AV 12th August 2023

Journalist Sheela Bhatt visits London, praises P M Modi’s leadership quality

- 08

A S I resumes survey at Gyanvapi mosque amid heavy security

“ASIANS IN LONDON SUFFER THE WORST CONSEQUENCES OF TOXIC AIR”

In an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that the issues of toxic air and the climate crisis must be above party, despite facing severe criticism for Ulez, including from his own party leader, Sir Keir Starmer.

India’s

An Army veteran, Prabhdeep Singh, from Uxbridge has reportedly launched a fight back against London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s expansion of Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), by going on hunger strike for a week The Ulez scheme hits thousands of people in London, who commute in diesel vehicles older than 2015 or petrol vehicles older than 2006 with a charge of £12 50 a day that can go upto £4,500 a year The charge for non-complying vehicles currently applies to inner London only but on 29 August it will affect all 32 boroughs of London

Mayor of London at Shree Swaminarayan Temple Willesden

Shefali Saxena

with Keith Vaz

PR I NA M A SH RU

Prina Mashru studied M anagement Science at University and should hav e been a business analyst Bu t the co mpany she w orked for o ffered her a ch oice – a business analysis job next to East Mid land s Airport, or a recruitment role in M arbella Sh e picked M arbella!

She is now an experienced head-hunter, doing talent acquisition and strategic HR in commercial insurance for more than 15 years

Prina is currently Head of HR at Konsileo They were originally her clients, but she loves the business and culture so much she insisted they give her a job! She has been there ever since

1. What place or country to you feel most at home with?

Leicester I’m Leicester born and bred, and I still love the city I’m most at home there in my house - with my husband and two kids

2 What is your proudest achievement?

My proudest moment was being on stage at the Royal Albert Hall collecting the B e s t E m p l o y e r Aw a r d a t t h e B r i t i s h I n s u r a n c e Aw a r d s 2 0 2 2 , o n b e h a l f o f Konsileo We won again in 2023 – and were presented the Award by Sindu Vee – a favourite of mine!

3 What inspires you?

People I’m ver y much a people person, and I get inspired by getting the right person in the right role – and then watching them fly

4. What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?

Financial ser vices and recruitment are male dominated industries Getting taken seriously can be challenging I felt it particularly when I set out on my own after having a baby I knew I couldn’t do 12-hour days in an off ice, but I also knew I COULD do the job I just had to prove it – and I did

5 Who has been the biggest influence on your career?

My mum My dad died when I was 7 and she worked incredibly hard to raise 3 girls on a shoestring She gave me my work ethic, and my drive to make a good life for

Controversy surrounds APPG for its 'divisive' campaign for London-Ahmedabad direct flights

T h e re ce ntl y fo r m ed A l l Party Parliam entary Group (A PPG) fo r British Gujaratis, which has faced controv ersy within the diaspora since its es ta bl is h m e nt i n A p ri l, is o nc e ag ai n d raw i ng cr it icism This tim e, it is being accu sed of misrepresentatio n" regarding the status o f d i re ct fl ig h ts be tw ee n Lo nd on and Ahm ed abad

Gareth Thomas

myself and my family

6. What is the best thing about your current role?

I love being part of something that’s so innovative – and so fast moving Konsileo is r e a l l y d i s r u p t i n g t h e m a r ke t , g r o w i n g incredibly quickly, and establishing itself as a credible and respected force in the UK market, winning business from the jaws of larger peers

7 And the worst?

Honestly, there is no worst bit I know that sounds incredibly trite and boring, but it really is the best job I’ve ever had, at the best company I’ve ever worked for

8 What are your long-term goals?

I want to see Konsileo become THE place the ver y best brokers in the business want to work Over the last year we ’ ve doubled in size – I want to double that again in the next year

9 If you were prime minister, what one thing would you change?

I’d siphon more money into the NHS and look for other ways to support its r e c o v e r y I’m n o t s a y i n g I’ v e g o t t h e answers, but that would be my priority

10. If you were marooned on a desert island, what historical figure would you spend your time with, and why?

I’d go for Frida Khalo I love her paintings, her use of colour, her boldness, and her braver y Given enough time, maybe she could even teach me how to draw!

The National Council of Gu j a r a t i O r g a n i s a t i o n s (NCGO) UK has voiced its apprehensions, highlighting concerns over the APPG's campaign for the London-

“The APPG British Gujaratis are misrepresenting the current situation and creating undue concern and confu-

sion within the community in their attempt to hijack the issue,” reads the NCGO UK statement ”

G a r e t h T h o m a s , t h e Chair of the APPG and a L a b o u r Pa r t y M P fo r H a r r o w We s t i n L o n d o n , expressed that the campaign fo r L o n d o n -A h m e d a b a d flights was in response to c o m m u n i t y d e m a n d fo r i n c r e a s e d d i r e c t f l i g h t o p t i o n s f r o m t h e U K t o Gujarat This interest is particularly heightened as the cricket World Cup in India approaches later this year

Experts warn against England's childcare sector becoming a 'private equity playground'

Englan d's childcar e se ct or is a t risk of being d ominat ed by p r iv a t e e qu i t y, a s T h e Guar dian's e xclusive an alysis r e v e a ls i n v e st m e n t f un d s h a v e m o r e t ha n d o u ble d t h e i r i n v ol v e m e n t i n t h e ind ust r y in just four yea rs T h i s c o m e s a s t h e Treasur y plans to allocate an additional £4 billion per year i n t a x p a y e r s m o n e y fo r n u r s e r y f u n d i n g Ex p e r t s

w a r n t h a t p r i v a t e e q u i t y 's g r o w i n g i n f l u e n c e c o u l d make providers more vulnerable to closure, exacerbating t h e s h o r t a g e o f c h i l d c a r e spots in disadvantaged areas

The Guardian's study of Ofsted-registered nurseries revealed that 1,048 establishments, equivalent to 7 5% of n u r s e r y p l a c e m e n t s , w e r e c o n t r o l l e d b y i n v e s t m e n t f irms in 2022, up from 4% in

2018 Investment funds now c o l l e c t i v e l y o w n a l m o s t 8 1 ,5 0 0 c h i l d c a r e s p o t s i n En g l a n d , n e a r l y t w i c e t h e number in 2018 T h i s e x p a n s i o n r a i s e s c o n c e r n s a b o u t p o t e n t i a l n u r s e r y c l o s u r e s , w i t h experts drawing parallels to the near-collapse of Thames Water and the failures of priv a t e e q u i t y - b a c ke d a d u l t social care companies

Britain's ethnic minorities facing greater impacts from extreme heat

R ep o rt ed l y, at l eas t tw o i n d i v i d u al s h av e d e cl in ed h o n o u rs o f fere d b y L i z Truss, one of wh om felt too " hu m il i ate d " t o ac c ep t recog nition fro m th e U K's sh ortest-serv ing prim e minister Tr u s s , w h o a s s u m e d o f f i c e a s t h e Me m b e r o f Parliament for South West Norfolk, had compiled a list of 14 honours, reflecting one

for each three and a half days of her 49-day tenure T h i s l i s t , w h i c h i n c l u d e s nominations for life peera g e s , k n i g h t h o o d s , d a m ehoods, and OBEs, is currently undergoing review by the Ho u s e o f L o r d s a p p o i n tments commission S o u r c e s s u g g e s t t h a t s o m e p o t e n t i a l r e c i p i e n t s found the idea of receiving an honour from Truss to be

"humiliating," while others believed they did not merit s u c h r e c o g n i t i o n A m o n g t h o s e n o m i n a t e d fo r l i fe p e e r a g e s a re Co n s e r v a t i v e p a r t y d o n o r Si r Jo n Moynihan, Matthew Elliott, who led the Brexit campaign in 2016, and Ruth Porter, Truss's deputy chief of staff at No 10 Downing Street M a r k L i t t l e w o o d , t h e o u t g o i n g h e a d o f t h e I n s t i t u t e o f E c o n o m i c Affairs, who supported her mini-budget, is also ment i o n e d a s a p o t e n t i a l l i fe peer

A 2 02 0 U K s ur ve y by Ramblers , a walking charity, revealed that only 39 % of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic ( BAME) respondents lived wi thin a f ive-minute walk of green spaces, c ompared to 58% of white individuals A s r e c o r d - b r e a k i n g h e a t w a v e s g r i p B r i t a i n , health experts predict that B A M E c o m m u n i t i e s w i l l

bear the brunt due to their more frequent residence in densely populated , poorly insulated urban areas with limited parks and greener y S a n d r a Hu s b a n d s , director of public health for London's f inancial district, t h e Ci t y o f L o n d o n , a n d H a c k n e y, a n e t h n i c a l l y diverse borough, expresses concern over the likelihood of minorities facing greater

impacts from extreme heat According to the charity, 65% of individuals residing in neighbourhoods with limited natural cooling are p e o p l e o f c o l o u r, w i t h L o n d o n a n d Bi r m i n g h a m ranking among the hottest cities The organization also noted that the most swelt e r i n g a r e a s e x p e r i e n c e higher levels of air pollution

Suella Braverman cracks down on criminals following UK passport issue s

“British citizenship is a privi leg e Th o s e w h o co m m i t crim es shouldn’t be able to enjoy the bread th of rig hts citizenship bring s, including holding a British passport, v o ti n g an d ac c es si ng fre e medical care from the NHS,”

U K Home Secretar y Suella Br av er m an s ai d w h il e announcing a crackdown on c i ti ze ns h i p r u les ef fe ct iv e this week

Tougher "good character" rules by the UK Home O f f i c e a l i g n c r i m i n a l i t y standards for British citizens h i p w i t h I m m i g r a t i o n

Rules These stringent regulations, currently enforced, p r e v e n t s e r i o u s c r i m i n a l s

from gaining British citizenship, irrespective of when or where the offense occurred

T h e g o v e r n m e n t 's s t r i c t e r s t a n c e a p p l i e s t o new applicants with a minimum 12-month prison sent e n c e , r e i n fo r c i n g b o r d e r security and preventing misuse of the immigration and nationality system

E n h a n c e d g u i d e l i n e s emphasize good character p r e r e q u i s i t e s c r u c i a l fo r British citizenship, examining adherence to UK laws and respect for British citiz e n s ' r i g h t s T h e c r i t e r i a encompass criminal convict i o n s , i m m i g r a t i o n v i o l ations, and serious offenses

Suella Braverman

like war crimes, terrorism, or genocide

Previous rules allowing certain criminals to acquire citizenship after a set timeframe since their sentence ended, regardless of crime type or location, have been removed

At least two individuals reportedly turned down Liz Truss’ re signation honours

Liss Truss

Are we ready for a change?

The diaspora in the UK has already kickstarted the celebration for 77th anniversary of India’s independence day On 2 August, The Bhavan marked this month’s first ever independence day events hosted by the diaspora

UK’s ever growing Indian community also hosted its firstever saree walkathon that had 600 women in saree joining Dipti Jain’s initiative for a 1 1 km walk from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square Women representing all states of India, performed to traditional music and film songs on the streets of Whitehall, opposite 10 Downing Street

The upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, right after the independence day celebrations is also an event to look out for Rishi Sunak, who is currently holidaying in the US, enjoying a Taylor Swift inspired SoulCycle class in LA, will attend the Summit on 9-10 September, making this as his first trip after becoming the UK’s first-ever Indian-origin Prime Minister As the Free Trade Agreement draws to a close between UK-India, all eyes will be on Sunak-Modi interaction in Delhi

In another news, while Tanmanjeet Dhesi MP was held for 2 hours at immigration in Amritsar airport, due to a “missing OCI card” situation, one wonders what will happen if L

Conservative party has over a year to decide on its mandate, the party conferences will set the ball rolling First, they will need to identify a potential Prime Ministerial candidate While Mr Sunak has crisis managed better than most of his predecessors, everyone knows, an elected British Indian Prime Minister may not be Britain’s reality Of course, we are full of surprises, as our 2023 summer weather, but middle England, that helped Boris Johnson secure a majority in 2019 elections, may have their reservation to vote for an immigrant If Mr Sunak can control inflation and the rising energy bill in the upcoming winter, there are hopes for the Tories to win – may be in a Coalition, despite Suella Braverman’s antiimmigration stance and current attack on the “crooked” immigration lawyers The Law Society told BBC, the Home Office is focusing on "a tiny minority of lawyers" rather than the "significant backlogs in asylum claims"

With India’s growing important geo-political position, will UK agree to lose their leverage over India, if Labour comes to power? Sir Keir Starmer has promised a better working and respectful relationship with India, but the damage done by Jeremy Corbyn runs too deep! Will the party be able to revive its rapport with India and its UK diaspora?

Pakistan’s political instability deepens its economic crisis

Pakistan’s ongoing political crisis has reached a crescendo this week with the arrest and jailing of former Prime Minister Imran Khan over corruption charges The contours of the conflict are clear: it is Khan versus Pakistan’s military establishment And the gloves are off The central government was weakened by corruption and internal strife For the majority of Pakistan's eight-decade history, its courts generally supported the strong military of the nation They formally sanctioned three coups, removed hundreds of politicians who had lost the support of the generals, and kept a blind eye on the disappearances of political dissidents No prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term since the nation’s formation While the longest is four years and two months, the shortest tenure for a prime minister is two weeks

Analysts claimed that the judiciary has openly defied the military and evolved as a political entity unto itself, as Pakistan is currently gripped by a political crisis that has caused violent protests across the nation In recent months, Imran Khan has clashed with the military and current civilian government, the courts have issued ruling after ruling that have thwarted what many consider attempts by the military to sideline Khan from politics Pakistan's diplomatic relations with its neighbours, especially India, have long been influenced by its turbulent political history and military meddling in politics In August 2019, following the deployment of tens of thousands of additional troops and paramilitary forces to the Kashmir border, the Indian government revoked Article 370 of the Indian constitution, removing the special sta-

tus enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir Since then, there has been unrest and a greater threat of terrorism in Kashmir from militant organisations with a base in Pakistan Invoking the Kashmir dispute is something Pakistan never hesitates to do on any international stage Pakistan is currently dealing with unprecedented inflation and skyrocketing unemployment Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves are decreasing, and as a result, it is increasingly dependent on IMF bailouts and at risk of default The country's rupee has lost nearly 50 per cent over the past 12 months The main stock index has suffered a double-digit decline over the same period The lack of job opportunities has contributed to a surge in outward migration, and in June 2023, over 300 Pakistani migrants died trying to reach Europe when their boat sank off the coast of Greece The dire economic situation has forced Pakistan to make difficult budgetary cuts and raise taxes to meet IMF demands, which lead to public unrest Compounding Pakistan’s economic woes, climate change has increased the severity of natural disasters, especially floods and heatwaves, in the country Unrelenting rains in the summer of 2022 inundated a third of the nation, with some parts receiving 450 per cent more rainfall than usual Eight million people were forced to flee their homes, and over 15,000 people died or were injured Estimates of reconstruction costs and economic losses exceeded 30 billion dollars The World Bank says that extreme weather combined with p o l l u t i o n a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l d e g r a d a t i o n c o u l d r e d u c e Pakistan’s GDP by nearly 20 per cent by 2050

Kashmir’s progress continues, as India’s independence day anniversary approaches

On August 5, 2019, the Centre nullified Article 370, eliminating special status for the former state of Jammu and Kashmir and its rights to an independent constitution, a state flag, and internal administrative autonomy The state was subsequently divided into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh

As India approaches its 77th anniversary of independence day, in the past four years, the union territories have witnessed a n u m b e r o f f i r s t s : f r o m a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a d v a n c e m e n t t o enhanced security and drastic political changes The revocation of Article 370 sparked significant political shifts in the Union Territory Major opposition leaders were detained or had their movements restricted Prominent figures like Farooq Abdullah, O m a r A b d u l l a h , M e h b o o b a M u f t i , S h a h F a e s a l , S y e d A l i Geelani, Umar Farooq, and Mian Abdul Qayoom were among those held As mainstream parties faced political constraints, new groups emerged and leaders switched allegiances, such as the PDP partnering with the NC On the other hand, BJP continues to emerge as the single largest party in Jammu and Kashmir

The revocation created an expanded political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir, encouraging the formation of political entities and active participation in the upcoming 2023 elections Over the last three years, ten new political parties, including the National Awami United Party, Aman aur Shanti Tehreek-e-Jammu and Kashmir, National Democratic Party, Voice of Labour Party, Haq Insaaf Party, Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement, and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, registered with the Election Commission of India

In 2020, the Centre established a 3-member Commission led by retired Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Desai to delineate 90 Assembly constituencies, including reserved seats for SCs and STs In its final 2022 report, the commission increased Jammu division's Assembly seats from 37 to 43 and Kashmir's from 46 to 47 It also proposed 9 ST-reserved and 6 SC-reserved constituencies, along with the nomination of two Kashmiri

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

The Partition Paradox -A Tale of Two Nations

As the former PM of Pakis ta n fa ces jail on the eve of the nations Independenc e celeb rati on s, In the ann als of history, few events have been as c on sequential as the partition of B ritish Indi a i nto the two s overei gn states of India and Pakis tan in 1947 This momentous event, which m arked the en d of B ri tish c oloni al rule, was accom pan ied by a tragic a nd violent uphe aval that has left an indeli ble mark on the subc on ti nent The partition, i ntended as a solution to religious tens ions, has ins tead s ow n the s eeds of enduring c on flict and divergence

India, with its secular democratic constitution, has made significant strides in various fields It has emerged as a global player in the technology sector, a leader in space exploration, and a rapidly growing economy The Indian diaspora, spread across the globe, has contributed significantly to the world in terms of intellectual capital and economic growth

Pakistan, on the other hand, has faced a series of challenges since its inception The country has grappled with political instability, economic crises, and resorted to supporting terrorism The state's struggle to establish a stable democratic system, coupled with its military's outsized role in politics, has hindered its progress

The partition, which was intended to create two harmonious nations, has instead led to a tragic divergence The decision to divide the subcontinent along religious lines has resulted in a legacy of hostility and suspicion that continues to plague Indo-Pak relations The partition has not only been a source of conflict between the two nations but has also had a profound impact on the people of Pakistan

The people of Pakistan have borne the brunt of the partition's aftermath The country's struggle with terrorism, both as a victim and an supporter, has taken a heavy toll on its populace The state s focus on security concerns has often come at the expense of economic development and social welfare The people of Pakistan, who were promised a land of their own, have instead been left grappling with a state that is often at odds with itself

Hindus and a displaced person from PoK

Security dynamics in Kashmir have transformed, with separatist and militant strike calls finding no support among the populace, who now enjoy the fruits of peace Prior to the Article 370 repeal, the region's education sector was severely affected by disruptions, stone-pelting, and violence Robust security measures, including a substantial presence of security forces and decisive actions by agencies like the NIA, have virtually eradicated stone-throwing incidents

Under LG Manoj Sinha's leadership, significant accomplishments have been realized Over 49 38 lakh beneficiaries have gained from the Aayushman Bharat Health Insurance schemes The Water to Every Home initiative has already provided functional tap connections to 7 82 lakh rural households out of 18 16 lakh, with full coverage expected by 2024 A total of 54 developmental projects, costing Rs 56,261 crores, have been approved, including completed projects like the Rambagh F l y o v e r , Q a z i g u n d - B a

Mitigation Project

The new Industrial Development Scheme has garnered investment offers of Rs 81,122 crore in the past two years Tourism in J&K is flourishing, attracting a record 1 88 crore tourists last year, and expected to surpass two crore visitors this year The Srinagar G-20 meet, a significant international event held in the region since August 2019, further boosted tourism and investments

Grassroots democracy also received a significant boost as e l e c t i o n s f o r B l o c k D e v e l o p m e n t C o u n c i l ( B D C ) , D i s t r i c t

Development Council (DDC) and the first ever Panchayat elections saw great turnout Reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes (STs) during the delimitation of Assembly constituencies and change in domicile laws to enable people from elsewhere in the country to settle in J&K were also some notable changes

Despite challenges against Article 370 in the apex court, the region's progress continues and it is very important that Kashmir should not revert to its pre-2019 state

The international community, too, has felt the repercussions of the partition The Indo-Pak conflict, particularly over Kashmir, and now Khan’s expansionist vision to include parts of Gujarat, has been a source of global tension The involvement of Pakistan in supporting terrorism has also had global implications, contributing to instability and insecurity

The partition of India and Pakistan serves as a stark reminder of the unintended consequences of political decisions It underscores the importance of fostering unity and understanding in diverse societies, rather than sowing division The tragedy of Pakistan's divergence from India is not just a tale of two nations, but a cautionary tale for the world It was West Pakistan that raped and murdered its way through East Pakistan

In conclusion, the partition of British India has been a tragic mistake for the people of Pakistan and a source of global tension It is a stark reminder of the perils of division and the importance of unity in diversity The world must learn from the lessons of the past and strive to foster peace and understanding within nations Whilst many argue India benefitted from removing the cancer of division, it may well also have benefitted the world by having the same people within it, encapsulated in the values of its constitution But then, India had by 1947, sacrificed so much for the world already

UK Sikh MP Tanmanjeet Dhesi stopped at Amritsar airport for 2 hours

U K M em ber of Parliam ent

T a nm a nj ee t S in g h Dh e si rep orted ly faced a two-h our d elay by im migration offic i als u p on arri v al at S h ri

G u ru R am d a s j i

International A irpo rt While there is no official co nfirm ation of the incid ent, sources indicate that the Labour MP from S loug h d id not h av e h i s O v er se as C i ti z en o f India (OCI) card with him

D h e s i , w h o i s r e c o gnized for his vocal stance on S i k h m a t t e r s , e n d u r e d a two-hour wait before being allowed to depart the airport Punjab police reported t h a t D h e s i a r r i v e d f r o m Birmingham at around 9 am

CPS issues statement on the sentencing of Arslan Farooq

A road r age drive r who killed a man wit h a sin gle punch has bee n jailed for eight y ear s a nd t hree months

Arslan Farooq, 25, of Gipsy Lane, Birmingham was sentenced today (4 August 2023) at Birmingham Crown

C o u r t a f t e r h e a d m i t t e d t h e manslaughter of 51-year-old Simon West following an incident last year He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving

Emily Clewer of the CPS said:

“Arslan Farooq’s aggressive and reck-

less behaviour cost Simon West his life and while he has accepted culpability and has been sentenced by the court, no outcome can return Simon West to those that loved him Our thoughts are with them at this time “ I h o p e t h i s c a s e i s a s t a r k reminder of the consequences of road rage and the importance of driving safely and behaving responsibly The CPS will continue to work hard to bring offenders to justice to face the legal ramifications of their actions ”

POST OFFICE CUSTOMERS ANGERED OVER OLD COUNTERFEIT STAMPS

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

and did not express any concerns or difficulties during his time at the airport

An airport official stated that Dhesi is visiting for pers o n a l r e a s o n s a n d h a s declined police security for his stay in the city

BBC star labels Amir Khan 'disgusting' in sexual harassment accusation

F orm er BBC presenter Su zi

M ann h as lab el led bo xe r

A mir Khan disg usting and alleged that he engag ed in s e xu al h a ras s m en t M an n h as accused Khan of making r ep e ate d s ex u al ad v anc es toward s her since th eir initi al m eeting in 20 16 at a c o nc e rt s h e h o st ed i n M anchester A ph otog raph o f the two from 20 16, originally posted on Instag ram, h as since been rem oved following the claims

S u z i h a s n o w p o s t e d s c r e e n s h o t s o f a T w i t t e r conversation, alleging that it is from Amir's wife, Faryal

#DayOfTheGirl: UK mission offers 'High Commissioner for a Day' in India

In honor of the International Day of th e G ir l C h i ld , th e B ri ti s h Hi g h Com mission in New Delh i is extending an invitation to Indian w omen ag ed 1 8 to 2 3 , o ff eri ng th em th e ch ance to exp erience a d ay as a leading U K dip lom at A l e x E l l i s , B r i t i s h H i g h Commissioner to India, said: “The Sustainable Development Goals push f o r a b e t t e r p l a n e t f o r e v e r y o n e , everywhere; just as India is doing with its G20 Presidency

Royal Mail customers seeking to exchange old stamps have voiced frustration with the Post Office claiming they were informed that these stamps are counterfeit This situation arises amidst the Royal Mail s endeavor to modernize its stamp system by introducing barcoded stamps As part of this initiative, the 'Swap Out' program was introduced, allowing customers to exchange their old stamps for new ones with barcodes However, reports suggest that the 'Swap Out scheme has encountered obstacles, with some customers reportedly unable to participate The Daily Telegraph noted around 40 instances where customers were unsuccessful in exchanging their stamps due to alleged invalidity

FUNERAL FOR NOTTINGHAM ATTACK VICTIM GRACE O'MALLEY-KUMAR HELD

M a k h d o o m , c o m m u n i c a ting through Amir's account Amir has refuted the allegat i o n s , a s s e r t i n g t h a t h e doesn't recall Suzi and suggesting she is merely "jumping on the bandwagon "

Hospital doctor grabbed female nurse by throat and asked for her number

A d oct o r w h o p h y s i c a ll y a s s a u l te d a n NH S n u r s e a nd sub jected other hospita l s taff to sex ual ha rassmen t has be en placed on s uspen si on D r M u b a s h s h e r Muhammed, employed in t h e A & E d e p a r t m e n t a t S t e p p i n g H i l l H o s p i t a l , faced a tribunal following a referral by the UK's medical regulator, the General M e d i c a l C o u n c i l T h e Council reprimanded him for engaging in 'deplorable s e x u a l h a r a s s m e n t ' towards two colleagues T h e d o c t o r d e f e n d e d his actions as 'banter' and a t t r i b u t e d t h e m t o h i s desire to 'fit in', citing his p r e f e r e n c e f o r p h y s i c a l contact Both nurses assert

that their appeals for him to cease were dismissed as j o k e s T h e s e i n c i d e n t s occurred in April 2021 In one instance, the doctor allegedly instructed a fellow staff member referred to as Nurse A to 'lower your m a s k s o I c a n s e e y o u r face' However, the doctor r e f u t e d e m p l o y i n g t h i s phrase

According to the presented evidence, he persistently tampered with the face covering of a second c o l l e a g u e T h i s i n c l u d e d actions like massaging her s h o u l d e r s ' , ' t i c k l i n g h e r waist', and pinching her

Despite Nurse B's pleas to cease, the doctor responded with laughter instead of compliance

OF NAME

to change my name to UMESHKUMAR TANDEL.

So relinquished to the intent that I may hereafter be called/known and identified by my new name

“The full potential of the world’s youth to solve the world’s biggest challenges cannot be achieved witho u t g i r l s a n d w o m e n T h e International Day of the Girl Child is an important moment to include and inspire I’m looking forward to seeing numerous fantastic entries ”

The 'High Commissioner for a Day' competition presents a distinc-

Source: Twitter

tive platform for accomplished young Indian women to showcase their abilities on a global stage This annual initiative, hosted by the British High C o m m i s s i o n i n I n d i a s i n c e 2 0 1 7 , c o m m e m o r a t e s t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l

Day of the Girl Child on October 11

Conservatives exploring alternative to Rwanda plan if it falters

Mi ni st e r s h av e r e v iv e d di scu ssio n s reg ard in g t he utiliza tion of Brita in s ov e rs e as te r r it o ri e s, sit ua t e d th ousa nds of mile s awa y, as poten tial solutions to a ddr ess the on going sma llboat s crisis in volving illeg al mig ran ts A m o n g t h e s e t e r r i t o r i e s , Ascension Island is being reconsidered as a prospective offshore site to temporarily accommodate migrants u n t i l a p e r m a n e n t d e s t i n a t i o n i s d e t e r m i n e d T h i s s m a l l v o l c a n i c island, located in the South Atlantic a p p r o x i m a t e l y 4 , 0 0 0 m i l e s f r o m Britain, had previously been contemplated as a location for processing

asylum seekers

The review of options involving Britain's overseas territories is part of a set of "plan B" contingencies that have been under discussion by ministers and officials These alternatives are being considered in case the government's existing approach, which i n v o l v e s d e p o r t i n g m i g r a n t s t o Rwanda, faces challenges

In addition to this, the government is engaged in negotiations with around five other countries to potentially establish agreements similar to the one reached with Rwanda last year

Wife's 'love-driven' £50 million loan guarantee upheld

A wealthy wom an, devo ted to her husband, w ho attributed "lo ve" for co -sig ning a £50 millio n loan for her husband's business without rev iewing the term s, has been ruled liable for th e debt X i a o m i n Z h a n g , r e s i d i n g i n London, affixed her signature solely on the final page of the agreement, a document that was faxed to her while she was vacationing in Spain Zhang, 5 1 , i n f o r m e d t h e H i g h C o u r t i n London that she had signed the documents at her husband Zhenxin's request, motivated by her "love" and as an expression of her dutiful commitment as a wife

Following a failure to honor the l o a n b o n d s i n M a y 2 0 1 9 a n d t h e uncovering of extensive fraud within a subsidiary, trading of the company's shares was suspended Zhang's husband passed away at 48 due to multiple organ failure and alcohol dependency in September 2019 at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in west London Zhang had provided a guarantee for a HK$500 million (£50 million) loan from Eternity Sky Investment to her husband's company, Chong Sing Fintech Holdings Group, listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, in 2016

At the funeral of Nottingham attack victim Grace O Malley-Kumar, her father delivered a heartrending eulogy Grace, a 19-year-old medical student at Nottingham University, was tragically discovered stabbed to death alongside fellow student Barnaby Webber on June 13 School caretaker Ian Coates was also found stabbed to death on a different Nottingham road that same day Grace had previously attended Bancroft's School in Woodford Green before her studies in Nottingham The somber ceremony occurred at Westminster Cathedral, England and Wales' largest Catholic church, with more than 1 000 attendees Dr Sanjoy Kumar Grace s father described her as an "angelic girl" during the service

ALMOST 100,000 FEWER TOP A-LEVELS THIS YEAR IN GRADING PLAN: RESEARCH

Next week's results day could bring disappointment to tens of thousands of A-level students, with concerns over a potential drop of nearly 100,000 A and A* grades The government s aim to restore grades to prepandemic levels could lead to around 50,000 candidates missing out on anticipated top grades affecting applications to competitive universities The significant decline in grades aligns with government intentions to revert Alevel results in England to 2019 standards this summer The Covid pandemic led to grade inflation in 2020 and 2021 with teacher assessments replacing exams To achieve the 2019 benchmark, the percentage of A* grades needs to decrease from 14 6% last year to 7 8%, resulting in 59,000 fewer A* grades and 36,000 fewer A grades, as projected by the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER) at the University of Buckingham

AKSHATA MURTHY’S SHARES RAISE QUESTIONS

The creator of a childcare enterprise, in which the prime minister's wife possesses shares, engaged with the children s minister shortly before a budget declaration that could potentially benefit the company During the March budget announcement the Treasury introduced a trial initiative offering incentive payments of £600 to independent childminders and £1 200 to those who opt for agency affiliation Subsequently it was disclosed that Akshata Murthy held shares in Koru Kids one of the six agencies listed on the Department for Education s website Just prior to the budget presentation, Claire Coutinho, the children s minister, held discussions with representatives from Koru Kids concerning initiatives impacting childminder agencies

Suzi Mann

11-year Milan and his 89-year-old pen pal encourage creativity in children

M ilan, aged 11, and his 8 9y ea rs -o l d p en p a l, P o s ti e T erry are all set to help child ren at Royal Mail’ s summ er c halleng e to u nleash th eir creativ ity thro ugh letter and p ostcard sending T his will b e d one wi th the help o f w e ekly v id e os fo r ins p irat i on , c o v e ri ng ev ery th i ng from stamps to the journey o f letters Milan became pen pals w i t h 1 5 r e s i d e n t s i n c a r e homes across the UK during l o c k d o w n a s p a r t o f t h e N a t i o n a l L i t e r a c y T r u s t ' s 'MyDearNewFriend ' scheme t o c o m b a t i s o l a t i o n a n d l o n e l i n e s s a m o n g o l d e r adults He continues to write and visit his pen pals H e s a y s : " I l o v e l e t t e r writing I have so much in common with my pen pals such as sports, pets, travel-

ling and food I also write about school, hobbies and trips I have been on I have recently started writing to Ukrainian children, whom I m e t o n a r e c e n t t r i p t o Poland, they hope to return t o U k r a i n e w h e n t h e w a r ends " M i l a n ' s a c h i e v e m e n t s include national awards for letter writing, volunteering,

"Idol of Sainthood Sadguru Shastri Shree

Anandpriyadasji Swami" book

launched at the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir- Kumkum, London

reading religious books - Sadhu Premvatsaldasji.

