group, will create a business publishing 97,000 academic titles

Fiona Orford-Williams, director at Edison Group, noted that the deal with Rowman & Littlefield “should not come as a surprise,” given Bloomsbury’s cash reserves of £65 8 million as reported in its most recent annual accounts Bloomsbury stated that the acquisition would boost its earnings in the current financial year and “significantly” increase earnings in the following 12 months The group's shares rose by 40p, or 7 2 percent, closing at 598p

Badenoch to discuss the bid and reforms to the universal service obligation, ensuring delivery to every UK home

Ofwat

fines

Thames Water

£40m over dividends

Britain's largest water co mpany is facing

potential fine exc

divid end despite its underperformance, as per information obtained by Sky News

Ofwat, the regulatory body, informed Thames Water last month of its intention to impose the penalty for violating rules regarding dividend payments This development adds to the mounting challenges for Thames Water, which is grappling with the possibility of temporary nationalisation due to a substantial debt exceeding £15 billion O

dividend paid to shareholders last autumn, as disclosed by a Thames Water source The company retains the option to challenge the proposed fine before a final verdict is reached, but with the upcoming general election on 4th July, the timing suggests that a conclusive decision may be postponed until after that date

Daniel Křetínský

India remains top mover with 8.2 per cent GDP growth

India’s ec onomy is es timated to have g rown by 8 2 % in 2023-24, l ed by a s ol id expansion in m anuf ac turing and construction s ectors , and a strong push from Jan-M arch

qu

of fice this m onth after the poll s The s tr ong n um be r s will hel p govt pus h reform s to s us t ain r apid e xpa nsion against the backdrop of global challenges

D

(NSO) showed the economy grew 7 8% in Jan-Mar quarter, slower than the upwardly revised 8 6% in Oct-Dec period but above the 6 2% recorded in fourth quarter of the previous fiscal year This helped push growth to 8 2%, higher than the sec-

tinue in the third term of Modi-led govt,” Sitharaman, who completed five years as FM, wrote on X

The latest growth numbers come close on the heels of global ratings agency S&P

growth and improving quali-

economy, Asia’s third largest, has recovered swiftly after

many high frequency indicators indicate the Indian econ-

resilient and buoyant despite

growth momentum will con-

growth in the months ahead

Sensex, Nifty plunge 6% after weaker mandate for BJP-led NDA

In di a n e q uit y b e nc hm a r k indices BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty c losed 6 per c ent l ower on T ue s d a y ( Ju ne 4 ) a f t e r staging a pa rtial r ecovery in afternoon trade At the time of the c losing bel l on the day of Lok Sabha elec tion res ult s 2 02 4 , Se n s e x wa s do wn 4,389 73 points , or 5 74 per c e nt , a t 7 2 , 079 05 , whi l e Nifty s ettled 1,379 40 points , or 5 9 3 per cent, at 21,884 50

During the highly volatile session, the indices tanked as m u c h a s 8 p e r c e n t a f t e r t r e n d s s u g

N a t i o n a l D e m o c r a t i c Alliance (NDA)

D u r i n g T u e s d a y ’ s s e s -

sion, the BSE-listed compan i e s c o l l e c t i v e l y e r o d e d around £300 bn, reducing the t o t a l m a r k e t c a p i t a l i s a t i o n below the £4,000 bn mark

Both Sensex and NSE witnessed the biggest single-day fall in four years Public sector undertaking (PSU) stocks were worst affected in today’s sell-offs, w i t h a l l P S E a n d C e n t r a l P u b l i c S e c t o r E n t e r p r i s e s (CPSE) constituents witnessing a downfall Fast-moving c o n s u m e r g o o d s ( F M C G ) stocks lent support to the markets

GIFT Nifty, an early indicator for Sensex and Nifty, traded at a low of as much as

1,400 points I n d i

breached the 30 mark after falling near 15 per cent in the previous session On the BSE, 26 out of 30 stocks were trading in red, while 42 of 50 stocks on Nifty50 were trading in red

S

Enterprises and Adani Ports crashed, dropping by 15% and 20%, respectively This marks their worst single-day decline since February 2023 Other companies within the Adani

G

prices Adani Green, Adani Energy Solutions, and Adani P o w e r w i t n

ranging between 16% to 19%

enced losses, but to a lesser extent, with decline of 15 6% and 8 3%, respectively

T h e r u p e e t u m b l e d 4 5 paise to close at 83 59 against the US dollar due to a decline i n e q u i t y m a r k e

interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened weak at 83 25 and oscillated between a high of 83 23 and a low of 83 59 against the US d

against a basket of six curren-

GST collections in India up by 10% to £17 bn in May

Based on collections

n s

c

o n s i n April, latest data released by the finance ministry estim a t e d c o l l

t i o n s f r o m domestic sources to be 15 3%

h i g h e r , w h i l e t h o s e f r o m

i m p o r t s w e r e 4 5 % l o w e r , indicating a slowdown in the value of shipments into t h e c o u n t r y , w h i c h m a y partly be due to a fall in

AI to boost productivity, may lead to job cuts, says Chandra

T a t a S o n s c h a i

Adani enters Africa with acquisition of Tanzania container firm

An Adani Port s and Special Ec onomic Zone Ltd (APSEZ ) joint venture has entered into a n agreem ent with Hutc his on Port Hol dings Ltd to acq uire 95% s take in a container terminal c ompany at the Port of Dar es Salaam in Tanz ania

Adani has partnered with Abu Dhabi-based logistics company AD Ports Group and East Harbour Terminals Ltd to acquire Tanzania International Container Terminal Services Ltd for $39 5 million, India-based company said in an exchange filing This is the first container terminal to be operated by billionaire Gautam Adani's airports-to-power conglomerate in the African continent It will be the third international port asset for Adani Ports after Haifa in Israel and Colombo in Sri Lanka

Adani Ports has also signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Tanzania Ports Authority to operate and manage the second container facility at the port The terminal has a cargo handling capacity of one million twenty-foot equivalent units and managed 820,000 TEUs in 2023

Adani expects to close the acquisition by the end of next m

Commission of Tanzania

Karan Adani, MD, APSEZ, said, “The partnership has the potential to enhance trade volumes and economic cooperation between India and East Africa The concession for Container Terminal 2 aligns with APSEZ's goal to become a leading global port operator by 2030 ”

Tata Steel to invest £1.74 bn to fund rejig of UK operations

Tata Steel wi ll infuse $2 1 bi lli on (£1 74 bn) i n its S ingapore arm, to repay debt of i ts offsh ore entities and to “ suppo rt the restructu ri ng costs” o f i ts loss- maki ng UK op erations Further, i t wi ll convert d ebt i ns truments worth $565 mi lli on (£4 66 1 mn) it hold s in th e S ingapore arm i nto equ ity shares Th e fu nd i nf usion as well as the conversi on of debt into equi ty will be done i n th is fis cal , said Tata Steel

t her e w ill be job losses, AI will cr eat e jobs in dat a ma na ge men t, ” Chan dr asek ar an , wh o is a lso TCS cha ir man , sa id a t the compa ny ’ s AG M

h e ld v i r t ua l ly He w a s

r e sp o n d i n g t o a qu e s t i o n fr om a sha re holde r C h a n d r a s e k a r a n s a i d GenAI will have a significant impact on nearly every sector and country in future

“All industries will witness h i g h e r p r o d u c t i v i

infrastructure and large processing power which will aid AI/Gen AI GenAI will not only improve productivity, but also create impact we hitherto have not seen or imagined ” A s c o m p a n i e s e x p l o r e the enterprise-grade adopt i o n o f G e n A I , Chandrasekaran stressed on the importance of regulations to mitigate risks and safeguard against the negative consequences of AI He said the Tata Group is executing 100 GenAI projects w h i c h a r e d e m o n s t r a t i n g tangible business impact on customer experience, prod u c t i v i t y , a n d e f f i c i e n c y TCS has upskilled 300,000 employees in GenAI

commodity prices For the last two y e a r s , h i g h e r t h a n budgeted GST kitty h a v e h

Centre shore up its

r e c e n t G D P e s t i m a t e s w h i c h i n d i c a t e a r o b u

, a n d l o w

f i s c a l deficit “These collections indicate the beginning of a new normal in excess of £17 bn in FY25 compared to £16 bn during FY24 This is in line with the

t economy, which does not appear to have been impacted much either by the election season or the heat wave a c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y T h e resilience shown by the GST collections, without signific a n t s

the maturity of the GST system

S&P revises India’s outlook from 'stable' to ‘positive’

Gl obal rating agenc y Standard & Po or (S&P) announced a revision in the o utlo ok fo r the I ndian econom y from ‘stable’ to ‘ po sitive’, wh ile affirming th e overall rating at ‘BBB- ’ , which represents the lo west investment grade rating The trans fer and convertibility ass essment rem ains 'BBB+'

The positive outlook reflects expectations of sustained policy stability, deepening economic reforms, and high infrastructure investment, which are anticipated to support longterm growth prospects

Coupled with cautious fiscal and monetary policies, these factors could diminish the government's elevated debt and interest burden, bolstering economic resilience and potentially leading to a higher rating within the next 24 months, S&P said

In May last year, S&P upheld India’s sovereign rating at ‘BBB-’ for the long term and ‘A-3’ for the short term, maintaining a stable outlook At that time, the rating agency highlighted sound economic fundamentals expected to support growth over the following two to three years, despite concerns over weak fiscal performance and low gross domestic product (GDP) per capita With the latest announcement by S&P aligns with similar ratings from other global agencies, including Fitch and Moody’s, which also assigned the lowest investment grade rating to India with a stable outlook “We expect sound economic fundamentals to underpin the growth momentum over the next two to three years, ” the ratings firm said in a statement

The Indian company owns 100% of the Singapore arm called T Steel Holdings, which in turn owns the overseas steel assets including the UK plant T Steel Holdings posted a loss of £436 7 mn in FY23 Tata Steel will also be raising £300 mn in the form of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) The company has been raising money through NCDs now and then Tata Steel is investing £1 25 billion to build a new electric arc furnace (EAF) at its Port Talbot plant in the UK, while deciding to shut down two blast furnaces at the facility by September The move will lead to axing of 2,800 jobs at the plant The British trade Union community has voted for strike action against these job-cut plans, according to reports

“We will proceed with our proposal to shut down heavy end assets this year, and set up the EAF by 2027 This is a difficult period of change for our people With respect to the EAF, we will place equipment orders by Sep 2024 and have signed the agreement with the UK National Grid securing the high voltage connection, which will be available on schedule We have as part of discussions with the unions, offered the best ever package of support for affected employees in Tata Steel UK We have also agreed the final and detailed terms of the proposed grant package with the UK government to support the £1 25 billion investment,” said Tata Steel’s management

annual report, over the last three years, private sector banks reported the maximum number of frauds due to cyber crimes However, overall, it was public sector banks that contributed the most in value terms as a r e s u l t o f t h e i r c o r p o r a t e loans

T h e n u m b e r o f b a n k f r a u d s h a v e g o n e f r o m

9,046 in FY22 to 13,564 in FY23, rising an additional 1 6 5 % t o 3 6 , 0 7 5 i n F Y 2 4 P r i v a t e b a n k s s a w a 6 9 % increase in fraud cases to 8,979 in FY23 from 4,312 in FY22 In FY24, they rose by 169% to 24,210 The number of frauds in the private sector alone have increased 355% to 24,210 in FY24 from 5,312 in FY22 In volume terms, the majority of frauds have occurred in the digital payments (card/ internet) category, while in terms of value, frauds have been primarily reported in the loan portfolio (advances c a t e g o r y ) H o w e v e r , t h e r e was a 46 7% decline in the amount involved in the total f r a u d s r e p o r t e d i n F Y 2 4 , which fell to £1 39 bn from £2 61 bn in FY23

INDIAN ORIGIN WOMAN KILLED IN FLORIDA CAR ACCIDENT

A 25-year-old woman from Telangana, Guntipalli Sowmya, died after being hit by a car in Florida, USA, her family reported Sowmya was struck by a speeding car while crossing the road on May 27, according to information received by her family She died on the spot Sowmya had traveled to the US for higher studies and recently graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a master’s degree She was in the process of seeking employment The news of her sudden death shocked her family Her parents Koteswara Rao and Balamani are appealing to the Indian government for assistance in bringing her body back to India

