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15 - 21 JANUARY 2022

9 Growing up in racist Britain

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

11 Tamil Heritage Month

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VOL 50 - ISSUE 36

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UK-India Free Trade Agreement to be launched this week

Former RBI Governor Urjit Patel appointed VP of AIIB, Beijing

EMPTY PROMISES? Figures from the latest report by Department for Work and Pensions suggest that many Pakistani and Bangladeshi children are living in poverty amid a mass shortage in the UK in every sector. The Prime Minister's promise to review the situation still remains unfulfilled.

Shefali Saxena A lot has changed in the UK’s economy in the past few months. A lot more is about to change, and the news doesn’t look promising.

For instance, child benefit payments will rise by 3.1 per cent in April 2022, when the new tax year begins. Currently, there are two Child Benefit rates, one for the eldest child and another for your additional child or children. The rate for your eldest or only child is £21.15 per week which equates to £84.60 a month, or just over £1,000 a year.

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For each of your other children, it is £14 a week which equates to roughly £56 per month, or just over £700 a year. Will this be enough for a bright and healthy future for the children of Britain?

Analysis of Department for Work and Pensions figures shows that when the Conservatives entered Government in 2010-11, there were just over 169,400 Indian children in poverty, out of 495,939. It reduced to 162 in 2019-2020 by 4 per cent, where 111 out of 597,356 children belonged to the community.

Continued on page 6

Diaspora left harassed by travel chaos

Amid total chaos of adhering to travel rules, some British Indian travellers are now sitting anxiously on the edge of their seats, while incurring financial losses in ticket cancellations and rescheduling.

The West Bengal government cancelled all direct flights from the UK to Kolkata due to the prevailing Omicron situation. As a consequence of this, many travellers who have been travelling between UK and India and vice-versa with great hope and enthusiasm are now trapped.

'In a much worse situation than others' Chigwell resident Purba Wadedar told Asian Voice, “I got my OCI done in November. I couldn't travel in December, because I had work commitments here.

Continued on page 5

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AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

15 - 21 January 2022

with Keith Vaz

Two hundred armed forces personnel to support NHS hospitals in London

ARUN PATEL Founder of The Polio Children Charity Arun was born in Uganda, he contracted polio when he was just 1 years old, he did not let that affect him. He came to the UK worked hard and at the age of 22 he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.

After having worked for KPMG he started his own Accounting firm, which he later sold to retire aged 53.

Arun started two International Charities that has helped over 30,000 poor and vulnerable children across the world. Herecently published his memoir “Out Of My Way, Polio”.

1) Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in? (50 words response) A small town called Chaklashi in Gujarat, my father's birthplace. It encapsulates the best of India, the warmth of the people and the place. Although I was not brought up in India, I do not feel that I am an NRI whenever I am there 2) What are your proudest achievements?

(50 words response) Workwise, having built up a professional practise from scratch and selling it to retire at 53. However, nothing compares with the sheer delight of winning “twice” at golf competitions which are dominated by the able bodied 3) What inspires you? (50 words response) Whenever I meet a child with disability who exudes energy and enthusiasm for living and thriving despite the heavy odds stacked up against him or her 4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career? (50 words response) At times a little voice inside me warning me to exercise caution and slow down. It stops me from daring to make bigger moves 5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date? (50 words response) Whilst running my professional practise the late Mr Jeremy Kane, one of our esteemed ex clients. He was full of enthusiasm and highly optimistic in any given situation. He helped me enhance my self-confidence by telling me to always “box a few notches above my weight” 6) What is the best aspect about your current role? (50 words response) Running charities (as opposed to

running business) means that one is never short of work. I know this does not sound well but it is a welcome relief from traditional businesses where one is always looking for more work 7) And the worst? (50 words response) The ever increasing need for resources (both human and material) to meet the pressing needs of thebeneficiaries of our charities. It is our constant companion 8) What are your long term goals? (50 words response) In Uganda, we have recently completed the construction of an orphanage that will look after 90 orphans aged 6 to 10. It will be a centre for academic and spiritual well-being for many of those traumatised young lives. I would like that model to be replicated whenever it is required 9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change? (50 words response) Every minister with responsibility in the cabinet or otherwise should be subjected to an annual “impact statement” review that would evaluate how effective he or she has been at work. He should be made available in public domain 10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why. (50 words response) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for his timeless and life transforming wisdom. His Transcendental Meditation technique has had a huge impact on my life and I would dearly like to have more of that wisdom