Th e bo ok "Id ol of S aintho od S ad g u ru S h as tri S h re e

A nand priyadasji Swami" w as u nv ei le d , o n t h e 6 th o f

A u g u s t, d ur i ng th e a u sp ic i o us o c ca si o n o f ten th

Pato tsav celebration of Sh ree S w a m i nar aya n M an d i r -

and fundraising He earned a m e d a l a t t h e P a l a c e o f W e s t m i n s t e r a n d m e t t h e Prime Minister Nominated f o r B o l t o n N e w s Y o u n g Person of the Year, he's a Diana Award Recipient and #iwill Ambassador for community social action

The programme runs for five weeks between 31st July and 3rd September

Maharashtra Mandal London's Mangalagour event attracts diverse and enthusiastic women

M angalagour, a joyf ul unity c e l eb r a t io n , u ni t e d d iv e r s e l adies on July 2 3rd Host ed by M a ha r a s ht r a M a n da l ' s women, the vibrant event feat ured t raditions, m us ic , and f l a vo ur s , c a p ti v a ti n g a t t e ndees I n t h e M a h a r a s h t r a M a n d a l H a l l , e x c i t e m e n t f i l l e d t h e a i r a s f e s t i v i t i e s c o m m e n c e d E v e r y c o r n e r adorned with colourful decorations and traditional dances s h o w c a s e d t h e s t a t e ' s r i c h heritage Beyond displaying India's culture, the event prom o t e d l o c a l w o m e n entrepreneurs, organized and s p o n s o r e d b y l a d i e s P a r t i c i p a n t s a d o r n e d t r a d itional attire, creating a vivid

visual spectacle Smiles and laughter of all ages evidenced the event's success

Mangalagour stands as an eagerly anticipated event, fostering harmony for years to come The dedicated individuals from the executive committee whose tireless efforts paved the way for the success

are: Minakshi Dudhe, Preeti B i b e k a r , S u v a r n a Chandgadkar, Sujata Shahane ( J o i n t t r e a s u r e r o f M M L ) , R e n u k a P h a d k e ( T r e a s u r e r MML), with an amazing help from Mr Vrushal Khandke ( P r e s i d e n t , M M L ) & M r Chetan Harpale & Mr Pritam Sadaphule( PRO, MML)

Natyashastra in focus at Nehru Centre event

R el ev an ce o f Nat yas h as tr a w as the focal point of th e event org anised at the Nehru C entre recently Ho sted by S a ns kr u ti C en tr e f o r

C ultural Excellence as p art o f the Sou th Asian Heritag e M onth, the event h ad a h ig hl y e nri c h i ng ta lk by P r o fe ss o r Rad h av a ll abh

T r i p ath i , an em i ne nt l u m i na ry o f li te rat u re s p e ci al i si ng i n

Natyashastra

A m i s h T r i p a t h i , D i r e c t o r o f t h e N e h r u C e n t r e g a v e t h e o p e n i n g words, followed by an invoc a t o r y V e d i c h y m n b y A t m a d e e p B h a t t a c h a r j e e ,

Kathak by Priya Kushwaha, B h a r a t a n a t y a m b y M a n j u

Sunil and instrumental presentation (4 types of instruments as per Natyashastra)

by Dr Anjali Sharma Tiwari

Prof Radhavallabh elabo r a t e d f e w a n d s k e t c h e d

b r i e f l y t h e r e s t o f t h e 3 6 chapters of Natyashastra on theatre, architecture, music, m u s i c a l i n s t r u m e n t s , d i ct i o n , d a n c e , e m o t i o n a n d a e s t h e t i c s D r M a t t u r N a n d a k u m a r a a n d a u t h o r

John Farndon spoke on the i m p o r t a n c e o f p r e s e r v i n g a n c i e n t k n o w l e d g e

R a g a s u d h a V i n j a m u r i a n d

Prof Radhavallabh also eluc i d a t e d o n a n i m p o r t a n t

Kum kum , London The boo k is based on the life story of the found er o f the M andir, S ad g u ru S h as tri S h re e A nand priyadasji S wam i C B Patel (Publisher and E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f ) a n d M a h e s h L i l o r i y a ( G r o u p E d i t o r ) o f A s i a n B u s i n e s s Publications Ltd , publishers of Gujarat Samachar -Asian Voice graced the event with their presence

D u r i n g t h i s e v e n t , t h e author of the book, Sadhu Premvatsaldasji, mentioned that C B Patel has played a significant role in keeping the Gujarati language alive in Europe, and in promoting a n d d i s s e m i n a t i n g i t H e added that “For more than 51 years, CB has dedicated his services and worked hard for the right and upliftment of the British Asian community through Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice As a result, he has been honoured with s e v e r a l a w a r d s , i n c l u d i n g r e c o g n i t i o n f r o m I n d i a s P r i m e M i n i s t e r a n d President, for his substantial c o n t r i b u t i o n s I t i s c o mmendable how Maheshbhai i s a c t i v e l y s u p p o r t i n g a n d co-operating in pushing forw a r d t h e l e g a c y o f A B P L Group ”

O n t h e o c c a s i o n , C B said, “These saints are the custodians of our culture

T h e y f r e q u e n t l y v i s i t L o n d o n a n d e n g a g e o u r y o u t h i n S a t s a n g , t h e r e b y keeping our culture intact Shree Premvatsaldaji Swami has been writing for Gujarat S a m a c h a r f o r m a n y y e a r s and his writings are an inspiration for the young generation Today, knowing that he has written this book brings me immense joy ”

During the book launch, Sadhu Premvatsaldasji, mentioned that temples, script u r e s , a n d s a i n t s a r e t h e main pillars of the Hindu culture Such scriptures nurture and enrich our culture

This book narrates how S h a s t r i S h r e e

Anandpriyadasji Swami lived his life It portrays the exemplary life he led and the profound messages he imparted Alongside the life teachings, the book includes various photographs that provide glimpses of Swamiji's presence, enabling readers to connect more closely with his teachings

T o d a y , p e o p l e f i n d immense joy and pleasure on social media platforms, s i m i l a r l y r e a d i n g r e l i g i o u s books can bring the same level of joy If one adapts the teachings of such books in their life, it can lead to happiness and so it is advisable to read religious books daily and incorporate their principles into one's life We can establish ideals for our lives and strive for a content and happy existence

At the end, Shastri Shree H a r i k r i s h n a s w a r u p d a s j i Swami of Kumkum Sanstha honored C B Patel and also felicitated Mahesh Liloriya The book has been published with generous financial supp o r t f r o m M a y a b e n D Pindoriya and Dhanuben K Halai M a n y d e v o t e e s b o t h from India and abroad part i c i p a t e d v i r t u a l l y a s t h e e n t i r e p r o g r a m w a s l i v es t r e a m e d o n t h e S w a m i n a r a y a n M a n d i r Kumkum YouTube channel

Indian Greenhouse-in-a-box supplies Prince William's Earthshot Burger

14th-century treatise in S a n s k r i t c a l l e d S a n g i t a c a n d r a , a n d t h e w o r k c a r r i e d o u t b y S a n s k r u t i C e n t r e f o r C u l t u r a l E x c e l l e n c e i n t r a n s l a t i n g 7 5 0 o f t h e 2100 shlokas so far Cllr S h a r a d K u m a r J h a , C l l r

C h a n d r a M u v v a l a , C l l r

G o v i n d B h a r a d i a , e x - C l l r

Manji Kara were present on t h e o c c a s i o n T h e v o t e o f t h a n k s w a s r e n d e r e d b y

S u s h i l R a p a t w a r a n d t h e e v e n t w a s a n c h o r e d b y

Radhika Joshi The audience members had an interesting Q&A session with the professor

K heyti, the recipient o f last year's Earthsh ot Prize in the P ro t ec t an d R e st o re N at u re " c at eg o ry fo r i ts i nn o vat ive G ree nh o u s e- i na-box so lu tio n, p layed a ro le i n cr af t in g t h e E ar th s h o t B u rg er du r i ng P ri n ce W i ll i am 's di s ti n c ti ve r o a d trip

In collaboration with the Y o u T u b e c h a n n e l S o r t e d Food, Kheyti participated in a partnership aimed at highlighting the initiatives of the Earthshot Prize, a climate change combatting program established by the Prince of Wales to amplify inventive solutions

The startup was recognized for its Greenhouse-ina-box, which provides support to small-scale farmers by safeguarding their crops from unpredictable weather a n d h a r m f u l p e s t s T h e

Earthshot Burger's ingredie n t s , i n c l u d i n g v e g e t a b l e s

g r o w n i n a K h e y t i g r e e nhouse, showcase its impact:

a r e m a r k a b l e 9 8 p e r c e n t reduction in water usage and a sevenfold increase in crop yield

P r i n c e W i l l i a m i n v i t e d the founders of Sorted Food t o a s s e s s a n d e x p e r i m e n t

w i t h K h e y t i ' s i n n o v a t i o n s a l o n g w i t h t h o s e o f t w o other 2022 winners to create the Earthshot Burger This endeavor is captured in a YouTube episode, following P r i n c e W i l l i a m a n d t h e Sorted Food team as they t r a v e r s e i n a f o o d t r u c k , delighting individuals with a royal delivery experience

The time and enthusiasm we invest in Facebook should be capitalised by

L-R: Sadhu Premvatsaldasji, Mahesh Liloriya, C B Patel and Shastri Shree Harikrushnaswaroopdasji Swami unveiling the book

Prince William at Sorted Foods

Man arrested following stabbing near British Museum

A ma n h as b e en ap p re h e nd ed u nd er s u s p i c i o n o f i nf l ic t i ng grievou s bodily harm after a s tabbing near th e British Museum

According to a spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police, the incident occurred around 10am on T u e s d a y a t t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n o f Great Russell Street and Museum Street The victim sustained a stab wound to his arm

The victim, waiting in a museum queue, was stabbed as wit-

Hastings shop owner fined £5,000 for illegal tobacco and vodka sales

nessed by bystanders

H e w a s s u b s e q u e n t l y t r a n sported to a hospital Authorities have labeled the incident as "isolated," affirming that there is no ongoing threat to the public

T h e i n c i d e n t i s n o t b e i n g treated as terrorism-related

The male assailant managed to flee but was promptly apprehended by nearby police and subsequently arrested The museum has since resumed normal operations

Illegal workers prompt early closure at West London kebab shop

A kebab sh op in West L ondo n, s p e ci f ic al ly Wo o d y Gr il l o n U xb ri d g e R o ad i n S h e p h er d ’ s Bush, has been discovered employing illegal migrants in its kitchen

In response, th e council has susp ended its late-night license for a p e ri o d o f th re e m o nt h s A dd itionally, the shop's manager, A li H ayd ar G u m u s , h as be en a d v i s ed no t t o c o n ti nu e h i s emp loyment at th e establishment

In a recent Hammersmith and F u l h a m C o u n c i l s e s s i o n , t h e restaurant proposed an early closure and unannounced right-towork checks to be conducted by an auditor

During the licensing meeting held on Thursday, July 3, Craig Baylis, acting on behalf of Woody G r i l l , e x p r e s s e d h i s c l i e n t ' s remorse for the violations of the

l i c e n s i n g a g r e e m e n t H e m e n -

tioned that his client had already been fined £70,000 by the Home Office and attributed the misconduct to a 'rogue' former manager,

Ali Haydar Gumus

Taha K helani, 53, formerly residing in S easide, Eastbo urne, h as been fi ned £5,000 fo r the sale of illicit to bacco and vodka at Delboys o n Ca s tle S tr ee t T h e c o u n t er fe i t to bacco carried a p otential retail value exceeding £31, 000

K h e l a n i h a s b e e n f u r t h e r d i r e c t e d t o c o v e r p r o s e c u t i o n costs totaling £7,620 86 and a victim surcharge of £181 If the full

payment is not made within six

m o n t h s , a t h r e e - m o n t h p r i s o n term will be imposed as a default sentence He was absent from the

s e n t e n c i n g h e a r i n g a n d i s

b e l i e v e d t o b e r e s i d i n g i n Germany, where he holds citizenship

In October of the previous year, Khelani was convicted by a jury on multiple charges, includ-

ing four counts of unauthorized trademark use, one count of distributing unsafe food, one count of false vodka advertising, and two counts of supplying tobacco with improper packaging

He also admitted guilt for one count of violating the Trademark Act and one count of breaching the S t a n d a r d i s e d P a c k a g i n g Regulations

Indian-origin officer jail over fatal speeding patrol car incident

A U K c ou r t h a s se n t e n c e d a n In d i a n -o r i g in po l ic e o ff ic e r , P C Nad eem Pate l, to thr ee yea rs in prison an d a drivin g disqualification o f ov er four ye ar s a fter he ple ade d guilty to causing the de ath of a woma n by dan ger ous dr iving Patel, 28, was driving a marked police patrol car responding to an emergency call when it struck 25year-old Shante Daniel-Folkes in

June 2021 The victim suffered fatal injuries Another officer, PC Gary Thomson, 31, who was driving a police car ahead of Patel's vehicle, was found guilty of careless driving after a four-day trial at the Old Bailey court in London

The CPS noted that both officers, despite being exempt from the 30mph speed limit while responding to an emergency call, were driv-

i n g a t s p e e d s t y p i c a l l y s e e n o n m o t o r w a y s w i t h i n a p o p u l a t e d u r b a n r e g i o n w h e r e n u m e r o u s potential hazards were present

According to court testimony, D a n i e l - F o l k e s w a s c r o s s i n g t h e road near a pedestrian crossing at a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 1 : 2 0 p m w h e n Thomson's vehicle passed her with i t s e m e r g e n c y l i g h t s a n d s i r e n engaged

Chinese consortium connected with Tata's battery factory

T h e Ch i n e s e -o w ne d ba t t e r y manufactur er AE SC i s poi sed to play a piv otal rol e in Tata s UK ba ttery f acili ty, de spi te concert ed atte mpts by the Ind ia n company and g over nment o ffi ci als to ke ep this a ssocia tion h idd en

Just last month, Tata made a commitment to invest £4 billion in a UK-based plant dedicated to producing batteries for electric

vehicles under the Jaguar Land Rover brand

During the initial announcement, Tata refrained from validating the involvement of AESC, p r e v i o u s l y k n o w n a s E n v i s i o n AESC, and currently under the ownership of the Chinese energy c o n g l o m e r a t e E n v i s i o n

G o v e r n m e n t m i n i s t e r s h a v e refrained from officially confirm-

i n g t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f t h i s Chinese-backed battery group

Any insinuation that a portion of the £500 million in state aid and other incentives extende d t o T a t a t o e s t a b l i s h t h e gigafactory could potentially be d i r e c t e d t o w a r d s a C h i n e s e e n t e r p r i s e w o u l d u n d o u b t e d l y carry significant political implications

Badal Lakhlani

As p ec ia l p ro g r am m e w as org anised fo r senior jou rna li s t S h e el a Bh at t, w h o rec en tly v i s it ed L on d o n on an inv itation by CB Patel, Editor and Publish er o f A BP L Group Du ring th e p ro g ra m m e , S h eel a s p o ke abou t the lead ers hip qu ali ty of Prime M inister Narend ra M od i Talking about Sheela's journalism , CB Patel said , “Sh e is well known for her unique style of speaking Even in her absence, people never ti re o f p rai s i ng h er On ce , Narendra Mod i told m e th at she is a passionate reporter and speaker wh o d o no t h av e d ou ble standard s ” I started life v ery early

“The personality of Narendra M o d i i s q u i t e p o w e r f u l H e i s capable of defending himself and doesn t require anyone else s help You already know who and what Narendra Modi is like as the current prime minister of India, but allow me to provide a few additional details You might not be aware of his life journey, which I will describe

“I began reporting on Gujarat p o l i t i c s f r o m M u m b a i i n 1 9 7 9 G u j a r a t w a s f o u n d e d i n 1 9 6 0 , despite the fact that in 1979–1980 it was viewed as a more advanced state than Bihar, UP, West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh due to our propensity for business and our inherent sense of adventure In the year 1979, I began cove r i n g G u j a r a t i p o l i t i c s w h i c h I continue to do today

“I can say that I started life v e r y e a r l y M y p a r e n t s d i s a pproved of my marriage because my husband was 28 years older than me I got along well with my mother, but I couldn't go home, so I w a s r e a l l y l o n e l y I n 1 9 8 0 , Hindu- Muslim riots broke out in G u j a r a t a n d B r a h m i n s , V a n i a s ,

Patels and Dalits were worried about the communal tension As part of my job as a reporter, I went

Journalist Sheela Bhatt visits London, praises PM Modi’s leadership quality

of the most isolated villages in the nation, he discussed building toilets in a dignified manner It's a significant revolution, in my opinion We female journalists avoided the areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar because people used to urinate in public there Modi had allocated a budget of £12 billion to b u i l d t o i l e t s J a n d h a n a c c o u n t s were opened for almost 250 million low-income families Due to the elimination of middlemen, the b e n e f i c i a r y r e c e i v e d t h e f u n d s directly into their bank account

Direct payments totaling £20 billion were made when Modi took office He issued Aadhaar cards which were very useful for every citizen India is going digital in a big way In India, where 260 million individuals use UPI, 30 billion UPI t r a n s a c t i o n s a r e m a d e e v e r y month Today, 30 7 million companies in the country are registered under the GST From 1979 to 2014 only 5 per cent of the rich people paid taxes Today, all the registered companies have started paying tax

Pro blem s galore

o f o b s e r v a t i o n w a s a s g o o d a s those of psychologists, police officers, detectives, scriptwriters, and novelists He has a good understanding of the Gujarati language and dialect He could understand anyone's language, as well as their i d e n t i t y , c h a r a c t e r , a n d b a c kg r o u n d , w h e t h e r t h e y w e r e Lohana, Patel or Darbar From 1981 to 1997, I saw that the quality of leadership was so strong that the leadership in the BJP has taken note of it BJP was not in a strong position in Gujarat at that time Congress and Janata Party were d o m i n a t i n g i n G u j a r a t p o l i t i c s

Getting 10 seats out of 182 seats in the assembly election was a strong proposition for BJP then Mod i's first political test

“A country with a vast population, difficulties are unavoidable a n d t h i s i s a f a c t t h a t I n d i a n d e m o c r a c y c a n n o t a f f o r d t o ignore The political party is the strongest if it is backed by people So the ruling party has to keep that in mind while formulating policies Modi was able to introduce many unique initiatives in the country like the vaccination drive during Covid Among the unique initiatives in India were the GST, economic changes and a rise in domestic travel Promoted religious tourism over the course o f n i n e y e a r s t h a t g r e a t l y improved accessibility and accommodations at religious places

“When the Babri Masjid was demolished, all of us journalists were extremely distressed Modi h a s n o w g i v e n l a n d f o r B a b r i Masjid to build while Ram Mandir

to Ahmedabad to interview Prof Praveen Seth, an expert on the r i o t s D u r i n g t h e i n t e r v i e w h i s w i f e S u r b h i b e h a n w a s p r e s e n t

They came to know that I ran away from home and married to a man of my choice and was not on good terms with my father After h e a r i n g m y s t o r y , t h e y b o t h adopted me as their daughter and i n v i t e d m e t o s t a y w i t h t h e m

Nevertheless, I used to visit them every Saturday and Sunday One day Prof Sheth told me not to go to work as he wanted to introduce me to one of his brightest students and that was Narendra Modi

Ind ia split into p ro and anti-M odi

“India has divided into two p a r t s - p r o a n d a n t i - M o d i C o n g r e s s a n d A r v i n d K e j r i w a l believe that this man is not educated, but that is not true I have not come to give Modi's facts or to defend him It's not my job, but it's the truth One day Narendrabhai came to visit Prof Sheth's home

He had dark hair and seemed to have paid much attention to his dressing style He was a man to be remembered from the first meeting; he even put his shoes in alignment He came inside and took out some books and said, 'Sir, I have read this, now give me some new books He was active in the RSS and lived in Maninagar, near t h e R S S h e a d q u a r t e r s i n Ahmedabad

“Prof Seth was the Head of Department at Gujarat University, where Modi was studying Political Science but used to remain absent quite often Due to his absence, the teachers decided to make him an external student Later, Prof Seth asked him to visit his home and make him study from there So I got to meet him often This is how I met Narendrabhai 42 years ago in 1981

“Overall, he reads a lot If you ask him a question on any subject, he will have an answer His power

“In 1991, Hiren Pandya said that Modi might become prime minister one day The BJP won the Ahmedabad municipal election in 1987, which was a first for the party Modi would not have been the prime minister today if the BJP had lost that election, as he singlehandedly oversaw the entire process and won the election Modi thus passed his first political test Anyone who wants to criticise and o p p o s e M o d i m u s t r e a d t h i s Modi@20 book In has in-depth descriptions of the incident are provided in two articles by Prateek Gupta on Modi and Amit Shah Modi and Shah used to hang out a n d t a l k a l o t o n p o l i t i c s i n C h a n d r a v i l a s r e s t a u r a n t o n Gandhi Road in old Ahmedabad Modi and Shah were the rising stars of BJP In 1987, L K Advani and Atal Behari Vajpayee were two g i a n t l e a d e r s A t t h a t t i m e , Vajpayee's stature was very large, and there was a big difference between the BJP and the RSS The RSS clearly believed that India's cultural heritage was dominated b y a n d d e e p l y r o o t e d i n Hinduism Vajpayee and Advani were not able to win big victories for the party However, Modi and Shah thought that once the era of t h e s e t w o l e a d e r s e n d e d t h e r e

would be no other leader to take their position At this time in 1987

t h e y b o t h s t a r t e d v i s i t i n g t h e e n t i r e c o u n t r y E v e r y t h i n g c h a n g e d a f t e r B J P w o n t h e A h m e d a b a d m u n i c i p a l c o r p o r ation election in 1987 because it demonstrated that Hinduism or a H i n d u s u b j e c t i n t h i s c o u n t r y could seize control of a municipality

“The key distinction between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi is that Modi values public input more than expert opinion Gandhi is helpless to combat this without advice Their respective styles of l e a d e r s h i p d i v e r g e s i g n i f i c a n t l y He has built his leadership witho u t a n y s u p p o r t s y s t e m o r resources In 2014, Narendra Modi arrived in Delhi from a different state He had a wealth of strong l e a d e r s h i p s k i l l s a n d w a s a l s o highly autocratic Modi, however, began developing his leadership in 2009 M odi's challenging leadership

“Whatever Modi did, it was challenging When he visited one

is being built, something we never i m a g i n e d w o u l d h a p p e n A f t e r 1 9 4 7 , n o t a s i n g l e p o l i t i c i a n thought that Article 370 could be a b r o g a t e d , y e t M o d i a n d S h a h h a v e s u c c e e d e d i n d o i n g s o Drones and CCTV cameras were put in all police stations in Jammu and Kashmir six months prior to the repeal of Article 370 and everything was planned well in advance before going to the parliament to get Article 370 abolished I think the nation should unify its civil code, but by consent Numerous policy changes have been made by M o d i , i n c l u d i n g t h e r e p e a l o f 700–800 laws Credit is given to Team Modi rather than any spec i f i c m e m b e r s o f t h e U n i o n Cabinet Although Congress is a very mature party with an incredible institutional history and is not an irrational party, Team Modi is not a concept that exists within Congress Despite the fact that the B J P h a s b e e n a r o u n d f o r n i n e years, Team Modi is the reason why internal conflict has not surfaced ”

Sheela Bhatt adressing the audience

CB Patel felicitates Sheela Bhatt with a bouquet Subhash Thakrar greeting Sheela Bhatt

Sheela Bhatt

Namita Shah

L-R: Jyotsna Shah, CB Patel, Sheela Bhatt, Mahesh Liloriya and Kishore Parmar

Guests at the programme

Medic recognised by First Minister of Wales

O n J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 23 , F i rs t

M inister of Wales, Rt Hon

P rof M ark Drakeford MS , h o n o u red P ro f Ha sm u kh

S hah BEM fo r his dedicated NHS service at the BA PIO ( B ri ti s h A s so c i at io n o f

P hysicians of Indian Orig in)

W ales NHS 75 C elebrat io n h e ld a t Ro y al G la m o rg a n Hosp ital, Llantrisant, Wales

Mrs Morfudd Meredith, L o r d - L i e u t e n a n t o f S o u t h

Glamorgan, Jane Hutt MS

C B E , M i n i s t e r f o r S o c i a l J u s t i c e , a n d C h i e f W i p p were also in attendance

With almost 50 years of commitment to the NHS, Prof Hasmukh Shah BEM has significantly improved h e a l t h c a r e i n a d e p r i v e d area of Wales He was recogn i z e d i n t h e Q u e e n ' s B i r t h d a y H o n o u r s a n d received the British Empire M e d a l ( B E M ) i n 2 0 1 8 I n 2 0 2 2 , t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f South Wales awarded him a V i s i t i n g P r o f e s s o r s h i p f o r his extensive contributions t o p r i m a r y c a r e , m e d i c a l education, and leadership in Wales and the UK As the Secretary of BAPIO Wales, he supports Indian doctors endeavours in Wales

Prof Shah was an expert in the Welsh Government's F i r s t M i n i s t e r ' s B A M E C o v i d - 1 9 A d v i s o r y G r o u p a n d R i s k A s s e s s m e n t

HBG pays homage to heroes from Bengal buried at Kensal Green cemetery

Defrauding solicitor struck off

Subgroup from April 2020 to April 2021 His leadership contributed to the developm e n t o f t h e a l l - W a l e s C o v i d - 1 9 r i s k a s s e s s m e n t tool and race equality action plan A trustee of several chari t i e s i n c l u d i n g S a n a t a n D h a r m a M a n d a l , H i n d u Community Centre, Vale for A f r i c a , C a l o n H e a r t S c r e e n i n g a n d D e f i b r i l l a t o r s , a n d R a c e Council Cymru, Prof Shah was also the past chair of the Megafocus group, a minor ethnic association for ophthalmic care His achievem e n t s i n c l u d e a L i f e t i m e A c h i e v e m e n t A w a r d f r o m A s i a n V o i c e , L o n d o n , i n 2018

Heritag e Bengal Global, a comm unity organisation in th e U K, hosted a co mmemorative event at the Kensal Green cemetery o n 5 A ugust noon, to m ark Dwarkanath Tago re ’ s death anniv ersary, who is buried at th e cemetery, as a part of th e ongoing South Asian Heritag e Month People from th e co mm u ni ty, brav ed th e w eat h er a nd g a th er ed to p a y homage to th e late Dwarkanath who died " at the peak of his for- tune" on the ev ening of 1 A ugust 1846 at the St Georg e's Hotel in Londo n I n h i s o b i t u a r y , T h e L o n d o n Mail newspaper of 7 August wrote: " D e s c e n d e d f r o m t h e h i g h e s t Brahmin caste of India his family can prove a long and undoubted

undertaking likely to benefit India "

The occasion also provided an opportunity to

A s ol i ci to r, K alv in d er Ga rch a , h as b een rem ov ed from th e legal prof es sio n after being conv icted of crim inal offenses inv olving d efraud ing h er co uncil em plo yer and a cancer charity o f ov er £40 ,00 0 Despite her absence, th e Solicitors Discip linary Tribunal p roceed ed w ith the hearing, as Garcha failed to ap pear and had only co mmunicated her absence v ia email

Garcha was accused of participating in conspiracies to commit fraud and convert criminal property The tribunal found her conduct to be dishonest based on the allegat i o n s R e p r e s e n t i n g t h e S o l i c i t o r s Regulation Authority (SRA), Inderjit Johal informed the tribunal that Garcha admitted her convictions for criminal offenses but denied any dishonesty

NHS Chaplain sparks outrage over posed photos with Taliban

d s

pedigree But it is not on account of this nobility that we now review his l i f e b u t o n f a r b

However gifted, his claims rest on a higher pedestal – he was the benefactor of his country [T]hey testified to his merits in the encouragement of every public and private

o o r j o Kumar Chakravorty)- the first Bengali MD of the NHS in the UK, who is also buried at the same cemetery Another big Bengal connect at t h e c e m e t e r y i s t h e c e n o t a p h o f

Major General William Casement, of the Bengal Army, built by his wife in his memory as he was buried in Kolkata, India William was also a Member of the Supreme Council of India

During his annu al leav e fro m his positio n at S t Geo r g e' s H o s p it al i n T o o t in g , s o u th L ond on, Su lim an Gani v isited the lead ers of the bru tal regime He and other British clerics were pictured along side the T aliban's f o re ig n m in i st er, M u ll ah A m i r K h an M uttaqi

A hospital source revealed that NHS administrators had been unaware of the true nature of Mr Gani's vacation It had been presumed that he was engaged in a humanitarian effort, acting in a personal capacity to provide 'essential aid' to Afghanistan

Rt Hon Prof Mark Drakeford MS with Prof Hasmukh Shah BEM

The grave of Dwarkanath Tagore at Kensal Green cemetery

The cenotaph of Major General William Casement of the Bengal Army

Are British People work-shy?

At one time we were dubbed as the sick man of Europe It was the time when we had some left-leaning trade unionist, especially in the coal mining industry who were bent upon destroying our way of life, tradition and democracy

It led to three day working week, to save energy It took guts and courage by Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher to bring normality and industrial peace to our nation

I wonder whether we are going back to those uncertain times with strikes from Health Service to transport, train d r i v e r s e a r n i n g o n a v e r a g e £ 6 5 , 0 0 0 a n d h o s p i t a l Consultants on yearly pay of £125,000, supplemented by their private practice where just half an hour consultation may cost some £250 Do they know that there are millions o f w o r k e r s i n s m a l l s h o p s , s u p e r m a r k e t s a n d s e l femployed who struggle to make end meet

Many check-out girls earn well below £20K, working at weekends, cleaners on minimum wage of £10 per hour and many sick, unemployed and unemployable people struggle to put food on the dining table So often parents skip the meal so that their children do not go to bed on empty stomach! There are some three million economically people not working or claiming any benefits God knows how they survive!

Another worry is that we are short of workers in practically every sector At one time it was the Social Care sector and farm workers at harvest time we needed to bring the crop in Now it has spread to construction and building sites who are crying for carpenters, joiners, brick layers, plasterers, roofers as well as sundry labourers

No wonder people are flooding in from all parts of the world, causing house shortages, long NHS waiting list and shortages of school places, especially for children whose first language is not English

Even rough sleeping on park benches, under bridges and in shop entrances has more or less doubled in a decade that surprises no one!

W h i l e o u r g o v e r n m e n t i s e a g e r t o p r o v i d e h o t e l accommodation to illegal Chanel migrants, spends billions in overseas aid, our own people are ignored, thrown out of hotels and emergency shelters after a week or so at Christmas Who says charity begins at home, certainly not for this out of touch government

Bhup endra M Gandhi

Gita and Oppenheimer

As a lover Physics and the Gita, the film Oppenheimer will be a must for me Yet quoting the Gita in a sex scene is wholly inappropriate and uncalled for Einstein and many Physicists studied Sanskrit and the Gita It is interesting to note that the Gita is only one of many books Hindus follow but its prominence is due to the British Empire The Victorians understood the world in terms of the Bible and were mystified that its Hindu subjects had no holy book and so "gave" them the Gita as their holy book

Jayesh A P atel

Starmer backs away from Just Stop Oil

Make a difference

We Indians celebrate Independence Day on August 15, and it's just a celebration for most of us Many people celebrate Independence Day by singing and uploading patriotic songs and quotations on social media Even in schools and colleges, we do the same We teach our children to sing patriotic songs and stage an emotional play that shows patriotism Of course, it enhances patriotism in young minds, but what about the next day? We see the flags trampled upon on roads and thrown into dustbins

Our National flag is a symbol of the nation’s pride and respect There is liberal use of the flag on Independence Day and Republic Day There is a new trend of selling flags made of paper and plastic, which is incorrect With a sense of national pride, people enthusiastically buy such flags but the very next day, we find them being trampled upon on roads and thrown into dustbins By allowing this to happen, people forget that they are insulting the national flag

Often, these flags are burnt along with the garbage It is the duty of every individual to maintain proper respect towards their National flag We also commonly see people waving the National flag proudly during national, cultural, and sporting events However, once the programme or the event gets over, we see the flags strewn all over the place This disrespect towards our flag must be stopped

Even when the national anthem is played on radio or on television, people don’t stand still and sing along They are busy cooking in the kitchen or are busy talking on their mobile phones As Indians, we should respect our country’s national flag, national anthem, and national song

We must focus on our country's needs It does not need patriotic songs or only one-day celebrations Be sincere and honest with your work A common man cannot change the whole system, but many common people together can do this It is the best way to make a difference

Seventy-six years ago, our great leaders struggled hard to bless us with a nation where we can practice our religion without fear of recrimination Despite all the sacrifices and hardships, we have endured, are we really an independent nation or one in name only? Seventy-six years on and we still struggle to hold free and fair elections, elect competent and honest leaders, provide justice and quality education to all, keep the press free and attain gender parity

Jubel D'Cruz

Buy tomato if you have black money

Tomato p rices have skyro cketed hitting double century Peop le are p raying to God in temples by garlanding id ols with tomato mala (garland) h oping it w ill reduce prices Is it the ruling government’s tactics to find out who has black money, as only person with black money can afford tomatoes now

T S Karthik

Complaints against police triple

K A P I L’ S K H I C H A D I

Kapil Dudakia

Independence Day

Bharat Swatantrata Diwas (Ind ep endence Day) will be celebrated as always on 15th Aug ust It turns out that this is often a day for som e confusion Some peo ple believe it w ill be the 76th Year of Independ ence, whereas others feel it is the 77th year Tech nically bo th are right, it just d ep ends on w hat the orig inal question and its context Bharat secured its independence on 15th Aug ust 1 947 i e that would m ake th at day, its very first d ay w hen it enjoyed independ ence fro m British rule Ho wev er, on 1 5th Aug ust 194 8, Ind ia celebrated its first year of indep endence, m eaning that was the day when Indians had enjoyed one full year o f ind ependence from the British T he debate will co ntinue no doubt, and I leav e it to yo u to d iscuss with fam ily and friend s as to w hether it is the 76th o r the 77th year!

Putting this interesting debate to one side, let’s move the discussion to some important issues affecting the Indian community in the UK You may recall that on 15th August 2019, whilst Indians gathered outside the Indian High Commission to celebrate, a group of Islamists gathered to create anarchy First hand evidence from eyewitnesses who were present confirmed that this Islamist mob not only shouted abuse, but threw eggs, water bottles and desecrated the Indian flag Astonishingly, the police were not to be found anywhere to intervene and stop the madness We have seen such madness also from Khalistani extremists who attacked the High Commission and the Indian flag recently Again, it all happenedin thepresence of the police One can be forgiven in thinking that maybe the Metropolitan Police are in the pockets of these extremists How can we explain their total impotence to c a r r y o u t t h e i r o n e b a s i c j o b , t o p r o t e c t t h e H i g h Commission, and the citizens gathered outside?

Going back to the violence by the Islamists, did you know Labour members and even politicians have taken part in suchprotestsagainst India? For example, at least on one occasion Labour MP Liam Byrne was on sucha protest

Since 2010, we have seen a gradual erosion of the ethical code of conduct by Labour MPs and Councillors There has been a systematic attack on PM Modi, on India and on Hindus At every opportunity the leadership of the Labour Party has turned a blind eye to the anti-India and Hinduphobic tantrums of its politicians and members The grip the Pakistani vote bank has on Labour is quite frankly astonishing Keir Starmer has now been their leader since 2020, yet he has failed to contain these antiIndia and Hinduphobic elements

Keir Starmer

S i r K e i r S t a r m e r h a s d i st a nc e d h i m s e l f f r o m Ju s t S top Oil , d enounci ng i ts ca ll f or an imme dia te h alt to oi l a nd g a s d r i l l i n g a s " c o nt empti ble " In a n ar ticle f or T he Ti mes, he aff irms th at a L a b ou r g o v e r nm e nt wo u ld not re voke existing li ce nses b u t wo u l d so l e ly p r oh i bi t new o il a nd ga s projects in t he North Sea T his sta nce is a ime d at si gnif ica nt ly red ucing de pende nce on f ossi l f uels

The clarification of Labour's position follows conflicting statements from party frontbenchers in response to Rishi Sunak's proposal to issue over 100 exploration licenses for new oil and gas fields prior to the next election Additionally, Starmer's comments address strong criticism he received from unions, who expressed concerns that his policy to restrict new developments in the North Sea could jeopardize thousands of jobs

Following scandals involving individuals like David C ar r ic k an d W ay n e Couzens, the number of complaints against police off ic er s in En gl an d a n d Wa l e s su r g ed b y ove r threefold within a year

H o m e O f f i c e d a t a reveals a total of 48,979 c o m p l a i n t s w e r e r e g i stered in the year ending March 2022, compared to 14,393 in the prior year

Many cases comprised m u l t i p l e a l l e g a t i o n s , totalling 115,235 individual complaints – an average of 2 4 complaints per case or an equivalent of 315 per d a y I n s i x o u t o f t e n i n s t a n c e s , t h e c o m -

p l a i n a n t s a c c e p t e d t h e r e s p o n s e f r o m t h e i r respective police force

Only 158 officers faced disciplinary action, leading to 151 cases involving m i s c o n d u c t p r o c e e d i n g s and a mere six in gross m i s c o n d u c t h e a r i n g s N i n e o f f i c e r s w e r e d i smissed from service, and a n a d d i t i o n a l 1 3 w o u l d have met the same fate if still employed

I have a simple message for Keir, you can visit as many Hindu mandirs as you like for that photo opportunity, but in the end, it’s your failure asLabour leaderto contain these racist extremists that will determine your legacy You cannot aspire to be the British Prime Ministerwhen you employ anti-India MPs on your front bench You cannot visit a mandir and then allow your Labour membership to abuse Hindus in Leicester, in Birmingham and right across the nation You cannot expect to be a Prime Minister when you lead a party that is intent in undermining India, the biggest emerging democratic market in the world

Starmer and Labour are a threat to this nation A threat because they have allowed rampant antisemitism to run through the veins of Labour A threat because they are doing the same with India and Hindus Appeasing to the extremists from the Pakistani community for the sake of votes is to prostitute the legacy of the great Labour Party

Labour assert a decrease in number of bus routes

An ana lysi s reveals that the count of loca l bus routes in Englan d has de crea sed b y half in a little ov er ten yea rs Lab our poin ted out tha t in the year en ding March, there wer e 8,781 operation al routes, a si gnif icant declin e from the 17,394 routes in 2010/11 The resea rch, utili zi ng d at a f ro m th e T ra f fi c C ommi s s i on er s '

routes hav e be en elimin ated s in ce 2021/22

The Department for Transport disputed the analysis and attributed the reductions h i g h l i g h t e d b y L a b o u r t o v a r i o u s f a c t o r s

These include operators consolidating routes and changes in the registration process for certain areas, no longer managed by traffic commissioners

M i n i s t e r s p l a n t o revamp the police misconduct system to facilitate the removal of errant offic e r s H o m e S e c r e t a r y Suella Braverman aimed to reveal the long-awaited reforms before the parliam e n t a r y s u m m e r r e c e s s ; h o w e v e r , it's now anticipate d t h a t t h e s e changes will be disclosed in the initial w e e k o f t h e upcoming month, according to inform a t i o n o b t a i n e d by The Times

On 15th August, maybe Starmer needs to take the opportunity to denounce the anti-India and Hinduphobic elements in his party He needs to make it clear that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is one for India alone and the Labour policy will be to never interfere He needs to a d o p t t h e w o r k i n g d e f i n i t i o n o f a n t i - H i n d u a n d Hinduphobia to ensure that he can rid the Labour party of all elements that thrive on such prejudice On 15th August we will all celebrate Bharat Swatantrata Diwas We will also remember what Keir and Labour do! Jai Hind

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

“I have had great support from the Bangladeshi community”, says MMA World Champion

Anusha Singh

Alth ou gh no t widely reco gnized for its involvement in co mbat spo rts, Bangladesh , a co untry kno wn fo r its h igh po pu lation density, seems to be ventu ring into th e realm of MMA Leadi ng th e ch arge fo r h is natio n i s S hajidul Haque, the current Cage Warrio rs flyweight ch amp ion, determined to make a mark in this domain

T he early onset o f a career

in Mixed Martial Arts

Shajidul has always been interested in Martial Arts from the very start as far as he can recall He says: “As a child I used to love watching Power Rangers, Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali I actually began training in Martial Arts at the age of 14, starting with Kickboxing and then transitioned to MMA after a few years ”

He also credits his brother for being the wind beneath his wings “My brother Shamsul Haque, got me into the sport when we were kids and has gone from being my training partner, to now my coach He is a little older and I learned many lessons from him and his career that allowed me to succeed where he did not ”

Elaborating on the ups and downs of his professional life, he explains the fickle nature of professional fighting as a career: “When you ’ re winning and climbing through the ranks everything is great People are rooting for you, you get nice messages, sponsors interviews, etc but one loss can knock you all the way back down, to be forgotten ”

“Throughout my career, I have experienced being at the top and also dropping all the way back down, having to pick myself back up I have learned many life lessons and skills which have improved me as a Coach ”

He debuted in Cage Warriors 52 during just his second professional bout, accumulating a record of 51 in consecutive fights He is also the head coach at ACE MMA

A decade of h ard wo rk to achieve the ultimate go al

After a challenging journey spanning nearly a decade, Shajidul achieved the pinnacle of Cage Warriors He faced Sam Creasey at Cage Warriors 148 in December 2022 and achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the firstever Bangladeshi MMA world champion

He said: “Winning the Flyweight World Title was

A charming restaurant blending Bengali flavours in the British brunch

Momlette stands as a unique bru nch d es tin atio n, c h annelling the v ibrant essence of Bengal street food cultu re T h e cu l in ar y fo c u s here revo lv es around crafting d electable Asian street foo d-insp ired breakfast and brunch o fferings

T h e i d e a b e h i n d M o m l e t t e i s t o b r i n g t h e b e s t o f b o t h B e n g a l i a n d British flavours under one roof, offering a unique and d i v e r s e d i n i n g e x p e r i e n c e that caters to all taste preferences and schedules

on the story they are aiming to tell with the café, Sonny and Shubo said, “Our fusion dishes narrate the tale of h a r m o n i o u s c o e x i s t e n c e , where Bengali and British flavours come together to create a delightful culinary j o u r n e y , r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e c u l t u r a l d i v e r s i t y o f E a s t

one of my big Career goals, and I was able to achieve this after many years of hard work Since winning, I have had great support from my local community and the Bangladeshi community It has been great hearing from some Bangladeshi youths about how I have inspired them ”

Haque safeguard his flyweight championship against Italian fighter, Michele Martignoni, at Cage Warriors 158 on July 29, 2023 “Defending the World Title, allowed me to feel like a true Champion and showed the world that I was not just lucky the first time I believe it has established me as the best Flyweight in Europe outside the UFC and I hope I get an opportunity to show my skills in the UFC”, Shajidul expressed “P ro fessio nal sp ort is no t a qu ick fix, it’s a lifestyle commitment”