INDIA ANNOUNCES AID FOR LANDSLIDE-HIT PNG

India has announced immediate assistance worth $1 million to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the wake of a devastating landslide that buried hundreds of people and caused major destruction PM Modi expressed deep condolences and conveyed India s readiness to extend all possible support As a close friend and partner under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) and as a gesture of solidarity with the friendly people of Papua New Guinea, Govt of India extends an immediate relief assistance , ” said the govt in a statement, adding that India has firmly stood by PNG during times of difficulty and devastation caused by natural disasters, like in the wake of the earthquake in 2018 and volcanic eruptions in 2019 and 2023

INDIAN ORIGIN TAKES OVER BANKRUPT WEWORK

Anant Yardi, an Indian-origin software tycoon, has become the new CEO of WeWork after acquiring a majority stake in the company This change in leadership comes as WeWork navigates bankruptcy Yardi, an IIT-Delhi alumnus has invested over $200 million in equity and debt into WeWork over the past two years Founded in 2010 by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey WeWork once had a peak valuation of $47 billion but filed for bankruptcy in November 2023 dropping its valuation to $750 million by April 2024 Yardi immigrated from India to the US in 1968 where he started his own company, Yardi Systems Before founding his own company, Yardi spent 14 years at Burroughs Corporation (now Unisys)

4 PAK SOLDIERS KILLED IN KHYBER REGION BLAST

At least four Pakistan Army soldiers were killed while three others were injured in an IED blast in the country s restive northwest region, police said The incident occurred late Friday evening when the security forces were on patrolling duty in Sra Bangla and Tarkhanan area of the country s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province The injured were immediately shifted to hospital, said police A search is on to trace the fleeing culprits involved in the attack No group has claimed responsibility for the blast yet

IRANIAN FORCES KILL 4 PAKISTANIS IN BALOCHISTAN

Four Pakistanis were killed and two were injured, when Iranian forces opened fire in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan in Pakistan, officials said The shooting took place near the Pakistan-Iran border, in Washuk District, confirmed Umar Jamali additional deputy commissioner Naeem Umrani, deputy commissioner Washuk, said an investigation is being initiated to determine the reason for the shooting Iran and Pakistan have had a history of rocky relations but missile strikes in January were the most serious incidents in years with Pakistan recalling its ambassador to Tehran and not allowing its counterpart to return to Islamabad as well as cancelling all high-level diplomatic and trade engagements

Pakistan violated pact with India, admits Nawaz Sharif

L A H O R E : For m er P ak i s t an Prim e M ini ster N awaz Sharif adm i tted th at Is la mab ad ha d "viola ted" a n agree ment wi th

Indi a s igned by hi m and expr i m

elected him president of the ruling party six years after he was disqualified by the Supreme Court

J

Vaj payee in 199 9, in an apparent reference to the Kargil mis adve n

ur

Mus harraf

b y G en P er v ez

"On May 28, 1998, Pakistan carried out five nuclear tests

After that Vajpayee Saheb came here and made an agreement with us But we violated that agreement it was our fault, Sharif told a meeting of the P M L - N g e n e r a l c o u n c i l t h a t

Lahore Declaration on February 21, 1999 The agreement that talked about a vision of peace and stability between the two

through Still, a few months later Pakistani intrusion in the Kargil district in Jammu and Kashmir led to the Kargil conflict Sharif, 74, talked about how

South Africa election ends 30

years of ANC dominance

inequality and

(ANC) to 40% in last

shortages

eek’ s electi on, endi ng three decades o f d o m ina nce by th e p arty th at fr eed th e c o un try f ro m ap artheid

A d r a m

i c a l l y w

n

d mandate for the legacy party of Nelson Mandela, down from the 57 5% it got in the previous 2019 parliamentary election, means the ANC must share power with a rival in order to keep it in p o w e r - a n u n p r e c e d e n t e d prospect “We can talk to everyb o d y a n d a n y b o d y , ” G w e d e Mantashe, the ANC chair and current mines and energy minister, told reporters in comments c a r r i e d b y t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n B r o a d c a s t i n g C o r p o r a t i o n ( S A B C ) , d o d g i n g a q u e s t i o n about who the party was discussing a possible coalition deal

with

According to the electoral commission, ANC won 159 out of 400 seats in the election In the previous election in 2019, the party had won 230 seats ANC's main challenger, the p r o - b u s i n e s s , w h i t e - l e d Democratic Alliance, came second with 87 seats A new party, u M k h o n t o w e S i z w e ( M K )"spear of the nation" in the Zulu l a n g u a g e , b a c k e d b y f o r m e r president Jacob Zuma, won 58 s e a t s , w h i l e t h e r a d i c a l l e f t

E c o n o m i c F r e e d o m F i g h t e r s , came fourth with 39 seats

he was removed from the office of the prime minister in 2017 on a false case by then Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar He said all cases against him were false while the cases against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder leader Imran Khan were true He also talked about the role of former ISI chief Gen Zahirul Islam in toppling his government in 2017 to bring

asked Imran Khan to deny that he was not launched by the ISI I ask Imran not to blame us

Islam had talked about bringing the PTI into power," he said and added Khan would sit at the feet of the military establishment T h

talked about receiving

message from Gen Islam to resign from the office of prime minister (in 2014) "When I refused,

example of me," he said

Pakistan gets first woman brigadier from a minority community

I S L A M A BA D : Dr Helen M ary Roberts, serving in th e Pakistan army m ed ical corps, has made h istory by beco mi ng th e first w o m a n fr o m C h ri s ti an and minority comm unity to achieve th e rank of brig ad ier in in the M u s li m - m a jo r i ty c o u nt ry Roberts was among the officers p ro m ot ed by th e s e lec ti o n board, the News reported PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Helen on her promotion, s a y i n g t h e w h o l e n a t i o n w a s proud of her and thousands of h a r d w o r k i n g w o m e n l i k e h e r f r o m m i n o

n

r y with distinction “I myself and t h e n a t i o n c o n g r a t u l a t e B r i g Helen Mary Roberts on getting the honour of the first female from minority to be promoted a s B r i g a d i e r i n t h e P a k i s t a n Army,” he said During a Christmas celebrat i

Asim Munir had commended the role played by the minority c o m m u n i t y i n t h e c o u n t r y ’ s development Dr Helen is senior pathologist and has been serving in the Pakistan army for the last 26 years

UN Secy Gen confers gender advocate award on Indian Major Radhika Sen

Milita ry Ge nde r Advocat e of the Ye

A w

r d o n I

a n A r m y Major Ra dhika Sen at the UN h e a d qu a r t e r s in N e w Y o r k Major

con ferr ed a pre st igious

war d on the In dian pe acek eepe r Major Sen, who served with t h e U n i t e d N a t i o n

(MONUSCO), received the pres-

Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award’ from Guterres duri n g a c e r e

l d body’s headquarters on the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers Calling on the UN and member states to tap into the rich network created by the award, Major Sen expressed hope that “ one day a peacekeeper of another gender” will be honoured with this prestigious award “ G e n d e

s

n s i t i v e p e a c ekeeping is everyone's business, not just us, the women Peace begins with all of us in our beautiful diversity,” Major Sen, who s

t i c Republic of the Congo (DRC) from March 2023 to April 2024 as

(INDRDB), said "A gender perspective in UN peacekeeping is essential for an effective, inclusive and sustainable peace process Women and g

increased risk and abuse The need of the hour is to mainstream the women in nationbuilding, particularly in sectors of security and governance, ” she said As he presided over the ‘Dag

‘Military Gender Advocate of the Year ceremony, Guterres said,

“Major Sen is a true leader and role model Her service is a true credit to the United Nations as a whole Please join me in congratulating Major Radhika Sen of India I could not be prouder to c

Award ” Guterres noted that as commander of the Indian contingent's engagement platoon, Major Sen led her unit on countl

patrols, in an escalating conflict environment in North Kivu, her

and girls She earned their trust doing so with humility, compassion, and dedication ”

Pak court delays ruling on Imran's unlawful marriage conviction

ISLA MA BA D: A Pakistani co urt postponed a ru ling o n an ap peal by form er p rim e minister Imran Khan and his third wife against th ei r c o nv ic ti on fo r un law fu l marriage, their lawyer said Khan and his wife Bushra

Bibi, were sentenced to seven years in jail, just before a national election on Feb 8, after being

found to have broken Islamic law by failing to leave the requisite interval after Bibi's divorce The delay was due to the j u d g

being accused of bias by Bibi's f o r m e

Panjutha, said The case is

which came in the lead-up to the election The 71-year-old former

Tehree-e-Insaf Party (PTI) say the cases were a politically motivated bid to thwart his return to power Khan has been in jail since August The court in Islamabad had

asked the Islamabad High Court to "transfer the appeals to any other court", according to a copy of his letter shared by Khan's media team and the lawyer The letter said Maneka had shown "distrust" in Arjumand and that it would not be appropriate to announce a decision

Nawaz Sharif

Cyril Ramaphosa

Dr Helen Mary Roberts

Trump found guilty in hush money case

c

Donald Trump, the pres um pt ive 2024 Republica n nominee, on

from

firs t pres ident in US hist ory to be convicted of a fel ony Prosecutors accused Trump

integrity of the 2016 election by

Stormy Daniels His legal team vowed to challenge the verdict, but Judge Juan Merchan denied Trump’s motion for an acquittal

a n d s c h e d u l

hearing for July 11

T h e t r i a l c

e r e d o n allegations surrounding a hushmoney scheme involving Daniels The jury found Trump guilty of f a l s i f y i n g b

encompassing 34 felony counts

presenting contrasting narratives regarding the payment to Daniels and subsequent reimbursements

Michael Cohen

i o n rendered his claims unreliable

A s s i s t a n t D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y

asserting the validity of Cohen’s

including testimony from David P

American Media

Steinglass meticulously guided

underscoring the consistency of

dynamics between Cohen and

communication as often cryptic and fast-paced

denounced the trial, calling

asserted, “We didn’t do

thing

going to be on November 5 by the people,” he declared

and the Biden administration,

a s e l e s s l y c l a i m i n g t h e i r influence over the case This was straight from Trump’s playbook Even before the results were out i n t h e 2 0 1 6 a n d 2 0 2 0 presidential races, he said it was rigged against him He has said t h a t a b o u t e v e r y c

against him

Trum p to app eal against co nv iction

Trump said he would appeal the guilty verdict, though he will h

taking that step In rambling

complaints that the trial was a "rigged" attempt to hobble his comeback White House bid and w

prosecution "If

anyone," Trump, 77, said in

Trump will have 30 days from the date of his July 11 sentencing to file a notice of appeal

12-year-old Indian American wins Scripps National Spelling Bee title

W AS H IN G TO N: Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old Indian-American s e ve n th - g ra de s t ud e n t f r om Florida , has w on the Sc ripps National Spelling Bee after he spelt 29 words correctly in the t i eb r ea k e r, ma i n ta i n i n g t he dominanc e of the children from the small ethnic community in the prestigi ous competition

Bruhat emerged victorious in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, earning more than USD 50,000 in cash and other prizes

This year's contest came down to a tiebreaker in which Bruhat spelt 29 words correctly in 90 seconds, beating Faizan Zaki, who managed to correctly spell 2 0 w o r d s i n t h e l i g h t n i n g round

His championship word was “ a b

“descent in mountaineering by means of a rope looped over a projection above ” Bruhat went first in the tiebreaker, and after h

pace was more uneven at the outset He attempted 25 words but flubbed four of them

Bruhat correctly spelt 29 out of 30 words attempted to earn the coveted champion title and beat the standing spell-off record set by Harini Logan in 2022 Logan spelt 22 out of 26 w o r d s c o r r e c t l y d u r i n g t h e competition's first-ever spelloff," the organisers said

Faizan and Bruhat - our final t w o s p e l l e r s - s h o w e d u p tonight ready to take down the d i c t i o n a r y , ” s a i d C o r r i e

Loeffler, executive director of the Bee

“ T o g e t h e r , t h e y w e r e a powerful match Bee officials activated the spell-off in the competition's closing minutes, giving these stellar spellers an opportunity to show even more of what they can do,” Loeffler said

The two final spellers each had 90 seconds to spell as many w o r d s a s t h e y c o u l d f r o m a p r e d e t e r m i n e d l i s t o f w o r d s w h i l e t h e o t h e r s p e l l e r w a s s e q u e s t e r e d A d a m S y m s o n , president and CEO of The EW

S c r i p p s C o m p a n y , p r e s e n t e d Bruhat with the championship trophy

B r u h a t ' s f a t h e r S r i n i v a s S o m a i s o r i g i n a l l y f r o m

Nalgonda in Telangana

Nikki Haley signs Israeli artillery shell: ‘finish them!’