Northwick Park Hospital condemned for dirty equipment The Northwick Park maternity department has been told by health inspectors to improve its services and facilities after finding dirty and outdated equipment.

The hospital has been rated as “requires improvement” by The Care Quality

Commission (CQC) after an unexpected inspection last October.

This rating was better than the “inadequate” rating the hospital received in April 2021 following several baby deaths deemed serious incidents.

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But health inspectors said there are still problems with cleanliness and hygiene, organisation, and staff training.

The CQC report highlighted that the service has not always had sufficient numbers of midwifery staff with the “right qualifications, skills, training and experience to keep women safe from avoidable harm and to provide the right care and treatment.”

Inspectors found such things as loose patient notes and drug vials left out in the open.

Lisa Knight, the chief nurse at London Northwest University Hospitals, said: “We understand that we have more work to do… we’re paying close attention to the areas where we still need to make changes, and we’re totally committed to continuing with our maternity improvement plan.”

Two hundred Armed Forces personnel have been made available to support the NHS in London amid staff shortages due to Covid-19. The Ministry of Defence will provide 40 Defence medics and 160 general duty personnel to support NHS hospitals across the capital.

Service personnel began deploying this week and are expected to be on task for three weeks. Forty teams of five personnel, each comprised of one medic and four general duties personnel will be distributed flexibly to ensure support is targeted towards the areas where the need is greatest.

Military medics will assist NHS staff with patient

care. General duty personnel will support with tasks such as maintaining stocks, checking in patients on arrival and conducting basic checks.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Our brilliant armed forces have supported the country throughout the pandemic, bolstering the teams at testing sites, vaccination centres and hospitals. Once again they are stepping up to assist NHS workers who are working round the clock across the capital, helping the health service through this difficult winter period where the need is greatest. The most important thing you can do is get boosted now to

protect your loved ones and communities from Covid19.”

More than 1,000 servicemen and women have also already been made available to support the vaccine booster programme, including 730 in England, 221 in Scotland and 98 in Wales. Since March 2020, the military has supported over 440 tasks as part of Operation Rescript – the Ministry of Defence’s support to the UK’s response to the pandemic. Personnel supporting on Operation Rescript tasks have deployed from across the three services – Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force – and are a mixture of regulars and reservists.

Covid-19: 24 NHS trusts declare critical incidents Transport secretary Grant Shapps revealed that from England’s 137 NHS trusts, 24 have declared a critical incident due to pressures from the Omicron variant.

A critical incident means the trusts have reached an alert level suggesting priority services may be at risk of being overrun by demand.

Shapps told Sky News it

was “not entirely usual” for NHS trusts to “go critical over the winter” but acknowledged “there are very real pressures which I absolutely recognise.”

The UK’s booster rollout has meant hospitalisations have been increasing slower than Covid cases. However, there are concerns as NHS staff are among the thousands of people self-isolat-

ing because of the escalating number of Covid cases.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Jon Ashworth said it was important that NHS staff and other essential key workers got access to lateral flow tests so that those who are double-vaccinated can come out of isolation from day seven if they test negative twice.

Bachelor uses billboards to attract a wife Muhammad Malik, 29, is attempting to attract a potential partner for marriage by posting ads on billboards in London and Birmingham.

The billboards read: “Save me from an arranged marriage,” and point people to visit findmalikawife.com to find out more about him and submit an application.

Mr Malik is not against the concept of arranged marriage but said he hopes to find someone on his own first. He said: “I just haven’t found the right girl yet. It’s

tough out there. I had to get a billboard to get seen!”