Advising South Asian youth who want to commit to combat sports, Shajidul advised, “The most important thing is to enjoy the training If you do not enjoy it then it is not worth pursuing a career in it

“To be a professional in the sport, there is no quick fix, it is a lifestyle commitment It is not just the training but also your daily life You have to eat well, sleep on time, stay focused, reflect on your training, etc The key is to be disciplined in your health and always look to improve your skill set You can always show off the progress you ’ ve made but don't keep looking for approval

“The bottom line is, if your skills are not good enough you will be exposed to competition Therefore do not try to make a name for yourself until you actually have the skills to back it up “

Career go als as Sh ajidu l defends his first championsh ip title

Talking about his long-term and short-term career goals, Shajidul said: “I hope to get a chance in

the UFC and test myself with the best in the world, as I strongly believe I am better than a lot of those already signed

“However, my goal as a Martial Artist and Athlete has always been to become the best version of myself In the long run, no matter what I achieve in my career, I aim to coach other athletes to achieve more than myself ”

The d iaspor a la gs beh ind in the ir rep resentat ion in co mba t sports

Shajidul feels that sometimes, the mindset of a community makes them susceptible to fearing anything out of the ordinary and limits them to a comfort zone

“Growing up, I myself had people advise me not to 'waste' too much time doing sport and to pursue a stable career People assume sports, in general, do not lead to a stable job or career, when in reality you learn many skills in sports that transfer over to other jobs

“I think in the Bangladeshi community there is also a misconception that Bangladeshis are genetically inferior for combat sports I have heard people say things like we are too small and not made for it etc There is also a fear of injury ”

“My e xpe rience s hav e h elpe d me f ocus on my go als”

According to Shajidul, the cultural heritage of the Bangladeshi community is all about being grateful and resilient Being a part of a big, minority family that didn’t have much, he has always been grateful for what he had and became more resilient to achieve what he wanted

“I think that the experiences I had growing up helped me stay focused on what I was doing For instance, even if I lost a little interest in Martial arts, I would still continue to train it and not give up

T h e i n t e r i o r s a n d t h e exteriors of your restaurant are quite perky and quirky, m a k i n g t h e p l a c e f a m o u s a m o n g s t t h e c u s t o m e r s “We take pride in our aesthetic and pay close attention to the appearance of our store We want the store to look quaint and charming, and I'm proud to say t h a t o u r c u s t o m e r s o f t e n take pictures of our store, b o t h i n s i d e a n d o u t

Personally, my favourite features are the tabletop carrom boards and our handmade bamboo stools which is a staple feature in every B e n g a l i h o m e ! ” , f o u n d e r s S o n n y S h a h n a w a z a n d Shabo Hussain said

The café also hosts many events in order to provide Last month, renowned DJ and producer Shy FX had his

s i n g l e l a u n c h p a r t y a t M o m l e t t e D e s c r i b i n g t h e e v e n t , S o n n y a n d S h u b o said, “He took over our store for the day and performed an incredible live set of classics and new songs alike for o u r c u s t o m e r s I t w a s a n amazing day, full of suns h i n e a n d s m i l e s a n d , o f c o u r s e , o u r s i g n a t u r e bagels ”

The founders take pride in representing Bengali cuis i n e t h r o u g h t h e i r o u t f i t They are of the opinion that “Bengali cuisine has undergone a delightful transformation over recent decades, e m b r a c i n g m o d e r n i n f l uences while preserving its authentic roots In the hustle and bustle of our fastpaced world, it's now not j u s t c o n f i n e d t o h o m e kitchens but also thrives in the vibrant restaurant and café culture, like ours here at Momlette ”

Food is the heart and s o u l o f a n y c u l t u r e a n d Momlette believes it tells an incredible story Expanding

London's vibrant community Through food, we celebrate the rich heritage and shared experiences of our p a t r o n s , b r i n g i n g p e o p l e together one flavourful bite at a time ” A m o n g o u r s t a n d o u t c r e a t i o n s , t h e M o m l e t t e ’ s M o m l e t t e t a k e s c e n t r e stage, accompanied by the d i s t i n c t i v e H a l f - E n g l i s h breakfast Additionally, skilf u l l y p r e p a r e d c l a s s i c f a v o u r i t e s l i k e E g g s Benedict alongside an array o f t r a d i t i o n a l c h o i c e s a r e a l s o m u c h l o v e d C o m p l e m e n t i n g t h e c u l in a r y d e l i g h t s , t h e c a f é ’ s locally-sourced chai, specialt y c o f f e e , a n d r e f r e s h i n g chilled beverages, ensure a well-rounded and satisfying dining experience

Shajidul Haque

“ASIANS IN LONDON SUFFER THE WORST CONSEQUENCES OF TOXIC AIR”

Continued from page 1

Mayor Sadiq Khan has however u n v e i l e d a r e v i s i o n t o t h e scrappage program linked to the expanding of Ulez, extending its a c c e s s i b i l i t y t o a l l L o n d o n residents owning non-compliant U l e z v e h i c l e s T h e M a y o r characterises these modifications as a significant amplification of t h e i n i t i a t i v e T h i s c h a n g e coincides with the injection of an additional £50 million into the p r e - e x i s t i n g £ 1 1 0 m i l l i o n f u n d , drawn from City Hall's reserves

In a recent development, as Mr Khan secured victory in a High C o u r t d i s p u t e a g a i n s t f i v e C o n s e r v a t i v e - l e d c o u n c i l s t h a t aimed to declare his proposed Ulez e x p a n s i o n a s u n l a w f u l , P r i m e Minister Rishi Sunak advised the Mayor of London to reconsider his plans for expanding the Ulez to o u t e r L o n d o n M r S u n a k e x p r e s s e d h i s r e s e r v a t i o n s , c h a r a c t e r i s i n g t h e p r o p o s e d e x p a n s i o n a s a n " u n n e c e s s a r y additional tax" at a time when i n f l a t i o n i s a l r e a d y s t r a i n i n g households He highlighted that t h i s m o v e c o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y burden families as they engage in d a i l y a c t i v i t i e s s u c h a s g r o c e r y shopping, school runs, or medical appointments

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also shared his perspective on the m a t t e r , u r g i n g t h e M a y o r t o rethink the expansion in light of t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e s ' b y - e l e c t i o n v i c t o r y i n U x b r i d g e a n d S o u t h

Ruislip

The division surrounding the scheme is amplified by higher car u s a g e i n G r e a t e r L o n d o n a n d a d j a c e n t a r e a s , w h e r e p u b l i c transport options especially at late n i g h t s a r e l i m i t e d D e t r a c t o r s contend that essential trips will inevitably incur charges

A m i d c r i t i c i s m f o r h i s U l e z strategy, in an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, the Mayor said that the unfortunate reality is that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic L o n d o n e r s s u f f e r t h e w o r s t c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t o x i c a i r a n d explained there is a good reason for him to “not step back, delay or water down vital green policies like Ulez ”

Jihadi re-arrested due to undisclosed email activity

An ISIS militant wh o griped abou t

like Ulez

There is very good reason for that – around 4000 Londoners die prematurely each year due to air pollution, children are growing up with stunted lungs, and thousands o f p e o p l e i n o u r c i t y a r e developing life-changing illnesses, s u c h a s c a n c e r , l u n g d i s e a s e , dementia and asthma

It’s important that all Londoners are aware that the Ulez is a very targeted scheme Nine o u t o f t e n c a r s s e e n driving on an average day in outer London are already Ulez-compliant, which means that only a very small minority of drivers may have to pay the £12 50 charge

I’m always listening and trying to mitigate the impact of expanding the Ulez on the small proportion of Londoners with non-complaint vehicles, while still tackling air q u a l i t y a n d t h e c l i m a t e c r i s i s

That’s why last week I announced that TfL is making changes to the scrappage scheme to make every Londoner with a non-compliant car eligible for the £2,000 payment to get rid of their polluting cars

Sole traders and small businesses will also be eligible to scrap or retrofit up to three vehicles with grants worth up to £21,000 and charities already are able to do so

I know that many businesses and Londoners are struggling as a result of the cost-of-living crisis That’s why TfL is now expanding t h e s c r a p p a g e s c h e m e t o h e l p m o r e L o n d o n e r s a n d I a m planning to increase the amount of funding available by £50m to £160m

i t ’ s a l r e a d y a l l o w e d m o r e t h a n f o u r m i l l i o n p e o p l e t o b r e a t h e cleaner air in inner London and harmful NO2 pollution levels have been cut by nearly half in central London By expanding the Ulez London-wide, five million more Londoners will be able to breathe cleaner air – think of all the lives this could potentially save

S yri a 's c o ld w e ath er an d

u nap p e ti z in g c u is i ne h as b een

d et ai ned ag ai n f o r co n ce ali n g mobile pho nes and email accounts su bs eq u ent to h i s rele as e f ro m prison

M o h a m m e d U d d i n , 3 7 , received a seven-year sentence in February 2016 after confessing to preparing acts of terrorism He had f l e d t o S y r i a i n 2 0 1 4 , l e a v i n g b e h i n d a p r e g n a n t w i f e , a n d engaged in online recruitment for I s l a m i c S t a t e A f t e r e x p r e s s i n g d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h t h e conditions, he was apprehended while attempting to sneak into Turkey

U d d i n , h a i l i n g f r o m H a r t l e p o o l , w a s r e l e a s e d i n December 2019 and was subjected to terrorism notification orders, obligating him to inform the police a b o u t h i s e m a i l a d d r e s s e s a n d phone usage These orders are in place to thwart extremists from resuming terrorist endeavours Appearing via VideoLink from Belmarsh prison, Uddin confessed t o f a i l i n g t o n o t i f y a u t h o r i t i e s about three email addresses and two phones during his appearance a t t h e O l d B a i l e y M r J u s t i c e Jeremy Baker ordered him to be r e m a n d e d i n c u s t o d y , w i t h s e n t e n c i n g s c h e d u l e d f o r September 29

Of course, it is also true that many South Asian countries are a l r e a d y a t t h e f o r e f r o n t o f experiencing climate change, with f o r e x a m p l e , c o u n t r i e s l i k e P a k i s t a n a n d B a n g l a d e s h o f t e n suffering awful flooding, so it is all the more important that London plays its part

AV: How do you feel about handling criticism not just from other parties and citizens, but from within senior leaders of Labour? With a mammoth task ahead, does this impede your plan or dissuade you to rethink your strategy?

Mayor: I’ve always said that it was a very difficult decision to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), but it was necessary to address the devastating impacts of toxic air pollution

Controversy erupts over Tory minister's 'racist' election leaflet concerning Gypsies and Travellers

A d v i c e S e r v i c e , a s u p p o r t organization for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities in Wales, l o d g i n g c o m p l a i n t s w i t h t h e Conservative Party, the Equality Commission, and Gwent Police

However, the possibility of a police investigation was met with criticism from a source connected t o H o m e S e c r e t a r y S u e l l a Braverman, who labelled it a 'waste o f p o l i c e t i m e ' T o r y M P L e e Anderson also called on the police t o p r i o r i t i z e p u r s u i n g ' r e a l criminals'

AV:

South Asians since time immemorial have been practising sustainable living methods that are environment friendly Yet, the community may find it difficult at the start to understand and cooperate in implementing Ulez. What’s your take on that?

Ma yo r : O n e o f L o n d o n ’ s greatest strengths is our diversity, and I am incredibly proud of the invaluable contributions made by the South Asian community to our great city

I’m the Mayor of London and I was elected twice by Londoners to lead and make difficult decisions for our city The issues of toxic air and the climate crisis must be a b o v e p a r t y p o l i t i c s a n d I w i l l continue to lead from the front a n d s u p p o r t L o n d o n e r s a s w e t r a n s i t i o n t o a g r e e n e r a n d healthier city for all of us

AV: When a strategy as big as Ulez is implemented and intends to bring about a change, what goes on in your head ahead of the upcoming elections? And how are you building it in a way such that your future ascendants as Mayor are able to do justice to your blueprint of Ulez?

C o nt ro v er s y e ns u es as a T o ry m i ni s ter fa ce s all eg a ti o ns o f distributing 'racist' election leaflets concerning Gypsies and Travellers, causing div isio n within the Welsh tow n as lo cals grapple with the camp aig n David TC Davies, the Welsh S e c r e t a r y , h a n d e d o u t f l y e r s i n Monmouth, South Wales, with the headline 'Gypsy and Traveller Sites Coming to Your Area Soon' The l e a f l e t a l s o i n c l u d e d a s u r v e y featuring the question, 'Would you like to see a traveller site next to y o u r h o u s e ? ' T h i s d e v e l o p m e n t arises amidst a backdrop of the Labour-run county council's plan to establish four new sites for these communities

T h e a c t i o n s l e d t o t h e

T r a v e l l i n g A h e a d A d v o c a c y a n d

A m i d s t v a r y i n g p e r s p e c t i v e s , some local residents criticized the leaflet for fuelling an 'us and them' mentality, while others praised the embattled MP for shedding light o n a l a c k o f c o n s u l t a t i o n b y Monmouthshire council

Shop owner faces a monthly loss of £1,500 due to teenage shoplifting

Saba Mah esh , a sh o p ow ner in S h eer ne ss , K e nt, rev eal s th a t aud acious shop lifters are causing a

m o nt h ly l o ss o f £ 1 , 50 0 fo r h i s business He asserts th at his fou r shops are consistently targeted by teenag ers on a daily basis

£50 worth of goods each day The impact on Mahesh's business has compelled him to increase prices for other products

AV:

How challenging is it for you to articulate the benefits of Ulez is to the community, while they grapple with the heavy price that comes with it economically?

Mayo r: I’ve always been clear that expanding the Ulez to the whole of London was a difficult decision, and not one taken lightly – b u t i t ’ s a d e c i s i o n I r e m a i n committed to seeing through I’m not prepared to step back, delay or water down vital green policies

I know that Londoners have concerns about the expansion of the Ulez and may not immediately see the benefits of this policy to our health, the environment, and the world at large However, toxic air pollution affects us all in ways we may not even be aware of Research conducted by scientists at Imperial College London shows t h a t a i r p o l l u t i o n i s l i n k e d t o a r o u n d 4 0 0 0 p r e m a t u r e d e a t h s e a c h y e a r , s t u n t e d l u n g s i n c h i l d r e n , a n d l i f e - c h a n g i n g i l l n e s s e s s u c h a s c a n c e r , l u n g disease, asthma and dementia

The unfortunate reality is that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic L o n d o n e r s s u f f e r t h e w o r s t consequences of toxic air I feel c o m p e l l e d a s M a y o r t o d o everything I can to protect our m o s t v u l n e r a b l e c o m m u n i t i e s from the devastating impacts of air pollution

Mayor: I believe passionately in tackling toxic air pollution and a d d r e s s i n g t h e c l i m a t e c r i s i s T h e s e a r e i s s u e s a f f e c t i n g Londoners now, but they are also about the future of our city and our planet

When we have children being impacted by the harmful effects of a i r p o l l u t i o n , w h e n w e h a v e temperatures of over 40 degrees and rampant wildfires in our city, and when low-lying countries are d e v a s t a t e d b y f l o o d i n g , i t convinces me we have to act

I hope the massive expansion to the scrappage scheme I’ve just a n n o u n c e d , m e a n i n g e v e r y Londoner with a non-compliant car will be eligible for a £2,000 grant, will support people as we move towards a greener future W e n e e d t o s h o w f u t u r e generations that the transition to a greener and healthier planet can be fair while being impactful, and that’s what I’m trying to do

CCTV footage from one of his stores captures an incident where a young individual crawls on hands a n d k n e e s t o a v o i d d e t e c t i o n b e h i n d t h e c o u n t e r T h e s e shoplifters often gravitate towards i t e m s l i k e s w e e t s a n d v a p i n g devices, managing to snatch up to

T h e s u r g e i n a n t i s o c i a l behaviour among teenagers on the I s l e o f S h e p p e y h a s n o t g o n e u n n o t i c e d R e c e n t i n c i d e n t s include the destruction of a play c a s t l e , v e h i c l e d a m a g e , a n d vandalism to an outdoor paddling pool Many attribute this rise in y o u t h c r i m e a n d v a n d a l i s m t o g o v e r n m e n t b u d g e t c u t s a n d diminished public services

A Birmingham pedophile who told a young victim "no one will believe you" imprisoned

A 73 - yea r- o ld m a n fr o m

Birmingham has been sentenced to jail for a disturbing "campaign of sexual abu se" ag ainst a young girl, as d escribed by th e po li ce Zomid Hussein, described as v ile, rep e ate d ly se xu al ly a bu s ed th e victim , w ho was under 13 years old at the tim e He used manipulative tactics, including telling th e victim that no one w ould believ e her if she rep orted the abuse Hussein committed multiple sexual assaults in what detectives r e f e r r e d t o a s a n " a p p a l l i n g

sequence of abuse " Despite his attempts to silence her, the victim eventually mustered the courage to come forward to the police and report the traumatic experiences F o l l o w i n g a n e x h a u s t i v e i n v e s t i g a t i o n b y t h e n o n - r e c e n t

Rape and Serious Sexual Offences t e a m , Z o m i d H u s s e i n w a s sentenced to 14 years in prison at Birmingham Crown Court on July 31 He was found guilty of charges including indecent assault, rape of a child, and sexual assault of a child

Rishi Sunak & Keir Starmer

The Bhavan celebrates India’s Independence Day

Rupanjana Dutta

The Bhavan celebrated 77th anniversary of Indian Independence Day on 2 August with a grand event of illuminating speeches and cultural performances

T h e e v e n i n g b e g a n with a prayer by Executive D i r e c t o r D r M N N a n d a k u m a r a M B E , f o ll o w e d b y t h e w e l c o m e

t r a d i t i o n o f ‘ V a s u d h a i v a

Kutumbakam’ He quoted the Rig Veda to illustrate h i s p o i n t s , a s w e l l a s a Mirza Ghalib poem

T h e H i g h Commissioner then went on to add how The Bhavan f u n d a m e n t a l l y r e p r e s e n t s of all that India stands for and is an inspiring institution that is doing impor-

Ram Katha by Morari Bapu at Jesus College, University of Cambridge

Morari Bapu

DATE AND TIME:

-----------------------------

12 August to

20 August 2023

Saturday 12 August

4:00 PM onwards

a d d r e s s b y S u b h a n u S a x e n a , C h a i r m a n , T h e Bhavan UK He spoke on the relevance of Gita today a n d i t s u n i v e r s a l a p p e a l , quoting Oppenheimer and his use of Gita’s verses He also welcomed the Chief Guest, High Commissioner o f I n d i a t o t h e U K H E V i k r a m D o r a i s w a m i a n d

tant work for the diaspora

n s Cambridge is an inspiring city which is rich in history, culture and world-changing discoveries It is home to the world’s third oldest university - the University of Cambridge and has more Nobel Prize winners than any other city The Katha is open to all on a first-come, f i r s t - s e r v e d b a s i s P r a s a d will be served after katha

Sunday 13 August to

Sunday 20 August 2023:

10:00 AM – 1:30 PM

KATHA LOCATION:

-----------------------------

Jesus College, Jesus Lane, Cambridge

CB5 8BL, United Kingdom

daily There are restrictions on the capacity due to the v e n u e l i m i t a t i o n s a n d therefore advance registration is required Morari Bapu is an expon e n t o f R a m c h a r i t m a n a s with more than 900 Kathas recited over the last sixty years Bapu's core message is Truth-Love-Compassion and encouraging awareness a b o u t S a n a t a n D h a r m a S c r i p t u r e s M o r a r i B a p u has held Katha’s throughout the world including at the Vatican, the old city in Jerusalem, the Himalayas, a n d t h e S S E A r e n a i n Wembley

wife Sangeeta, mentioning that the very first meeting to start The Bhavan was h e l d a t t h e I n d i a n H i g h Commission back in 1972

M a y o r o f Hammersmith and Fulham

Cllr Patricia Quigley then a d d r e s s e d t h e g a t h e r i n g S h e t h r e w l i g h t o n T h e Bhavan’s illustrious history of 50 years and the place of pride it holds in the local community as well as in the broader diaspora L o r d L o o m b a C B E , spoke about the freedom fighters and briefly remembered the freedom struggle and the incidents that lead to India's Independence

The keynote speech of the evening was presented by HE Vikram Doraiswami, the High Commissioner of

C onservative Eu roscep tics d ir ec ted th ei r cr it ic i s m toward s Rish i Sunak yesterday, fo llowing a week in w h ic h th e g o v e rnm ent d el ayed si g nif ic ant p o stB rex it p o li ci es a im e d at r eas s er ti ng c o ntr o l o v er borders and regulations

A m i d t h i s c o n t e x t , Sunak made an appearance at a beer festival this week, using the metaphor of viewing Brexit benefits through the bottom of a pint glass, h i g h l i g h t i n g h o w l e a v i n g

India to the UK He spoke about how, 76 years ago, t h e r e w e r e c o n c e r n s o n h o w I n d i a c o u l d a c h i e v e d e m o c r a c y w i t h a l l i t s diversity, and yet today it stands tall as the world’s largest democracy!

He said, every democracy expresses itself differently and thus cannot be judged in comparison to any other No other countries have elections on the scale that India does, and the use of digital technology in it is commendable H e a l s o m e n t i o n e d h o w the judiciary is a robust and a n i n d e p e n d e n t i n s t i t ution

He further added, The Bhavan based in a Church building itself is a testament to our culture and

H i s s p e e c h w a s f o llowed by a felicitation to D r N a n d a k u m a r a , f o r being honoured with MBE Chairman Subhanu spoke a few fond words praising the ‘dedication of Nanda ji’, followed by a slideshow showcasing Nandaji’s journey at The Bhavan Nandaji expressed his i m m e n s e g r a t i t u d e t o D a l a l j i , M a t h o o r j i , D r M a r r , S h a n t a n u j i a n d J o g i n d e r j i a s w e l l a s h e thanked all the people who directly or indirectly have supported him on his journ e y H e p a r t i c u l a r l y thanked his wife, family, Bhavan teachers, staff, students, and the entire committee for their support

The vote of thanks was g i v e n b y D r S u r e k h a M e h t a , V i c e - C h a i r , T h e Bhavan UK

T h e a u d i e n c e w e r e t h e n t r e a t e d t o p a t r i o t i c songs and dances by The Bhavan students and the e v e n t c o n c l u d e d w i t h National Anthem

In a wor ld where poverty c ontinues to cas t its shadow on mill ions, One Kind Ac t s tands out as a beacon of hope, dedic ated t o t r an s f orm i ng l iv es t hroug h ed uc at ion While t his nobl e organ is ation e xtends its support to va rious causes like homel ess ness , hunger, supporting the aged, it is t heir vis ion of upl if tin g com m unit ies by e m power ing children through educ ation that truly s hines Our chil dr en are our future and by breaking the vic ious cyc le of povert y, One Kind Ac t has made a s ignificant im pac t to thous ands of lives

In Rajasthan, One Kind Act has been committed to uplifting the marginalised tribal Adivasi community This community faces bias, suppression, and limited access to government services To address these challenges, the organisation has built classrooms, kitchens, and provided training and support for teachers

In war-torn Sri Lanka One Kind Act constructed a preschool This establishment not only provided education but also offered a safe haven for children amidst turmoil and adversity

ment to ensuring that every pound donated reaches those in need, without unnecessary a d m i n i s t r a t i v e c o s t s B y c h a n n e l l i n g resources directly towards impactful projects, they maximise the impact of every penny donated Almost 100% of donations reach the needy

t h e E U e n a b l e d h i m t o m a i n t a i n l o w e r d u t i e s o n draft beer in pubs

H o w e v e r , b e y o n d t h e symbolic photo opportunity, certain Tory Members of

Parliament were more conc e r n e d w i t h t h e l e s s e rk n o w n r e t r e a t s m a d e b y t h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r ' s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n r e g a r d i n g regulations and borders in the post-Brexit landscape B o t h S u n a k a n d C h a n c e l l o r J e r e m y H u n t h a v e e m p h a s i z e d t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t t o r e d u c i n g b u s i n e s s c o s t s t o c o u n t e r i n f l a t i o n , u n i n t e n t i o n a l l y acknowledging that certain f a c e t s o f B r e x i t a r e c o ntributing to price increases

In Africa, One Kind Act has made significant strides in Sierra Leone, where thousands of people live in slums Through a communit y - l e d r e l o c a t i o n p l a n , o v e r 2 , 0 0 0 s l u mdwellers have been resettled into a new community that offers education, job opportunities, low-cost homes, social infrastructure, vocational training, and healthcare This initiative has transformed the lives of many, including children Grace, the mother of fourteen-year-old Earnest says her heart is full of gratitude when she watches him walk to school each day instead of wasting his day in the slums

In rural Tanzania, One Kind Act collaborates with local communities to overcome barriers to education By constructing classrooms, implementing rainwater harvesting systems for good health, and providing solar lighting to rural homes, they ensure that every child has access to a quality education Through these efforts, One Kind Act is breaking down the barriers that stand between children and their right to learn

What sets One Kind Act apart from many other charities is their unwavering commit-

And now more recently, One Kind Act's Bright Start Programme has been instrumental in supporting disadvantaged yet academically gifted children These students receive a scholarship for two years of higher school education, paving their way towards further u n i v e r s i t y s t u d i e s O n e i n s p i r i n g s u c c e s s story is that of Bhavika, daughter of a daily wage labourer, who now sets her sights on c o m p l e t i n g a d e g r e e i n e n g i n e e r i n g a n d securing a well-paid corporate job Her journey symbolises the transformative power of education, not only for individuals but also for their families and communities

Moreso, in recognising the importance of quality education, One Kind Act is working diligently to enhance government schools in India By improving water, sanitation, and toilet facilities, as well as introducing smart classes for digital education, they are helping to transform the learning environment

Going forward One Kind Act plans to build two brand new state of the art schools to cater to the most impoverished children These initiatives bridge the educational gap and empower disadvantaged students to pursue their dreams

One Kind Act's global endeavours to support education and break the cycle of poverty are a testament to the transformative power of knowledge Through their initiatives, they are shaping a brighter future for marginalised communities, one child at a time As we witness the profound impact education has on individuals, their families, and entire communities, it becomes evident that education is the key to making the world a better place

Music performance by students

Dance performance by The Bhavan students

Felicitation of Dr Nandakumara MBE in presence of Lord Loomba CBE, High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami, Chairman of The Bhavan Subhanu Saxena and Vice-Chair Dr Surekha Mehta

HE Vikram Doraiswami, Indian High Commissioner addressing the audience

Eurosceptic Tory MPs express discontent over Sunak's Brexit policy reversals

Artistic Director of Tara Theatre passes away at 39

A bdul S hayek, the A rtistic Director and Joint C EO of T a ra T h e atr e, h as s ad ly p assed away at the age of 39

I n a s t a t e m e n t f r o m T a r a T h e a t r e : “ I t i s w i t h

immense sadness that we are announcing the death of Abdul Shayek, beloved artistic director and joint CEO of Tara Theatre, aged 39 We a r e h e a r t b r o k e n t o s h a r e this news on behalf of his family Abdul died at home u n e x p e c t e d l y , o f n a t u r a l causes ”

A p p o i n t e d i n A u g u s t

2020, Shayek served as the Artistic Director and Joint

S o u r c e B r t s h c o u n c i

experience "Final Farewell" in response to the pandemic, as well as a virtual reality f i l m a n d c o m m i s s i o n e d both national and international productions

meet UK’s latest singing sensation

Abdul Shayek

CEO of Tara Theatre, the UK's oldest global majorityl e d t h e a t r e c o m p a n y H e succeeded Jatinder Verma as the founding artistic director While at Tara Theatre, he initiated innovative projects like the audio walking

Shayek's career also saw him as the founding Artistic Director and CEO of FIO, Wales's first global majorityled theatre company He significantly contributed to the a r t s a s a m e m b e r o f t h e British Council's Arts and Creative Economy Advisory Group Notably, he was recognized in The Stage 25 in 2022 and The Stage 100 in 2023

Leicester’s Belgrave Mela all set to return this month

L eicester's Belg rave M ela is all set to return this year, p rom ising a d azzling fu sio n o f liv e music, dance, cuisine, fashion, and cultural expressions Festiv ities comm ence o n Su nd ay, A ugust 20, in th e city centre

Celebrating South Asian a n d I n d i a n h e r i t a g e , t h e Mela has gained popularity as a significant city event Leicester Market will host the renowned Indian shopping bazaar, while the Mela f o o d c o u r t w i l l o f f e r d e l e c t a b l e t r e a t s f r o m t h e

subcontinent

Food brand, Raja, is set to conduct cooking demonstrations, accompanied by the enthralling performance of the Rajasthan Heritage Brass B a n d A d d i t i o n a l l y , a n

e n g a g i n g r e n d i t i o n o f a Bollywood Punch and Judy, k n o w n a s P u n j e e t & J u d y G e e , w i l l c a p t i v a t e y o u n g

audiences The BookBus will be stationed on-site, stocked with traditional storybooks, and Leicester Museums will o f f e r a r t i s t i c a c t i v i t i e s f o r children

Attractions include Billy Bates rides, a climbing wall, and a city centre parade with a l i f e - s i z e e l e p h a n t O r i g i n a t i n g i n 1 9 8 2 , t h e event fostered unity through c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n B e l g r a v e N e i g h b o u r h o o d C e n t r e a n d L e i c e s t e r C i t y Council

Krishnan Guru-Murthy joins Strictly Come Dancing 2023

Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the Channel 4 New s presenter, is the fourth celebrity to join th e 20 2 3 S tri c tly C o m e Dancing lineup He has covere d m a j o r g l o ba l e v en ts such as th e Om agh bombin g , 9 / 1 1 , a nd th e 20 0 8 Mum bai attacks

C l a u d i a W i n k l e m a n r e v e a l e d o n B B C R a d i o 2 t h a t K r i s h n a n G u r u -

Murthy, 53, will join the 21st series of BBC One's Strictly C o m e D a n c i n g G u r u -

Murthy stated he decided to participate in the show for the fun of it Despite his

Vish was bo rn into a Punjabi f am i ly H i s m o th er an d brother live in the United K i ng d o m , an d h i s fa th e r lives in India to care for his grand parents He also has a younger sister w ho works in C anad a, so o ccasionally he travels to see h er A fter fini s h in g h ig h s ch o o l , V i s h beg an taking m usic classes wh ere he learnt about music creation and the fundamentals of vocal training “The majority of the song s I d idn't l ear n i n co l le g e It 's j u s t observing o thers and practising in your own manner, w i th s o m e h el p fr o m YouT ube, but while I w as in hig h school, I learned h ow to play the gu itar from (The S tri ng s Gu itar A cad e m yA s h w a ni De v g an ) , o ne o f our state's greatest teach ers G ui t ar g re atl y ai d ed m y s i ng i ng and co n fi d e nc eb u il d i ng , ” h e to ld A si an Voice

Here’ s h is exclusiv e interview : What inspired you to start pursuing singing?

I u s e d t o l i s t e n t o E n g l i s h a r t i s t s l i k e J u s t i n Bieber, Drake, and Usher on our small TV when I was young Since I didn't speak English well, I began jotting down the lyrics and sang along with the music I occasionally bring lyrics on paper to school and sing in front of my classmates So when y o u r e c e i v e c o m p l i m e n t s , the level of enjoyment you experience boosts It only encouraged me to pursue music as a career

Did you ever imagine you'd become so popular via social media?

est I used to sing English songs on the streets of the UK to gain attention, but one day my girlfriend asked me to sing Indian songs I s a i d , " N a h , l e a v e , I d o n ' t have the confidence to do t h a t , " b u t I s a n g a f e w

B o l l y w o o d s o n g s a n y h o w , and the crowd grew to 2 and 50 people, possibly more I often used to share English covers on Instagram, I had l e s s t h a n 1 0 0 f o l l o w e r s

Anyway, the next morning I saw that the Bollywood song I had put on my Instagram a n d T i k T o k h a d a l r e a d y received over 50k views I t h e n b e g a n p e r f o r m i n g

B o l l y w o o d s o n g s o n t h e streets and soon after, people began requesting that I v i s i t t h e i r c i t i e s a s w e l l

From less than 1000 followers to more than 300k foll o w e r s , m y v i d e o s b e g a n receiving millions of views Indian media began to publish articles on me In a nuts h e l l , S o c i a l m e d i a h a s changed my life

What is your takeaway about the British Indian taste in Indian music?

The locals all enjoy the same types of Indian music

How do you divide your time between performing at gigs and casual performances?

I used to busk three to four times per week, but as soon as I started getting private gigs, my busking went down I have a lot of weekend commitments So if I have free time, I simply go to a c i t y a n d p e r f o r m a s a b u s k e r T h o u g h w e e k d a y s can occasionally have more people around, I prefer the weekends because they are b u s i e r A t t h e m o m e n t , I busk once per week or two weeks

What are your favourite Indian songs?

I have so many favourite songs but currently on my repeat list is “Tum Se” from movie Jalebi

Do you think the current Indian music is as good as the old days?

serious and privileged job that involves engaging with r e m a r k a b l e p e o p l e a n d p l a c e s , h e s e e k s a l i g h thearted experience

Starting his TV career at 1 8 , G u r u - M u r t h y h o s t e d youth TV for the BBC He is also the host of the Channel 4 News podcast Ways To Change The World," where he has interviewed notable figures like musician Nick Cave and record producer Rick Rubin

Inner Vision Orchestra to perform at the opening ceremony of IBSA

The Inner Vis ion O rc hestra i s all set to perform at the open in g c erem ony of the I nternational Bli nd Sports F e de ra t i on ( I B SA ) W o rl d G ames at Symphony H all, B i r m i n gh am on 18t h A u gus t 2 0 2 3 Th e I B S A W or ld G a m es a r e th e l argest high- level in ternat i on a l e ve n t f or a th le t es w i t h v i s ua l i mp a i rm e n ts , with more than 1000 competitors from more than 70 nations

T h e I n n e r V i s i o n

Orchestra was founded in 2012 and is the world’s only p r o f e s s i o n a l e n s e m b l e o f blind and visually impaired musicians They have been b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r f r o m around the world by Indian m u l t i - i n s t r u m e n t a l i s t a n d

composer

Baluji Shrivastav

OBE The Orchestra delight audiences with their unique blend of joyful music from a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d w h i c h moves between songs from

Iran, Lebanon, Afghanistan, I n d i a , N i g e r i a , t o s o u l f u l Gospel and Blues to sublime Indian Ragas and Western C l a s s i c a l c o m p o s i t i o n s

They regularly tour and perform in top venues around the UK and have released music with Arc/Naxos

Their performance will feature the premiere of the I B S A W o r l d G a m e s A n t h e m , c o m p o s e d e s p ecially for this event by Linda Shanovitch

N o , I n e v e r i m a g i n e d that I would become wellk n o w n t h r o u g h s o c i a l media I wasn't even a fan of Bollywood music, to be hon-

They are familiar with both classic and recent songs I can see how much music enthrals them in their eyes They required this, in my opinion, and I m happy I can sing for them

I am aware that some people believe that there is nothing that can compare to older compositions, which is undeniably true, but often we forget that there are still composers like AR Rahman, w h o h a v e c r e a t e d m a n y s o n g s w i t h h e a r t f e l t m e l o d i e s a n d c a p t i v a t i n g voices I don't care if a song is new or old as long as it c o n t a i n s a m a z i n g v o c a l s , lyrics, and melodies I would play it repeatedly

A UK filmmaker's poetic homage to his Indian birthplace debuts in London

L a li t M o h an J os h i ' s "Angwal," a semi -autob iographical documentary set i n h i s Hi m a l a y a n b i rt hplace, is set to have its prem i e r e i n Lo n d on n e x t week The film delves into the tradition of traditional poetry in his native re gi on

J o s h i , t h e f o u n d e r o f the UK-based not-for-profi t S o u t h A s i a n C i n e m a Foundation (SACF), highlights, “Combining the spoken word with music that typifies the region, the film captures the responses and deep philosophical worldview of some representative poets in the face of a s o c i e t y u n d e r g o i n g p r ofound change

He further elaborates, “The film also presents a bird’s eye view of the high points of Kumaoni poetry as I have interspersed the

narrative through poetry, a n e c d o t e s a n d K u m a o n i m u s i c , c o m p o s e d b y

C h a n d r a s h e k h a r T i w a r i and Harish Pant ”

T h e d o c u m e n t a r y , m e a n i n g " e m b r a c e , " f o l -

l o w s J o s h i , a r e s i d e n t o f London, as he returns to t h e h i l l s o f K u m a o n i n Uttarakhand, exploring the poetic heritage of his famil y C a p t u r e d b y R a n g o l i

Agarwal, the film showcases the breathtaking land-

s c a p e s o f N a i n i t a l , R a n i k h e t , A l m o r a , N a u k u c h i a t a l , M a l a u n j , Shitalakhet, and Sattal Its UK debut will take place at BFI Southbank as part of the South Asian Heritage Month 'Angwal' offers a portrait of distinguished poets from the area, incorporating their poems into musical interludes that enhance the thematic elements of the documentary

The Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band

Krishnan Guru-Murthy

From less than 1000 followers to more than 300k followers,

Ketan Dattani

Encouraging South Asians to opt for eco-friendly products

Encou raging su stainable living isn't specific to S outh Asian comm unities, it is a wid er issue that we all need to ad dress There needs to be better education and for people to incorpo rate changes to lifestyles and not simp ly talk about it

Being eco-friendly means living in a way that is not harmful to the environment This way of life is becoming increasingly important, as we need to protect our planet from man-made damage

There are various ways that an individual can make sustainable changes in order to lessen the negative effect that our daily lives usually contribute to One of the biggest barriers to opting for eco-friendly products is that people just don’t know where to start Shoppers want to protect the environment and support social justice, but they don’t know what that means for their purchases

It's not always easy to be mindful of your environmental impact, but seeking out sustainably made and reusable products in lieu of disposable, single-use items is a great place to start

Here are 10 eco-friend ly tips you can start using now :

1 Biod eg radable Cleaning Produ cts: These products are designed to break down naturally in the environment without causing harm Using biodegradable cleaning products can help reduce your environmental impact by limiting the amount of harsh chemicals and pollutants that are released into the environment Compared to traditional cleaning products that contain chemicals like bleach and ammonia, which can be harmful to the environment and even pose health risks for humans and animals

2 Bamboo or Recycled Paper Produ cts: Bamboo is a highly renewable resource It grows quickly and can be harvested without harming the environment or the plant itself It also requires less water and pesticides than other crops

3 Organic and Cruelty-free Beauty Products: People are becoming more aware of the impact of beauty products on the environment, animals, and their own health

These products are made using natural and organic ingredients that do not contain synthetic fragrances, parabens, phthalates, or other toxic chemicals that can harm your skin and have not been tested on animals

4 Reus able Fo od C ontainers and C utlery: Disposable containers and cutlery are major contributors to singleuse plastic waste, which takes hundreds of years to decompose In addition, the production and transp o r t a t i o n o f t h e s e d i s p o s a b l e i t e m s r e q u i r e h i g h amounts of energy and resources, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change Using reusable containers and cutlery, on the other hand, helps reduce waste and conserves resources

5 Energ y-Eff ici ent Ap p liances: Energy-efficient appliances use less energy than traditional appliances to perform the same task For example, an energy-efficient refrigerator uses less electricity to keep your food cold, and an energy-efficient washing machine uses less water and energy to clean your clothes These appliances can help to reduce our energy bills, save money in the long run, and help to sustain our planet

6 Solar-Powered C harg ers: These products use renewable energy sources, such as the sun, to convert sunlight into electricity to charge electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops They come in various sizes and can be perfect for outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, and are an excellent alternative to traditional chargers that rely on electricity from the grid

7 Electric or Hybrid C ars: This helps to reduce the carbon footprint of driving and contributes to a healthier environment

8 Inv esting in Sustainable Fashio n: Buy clothes made from natural fibres like organic cotton, hemp, or bamboo Also, consider buying clothes from sustainable brands that use recycled or eco-friendly materials

9 Go Paperless: One popular paperless product is the ereader, which allows people to read books, magazines, and newspapers without using paper This not only saves trees but also reduces the amount of energy and resources needed to produce and transport paper products

10 Bu ying Locally: Buying produce from local farmers reduces the carbon footprint of your food because it doesn't have to be transported long distances Plus, you'll be supporting local agriculture

By switching to eco-friendly products we can reduce our energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and our carbon footprint, all of which contribute to a healthier environment

The title of th e finest restaurant in Essex at the British Restaurant A wards has been bestow ed upon an establishment sp ecializing in Beng ali cui si ne Broh m o n, loc ated in S tans ted M ou nt fi tch et , Essex, h as pro udly secured the distinction of being the top res tau rant w i th in t he entire county

B r o h m o n i s s k i l l f u l l y m a n a g e d b y a d e d i c a t e d h u s b a n d a n d w i f e d u o ,

K a r i m a n d S u l t a n a , w h o share an unwavering devotion to exceptional culinary experiences In an interview with Asian Voice, Mr Karim Ullah talks about his restaurant and his love for South Asian cuisine

What is the story behind the inception of Brohmon and that behind the name?