W A S H IN GT O N: F o r m er U S

a m ba s sa d o r to t h e U N and R ep u b li c an p r es i d en ti al c and id ate Nikki H aley i n her tour o f an army base in northern Israel, signed an artillery shell intended fo r Lebano n with the m essage, “F inish them! A merica [ lo v e s] Is ra el alw a ys ” T h e

p i c tu re o f Ha le y s i g ni ng th e sh ell h as been w idely circulated o n social media

H a l e y ’ s v i e w s g a i n importance in the backdrop of her getting back in the good

b o o k s o f D o n a l d T r u m p b y saying she will vote for him after calling him “unhinged” on the campaign trail

Likud Party member of the Israeli Knesset, also posted the photo, expressing his admiration for Haley as a “true friend of Israel

p

progression and the temples of false wisdom,” and calling her

h e country despite what she said w e r e m e d i a n a r r a t i v e s S h e emphasized the importance of unwavering US support for a strong Israel, stating, “We need a strong Israel, and the only way Israel will be strong is when the US supports Israel completely, unapologetically ”

Earlier, in a statement on May 27, Haley accused Iran of o

Russian intelligence support and C

president, Vladamir Putin had h

massacre She asserted, “They a r e a l l m

n d accomplices If we really mean it is not going to happen again, we must be honest and truthful to ourselves about who did this ” H

h a t complacency in America could lead to similar events happening in the US

Tata Group, Serum Institute of India in Time’s 100 Most Influential List

N EW YO RK: Tata Group a nd t h e A d a r P oo n a w a ll a - r u n Serum I nstitute of India (SII) ha ve bee n rec og niz ed am on g

t h e t op 1 00 ‘Wo r ld ’ s M o s t I nfluential Companies of 2024 ’ b y Time magazi ne

While the Tata Group was included in the list under the ‘Titans’ category, Pune-based SII was part of the ‘Pioneers’ section

“Founded in 1868, the Tata Group long ago cemented its place in India’s economy, its vast portfolio extending from

steel, software, watches, subsea cables, and chemicals, to salt, g

fashion, and hotels,” according to the company ’ s description by the magazine in its list

c

As rivals have aggressively

struggled to keep up with stiff competition In 2017, after over a c

pivot” N Chandrasekaran took

personal ties to the family

business landscape is ruled by family succession plans As chair, he has transformed the group by investing in tech

t u r i n g , A I , a n d semiconductor chips “In 2023, i t b e c a m e t h e f i r s t I n d i a n company to assemble iPhones and is building another plant In September, Tata announced a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h N v i d i a t o develop an AI cloud in India,” read the description I n F e b r u a r y , T a t a ’ s c o m b i n e d m a r k e t

INDIAN ORIGIN STUDENT GOES MISSING IN CALIFORNIA

A 23-year-old Indian student from Hyderabad has been missing since May 28 and police have sought public help to locate her Nitheesha Kandula, a student at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), was last seen in Los Angeles on May 28 She was reported missing to the Los Angeles Police Southwest Division on May 30, according to a social media post by John Guttierez, Chief of Police, CSUSB Police sought help public to locate the missing student The missing person alert describes her as 5 feet 6 inches tall She weighs around 160 pounds and has black hair and black eyes She may have been driving a 2021 Toyota Corolla

STARLINER LAUNCH CALLS OFF AGAIN

Ground control teams dramatically called off the first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner spaceship on Saturday with just under four minutes left on the launch countdown clock, for reasons that are not year clear It was the latest setback for the troubled program which has faced years of delays and safety scares A previous launch attempt was cancelled on May 6 Nasa astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were seen exchanging thumbs-up signs and waves with their families before boarding a van for the journey to the launch pad

CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM ELECTED MEXICO PRESIDENT

Claudia Sheinbaum was elected Mexico s first woman president by a landslide making history in a country plagued by rampant criminal and gender-based violence Crowds of flag-waving supporters sang and danced to mariachi music in Mexico City s main square celebrating the ruling party candidate's victory "I want to thank millions of Mexican women and men who decided to vote for us on this historic day," Sheinbaum said in a victory speech Sheinbaum a scientist by training, won around 58-60 per cent of votes, according to preliminary official results from the National Electoral Institute

14 HK DEMOCRATS FOUND GUILTY IN SUBVERSION TRIAL

Fourteen Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were found guilty and two were acquitted in a landmark subversion trial that critics say could deal another blow to the city’s rule of law and its reputation as a global financial hub The verdicts in Hong Kong s biggest trial against the democratic opposition come more than three years after police arrested 47 democrats in dawn raids at homes across the city They were charged with conspiracy to commit subversion under a national security law imposed by China Sentencing will come at a later date for those found guilty with prison terms ranging from three years to life The US and some other countries have criticised the trial as politically motivated, calling for the accused to be released

SHOOTING IN OHIO KILLS 1, WOUNDS 2 DOZEN OTHERS

c a p i t a l i z a t i o n r e a c h e d $ 3 6 5 billion, “ more than the entire economy of India’s neighbor and rival, Pakistan” A s t h e w o r l d ’ s b i g g e s t vaccine maker, Serum is no s t r a n g e r t o c h u r n i n g o u t billions of vaccines - it makes 3 5 b i l l i o n d o s e s e v e r y y e a r , including for measles, polio, a n d m o s t r e c e n t l y , H P V Serum’s CEO Poonawalla told T i m e m a g a z i n e t h a t t h e company ’ s success can largely be chalked up to its private ownership

An early morning shooting on a street in Ohio killed one person and injured 24 others some critically police said Police said shots were reported early Sunday in the city of Akron, where multiple victims struck by gunfire were reported Capt Michael Miller, an Akron police public information officer, said some of the victims were in critical condition while others had injuries that were not life-threatening, he said No arrests were immediately reported Police said the investigation is on WEWS-TV reported that a street party was happening in the area before the gunfire broke out, and a witness at the scene told the station that hundreds of people were enjoying themselves with everyone in white T-shirts and “women on top of vehicles dancing”

Donald Trump

s

RBI moves 100 tonnes of gold from UK to its vaults in India

T he Reserve Bank of India

( RBI ) ha s m o v ed ap pro xi -

m ately 100 tonnes of go ld from the United King dom to its vaults in India, rep orts said T his is th e first time

More than half of the RBI’s gold reserves are held overseas in secure custody with the Bank of England

while approximately a third is stored domestically

The move is expected to help the RBI save on storage costs currently paid to the Bank of England The central bank held 822 10 tonnes of gold as part of its foreign

f March 31, 2024, an increase from the 794 63 tonnes held at the same time last year, according to the annual data released by the RBI

" M o s t c o u n t r i e s k e e p their gold in the vaults of t h e B a n k o f E n g l a n d o r

some such location (and pay a fee for the privilege) India will now hold most of its gold in its own vaults We have come a long way since w e h a d t o s h i p o u t g o l d o v e r n i g h

midst of a crisis," economist Sanjeev Sanyal said "For those of my generat i o n , t h e s h i p p i n g o u t o f gold in 1990-91 was moment of failure that we will never forget This is why this shipping back of gold has a special meaning," he added In 1991, facing a severe balance of payments crisis, the Chandra Shekhar gov-

raise funds Between July 4 and 18, the Reserve Bank of

Bank of England and the

Bank of Japan, securing $400 million

ago, the RBI purchased

from the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, diversifying its assets with a $6 7 billion investment In recent years, the RBI has consistently built up its gold reserves

The central bank's strategy of holding gold is primarily aimed at diversifying its foreign currency assets,

and mitigating foreign currency risks Since December 2017, the RBI has regularly acquired gold from the market

As a result, the share of gold in India's total foreign exchange reserves increased from 7 75% at the end of

2024

Heatstroke death toll reaches 219 in India

India's death toll o f suspect-

e

t o u ch e d 21 9 w i th Od is h a reporting six fresh casu alties and Rajasth an tw o ev en as t h e s o u th w e st m o ns o o n

a d v a nc ed to s o m e m o re p arts of south Ind ia

The toll so far in Odisha

h a s r e a c h e d 1 4 7 , t h o u g h only 30 are confirmed sunstroke casualties, sources in state special relief commissioner’s office said IMD said

t h a t h e a t w a v e c o n d i t i o n s , though with reduced intensity, are likely to continue in isolated pockets in northwest and eastern India for

t h e n e x t 4 - 5 d a y s b e f o r e monsoon hits Odisha, a few days ahead of its usual date of June 12

A l a r g e n u m b e r o f deaths reported in Odisha are from the western part of the state Sundargarh district is among the worst hit, accounting for 35 suspected heatstroke deaths in three

d a y s A u t o p s y c o n f i r m e d that six of them died due to s u n s t r o k e , A s h u t o s h

Kulkarni, additional district

m a g i s t r a t e o f S u n d a r g a r h , said Balangir district reported 20 suspected sunstroke deaths, four of which were confirmed due to heat related illness Investigation is on in the remaining 16 cases

Sambalpur reported 18

W h i l e p o s t m o r t e m e x a m i n a t i o n was done on seven suspect-

e d s u n s t r o k e d e a t h s , f i v e were confirmed due to sun-

s t r o k e R e p o r t s o f e l e v e n

o t h e r c a s e s a r

1 8 polling staff die o n du ty At least 18 polling staff deployed for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections have died of heat-related ailments in Uttar Pradesh and B i h a r , a u t h o r i t i e s s a i d

While 10 polling staff died of heat-related issues in Bihar, eight died in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, officials said According to a press note released by the Mirzapur district administration, three members of a polling party deployed for the last phase of elections were taken to hospital after t h e i r h e a l t h d e t e r i o r a t e d suddenly They died while undergoing treatment

Officials said they were a l s o c h e c k i n g r e p o r t s o f s i m i l a r d e a t h s o f p o l l i n g s

Sonbhadra While polling in S o n b h a d r a , a n

c i a l deployed in security of the E V M s t r o n g r o o m d i e d These deaths are yet to be officially confirmed

In Bihar, 10 polling staff were among 14 people who died of heat-related issues in the past 24 hours

A press note from the state disaster management

d e p a r t m e n t s a i d :

“According to the information received so far, a total of 14 people have died due to the extreme heat, which

Kejriwal returns to Tihar jail after his interim bail period ends

includes 10 election workers and four other people

The deceased include five e l e c t i o n p e r s o n n e l i n

Bhojpur district, three in R o h t a s d i s t r i c t , o n e i n

Kaimur district and five in Aurangabad district ”

P M hold s rev iew me eti ng T w o d a y s a h e a d o f e

presiding over seven meetings covering various min-

preparations in the wake of the heat wave and also pre-

officials to continue proper drills for preventing and handling incidents of fire regularly

PM was informed that the monsoon is likely to be normal and above normal in most parts of the country and below normal in parts of peninsular India

One of the key sessions i n v o

i v e review of the new govt’s 100 day agenda, set to be executed following the LS election results, reflecting the confidence of PM that the public mandate would be in his favour for the third time in a row

Delhi C hief Minister Arvind Kejriw al h eaded back to a cell in th e Tihar Jail last w eek as h is interim relief period of 2 1 d ay s w a s

T

e A am

Aadmi Party (AAP) su premo was s ent to ju dicial custo dy till June 5 Kejriwal was grante d in te r im b a il by th e Supreme C ourt to campaign fo r th e Lok Sabh a elections

is arrest in connectio n to the n

De

iq u o r p olicy scam case

K e j r i w a l r e t u r n s t o prison a day after the opposition INDIA bloc meeting and also a day after a Delhi court reserved its verdict on the extension of his interim bail plea by seven more days