Since the adverts went up on Saturday, Mr Malik revealed he’d had hundreds of messages from people expressing an interest in him.

He is “overwhelmed

and blessed by the positive responses so far” and wants to thank everyone for their applications and wellwishes.

After a number of failed attempts to meet women, Mr Malik’s friend suggested he, quite literally, advertise himself.

The billboards are set to remain up until 14 January and have the backing of his parents, family, and friends.

Commemorative 50p coin for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee The Royal Mint has unveiled a commemorative coin picturing the Queen on horseback ahead of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee next month.

The coin, designed by artist John Bergdahl, becomes the UK’s first collectable 50p coin and marks Her Majesty’s 70-year-long rule on the throne.

The Royal Mint, the original maker of British coins for 1,100 years, said the coin had been personally approved by the Queen and

resonates with the equestrian designs for the 1953 Coronation and the 2002 Jubilee crown pieces.

Clare Maclennan, the Royal Mint’s divisional director of commemorative coin, told Sky News that the coin has been “designed by

esteemed artists and made with original craftsmanship.

Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee coins are enduring pieces of art that will be collected, cherished and passed down for generations.”

Royal Mint Museum historian Chris Barker added: “The Queen’s legacy on coins stretches the length of her momentous reign… today’s launch marks another significant milestone, and the Royal Mint plays a proud part in the nationwide celebrations.”

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Thought for the week

It is a moral failure for the anti-vaxxers Novak Djokovic memes flooded social media over the weekend, some making a good laugh. Some were mocking the Australian border officials, some at Djokovic for being an anti-vaxxer and others made fun of the political backlash Australia faced from Serbia, as they stood ground to not allow the tennis player in. But on Tuesday, as the court ruled against holding him back at the detention centre, Djokovic ended an extraordinary day in Melbourne with his Australian Open. But his battle to stay in the country, may have a twist in the plot, with the government threatening to revoke his entry visa for a second time. It comes after he spent 4 days in a detention centre, when his medical exemption from strict coronavirus vaccination rules was denied by Australian border officials.

While this visa controversy has been damaging on all fronts, a British tabloid has reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson (who seems to have a flair for controversies) has hinted that the tennis star may be required to get vaccination against Covid-19 if he wishes to play at Wimbledon later this year. It is a bit heavy coming from the Prime Minister of a country, where an ICU doctor, Dr Steve James recently challenged Sajid Javid, during the Health Secretary’s visit to King's College Hospital, saying, “the science isn't strong enough" to support the vaccination policy.

The vaccines are reducing transmission only for about eight weeks with Delta. For Omicron, it's probably less,” he said. Of course, science shows that while vaccines remain very good at protecting against becoming severely ill with Covid, the protection they give against catching it and passing it on wane more quickly.

Poorer nations need every possible help with their vaccinations if the world wants to beat this pandemic.

There are countries which haven’t yet had their first vaccine dose and one of the main reasons we have many variants emerging. Unless everyone or at least most people are vaccinated, herd immunity cannot be achieved. Second, the rich, celebrities, stars and champions- the world icons and role models, need to encourage people take vaccines.

Djokovic who suffered from Covid in December 2021, could have afforded best treatments and medicines even without vaccines, but the poor will not only die, but when they are sick, there is practically no one to fill their pockets.

People are inherently hesitant, and research show in the western countries where health insurance costs are higher may see vaccination more palatable. In a social-welfare country like Britain, with universal healthcare system, all kinds of sceptics and believers enjoy the same care. But the pressure on the health care system is unsurmountable, as casual risk takers cripple the staff.

The Financial Times in an article on market based solution for anti-vaxxers pointed out, while over 70 per cent of the population in the UK has been fully vaccinated, the overwhelming majority of those needing the most specialist hospital care has been vaccinated partially or not at all. Even with relatively low rates of hospitalisation with the Omicron surge, and less ICU bed occupancy compared to the second wave, it has stretched the capacity of the NHS. To those who have been vaccinated yet suffered hardship because of lockdowns and failing care because of a collapsing NHS, this consequence is no longer acceptable.