My wife and I travel a lot and we were very frustrated by the quality of Indian food or food from the subcontin e n t M a n y r e s t a u r a n t s , claiming to be Indian in the U K , a r e f a i l i n g t o d e l i v e r o u t s t a n d i n g q u a l i t y f o o d which the diaspora as well as the Britons truly enjoy And so we paired up authentic and flavourful Indian food with great service, ambiance and a fabulous overall exper i e n c e f o r p e o p l e v i s i t i n g our restaurant

A s f o r t h e n a m e , B r o h m o n i s o r i g i n a l l y a Sanskrit word and then it also has a Bengali origin,

b o t h o f w h i c h m e a n t h e same thing: JOURNEY We wanted to create a brand name not just for here and now, but for the future, one that would stick out and be a composite of the ecosystem

Aswe celebrate South Asian Heritage Month with the theme ‘Stories to Tell’, how can food define and narrate the story of a culture?

Our food, I believe, is up t h e r e w i t h t h e v e r y b e s t cuisines in the world and when I say our, I mean the entire subcontinent I think there s so much that people c a n a c t u a l l y h e l p p e o p l e learn about South Asian culture with food I'll give you a perfect example we actually have our own gin, which is distilled in a local distillery And it is actually distilled with a citrus fruit, an incredi b l y a r o m a t i c c i t r u s f r u i t from Bangladesh, called a

gyro level and very few people know about it it's been one of the most successful things that have travelled f r o m t h e s u b c o n t i n e n t , thankfully

How, according to you, has the South Asian cuisine transformed in the past few decades? Has the concept of fusion led to the loss of the original taste and flavours?

Since man has inhabited the world, we've seen things c h a n g e a l l t h e t i m e B u t there are certain things that I'm very confident people will be eating for many more centuries I do think that there is so much that we could learn There's no reas o n w h y w e s h o u l d n ' t b e more experimental as long as it's done correctly The biggest problem I have with the typical Indian restaurant is that they do fusion very b a d l y I h o p e t h e f u s i o n dishes that we create will make the really tasty dishes a n d h e a l t h y d i s h e s m o r e p o p u l a r t h a n t h e s e r e a l l y a w f u l - t a s t i n g d i s h e s T h e traditional and fusion can truly coexist if it's done correctly

Having won the Best Restaurant Award recently, what are your plans for the future of the restaurant?

I love food, travel and music I have worked in hospitality and the domain of

travel luxury for ten years and wanted to try and amalgamate the things I love into a b u s i n e s s e c o s y s t e m O n t h e r e s t a u r a n t ’ s f r o n t , w e need to expand to different locations and curate a retail operation to go with it I also want to expand Brohmon to the travel domain It's a very ambitious plan and whether we succeed or not is beyond our hold and because no one h a s s e e n t h i s b e i n g d o n e before, people are going to be naturally quizzical at the very least I am, like many entrepreneurs, trying to do something out of the box In these cases, if you succeed you ’ re a genius and if you don’t, you ’ re a fool

How does it feel to win the Best Restaurant award?

It was a surreal feeling I'll be honest with you, it was lovely to be nominated, but I wasn’t expecting a win I saw the other restaurants t h a t w e r e n o m i n a t e d a n d they've been around for a lot longer than we have, having a huge head start on us We were just elated to be one of the twelve restaur a n t s i n t h e c o u n t y W e went to the award ceremony thinking that we'll just go, meet people and l have a n i c e t i m e N e v e r i n m y wildest dreams did I think we would walk away with the winner title So it was quite a surreal moment I was really unprepared

Trafficked sex workers discovered in UK during Colindale police raids

Op er ati v e s f ro m t h e Metro politan Police's m odern slavery unit conducted targeted operatio ns at three lo ca tio n s i n C o li nd ale o n Augu st 4 Th e o perations led to the successful rescue o f six ind ivid uals w ho had fallen v ictim to mod ern slavery

A u th o ri ti e s s u sp e ct th at th ese ind i v i d u als w ere a ll brough t to the U K through a method referred to as the loverboy tactic

I n v e s t i g a t i o n s s u g g e s t

t h a t m a l e r e c r u i t e r s employed deceptive tactics, feigning romantic interest t o e s t a b l i s h r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h t h e w o m e n Subsequently, these victims were coerced into traveling to London, only to be subjected to forced prostitution against their will

The women are currently receiving assistance from specialized officers and the c h a r i t a b l e o r g a n i z a t i o n Justice and Care In connec-

“Lenient” jail term for partner who killed pregnant woman

The partner of a p regnant w o m an w h o w as k i lle d , along with her unborn child, by a man record ing him self driv ing recklessly h as criticized the d riv er's sentence as "insulting "

Adil Iqbal, 22, was operating his father's BMW on the M66 in Bury, Greater M a n c h e s t e r , o n M a y 1 3 , using one hand to drive and the other to film himself as h e v e e r e d a c r o s s l a n e s Traveling at an estimated speed of 92mph, he lost control of the car and crashed into Frankie Jules-Hough, an actress who had stopped on the hard shoulder due to

a puncture

Jules-Hough, 38, was 17 w e e k s p r e g n a n t w i t h h e r first daughter and had her two sons and nephew in the vehicle She sustained severe brain injuries and both she and her unborn baby passed away two days later in the hospital

Last month, Iqbal was s e n t e n c e d t o 1 2 y e a r s i n prison after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving Calvin Buckley, J u l e s - H o u g h ' s p a r t n e r , e x p r e s s e d s h o c k a t t h e "lenient" sentence, as he had anticipated a more severe punishment

tion with the ongoing investigation, a 24-year-old man subject to a UK court warrant has been apprehended and is presently in custody at a police station in north London

Simultaneously with the o p e r a t i o n s c o n d u c t e d i n C o l i n d a l e , R o m a n i a n l a w e n f o r c e m e n t e x e c u t e d 1 2 warrants within and in the vicinity of the city of Iasi Five individuals were taken into custody for questioning

on suspicions of engaging in h u m a n t r a f f i c k i n g - r e l a t e d activities

Additionally, Romanian authorities seized firearms, substantial amounts of curr e n c y , h i g h - v a l u e t i m epieces, and vehicles A combined total of 133 officers were deployed during this c o l l a b o r a t i v e o p e r a t i o n spanning two countries

Father who brutally assaulted daughter with metal bar avoids prison

A f ath er wh o as sau lted h i s daug hter outside her school wi th a metal bar, un der the mi staken beli ef that she was i n v o l v ed wi t h a b oy , h a s av oided i mprison ment due to her appeal for len iency on the basis of fami ly need s

Hussein Alinzi, 59, a delivery driver, launched the attack on the 15-year-old on June 22, just before her English GCSE exam, while dropping her off at Whalley Range High School in Manchester Upon discovering the gates were locked, Alinzi wrongly accused her of arriving early to meet a boy H e t h e n c h a s t i s e d h e r f o r

w e a r i n g m a k e u p , u n a w a r e

that it was meant to conceal

facial bruises from previous beatings, as per her mother's advice

Although she briefly lost consciousness, she managed to regain it and attempted to sit her exam However, she e x p e r i e n c e d d i z z i n e s s a n d n a u s e a , n e c e s s i t a t i n g h e r removal from the exam hall and a subsequent trip to the emergency room

Despite his actions, the father of seven was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, by M a n c h e s t e r C r o w n C o u r t This leniency was influenced by his daughter's declaration o f c o n t i n u e d a f f e c t i o n f o r him

“South Asian cuisine is one ofthe best in the world”

Mr Karim Ullah

The plight and struggle of visa overstayers

As net migration to the UK r ea c h e s u n p re c ed en te d h eigh ts, an alarming revelat i o n b y S ky N e ws h a s e x p o s ed a g la ri ng g ap i n p ublic data co ncerning th e extent of visa overstays and i ndividu als failing to dep art u po n visa exp iration

Dhanabal, hailing from India and initially arriving in Britain for studies, cand i d l y r e v e a l e d t h a t h e intended to outstay his student visa from the beginn i n g D e p e n d e n t o n o f fthe-books employment in S h e f f i e l d f o r s u r v i v a l , h e awaits sporadic calls from an enigmatic figure known as "the boss" for cash-inhand construction or cleaning work

H i s c a s e i s a r a r e glimpse into the lives of visa overstayers, a group largely overlooked by official statistics With a record influx of 6 0 6 , 0 0 0 m i g r a n t s i n t h e year to December 2022, the U K g o v e r n m e n t c u r i o u s l y lacks any public data on the scale of those flouting visa rules

Vasuki Murahathas, an immigration solicitor with 24 years' experience, asserts that the system has "collapsed," pointing to a surge o f 5 0 % m o r e c a l l s f r o m o v e r s t a y e r s s e e k i n g l e g a l counsel in the past year Her c l i e n t s s e e k g u i d a n c e o n converting to working visas, a path made more difficult b y r e c e n t g o v e r n m e n t a l changes, or seeking legitimate ways to remain in the UK Desperation forces individuals into the shadows, grappling with poverty and u n d e r - t h e - t a b l e w o r k A s t h e g o v e r n m e n t a i m s t o attract skilled migrants, the system is exploited by some seeking to remain without adherence to the rules

Suresh, another case in p o i n t , m o w s l a w n s a n d takes on odd jobs for meag r e c o m p e n s a t i o n , h a v i n g survived on an expired student visa for seven years He d e c l i n e d t o p u r s u e h i s intended course, revealing the systemic loophole

W i t h o v e r 1 1 m i l l i o n p r o s p e c t i v e s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r f a m i l i e s a r r i v i n g o n s t u d y v i s a s b e t w e e n 2 0 2 1 and 2023, the Home Office s u r p r i s i n g l y f a i l s t o o f f e r c o m p r e h e n s i v e f i g u r e s o n v i s a o v e r s t a y s T h e m o s t recent available data pert a i n s t o 2 0 2 0 , s h o w i n g 8 3 , 6 0 0 i n d i v i d u a l s w h o s e v i s a s e x p i r e d d u r i n g t h e year with no exit record

Though UK universities thrive on international student tuition, the abuse of s t u d e n t v i s a s n e c e s s i t a t e s universities to ensure genu i n e a p p l i c a n t s U n i v e r s i t i e s U K I n t e r n a t i o n a l m a i n t a i n s that targets set by the government for course complet i o n a n d e n r o l m e n t a r e being met Ensuring a balance between genuine stu-

d e n t s a n d p o t e n t i a l exploiters remains crucial I n r e s p o n s e , a H o m e O f f i c e s p o k e s p e r s o n e m p h a s i s e s t h e c o m m i tm e n t t o r e m o v i n g t h o s e u n l a w f u l l y o v e r s t a y i n g , h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e f i n a n c i a l b u r d e n o n t a x p a y e r s a n d t h e d i s p a r i t y f a c e d b y migrants who follow legal procedures

Vimal Pandya, the South London resident who spent the last nine years fighting to remain in the UK but recently lost an appeal and f a c e d d e p o r t a t i o n A n Indian who was honoured by Queen Elizabeth II duri n g t h e C o v i d p a n d e m i c faced deportation after he lost an immigration appeal i n t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m

Vimal Pandya moved from India to the UK on a student visa in 2011 and was refused re-entry after he returned home in 2014 to take a critically ill female relative to her parents

On return, UK Border Force officials told him that h i s c o l l e g e h a d l o s t i t s license to sponsor foreign students, something Pandya had no information about Without his original passport and other relevant documents, he faced a tough battle, spending thousands of pounds to regularise his immigration status and also c o m p l e t e h i s s t u d i e s H e faced a mounting debt burd e n i n a d d i t i o n t o t h o usands of pounds lost in college fees, almost £40,000 A c c o r d i n g t o O n M a n o r a m a , m o r e t h a n 83,600 students, including Keralites, continue to stay in the UK even after the expiry of their visas and are facing issues in managing f o o d a n d a c c o m m o d a t i o n expenses A Keralite family, w h i c h h a d c o m e t o Chinatown in London the o t h e r d a y , s h a r e d s u c h a s i g h t w i t h g r e a t p a i n o n their social media account About 15 young men of 1825 years of age with food delivery bags on their shoulders, were seen eating on the wayside Some of them w e r e s p e a k i n g i n M a l a y a l a m U K - b a s e d K e r a l i t e a n d N H S n u r s e Animal Pradeep said in her social media post that she is seeing such a sight for the first time in her stay in the UK

I mm i gr at i o n l aw ye r S ho aib M K han to ld Asian V oice, “Anyone who stays in the UK once their visa or permission to be in the UK has expired is generally an “overstayer” There can be many problems such people face, mainly due to the gove r n m e n t ’ s “ H o s t i l e E n v i r o n m e n t ” f o r t h o s e who do not have permission to be in the UK It is a criminal offence to overstay your visa without good reason and it can otherwise make life in the UK very difficult t o o T h i s c a n a f f e c t a n y

Frontline officers pivotal in promoting anti-racist policing

T h e Po l i c e S c ru ti n y P an e l h as e mp h as i z ed the necess ity of i nvolvi ng ran k-and- file off icers who eng age with black c o mmu n i t i es i n t h e decisi on-makin g process i n ord er to promote an an ti -raci st ap pro ac h to poli cing T h e P o l i c e R a c e A c t i o n P l a n ( P R A P ) , i n t r oduced in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020, aims to transform policing into an institution where

future immigration applications as well, whether made in the UK or from overseas once you leave the UK

“If you overstay for just a f e w w e e k s , t h e H o m e Office may disregard this in future if you can provide evidence for the delay and why you could not make an application or leave the UK in time Otherwise, this will cause serious problems for you Obviously, if you make an application for an extension while you still have permission to be in the UK but it expires while your application is pending, then you may remain in the UK while you are awaiting a decision or if you appeal any refusal etc But if you overstay in the UK or you apply to the Home Office after the expiry of your visa, the “Hostile Environment” will kick in

“

Y o u w i l l n o t b e allowed to work in the UK, y o u w i l l u s u a l l y n o t b e allowed to study, and other restrictions also apply, such as a prohibition on opening a bank account, obtaining a driving licence or renting a p r o p e r t y Y o u r e m p l o y e r can be fined for employing you too Even if you then leave the UK, you can have a ban imposed on you for up to 10 years, unless your visa application is in certain categories such as if you h a v e a B r i t i s h o r s e t t l e d wife or child As an overstayer, you can still access e s s e n t i a l p u b l i c s e r v i c e s such as the police, fire service, ambulance or emergency medical treatment, and any children up to 16 y e a r s o l d s h o u l d a t t e n d school

“As an overstayer, you can be detained or deported by the Home Office, so you are at constant risk If you find yourself in this situation, you should contact an immigration lawyer to discuss your options, which can include an application b a s e d o n h o w l o n g y o u have been in the UK, any family members in the UK or any exceptional circums t a n c e s s u c h a s m e d i c a l problems, or if you would face any serious problems or persecution in your own country So, while it is not a l w a y s p o s s i b l e t o a v o i d i m m i g r a t i o n p r o b l e m s i f t h a t d o e s h a p p e n , y o u should take steps to regularise your stay in the UK as soon as possible ”

o f f i c e r s a r e p e r c e i v e d a s "trusted by black people " All 43 chief constables in England a n d W a l e s h a v e e x p r e s s e d t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t t o t h i s

plan, which was formul a t e d b y t h e N a t i o n a l P o l i c e C h i e f s ' C o u n c i l (NPCC) and the College of Policing (CoP)

T h e I n d e p e n d e n t Scrutiny and Oversight Board (ISOB), responsib l e f o r h o l d i n g p o l i c e f o r c e s a c c o u n t a b l e f o r implementing the plan, has recognized the existence o f "en thusia stic effort s and initiatives" but has raised conc e r n s a b o u t i t s i n t r i c a t e framework

Migrants in hotels increase by 25%

Th e count of migrants being acco mmod ated in hotels has surged by 25 p ercent since Rishi Sunak pled ged to p ut an e nd to th i s p r ac ti c e Home Office d ata recently released reveals that as o f June this year, the num ber o f m ig ran ts r es i d i ng i n hotels sto od at 50,54 6, m arking a notable increase from 40 ,00 0 in Decem ber

T h e c o s t o f p r o v i d i n g

l o d g i n g f o r m i g r a n t s i n hotels has reached an estimated £6 3 million per day

A d d r e s s i n g t h e H o u s e o f Commons on December 13,

S u n a k e x p r e s s e d h i s c o ncerns over taxpayers shouldering a bill that at the time

a m o u n t e d t o £ 5 5 m i l l i o n per day, deeming it "unfair and appalling "

While the government h a s i n t r o d u c e d o n l y t w o

alternate sites thus far a f o r m e r R A F l o c a t i o n i n Wethersfield, Essex and the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset there are an additional 58,636 migrants residing in "dispersed accommodation" across the UK

Overall, the total number of asylum seekers receiving taxpayer-funded assistance has reached a record high of 117,000

Refusing the barge could lead to cancelled asylum claims for migrants

In response to th e actions o f ar o u nd 2 0 m i g ran ts w h o declined to board th e Bibby Stockh olm on the preceding day, the Hom e Office has issued a warning of p otential asylum claim cancellati o n s a nd w it h d ra w al o f acco mmod ation su pport

The asylum seekers, who were scheduled for relocation from various hotels in the southwest of England to the barge on the same day, encountered abrupt cancellations of their transfers at the eleventh hour This shift o c c u r r e d a f t e r t h e i r l e g a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s s u b m i t t e d legal documentation chall e n g i n g t h e H o m e O f f i c e decisions

A s s i s t i n g n u m e r o u s migrants projected for relocation onto the barge, the

Bibby Stockholm

Care4Calais charity reported that certain individuals managed to avoid the transfer for a variety of reasons These included a man dealing with vision loss, an asylum seeker who had surv i v e d t o r t u r e , v i c t i m s o f slavery, and others who had undergone traumatic experiences at sea "

T h e c h a r i t y d i s c l o s e d

that some individuals had launched appeals based on t h e i r p r o f o u n d " f e a r o f water," stemming from firsth a n d a c c o u n t s o f s e a drownings The charity also criticized the Home Office for allegedly failing to carry out sufficient assessments o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l s e a rmarked for accommodation on the barge

“Stop the boats” symbolic rather than practical?

Facing a de cline in opinion polls an d an impe nding gene ral e le ction ne xt ye ar , the gov ern men t fin ds it self with limit ed r oom and t ime for a r e su r g e n c e R i s hi S u n a k ' s a dministra tion aims to bolste r its st and in g by a ddr essing t he issue of imm ig rat ion H o w e v e r , i t s t r a c k record reveals a focus on rhetoric and symbolic gestures rather than effective m a n a g e m e n t o f i m m i g r ation numbers and measures t o d e t e r i l l e g a l e n t r y –actions that voters would generally and rightly appreciate In a recent developm e n t , t h e g o v e r n m e n t i s revisiting the idea of processing migrants attempti n g t o c r o s s t h e E n g l i s h

Rishi Sunak

Channel offshore However, its past efforts lean more t o w a r d s s y m b o l i c a c t i o n s rather than practical solutions to manage immigration and discourage illegal entry

This scheme is currently i n a s t a t e o f u n c e r t a i n t y after the Court of Appeal deemed it unlawful due to concerns that asylum seekers might be sent back to their country of origin

Vimal Pandya

When do you think?

Rohit Vadhwana

Wh ile typing the title of this ar t icl e, g r amm ar co r r ect io n wanted me to ch ange 'When do you think? ' to 'What do yo u th ink? ' I knew what I wanted t o write, wh at I wanted to ask Yes, when do yo u think, is a questio n we are explor ing today It is about time Wh ile we allo cate time for everyth ing in ou r routine, for breakfast , lu nch and dinner; f or of fice and gym; f or so cial engag ements and pro fessio nal meetings - but do we earmar k any time for thinking? No, it is not done in o ur routine

Some readers might ask why we need to separately decide a time to think We are always thinking Our mind is never at rest So no need for scheduling a time to think That's our common approach, but it seems we need to re-think about time for thinking What happens if we allocate a specific time to think in our day? Just like any other activity, we should decide a time to thinkand follow it

Insistence in deciding when to think is for various obvious benefits Thinking at specific times also helps in having a full schedule for thinking only We can also decide what to think at that time This will be a fully managed process, undisturbed by any other activity Guided and well-directed thinking can give us better outcomes It could be like planning to plan something It could be just sitting ideally and allowing thoughts to direct our thoughts Watching our thoughts during the thinking time can make them more clear and result oriented Having this as the central thought in her book 'Time to Think: Listening to Ignite the Human Mind', Nancy Kline emphasises that it is an extremely elegant p r o c e s s a n d c o n d i t i o n t o i m p r o v e t h e q u a l i t y o f thinking She gives various reasons and methods for the same.

A m u s i n g l y , G e o r g e B e r n a r d S h a w w r o t e , ' F e w people think more than two or three times a year; I have made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week ' We can't deny the fact!

(Expressed opinions are personal)

Prime Minister and family enjoy casual California vacations

U nder the C alifornia sun, Rishi Sunak and h is family appeared far rem oved from t he g lo o m y w eath er bac k h ome Th e prime minister c h o s e co m fo rt , s p o rt in g c as u a l p l i m so l ls , a l o ngs leev ed j um p er, and na v y sh orts A longsid e h im stood h is w ife, A kshata Murty, 43 , a nd th ei r tw o d au g h t ers , A no ushka and Krishna, as they posed on Santa Monica p ier

Notably, Sunak, 43, who was once teased for wearing £ 4 9 0 P r a d a s h o e s o n a construction site visit, opted f o r a m o r e a f f o r d a b l e choice, donning a pair of £ 4 0 s h o e s f r o m t h e h i g h

First-ever saree walkathon in London

organised by British women in sarees

India takes immense pride in her age-old traditions, homegrown craftsmanship and art The most beautiful amalgamation of the aforementioned is perhaps found in the garment chosen by Indian women through centuries - the saree The history of saree is ancient and can be traced back to the Indus Valley civilisation

Over the course of thousands of y e a r s o f h i s t o r y , t h e s a r e e h a s evolved into a phenomenal art form with myriads of regional variations in fabric, stitches, designs, prints, embroideries, embellishments and styles of draping Saree is an emblem of our pride, symbol of our artistic versatility, and an emblem of our b r i l l i a n t c u l t u r e O n 6 t h A u g u s t 2023, Britain witnessed history in the making when around 500 women of

kind in British history on 6 August 2023 In traditional waves and draping style to celebrate 75 years o f i n d e p e n d e n c e a n d m a r k t h e S o u t h A s i a n Heritage month

“The buzz created the l a d i e s a l l d i s c u s s i n g w e a v e s a n d r e g i o n a l styles, regional songs and

f r o m o u r h o m e l a n d India holds a strong history of handloom, which i s s p r e a d a c r o s s t h e n a t i o n A n d w e t a k e pride in establishing the h e r i t a g e i n t h i s t h i r d w o r k s h o p , w h e r e y o u w i l l w i t n e s s 6 0 0 - p l u s i n d e p e n d e n t I n d i a n women show us and glo-

street brand Toms Murty wore a patterned skirt from Zara priced at £49 99 and p a i r e d i t w i t h a m a g e n t a s c o o p n e c k t o p a n d a Whistles woven bag, both of which were under the £50 mark Their daughters were d r e s s e d a p p r o p r i a t e l y f o r the sunny setting C a l i f o r n i a h o l d s s e n t i m e n t a l v a l u e f o r t h e couple, as it's where they i n i t i a l l y m e t a n d r e s i d e d T h e y e n j o y e d a l e i s u r e l y stroll along the pier before h e a d i n g t o D i s n e y l a n d , w h e r e S u n a k s h a r e d h i s plans to take the girls to e x p e r i e n c e t h e S t a r W a r s attractions

I n d i a n o r i g i n w a l k e d p e a c e f u l l y through the streets of London, the global city

50 Gujarati ladies joined around more than 600 Indian women by wearing the traditional Bandhani Art and walking to the famous landmarks of London to Illustrate the importance of Gujaratis heritage and traditions by bringing attention to Garbas and Dandia raas throughout the walkathon! Gujarat group LeadAnjie Chhapia’s and the participants' ancestral links and early childhood days in cities of Gujarat, famous for m a k i n g B a n d h a n i s a n d w e a v i n g , recalledthe intricate hard work the artisans put in to create this wonderful art on fabrics turned into beautif u l s a r e e s / o d h a n i s a n d s o m u c h more

D r D i p ti Ja i n, Ch a i r pe r son of B r i t i s h W o m e n i n S a r e e s a nd M e d i c a l s C h a r i t y O r g a ni sa t i o n cha irpe rson fo r Doctors in Sare es UK chapte r told Asian Voi ce , “We are a 2 3k strong organisation of empowered women passionate about sarees I myself possess many sarees of all hues, weaves and styles and have organised many events in the UK to s h o w c a s e o u r n a t i o n a l h e r i t a g e M o s t n o t a b l e o n e b r i n g i n g 1 0 0 0 l a d i e s i n s a r i s a n d f a s c i n a t o r s t o R o y a l A s c o t l a d i e s ' d a y l a s t y e a r , which captured both national and i n t e r n a t i o n a l m e d i a a t t e n t i o n recently a similar one in the Venice masquerade festival

“Moving on, my ideas are getting more and more crazier I wanted to wave up and lose on the iconic spots of central London from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square to mark the Swadeshi movement started by Mahatma Gandhi I floated the idea in a group and called the imagination and within two weeks we had a 500-plus-strong contingent of ladies willing to participate in the saree walkathon of an event first of its

dance to celebrate the craftsmanship of artisans and weavers and hoping to raise funds to support their beautiful work And uphold their national heritage We'll be successful in our endeavour Only time can tell But we will march on the streets with hearts full of joy and heads held in pride Jai Hind ” Supa rna Dasgupta told the newsweekly, “Saree walkathon is a representation of the skills of artisans and t h e h e r i t a g e o f t h e looms with each part of India bringing their t a l e n t T h i s i s a n a m a z i n g v e n t u r e o f B r i t i s h w o m e n i n sarees under the leadership of Dr Dipti Jain We are a contingent of 500-plus women To mark the day in honour of the national handloom day I proudly represent the state of West Bengal The birth of the tradit i o n m o v e m e n t h a p p e n e d i n o u r state in 1905 And hence this event is a poignant one for me West Bengal h a s a h e r i t a g e o f m a n y d i f f e r e n t waves I will be wearing a Jamdani w h i c h i s a d e l i c a t e w e a v e o n m u s c l i n g I n 2 0 1 3 J a m d a n i w a s d e c l a r e d a U N E S C O I n t a n g i b l e Cultural Heritage of Humanity This event not only offers us the opportunity to restore the pride of our beaut i f u l s i x y a r d s o f s a r e e s b u t a l s o instils the same pride in our children in a home away from home Our hope is to rekindle the love in their hearts so they can nurture and support the same love we have for the waves and the talented artists ” P a d m a v a t i K a n a n f r o m T a m il Nad u said, “We as Indian women take the privilege of walking the streets of London by draping ourselves in hand-woven saris By our h a n d w e a v e r s a l l t h e w a y a c r o s s

rify the handlers and the weavers who work today to ensure the traditions are kept alive I feel blessed to join with fellow ladies, wearing a Kanchipuram silk, a handler which we cherish for decades This handloom is not just special It's rich for the zari which is pure gold and it's carefully handcrafted to everyone's needs I'm sure the effort and happiness we all have put in i n t h i s s t o r y w a l k a t h o n , w h i c h every woman who celebrates the weave and t h e w e a v e r s a n d e n c o u r a g e s t h e m t o come out and at the comfort of wearing six y a r d s o f a s a r e e t o e s t a b l i s h t h e m s e l v e s much stronger This is not just an outfit, it's an identity, our identity ”

Vijaya Edla pa lly said, “Spreading cultural pride and embracing community joining a vibrant work with an organiser by Dr Dipti Jain while wearing a graceful saree a symbol of elegance and tradition It is a beautiful way to celebrate our heritage, c h e r i s h d i v e r s i t y a n d e m p ow e r a woman to stride forward in style and showcase the timeless allure of saree I'm representing the South zone from Andhra Pradesh We have beautiful sarees like Mangalari cotton, Upada, chiral pattu, and Andhra Pattu sarees Today I'm wearing a silk cotton sari with zari weaving The blend of silk and cotton gives them a lasting shape and one reason why women love silk cotton saris, is because they are suitable for both hot and cold weather Walkathon is not only an event, it's an emotion that wants so many people to connect And finally, it promotes handlooms in India and future generations ”

Team Kerala during the saree walkathon

Women in traditional Indian sarees at Trafalgar Square

Celebrating Handloom day outside Parliament Square

More than 600 women participated in this saree walkathon

Chairperson, Dr Dipti Jain

Rishi Sunak and Akshata Murty with daughters

Dear Financial Voice Reader, BoE hikes interest rates to record 5.25%

Alpesh Patel OBE

Whe n a stock that ha s risen significantly exper iences a sudden drop, i t can be a cause for concer n for many i nvestors This situa tion is not uncommon i n the stock mar ket, and it' s crucia l to unde rstand the re asons behind such a drop and the str ate gies to consider in response The cause s can r ange from company-specific issue s, such as lower -than-expecte d ear nings or sales (as i n the case of Apple) , to br oader mar ket or economic factors

Causes of Stock Pri ce Drops

Company-Specific Factors: These include lower-thanexpected earnings, poor sales, management changes, or negative news about the company For instance, Apple's stock price drop was due to a decrease in sales

Market Factors: These include changes in market sentiment, economic indicators, geopolitical events, or sector rotation For instance, if investors are moving away from tech stocks and into other sectors, this could impact Apple s stock price

Economic Factors: These include changes in interest rates, inflation, or overall economic growth For instance, if the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, it could make borrowing more expensive for companies, potentially impacting their profitability and stock price

Strategi es for Di fferent Typ es of In vestors

Long-Term Investors: For long-term investors, a drop in stock price could represent a buying opportunity, especially if the fundamentals of the company remain strong As Warren Buffett famously said, "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful " If you believe in the long-term prospects of the company, buying more shares at a lower price could be a good strategy This is known as "buying the dip "

Value Investors: Value investors, like Benjamin Graham and his disciple Warren Buffett, look for stocks that are undervalued compared to their intrinsic value If the drop in stock price is due to temporary factors and the company's intrinsic value remains high, this could be a good buying opportunity

Growth Investors: Growth investors, like Philip Fisher, look for companies with high growth potential If the drop in stock price is due to a temporary slowdown in growth but the long-term growth prospects remain strong, this could also be a good buying opportunity

Income Investors: Income investors, who rely on dividends for a significant portion of their returns, should assess whether the drop in stock price will impact the company's ability to pay dividends If not, the higher dividend yield (dividend/price) could make the stock more attractive

Momentum Investors: Momentum investors, like Richard Driehaus, look for stocks with positive price momentum A drop in stock price could be a signal to sell, especially if the price momentum turns negative

Empirical Evi den ce

Empirical evidence suggests that buying the dip can be a successful strategy if the company's fundamentals remain strong A study by De Bondt and Thaler (1985) found that stocks that have performed poorly in the past tend to outperform in the future, a phenomenon known as "mean reversion "

However, it s also important to note that not all stock p r i c e d r o p s r e p r e s e n t b u y i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s A s t u d y b y Jegadeesh and Titman (1993) found that stocks with negative price momentum tend to continue underperforming, suggesting that momentum investors may be better off selling after a drop in price

In conclusion, the best strategy depends on the cause of the stock price drop and the type of investor It's important to understand the reasons behind the drop, assess the impact on the company's fundamentals, and make a decision based on your investment style and risk tolerance Me? I am a value, growth, income investor and momentum trader The best of all worlds

13% pay raise for British Airways workers

A pproximately 24,0 00 emp loyees at British Airways are set to experience a salary increase o f ov er 13% spanning 1 8 m onths starting in Sep tember, according to the U nite union How ev er, this d eal excludes pilots and m anagem ent, wh ile w orkers will also receive a o ne-tim e p ayment of £1 ,00 0 This agreement, achieved after extensiv e negotiations, m itigates the risk of d isruptions in light of surging air travel d em and

As inflation remains high, workers in various sectors are advocating for higher wages, prompted by the persistently high rate of general price increases in the UK Despite a slight decrease, inflation still stands at 7 9%, well above the Bank of England's 2% target

Unite's negotiation efforts primarily aimed to alleviate the impact of inflation on workers, also succeeded in reversing pay cuts enacted in 2020 The substantial pay raise follows rigorous negotiations, as noted by Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham

However, challenges persist, with air traffic controller strikes in France contributing to airspace congestion across the continent, leading budget carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet to cancel numerous flights

Bank of England raised interest rates for the 14th consecutive tim e, inc reas ing it s base rate by a qua rter of a perc entage point to 5 2 5 per cent This hike, while sma ller than t he pr e v io us h a l f -p oi nt 'jum bo hike ' a m on th a go, indicates a s lowing pac e in Thre adn ee dl e St re et 's f ight agains t inf lation These new rates reach a 1 5 - y e a r p e a k , l a s t s e e n i n February 2008, reflecting a substantial rise over the past year and a half, contrasting with the 0 1 per cent rate of December 2021 Due to this

change, about 150,000 borrowers with tracker or varia b l e r a t e m o r t g a g e s i n L o n d o n w i l l i m m e d i a t e l y e x p e r i e n c e a n i n c r e a s e i n their mortgage payments

However, for the majority of homeowners with fixed-

rate mortgages, the impact will only be felt once their fixed t e r m s c o n c l u d e Since many of these a g r e e m e n t s w e r e made during times of l o w - i n t e r e s t r a t e s , t h e r e n e w e d d e a l s w i l l e n t a i l n o t a b l y higher monthly payments Notably, analysts suggest t h a t t h e l a t e s t h i k e w a s a l r e a d y a n t i c i p a t e d a n d incorporated into the market's fixed mortgage rates Consequently, the decision is unlikely to lead to a signif-

icant further increase in the interest rate for new fixedrate deals

In recent times, the MPC received a welcom development regarding prices, as last month witnessed an unexpectedly greater decline in inflation to 7 9 per cent This marked a positive deviation after several months of higher-than-anticipated figures D e s p i t e t h i s , t h e c u r r e n t i n f l a t i o n r a t e s t i l l s i g n i f icantly surpasses the targeted level and ranks as the thirdh i g h e s t w i t h i n t h e G 2 0 nations

Hunt's message: Stay with me or risk Johnson-like disorder

Am i d s p ec ul at i on s of R i s h i S u nak p o s s i b ly r ep l ac i ng Jeremy Hunt at N o 11 to i ntroduce a fres h perspective, th e ch ancel lo r sp oke abo ut th e ec o no m y i n an i nt er vi e w , emph as isi ng th e need to stay committed to th e plan without straying