P u n j a b C h i e f M i n i s t e r

Bhagwant Mann, top Delhi ministers, MPs of the party

a n d p a r t y o f f i c e b e a r e r s reached the chief minister’s residence shortly after 2 pm The party’s Political Affairs Committee held a meeting chaired by the AAP national convener Kejriwal after leaving his

residence made three stops

Gandhi at Rajghat and then h

Sunita Kejriwal

The AAP party office was adorned with national flags when the Delhi CM reached the party office

freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and said like the revolutionary who challenged British colonialism, he too is challenging ‘tyranny’ “ W e a r e d

p l e s o f Bhagat Singh Bhagat Singh

went to jail to free the country, I am going to jail to save t

B

h was also hanged, I am also ready to be hanged This time I d o n

l come back and what these people will do to me in jail But I will not bow down,” Kejriwal said

“Mahatma Gandhi saved this country from Tanashahi I have prayed at Rajghat I went to Hanuman Mandir I have prayed to Bajrangbali His blessings are upon this p a r t y a n d m e , ” h e f u r t h e r added Kejriwal held a short meeting with party leaders and left for Tihar jail accompanied by his wife Sunita and kids Harshita and Pulkit and with other party cadres

With 8 more deaths, flood toll in northeast mounts to 53

R av a g i ng f l oo d s in A s sa m and M ani

c o nt in u ed to c l ai m l iv es as au t h o ri ti es rep o rted ei g h t m ore f lo o d - re la ted d ea th s last week, raising the ov erall fatality count to 53 T h e f lo o d s i nd uc e d by s e v ere

c yc lo n e R em a l a ls o inundated v ast swathes of land and affected at leas t 500 ,00 0 p eop le in the two northeastern states PM Modi took stock of the prevailing flood situa-

t i o n i n A s s a m a n d o t h e r n o r t h e a s t e r n s t a t e s w h i l e a s s u r i n g a l l p o s s i b l e s u pport

He posted on his X handle that the central govt is c o n t i n u o u s l y m o n i t o r i n g the situation and officials are working on the ground to assist those affected

U n i o n h o m e m i n i s t e r Amit Shah, while expressing

his concern over the natural

d i s a s t e r t r i g g e r e d b y

c y c l o n i c s t o r m R e m a l i n

A s s a m , T r i p u r a , M a n i p u r , M e g h a l a y a , a n d M i z o r a m , wrote on his X handle that he spoke to chief ministers of the respective states and took stock of the situation

H e p r o m i s e d t h e m o f a l l possible help

A s s a m S t a t e D i s a s

t y (ASDMA) in its daily flood

r e p o r t s a i d

h r e e d e a t h s occurred in Cachar, two in Hailakandi and one in West Karbi Anglong districts Two o f t h e s i x d e c e a s e d w e r e

children One child's death was reported in C a c h a r a n d o n e i n Hailakandi

C a c h a r

and

Hailakandi, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong West, Dima-Hasao Over 28,000 affected people are currently taking shelter

opened in the state The devastating effects of cyclone Remal resulted in

Manipur, where two more lives were lost, raising the total number of fatalities to five

22 pilgrims killed, 57 injured as bus falls into Jammu gorge

Twenty two people, inc luding s ix ch ild re n an d ei ght women, died and 57 othe rs were injured aft er a b us carrying pilgrim s to Shiv Khori cave s hrine in Re asi dis trict of J & K pl u m m e t e d i n t o a de ep g or ge in Ja m m u l a s t week

The bus had started from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh and had reached Tanda area of A k h n o o r i n J a m m u v i a K u r u k s h e t r a i n H a r y a n a when it veered off the road while negotiating a turn and rolled 150 feet down into the ravine at Tungi Morh near Chowki Chowra, according to officials

P o l i c e p e r s o n n e l a n d locals rushed to the spot and e v a c u a t e d t h e i n j u r e d t o Akhnoor sub-district hospital Later, Army also joined t h e r e s c u e o p e r a t i o n T h e injured were later shifted to G o v t M e d i c a l C o l l e g e a n d H o s p i t a l i n J a m m u , p o l i c e

said Of the 15 victims identified, six were from Hathras district and nine from Naya v i l l a g e i n n e i g h b o u r i n g Aligarh district Police are trying to ascertain the identities of the remaining seven C o n d o l i n g t h e l o s s o f lives in the “heart-rending” i n c i d e n t , L G M

announced ex gratia of Rs

500,000 each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured, and directed the administration to provide all possible support to the bereaved families and medical facilities to the injured PM Narendra Modi also a n n o u n c e d R s 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o the families of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured In a message on X handle of PMO India, he said: “Anguished by the loss of lives due to a bus mishap in Akhnoor My thoughts are

PM Modi ends 45-hour meditation, says

felt divine energy

K ANNIYA KUM ARI: After concluding his three-day m ed itation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, PM Narend ra Mod i p aid floral tribu te to Tiru valluvar statue in K a nn iy ak um ari o n S atu r d ay C lad i n saffron, M odi h ad started his meditation o n Th ursday ev ening

On Friday, he had stepped out of the meditation hall and offered prayers to the Sun, before resuming his journey with spirituality On Saturday, the PM took a walk along the rock and offered prayers to Bhagavathi Amman and paid tribute to the statue of Swami Vivekananda

Modi’s meditation lasted for 45 hours, f o l l o w i n g w h i c h h e v i s i t e d t h e Tiruvalluvar statue nearby Clad in white this time, Modi offered floral tribute to the 133-foot tall statue of the Tamil poet He then took a boat to the jetty, from where he was taken to the helipad The PM then left for Thiruvananthapuram in a helicopter at 3 55 pm Following Modi’s exit, tourists were allowed to visit the sea shore as usual

Shortly after the PM’s trip concluded, U n i o n F i n a n c e M i n i s t e r N i r m a l a Sitharaman tweeted a letter she said was penned by Modi It read, “After visiting t h e V i v e k a n a n d a R o c k M e m o r i a l i n Kanniyakumari, I feel a divine energy It is on this rock that Mother Parvati and

S w a m i V i v e k a n a n d a h a d m e d i t a t e d

Later, Eknath Ranade transformed this rock into a ‘Shila Smarak’ that brought Swami Vivekananda’s thoughts to life ” Calling Vivekananda his “ideal, energy, and the source of spirituality,” Modi said Vivekananda envisioned a new direction for India’s revival at this rock “It is my fortune that today, after so many years, as India embodies the values and ideals of Swami Vivekananda, I too have had the opportunity to meditate at this sacred place This is one of the unforgettable moments of my life Sitting at the feet of ‘Ma Bharati’, I once again reaffirm my resolve that every moment of my life and every particle of my body will always be dedicated to the service of the nation,” the PM said in a letter signed by him

Back in India, Prajwal arrested, sent to SIT custody until June 6

BE NGA L U RU : A Beng aluru court handed over custod y of rape accused MP Prajwal Revanna to a Karnataka Po lice S pecial Investig ation Team (SIT) until Ju ne 6

Prajwal (33), the JD(S) MP from Hassan, was taken into custody from Bengaluru International Airport after he arrived from Munich on Friday last He had left the country on April 27 - a day after his Lok Sabha constituency went to the polls

involving him, started being circulated in the public domain

Prajwal was taken for a medical examination before he was presented at the special court for

investigating three cases of sexual assault against the MP, filed a remand application for 15 days of custody in the first case registered on April 28

complaint filed by a former domestic worker at the Revanna family residence

The special court ruled that issues like the addition of the rape charge would have to be contested at the stage of the trial, and allowed the SIT to take Prajwal into custody until June 6 Meanwhile, a special sessions court for elected

Prajwal’s mother, Bhavani Revanna, in a case of alleged abduction of a sexual assault victim She had been issued a notice to appear before the SIT for questioning

Punjab voter turnout revised to 62.8% in last phase

C H A N D I G A RH : P un j ab h as recorded the v oter tu rnout of 62 8 per cent f or the 1 3 L ok S abh a seats th at went to the p olls on Satu rday In 201 4, the v oting percentag e was 70 63 per cent, and in 201 9, it was 65 94 p

c en t E x

m e h eat conditions seem ed to hav e been th e c om m o n f acto r, affec ting the po ll percentage across the state

R e l e a s i n g t h e d a t a , C h i e f Electoral Officer Sibin C said as p

WEST BENGAL

Amritsar was the lowest at 56 06 per cent, Anandpur Sahib 61 98 per cent, Faridkot 63 34 per cent, Fatehgarh Sahib 62 53 per cent, F

, Gurdaspur 66 67 per cent and

BJP worker killed in Bengal; post-poll violence blamed

K O L K A T A : BJ P w o r ker w as m u rd er ed i n C h an d p u r, w i th i n K aliganj po lice station lim its in postp oll violence in Nad ia Th e victim, id entified as Hafijul S heikh ( 35), was allegedly attacked by a group of 10-12 p eop le on motorbikes w hile p laying carrom Accord ing to police sources, t h e as s ai la nts f ir st sh o t S h e i kh m ultiple tim es and then hacked him to death The attackers fled th e scene i m m ed iately after th e c rim e T h e incident has sparked tension in th e area, with local resid ents protesting for o ver two ho urs and prev enting p olice from removing the bod y Eventually, the body was sent for

a p o s t m o r t e m e x a m i n a t i o n T h e B J P ’ s N o r t h N a d i a d i s t r i c t u n i t president, Arjun Biswas, accused the ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC) of orchestrating the murder “Hafijur joined BJP after the last panchayat polls and actively campaigned for our

c a n d i d a t e i n t h e r e c e n t parliamentary elections He had been receiving threats from TMC workers and a section of the police, warning h i m o f r e t a l i a t i o n a f t e r t h

L o k Sabha polls This is clearly a political murder,” Biswas stated Biswas accompanied by Amrita

R o y , t h e B J P c a

Hoshiarpur 58 86 per cent H

d 5 9 7 0 p

n t polling had been recorded in Jalandhar, 62 55 per cent

i n K h a d o o r S a h i b , 6 0 1 2 per cent in Ludhiana, 63 63

64 63 per cent in Sangrur

As much as 63 27 per cent men cast vote while the female voters’ turnout was 62 28 per cent Only 36 22 per cent transgender exercised

e f o r Krishnagar Lok Sabha seat, met the family members of the deceased and they demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits Rukbanur Rahman, a district TMC leader, dismissed the allegations, attributing the murder to a f a m i l y f e u d

n d d e n y i n g a n y involvement of the TMC Rahman insisted that the party had no role in the incident Family members of the d

might not be politically motivated

A senior police officer revealed that both Sheikh and one of the

dacoity case and involvement in

investigations suggest that a land dispute between Sheikh and one of the attackers could have led to the

attack,” the police officer confirmed Further investigations are underway

surrounding the murder

Union

home

eligible to vote in Punjab

For the 13 Lok Sabha seats, a total of 24,451 polling stations w e r e s

polling stations were identified as critical Sibin expressed satisfaction a

voters for turning up despite intense heat He has appreciated political parties and candidates for maintaining peace He has offered special gratitude to poll staff and security agencies for

successful election

ministry emails citizenship certificates to eight in Bengal

NE W DEL HI: The U nion home ministry la st week ema ile d citizen ship cert ificat

ight people fr om Ben gal a

Basirha t with significa nt r efugee populat ion

“The process of granting citizenship certificates under t h e C

, h a

,

w commenced in the State of West Bengal, where the first set of applications from the state were granted citizenship by the Empowered Committee, West Bengal,” a press release issued by the ministry reads

Of the eight, one is from Nadia and seven are from various places in North 24-Parganas

constituencies, including three of North 24 Parganas - Dum Dum, Barasat, and Basirhat, went to the polls on June 1 After the CAA rules were notified, the first set of citizenship certificates was handed over to 14 persons in New Delhi on May 15

Giving citizenship certificates to the first set of eight people from Bengal since the notification of the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024, assumes significance as chief minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed that those staying in the country with voting rights are already citizens of India