This reference holds sign i f i c a n c e w i t h i n t h e Conservative circles as it was a term Dominic Cummings used for Boris Johnson due to his chaotic governing style H u n t ' s m e s s a g e s e e m e d t o suggest that sticking with his

s t r a t e g y c o u l d p r e v e n t a n i m p r e s s i o n o f J o h n s o n - l i k e disorder during an election year

Not everyone within No 10 has been comfortable with Hunt's role, preferring a more p o l i t i c a l l y a l i g n e d f i g u r e closely tied to the prime minister Although Sunak might have been tempted to replace Hunt with a chancellor who a l i g n s w i t h h i s o w n r i g h twing, tax-cutting approach, there doesn't appear to be a significant push for change w i t h i n t h e p a r t y r e g a r d i n g

MPs summon energy bosses over looming winter energy bills

The par liame nt ary committe e r espon sible fo r En er gy Se cu r i t y a n d N e t Ze r o (ES NZ) is pr epa ring to summon lea der s fr om t he in dustr y a s mo un t in g co n ce r n s su r r o u n d t h e d u a l ch a llen ges of en erg y de bt a nd sur ging e ne rgy costs e xpe cted for the upcomin g wint er se ason Angus MacNeil, an indep e n d e n t M e m b e r o f Parliament who also chairs the ESNZ cross-party comm i t t e e , i n f o r m e d P o l i t i c s H o m e t h a t e x e c utives from energy companies a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m c o n s u m e r g r o u p s w i l l undergo questioning regarding the escalating problem of energy debt in the month of September

T h e c o m m i t t e e ' s c h a i r highlighted the unfortunate p r e d i c a m e n t o f e s c a l a t i n g energy debt, adding that the c o m m i t t e e ' s f o c u s w i l l extend beyond this issue to

examine other factors contributing to elevated household energy bills These fact o r s i n c l u d e m a t t e r s l i k e infrastructure concerns such as insulation

Anticipated for January 2024, the energy price cap is projected to hover around £2,000, marking a reduction of approximately £500 comp a r e d t o i t s J a n u a r y 2 0 2 3 level However, individuals will still encounter increased bills in contrast to the previous year, as the absence of the £66-per-month energy bill rebate, which had been e x t e n d e d t o h o u s e h o l d s , comes into effect Recent data furnished by t h e O f f i c e f o r N a t i o n a l Statistics (ONS) this month revealed a notable climb in g a s a n d e l e c t r i c i t y p r i c e s , with increases of 36 2 per c e n t a n d 1 7 3 p e r c e n t respectively within the 12month period leading up to June 2023

this matter

M e a n w h i l e , t h e E u r o s c e p t i c r i g h t i s m o r e focused on blaming the Bank of England for not anticipating inflation

Hunt addressed concerns about Nigel Farage's debanking by requesting a financial r e g u l a t o r i n v e s t i g a t i o n , a move that was echoed by the chancellor on GB News and followed by a thankful tweet from Farage This sequence aimed to mitigate calls for a c t i o n a m o n g T o r i e s c o ncerned about Farage's poten-

tial return to mainstream politics

S u n a k a n d H u n t ' s e c on o m i c s t r a t e g y , a i m e d a t curbing inflation even while risking a recession, isn't faci n g w i d e s p r e a d o p p o s i t i o n a m o n g b a c k b e n c h T o r i e s Despite concerns about the party facing an election during a potential recession, a c a l c u l a t i o n i s m a d e t h a t a larger portion of the public is grappling with the impact of rising living costs and prices compared to those affected by job losses in a short recession

UK food inflation concerns surge as cool, wet summer affects harvests

UK farm ers are sounding the alarm as wheat, oil seed rape , potatoes and othe r crop harvests suff er fr om a cool and we t s um m e r, h ei g ht e n in g concerns over pot ential f ood pric e increa ses The wettest July on record in certain UK region s coincides with el evated pric es of es sential commodities on global m arkets due to the ongoing Ukraine c on f l i c t an d u np r e di c t a bl e weather c onditions im pa cting har ves ts ac ros s regions f r om s ou t he r n E ur o pe t o China

The cost of wheat experienced its first monthly rise in nine months in July, as per t h e U N F o o d a n d A g r i c u l t u r a l O r g a n i z a t i o n This surge is attributed to u n c e r t a i n t y s u r r o u n d i n g Ukrainian grain exports following Russia's termination of the Black Sea grain deal, w h i c h h a d e n s u r e d s e c u r e s h i p m e n t s f r o m U k r a i n i a n seaports Russia's subsequent

attacks on port infrastructure led to a 1 6% increase in i n t e r n a t i o n a l w h e a t p r i c e s last month, according to the UN food price index July saw the rice price index reach its highest point in nearly 12 years, rising 2 8% in that month alone, according to the UN India's decis i o n t o b a n n o n - b a s m a t i white rice exports on July 20 contributed to this surge, as the nation aimed to mitigate domestic food inflation amid c r o p d a m a g e f r o m h e a v y rains China's Heilongjiang region, a vital agricultural area, has been hit by floods, causing extensive damage to farms and crops

Additionally, the Bank of England recently cautioned that UK households will continue to grapple with doub l e - d i g i t f o o d i n f l a t i o n through the following year, w h i l e p r o c e s s o r s f a c e t h e burden of costly energy contracts

UK retailers slashing prices due to damp July weather and higher interest rates

Struggling retailers in the UK are compelled to drastica ll y re du ce pri c es i n an effort to stimulate business ac ti vi ty Unfavourab le summer weather coupled with es c a l at i n g i n te r es t ra t es have converged to dampen consumer spending in J uly

The joint monthly analy s i s c o n d u c t e d b y t h e British Retail Consortium a n d K P M G , s c r u t i n i s i n g spending behaviour both on

the high street and online, unveiled a significant yearon-year decline in sales volu m e A d d i t i o n a l l y , a n increasing number of retailers are resorting to promotional offers to entice cautious consumers who are hesitant to part with their funds Barclays' separate study r e v e a l e d t h a t c o n s u m e r sensitivity to "shrinkflation" - the practice of reducing

product sizes while maintaining or increasing prices - h a s n o w e x t e n d e d t o encompass alcoholic beverages Over one in five cons u m e r s ( 2 2 % ) r e p o r t e d e n c o u n t e r i n g " d r i n k f l at i o n , " w h e r e a l c o h o l i c d r i n k s , i n c l u d i n g b e e r s , spirits, and canned cockt a i l s , c o n t a i n e d r e d u c e d alcohol content

n d B a r c l a y s m o n t h l y

reports indicated a modest uptick in spending value for July, but this increase was offset once accounting for the current inflation rate of 7 9 % B R C / K P M G n o t e d that the value of sales last month was 1 5% higher than J u l y 2 0 2 2 , w h i l e B a r c l a y s h i g h l i g h t e d a 4 % r i s e i n c o n s u m e r s p e n d i n g t h r o u g h c r e d i t a n d d e b i t cards compared to a year ago

Morgan Stanley gives top ranking to India among Asian markets

M organ Sta nley, the globa l r at in g age ncy, has upgra ded I n d i a t o ‘ o v e r w e i g h t ’ ca te gory , giv ing it the top r at in g a mong Asia n ma rk ets, w h ile cut t i n g A us t r a lia t o ‘ und er weig ht ’ Ad dition ally, i t a s si g n e d C h i n a a n d T a i w a n a n " e q ua l -w e i g h t " r at in g a nd w ent on t o assign

Kor ea an "ove rweig ht" g rad e

A separate report by S&P Global said India's economy will expand by 6 7% annually b e t w e e n f i s c a l y e a r s 2 0 2 4

and 2031, increasing its GDP to $6 7 trillion from fiscal year 2023's $3 4 trillion The p r e d i c t e d i n c r e a s e i n p e r capita GDP from $2,500 to approximately $4,500

A n a l y s t s a t Morgan Stanley said that a long upward c y c l e i n I n d i a i s s t a r t i n g w h i l e t h e s a m e i s e n d i n g i n

C h i n a O f t h e 2 7 countries tracked by t h e r a t i n g a g e n c y ' s s t r a t e g i s t s , I n d i a r o s e t o number 1 from number 6 e a r l i e r w i t h r e l a t i v e valuations for the country l e s s e x t r e m e t h a n i n October 2022

Bridging the gap

“ M u l t i p o l a r w o r l dtrends are supporting FDI a n d p o r t f o l i o f l o w s , w i t h India adding a reform and macro-stability agenda that u n d e r p i n s a s t r o n g c a p e x and profit outlook We see a s e c u l a r t r e n d t o w a r d sustained superior (earnings p e r s h a r e ) g r o w t h v e r s u s emerging markets over the c y c l e , w i t h a y o u n g d e m o g r a p h i c p r o f i l e supporting equity inflows,” the report noted

Adani's Ambuja Cement acquires cement maker Sanghi Industries

Amb uja Ce me nt, a pa rt of A d a n i G r o up , a cq u ir e d c e me n t m a k e r S a n g h i Industries for £500 mil lion S o o n a f t e r t h e a c q u i s i t i o n , A d a n i g r o u p

chairman Gautam Adani said Ambuja Cement's promise to double its cement capacity by 2028 is on track

Ambuja Cement said the a c q u i s i t i o n w i l l b e f u l l y f u n d e d t h r o u g h i n t e r n a l

accruals Sanghi Industries

Limited (SIL) has a clinker c a p a c i t y o f 6 6 m i l l i o n tonnes per annum, cement capacity of 6 1 million tonnes p e r a n n u m a n d l i m e s t o n e reserves of 1 billion tonne

S I L ' s S a n g h i p u r a m u n i t i s India's largest single-location cement and clinker unit by capacity, with a captive jetty and captive power plant Qat ar fund buys 2 7% stak e in Ada ni Gr een

M e a n w h i l e , Q a t a r ’ s sovereign wealth fund has invested £392 million for a 2 7% stake in Gautam Adani’s renewable energy unit as the o i l - r i c h G u l f i n v e s t o r increases its bet on the fastgrowing Indian market This is the Qatari fund’s second investment in Adani’s energy u t i l i t y v e n t u r e I n 2 0 2 0 , Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) infused £320 million

GST collections in India rise by 11% to £16.5 billion in July

Good s and Serv ices ( GST ) tax receipts in I n d i a i n J u l y i ncreas ed by abo u t 1 1% to £16 51 billion, p r i m ari l y d u e to d omestic demand as i m p o r ts s tru g g le d T h e am o u n t c o ll ec te d i n J u ly f o r t ran s ac ti o ns i n J u ne w as a bo v e £ 1 6 b i lli o n f o r t h e f i ft h ti m e , m a ki ng i t t h e third larg est mo nthly mopu p after A pril 2018 ( £18 70 b i ll io n ) a nd A p ri l 2 0 22 ( £16 75 billion)

D o m e s t i c t r a n s a c t i o n s s a w r o b u s t g r o w t h w i t h

Central GST rising 15 6% in J u l y t o £ 2 9 7 b i l l i o n a n d state GST increasing 147% to £3 76 billion Integrated G S T , w h i c h i s l e v i e d o n i n t e r - s t a t e s a l e s a n d imports, grew at around 8%, p u l l e d d o w n b y a 0 4 % d e c l i n e i n t h e l e v y o n s h i p m e n t s c o m i n g f r o m abroad Similarly, the cess o n i m p o r t e d a n d l u x u r y g o o d s f e l l 1 5 6 % t o £ 8 4 m i l l i o n , t h e l o w e s t s i n c e February “ T h e r e i s a c l e a r d i v e r g e n c e b e t w e e n r e v e n u e s o n a c c o u n t o f d o m e s t i c t r a n s a c t i o n s ( i n c l u d i n g i m p o r t s o f s e r v i c e s ) a n d t h a t o n account of imported goods, with the latter averaging at j u s t 0 8 % y e a r - o n - y e a r d u r i n g A p r i l - J u l y 2 0 2 3 ,

reflecting the compression i n m e r c h a n d i s e i m p o r t s

T h i s d i v e r g e n c e i s s e t t o c o n t i n u e o w i n g t o t h e expectation of a contraction in merchandise imports in 2023-24, ” said Aditi Nayar, chief economist at ratings agency ICRA

for a 25 1% stake in Adani E l e c t r i c i t y , w h i c h s u p p l i e s p o w e r t o l a r g e p a r t s o f Mumbai QIA’s move comes after i t s r e p o r t e d i n t e r e s t i n acquiring a stake in Mukesh

Ambani’s retail business The Qatari fund has exposure to A m b a n i ’ s R e l i a n c e I n d u s t r i e s T h r o u g h B o d h i Tree Systems, the fund holds a stake in RIL’s media and entertainment business

India records robust manufacturing activity in July

A s u rv ey s h o we d th a t man u fa ct u ri ng ac ti vi ty i n In dia rem ain ed ro bu st i n J u ly as n ew o rde rs conti nu ed to be firm and companies expanded their emp lo yment

The S&P Global India Manufacturing Purchasing M a n a g e r s ’ I n d e x ( P M I ) posted a reading of 57 7 in July, broadly in line with the r e a d i n g o f 5 7 8 i n J u n e B u s i n e s s c o n d i t i o n s h a v e now strengthened in each of the past 25 months The m e a s u r e m e n t w a s a t a three-month low, but it was

still showing high activity at levels similar to those of recent months The survey is derived from responses to q u e s t i o n n a i r e s i s s u e d t o purchasing managers in a p a n e l o f 4 0 0 manufacturers, and the 50p o i n t t h r e s h o l d d i f f e r e n t i a t e s e x p a n s i o n from contraction Growth in new export business picked up to the fastest since last November R e s p o n d e n t s n o t e d i n c r e a s e s i n n e w o r d e r s from customers in the US, Bangladesh and Nepal

28% levy on casinos, online games to stay: GST Council

D e s pi te t h e e f f o r t s o f De lhi, Goa and Sik kim to re open the is sue, the GST C ouncil chos e to proceed w ith the levy of 28% GST on the f ace value of chips purchas ed at casi nos and the bet amount for onli ne ga me s T he Cen tre and the s tates wi ll now alter the l a w s i n o rd e r t o i mp l e me n t t h e t a x i n October

To tighten the noose around foreign companies, which may evade tax, the Council has proposed their m a n d a t o r y r e g i s t r a t i o n with GST authorities The g o v e r n m e n t p l a n s t o

invoke provisions of the I n f o r m a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y Act to ensure that access to consumers is blocked for those who do not register F i n a n c e M i n i s t e r

Nirmala Sitharaman stated that most states, ranging f r o m W e s t B e n g a l a n d C h h a t t i s g a r h t o U t t a r

P r a d e s h , H i m a c h a l

Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, wanted the last m e e t i n g ' s d e c i s i o n t o b e i m p l e m e n t e d a s s o o n a s possible, resulting in the C o u n c i l c l e a r i n g t h e a m e n d m e n t s t o t h e Central law, which will be replicated by the states

Delhi finance minister

A t i s h i w a n t e d t h e G S T

C o u n c i l t o r e v i e w i t s e a r l i e r d e c i s i o n t o t a x online gaming, a proposal that was brushed aside by m o s t s t a t e s G o a a n d Sikkim supported a higher levy but said the decision would hurt their interests, g i v e n t h e p r e s e n c e o f casinos in the two states

With Goa and Sikkim finding support from the o t h e r s , s u c h a s A n d h r a Pradesh, it was decided to review the tax six months after implementation, said S i t h a r a m a n , w h o c h a i r s the all-powerful body

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

W e were t ryi ng to a rra nge fundi ng f or a small pro perty i n London Th is wa s an aucti on prope rty, wher e th e t enancy was d escr ibed as unkno wn Thi s is common whe n it come s to re posse ssions, wh ich th is ha ppe ne d t o be T his was not th e fi rst time we h ad come a cr oss t his dea l H ence we a lrea dy h ad sig ht of the tenancy a gre ement, a nd kne w thi s wa s an Assured Sh orthol d T enancy In o ther wor ds, a standar d re nt al contract T he a dministra tors wer e not pr ivy to this fact, so th e p roper ty wa s a dv erti se d a s unknown te na ncy

W h a t s h o u l d h a v e b e e n a r e a s o n a b l y s t r a i g h t forward funding, turned out to require a lot of focus and energy to get over the line An auction contract requires immediate exchange followed by 28 days for completion If you fail to complete you get served notice which gives you another 10 days

The first lender we applied to took issue with one of the clients being part of a large debt, even though this was not totally his debt - he was named on the agreement It still appeared in his credit report, and the lender was not prepared to dig deeper The second lender we applied to wasn’t comfortable with the amount of unsecured debt with the other client, this was a joint application In the interim the clock was ticking

From one point of view this whole charade is unnecessary Simple basics should tell any lender this property first was being bought about 30% cheaper, and second, they had a 75% Loan to Value first charge on it Therefore, the actual loan to value they are lending sits at just over 50% In other words, they are unlikely to lose any money, even if the property market crashed

B u t s i m p l e c o m m o n l o g i c i s n o t c o m m o n T r a n s a c t i o n s a r e b o g g e d d o w n w i t h c o m p l i a n c e , lenders protecting their FCA licence, underwriters just getting under one ’ s skin

G i v e n t h e s t a t e o f t h e l e n d i n g m a r k e t , i t i s inevitable the rise of the bridging market in London There must be hundreds if not thousands of lenders on the market, some mainstream ones, others who lend out family wealth, without getting involved in the hassle factor of development They tend to look at the deal in a more straight forward and pragmatic manner This was our lender of last resort It’s a private lender who dispensed with the need for a valuation, and was happy to lend the money, basically on a handshake Their lawyer, however, was a different animal They have to be ‘ seen ’ protecting their client Seen being the operative word My cynical mind says it’s to protect themselves and justify their fat fees, which predictably increased due to the time constraint of this case After jumping through many hoops the deal was done The time and energy a small deal like this takes up is not proportionate to its size, or potential gain However, once you ’ re committed you need to take it to the finishing line We duly completed on the bridge, and now we have a little breathing space to remortgage with a high street lender

RIL seeks nod for Ambani as CMD till ’29

Re li an ce In d u s tri es h a s so u g h t s h a reh o l d er s ’ ap p r ov al t o g iv e M u ke sh A m b ani a no th e r f i v e- ye ar ter m as c h ai rm an a nd m an ag i ng d i re c to r o f th e company till 2029 - a period during which h e has opted to draw nil salary Ambani, 66, will cro ss the com pany law-m andated 70 years age fo r c h i ef e xe cu t iv es a nd requ ires a special reso lution by shareh old ers for him to be app ointed beyond that ag e bar Am bani has been on the board of RIL since 1977

In the special resolution posted to shareholders, RIL said its board of directors on July 21, 2023, approved the r e a p p o i n t m e n t o f A m b a n i

as managing director for five years Ambani, it said, had c a p p e d h i s a n n u a l remuneration at £1 5 million from financial year 2008-09 (April 2008 to March 2009) to FY20; and since FY21, he opted to forego his salary, due to the pandemic, until t h e c o m p a n y a n d a l l i t s businesses were fully back to their earnings potential

Ravi Sanghi & Gautam Adani

Mukesh Ambani

Imran’s ‘life under threat’ in jail, says Pak ex-PM’s party

I S L A

A B A D : J ai le d f o rm e r

P akistani Prime M inister Im ran K han’s party says it is concerned about h is safety and security in p rison, where “h is life is under threat” K han, 70, w as arrested and sent to jail fo r three years f o llo wi ng h i s co nv ic ti on in a corru ption case by an Islamabad cou rt o n Satu rday

S h a h M e h m o o d Q u r e s h i , v i c e c h a i r m a n o f K h a n ’ s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, said that the former prime minister was not being allowed to meet his lawyers in two days He said the party leadership is “extremely concerned” about his

w e l l b e i n g K h a n ’ s l a w y e r claimed that the PTI chief has been kept in distressing condit i o n s a n d p r o v i d e d “ C - c l a s s ” prison facilities at Attock jail in Pakistan’s Punjab Soon after the verdict, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief was arrested by the police from his residence in Lahore The jail administration did not allow his lawyers and party colleagues to m e e t h i m f o r t w o d a y s

However, on Monday afternoon, N a e e m H a i d e r P a n j o t h a , Imran’s spokesperson on legal matters, was allowed to meet him

30 killed after train derails in Pakistan

M U L T A N , P A K I S T A N : T h e death toll fro m a train derailment in so uthern P akistan ro se t o 30 , wi t h th e n u m be r o f i nju red ro se to 60, and rescu e o perations were underway, offic i a ls sa i d T e n c ar s o f a R a wa lp i n di - b o u n d tr ai n go t derailed, and some overturned, n e ar t h e P a ki s t an i t o wn o f Nawabsh ah trap ping many passengers, said senior railway offic e r Ma h mo o du r R eh m an Lakh o Senior police officer, Abid Baloch said that so far 30 bodies have been recovered while more than 60 people were injured, some critically He added that the death toll may rise as rescue o p e r a t i o n s c o n t i n u e B a l o c h said women and children were among the dead and injured Local television showed rescue teams extracting women, children and elderly passengers from damaged and overturned cars Some of the injured were

lying on the ground crying for help while locals provided water and food

Lakho, who is in charge of railways in the accident area, said rescue crews took injured p a s s e n g e r s t o t h e n e a r b y Peoples Hospital in Nawabshah H e s a i d t h e i l l - f a t e d H a z a r a Express was on its way from Karachi to Rawalpindi when ten cars went off the tracks near the S a r h a r i r a i l w a y s t a t i o n o f f

Nawabshah

M o h s i n S a y a l , a n o t h e r

senior railway officer, said train traffic has been suspended on the main railway line as repair trains have been dispatched to the scene Sayal said alternative travel arrangements and medical care will be made available f o r t h e s t r a n d e d p a s s e n g e r s M i n i s t e r f o r R a i l w a y s , K h a j a Saad Rafiq, said the crash could be due to a mechanical fault or the result of sabotage He said an investigation was underway

Earlier on Monday, Panjotha filed a petition in the Islamabad high c o u r t r e q u e s t i n g i t t o declare Imran’s detent i o n i n A t t o c k J a i l a s “ i l l e g a l ” T h e p e t i t i o n also requested for “bett e r c l a s s / A - c l a s s ” j a i l facilities to be provided to the PTI chief It urged that Imran be allowed to regularly meet his legal team, family members, his p e r s o n a l d o c t o r , D r F a i s a l Sultan, and political aides, lists for which were submitted to the court The petition stated that “it is yet to be ascertained” under

Imran Khan

which law the PTI chief had b e e n d e t a i n e d a t A t t o c k J a i l when the arrest warrant issued by the trial court intended for him to be kept at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi It said that the former PM had been “confined in a dirty room which has traditionally been reserved for terrorists

Dhaka court sentences

Khaleda’s son to 9 years in jail for corruption

D HA K A : After find ing the opp osition leader g uilty in a corruption case launch ed by the gove rnm e nt in 2 0 0 7 , a c o ur t i n Bangladesh jailed former Prime M inister K haleda Zia's so n and heir apparent to nine years in prison The Dhaka metropolitan s en io r s p ec i al ju d g e ’ s c o u rt d elivered the sentence in absentia to T arique Rah man He also g ave a th ree- year sentence in a bs en ti a to R ah m a n ’ s w if e Zubaid a Rahman who also lives abroad Rahman is the acting chairm a n o f t h e c o u n t r y ' s l a r g e s t o p p o s i t i o n B a n g l a d e s h N a t i o n a l i s t P a r t y , w h i c h h a s been protesting against Sheikh H a s i n a ' s c o n t i n u a n c e a s t h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r R a h m a n w a s a l s o p e n a l i s e d m o r e t h a n $273,000 He faces an additional three months in jail if the fine is not paid

WWII-era bomb discovery prompts evacuation in Dusseldorf

DU S S EL DO RF ( GERM A N Y) : T he city too k a p recautionary stance as arou nd 1 3,0 00 resid ent s w er e as ke d t o te mp orarily v acate their ho mes a ft er th e u n ea rth i ng o f a World War II-era bomb, as rep orted by German med ia agency Collaborating efforts of the police and bom b squad w ere set in motion to safelydispose of the one-tonne unexplod ed shell, d iscovered ov er the span of Aug ust 7-8

City officials cited that the bomb was uncovered during operational hours near the local zoo As a protective measure, authorities mandated the evacuation of all residents residing within a500-meter radius of the b o m b ' s l o c a t i o n i n D u s s e l d o r f

Concurrently, road closures were enforced

SIX INDIANS AMONG 18 KILLED IN MEXICO BUS MISHAP

Six Indians were among at least 18 people who were killed in a bus accident in Mexico which injured another 23 people The accident took place in Nayarit state in northwestern Mexico According to reports the bus was carrying foreign migrants and locals The bus plummeted into a ravine Three minors were among the dead About 40 people were on board when the accident occurred The bus was travelling from Mexico City to northwestern Tijuana, which borders San Diego Numerous migrants attempt to seek refuge in the US from there "Most of the passengers were foreigners and originating from countries such as India the Dominican Republic and from the African continent the civil protection agency said

AUSTRALIAN COURT JUNKS KIRPAN BAN IN SCHOOLS

A court in Australia’s Queensland state has overturned a law that banned Sikh students to wear a kirpan a religious article in Sikhism on campus calling the legislation “unconstitutional” The ruling by the state’s highest court came after Kamaljit Kaur Athwal took the state government to court last year claiming that the ban discriminated against the kirpan - one of five religious symbols that Sikhs are supposed to carry at all times as part of their faith The Queensland Supreme Court ruled the ban is unconstitutional under the Racial Discrimination Act, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported

BRAZILIAN MAN DRINKING BEER WHILE 11-YEAR-OLD SON FLIES PLANE

M i r z a F a k h r u l I s l a m Alamgir, the secretary general of Zia’s party, said the verdict was politically motivated The complaint was initiated in 2007 by the government's anti-corrupt i o n a g e n c y , w h i c h a c c u s e d Rahman of amassing assets illegally The verdict came ahead of a general election expected to be held by early next year, with Hasina hoping to form government for a fourth consecutive term

A horrifying video has been surfaced on social media platforms showing a Brazilian man drinking beer while letting his 11-year-old son fly twinengine Beechcraft Baron 58 He is also seen giving his son instructions on how to operate the aircraft and teaching him about the controls of the plane According to the media the video was allegedly shot moments before the father-son duo tragica ly died in a crash A researcher Garon Maia 42 and his son Francisco Maia bodies have been identified The incident is under investigation and authorities are working to find out if the video was shot before the crash

within the evacuation zone t h r o u g h o u t t h e d i s p o s a l procedure

N u m e r o u s i n d i v i d u a l s were observed leaving their h o m e s a c c o m p a n i e d b y t h e i r p e t s , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e r e p o r t N e v e r t h e l e s s , details regarding the exact completion time of the disposal and the subsequent lifting of restrictions remain undisclosed This occurrence bears resemblance to a similar incident in 2017 when the discovery of a 1 4-tonnebomb in Frankfurt resulted in the evacuation of 65,000 people Additionally, a distressing event unfolded in December 2021, as a Second World War bomb detonated at a construction site near Munich station, leading to injuries sustained by four individuals

Bear hold of an Iraqi plane in Dubai

DU B AI : Delayed pa ssengers growl af te r a b ear es capes from the c argo hold of an I raqi plane in Dubai I raq 's Prime Mini ster has i nitiated an inquiry into the escape of a b ear from its crate on an Iraqi aircraft s cheduled to depart from Dubai airport The inc ident led to passen ge r frustration over the delay an d sparked disc ussions on s oc ial m edia

According to Iraqi Airways, they deny responsibility for the bear s escape and state that the plane s crew collaborated w i t h U n i t e d A r a b E m i r a t e s a u t h o r i t i e s

10-year-old marries before losing battle to Leukemia

IRAN SHUTS DOWN FOR 2 DAYS TO BEAT HEAT

Iran declared a two-day public holiday in reaction to unprecedented heat ordering all governmental institutions financial institutions and educational institutions to close This uncommon action was brought on by soaring temperatures that endangered public health and stressed the nation's power grid Iranian health ministry advised older people children and those with underlying health conditions to stay indoors because of the risk of heat strokes Temperatures were well above 40°C in more than a dozen Iranian cities according to Iran’s meteorological organisation Iran has not been known to shut down the country because of heat

CANADA PM JUSTIN TRUDEAU AND WIFE PART WAYS

These specialists sedated the bear and successfully removed it from the aircraft

A video has gone viral on social media featuring the plane's captain apologising to t h e p a s s e n g e r s f o r t h e d e p a r t u r e d e l a y caused by the bear's escape in the cargo hold Iraqi Airways asserts that the bear's transportation adhered to regulations set b y t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l A i r T r a n s p o r t Association (IATA) and followed legal procedures and standards The airline states that the bear was intended to be transported from Baghdad to Dubai

N O RT H C A R OL I NA : A 10 - year-o ld g irl fro m the United States, who had a d ream of getting married , fulfilled h er wish by marrying her ch ild hood sw eeth eartshortly before succumbing to leukemia The med ia repo rts that Em ma Ed wards and Daniel M arsh all C hristopher "DJ" Williams exchanged vow s i n a si g n if i ca nt c er em o n y o n J u ne 29

T ra g i ca ll y, E m m a p as s ed a w ay j us t 1 2 daysafter the heartfelt celebration Emma had been diagnosed withacute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in April of the previous year Despite herparents, Alina and Aaron Edwards, maintaining hope for her recovery, thedevastating news arrived in June that Emma's cancer was beyond treatment Themedia confirmed that she had only a few days left to live

Canada's PM Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie are separating after 18 years following meaningful and difficult conversations The couple said they would remain "a close family with deep love and respect" in an Instagram post They married in Montreal in 2005, and now they have three kids In a statement, Trudeau's office claimed that despite having signed a separation agreement the couple will continue to appear in public They have worked to ensure that all legal and ethical steps with regards to their decision to separate have been taken, and will continue to do so moving forward," the statement said, adding they would be on holiday as a family next week Sophie will no longer take part in official duties nor will the government help in arranging her own appearances Canadian media reports

Khaleda Zia

Emma Edwards

2 US NAVY SAILORS CHARGED WITH SPYING FOR CHINA

Two US navy sailors were charged with providing sensitive military information to China - including details on wartime exercises naval operations and critical technical material The two sailors both based in California were charged with similar moves to provide sensitive intelligence to the Chinese But they were separate cases, and it wasn t clear if the two were courted or paid by the same Chinese intelligence officer as part of a larger scheme Federal officials in San Diego declined to specify whether the sailors were aware of each other s actions Both men pleaded not guilty They were ordered to be held until their detention hearings US officials have for years expressed concern about the espionage threat they say the Chinese government poses

ANOTHER 19 YEARS ADDED TO PUTIN CRITIC'S JAIL TERM

Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny had an extra 19 years added to his jail term in a criminal case which he and his supporters said was trumped up to keep him behind bars and out of politics for even longer Navalny, 47, President Vladimir Putin s fiercest domestic critic, is already serving sentences totalling 11-1/2 years on fraud and other charges that he says are also bogus His political movement has been outlawed and declared “extremist” A court at the IK-6 penal colony in Melekhovo where he is serving his sentences was trying him on six separate criminal charges including inciting and financing extremist activity and creating an extremist organisation

US PENALISES 20 IN MALDIVES OVER LINKS TO IS

The US penalises 20 Maldivian nationals for their affiliations with the Islamic State terror organization, including one man charged with plotting to kill former president Mohamed Nasheed Abdulla Ali Manik, who is presently detained in connection with the failed 2021 attack was connected to many terror schemes in the upscale vacation destination, according to the US Department of Treasury Additionally, new sanctions revealed Manik to be a close friend of Mohamad Ameen, a well-known IS recruiter who was also penalised by the US in 2019

GRAMMY WINNER LIZZO ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Three former dancers have sued Grammy winner Lizzo accusing her of sexual harassment and claiming that the singer and her production business created a toxic work environment The civil complaint was brought in the superior court of Los Angeles County Plaintiffs Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez allege sexual, religious and racial harassment handicap discrimination, assault and false imprisonment The court filing claims that after performing a concert in Amsterdam Lizzo and her crew attended a sexually themed show at a club in the city’s notorious Red Light District where “Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers

MAN STABS 14 PEOPLE IN A S KOREA MALL

A man rammed a car onto a sidewalk in South Korea then stepped out of the vehicle and began stabbing people at a shopping mall Authorities said at least 14 people were wounded in the country s second mass stabbing in a month At least five people were hurt by the car and nine others were stabbed in the attacks that occurred in a crowded leisure district near a subway station in the city of Seongnam, according to Yoon Sung-hyun, an official from the southern Gyeonggi provincial police department The head of the National Police Agency described the attack as “virtually an act of terrorism Police did not offer any immediate information about a potential motive or about the status of those who were hurt

One more Indian American joins 2024 US presidential race

WA S HI NGT ON: Scientist and entrep reneur, S hiv a A yyadu rai has beco me the fou rth IndianAm erican to announce his bid as an ind epend ent cand id ate f or the 20 24 U S p resid ential election A n n o u n c i n g h i s c a m p a i g n b i d r e c e n t l y , t h e 5 9 - y e a r - o l d Mumbai-born said he wants to s e r v e A m e r i c a , b e y o n d " L e f t " and "Right" to deliver solutions people need and deserve "I am r u n n i n g f o r P r e s i d e n t o f t h e United States of America We stand at the crossroads where we can either head into a Golden

A g e o r i n t o t h e D a r k n e s s A m e r i c a b e c o m e s g r e a t w h e n i n n o v a t o r s , e n t r e p r e n e u r s , working people with skills and

those committed to using common sense and reason run this country," Ayyadurai said In his campaign bid, he said t h a t t h e o l d g u a r d o f c a r e e r p o l i t i c i a n s , p o l i t i c a l h a c k s , lawyer-lobbyists and academics who pervade the country and local government with corruption and crony capitalism stop America from becoming great

Ayyadurai left India in 1970 and came to live the American dream along with his parents and settled in Paterson, New Jersey

"I left the caste system of India in 1970 where we were c o n s i d e r e d l o w c a s t e

' U n t o u c h a b l e s ' a n d ' D e p l o r a b l e s ' , " h e s a i d o n h i s

Indian American fired for talking with dying relative in Hindi

WA S HI NGT ON: Media repo rted th a t an I nd ia n- A m e ri c an en g i nee r w as fi r ed f ro m h i s lo n g - ti m e j o b w i th a m is s i le defence contractor in Alabama for speaking in Hindi with h is dying relative in India ov er a vid eo call

Anil Varshney, 78-year-old, a s e n i o r s y s t e m s e n g i n e e r w i t h Parsons Corporation, filed a fede r a l l a w s u i t a l l e g i n g s y s t e m i c discriminatory actions that left him jobless last year A white coworker heard him speaking in Hindi on a telephone call on September 26, 2022, with his dying brother-in-law in India, according to the report

“Varshney stepped into an empty cubicle and accepted the call He made sure there were no classified materials or anything e l s e p e r t a i n i n g t o M D A ’ s ( M i s s i l e D e f e n c e A g e n c y ) o r Parsons’ work anywhere near him,” said the lawsuit, which also names secretary of defence Lloyd J Austin as legal represen-

tative for the MDA

The two spoke for about two minutes in Hindi when another worker interrupted “(The worker) told Varshney that the call was not allowed and he immediately hung up ”

The suit claims the worker was “intimidated by Varshney speaking in a language he did not understand” and “falsely and intentionally” reported that the Indian American “committed a security violation by revealing confidential information ”

“Despite there being no poli c y p r o h i b i t i n g t h e c a l l , a n d without any investigation, the d e f e n d a n t s b l a c k b a l l e d h i m from future (MDA) work , ” the suit said Parsons in a response filed with the court on July 24 said it “denies it engaged in any wrongdoing or that plaintiff is entitled to any relief” It also asked for the suit’s dismissal with prejudice and demanded Varshney pay its attorney fees and costs, the report says

campaign website

Ayyadurai's announcement

c o m e s c l o s e l y a f t e r I n d i a n -

A m e r i c a n a e r o s p a c e e n g i n e e r

Hirsh Vardhan Singh threw his h a t i n t h e r i n g f o r t h e

R e p u b l i c a n n o m i n a t i o n a f t e r f o r m e r S o u t h C a r o l i n a

G o v e r n o r N i k k i H a l e y a n d e n t r e p r e n e u r V i v e k

Ramaswamy

A F u l b r i g h t S c h o l a r w i t h f o u r d e g r e e s f r o m t h e

M a s s a c h u s e t t s I n s t i t u t e o f T e c h n o l o g y , A y y a d u r a i h a d expressed interest in taking up the position of Twitter's chief executive officer last year

According to his campaign website, he has started seven hit e c h c o m p a n i e s i n c l u d i n g

Shiva Ayyadurai

E c h o M a i l , C y t o S o l v e a n d Systems Health and "invented e m a i l " w h e n h e w a s j u s t 1 4years-old

He is currently the Founder a n d C E O o f C y t o S o l v e , I n c , which is discovering cures for major diseases from pancreatic cancer to Alzheimer's

Senate confirms IndianAmerican to serve as dy CEO of US finance agency

W A S H I N G T O N : N i s ha Bi s w al , an Ind ian-American po licy expert, h as b ee n ap p o i nt ed a s d ep u t y chi ef execu ti ve off icer (CEO) of a US f i nanci al ins ti tu ti on by th e S en at e T h e U ni t ed S t at es

I nt er na ti o nal Dev el o p m en t F i na nc e C o r p o ra ti o n' s D ep u t y

C EO wi l l b e B i s wa l "T h ri l l e d , ho no red a nd h umb led to h ave been co nfi rmed by th e Senate to s er ve a s Dep u t y C E O o f