A section of people from the Matua community is also in a dilemma over applying for citizenship status as it is mandatory to submit documents proving their connection with Bangladesh As a large number of them do not have any document to prove their Bangladeshi roots, most Matuas are yet to apply for citizenship, a source said

BENGALURU RECEIVES RECORD RAINFALL

Bengaluru received 111 mm rainfall on June 2, breaking the 133-year record for the highest ever rainfall in a single day in June, Met department officials said N Puviarasan, a scientist at India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru confirmed that June 2 witnessed the highest single-day rainfall in June in 133 years He also said the rainfall received on June 1 and June 2 alone - 140 7 mm - surpassed the monthly average for June He further said the highest single-day rainfall in June was recorded on June 16, 1891 The intense rain also brought Bengaluru to a standstill at many places

According to C S Patil head of IMD Centre Bengaluru the southwest monsoon has further advanced over Karnataka and a yellow alert has been issued for some districts till June 5 Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said he would visit the rain-affected areas soon to conduct inspections

ANDHRA MLA BARRED FROM ENTERING COUNTING STATION

The Supreme Court barred YSR Congress Party MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, who allegedly smashed an EVM at a polling station, from entering the vote counting station of the Macherla assembly constituency on June 4 A vacation bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta saw the video of the May 13 incident and termed the anticipatory bail granted to Reddy "sheer mockery of justice system" The bench directed Reddy not to enter the counting station or be in its vicinity It asked the Andhra Pradesh High Court to decide the petition related to the cases against Reddy listed for hearing on June 6 without being influenced by the interim protection granted to him on May 28

IN U-TURN, MLA SEEKS TO WITHDRAW HIS RESIGNATION

A day after the Lok Sabha poll, former AAP leader and Jalandhar (West) MLA Sheetal Angural, who had defected to the BJP along with MP Sushil Kumar Rinku on March 27, requested Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to allow him to withdraw his resignation The Speaker confirmed that he had received a letter from Angural The MLA stated in his letter that had his resignation been accepted, elections would have been held again in the Jalandhar (West) segment which would have caused the government to incur undue expenditure Thus he has decided to withdraw his resignation In April Angural had threatened to move the court if his resignation was not accepted Both Rinku and Angural posted photos and videos of each other on social media platforms

69.89%

VOTER TURNOUT IN BENGAL

The 7th and final phase of Lok Sabha election in Bengal passed off peacefully on Saturday barring a few stray incidents Elections were held in Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jadavpur, Mathurapur, Joynagar, Diamond Harbour, Kolkata South and Kolkata North seats There was also a by-election for Baranagar Assembly seat The seat fell vacant after Tapas Roy MLA of Trinamul Congress left the party and joined the BJP He is contesting against Sudip Bandyopadhyay of Trinamul Congress from Kolkata North seat for the Lok Sabha The polling percentage in nine constituencies was recorded at 69 89 per cent Basirhat Lok Sabha topped the list with 76 56 percentage In Bengal out nine LS constituencies, Basirhat topped the list with 76 56 per cent, followed by Mathurapur

Narendra Modi

Over 30 women candidates win Lok Sabha polls, compared to 78 in 2019

Women candidates such as Congress' Kumari Selja, the BJP's Kangana Ranaut and Hema Malini, Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav and RJD's Misa Bharti won in their respective constituencies in the general elections. However, Amethi's incumbent MP Smriti Irani and Sultanpur MP Maneka Gandhi were among the parliamentarians who lost Selja won Haryana's Sirsa Lok Sabha seat by over 250,000 votes while Bansuri Swaraj, the daughter of BJP stalwart late Sushma Swaraj, bagged the New Delhi constituency by 78,370 votes

Actor-politician Ranaut, a BJP candidate and a first-time contender, won Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, against Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh by 74,755 votes On the other hand veteran actor and incumbent MP Hema

US commends Indian govt, people on successful elections

Th e US h as comm ended the Indian g overnment and the people for successfully parti c ip at in g and

Malini retained her Mathura seat by bagging 510,000 votes

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife and Mainpuri's incumbent MP Dimple Yadav secured a comfortable victory over her nearest rival BJP's Jayveer Singh with a margin of 2,21,639 votes

Misha Bharti, daughter of RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, won against Union minister and incumbent MP from Bihar's Pataliputra Ram Kripal Yadav by a margin of 85,174 votes

Trinamool Congress candidate in West Bengal's

Krishnanagar seat Mahua Moitra won by 56,705 votes DMK's Kanimozhi Karunanidhi retained her Thoothukkudi seat by bagging 5,40,729 votes

Samajwadi Party's 25year-old candidate for Machhlishahr, Priya Saroj, and 29-year-old Iqra Choudhary of Kairana seat, were among the youngest nominees to secure a victory

Over 30 women candidates have won from their respective constituencies till now The number is lower than the 2019 Lok Sabha polls when 78 women candidates had won

PM Modi notches up over 200 rallies, roadshows

Pr ime Minister Na ren dra Modi

e nde d his whirlwind Lok Sabha

p oll c am pa i gn w it h a r a lly in

P u n j a b’ s Ho s hi a r pu r o n

T hu rs da y la st, clo sin g o ut hi s e le ct ionee ring t he way he beg an - by focussing on a re gion whe re he ha s inv este d he av ily ove r the y ea rs for the BJP to ma ke a ma rk out sid e its st rong holds

Modi notched up a total of 206 publicoutreach programmes, including rallies and roadshows, since the Election Commission (EC) announced the poll schedule on March 16 The prime minister surpassed his nearly145 public engagements on the stump during the 2019 polls by a big margin The campaign period this time was of 76 days, compared to the 68 days in the polls held five years ago When the EC announced the polls, Modi was on a political tour of southern India, covering all five states in the three days between March 15 and March 17 The Bharatiya Janata

Party (BJP) was eying to boost its fortunes in Tamil Nadu, Kerala

states where it won no seat in 2019 - and looking to maintain its strength in Karnataka and increase its tally in Telangana

At 73, Modi was not only

terms of the sheer number of rallies and distance he covered, but continued to be the biggest vote magnet for his party whose comments, panned by critics and lapped up by the BJP’s ardent supporters, set the narratives of the election

The prime minister also gave a total of 80 media interviews, averaging more than one daily since the polls began After the comple-

Kanyakumari from Thursday evening to June 1 for meditation, engaging in spiritual pursuit

Vivekananda

DGCA notice to Air India over 20-hour flight delay

A ir India was issu ed a notice by the A viation M inistry after a 20-hou r d elay on a DelhiS an F rancisco fligh t Visuals from Delhi airp ort sho wed passengers of the flig ht lying d ow n alo n g an aero b ri d g e c o rri d o r an d m any com plained abo ut fainting insid e th e p lane without air-co nd itioning

The flight was delayed "due to operational reasons" and by the time the issue was resolved, flight duty time limitations kicked in, Air India sources said

The airlines has been asked to explain why arrangements were not made to lessen the misery of the passengers in Delhi, which has been recording temperatures of nearly 50 degrees Celsius

"It has come to the notice of DGCA that

flights were inordinately delayed and passengers were put to discomfort due to insufficient cooling in the cabin, the aviation r e g u l a t o r D G C A s a i d i n

notice

The regulator also noted that Air India is "time and again failing in taking due care of passengers", and not complying with its provisions related to 'facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights" There were around 200 passengers onboard the Boeing 777 aircraft that was to operate flight AI 183 The flight was originally scheduled to take off at around 3 30 pm on Thursday but was delayed by around six hours before getting rescheduled

Mo di is poised to form the go vernment fo r a third consecu tive term with th e BJPled NDA getting a majority in the Lok Sabha, notw ithstanding cru sh ing losses in three Hind i h eartland states after a bitterly fough t election that was projected as a referend um o n his pop ularity

declared results for 542 of

B J P winning 240 seats and the Congress 99

"On behalf of the United S

India and voters there for successfully completing and participating in such a massive electoral undertaking, and we look forward to seeing the final results," State

D e p a r t m e n t S p o k e s p e r s o n M a t t h e w M i l l

r t o l d reporters at his daily news conference

He was responding to a question on the Lok Sabha elections in India, in which t h e r u l i n g N a t i o n a l

Democratic Alliance (NDA) crossed the halfway mark of 272 seats, paving the way for a third consecutive term for Modi

"First of all, our understanding is that the election r e s u l t s h a v e n o t b e e n finalised So we will wait for t h e f i n a l i s a t i o

election results before we

asked to comment on the results

"I'm also not going to comment on winners and losers in an election, as is our case around the world What is important for us and what we have seen over the past six weeks is the largest exercise of democracy in history as the Indian people came to the polls," he added

He also denied reports

Indian elections by Western powers, including the US

"We always will express our views clearly and openly We express them with

vately and, when we have

including from this podium That's what I've done But

where else," Miller said He said he expects the close partnership between the US and India to continue

"There is a great partnership, both at the government level and at the peop l e

, a

d I fully expect that to continue," Miller said

Narendra Modi

Mahua Moitra

Dimple Yadav

Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

Kangana Ranaut

Hema Malini

Matthew Miller

W I N F O R D E M O C R A C Y

Continued from page 1

This time, the people of India (Bharat) and

d

kingmakers Beyond the election results,

political landscape and future T

surprises, with the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, won 240 seats, falling short of the 272-seat majority mark in the Lok Sabha However, with its allies, the BJP

Indian National Congress party, won 234 seats As we went into the press, leaders of both NDA and INDIA alliances reached D

known for his record of political flip-flops, was on the same flight as INDIA ally and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as they fly to D

Meanwhile, Chandrababu Naidu confirms that the party is with NDA

The BJP managed to avoid a potential debacle through victories in key regions

Inlike Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, thanks to

strongholds such as Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh It also performed well in Assam,

Insights on key candidates

w i t n e s s e d b o t h t r i u m p h s a n d setbacks. The BJP, a dominant force for

c h a l l e n g e s a s v o t e c o u n t i n g progresses Surprisingly, the Congressled Opposition India bloc emerges as a strong contender, challenging the BJP's dominance

K e y B J P f i g u r e s , i n c l u d i n g Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Om Birla, Hema Malini, and Kangana Ranaut,

e s H o w

, U n i o n minister Smriti Irani, who was hailed as a giant killer in the 2019 elections after she defeated Rahul Gandhi, lost the prestigious seat of Amethi BJP candidate K Annamalai, a former IPS

o f f i c e r , c o n t e s t e d f r o m t h e Coimbatore seat in hopes of making

s i g n i f i c a n t s t r i d e s i n T a m i l N a d u BJP's Shankar Lalwani won the Indore Lok Sabha seat by over 11 lakh votes, a contest notable for a record number of NOTA (none of the above) votes Lalwani, the incumbent MP, received

1 2 , 2 6 , 7 5 1 v o t e s , d e f e a t i n g B a h u j a n S a m a j P a r t y ' s S a n j a y , w h o s e c u r e d 51,659 votes A BJP leader claimed this victory margin might be the highest in India's electoral history

Key candidates from the INDIA bloc, including Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul G a n d h i , S h a s h i T h a

Formed just a year ago, the bloc won

234 seats, establishing itself as a strong national opposition to the BJP-led NDA government

In contrast, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam

setback by failing to secure a single

referendum on his incarceration with the slogan “jail ka jawab vote se, ” the s

especially with the Delhi assembly election due to be held next year

Despite challenges such as Nitish Kumar s exit, the bloc has successfully united Congress and regional parties

a r t y h a s n o t a b l y increased its seat count to 99, up from 4 4 i n 2 0 1 4 a n d 5 2 i n 2 0 1 9 T h i s i m p r o v e m e n t i s a t t

i f t

s t r a

e l e c t i o n approach, including initiatives like the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the formation of the INDIA bloc to counter the BJP

W i t h t h e N D A h o l d i n g a s l i m m a j o r i t y , t h e I N D I A b l o c a i m s t o strengthen its efforts and potentially seek alliances with NDA allies

A

candidates have won the 2024 Lok S

Khalsa, engineer Rashid and Amritpal S

among others

PM Modi hails results, sets tone for next term

Narendra Modi declared that the

B

(

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is returning to power for the third time.

In a speech to BJP workers at the party headquarters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the BJP's third consecutive victory, noting it as a historic achievement since no party has done so since 1962 He expressed gratitude to the people of India for t h e m a n d a t e , c

results a triumph of democracy

"This is the victory of democracy

This is the victory of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas' It is a victory for 1 4 billion people We are grateful to the people for retaining their faith in the NDA," Modi said He emphasised the people's support, stating that they have "blessed" him in the elections and that he humbly acknowledges their faith in him

Modi also highlighted the pride in India's vibrant democracy "Today is Bada Mangal, and on this auspicious

d a y , t h e N D A i s s

government for the third consecutive time We are all very grateful to the

expressed full faith in the BJP and the NDA," he added

dominance in Bihar However, it faced potential losses in crucial Hindi heartland states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana as well as West Bengal PM Modi tenders his resignation to president, likely to take oath on June 8 He

as Prime Minister, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee also having served three terms, though not consecutively Investors globally dislike surprises and

participated in the electoral process Speaking at

and

personnel Kumar noted that India set

percent in the Valley

Indian election takeaways for UK politics

Beforethe election, the BJP-led NDA aimed for 400 parliamentary seats, a goal echoed by pundits. Despite comfortably crossing the 272-seat threshold to form the government, they fell far short of the ambitious target. Asian V o i c e i n t e r v i e w e d e x p

insights on the Indian general election and its potential lessons for the UK Hea d of t he ‘ Diasporic commun it ie s ’ desk at t he Intern ational Centr e for Sust ainabil it y (ICfS), Nitish Ra i Par wa ni noted that, for the first time in a d

parliamentary majority He said, “With 40% of seats, the BJP is poised to emer as the largest party in government for third consecutive term The Congress party secured 99 seats, its highest since 2014, ensuring an official leader o

Regional parties will also have increase representation in both Parliament and government While a coalition government may lead to slower decision-making, heightened c

suggesting a potential disparity between local and national voting patterns, “ he added Nitish underscored the economy's role in elections, while it holds significance in political narratives, its impact on voter behaviour varies He said, “Despite India's economic growth, the BJP's electoral gains were modest In the UK, L

and

expected in policy formation, as indicated by the dwindling market confidence ” H

performance in states like Maharashtra, Haryana, a n

introspection, deviating from past trends and exit poll projections However, the party retained d o m i

, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Gujarat, and made inroads in Kerala While the BJP is likely to form a central government with alliance supp its optimism is buoyed by expected gain in the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) due t o s t r o n g p e r f o r m a n c e s i n s t a t e assembly elections in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Arunachal Pradesh ”

Speaking about what the UK can l e a r n

ontributed to the BJP not achieving their anticipated results in the 2024 general election, Re

in Cult

y of Lon don, Dr Pra ka sh Sha h said, “The

erformance in the election are manifold se include the party's failure to present

sectional interests, as opposed to the opposition's appeal to such interests Additionally, the RSS' subdued involvement and a united opposition under the INDIA alliance also played significant roles Despite these challenges, the BJP remains the sole nationwide political force, while the C o n g

freebies and strategic alliances However, its

about its national relevance Some parallels have been drawn to the Muslim League of the 20th century These election outcomes prompt

Nitish emphasised the impact of politic complacency on altering expectations He said, “In India, exit polls suggested a clear majority f o r a p a r t

campaigning and low voter turnout among local workers, resulting in the party falling short of e

subdued campaigning and defections, potentially surprising poll predictors ”

“Examining the interplay between national

traditionally a BJP stronghold, witnessed recent

policy

Prakash further stated that like

endencies He said, “The absence of

hallenges for both the Conservative and Labour Parties, akin to the situation faced by the BJP in India This scenario may bolster smaller parties, attracting protest votes and prompting them to cater to sectional or regional interests While the Muslim population in the UK is not yet as substantial as in India, its growing influence has been evident over the past two decades, particularly following events like the Iraq War and due to sentiments towards Jews and Israel Unlike India's INDIA opposition, the Labour Party's stance on Israel has been ambiguous, potentially resulting in loss of support With the formation of a Muslim party difficult under the British electoral system, disenchanted voters may turn towards smaller parties or independent candidates, further fragmenting the left-leaning vote ”

Dr Prakash Shah

Nitish Rai Parwani

Rajnath Singh, Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and J P Nadda

Haryana

NDA INDIA Others 05 05 00

Himachal Pradesh Total Seats 4 NDA INDIA Others 04 00 00

Jammu and Kashmir/Ladakh Total Seats 6 NDA INDIA Others 02 02 02

Jharkhand

NDA INDIA

05

Big wins for BJP

a direct battle for Madhya Pradesh's

2 9 s e a t s , t h e B J P h a s s e c u r e d a

s w e e p i n g v i c t o r y f o r t h e t h i r d

consecutive time, facing off against the Congress The polling, conducted in four phases of the Lok Sabha election on April 19, April 26, May 7, and May 13, witnessed a total voter turnout of 67 75%, 58 59%, 66 75%, and 72 05% respectively Despite Congress contesting on 27, the BJP won all 29 seats, including wresting away

C o n g r e s s ' s o l e s e a t A d d i t i o n a l l y , Congress' backing of All India Forward

B l o c ( A I F B ) ' s R B P r a j a p a t i f o r t h e Khajuraho seat further delineates the BJP's dominance in the region In both 2014 and 2019, the BJP had secured clear m a j o r i t i e s , w i n n i n g 2 7 a n d 2 8 s e a t s respectively

The BJP has secured a majority in the Odisha Assembly by winning 78 seats out of the 147-member House The BJD, which has held power in Odisha since 2000, secured 51 Assembly seats, while the Congress won 14 seats In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJD won 113 seats, with the BJP securing 23 seats and the Congress 9 seats Preliminary estimates indicate a vote share of 40 18% for the BJD and 39 96% for the BJP in the Assembly polls Additionally, in the Odisha Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has won 20 out of 21 seats, while the BJD has secured one seat

Kerala, traditionally a stronghold of the left, has posed challenges for the BJP due to its Hindu majoritarian politics

However, a significant shift occurred this year as the BJP's candidate, Suresh Gopi, emerged victorious in the Thrissur constituency, marking the party's first Lok

Sabha parliamentarian from Kerala Gopi secured victory by a margin of 74,686 votes Meanwhile, the Congress secured 18 seats in the southern state

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a resounding victory in the cap-

Delhi, and North-West Delhi According to the Election Commission website, BJP

impressive margins of 1,24,333, 89,325, 78,000, 93,663, 1,38,778, 1,99,013, and 2,90,849 votes respectively

Gujarat, known as a stronghold of the BJP, showcased the party's substantial influence once again Despite facing electoral setbacks in various parts of the country, Gujarat remained steadfast in its support for its native leader, Narendra

Modi The BJP clinched 25 out of 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state However, the opposition saw a glimmer of success as C

B

decade-long hold on the constituency

The BJP-led NDA won 30 seats in Bihar while the INDIA bloc secured nine

s e a t s N D A p a r t n e r s B J P a n d J D - U bagged 12 seats each, Chirag Paswan-led LJP-Ram Vilas (LJPRV) won five, and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) got one seat While the BJP lost its majority in the polls, the alliance led by it easily passed the magic number of 272 seats

Return of regional parties

As the votes for the 2024 Lok Sabha election are counted, regional parties witness a significant resurgence in their respective states F r o m M a h a r a s h t r a a n d A n d h r a P r a d e s h t o Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, these parties have surged, signalling a pivotal moment in their ascension. Uttar Pradesh is one of the biggest stories of this Lok Sabha elections.

Samajwadi Party and Congress are performing much better than what the exit polls had predicted Akhilesh Yadav has surprised everyone with a strong show and has even helped the Congress improve its performance in the state T h e B J P a l s o l o s t F a i z a b a d w h i c h

Ayodhya Clearly, Ram temple is not leading to much gains for the BJP in the state

In Maharashtra, The Uddhav Thackeray–led Shiv Sena (UBT) has secured nine seats and tied up with the BJP, reaffirming that the Thackeray brand continues to rule a strong vote puller in Mumbai, despite a split in the party, countless allegations and central agency probes and perenn i a l f l o w o f t u r n c o a t s T h e I n d i a n N a

Congress has won in total 13 seats Out of the six seats in Mumbai, the ruling alliance won two seats with Shiv Sena’s Ravindra Waikar emerging as winner in a nail biting finish emerging tri-

umphant with 48 votes from Mumbai

BJP’s Piyush Goyal won the second seat from Mumbai North I n W e s t B e n g

l , A l l I n d i

T

n a m o o l Congress party, commonly known as TMC has won in 29 constituencies While BJP has won in 12 seats and Congress won in one seat In the 2019 polls, TMC had bagged 22 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state The BJP had then won 18 TMC MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has won in West Bengal’s Diamond Harbour by a margin of 7,10,930 votes in the Lok Sabha election Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee stated, “I am happy the Prime Minister did not achieve a majority He has lost credibility and should resign, especially after claiming they would win over 400 seats Despite their atrocities and lavish spending, Modi and Amit Shah's arrogance has been defeated INDIA has won, and they have even lost in Ayodhya ”

The party contested the polls in alliance with BJP and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party The party has announced that Naidu will take oath as the Chief Minister on June 9 and PM Modi will attend the ceremony

What went wrong for BJP and Modi this time around

It's evident that the BJP's ambitious "400 paar" campaign has faltered, with the party struggling to reach the majority mark Despite a highly aggressive and polarising campaign, issues like high unemployment, inflation, and the controversial Agniveer scheme seem to have influenced voter sentiment Uttar Pradesh, historically crucial for the BJP, has witnessed a significant shift In 2024, the Samajwadi Party (SP) won 37 seats, with the

Congress also making gains compared to previous elections The BJP's seat count has dwindled to 33, signalling a notable change in the state's political landscape In Maharashtra, voters have leaned towards Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, marginalising the BJP and its allies Other NDA partners have performed well, but the BJP's aggressive campaign, coupled with issues like unemployment and inflation, has taken a toll on its prospects

North West The

Imran

Khan

says constant comparison

with Ranbir Kapoor left ‘bitter aftertaste’

Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor became the heartthrobs of the nation with their debuts in "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na" and "Saawariya," respectively They also appeared together on the talk show "Koffee with Karan" and hosted award ceremonies In a recent interview, Imran discussed the intense media scrutiny that often pitted them against each other

In the interview, Imran remarked, "It's unfortunate that it always left a very unpleasant aftertaste because that's not how I saw it From my conversations with Ranbir back then, he didn t get caught up in that either He further continued, "My recollection of him is that he took the craft very seriously He is a cinephile and didn't engage in that sort of thing This is the spicy stuff gossip magazines love to talk about, which leaves an unpleasant aftertaste But if neither of us are buying into it, then it doesn't affect us I remember that whenever a particularly ugly story would come out, we would always make a point to reach out and say, 'Listen, this has happened, are we cool?'"

Earlier this month, Imran clarified that his decision to decline an espionage series was being misconstrued as a critique of Ranbir Kapoor's film "Animal " Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, this crime action drama became one of the highestgrossing Hindi movies of 2023, despite being labelled misogynistic and brutally violent by some viewers and critics

Deepika Padukone tops IMDb’s list of Top 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars

Deepika Padukone has achieved a remarkable milestone by topping IMDb’s list of the Top 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars of the Last Decade Amidst a galaxy of Bollywood luminaries like Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, Padukone's extraordinary journey in the film industry has set her apart

Expressing her gratitude, Padukone said, “I’m deeply thankful to be part of a list that resonates with a global audience IMDb is a beacon of credibility, capturing the true pulse of people s passions, interests, and preferences This recognition is humbling and motivates me to keep connecting with and reciprocating the love I receive from audiences, both on and off screen, with authenticity and purpose ”

Since her debut in the blockbuster film "Om Shanti Om" alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone has become a household name Over the past decade, her diverse filmography has showcased her versatility as an actor From the humour and action of "Chennai Express" to the emotional depth of "Piku," she has explored a wide range of genres Her portrayals of epic historical figures in "Bajirao Mastani" and "Padmaavat" have further cemented her status as one of Bollywood’s most accomplished actors Additionally, her international presence was solidified with her 2017 Hollywood debut in "xXx: Return of Xander Cage," where she starred opposite Vin Diesel

Kriti Sanon: ‘I like being a newcomer every once in a while’

ActorKriti Sanon is expanding her horizons in both showbiz and her personal life She has taken on the new role of producer in the filmmaking world and launched a skincare brand, marking a new chapter in her life. Sanon says she enjoys chasing her curiosity and is always up for a challenge.