@ DF C go v, " Bi s w a l tw e et ed

"T hankful f or the many fri ends and colleagu es who supp orted me through confirmation I wi ll do my best to make you proud! I have been privileged to work a talented team @U SChamber! " she ad ded

U S P r e s i d e n t J o e B i d e n announced his intent to nominate Nisha Desai Biswal earlier in March this year for the position of Deputy Chief Executive O f f i c e r o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t Finance Corporation, a White H o u s e p r e s s r e l e a s e s a i d

"Honored to be nominated by

Upset Hindus seek apology from Baskin-Robbins for non-disclosure of beef in ice cream

N E V A D A ( A M E R I C A ) : H i nd u s a re req u es ti ng a n o f fi c ia l ap o l o g y f ro m Baskin-Robbins for failing to d isclose that its " Rocky Road" ice cream included beef, as well as for its promp t recall

D i s t i n g u i s h e d H i n d u s t a t e s m a n Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada, said that it was shocking for Hindus to learn that popular “Rocky Road”, which they had been eating for years, contained beef; while beef was not explicitly mentioned under the ingredients listed on the packages/boxes

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stated that “Rocky Road” contained gelatin, but the source of gelatin was not mentioned under the “Ingredients” on packages/boxes When Zed contacted Baskin Robbins, Customer Relations Coordinator Katie responded:

“The gelatin in Rocky Road is from both porcine and beef source ” B e e f c o n s u m p t i o n r u n s d i r e c t l y counter to Hindu religious principles Rajan Zed said that the cow is sacred and has long been revered in Hinduism It was

a very serious issue for the devotees and would severely hurt their feelings if they would come to know that they were unknowingly eating beef-laced “Rocky Road” ice cream, Zed noted Is this the “ B a s k i n - R o b b i n s C o m m i t m e n t t o Better”? Zed asked

Rajan Zed added that it was difficult to understand why Baskin-Robbins, the "largest chain of ice cream specialty shops in the world, with more than 7,600 retail shops in nearly 40 global markets," did not specifically state under the ingredients on the package or box where the gelatin used in that product was sourced

Now was the time for Baskin-Robbins to admit their error of not being transparent enough to mention in clear and simp l e t e r m s w h a t w a s i n s i d e t h e package/box so that an ordinary consumer could make right and appropriate choices, Zed said Moreover, in future, Baskin-Robbins should explicitly list beef in the ingredients on the package/box when beef was present in the product;

Zed added

@POTUS to be Deputy CEO of @DFCgov " Biswal had tweeted upon nomination

Biswal has had a high-profile career of over 30 years of experience in US foreign policy and international development prog r a m m e s w i t h i n t h e W h i t e House; US Congress and the private sector

At the moment, Biswal is the U S C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e ' s S e n i o r V i c e P r e s i d e n t f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l S t r a t e g y a n d Global Initiatives, in charge of the US-India Business Council and the US-Bangladesh Business Council

From 2013 to 2017, Biswal a l s o h e l d t h e p o s i t i o n o f A s s i s t a n t S e c r e t a r y f o r S o u t h and Central Asian Affairs at the US Department of State, where she oversaw the US-India strategic partnership during a period of unprecedented cooperation, including the start of an annual U S - I n d i a S t r a t e g i c a n d Commercial Dialogue

Indian student killed in Melbourne after his bike collides with car

M E L B O U R N E : A 22 -y e a r - o ld I n d i a n st ud e n t work ing as an Uber Eats driv er in Austra lia was k ille d a ft e r his bi ke co lli de d wit h an S UV i n S y d n e y , a m e d i a r e p or t sa id A k sh a y De e p a k Doulta ni, a Mumbai n ativ e study ing for a ma ster 's de gre e in Austra lia, was k ille d in a car acciden t last wee k in N ew Sout h W ale s while wor king as a food de live ry d river , the media r eport ed

Doultani received a scholarship in finance at Macquarie University and came to Australia in February He worked as an Uber Eats delivery rider at least three times a week to cover his expenses He was taken to the Royal North Shore Hospital after the crash but died hours later, the report said

“The only reason why he wanted to come abroad was not (just to) have a good life but to provide more amenities for his family,” his cousin P r a t i k K a m a t h w a s q u o t e d a s s a y i n g W i t h Doultani’s death, the number of food delivery riders killed in Australia since 2017 rose to 12, according to the Transport Workers Union

Uber Eats stated that it was committed to the safety of its delivery drivers and that it had rules in place to improve road safety "In Australia, Uber Eats delivery people are covered by a support package designed specifically for them," according to a company spokesperson mentioned in the paper

Rahul gets back Tughlaq Lane house after reinstatement as Lok Sabha MP

C ongr ess lea der Rahul Ga ndhi has been r e -a llo t t e d t h e 1 2 , T u g h la q L a n e b un g a lo w a d a y a f t e r hi s d isqualification as Lok Sabha mem ber wa s re st ored followin g a direct iv e of the S u p r e m e C o u r t , o f fi ci a ls s a i d T he House Committ ee of t he Lok Sabha has d ecided to a llot t he sa me bunga low he wa s ask ed to v acat e a ft er Ra hul was d isqualified a s member of t he lower house on Mar ch 24 as a r esult of his co n vict io n a n d a t wo- ye a r ja il te r m a war ded to him for the 'Modi surna me' r ema rks

O n M o n d a y , t h e L o k S a b h a S e c r e t a r i a t r e s t o r e d R a h u l ' s membership of the lower house after t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t s t a y e d h i s conviction in the defamation case

In April, Rahul vacated his official residence, in line with protocol, after he was disqualified as an MP in March following a Surat court's conviction in t h e c r i m i n a l d e f a m a t i o n c a s e A disqualified MP is not entitled to a government accommodation and gets a m o n t h ' s t i m e t o v a c a t e t h e o f f i c i a l

Burqa-clad

represents in the House, Congress

l e a d e r M a l l i k a r j u n K h a r g e s a i d ,

“ W h a t e v e r t i m e i s l e f t o f t h e i r tenure, BJP and Modi government should utilise that by concentrating on actual governance rather than denigrating democracy by targeting opposition leaders ” The Supreme Court on Friday (August 4) stayed Rahul’s conviction in a defamation case by a Gujarat

students denied entry into Mumbai college

Rahul Gandhi

residence

Announcing the reinstatement of R a h u l a s a n M P , a L o k S a b h a notification said in view of the SC order o n F r i d a y , t h e d i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n h a s ceased to operate subject to further judicial pronouncements Describing the notification as a “welcome step” that brings relief to the people of India, e s p e c i a l l y W a y a n a d w h i c h R a h u l

c o u r t i n w h i c h h e h a s b e e n sentenced to two years in prison A t h r e e - j u d g e B e n c h h e a d e d b y Justice B R Gavai said that the trial c o u r t j u d g e d i d n o t j u s t i f y w h y Rahul should have been awarded the maximum sentence of two years which attracted his disqualification as an MP

The disqualification is essentially n u l l i f i e d f o r n o w A S u r a t S e s s i o n s court is currently hearing an appeal a g a i n s t t h e t r i a l c o u r t j u d g m e n t Rahul’s disqualification will remain in abeyance until that appeal process is concluded

SC junks plea to stall Bihar caste survey, hear the issue on August 14

The Supre me Court on Monda y t ur ne d d own a plea for dir ection to t he Bihar g over nme nt t o m aint ain sta tus quo an d n ot to pr oce ed furthe r on caste sur vey in t he st ate a nd post ed the case for he ar ing to August 14

As some of the appeals challenging the Patna high court order allowing caste survey in the state were not listed, the petitioner urged a bench headed by J u s t i c e S a n j i v K h a n n a t o d e f e r t h e h e a r i n g a n d c l u b a l l t h e p e t i t i o n s t o g e t h e r O n e o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r s , however, pleaded with the court to pass an order to maintain status quo order as t h e s t a t e w a s a b o u t t o r e s u m e t h e survey But the bench said it would not p a s s a n o r d e r w i t h o u t h e a r i n g t h e parties

A batch of petitions, including by NGO Youth for Equality, has been filed i n t h e S C t o q u a s h t h e B i h a r government’s decision to hold caste

survey in the state after their plea was d i s m i s s e d b y t h e h i g h c o u r t T h e controversy surrounding caste survey had earlier reached the apex court when the HC, in an interim order, stayed the process and the state moved SC against the order The SC had, however, refused to interfere with the interim order and the survey remained stayed till the HC passed the final verdict The Patna HC had on August 1 dismissed a batch of PILs challenging

Talks with Pak possible only in terrorfree atmosphere: India

New Delhi asked Islam abad to first establish conditions favorable fo r talks in th e form of an atm osphere free of terro r in resp onse to Pakistan P rim e Mi ni ster S heh baz Sh ari f's m ost recent p eace offer, stating th at Ind ia w ants normal ties w ith all of its neig hbors, includ ing Pakistan

“We have seen reports regarding comments by the Pakistan Prime Minister on this issue India’s clear and consistent position on this is well known,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi

“We desire normal neighbourly relations with all our neighbours including Pakistan For this an e n v i r o n m e n t f r e e o f t e r r o r a n d h o s t i l i t y i s imperative,” he added

In his remarks earlier this week, Sharif had offered to hold talks with India to address all serious and outstanding issues saying that “ war is n o t a n o p t i o n ” f o r b o t h c o u n t r i e s “ W e a r e prepared to talk with everyone, even with our neighbour, provided that the neighbour is serious enough to talk about serious matters on the table because war is no longer an option,” he said

Since India's decision to abolish Jammu and Kashmir's special status in 2019 and Islamabad's s u b s e q u e n t r e c a l l o f t h e P a k i s t a n i h i g h commissioner, bilateral relations with Pakistan have deteriorated

the validity of the Bihar caste survey, t e r m i n g t h e s t a t e g o v e r n m e n t ’ s initiative “perfectly valid and legally competent”, and paved the way for the stalled exercise to resume after three months T h e v e r d i c t d e l i v e r e d b y t h e division bench of Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran and Justice Partha Sarthy means the interim stay ordered by the H C o n M a y 4 a u t o m a t i c a l l y s t a n d s vacated The court backed the Nitish Kumar administration's argument that the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 gives them the authority to carry out this enumeration in the name of social justice It also found merit in the state government's arguments, which cited a s s e m b l y d e b a t e s a n d t h e S u p r e m e Court's historic ruling in the Indira S a w h n e y c a s e r e g a r d i n g t h e j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r c a s t e - b a s e d reservations

14-year-old girl raped, murdered and burnt in Rajasthan

A 1 4 - ye ar- o ld g i rl w as rg a ngrap ed , m urd ered and burnt in an i l leg al c h arc o a l fu r nac e b y unnam ed criminals in Bhilwara, R aj at h an T w o o th er all eg e d rap es in Ud aip ur and Pratap garh bro ught the state's total to six in less th an a w eek Th e result has p l ac ed th e A s h o k Geh lo t- le d adm inistration in the firing line o f o p p o si ti o n B J P and o t h ers ahead of th e assembly elections later th is year

In Bhilwara, the case came to l i g h t a s t h e v i c t i m ’ s b r o t h e r found the victim’s bracelet and a few bones in a charcoal furnace a f t e r s e e i n g s m o k e b e l l o w i n g

from the furnace

“During rains, these kilns are rarely lit by the people The girl’s brother rummaged through the k i l n w i t h a s t i c k a n d s i f t e d through the charred items He found a bracelet and recognised it as one belonging to his sister,” said a police official on condition

of anonymity

L a t e r , c o p s a n d f o r e n s i c officials found “ some pieces of c l o t h e s ” a n d o t h e r r e m a i n s , according to sources A senior FSL expert said a DNA test would be conducted on the bones Five s u s p e c t s w e r e d e t a i n e d i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e c a s e , S P

Adarsh Sidhu said, adding, “We have registered a case of murder and gang rape under Pocso Act ” P o l i c e s a i d l o c a l s “ r a i s e d suspicion about the involvement o f s o m e p e o p l e l i v i n g i n a settlement” in the village after t h e v i c t i m ’ s s l i p p e r s w e r e reportedly found near the camp

Protest bro ke out as the N G

A ch arya and D G Ma rath e

C o l l eg e i n M u mb ai a s i t t u rne d aw a y bu r qa - c l ad s tud ents when they app ear for c las ses si nce the col lege has introduced uni forms for juni or college students from June 15 as part of th e National E d u c at i o n P o l i c y G i rl s i n senior college are permi tted to wear burqas or heads carves insi de of classrooms and on coll ege premises The col lege counselled students for o ver a month and eventually made t h e un i f o r ms ma nd a to r y from Augu st 1

Girls began to protest at the gate last week and more students soon joined them The college gave the uniforms time after police and local authorities stepped in The u n i f o r m p o l i c y i s t i g h t , a c c o r d i n g t o p r i n c i p a l V i d y a g a u r i L e l e , a n d n o

b u r q a s , h i j a b s , d u p a t t a s , headgear, ties, or stickers will be permitted The incident brought to mind last year's protests in Karnataka colleges after the hijab was forbidden because it was not required under the dress code Though classes 11 and 12 c o m e u n d e r t h e s c h o o l education department, state c o l l e g e s d o n o t h a v e a uniform policy In CBSE and C I S C E s c h o o l s , P l u s 2 s t u d e n t s d o n u n i f o r m s P r i n c i p a l V i d y a g a u r i L e l e took a strong stand: “To bring uniformity in the classroom a t t i r e f o r j u n i o r c o l l e g e students, the administration d e c i d e d t o i n t r o d u c e uniforms from this academic y e a r T h e s u g g e s t i o n c a m e f r o m o u r t e a c h e r s , w a s approved by the governing council and was informed to the parents in May ”

Create level-playing field for women entrepreneurs, says PM Modi

P r im e M in is t e r N a r e ndr a M o di a d dr es s ed th e G 2 0 M ini s t er i al C o n f e re n c e o n W o m en ' s E m p o w er m e nt , w h ic h to o k p l ac e in G an dh i na ga r , a nd emph asis ed the necess ity o f es ta b l is h i ng l e ve l p l a y ing f ie l ds f o r f e m al e entrep reneu rs in th e cu rrent env iro nm e nt H e s a id t h at eco nom ic em po werm ent o f women fuel s gro wth and the m o s t e f f e c ti ve w a y t o empo wer w omen is thro ugh a “ w om en- led de velo p ment app ro ach”

“Our goal should be to c r e a t e a l e v e l - p l a y i n g p l a t f o r m w h e r e w o m e n a c h i e v e r s b e c o m e t h e norm We must work to r e m o v e b a r r i e r s w h i c h r e s t r i c t t h e i r a c c e s s t o markets, global value chain and affordable finance,” PM s a i d H e a d d e d , “ T h e economic empowerment of women fuels growth Their access to education drives g l o b a l p r o g r e s s T h e i r

l e a d e r s h i p f o s t e r s inclusivity and their voices inspire a positive change ”

To emphasise his point, t h e P M s a i d “ M a h a t m a G a n d h i ' s f a m o u s c h a r k h a ( s p i n n i n g w h e e l ) w a s f o u n d e d b y a w o m a n n a m e d G a n g a b e n , w h o

l i v e d a t a v i l l a g e n e a r b y

India’s President, Droupadi

Murmu, sets an inspiring example herself She comes f r o m a h u m b l e t r i b a l background, but now leads t h e w o r l d ’ s l a r g e s t d e m o c r a c y a n d s e r v e s a s the commander-in-chief of the world’s second largest defence force,” the PM said w h i l e a d d r e s s i n g t h e delegates virtually H e s a i d t h a t w o m e n have had the ability to vote and run for office in India from the very beginning N e a r l y 4 6 % o f e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s i n r u r a l l o c a l b o d i e s i n I n d i a , w e r e women, the PM told the gathering

More than 80 per cent of nurses and midwives in India are women, he said, adding the country is proud of their achievements for b e i n g t h e f i r s t l i n e o f d e f e n c e d u r i n g t h e coronavirus pandemic “ W o m e n - l e d development has been a key p r i o r i t y f o r u s i n I n d i a Around 70 per cent of loans u n d e r t h e P M M u d r a Y o j a n a h a v e b e e n s a n c t i o n e d t o w o m e n

These are loans up to Rs 1 million to support micro level units Similarly, 80 per cent of beneficiaries under t h e S t a n d U p I n d i a , a g o v e r n m e n t p r o g r a m m e , are women, ” he said

ASI resumes survey at Gyanvapi mosque amid heavy security

T he Archaeological Surv ey o f Ind ia ( ASI) resumed th e co urt-ordered scientific survey of the Gyanvapi m osque co mplex amid heav y security arrang em ents Rep resentativ es o f th e Hindu petitioners and th e G ya nv a p i m os q u e m an ag e m en t c o m m i t tee and A nj u m a n I ntezam ia M as aj id (A IM ), jo ined th e su rv ey as exp erts beg an 3D m ap p in g of th e c om p o und and also ch ecked out one o f cellars

Police personnel in large numb e r s w e r e s e e n k e e p i n g a v i g i l around the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Gyanvapi mosque A district administration official said, “The ASI team reached the spot around 7 am amid heavy police force There was some delay as the mosque committee didn’t handed over the keys to the mosque It was cleared by 9 am and subsequently

the survey started ” More than 40 ASI officials were engaged in the survey to find out whether the “present structure was constructed over a pre-existing structure of a Hindu temple”, said the official

However, except for the cellar in possession of the Vyas family, no o t h e r r o o m s i n t h e b a s e m e n t locked by AIM were opened for e x a m i n a t i o n S u b h a s h N a n d a n Chaturvedi, the lawyer represent-

3 retired women HC judges to oversee relief measures in Manipur

The Suprem e Court announced that it will a ss emb le a group of three form er high c o urt j ud ge s , le d b y fo rm e r J & K C hi e f J ustice G ita Mi ttal, to supervi se relief, rehab i li tati on , a nd rec on str uct ion ef fort s i n c on flict- torn M anipur

E x - M a h a r a s h t r a D G P D a t t a t r a y Padsalgikar, who would routinely report to the SC, would be in charge of overseeing 42 state police SITs' supervision of other criminal matters, excluding the 12 heinous cases submitted to the CBI

The SC also said it would depute police officers from other states to the CBI investigation team and to each of the state SITs T h e e x - j u d g e s ’ t e a m i n c l u d e s J u s t i c e s

Shalini Phansalkar Joshi of Bombay HC and Asha Menon of Delhi HC

A b e n c h o f C h i e f J u s t i c e D Y

Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said the court's attempt at the outset is to restore citizenry's faith and confidence in the rule of law and investigations into the offences committed by miscreants

M ob loots LM Gs, mortars

A 5 0 0 - s t r o n g m o b a t t a c k e d t h e armoury in Bishnupur, Manipur, looting 298 rifles, SLRs, and LMGs as well as mortars, grenades, and 16,000 or so rounds of various ammunition Sentries at the 2nd India Reserve Battalion (IRB) headquarters attempted to disperse the mob by firing 327 rounds of ammunition and bursting 20 teargas shells

As sam R ifles out of key poin t

The security establishment in the state

ordered the withdrawal of the Assam Rifles f r o m a c r i t i c a l c h e c k p o i n t a t M o i r a n g Lamkhai in Bishnupur district after hundreds of women activists took to the streets a t s e v e r a l p l a c e s , a c c u s i n g t h e c e n t r a l p a r a m i l i t a r y f o r c e o f b r u t a l i t y t o w a r d s civilians in the valley districts

The additional DGP (law and order) issued an order stating that police and CRPF units would replace the 9 Assam Rifles with immediate effect at the checkpoint along Bishnupur-Kangvai Road

6 killed in fresh attacks

Six people were killed and 16 wounded attacks and counterattacks between two groups in the state

Security sources suspect the fresh wave of attacks was carried out by the miscreants who looted the armoury of the 2nd India Reserve Battalion HQ at Naranseina, in Bishnupur district, earlier on Thursday Sources pointed out that grenades and the GF rifles required to lob them over longer distances are suspected to h a v e b e e n e x t e n s i v e l y u s e d d u r i n g t h e s h e l l i n g , a l o n g w i t h l o o t e d H E m o r t a r bombs All these weapons were looted from the armoury

Govt re-opens murder case of Kashmiri judge who sentenced terrorist Maqbool Bhatt

T h e St a t e I n v e s t i g a t i v e

A gency (SI A) of Jammu and K ashmir police is currently s eek ing in formation from the publi c to underta ke a n ew inve stig ation into the m u r d e r o f r e t i r e d j ud g e N e e l k a n t h Ga n j oo , a n i n ci d e n t t h a t to o k p l a ce mor e th an thre e d ecad es a go T h e f oc a l ob j e ct i v e b ehi nd thi s e ndea vour is to u n v e i l t h e o v e r - a r ch i n g plot con cea led withi n this tra ns gress ion F o r m e r s e s s i o n s a n d d i s t r i c t c o u r t j j u d g e

G a n j o o h a d e x e c u t e d J a m m u a n d K a s h m i r Liberation Front founder and leader Maqbool Bhat in August 1968 for his part i n t h e m u r d e r o f p o l i c e inspector Amar Chand in 1966

With the intention of illuminating the intricacies s u r r o u n d i n g t h e G a n j o o murder case, the SIA has issued an official communication, urging individuals privy to pertinent facts or circumstances linked to the case to step forward and share their accounts T h e y a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y k e e n o n r e c e i v i n g a n y i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t c o u l d t a n g e n t i a l l y o r d i r e c t l y contribute to the advancement of the investigation into this particular case Emphasising the preservation of the confidentiality of all individuals involved, the SIA has also declared that substantial and relev a n t r e v e l a t i o n s w i l l b e d u l y a c k n o w l e d g e d a n d rewarded

T o s h a r e a n y s i g n i f icant information on this matter, the general public is urged to get in touch via a specific phone number and email address The J&K P o l i c e h a v e s u c c e s s f u l l y detained two suspects in t h e a s s a s s i n a t i o n o f

M i r w a i z M o h a m m a d Farooq after a time period of approximately 33 years has passed

T h i s t r a g i c i n c i d e n t unfolded when unidentif i e d m i l i t a n t s f o r c i b l y e n t e r e d M i r w a i z M o h a m m a d F a r o o q ' s abode in the Nigeen area of S r i n a g a r a n d m e r c i l e s s l y e n d e d h i s l i f e M i r w a i z Farooq, who was the father o f H u r r i y a t c h a i r m a n

ing the Hindu side, reported that the ASI team not only carried out cleaning, measuring, and mapping work but also studied the western wall, which is believed by some to c o n t a i n r e m a i n s o f a t e m p l e Additionally, the team inspected the cellar under the possession of the Vyas family

The survey was ordered by the Varanasi district judge’s court on July 21 in response to an application filed by four women plaintiffs s e e k i n g w o r s h i p o f g o d d e s s Shringar Gauri and other deities in the Gyanvapi mosque compound AIM objected to it The ASI survey initially began on July 24, but was halted for a short period after the Supreme Court allowed AIM to approach the Allahabad high court After AIM’s plea was dismissed by t h e H C o n A u g u s t 3 , t h e A S I

resumed its survey SC allows survey in non-invasiv e w ay T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t e a r l i e r permitted ASI to carry out a noni n v a s i v e s c i e n t i f i c s u r v e y o f mosque using photography, GPR survey and radar imaging technology The SC nod came after ASI assured it “ no damage to the wall or structure” would be caused during the study The SC said there is no ground to interfere with the interlocutory order passed by the H C ( p e r m i t t i n g t h e s u r v e y ) , ” a bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices J BPardiwala and Manoj Mishra said as it dismissed the challenge of the mosque management committee to the Varanasi d i s t r i c t j u d g e ’ s J u l y 2 1 o r d e r , upheld by Allahabad HC to let ASI carry out the survey

German envoy urged to push for Baby Ariha’s return to India

Ami dst calls by th e o ppo siti on for the government to take u p th e case of Baby Ariha S hah, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said th at it had summo ned the German ambassador over the 2-year-o ld ch ild’s situati on in fo ster care in Germany

The information was revealed the day after Dhara Shah, Ariha's mother, met with members of Parliament to plead for assistance and, at the very least for India to insist that Ariha be sent to an Indian foster family where she can be reared in her own Jain community and as an Indian citizen

“At a minimum we believe this child’s cultural rights and rights as an Indian are being infringed upon by her being placed in G e r m a n f o s t e r c a r e , ” E x t e r n a l A f f a i r s

Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters, adding that the 2021 case was being accorded “high priority”

“The German Ambassador to India was summoned this week and our concerns were clearly conveyed to him We have also asked for the early return of the child to India and we will continue to press German authorities on this matter,” he said, indicating the widening diplomatic differences between New Delhi and Berlin over the case

A c c o r d i n g t o s o u r c e s , G e r m a n Ambassador Phillip Ackerman was summoned by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, and the latest developments in the case were discussed

SC sends TN minister to ED custody till Aug 12

N E W DE LH I: The Suprem e Court on

M onda y dis mis sed the plea of Tamil

N ad u m i n is t e r V Se n t hi l Ba l a j i chall enging his arres t and uphe ld his cust ody given to the ED in a m oney laundering c ase It rul ed that the agency is em powered to s eek c us tody of an ac cus ed and not b ound t o f ol low Section

41A of Criminal Procedur e Code whic h m andat es that notice be s erved to the ac cus ed f or appearance before arres t

Observing that 15-day custody for interrogation should be the “actual” custody and time spent in medical t r e a t m e n t d u r i n g t h a t p e r i o d b e e x c l u d e d , a b e n c h o f J u s t i c e s A S

Bopanna and MM Sundresh granted

Balaji’s custody to the ED till August 12

Though the minister pleaded that he should be allowed to be treated by his doctor in custody, the court did not pass any order Solicitor general Tushar Mehta assured that his medical needs would be taken care of by the agency

Rejecting the plea of Balaji that ED o f f i c e r s l i k e o f f i c i a l s o f c u s t o m s department can arrest but cannot seek c u s t o d y o f t h e a c c u s e d f o r interrogation, the bench said, “That does not mean that there is no power under the PMLA, 2002 read with the Cr PC to the Authorised Officer to seek custody There is a fallacy in the

Chandok appointed as corporate VP of Microsoft India

BE NG A L U R U: Puneet C hand ok is the up coming corpo rate vicepresid ent o f Mi crosoft India and South Asi a, commenci ng hi s ro le f ro m S ep t emb er 1 C h and o k' s ba c kgr o u nd en c o mp a s s es lead ership exp eri ence at AWS , w h er e h e s p e ar h ea d e d t h e comp any's op erati ons i n Indi a and So uth A sia

DALITS ENTER TN

TEMPLE AFTER 80 YEARS

s a i d a r g u m e n t O n e c a n n o t a p p l y S e c t i o n 1 6 7 ( 2 ) o f t h e C r P C i n p i e c e m e a l T h e r e c a n n o t b e a n application of the provision only for an arrest but not for custody Such an argument is also dangerous from the point of view of an arrestee as the benefit conferred under the provison to Section 167(2) of the Cr PC will not be available”

“The PMLA, 2002 being a sui generis legislation, has its own mechanism in dealing with arrest in the light of its objectives The concern of the PMLA is t o p r e v e n t m o n e y l a u n d e r i n g , m a k e a d e q u a t e r e c o v e r y a n d p u n i s h t h e o f f e n d e r T h a t i s t h e r e a s o n w h y a comprehensive procedure for summons, s e a r c h e s , a n d s e i z u r e s e t c , h a s b e e n clearly stipulated under Chapter V of the PMLA, 2002, ” the bench said

He collaborated closely with enterprises, startups, digital businesses, and SMBs to facilitate technical debt reduction, foster agility, and drive innovation Chandok s previous roles include a partnership at McKinsey in India and Asia, as well as significant regional and global positions at IBM He w i l l t a k e o n o p e r a t i o n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s f r o m h i s predecessor, Anant Maheshwari C h a n d o k ' s m a n d a t e i n v o l v e s o v e r s e e i n g t h e i n t e g r a t i o n o f M i c r o s o f t ' s a c t i v i t i e s a c r o s s S o u t h Asia,spanning nations such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka This strategic move aims to enhance Microsoft's footprint within the r e g i o n w h i l e i n t e n s i f y i n g i t s i n d u s t r y - f o c u s e d initiatives through a customer-centric approach driven by transformative AI technologies

Chandok said, “As India expands its own digital public infrastructure, I believe that this mission is more relevant here than ever before, and I am thrilled to be joining the One Microsoft team to make this mission a reality ”

HC halts demolition of Nuh rioters’ properties

C H A N D I G A R H : B ul l d oz e r s wer e hal ted in Nuh on Monday on what woul d have been the f if t h d a y o f d e m ol i t i on o f proper ties wit h all eged links to r i o t e r s a ft e r t he Pu n j a b a n d H a r y a n a h i g h co ur t t o o k suo

motu cognisance of newspaper r epor ts a nd ste pped in A division bench of justices G S S a n d h a w a l i a a n d H a r p r e e t K a u r J e e w a n o b s e r v e d t h a t a p p a r e n t l y , w i t h o u t a n y demolition orders and notices, the law-and-order problem was being used as a ruse to bring d o w n b u i l d i n g s w i t h o u t

f

o l l o w i n g d u e p r o c e s s o f l a w “The issue also arises whether t h e b u i l d i n g s b e l o n g i n g t o a particular community are being brought down under the guise of law-and-order problem and an exercise of ethnic cleansing is being conducted by state,” Justice Sandhawalia observed

W e a r e o f t h e c o n s i d e r e d opinion that the Constitution of India protects the citizens of this country and no demolition as s u c h c a n b e d o n e w i t h o u t f o l l o w i n g t h e p r o c e d u r e p r e s c r i b e d i n l a w , ” J u s t i c e Sandhawalia observed The court r e s t r a i n e d t h e H a r y a n a government from carrying out a n y s u c h d e m o l i t i o n d r i v e i f procedure is not followed as per the law The HC took strong exception to statements made by state home minister Anil Vij that bulldozers were part of the “ilaaj ( t r e a t m e n t ) ” s i n c e t h e

SC quashes HC order for filing FIR against Bengal BJP leader Suvendu

NEW D EL HI : The Suprem e Co urt last w eek set asid e an ord er of the C alcutta Hig h Court w hich had said th at th e Wes t Beng al po lice can reg ister an F IR against BJP lead er S u v end u A d h ik ari , i f th ey a re satisfied that offence w as made out, o n a c om plai nt accu sing h im o f p r o m o ti ng en m i ty b etw e en d ifferent groups

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud observed that it would have been appropriate for the high court to grant an opportunity to Adhikari to file a counter affidavit in the matter before issuing the interim direction in its July 20 order "We request the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High C o u r t t o h e a r a f r e s h a n d t o facilitate that, the order of July 20 shall stand set aside," the bench, a l s o c o m p r i s i n g J u s t i c e s J B

Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said

The top court passed the order o n a n a p p e a l f i l e d b y A d h i k a r i challenging the July 20 order passed by a division bench of the high court Earlier, a single judge of the high court, in its orders passed in

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 1 a n d D e c e m b e r 2022, said no FIR shall be registered and no coercive steps can be taken against Adhikari, who is the Leader o f t h e O p p o s i t i o n i n t h e W e s t Bengal Assembly

On July 20, a division bench of the high court had dealt with a plea w h i c h a l l e g e d t h a t A d h i k a r i h a s c o m m i t t e d a n o f f e n c e u n d e r Section 153-A (promoting enmity b e t w e e n d i f f e r e n t g r o u p s o n grounds of religion, race, place of b i r t h , r e s i d e n c e , l a n g u a g e , a n d d o i n g a c t s p r e j u d i c i a l t o maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)

In its order, the division bench s a i d t h e p e t i t i o n b e t r e a t e d a s a complaint to the police authority and the state police shall exercise powers i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e l a w a n d carefully examine whether the acts narrated in it disclose any offence under section 153-A of the IPC

"If they are so satisfied they will register the first information report under Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code," the High Court had said

g o v e r n m e n t w a s p r o b i n g communal violence R e f e r r i n g t o t h e m e d i a reports on bulldozer drives in Nuh, the court said, “The action is stated to be on account of the fact that the individuals involved in the anti-social activities had made illegal constructions The said news item would go on to show that buildings next to the h o s p i t a l i n t h e f o r m o f commercial buildings, residential b u i l d i n g s , r e s t a u r a n t s w h i c h were in existence for a long time h a v e b e e n b r o u g h t d o w n b y bulldozers ”

Mamata govt makes Bengali mandatory in English medium schools

KO LK ATA : The West Bengal cab in et approved a proposa l to make Be ngali ma ndatory as a secon d la nguage in privat e English medium schools, a sen ior official said The cabine t meet in g, chaired by chief minist er Ma ma ta Baner jee, also ga ve its n od to set up a n Educa tion Commission to l ook into compl aints a gainst pr iva te school s, he said

“Though there are options to study Bengali as a second language, most students prefer Hindi or other languages As a result, students are not learning Bengali properly Today, the s t a t e c a b i n e t d e c i d e d t o c h a n g e i t , a n d m a k e B e n g a l i compulsory second language in all private English medium schools in the state,” the official said

The Education Commission will be set up on the lines of the Health Commission with a retired judge as its head, he said "During the pandemic, we received several complaints about private schools increasing tuition fees excessively Also, there were complaints regarding syllabus, and the way that exams were conducted This commission will look into all these issues," the official said

Welcoming the decision to make Bengali mandatory as second language, Bangla Pokkho congratulated the chief minister and education minister Bratya Basu “People of Bengal have been waiting for this decision for a long time,” said Kausik Maiti, the organising secretary of the outfit that works for promoting the Bengali language At the meeting, Mamata also fixed a 15-day deadline for the implementation of all the decisions of the state government, including those taken by the cabinet She asked officers to submit report on the implementation to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the officer said

Scores of dalits entered a temple into which they were denied entry since its inception 80 years ago with police protection defying protests from people from other communities at a village in Tiruvannamalai district Police said dalits in Thandarampattu village had been urging the government to permit them to enter Muthumariamman temple in the locality and offer prayers to the almighty for the past 80 years However, people from other communities had been strongly objecting to the entry of dalits into the temple Dalit representatives shot several petitions urging the Hindu religious and charitable endowments department to ensure their entry into the temple They proclaimed that they will enter the temple on January 30

Following this, authorities held peace talks with both the communities Following this, members of the other communities relented and permitted women and children to enter the temple Dalits said they have planned special poojas to mark their entry into the temple

PRESIDENT MURMU RENAMES TN RAJ BHAVAN HALL

President Droupadi Murmu renamed the imposing Durbar Hall in Raj Bhavan in Chennai as 'Bharathiar Mandapam', honouring the nationalist bard In a simple ceremony held at Raj Bhavan, the President unveiled a portrait of Subramania Bharati (1882-1921) and a plaque renaming the spacious hall President Murmu was felicitated by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and Chief Minister MK Stalin and cultural events were held A reception and banquet were held to honour the President in which Tamil Nadu ministers and dignitaries participated Legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja and the grandson of the poet Arjun Bharathi also took part Noted Tamil orator Gnanasambandam spoke about the life and times of Bharathiar and his yeoman service to the nation The Durbar Hall is a key attraction of the stately British-era Raj Bhavan, where public events are usually held

NON-SIKH ON GURDWARA BOARD NOT ACCEPTABLE: SGPC

The SGPC has raised strong objection to the appointment of a non-Sikh as an administrator of the Gurdwara Board of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded (Maharashtra) and demanded the Maharashtra Government to withdraw this decision SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has written a letter to Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde apprising him that there was resentment among the Sikh sangat against this decision The SGPC has also raised demand to conduct elections of the Takht board The tenure of the Gurdwara Board of Takht was completed on March 15 2022 and the election is due for more than one year he said He asked the Maharashtra Government not to take arbitrary decisions in the Sikh affairs and till the election a Sikh should be appointed as administrator of the board

NEWLY ELECTED PANCHAYAT MEMBER SHOT DEAD IN BENGAL

A newly elected TMC panchayat member was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, police said Another person accompanying him was critically injured after being shot at and is undergoing treatment at a hospital The police, however, are investigating whether the murder was fallout of political rivalry or personal enmity The incident took place when Magrahat East gram panchayat member Maimur Gharami was returning home late at night a police officer said Unidentified gunmen opened fire on him and to ensure his death stabbed him with a sharp object he said Shahjahan Molla a man accompanying Gharami, rushed to his aide but was also shot at The two persons were taken first to Magrahat rural hospital, and later to Diamond Harbour Government Medical College and Hospital, where Gharami was declared dead by the doctors the officer said, adding that Molla is undergoing treatment at the hospital

V Senthil Balaji

Puneet Chandok

India not against BRICS expansion, PM Modi to attend summit in SA

T he BRICS Summ it will take p lace in S outh Africa fro m

A u g u st 2 2 t o 24 P ri m e M inister Narend ra M odi is schedu led to attend India h as reaffirmed its position o n enlarg em ent, disp elling susp icio ns of op position, as talks on ad ding add itional m em bers to the five-nation club co ntinue

T h e B R I C S ( B r a z i l , R u s s i a , I n d i a , C h i n a , a n d S o u t h A f r i c a ) S u m m i t i n South Africa is anticipated to be a platform for deliberating the inclusion of new members Amid keen interest from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, S a u d i A r a b i a , A r g e n t i n a , I r a n , V e n e z u e l a , B o l i v i a , Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, the summit will focus on d i s c u s s i n g g u i d i n g p r i n c iples, standards, criteria, and procedures for the expansion process

Landslide in Kedarnath leaves 3 dead, 17 missing

of the US-led West in world affairs

With 41% of the world's population, 24% of its GDP, and 16% of its trade, the BRICS group of nations is made up of the five largest e m e r g i n g n a t i o n s o n t h e planet The bloc's potential to be a major participant on the world arena is highlighted by China and Russia s cooperation in promoting expansion