Most recently seen in the film "Crew," which performed well at the box office, actor Kriti Sanon has launched a skincare brand called Hyphen In 2024, she will debut as a producer with the film "Do Patti," the first project from her production house, Blue Butterfly Films.

Discussing her skincare brand, Kriti said, “I genuinely believe that you should hyphen everything you want to do in your life ”

She elaborated, “I think when we're children and asked what we want to become, there's typically an expectation for just one answer actor, doctor, teacher, or something similar Why limit ourselves to just one aspiration? Why can't we aspire to be more than just one thing?”

This belief is what Kriti has carried forward in her career, whether in the acting world, production ventures, or entrepreneurship “I enjoy being a newcomer every now and then, learning new things I'm a curious learner, and I think that curiosity stems from being an engineer I love acting and do it every single day, but if I feel passionate about something else, I pursue it,” she shared

Imtiaz Ali reflects on 'Jab Harry Met Sejal' as "unfortunate child"

In an interview, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali revealed that he remains unfazed by success or failures, prioritising the exploration of new storytelling avenues He acknowledges that not all risks will pay off, citing his 2017 romantic drama "Jab Harry Met Sejal," starring Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma, as an example The film faced significant criticism and commercial disappointment

marked

significant setback

acclaimed movies, from his debut "Socha Na Tha" to "

" a n d "Tamasha " Reflecting on "Jab Harry Met Sejal" in an interview, I m t i

which stands as one of the biggest flops in Shah Rukh Khan’s career He recounted an incident on the third anniversary of the film when someone suggested he post about it

"I was told, 'So what if it didn't do well, it's still your film ' So, I felt a lot of pain It's an unfortunate child I felt a strong sense of ownership over the film, as if I wanted to say to it, 'I'm not ashamed of you, you're mine, just like any other film of mine ' So, in that moment, I felt a strange melancholy, a peculiar ache, realizing that oh, this was an unsuccessful film, which I didn't feel in this way back then

But I could feel it at this point Back then, calculations were h a p

disappointment I had dengue, so I was also bedridden for a month," he reminisced

“Gulshan Kumar's murder halted Satya filming, producer feared underworld”, says Manoj Bajpayee

Actor Manoj Bajpayee shared about the week of turmoil during the shutdown of the film Satya following the murder of media baron Gulshan Kumar in 1997 The original producer backed out, leaving the project in uncertainty However, director Ram Gopal Varma remained resolute and secured a new producer within a week This Mumbai underworld-themed film solidified Manoj's presence as a formidable actor

In an interview, Manoj reflected on his struggles after moving to Mumbai and finding work He recalled being paid Rs 1 5 lakh for Satya, considering it a significant opportunity However, just as his life was taking a positive turn, Gulshan Kumar's tragic demise occurred at the hands of underworld elements

M a n o j B a j p a y e e r e v e a l e d t h a t d u r i n g t h e production of Satya, he kept it a secret due to paranoia about its cancellation, which briefly happened after Gulshan Kumar's murder The producer's fear halted filming temporarily However, director Ram Gopal Varma secured a new producer, Bharat Shah, after a week, and filming resumed The uncertainty during that period was challenging for the team, but they persevered until Varma assured them it wasn't over After eight days, they received the good news

Malaika Arora, renowned for her iconic Dil Se song “Chaiyya Chaiyya,” recently asserted that criticism and trolling have been integral to her career

Despite often making headlines for dating Arjun Kapoor, who is younger than her, and facing ridicule for her 'duck walk', she remains unfazed In an interview, when questioned about her response to trolling, she stated, “Throughout my career, I’ve thrived despite

criticism and trolling for my choices, appearance, and persona It's been a constant, making me immune to it ”

Malaika Arora shared her approach to handling negative comments on her social media posts, stating, “I will respond to trolls if I feel it's necessary, especially if they target someone close to me Otherwise, I won’t waste my time, energy, or sanity on it It's not worth it ”

She further emphasised,

Malaika Arora's career thrives amidst trolling, reveals maintaining silence

Babil Khan recalls first meeting with Shah Rukh Khan on

'Billu Barber' sets

Babil Khan, son of Irrfan Khan, once shared a heartwarming memory from his childhood involving the superstar Known for his impressive debut in Anvitaa Dutt’s psychological drama ‘Qala’ last year, Babil has been carving a niche for himself in the film industry with his nuanced performances

In an interview, the 25-year-old actor reflected on his early experiences on film sets, particularly recalling his time on the sets of ‘Billu’ where his father, the late

moment that has remained etched in his memory Babil fondly reminisced about his encounter with Shah Rukh Khan during the filming of ‘Billu Barber ’

impulsively leaped onto Shah Rukh Khan's leg and held on tightly Despite the star's grand entrance, arriving in a Bentley with crowds from nearby villages following him, the interaction between Babil and Shah Rukh Khan remained charmingly innocent and genuine

Despite being the son of a renowned actor, Babil keeps a low profile and is rarely spotted at Bollywood gatherings He attributes this to his social anxiety and preference for solitude “I don't consider myself a star kid I prefer solitude I focus on self-improvement,” he clarified

“I have other priorities and concerns to attend to I don't feel the need to justify my personal or professional life to anyone I don’t owe explanations to anybody ” However, she cautioned against interpreting her silence as complacency, stating, “I choose to maintain a certain level of silence because it suits me I prefer avoiding unnecessary noise to preserve my sanity, and I find happiness in that ”

Janhvi Kapoor opens up about her sole romantic heartbreak: 'That person never left'

Actor Janhvi Kapoor opens up about experiencing heartbreak, revealing that it has occurred only once in her life She also discussed facing personal and professional setbacks, particularly addressing the loss of her mother, screen icon Sridevi, just months before her acting debut in 2018

In a podcast, she shared, “Heartbreak isn't exclusive to romance; it can happen in various aspects of life It occurs when you invest too much hope and emotion i n t o s o m e t h i n g , o n l y t o h a v e i t n

expectations I've experienced heartbreak in my career and once romantically, but losing my mom was the most heartbreaking moment for me ”

Janhvi mentioned that she has gradually healed from other minor heartbreaks over time Regarding her romantic heartbreak, she shared, “I found healing because that person has remained in my life, which provided comfort Understanding the reasons behind certain events brings clarity, and closure is crucial ” Recent rumours suggest Janhvi is dating Shikhar Pahariya, whom she has frequently mentioned “He's been part of my life since I was 15-16 Our dreams are intertwined; we've supported each other like family,” she disclosed in an interview However, in the latest interview, she mentioned that while people inquire about marriage plans, they prioritise achieving career goals first

Telugu actor and politician Nandamuri Balakrishna is facing backlash on social media after a video surfaced showing him pushing actor Anjali at an event Balakrishna, the chief guest at a pre-release event for Anjali’s upcoming film "Gangs of Godavari," co-starring Vishwak Sen and Neha Shetty, was seen pushing Anjali when she didn't hear him on stage The widely-shared video has also appeared on Reddit

Khushbu

Sundar says she’d love to make films like 'Darlings' and 'Badhaai Ho'

Actress Khushbu Sundar's latest production, 'Aranmanai 4,' has surpassed Rs 100 crore at the box office The actress-turned-producer expressed her desire to explore projects similar to 'Darlings,' 'Badhaai Ho,' and 'Crew ' Khushbu emphasises that she isn't solely focused on producing women-centric films

According to her, there is no such multiplex audience in South India as yet

In an interview, Khushbu Sundar mentioned that it will take some time for certain film concepts to gain acceptance She cited the example of 'Badhaai Ho,' which didn't fare well when remade in Tamil

Directed by her husband Sundar C, 'Aranmanai 4' is her latest production Khushbu, who debuted as a child artist in the Hindi film 'The Burning Train,' is vigilant about the portrayal of women in her movies She refuses to depict women in a negative light, particularly avoiding glorifying abusive relationships as a norm Preferring commercial cinema over preachy narratives, Khushbu, with nearly four decades of industry experience, celebrates the increasing involvement of women in commercially successful projects

The actress noted a significant shift in the film industry's landscape, highlighting the traditional focus on male-centric narratives She acknowledges the trend where heroes often overshadow heroines in films However, she finds it remarkable that women can now lead films independently and still achieve success, underscoring that a male costar isn't necessary for a hit According to her, it's the content itself that drives a film's success, applauding this notable change in perspective

Neha, Anjali’s co-star, appeared visibly shocked by the incident, while Anjali herself laughed it off Although the context of Balakrishna s words before pushing her remains unknown, Anjali, known for her roles in Tamil and Telugu films like "Angaadi Theru," "Engaeyum Eppothum," "Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu," and "Geethanjali," seemed to take it in stride Balakrishna was later seen giving her a high-five

Despite Anjali’s lighthearted reaction, netizens are outraged at Balakrishna’s behavior, condemning him for being “disrespectful” to women One user commented, “It’s crazy how so many people give him a free pass by saying sh*t like ‘it’s just balayya ’” Another added, “A talented actress treated like sh*t ” Another angry netizen remarked, “It’s insane how a #MeToo accused by multiple women is still considered a star and getting multiple offers He is a repeat offender ”

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta also took his X (formerly Twitter) to call out Balakrishna Sharing a clip from the incident, Hansal, wrote, “Who is this scumbag?” In another tweet, where he is responding to a netizen trying to defend his action, the Shahid director wrote, “Scumbag x100 ”

Nandamuri Balakrishna pushes actor Anjali onstage; social media reacts

Director Sukumar to shoot multiple endings of ‘Pushpa: The Rule’, bars phones on set

Like director Shankar, Sukumar is extremely vigilant about preventing leaks from his film sets. Known for his strict on-set regulations, Shankar prohibits crew members from using phones.

Similarly, Sukumar has implemented comparable measures during the production of "Pushpa: The Rule " Following the tremendous success of "Pushpa: The Rise," the first instalment of the franchise, expectations for the sequel are soaring The filmmakers are acutely aware of the intense interest in the project and are committed to keeping story details under wraps to preserve the element of surprise for the audience

According to a report from a daily, the director has taken the extreme measure of shooting multiple endings for the film to ensure that no one knows how it will conclude This strategy is designed to keep even the crew members uncertain about which scenes will be included in

the final cut

Additionally, the director plans for a third instalment, and having multiple endings provides flexibility for the future of the franchise Allu Arjun has previously confirmed "Pushpa" will ecome a franchise and that a third part is in the works

"Pushpa: The Rule," starring Rashmika Mandanna, Jagapati Babu, nd Fahadh Faasil ad roles, will depict Pushpa’s rise in the red sandalwood smuggling underworld

With music composed by Devi Sri Prasad, the film has generated significant anticipation, especially after the release of the second single, "Soseki," which includes glimpses from the film’s sets "Pushpa: The Rule" is set to release on August 15

Mammootty says, “Cinema is my life, I never feel exhausted”

Mammootty has been active in the film industry for 42 years and has no intention of taking a break In a recent interview, the Malayalam actor was asked if he would ever consider stepping away from movies, to which he firmly responded, "never."

At 72, Mammootty emphasised that cinema is not just a part of his life it is his life While he may take a few days off when he feels tired, he is always eager to work on his next film

Speaking on YouTube channel, Mammootty stated, “I don’t feel exhausted Once I feel that, it will be my last breath ” When questioned about imagining a day without working, the Turbo actor explained, “I can imagine a day without cinema because if I’m tired, I can take 2-3 days of rest But after that, I need the hope of my next film That it’s going to happen That makes me comfortable Otherwise, without cinema, there is no life Cinema is my life So whatever happens in the cinema will affect my life ”

When further questioned about walking away from the cinema, Mammootty declared, “No Cinema is not a part of my life It is my life ”

In the same conversation, Mammootty discussed the growth of Indian cinema in comparison to Hollywood, emphasising that there is “nothing to compare ” He noted that India produces “smaller films with better content,” highlighting the country's vast array of languages and cultures He said, “India is a world of diversity, so you can easily make different things Nothing to compare with Hollywood They’re very big So we make it smaller with better content ”

Sanya Malhotra competes for best actress at New York Indian Film Fest

Anant Ambani's extravagant cruise pre-wedding

For a wedding at Mukesh

Ambani's residence, extravagance is the norm Following a lavish pre-wedding celebration for their youngest child, Mukesh and Nita Ambani are now organising another pre-wedding event for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant This time, it's set to unfold aboard a cruise ship!

The extravagant cruise party, c o m m e n c i n g i n I

l y a n d concluding in the South of France, reportedly comes with a staggering p

spas, swimming pools, gyms, and m o r e , w i t h e a c h s u i t e c o s t i n g around INR 60 lakhs

Over the four-day event, the Ambanis celebrated not only the union of Anant and Radhika but a l s o t h e f i r s t b i r t h d a y o f t h e i r granddaughter, Veda, daughter of Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta

According to reports, a star-

S

Actress Sanya Malhotra has been nominated for Best Actress for her role in "Mrs" at the upcoming 2024 New York Indian Film Festival. The film's director, Arati Kadav, is also nominated for Best Director. Jio Studios shared the news on their official Instagram account Additionally, "Mrs" will be screened at the prestigious festival

Excited about it, Sanya in a statement said, “It is a proud moment for me that Mrs has been chosen as the closing film for NYIFF Playing Richa, a character grappling with the delicate balance between tradition and ambition, was an immense honour and responsibility, given that it embodies the struggles of so

many Indian women Our endeavour to breathe life into this story has been incredibly rewarding and I am eagerly awaiting to share it with the world ”

Director Arati Kadav also expressed her gratitude She said, “I always look forward to films screened at NYIFF every year Hence, I feel truly privileged that we have been chosen as the closing film of such an esteemed film festival Our aim with this film is to connect with Indian audiences living not just in India but abroad and this platform helps us reach the diaspora I am thankful to our producers Harman Baweja, Baweja Studios, and Jio Studios who have supported the journey of this film and made this day possible ”

Sanjay Leela Bhansali confirms Heeramandi Season 2: Tawaifs enter film industry

"Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, premiered on Netflix on May 1 to mixed reviews Praised for its grand sets but criticised for some performances, the series was initially deemed a one-time project by Bhansali However, it appears the filmmaker is now considering a sequel "

s t u d d e d g u e s t l i s t , i n c l u d i n g

Bollywood luminaries like Ranveer

o t h e r s ,

online

Anant and Radhika are set to exchange vows in Mumbai on July 12, at the Jio World Convention Centre in the BKC The festivities begin on Friday, July 12, with the auspicious Shubh Vivah ceremony, followed by the Shubh Aashirwad divine blessings ceremony on July 13, and the Mangal Utsav wedding reception on July 14

Previously, a video of pop diva Katy Perry s performance at the cruise went viral on social media T

dazzled in a figure-hugging silver ensemble as she sang some of her timeless hits like 'Firework' Pitbull

festivities hosted by the Ambanis, with the first celebrated over four

featuring a live performance by pop sensation Rihanna

Prateik Babbar upcycles Smita Patil's sarees for Manthan screening

At the Mumbai screening of his late mother Smita Patil’s film, Manthan, Prateik Babbar made a style statement by wearing a suit made from her Kanjeevaram sarees

Designed by Rahul Vijay, the outfit was highlighted in an Instagram post where Vijay thanked Prateik for the opportunity to create it Opening up about the creation process of the outfit, he wrote, “Thank you @ prat for letting me dig into the archives of your late mother, and the very iconic #SmitaPatil When Prateik called me up asking me to dress him up for the Indian premiere of #Manthan, #SmitaPatil’s first movie that was shown at the recent Cannes Film Festival, I knew I had to bring in elements of Smita Patil’s style into his look”

"This was challenging since we were working with womenswear pieces and unsure what from Smita Patil’s wardrobe would match Prateik’s style," Rahul Vijay explained Prateik's aunt helped select two preserved silk Kanjeevaram sarees Rahul aimed to blend Indian textiles with modern silhouettes, designing the outfit in consultation with Monica Shah of Jade by MK They crafted a modern cropped double-breasted tuxedo in plain black silk, pairing it with wide-legged pants made from a pinstriped saree and using the red border of a second saree for the sleeves Rahul Vijay explained, “We wanted a very modern silhouette while recycling Indian sarees, blending Indian textiles with contemporary design ”

In a recent interview with Variety, Sanjay Leela Bhansali confirmed the renewal of the period-drama series Heeramandi for a second season He reflected on the effort required, stating, “It takes a lot to make a series This one has taken a lot Since Gangubai's release in February 2022, I have worked every day without a break The responsibility is huge ” Regarding season 2, Bhansali revealed, “In Heeramandi 2, the women transition from Lahore to the film world post-Partition, settling in the Mumbai or Kolkata film industries Their journey in the bazaar continues, but now they perform for producers instead of nawabs That's the direction we ’ re planning for the second season ” The series’ season 2 was announced at an event at Carter Road in Mumbai, where a flash mob of 100 dancers adorned in sparkling anarkalis and ghungroos danced to the songs from the series

Pant, Pandya star in India’s big win over Bangladesh

opener here on Monday At a venue where India will play three of their four Group A league matches, Sri L a n k a ’ s d e c i s i o n t o b a t f i r s t backfired Nortje, Kagiso Rabada (2-21) and Keshav Maharaj (2-22) combined to take eight wickets in a dominant bowling performance as Sri Lanka folded for 77 in 19 1 overs, their lowest T20 total Brief scores: Sri Lanka 77 all out in 19 1 overs lost to South Africa 80 for 4 in 16 2 overs Na mibia pip O man in Supe

Ove

player to take wickets in the first

brilliantly by the seasoned Wiese A

earlier bowled out for 109 in 19 4

overs In reply, Namibia were also stopped at the same team score

B

overs lost to Namibia in super over US be at Ca na da by 7 wick ets

game in a superb

Andries Gous Former South Africa Under-19 batsman Gous made 65 off 46 balls before he

struggling at 42-2 in the seventh over to close to their finish line at 173-3 in the 16th It was the perfect start to the tournament for the co-

champions West Indies were put under extreme pressure by a plucky P

scraping through with a five-wicket win in their T20 World Cup opener at Georgetown on Sunday Lefthander Sese Bau (50 off 43) made a fine half-century to take PNG to 136 for eight after the

g ame , en ding t heir in ning s a t 122/8 in 20 ove rs South Africa be at L ank a Anrich Nortje demolished Sri Lanka with career-best figures of 4-

7 a s S o u t h A f r i c a e x p l o i t e d t h e bounce on offer to secure a sixwicket win in their T20 World Cup

thrilling T20 World Cup match at

Namibia in the one-over eliminator with Oman managing 10 from the

fund of $11 25 million for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, with the winners set t

Aaron Jones struck an explosive unbeaten 94 from 40 balls as the USA beat Canada by seven wickets in the opening game of the T20

bludgeoned the Canadian attack, smashing ten sixes as he totally c

will earn at least $1 28 million, while the losing semi-finalists will take

advance past the second

d those finishing between ninth and 12th place will get $247,500 each," ICC said in a statement

T e a m s r a n k i n g f r o m 13th to 20th place will each earn $225,000 Additionally, every team will receive an extra $31,154 for each match won, excluding the semifinals and finals

India's Nishant Dev secures

historic Olympic quota in boxing

f o r t h e P a r i s G a m e s , f o l l o w i n g t h e e a r l i e r successes of women boxers

Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preet Pawar (54kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) With five quota places available in the

7 1 k g w e i g h t c l a s s , D e v ' s qualification is a significant milestone for Indian boxing T h r o u g h o u t t h e t o u r n a m e n t , D e v h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d d o m i n a n c e a n d t a c t i c a l a c u m

H e started the quarterfinal bout w i t h p

sealed the Indian's victory Am it, Jaismine clinch Olympic berth

B a n g k o k : W o r l d c

Panghal’s (51kg) remarkable comeback to the national

t e a m c u l m i n

reclaimed the women

s 57kg

qualification tournament in B

around the ground Brief scores: Canada 194-5 in 20 overs v United States 197-3 in 17 4 overs Result: US won by seven wickets and 14 balls to spare Roston

New York on security alert over threats to India-Pakistan cricket match

IS IS-K h as called fo r a “Lo ne Wolf” attack o n the Indi aP akistan Wo rld Cup Cricket match in New York, a po li ce o f fi ci al h as w arn ed w h il e p u tti n g s e c u ri t y o n h i gh alert In a video th at has g o ne gl o ba l , th e te rr o r gro u p i s “ ca lli ng f o r t ha t ‘Lone Wolf’ to act o ut”, said P a tr i c k R yd er , th e P o l i c e

C o mm i s si o n e r o f Na s sa u County where the match is sch eduled fo r Ju ne 6 On May 29, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that she has “directed the New York State Police to engage in elevated security

m e a s u r e s , i n c l u d i n g a n increased law enforcement

p r e s e n c e , a d v a n c e d surveillance, and thorough screening processes ”

B r u c e B l a k e m a n , t h e h e a d o f N a s s a u C o u n t y bordering New York City, said at a news conference, “We make sure that we are on top of every situation that could potentially arise Now to that end, we have t a k e n m a n y p r e c a u t i o n s ”

A d d i t i o n a l p o l i c e o f f i c e r s w i l l b e m o b i l i z e d a t t h e

c r i c k e t s t a d i u m a t E i s e n h o w e r P a r k , R y d e r said at the news conference

“We will go to every fine detail when it comes to the security and safety of the residents here,” he added Earlier there had been some ambiguity about the level of the threat posted in a chat group by ISIS-Khorasan, the offshoot of the Islamic State t e r r o r i s t o r g a n i z a t i o n

o p e r a t i n g i n S o u t h a n d Central Asia B e f o r e t h e n e w s c o n f e r e n c e b y N a s s a u officials, Hochul had said that “there is no credible public safety threat at this

“We

We

missed an Olympic berth in

, s h

d h i s determination and skill by defeating Cebotari 5-0 in a

f i e r c e l y c o n t e s t e d

q u a r t e r f i n a l m a t c h B o t h s o u t h p a w s d i s p l a y e d remarkable boxing prowess, b u t i t w a s D e v ' s s h a r p , a c c u r a t e p u n c h e s a n d c o m p o s e d d e m e a n o r t h a t ultimately led to his victory

This achievement marks India's fourth boxing quota

c i s i o n , l a n d i n g e f f e c t i v e p u n c h e s w h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g c o m p o s u r e Despite a brief challenge in t h e s e c o n d r o u n d w h e n

Cebotari landed a few blows, D e v ' s r e s i l i e n c e s h o n e through as he continued to deliver accurate shots In the f i n a l

were visibly exhausted, but

D e v m a i n t a i n e d h i s o f f e n s i v e s t

y

Cebotari's point deduction for an illegal punch when

D e v w a s d o w n f u r t h e r

Panghal, India’s lone world

c h

medallist, notched a hardfought 5-0 win over China’s

ticket to his second Olympic G

dropped down from 60kg, then followed suit as she o

of Mali with an identical 5-0 margin in the quarterfinals t

quadrennial showpiece

coaching India and I t h i n k i t ’ s a t r u l y special job to do I enjoyed working with this team and it’s a great bunch of boys to work with but yeah but just considering y o u k n o w u n f o r

n

tournament is important

E v e r y g a m e t h a t I ’ v e coached for India has been very important for me So for me this is no different just because it is going to

be the last one that I’m in charge of,” he said when asked if this tournament held more significance as it was his last one in charge of the team T h e f o r m e r I n d i a captain had taken charge of the team in Nov 2021 following the T20 World Cup that year “I love doing the job I’ve really enjoyed

f schedules and where I find myself in the s t a g e i n m y l i f e I don’t think I’ll be able to reapply

“So yeah, obviously it’ll be my last one but having said that it’s no different for me to be very honest From the first day I took the job, I always felt that every game was important and every game mattered and that will not change,” he asserted

Rahul Dravid