C o n t r a r y t o b a s e l e s s s p e c u l a t i o n , I n d i a i s n o t opposed to the expansion of B R I C S P r i m e M i n i s t e r Modi conveyed his acceptance to attend the summit in a telephonic conversation w i t h S o u t h A f r i c a n President Cyril Ramaphosa T h e M i n i s t r y o f E x t e r n a l A f f a i r s a f f i r m e d I n d i a ’ s acceptance of the invitation, dispelling any doubts about India’s stance on the matter

India introduces Ayush visa category for foreign nationals seeking treatment

A new A yush (AY) visa w as i ssued by th e Minis try of H o m e A ff ai rs ( M H A ) f o r f o re ig n na ti o na ls se eki n g treatment using A yush syst em s o r I nd ia n m ed ic al p ractises such as th erapeutic care, wellness and yoga

W i th th i s , C h a p ter 1 1 -

M ed i c al V i s a o f th e V i s a

M anual h as been replaced w ith C hapter 11A - Ayush

V isa, which d eals with treatm ent und er Indian systems

o f m ed icine As a result, rele v an t a d j u st m en ts h av e b ee n m a d e to t h e V i s a M anual, 20 19

The Ayush Visa aims to attract foreigners who wish to undergo Ayush therapy, wellness, and Yoga in India

T h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h i s v i s a a l i g n s w i t h P r i m e Minister Narendra Modi’s a n n o u n c e m e n t a t t h e

G l o b a l A y u s h I n v e s t m e n t a n d I n n o v a t i o n S u m m i t

(

G A I I S ) i n G a n d h i n a g a r , Gujarat in April 2022 This will boost medical value travel in India, and also strengthen the vision of making Indian traditional m e d i c i n e a g l o b a l p h enomenon The Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of H e a l t h & F a m i l y W e l f a r e (MOHFW) are collaborating to develop a one stop Heal in India portal to promote India as a global medical t o u r i s m d e s t i n a t i o n T h e Ayush system of treatment i s b e i n g p r o m o t e d b o t h d o m e s t i c a l l y a n d i n t e r n ationally by the Ministry of Ayush It recently agreed to an MoU for the development of medical value travel in Ayurveda and other conventional medical systems w i t h t h e I n d i a T o u r i s m D e v e l o p m e n t C o r p o r a t i o n (ITDC) and the ministry of tourism

India's Chandrayaan-3 enters lunar orbit

T h e In d i a n S p a ce R e s e a r c h O r g a ni sa t i o n (ISRO ) annou nced th at Cha nd ray aa n-3, Ind ia s a mbi tio us thir d moon mi ssion, ha s successf ully e nt ere d lunar orbit Accor ding to the space a gency, th e necessary manoeu vre wa s ca rri ed o ut f rom an ISRO site i n Be ng aluru " C h a n d r a y a a n - 3 h a s b e e n s u c c e s s f u l l y inserted into the lunar orbit A retro-burning at the Perilune was commanded from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISTRAC (ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network), Bengaluru," the agency said in a tweet ISRO also shared a message about its achievement from the satellite to its centres: "MOX, ISTRAC, this is Chandrayaan-3 I am feeling lunar gravity "

If the rest of the current mission goes to plan, the mission will safely touch down near the Moon's little-explored South Pole between August 23 and 24 Since its launch on July 14, ISRO has been lifting the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into orbits farther and farther away from E a r t h M e a n w h i l e , I S R O r e l e a s e d t h e f i r s t images of Moon as viewed by Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft

The absence of Russian P r e s i d e n t V l a d i m i r P u t i n from the summit does not d i m i n i s h t h e d e s i r e f o r g r o w t h a m o n g t h e o t h e r B R I C S m e m b e r s T h e o r g a n i s a t i o n w i l l g e t stronger as a result of the addition of new members, a c c o r d i n g t o K r e m l i n spokesman Dmitry Peskov This expansion is viewed as a strategy to counterbalance the allegedly dominant role

W h i l e I n d i a i s n o t against the idea of expansion, it has expressed reserv a t i o n s a b o u t a c c e p t i n g more members The official s p o k e s p e r s o n o f t h e Ministry of External Affairs

A r i n d a m B a g c h i a t t h e weekly briefing said: “We h a v e s e e n s o m e b a s e l e s s speculation that India has r e s e r v a t i o n s a g a i n s t t h e expansion This is simply not true ”

Creditor company's officials blamed for aiding film art director Desai’s suicide

Al o n g w i t h t h r e e o t h e r p e o p l e , R a sh e sh S h a h , a no n -e x e cu t i v e a nd non-inde pende nt di rector o f E d e l we i ss AR C (A ss e t Re co n st r u c t i o n Company), and Ra j Kumar B a ns a l , t h e co m p a n y ' s m a na g i n g d i r e c t o r a nd CEO, are na med as de fenda nts in t he poli ce r eport a ccus ing t h e m o f a id i ng Niti n De sa i's suicid e T wo d ay s a f te r D esa i 's d e a th , wh i ch wa s a l l e g e d l y cau sed by sui cid e i n hi s K a r j a t s t u d i o , N e h a , Desai 's wif e, f ile d the FIR at the Kh alap ur p olice st atio n Keyur Mehta and Smit S h a h , w h o w o r k f o r Edelweiss subsidiary ECL F i n a n c e , a n d J i t e n d r a Kothari, the administrator c h o s e n b y t h e N a t i o n a l C o m p a n y L a w T r i b u n a l (NCLT) as an interim reso-

lution expert, are the other three accused Neha Desai claims in the FIR that the d e f e n d a n t s p r e s s e d h e r husband to pay back an unpaid loan and tried to s e i z e c o n t r o l o f h i s N D F i l m W o r l d S t u d i o i n Karjat because he had not m a d e l o a n p a y m e n t s Desai owed the creditor company a total of £25 2 million Edelweiss ARC’s comp a n y s e c r e t a r y T a r u n K h u r a n a , w h i l e o f f e r i n g c o n d o l e n c e s o n D e s a i ’ s death, stated the firm followed all legal processes as mandated by RBI and has not acted in any manner outside of the legal framew o r k “ N e i t h e r w a s t h e i n t e r e s t r a t e c h a r g e d excessive nor was there at any time undue pressure being put on the borrower for recovery, ” he stated

Gujarat govt accepts proposal to build an open-air craft bazaar in Vadodara

The G uja ra t gove rnm ent has acce pte d a proposa l ma de by chie f whip Ba lk rishna Shuk la to build an open-a ir ar tisan fair with an amphithe at re in Vadoda ra The gove rnm ent a pprove d the pr oposa l sen t by Shukla in June t o t urn the now-dese rte d Diam on d Jubilee building , locat ed ne ar Polo Gr oun d, an d a pr oper ty of the C otta ge an d R ural In dustrie s De par tmen t of t he gov ern men t of G uja ra t

Shukla requested permission from Minister Balvantsinh Rajput in a letter dated June 26 to establish Vadodara Haat on the 65,000 square foot government property where the now-demolished Diamond Jubilee structure once stood Rajput was in Vadodara to preside over a function and inaugurated an exhibition ahead of National Handloom Day

In his letter, Shukla said, “The Commissioner of Cottage and Rural Industries has premises called Diamond Jubilee at Rajmahal Road in Vadodara, which was earlier used as a cottage industries institute It is necessary that these premises be put to use to create a theme-based space where handlooms and artisans can attend workshops to tune their skills and market their art while citizens can boast of an attractive space in the city ”

Shukla has also listed eight potential uses for the area, including workshops, an amphitheatre for cultural events, a facility centre and dormitories for artisans, stalls where artisans could sell their products, and a good stall serving and promoting popular regional fare from Gujarat

M a s si v e la nd s li d e th a t s tr uc k a fe w s to re s i n

G au ri ku nd , t he be g in ni ng site of th e Kedarnath trek route, last week has left at least three peo ple dead and 1 7 people missing The distance between Gaurikund to t h e K ed a rna th s h ri ne is arou nd 16 km District disast er m ana g em ent o ff i ce r ( Ru draprayag ), NK Rajw ar, said, "Th e land slide, which occurred just p ast-midnigh t, had struck two sh ops and a d haba near Gaurikund Daat pu liya As many as 20 people w ere d irectly affected in the incident ”

T e a m s o f N a t i o n a l D i s a s t e r R e s p o n s e F o r c e (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are s e a r c h i n g f o r t h e m i s s i n g persons who are feared to h a v e b e e n e i t h e r b u r i e d under the debris or swept away by the Mandakini river b e l o w I n c e s s a n t s h o w e r s along with boulders falling f r o m t h e u p p e r h i l l s a r e h a m p e r i n g r e s c u e o p e r ations, according to district

officials S P ( R u d r a p r a y a g ) , V i s h a k h a A s h o k B h a d a n e , s a i d , “ T h e r a i n - t r i g g e r e d l a n d s l i d e b r o u g h t d o w n boulders and debris that carried with it shops and took a w a y e v e r y t h i n g a l o n g , including those who were inside, straight into the raging Mandakini river ” Of the total number of p e o p l e i m p a c t e d , 1 7 a r e reportedly from Nepal and were said to be working seas o n a l j o b s l i k e r u n n i n g stores According to a statement from the Rudraprayag d i s t r i c t e m e r g e n c y o p e r ation centre, there were eight t o n i n e p e o p l e f r o m o n e f a m i l y , i n c l u d i n g f o u r youngsters

The shops in Gaurikund usually remain open till 12 am but due to the lean seas o n , t h e y s h u t e a r l y a t around 10 pm The families were asleep inside the shops at the time of the incident, locals said, adding "a spell of h e a v y r a i n f a l l s t a r t e d i n Gaurikund around 11pm"

WHO issues 'substandard' warning for Indian-made syrup in Iraq

The lev els of two co mpounds in a coug h syrup m an u fa ct u red by an I nd i an p h ar m ac eu t ic al business h av e d rawn the att enti o n of th e Wo rl d He al th Org ani s at io n , al th o u g h th e co m p any asserted that the levels were within acceptable bounds

The WHO had flagged a b a t c h o f c o n t a m i n a t e d syrup in Iraq and said it had higher-than-acceptable limits of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol Fourrts Lab, a c o m p a n y s i t u a t e d i n

C h e n n a i , t o l d t h e m e d i a that the syrup was not sold i n I n d i a b u t w a s s o l e l y

e x p o r t e d t o I r a q I t a l s o mentioned that the product w a s p r o d u c e d b y a

Puducherry-based company in January 2022 as per a contract

"Our examination of the samples reveals that diethylene glycol was very much within the limits at 0 1% Further investigation is on We will respond to WHO o n c e t h i s i s c o m p l e t e d , "

Fourrts Lab's Vice-President Balasurendran said

The company said officials from the Central Drugs S t a n d a r d C o n t r o l

Organization had also taken samples of the syrup and the reports are awaited

A s k e d w h e t h e r t h e mandatory test of the finished product to check for ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol had been done, Surendran said, "There was no such regulation in 2022, hence we did not do it The regulation was put in place only in May 2023"

T h e W H O h a d s a i d , "The substandard batch of the product referenced in this alert is unsafe and its use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death" The organisation s a i d t h a t s a m p l e s o f t h e p a r a c e t a m o l a n d c h l o rp h e n i r a m i n e c o m b i n a t i o n syrup, which is used to treat symptoms of allergies and the common cold, had 2 1% ethylene glycol and 0 25% d i e t h y l e n e g l y c o l a s opposed to the recommended 0 1%

Gujarat's budget-friendly travel delights

In a world where wanderlust collides with budget-consciousness, Gujarat emerges as a hidden gem, promising a n o u t s t a n d i n g t r a v e l e x p e r i e n c e without emptying your pocket. This bustling state, nestled in the western part of India, provides a plethora of interesting activities that cater to the thrifty explorer Gujarat has seen a significant increase in tourist interest

According to estimates by the Travel

A g e n t s ’ F e d e r a t i o n o f I n d i a ( T a f i )

G u j a r a t , t h e r e h a s b e e n a 3 5 % increase in leisure holiday bookings d u r i n g t h e m o n t h s o f J u l y a n d September compared to last year

W i t h a n a r r a y o f a f f o r d a b l e a c c o m m o d a t i o n a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n options, Gujarat opens its treasures to budget-conscious travellers Whether you're a history enthusiast, a nature l o v e r , o r a c u l i n a r y a d v e n t u r e r , G u j a r a t ' s b u d g e t - f r i e n d l y t r a v e l delights offer an enchanting escape t h a t r e s o n a t e s w i t h t h e s p i r i t o f exploration

Ahmedabad:Where antique architecture coexists with modern vitality

Ahmedabad, Gujarat's biggest city, was declared as India's first UNESCO World Heritage City in 2017 It is a city w h e r e a n t i q u e a r c h i t e c t u r e c o e x i s t s with modern vitality Its fortified Old C i t y w a s c o n s t r u c t e d i n t h e 1 5 t h century by Sultan Ahmad Shah and is home to diverse Hindu, Islamic, and J a i n p o p u l a t i o n s T h e O l d C i t y i s separated by pols, which are traditional r e s i d e n t i a l a r e a s w i t h w i n d i n g alleyways and carved wooden homes Another popular site in Ahmedabad is G a n d h i A s h r a m , w h o s e m e m o r i a l museum contains a sizable collection of manuscripts of Gandhi’s writings during his stay in the Ashram

Book Review

Garuda Purana and Other Hindu Ideas on Death, Rebirth, and Immortality by Devdutt Pattanaik

Witness the royal heritage of Vadodara

Cultural capital of Gujarat, Baroda (renamed Vadodara) stands out for its r e g a l h e r i t a g e T h e G a e k w a d r o y a l d y n a s t y e s t a b l i s h e d t h e i r d o m i n i o n there in the 18th century, and their s p r a w l i n g L a x m i V i l a s P a l a c e h a s t o w e r i n g I n d o - S a r a c e n i c architecture It has been set up on 500 acres of parkland and is reputed to b e t h e l a r g e s t p r i v a t e r e s i d e n c e i n I n d i a A b o u t t w o h o u r s d r i v e f r o m V a d o d a r a , t h e r e i s t h e w o r l d ' s t a l l e s t statue which is dedicated to the first D e p u t y P r i m e M i n i s t e r a n d H o m e Minister of independent India Sardar

V a l l a b h b h a i P a t e l ( 1 8 7 5 – 1 9 5 0 ) , w h i c h was completed in 2018 Apart from the statue, it has a sound and laser show, b u t t e r f l y g a r d e n , c a c t u s g a r d e n , Ayurvedic wellness center, eco-friendly and medicinal plant nursery, handicraft stores, valley of flowers etc

Pilgrimage sites in Gujarat

Dwarka, considered as the ancient kingdom of Lord Krishna and the first capital of Gujarat; it is one of the four m o s t s a c r e d C h a r D h a m H i n d u pilgrimage destinations and seven most ancient Sapta Puri religious cities in

accessible to a wide range of readers

He takes the rich tapestry of Hindu thought and meticulously unravels its threads, allowing readers to grasp the essence of the concepts without being overwhelmed by their profundity This approach makes the book not only a valuable resource for those already familiar with Hinduism but also an engaging starting point for individuals s e e k i n g t o d e l v e i n t o i t s i n t r i c a t e philosophy

A journey beyond life in Hindu tradition

At the heart of the book lies its exploration of the Garuda Purana, a text that serves as a central guide to the journey beyond life in Hindu tradition

Through an insightful analysis of this text, Pattanaik unravels the complex layers of beliefs, rituals, and practices associated with death and the afterlife

H e d e f t l y c o n n e c t s a n c i e n t m y t h o l o g i e s w i t h c o n t e m p o r a r y discussions, demonstrating how these age-old concepts continue to resonate with the human experience today

Pattanaik's narrative style is both e n g a g i n g a n d e n l i g h t e n i n g H e presents intricate ideas with clarity a n d c o n t e x t , a l l o w i n g r e a d e r s t o

India There, the Krishna Janmashtami

f e s t i v a l i s a b i g e v e n t D w a r k a d h i s h Temple, which was established in 200 BC and is also known as Jagat Mandir, is particularly significant Another popular pilgrimage site, Somnath Temple is

o n e o f I n d i a ' s 1 2

j y o t i r l i n g a ( L o r d

S h i v a s h r i n e s

w h e r e h e i s

w o r s h i p p e d a s a linga of light) Its seaside location is m e s m e r i s i n g , t h e

i n t r i c a t e c a r v i n g s

o n i t s s a n d s t o n e a r c h i t e c t u r e a r e superb, and its history is fascinating

A natural respite from the humdrum of life

Nature lovers will find solace in the tranquil beaches of Diu and the lush scenery of the Saputara hill range These destinations provide a respite from the humdrum, with stunning panoramas that renew the soul without breaking the purse Gir National Park, one of the best places in India to witness wildlife, is the only area in the world where the Asiatic lion can now be found It is the largest dry deciduous forest in western I n d i a B u t i t d o e s n ' t s t o p t h e r e –G u j a r a t ' s b u d g e t t r a v e l e x p e r i e n c e wouldn't be complete without indulging in the state's sumptuous and diverse culinary offerings, a feast for both the senses and the wallet

W h a t t r u l y s e t s G u j a r a t a p a r t , h o w e v e r , i s t h e v i b r a n t t a p e s t r y o f c u l t u r a l f e s t i v a l s t h a t i l l u m i n a t e i t s

landscape The Rann Utsav, a dazzling c e l e b r a t i o n o f c u l t u r e a n d a r t , transforms the Rann of Kutch into a k a l e i d o s c o p e o f c o l o u r s , m u s i c , a n d traditions, offering a truly immersive experience that remains accessible to all

also stimulates readers to contemplate the ideas from multiple angles

However, some readers might find

t h e b o o k ' s p r i m a r y f o c u s o n t h e

G a r u d a P u r a n a t o b e s l i g h t l y

o v e r w h e l m i n g W h i l e t h e d e p t h o f

a n a l y s i s i s a d m i r a b l e , t h e r e a r e m o m e n t s w h e n t h e i n t e n s i t y o f attention given to this specific text overshadows the exploration of other r e l e v a n t H i n d u s c r i p t u r e s t h a t contribute to the discourse on death and rebirth A more balanced inclusion of perspectives from various sources could have further enriched the book's narrative I n a w o r l d g r a p p l i n g w i t h q u e s t i o n s a b o u t t h e n a t u r e o f e x i s t e n c e a n d m o r t a l i t y , " G a r u d a Purana and Other Hindu Ideas on D e a t h , R e b i r t h , a n d I m m o r t a l i t y " offers a unique perspective rooted in t h e w i s d o m o f H i n d u i s m D e v d u t t Pattanaik's expertise shines through as h e u n r a v e l s t h e e n i g m a o f t h e s e ancient ideas and presents them as a mirror to contemporary thought

The book is a profound exploration o f t h e i n t r i c a t e a n d d i v e r s e concepts surrounding death, rebirth, and immortality within Hinduism. As a s e a s o n e d m y t h o l o g i s t , D e v d u t t

Pattanaik meticulously examines the Garuda Purana alongside other Hindu texts, inviting readers on a captivating j o u r n e y t h r o u g h t h e l a b y r i n t h i n e c o r r i d o r s o f a n c i e n t b e l i e f s a n d p r a c t i c e s t h a t s h a p e t h e understanding of afterlife.

The book stands as a remarkable t e s t a m e n t t o P a t t a n a i k ' s a b i l i t y t o unravel complex philosophical ideas a n d p r e s e n t t h e m i n a m a n n e r

appreciate the significance of these c o n c e p t s w i t h i n t h e b r o a d e r f r a m e w o r k o f H i n d u t h o u g h t T h e book is interspersed with stories and a n e c d o t e s f r o m v a r i o u s H i n d u s c r i p t u r e s , e n r i c h i n g t h e r e a d i n g experience and making the content relatable

One of the book's commendable aspects is its respect for the diversity of interpretations within Hinduism itself Pattanaik avoids presenting a singular v i e w p o i n t a n d i n s t e a d e n c o u r a g e s r e a d e r s t o e x p l o r e t h e v a r i o u s dimensions of these concepts This a p p r o a c h n o t o n l y h o n o u r s t h e complexity of Hindu philosophy but

In conclusion, "Garuda Purana and Other Hindu Ideas on Death, Rebirth, and Immortality" is an enlightening read that takes readers on a profound exploration of afterlife, drawing from t h e w i s d o m o f H i n d u s c r i p t u r e s Pattanaik's ability to distill complex c o n c e p t s i n t o c o m p r e h e n s i b l e narratives ensures that both scholars and enthusiasts of Hindu philosophy c a n a p p r e c i a t e t h e b o o k ' s i n s i g h t s

While the Garuda Purana takes center stage, the book remains a gateway to understanding the broader landscape of Hindu beliefs surrounding death, rebirth, and the quest for immortality I t i s a v a l u a b l e a d d i t i o n t o t h e l i t e r a t u r e o n H i n d u i s m , i n v i t i n g readers to contemplate life's ultimate questions through the lens of ancient wisdom

Scientists make major breakthrough that could stop Covid forever

S c i en ti s ts at D u ke -N U S

M ed ical Schoo l in Singapore

h av e fou nd antibod ies that can neutralise v irtu ally all known C ovid variants, offeri n g h o p e o f p rev ent in g f u ru r e co r o nav ir u s o u tbreaks T he antibodies w ere i niti ally i so lated fro m th e blood of a recovered SARS p a ti en t w h o w e nt o n to receive a Co vid-1 9 vaccine

T he s cienti sts said , ‘T his u nique com bination of prior c o ro na v i ru s i nf ec ti o n a nd v ac ci n ati o n g en er ate d a n extrem ely broad and powerful antibod y response capab le o f s top p ing nearly a ll related co ro nav iru ses tes ted ’ S i x a n t i b o d i e s w e r e o b t a i n e d t h a t c o u l d n e utralise multiple coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 –C o v i d - 1 9 – i t s v a r i a n t s Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron, the original S A R S v i r u s , a n d m u l t i p l e

other animal coronaviruses transmitted from bats and pangolins

The most powerful antibody, named E7, functions b y t a r g e t i n g a p a r t i c u l a r weakness in the virus’s spike p r o t e i n , w h i c h i t u s e s t o invade cells The antibody appeared to ‘lock’ the spike in an inactive conformation and block the shape-shifting process the virus requires to infect cells and cause illness

‘The neutralising potency and breadth of the E7

a n t i b o d y e x c e e d e d a n y other SARS-related corona v i r u s a n t i b o d i e s w e ’ v e c o m e a c r o s s , ’ s a i d f i r s t author Dr Chia Wan Ni ‘It maintained activity against even the newest Omicron s u b v a r i a n t s , w h i l e m o s t other antibodies lose effectiveness ’

Senior author Professor Wang Linfa said: ‘This work d e m o n s t r a t e s t h a t i n d u ction of broad sarbecovirusn e u t r a l i s i n g a n t i b o d i e s i s possible – it just needs the

r i g h t i m m u n o g e n i c s e q u e n c e a n d m e t h o d o f delivery

‘This provides hope that t h e d e s i g n o f a u n i v e r s a l c o r o n a v i r u s v a c c i n e i s achievable ’ The outbreak of Covid-19 almost four years ago led to a global pandemic as a never-before-seen dise a s e s w e p t t h r o u g h t h e human population

A n u m b e r o f v a c c i n e s were developed in record time, enabling widespread inoculation against the disease, but Covid-19 has continued to mutate and spawn new variants, effectiveness has waned

The development of targ e t e d v a c c i n e s c o n t i n u e s , but the latest developments could not only serve as a powerful preventative measure as a universal vaccine –and also a treatment for the virus – but it could help prevent future outbreaks

Irregular sleep patterns linked to harmful bacteria in gut: Research

A c c o rd i n g to re c e n t research, inc onsis tent sleep h a b i ts ar e c on n e c te d t o dangerous mi crobes in your gut A study finds worki ng s hifts have been found in previous s tudies to disturb t h e b i ol og i c a l c l oc k a n d raise the risk of weight gain, c ardiac i ssues , and diabetes

D r W e n d y H a l l , a s e n i o r a u t h o r a t K i n g ' s C o l l e g e L o n d o n , s t a t e d , “We know that major disruptions in sleep, such as shift work, can have a prof o u n d i m p a c t o n y o u r h e a l t h T h i s i s t h e f i r s t s t u d y t o s h o w t h a t e v e n small differences in sleep t i m i n g s a c r o s s t h e w e e k seems to be linked to differe n c e s i n g u t b a c t e r i a l species Some of these assoc i a t i o n s w e r e l i n k e d t o dietary differences but our d a t a a l s o i n d i c a t e s t h a t other, as yet unknown, factors may be involved We

need intervention trials to find out whether improving sleep time consistency can lead to beneficial changes in t h e g u t m i c r o b i o m e a n d related health outcomes ”

In a cohort of 934 people from the ZOE PREDICT study, the largest ongoing nutritional study of its kind, researchers assessed blood, stool and gut microbiome samples as well as glucose m e a s u r e m e n t s i n t h o s e whose sleep was irregular compared to those with a r o u t i n e s l e e p s c h e d u l e While previous studies into t h e a s s o c i a t i o n b e t w e e n

social jet lag and metabolic risk fact o r s h a v e b e e n d o n e i n p o p u l ations with obesity o r d i a b e t e s , t h i s cohort consisted of m a i n l y l e a n a n d h e a l t h y i n d i v i d uals, with most getting more than seven hours of sleep per night throughout the week

Researchers found that just a 90-minute difference in the timing of the midpoint of sleep – the halfway point between sleep time and wake-up time - is associated with differences in gut microbiome composition Social jet lag was assoc i a t e d w i t h l o w e r o v e r a l l diet quality, higher intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, and lower intakes of fruits and nuts, which may directly influence the abundance of specific microbiota

How to consume nuts for maximum benefits

N uts are delicious and pac ked with ess ential nu trients th at contribute to overall h eal th I ncorp orating a variety of nu ts into yo ur diet c an p rovide numero us benefits, fro m boo sting h e art h eal th to en ha ncin g br ain fu nc tio n Ho wever, consu ming th em in the right way is imp ortant to maxim is e th eir benefits Here are s even health y nuts and th e p ro per way to enjoy th em:

Almonds: Almonds are rich in vitamin E, fibre, and healthy fats They support heart health, aid in weight management, and contribute to better skin Enjoy a handful of almonds as a snack, sprinkle them on salads, or blend them into almond butter for a nutritious spread

Wal nu ts: Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids essential for brain health T h e s e n u t s a l s o p r o v i d e a n t i o x i d a n t s a n d polyphenols that combat inflammation Snack on walnuts by themselves, add them to oatmeal or include them in homemade granola bars

P is tac hios: Pistachios are high in protein and fibre, making them a satisfying snack that helps control hunger They also contain potas-

sium, which supports healthy blood pressure levels Opt for in-shell pistachios to slow consumption, or add shelled pistachios to yogurt for a delightful crunch

Cash ews: Cashews are rich in minerals like magnesium and zinc, contributing to bone health and immune function They're perfect for making creamy sauces or vegan cheeses and can also be enjoyed roasted as a snack

Brazil Nuts : Brazil nuts are a fantastic source of selenium, a mineral crucial for thyroid function and antioxidant defence Since they are high in selenium, consuming just a couple daily is sufficient Mix chopped Brazil nuts into your morning cereal or yogurt

Hazelnuts : Hazelnuts provide dietary fiber and healthy fats that promote heart health They're an excellent addition to baked goods, or you can enjoy hazelnut butter on wholegrain toast for a satisfying breakfast

Pecans: Pecans are rich in antioxidants and monounsaturated fats that support heart health They can be used in sweet and savoury dishes, such as topping a salad or incorporating them into desserts like pecan pie (in moderation)

Maintaining optimal blood circulation is vital fo r overall h e alt h a nd w ell ne ss Reg u lar p h ys i ca l a c ti v i ty and a balanced d iet p lay a significant role in pro moting bloo d flow and d etoxifying the bod y Yog a offers a v ariety of poses that can enhance blood circulatio n, st im u lat e th e l i v er, a nd su p p o r t d e to xi f i ca ti o n This article will delv e into fiv e yog a exercises that can h elp imp rov e blood circulation and d etoxify the liv er L eg s U p th e Wall ( Viparita Karani)

This gentle inversion pose is renowned for enhancing blood circulation and promoting relaxation To perform this pose, lie on your back with your hips close to a wall and extend your legs vertically against the wall Close your eyes, take deep breaths, and allow gravity to aid in blood flow from y o u r l o w e r e x t r e m i t i e s b a c k t o y o u r h e a r t T h i s p o s e improves circulation and eases tension, making it a fantastic choice for those seeking relaxation and detoxification

T wisting C hair Pose (Parivrtta U tkatasana)

Twisting Chair Pose combines the benefits of a twist and a squat, stimulating the liver and enhancing circulation

Begin in a chair pose with your feet together and arms extended upwards As you exhale, twist your torso, placing the opposite elbow outside the knee This gentle twist compresses the abdomen, aiding in the liver's detoxification and improving digestion - alternate sides to maximize the benefits

Downward -Facing Dog ( Adh o Mukha Svanasana)

in your gut

F i r s t a u t h o r K a t e

Bermingham, Ph D , from King’s College London and senior nutrition scientist at ZOE, said, “Sleep is a key p i l l a r o f h e a l t h , a n d t h i s r e s e a r c h i s p a r t i c u l a r l y timely given the growing i n t e r e s t i n c i r c a d i a n rhythms and the gut microbiome Even a 90-minute difference in the mid-point o f s l e e p c a n e n c o u r a g e m i c r o b i o t a s p e c i e s w h i c h have unfavourable associations with your health ”

D r S a r a h B e r r y f r o m King’s College London and c h i e f s c i e n t i s t a t Z O E added, “Maintaining regular sleep patterns, so when we go to bed and when we wake each day, is an easily a d j u s t a b l e l i f e s t y l e b e h a v i o u r w e c a n a l l d o , t h a t m a y i m p a c t y o u r health via your gut microbiome for the better ”

A cornerstone of many yoga practices, Downward-Facing Dog is a dynamic pose that engages various muscle groups while encouraging blood flow to the brain Start in a plank position and push your hips upward, forming an inverted "V" shape with your body This pose helps relieve back, shoulder, and leg tension while promoting liver function and detoxification

Camel P ose (U strasana)

U s t r a s a n a i s a n e x c e l l e n t h e a r t - o p e n i n g p o s e t h a t stretches the front of the body, stimulates the liver, and improves circulation Begin by kneeling on the floor with your knees hip-width apart Gradually arch your back, reaching your hands toward your heels, and tilt your head backward This pose enhances blood flow and supports the liver's detoxification process by increasing its blood supply Brid ge Pose (S etu Bandhasana)

Bridge Pose is a gentle backbend that engages the core and opens the chest, enhancing circulation and stimulating the liver Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor Lift your hips upward, creating a bridge-like shape with your body This pose promotes blood flow to the abdomen and liver, aiding detoxification and improving overall digestion

As with any exercise routine, consistency is key By dedicating time to these poses, you can harness the power of yoga to enhance your overall well-being and promote a healthier, more vibrant life Remember to listen to your body, practice mindfully, and enjoy yoga's holistic benefits to your physical and mental health

Childhood trauma linked to increased risk of pregnancy complications

Accordin g to a pooled dat a a na lysis of the a va ila ble e vid e nce publishe d in the op en a ccess journ al BMJ Ope n, childhood tr auma , such as a buse, e motion al neg le ct , an d e xposure t o dome st ic violence, ma y in crea se a woma n's subsequen t risk of pr egn ancy complica tions, as well a s g iv ing bir th to a low birth weight or pre mat ure ba by The risks of pr egn ancy-r elate d diabete s, high blood pr essure , depr ession /a nxie ty a nd of giv in g birt h t o und erwe ight an d or pr emat ure ba bie s may a ll be sig nifican tly higher , the an alysis sugge sts

While previously published research suggests that early life trauma can have a major negative impact on health in adulthood, it’s not clear if this extends to pregnancy To explore this further, the researchers reviewed 32 relevant studies published between 1994 and 2022 Three out of 4 were long-term (cohort) studies, with the remainder observational or comparative (case-control) studies

Most (19) were carried out in the USA The rest were from Canada (3), Europe (6),

and other regions (4) Study participants ranged in number from 48 to 11,556 Pooled data analysis of 21 studies showed that, overall, women who had experienced some form of childhood trauma were 37 per cent more likely to have pregnancy complications than those who hadn’t They were also 31% more likely to give birth to underweight or premature babies

Further in-depth analysis showed that childhood trauma was associated with a 39 per cent heightened risk of pregnancy-related diabetes, a 59 per cent heightened risk of antenatal depression, a 27 per cent heightened risk of giving birth to an underweight baby, and a 41 per cent heightened risk of preterm delivery There could be several direct and indirect explanations for the findi n g s , s u g g e s t t h e r e s e a r c h e r s C h i l d h o o d trauma might alter the regulation of stress s i g n a l l i n g p a t h w a y s a n d i m m u n e s y s t e m function; it might also change brain structure and function, or it might speed up cellular ageing, they say

Enhance blood circulation and detoxify with these 5 yoga poses

Ileana D’Cruz welcomes baby boy Koa Phoenix Dolan

ActorIleana D’Cruz announced the arrival of her baby boy on Instagram over the weekend, along with a glimpse of her son and his name Sharing a picture of her son, she wrote, “Introducing Koa Phoenix Dolan Born on August 1, 2023 No words could explain how happy we are to welcome our darling boy to the world Hearts beyond full ”

Fans and friends of the actress were quick to respond to the post Nargis Fakhri wrote, “Omg congrats!!!!!! GOD BLESS!!!” She also added, “Leo boy ” Athiya Shetty, Huma Qureshi and Arjun Kapoor posted red heart, raised hands and hug face emojis Maria Goretti commented, "A little cub, lots and lots of love " Sophie Choudry said, "Omg congratulations Ileana! So happy for you guys God bless your lil boy ”

Ileana has remained tight-lipped about her personal life from the very beginning However, she shared a picture of her boyfriend on Instagram recently Posting a photo collage on her Stories, she wrote, “Date night ”

In June, Ileana held an Ask Me Anything session on Instagram and answered fans' questions A person had asked, “What was your feeling when you heard the heartbeat of your baby for the first time?” She said, "One of the most beautiful moments I have ever experienced I can't even describe how overwhelmed I was There were tears and happiness and so much relief and joy A massive surge of love for a tiny seed that was going to be a full-grown baby soon ”

A person had also asked her, "You worried you are gonna gain weight?" She responded, Ok so this question would initially really trigger me And I think it s because so many people comment on your weight when you re having a baby It doesn't help when you go to your doctor checkups and they have to weigh you in every time so it's consistently on your mind Let me just say I've loved how my body has changed these past few months ”

She added, "It's such a miraculous wondrous humbling journey And yes I'm human and there are days I don't feel great But I have an amazing support system and people that love me and remind me that I am making a literal little human inside me! So 'weight' does not matter Don't go by what the 'ideal amount of weight gain' should be during your pregnancy Stay as happy as you can As healthy as you can And listen to your body! Do what feels right to you (red heart emoji) "

Ajay Devgn dedicates song on wife

Kajol’s birthday

Kajol rang in her 49th birthday over the weekend. Among all those wishing her on the occasion was her husband and actor Ajay Devgn. He shared an interesting post on Twitter where he dedicated her a lovely song and praised her for her many qualities

Sharing a clip of them together from an event, Ajay wrote on Twitter, 'Tareef karu kya teri Happy Birthday @itsKajolD," along with a heart emoji The video has a voice asking questions about which of the two of them is more patient, a better cook, is a better communicator, has the most stars and is nicer to strangers And the clip shows Kajol as the answer

Kajol's sister Tanishaa Mukerji also shared a heartfelt birthday post for her Sharing a picture which has all three - Kajol, Tanishaa and their mom Tanuja in the frame, Tanishaa wrote, “Happy birthday my beautiful one! May you always shine that light of yours that brightens the world! Love you @kajol ” Kajol responded to the post, saying, “Love you too my darling” along with a heart emoji in the comments section

On the work front, Kajol was recently seen in the Disney Hotstar series ‘The Trial: Pyaar, Kaanoon, Dhokha,’ in which she played a lawyer fighting her husband's case She will next be seen in ‘Do Patti,’ alongside Kriti Sanon in the latter's debut production

Kartik Aaryan opens up on ‘Shehzada’ box office failure

Kartik Aaryan recently opened up about the poor box office performance of his film ‘Shehzada,’ released in February. In an interview, he said he would not do a “remake” film in his career again ‘Shehzada’ was the official Hindi remake of the Telugu film ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramloo,’ which starred actor Allu Arjun in the lead role

In a BBC interview in London, he said, “I think the biggest perspective that I got was that I would not do a remake, I would not do a remake film This is actually the first time that I was doing, the first time that I was actually experiencing something, I was doing it on camera, on screen, so it was a different experience While filming, I didn’t realise it, but I realised that later on that this was something that p e o p l e h a v e a l r e a d y s e e n a n d I d o n ’ t s e e t h e m watching it again, spending money and going to the theaters to watch the same thing again So I got a big perspective ”

He then shared that he will not do a remake again and added, “It is a big thing, because every now and then a remake arrives, you know, there’s a script, which is a remake But I’ve decided that I would not enjoy it I would not like to do something which somebody has done ”

H e l m e d b y R o h i t D h a w a n B e s i d e s K a r t i k , ‘Shehzada’ starred Kriti Sanon as the female lead It also had Paresh Rawal, Ronit Roy, Sunny Hinduja and Manisha Koirala in pivotal roles The film marked Kriti and Kartik's second collaboration after ‘Luka Chuppi ’ Kartik was last seen in ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha,’ which starred him alongside Kiara Advani The film was released on June 29 and emerged as a box office hit He has Kabir Khan's ‘Chandu Champion’ in the pipeline

Bipasha reveals daughter was born with two holes in her heart

Actors Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh

Grover welcomed their first child, baby girl Devi Basu Singh Grover, on November 12, 2022

During a recent chat with actor Neha Dhupia on Instagra Live, an emotional Bipasha revealed that her daughter was born with two holes in her heart and underwent surgery when she was around three months old

S p e a k i n g a b o u t h e motherhood journey, Bipas said, “Our journey has been y different from any normal mother-father, it has been a lot tougher than the smile that I have on my face right now I would not wish this to happen to any mother For a new mother, when you get to know that I got to know on the third day of me having a baby that our baby is born with

two holes in her heart I thought I'll not share this, but I'm sharing this because I feel that there are a lot of mothers, who helped me in this journey, and it was very icult to find those mothers ” She added, “We didn't even understand what a VSD is It is ventricular septal defect We went through a crazy period We didn't discuss this with our family, we both were in a little b i t o f a b l u r W e w a n t e d t o e l e b r a t e b u t w e w e r e a l i t t l e mb, me and Karan The first five months have been very difficult for us But Devi has been fabulous from day one We were told that every month, we have to do a scan to know if it's healing on its own But the kind of large hole that she had, we were told that it was doubtful, you will h a v e t o g o t h r o u g h s u r g e r y A n d t h e

surgery is best done, when the child is three-months-old ”

Bipasha broke down, and further said, " Y o u f e e l s o s a d , s o b u r d e n e d a n d s o conflicted, because how can you put a child in open heart surgery? Something natural will happen, and people like us who are believers, we try to manifest it with our thoughts that it will start healing on itself In the first month, it didn t happen, in the s e c o n d m o n t h , d i d n ' t h a p p e n A n d I remember the third month, when we went for the scan, I pretty much did all the r e s e a r c h , m e t s u r g e o n s , h a d b e e n t o hospitals, spoken to doctors, and I was kind of ready, Karan was not ready I knew that she had to be okay and I knew that she will be okay And she is okay now But the t o u g h d e c i s i o n w a s t o g e t y o u r c h i l d operated at the right place and at the right time ”

Inan interview, Nora Fatehi blamed Indian filmmakers for not looking past “four girls” and casting only them in their films Fatehi, who made her acting debut in 2020 with ‘Street Dancer 3D,’ is mostly famous for her dance numbers in movies like ‘Thank God,’ and ‘Batla House ’

Nora said she was not able to land a leading role as filmmakers “don’t think outside of what’s in front of them ” She added that “only four girls are doing films in rotation, and all four are getting projects nonstop ”

“I don’t think because I dance is why they don’t want to cast me Our main iconic heroines in Bollywood have been dancers who perform beautifully And they excel in dance numbers, right? That was just a part of the package of being like an iconic heroine I don’t think it was because of that I think it was always, oh, I don’t know It’s almost like let’s see who will take the chance on her [on me] and if she delivers in all the categories, meaning, the acting skills, the presence, the aura, the ability to express the language skill, then we’ll all jump on the opportunity So I think it was who would have got the b**** to do it first, to take a chance on me first I think that was what everyone was waiting for, Nora said

She added, “Today the industry has become very competitive Let’s be realistic There are only a few films a year And sometimes what happens with filmmakers is they don’t think outside of what’s in front of them So if only four girls are doing films, and they’re going in rotation, and all four are getting projects nonstop, the filmmakers will only remember those four, they won’t think beyond that So your job is to try to intercept the four and become five and get into rotation and then that’s just how the ball rolls And yeah, I mean, it’s hard work, but it’s happening And I’m very grateful for that I just have to prove myself, so I can stick around That’s the next challenge ” Nora will be a part of Varun Tej's next Telugu film It is said to be the most expensive film of Varun Tej's career Titled ‘VT14,’ the film is reportedly set in 1960s Vizag The makers made the announcement in July

Ranveer reveals Deepika’s reaction to ‘RRKPK’

Ranveer Singh is earning rave reviews for his performance as the Punjabi fitness enthusiast Rocky Randhawa in Karan Johar’s ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.’ Recently, at the success meeting of the film that took place in Mumbai, the actor revealed his wife and actor Deepika Padukone’s reaction to the film.

Actor Sushmita Sen recently clarified a misconception about her life In an interview, she said that while some might think there is an imbalance in her daughters’ lives due to not having a father, she explained why it is not the same for them However, she admitted that having a father figure is important

When asked about a misconception about being a s i n g l e m o t h e r , s h e s a i d , “ T h a t t h e r e i s a n imbalance if they grow up without a father Fathers are important but like everything else in life, you don’t miss what you never had So, the concept is different ” Sen is a mother of two - Renee and Alisah While she adopted Renee in 2000, Alisah became a part of the family in 2010

Talking about her decision, Sushmita had once revealed that many people had questioned her decision, however, she went ahead with it, not only once but twice She called it the best decision of her life In a post on social media, Sushmita had said, "Renee was born from my heart when I was just 24 years old It was a big decision!! Many questioned it

Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel visit AttariWagah border ahead of 'Gadar 2' release

W h y a d o p t i o n ? H o w w i l l y o u r a i s e a c h i l d without being married? Are you ready to be a s i n g l e p a r e n t ? Y o u r e a l i s e t h e i m p a c t t h i s d e c i s i o n w i l l h a v e o n y o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l & personal life? The questioning & opinions were endless ” She added, “And yet, I did what felt right in my heart I knew I was ready to be a mother And it turned out to be the best decision I ever made, one so profound I made it twice!! Now I am blessed with two beautiful daughters: Renee and Alisah I am who I am because I found the courage to follow my heart seeking the right g u i d a n c e , i n f o r m a t i o n & s u p p o r t t h a t w a s needed when I needed it I know these biases haven’t really stopped But they shouldn’t stop you This is a reminder to talk about them Find YOUR answer ” On the work front, Sen will be next seen in her upcoming series ‘Taali ’ Directed by Ravi J a d h a v , t h e s e r i e s i s b a s e d o n t h e l i f e o f transgender activist Shreegauri Sawant It will release on the occasion of August 15

He revealed at the media interaction event that Deepika loved the film He said, “She loved it, actually It was one of the most memorable and fulfilling movie-watching experiences of my life I took her to watch the film It was just the two of us sitting in the last row and I had seen the film already so I was really just there for her reaction and she was just laughing, she was crying, she was clapping, whistling and often turning to me and saying ‘ awwww ’ So yeah I had the best experience sitting with her watching She is very proud of me and I am happy with that ”

Over the weekend, Ranveer took to his Instagram and posted a video of him and Deepika dancing to ‘What Jhumka,’ the popular dance number from ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani ’ After both recreated the steps, Ranveer got Deepika to mimic his character of Rocky from the film The video ended with Deepika laughing and telling Ranveer, “Only you can do this ” He wrote in the caption accompanying the video, “She L L L L L L L O V E D i t ! @ d e e p i k a p a d u k o n e #RockyAurRaniKiiPremKahaani ”

At the music launch of the film, Ranveer said Deepika was excited to watch the film “Deepika is really excited and is looking forward to seeing the movie She loved the trailer and she understands what it means to me to be in Karan Johar’s directorial as a lead It is a big deal He is one of the eminent filmmakers of our country She knows that it means a lot to me and she is very excited f o r m e S h e i s v e r y e x c i t e d t o s e e t h i s performance She keeps singing the songs around the house I cannot wait for her to see the film and know what she thinks about it ” B e s i d e s R a n v e e r , t h e f i l m s t a r s A l i a Bhatt, Shabana Azmi, Dharmendra and Jaya Bachchan

Vicky Kaushal reveals how Katrina helped his pre-performance nerves

Actors

Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel, who are gearing up for the release of their eagerly-awaited film 'Gadar 2', went to the AttariWagah border ahead of the release In the video, singer Udit Narayan sang Gadar: Ek Prem Katha songs Main Nikla Gaddi Leke and Ghar Aaja

Pardesi Both Sunny and Ameesha Patel grooved to the tracks as the people around them enjoyed the performance Udit wore an olive green shirt and a matching jacket and pants

Ameesha and Sunny wore ethnic outfits, which channelled their characters in the film While Ameesha wore a blue suit, Sunny opted for a yellow kurta, white pyjama and matched it with an olive green turban The co-actors a l s o p e r f o r m e d b h a n g r a a f t e r t h e B e a t i n g

Earlier, Sunny visited G o l d e n T e m p l e i n Amritsar to seek blessings

He was seen praying on the temple grounds and posing with a few fans

H e l m e d b y A n i l S h a r m a , t h e f i l m s t a r s

S u n n y D e o l , A m e e s h a P a t e l a n d U t k a r s h Sharma in the lead roles Before releasing the official teaser online, the makers of the film attached the teaser with Gadar: Ek Prem Katha which was re-released in the theatres on June

9 Nana Patekar has lent his voice to the movie 'Gadar 2' will release in theatres on August 11

Sunny, at the trailer launch event of 'Gadar

2,' spoke about his 2001 blockbuster hit Gadar: Ek Prem Katha He had said he is grateful to the audience for showering love on Gadar when it was released 22 years ago He also added that he was initially sceptical about doing a follow-up on the original movie

ActorVicky Kaushal recently attended an event in Mumbai, where he recalled how actor-wife Katrina Kaif cheered him up and encouraged him in 2020 when he was nervous before a stage show A video of the actor speaking about the incident has surfaced online, where he said both he and Kat were to attend an event for school kids in Madurai, but he had to go for a show in Assam and “perform in front of a hundred thousand people.”

Vicky revealed that Kat kept sending him v i d e o s w i t h t h e k i d s f r o m t h e M a d u r a i s c h o o l , w h i c h g a v e h i m c o n f i d e n c e H e recalled, “Me and Katrina were supposed to fly to Madurai to visit the school, it was their annual day function I could not at the last minute as there was some performance, an

event that came up, and I h a d t o b e i n A s s a m p e r f o r m i n g i n f r o n t o f a h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d p e o p l e a n d o v e r t h e r e I g o t s o nervous to be performing in front of such a large crowd ” He was talking about the M o u n t a i n V i e w S c h o o l , a c h a r i t a b l e s c h o o l t h a t Katrina’s mother Suzanne Turquotte runs in Madurai

The actor added, "One thing that really helped me was Katrina was playing with t h o s e k i d s o v e r t h e r e , c e l e b r a t i n g t h e i r a n n u a l f u n c t i o n a n d s h e a c t u a l l y k e p t sending me videos of kids performing on the stage I saw them performing on the stage, one of them was a giraffe, one of them a sunflower, they were just dancing around and they sent me a video with all these smiles and said ‘all the best Vicky uncle’ and that really changed me ”

Nora Fatehi shares her take on why filmmakers don’t want to cast her in lead roles

Absence of a father never created an imbalance in daughters’ lives, says Sushmita

Mrunal Thakur is elegance personified in ‘Hi Nanna’ first look poster

Productionhouse Vera Entertainments

wished actress Mrunal Thakur on her 31st birthday with a heartfelt post unveiling her first look from the upcoming Telugu movie ‘Hi Nanna ’ Directed by Shouryuv and bankrolled by Mohan Cherukuri and Dr Vijender Reddy Teegala for Vyra Entertainments, the film features Nani and Mrunal in lead roles

Rajinikanth apologises to Jackie Shroff for forgetting to say bye to him

Jackie Shroff opened up about working with veteran superstar Rajinikanth in his upcoming film ‘Jailer ’ Recalling an incident from the sets of the film, he said the star said sorry to him during the shoot as he forgot to say bye to him and left the set after wrapping up his shoot Jackie said Rajinikanth came back only to say goodbye properly

The first look features the actress in maroon attire, with a guitar bag on the shoulder and a serene smile gracing her lips In the background, Nani can be seen gazing away, adding a touch of mystery to the composition The poster is bathed in soothing purple tones, adorned with exquisitely arranged flowers that enfold half the image, creating a warm atmosphere

“Wishing a very Happy Birthday to the one and only @MissThakurani Your charm and talent know no bounds May you continue to rule our hearts forever! Team #HiNanna,” Vyra Entertainments noted while sharing the poster on social media

Taking to Twitter to wish his co-star on the occasion of her birthday, actor Nani wrote: “Happy birthday yashna Have a wonderful one From Me and Mahi :)”

Earlier this month, the makers released a 75-second teaser of the movie Sharing it on Instagram, Mrunal noted, “The wait is over! Here’s a peek into our cute little world of #HiNanna Can’t wait for you all to witness this heartwarming story unfold on the big screen ”

Jackie said in an interview, “Although everything has changed, Rajinikanth Garu (brother) remains the same His modesty and regard for everyone have remained constant over the years He is the most humble superstar there has ever been His is stardom beyond hits and flops When one works with him, the experience is enriching Rajini Garu is a very different person on screen Every time he appears on film, he undergoes a complete transformation And as soon as he leaves his character, he stays the same His style, the way he walks, talks, looks, the way he does everything with his glasses, whatever property he has, I think he’s brilliant ”

Jackie plays the antag onist in ‘ Jailer ’

Recalling how Rajini apologised, Jackie said, “I remember he had wrapped his shoot for the day and was leaving for his home I still had certain scenes to shoot He had sat in his car but decided to come back only because he had not said ‘bye’ to me He came and said, ‘I am sorry I forgot to say goodbye to you If you need me, I will stay back ’ I was almost teary-eyed but held on to my emotions It was a sheer pleasure working on a film where he’s the leading man and we ’ ve d o n e o u r g u e s t a p p e a r a n c e s W h a t e v e r we ’ ve done, we ’ ve enjoyed every bit of it because he has loved us and given us a lot of love and respect He took care of us like his family members ”

The official trailer for the movie titled 'Jailer Showcase,' was released earlier this month Marking his first film in two years, the trailer promises a full action-packed e n t e r t a i n e r ‘ J a i l e r ’ a l s o s t a r s R a m y a K r i s h n a n , T a m a n n a a h B h a t i a a n d Vinayakan in supporting roles

Tamil actor Abbas gave up acting as he was 'bored'

Tamil actor Abbas is known for his iconic movies like ‘Kadhal Desam,’ ‘Padayappa,’ ‘Kandukondain Kandukondain,’ and ‘Hey Ram.’ After a short acting stint, he left the industry in 2015 as he started finding it repetitive and boring Abbas moved to New Zealand with his family and decided to lead a middle class life The actor is now back in Chennai and recently opened up about his struggles

Talking about why he chose to leave acting, Abbas said, “After a point, it started to bore me Like how you have problems in a relationship after a few years, I had the same relationship issue with my career I realised if I was bored of it, naturally the audiences would also get bored That’s why I decided to do something else I had to give way to better people and it is not right to hold on to the space ”

Tamannaah's kind gesture to enthusiastic fan

Tamannaah Bhatia is back as the most favorite actress across India after her vibrant dance for the all time chartbuster

'Kaavalaa' is breaking records galore on YouTube Meanwhile a video of the pretty actress showing compassion to an over enthusiastic fan pushed by her bouncers has gone viral on the internet

T a m m y i n a u g u r a t e d a b u s i n e s s i n Kerala and a young man breached the security to touch her and was rightly frisked away by her body guards according to prot o c o l H o w e v e r t h e 3 3 y e a r o l d b e a u t y

ordered her men to allow him and not only shook hands with the fan but also smilingly allowed him to take a selfie with her Fans can't stop gushing about this humane deed of the leading actress

Fans are waiting to catch a glimpse of T a m a n n a a h i n t h e s o n g ' K a a v a a l a a ' i n Superstar Rajinikanth's 'Jailer' releasing on August 10th The video has crossed the mammoth 100 million views on YouTube S h e a l s o h a s a n o t h e r r e l e a s e ' B h o l a a Shankar' co-starring megastar Chiranjeevi and Keerthy Suresh on August 11th

Samantha visits Chinmayi’s twins, jokes about 'plan to kidnap'

The actor moved to New Zealand d planned his future there for wo months “We were supposed t o s t a r t a b u s i n e s s i n N e w Zealand, which will be handled by my wife I wondered what I would do in my free time if I don’t get a job I decided to do things I never did in India In the worst-case scenario, I told myself I uld drive cabs I would interact with people there that way, ” he said He did many odd jobs in NZ, like working in a petrol pump to a construction site Sharing about his life there, he said, “I would not use the toilet that was at the construction site I would instead go to a petrol pump, buy something and use the restroom there People there would wonder if they have seen me somewhere I would be like, ‘Yes, I keep getting that ’ Sometimes, I would reveal I am Abbas, and they will be shocked I just registered their reaction in my head ”

Itseems that actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu is making the most of her free time, as she has taken a break from work to focus on her health She recently shared two cute videos of her playing with singer Chinmayi Sripada and Rahul Ravindran’s twins on her Instagram Stories S h a r i n g a v i d e o with Chinmayi's son S h a r v a s , S a m a n t h a w r o t e , “ M y m o s t h a n d s o m e s t G o d s o n Sharvas,” along with heart emojis It shows h e r m a k i n g S h a r v a s d a n c e t o t h e ‘ R R R ’ s o n g ‘ N a a t u N a a t u ’ S h e t a g g e d h i s p a re n t s , C h i n m a y i a n d Rahul, in the post She also shared a video in which she is seen playing with the o n e - y e a r - o l d t w i n s , Sharvas and his sister D r i p t a h T h e y a r e seen pushing a chair toward her while she acts like she, too, is using force to push the chair toward them She even asks them, “For me to sit down? I have become old?” Sharing the video on her Instagram Stories, she wrote, “Now how to put plan to kidnap,” along with a three heart smiley

C h i n m a y i a n d R a h u l a n n o u n c e d t h e birth of their twins in June last year Many had raised doubt that the babies were born via surrogacy She later responded to such trolls and revealed that she had not shared pictures of herself during her pregnancy as she was scared and guarding her privacy

On the work front, will soon be seen opposite Vijay Deverakonda in the Telugu film ‘Kushi ’ It is slated to release in theatres on September 1 She has also wrapped up the shoot of the Indian version of the web series, ‘Citadel ’ Raj and DK have directed it and also stars Varun Dhawan It will release on Amazon Prime

Alia, Gal Gadot share

playful ASMR moment in new ‘Heart

of Stone’ promo

Prime Video announces new docu-series ‘AP Dhillon: First Of A Kind’

Amazon Prime Video has announced their upcoming doc-series on singer-rapper AP Dhillon titled ‘AP Dhillon: First of A Kind ’ The musician, Amritpal Singh Dhillon, is known for chartbuster tracks such as ‘Brown Munde,’ ‘Insane,’ and ‘Excuses,’ among many others

T h e u n s c r i p t e d A m a z o n Original series will showcase the humble beginnings of the selfm a d e I n d o - C a n a d i a n m u s i c i a n from Gurdaspur in Punjab to his r a p i d a s c e n t i n t h e m u s i c industry, and his association with R u n - U p R e c o r d s ( C a n a d i a n record label), as their hit songs transformed Dhillon into a global icon

making His is a story of grit and d e t e r m i n a t i o n , f r i e n d s h i p a n d brotherhood, and staying true to your own creative vision at any cost,” Foster said

Bollywood’s

Alia Bhatt is currently promoting her Hollywood debut ‘Heart of Stone,’ alongside costars Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan In a new video, Alia, Gal, and Matthias Schweighöfer use ASMR to recreate sound effects from the film, including smouldering fire and loading bullets. They also have fun whispering throughout the clip

In the video, they i m m e r s e d t h e m s e l v e s in the world of ASMR b y r e c r e a t i n g s o u n d effects from the movie u s i n g a c t u a l o b j e c t s Alia was seen creating t h e s o u n d e f f e c t s f o r

smouldering fire using cellophane paper She was seen c r u s h i n g i t h a r d a n d t a u g h t

Matthias how to do it right Alia said, “In the Heart of Stone, they had to record the sound of many fingers To match, we did this on screen ”

She then took a keyboard in her hand and started pressing the b u t t o n s a g g r e s s i v e l y G a l a l s o tried to create the hacking sound, but Matthias said it sounded more like she was playing the guitar

The cast then tried to punch a cabbage The caption, along with

the video, read, “Our agents are not just pro at hacking AI systems

The docu-series will feature a c o m b i n a t i o n o f D h i l l o n ’ s p e r s o n a l a c c o u n t s a n d h i s i n t e r v i e w s w i t h h i s c l o s e - k n i t c i r c l e o f f a m i l y a n d f r i e n d s Aparna Purohit, Head of India O r i g i n a l s , P r i m e V i d e o , s a i d t h r o u g h t h i s s e r i e s , t h e y a r e diving into the world of Punjabi hip-hop “ S t o r i e s o f t r i u m p h a n d s u c c e s s w i l l a l w a y s f i n d resonance among viewers, and AP Dhillon’s journey to self-made s u p e r s t a r d o m i s o n e t h a t i s i n t r i g u i n g a n d i n s p i r i n g ‘ A P Dhillon: First of a Kind’ is the first ever docuseries to dive into the

Bellie

b u t a l s o a t A S M R o f h a c k i n g systems ”

Alia plays the antagonist Keya Dhawan in the ‘Heart Of Stone ’ She recently opened up about the biggest challenge she faced while filming and said in an interview with a Canadian media outlet, “I have to say on day one, because

I’m so used to speaking in Hindi, suddenly on day one speaking in English was weird Even though I speak in English most of the time, but acting in English suddenly felt a bit strange ”

The indigenous tribal couple Bomman and Bellie, who were featured in the Oscar-winning documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers', has accused the film's producers of financial abuse and mistreatment. The renowned film won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short Film in 2023 and highlighted the couple's special relationship with elephants as well as their conservation activities Bomman and Bellie asserted that despite spending a significant amount of money on the filming of 'The Elephant Whisperers', the producers did not compensate

Sima Taparia addresses criticism of her matchmaking failures on ‘Indian Matchmaking’

matchmaker Sima

Mumbai-based

Taparia became a household name with the release of the Netflix reality show ‘Indian Matchmaking ’ She recently reacted to criticism about her success rate on the show. Many have pointed out her inability to find a suitable partner for even one of the contestants on the show.

Sima said, “If it would have been a fake show, I would have gotten everyone married in a day Only because it is a reality show, this c a n n o t h a p p e n ” S h e s h a r e d t h e show is shot for just five months and it is not possible to get someone married in such a short duration

The matchmaker added, “Now if y o u s a y t h a t m a r r i a g e s s h o u l d happen in five months everyone who is criticising the show is stupid Paanch mahine mein shaadi kaise h o g i ? ( H o w c a n s o m e o n e g e t married in five months?)”

Earlier, Sima had said that the purpose of ‘Indian Matchmaking’ w a s o n l y t o s h o w c a s e h o w marriages happen in India Reacting to her success rate on the show, she said, “The goal of the show was to s h o w t h e p r o c e s s o f I n d i a n matchmaking to the world In five months, how do you think it is p o s s i b l e t h a t e v e r y o n e w i l l g e t married? If I was God, I would have matched three successful couples every day But I am not And since it’s a reality show, the success rate is very low because everything is real ” M e a n w h i l e , T a p a r i a ’ s matchmaking business has grown manifold, courtesy of the popularity of the show Sima shared how she r e c e i v e d b i o - d a t a f r o m m a n y prospective brides and grooms after the show’s first season premiered on N e t f l i x d u r i n g t h e c o r o n a v i r u sinduced lockdown

dynamic world of Punjabi hiphop and explore the origins of one the most prominent faces of t h e m u s i c a l z e i t g e i s t w e ’ r e c u r r e n t l y w i t n e s s i n g , ” P u r o h i t said in a statement

Passion Pictures produce the f o u r - p a r t d o c u s e r i e s i n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h W i l d S h e e p Content and Run-Up Records, Amy Foster, executive producer, P A S S I O N P i c t u r e s , s a i d t h e y hope the series will inspire young people “AP Dhillon is an icon of our times and a legend in the

Erik Barmack, the executive producer of Wild Sheep Content, added through the series, they are excited to bring out the enigma and journey of Dhillon, which has struck a chord among audiences the world over “AP Dhillon and t h e e n t i r e t e a m a t R u n - U p Records have redefined Punjabi music and put it on the global map like never before It has been an exciting ride and I am glad to have partnered with Prime Video for this,” Barmack said

The docu-series will premiere i n I n d i a a n d a c r o s s 2 4 0 + c o u n t r i e s a n d t e r r i t o r i e s worldwide on August 18

them Additionally, they claim that the producers were unresponsive following the Oscar victory Production company Sikhya Entertainment and the documentary’s director, Kartiki Gonsalves, have since responded to the accusations They released a statement that read, “The goal in creating The Elephant Whisperers has always been to highlight elephant conservation, the tremendous efforts of the Forest Department and its mahouts Bomman and Bellie Since its launch, the documentary has raised awareness of the cause and had a real impact on the Mahouts and Cavadis community Our honourable chief minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, has made donations towards assisting the 91 Mahouts and Cavadis who look after the state’s elephants, constructing eco-friendly houses

for the caretakers and developing an Elephant Camp in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve ”

“The documentary has been celebrated by heads of state across India, and the Academy Award is a moment of national pride that has brought widespread recognition for the work of mahouts like Bomman and Bellie All claims made are untrue We have a deep respect for all the contributors of this story, and remain driven by the desire to create positive change,” the statement added

'The Elephant Whisperers’ Bomman and

allege exploitation by makers

Indian archer Aditi becomes youngest-ever world champion

A d i ti S w a m i ( 1 7 ) b ec am e t h e youngest-ever world champ io n a nd w o n I nd i a' s f i rs t- ev e r indiv idual title at the senior level b y d efeatin g M exico 's A nd rea

B er ce rra 1 4 9 - 1 4 7 in t h e indiv idual women's com pound event final in Berlin, a d ay after t h e c ou n try 's w o m en 's c o m p o u n d te am w o n t h e nation's first gold medal at th e World Arch ery C ham pionships

A d i t i p e r h a p s i s g o i n g through the best phase of her c a r e e r S h e b e c a m e b o t h t h e c a d e t a n d s e n i o r w o r l d champion at the same time only a month ago when she won the Under-18 global titles in both

Aditi Swami

t h e i n d i v i d u a l a n d t e a m d i v i s i o n s a t t h e Y o u t h

Championships in Limerick

Ojas Deotale, the first male archer from India to ever win g o l d , b e c a m e t h e n a t i o n ' s

second world champion a few h o u r s l a t e r O j a s d e f e a t e d

L u k a s z P r z y b y l s k i o f P o l a n d , who had scored 149 in the men s c o m p o u n d s o l o e v e n t , i n t h e final with a flawless 150-point performance India thus ended with three gold and one bronze medal in the championship Mexican Becerra, who faced Swami in the team final, could do little against a near-perfect Aditi, who ended up missing the perfect score of 150 by just one point It was always a catch-up game for Becerra who lost 147149

“All my efforts so far have borne fruit I am very proud of

m y p e r f o r m a n c e I t i s r e a l l y great that at 17, I could become the world champion I wanted to h e a r t h e 5 2 s e c o n d s o f t h e national anthem to be played at the World Championships I was just focusing on my rhythm, on my shot, and therefore I could perform ” an elated Aditi said after the win

The girl from Satara district of Maharashtra had beaten her m o r e e x p e r i e n c e d t e a m m a t e Jyothi Vennam 149-145 in the semifinal Aditi’s year is not over yet and she is hungry for more “This is only the beginning I w a n t t o w i n t h e A s i a d g o l d next,” she said

17-year-old boy becomes India's top chess player

In dia's 17-y ea r-old che ss play er D G uke sh bre ak e n ew gr ound a nd a ddin g new fe athe rs to his ca p He made it to t he wor ld ’ s top-10 in live rat ing list (Elo 2755 9 now) a nd ha s also ove rt ake n sta lwa rt V A n a n d ’ s E lo st r e n g t h ( cur ren tly 2754) for t he fir st time t o become In dia No 1

In the second game of the two-game mini-match, Gukesh d e f e a t e d h o m e t o w n f a v o u r i t e Misratdin Iskandarov to advance to the third round of the World Cup chess in Baku, Azerbaijan, the birthplace of former Soviet chess great Garry Kasparov

This is not the first time an I n d i a n h a s s u r p a s s e d A n a n d ' s l i v e r a t i n g a s a t o p p l a y e r ,

though Although P Harikrihna had surpassed Anand's live rating in 2016 (2763 3), he was unable to maintain it Former seven-time N a t i o n a l c h a m p i o n P r a v e e n T h i p s a y s a i d , “ I t ’ s a f a n t a s t i c a c h i e v e m e n t , h a d n o t b e e n expected so soon But one must bear in mind that Anand was in t h e t o p - 1 5 c o n t i n u o u s l y f r o m 1991 till 2016 We must also see the fact that in 1978, there were only 12 players above 2600 So t o d a y ’ s 2 7 4 0 - 2 7 5 0 i s l i k e t h e 2600 of 1970 or 1978 Fischer, S p a s s k y , B o t v i n n i k , P e t r o s i a n , Tal and even Karpov (at his peak) will always remain under-rated when we see today’s rating list ” Rating inflation is a point

West Indies take 2-0 lead in T20I series

T i l ak V a rm a st ru c k h i s f i rs t international h alf-century, but it was no t enou gh to prev ent I n d i a fr o m sl ip p in g to a d ramatic two -wicket defeat in the second T20 I against West Indies in Guyana After winning th e to ss and ch oos ing to bat f irst, I ndi a stu m bled to 15 2-7 and, despite Nicholas Pooran's 6 7 , ap p e ar ed t o be w i nn i ng w h en We st I nd i es lo s t f o u r w ickets for three runs to fall to 1 29-8

A l z a r r i J o s e p h a n d A k e a l H o s e i n , t h e W e s t I n d i e s ' t a i l e n d e r s , m a i n t a i n e d t h e i r c o m p o s u r e a n d s l o g g e d t h e winning runs to send their team h o m e w i t h s e v e n b a l l s remaining West Indies took a 20 lead in the five-match series after winning the series opener earlier in Tarouba by a margin of four runs

The 20-year-old Varma, who

helped light up the IPL with 343 runs for the Mumbai Indians this season, made 51 from 41 b a l l s b e f o r e c l i p p i n g l e f t - a r m spinner Akeal Hosein to fine leg w h e r e O b e d M c C o y p o u c h e d the catch

Varma came to the crease in the fourth over after Shubman Gill was caught at third man off Alzarri Joseph and Suryakumar Yadav, playing his 50th T20I, was run out by a direct hit from Kyle Mayers to leave India on 18 for two Varma added 42 for the third wicket with Ishan Kishan before the opener was bowled by Romario Shepherd for 27

After Sanju Samson's easy fall and the departure of Varma, w h o s c o r e d 5 1 r u n s o n t h e strength of five fours and a six, it w a s u p t o c a p t a i n H a r d i k

P a n d y a t o g u i d e t h e I n d i a n s towards a respectable score with 24 runs off of 18 balls

A n o t h e r b e i n g w h e t h e r D Gukesh is ready to win an elite c l a s s i c a l t o u r n a m e n t o n h i s c u r r e n t s t r e n g t h a n d tournament wisdom “Unlikely at this stage,” said Thipsay “But after a year or so, he could, w o u l d a n d s h o u l d b e i n a different class The champions’ class!”

In 1991, Anand announced his entry into the elite level by w i n n i n g t h e R e g i o E m i l i a tournament (Category 18 at the t i m e ) G a r r y K a s p a r o v a n d Anatoly Kaprov were present G u k e s h i s y e t t o w i n t h e N a t i o n a l t i t l e a l t h o u g h t h e c o m p e t i t i o n h a s g r o w n manifold and likelihood of any

p l a y e r ’ s d o m i n a t i o n r e d u c e d due to the help from computer engines

Alberta back out from hosting 2030 C'wealth Games

T h e p r o v i nc e o f Al b e r t a w i t h d r e w i t s s u p p o r t f o r a p ossible bi d to host the 20 30 C o m mo n we a l t h G a m e s , e nd ing th e chance of br inging t he mult i-spo rt ev ent ba ck to Ca na da Mi ni ste r of Touri sm a nd Spo rt Jose ph Sch ow sa id t hat hosting the Games, which t y p i c a l l y a t t r a ct m o r e t h a n 4 ,0 0 0 a t h l e t e s f r o m t h e 54 n a t i o n s o f t h e C om mo nwe a l th , wa s no t i n l i ne wi t h t h e i nt e r e st s o f Alberta ta xpa ye rs Schow said that according t o c u r r e n t b i d e s t i m a t e s hosting the event "could result in a cost of up to CAN$2 68 billion (US$2 01 billion) "The corporate sponsorship model a n d l i m i t e d b r o a d c a s t r e v e n u e s f o r t h e Commonwealth Games would have put 93 per cent of those costs and risks on taxpayers,"

he added

"We committed to remain t r a n s p a r e n t w i t h A l b e r t a n s a b o u t t h e c o s t s o f h o s t i n g international sporting events and clearly demonstrating a return on our investment for the people and communities in Alberta," Schow said "That is w h y w e h a v e m a d e t h e d e c i s i o n n o t t o c o n t i n u e pursuing the bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games " T h e m o v e c o m e s w e e k s after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out of hosting t h e 2 0 2 6 C o m m o n w e a l t h Games because of escalating c o s t s , l e a v i n g o r g a n i z e r s "hugely disappointed " Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews s a i d t h e i n i t i a l e s t i m a t e o f Aus$2 billion (US$1 36 billion) n e e d e d t o h o l d t h e g a m e s would more likely be closer to Aus$7 billion

Racing prodigy Shreyas Hareesh dies after motorcycle crash

C opparam S hreyas Hareesh , a 13year- old prod igy from Bengaluru, s uccumbed to inju ri es that h e had s uffered followi ng a crash in th e th ird rou nd of th e MR F MMSC F M S C I I nd i an N at i o n al Motorcycle R acing Champio nsh ip a t t h e Ma d ra s I n te r nat i o n al C ircui t in C hennai l ast week

F o l l o w i n g t h e t r a g i c incident, promoter of the event, M a d r a s M o t o r S p o r t s C l u b ,

cancelled the remaining races s c h e d u l e d f o r S a t u r d a y a n d

Sunday B o r n o n J u l y 2 6 , 2 0 1 0 , S h r e y a s , a s t u d e n t o f K e n s r i

School in Bengaluru, was being hailed as a rising star, as he had won several races at the national level, including four in a row,

c o m p e t i n g i n t h e r o o k i e category of the Petronas TVS One-Make Championship this

season The incident occurred soon after the start of the rookie race for which he had qualified for pole position Exiting Turn-1, Shreyas fell following a crash a n d s u f f e r e d g r i e v o u s h e a d injury The race was red-flagged immediately and he was rushed to a nearby hospital in a trauma care ambulance stationed at the track

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital His father, Copparam Hareesh was at his bedside “It is tragic to have lost a r i d e r s o y o u n g a n d t a l e n t e d Shreyas, who was making waves with his prodigious racing talent, was provided medical assistance on the spot immediately after the incident and taken to the hospital," MMSC president Ajit Thomas said

C ri ck et w h ic h w as m o r e p o p u la r th an baseball in US earlier came back to that c ountry w ith th e inaug uration of M ajo r L eague Cricket (M LC ) on a subrub of Dallas, T exas It is exp ected to be at least wo rth $ 1 billion Recently, stars includ ing Eng land’s J a so n Ro y , A u s tr ali a ’ s A aro n F i nc h an d A fghanistan’s Rash id Kh an have been paid six-figure su ms to d escend on M orrisville, North Carolina and on a suburb of Dallas, T exas, for th e inaug ural season of MLC T h e M L C , a s i x - t e a m c o m p e t i t i o n m o d e l e d a f t e r t h e i n c r e a s i n g l y l u c r a t i v e I n d i a n P r e m i e r L e a g u e ( I P L ) , i s t h e brainchild of a group of investors, many of South Asian descent, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella The names of US cities and states are superimposed on franchises formed in Mumbai and Delhi As several IPL copycats popped up around the globe, they spied an opportunity to bring professional cricket back to their adopted home and serve a cricket-starved constituency in the region, which the sport’s governing body c l a i m s c o n t a i n s a n i m p r o b a b l e 3 0 m n devoted fans

MLC's investors made it a priority to gain acceptance into cricket's ever-crowding s c h e d u l e , w h i c h n o w f e a t u r e s T 2 0 competitions in nations including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa, England, the West Indies, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and Nepal The decision to play some of next year ’ s T20 World Cup in the US also added to the urgency, as did the potential inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, with America given the automatic right to field a team

The gamble, at least for Morrisville, has already paid off, with thousands of cricket fans flocking to watch the MLC’s group stage matches Some delighted in witnessing the competition’s first-ever century, shot in 41 balls by South African Heinrich Klaasen Trinidadian spin bowler Sunil Narine, who had flown in to captain the visiting Los Angeles Knight Riders, said, “We are not sure what is going to happen, but the game's roots in the country, which date back to the 1750s, are far deeper than those of the three m a j o r m o d e r n U S s p o r t s : b a s e b a l l , basketball and American football

Cricket came back to America, the land of baseball England team through to World Cup quarter-final after beating Nigeria

T he L i on e s s es d e f ea t ed N i ge r i a i n a dramatic penalty shootout to go to the W omen's World Cup quarterfinals W ith t hre e m in ute s r em ai ni n g i n re gula ti on , E n gl an d w a s d ow n t o 10 p la y er s af t er Lauren James stamped on Michelle Alozie of N igeria in a move Gary Linekar referred t o a s a " B ec k h am e s q ue m om e nt of madness "

But the Lionesses held on in extra-time to force penalties, with Chloe Kelly, Beth England, Rachel Daly and Alex Greenwood finding the target to secure a 4-2 shootout win England will now face either Jamaica or Colombia in the quarter-finals

Speaking after the match, Kelly, who scored the winning penalty, said: "We dig deep and we believe in our abilities and first and foremost we believe in what we re being told to do "

F o r m e r E n g l a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l L e e Henrie said the match was "not a classic performance" from England, adding that Nigeria were "excellent all over the pitch"

D Gukesh