Andreas Utermann offers a solution. He says one way to ensure the unvaccinated remains responsible, is if they are made to pay the of their own medical care in case of coronavirus hospitalisation, a policy that Singapore had introduced last year. But as some rightfully argue, this will affect the less well-off or ethnic minorities mainly, who are still disproportionately unvaccinated. Covid variants produce such starkly different outcomes in individuals depending on whether they are vaccinated or not, and until antiviral pills have proven to be a cost-effective alternative to vaccination to stop hospitalisation, this system needs adapt a policy similar to speeding fines.

Given Britain’s track record with leniency towards rule breakers, staring from its own government, it is unlikely the country would take this approach to salvage the situation. While the country has work to do, so that the remaining 30% vaccinates, it is a failure on human and ethical level, to witness no moral compunction to help each other live a healthy life or save that vulnerable neighbour.

Aristotle had said, man is by nature a social animal.

Their first duty should be to care for each other as a community. But in this roulette of blame games, and politicisation of every possible action, it is a shame that people are slipping away giving wrong messages to the world.

All eyes on India India is a new celebrity in the international arena. It’s diaspora, one of the largest, spread across the world, is holding the power to swing opinions and rejoice. This week has the biggest excitement, as part of a two-day visit to New Delhi, Britain’s Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan will hold bilateral talks with her Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal on Thursday 13 January where they are expected to discuss a range of issues including green trade and the removal of market access barriers for both UK and Indian businesses. They will also confirm the launch of official negotiations on a new UK-India free trade deal or FTA (story on page 17).

In 2019 almost 30,000 people were employed because of Indian investment in the West Midlands. The region could see a boost of up to £300m with opportunities for manufacturers of motor vehicles and parts.

As the political situation gets complicated in the UK, Rishi Sunak running as for the Prime Minister role is also creating a flurry of hidden excitements among the diaspora. The Chancellor, who has spoken to Asian Voice in the past (exclusively), is a quintessential British Indian, with the right immigrant values, deep in his heart. While Boris is still very much adored by the diaspora, the Indian community is forever famous for looking after its own!

Though Mr Sunak is unlikely to win a vote among conventional Tory supporters, the party must remember to bring a change for betterment and not out of spite. An unnecessary witch-hunt may hurt them more than they realise. However, Britain’s biggest failure remains the fading Opposition party, that is unavailable to hold the government accountable, even in its weakest times.

The Tory division and distrust were quite apparent when Sir Edward Leigh, a Brexit backing Tory last week, alleged Boris Johnson was being held to ransom by India, asking for looser immigration rules in exchange of a free trade deal. Mr Johnson immediately ditched the plan, part in appeasement and part in fear of being called a “push-over”. Frankly it is UK’s loss! Even after independence, 75 years ago, India has provided the UK with labourers, skilled-migrants and Britain’s richest menthe Hinduja brothers and the Mittal family, among many.

The eagerly anticipated book The Indian Farmers Protest: The Largest Protest in Human History 20202021 released by Sir-Inder Deol on Tuesday 11 January 2022, has featured Tan Dhesi MP for his contribution in highlighting the struggle of the Indian farmers issue within UK parliament. At the same time when India’s Prime Minister Modi’s security breach in Punjab was criticised as a political gimmick by some, the diaspora came forward to stand by him, showering with empathy and assurance. It shows how India and its people across the world are tied in harmony, united in distress, despite diversity and the age-old regional divisions.

Of course India is not problem free. Growing dependence on digital processes in the last two years of Coronavirus pandemic has given rise to the risks posed by cybersecurity threats globally, while at the same time widespread youth disillusionment, digital inequality and fracture of inter-state relations are some of the key risks for the Indian economy, according to a The Global Risks Report 2022, released by the WEF ahead of its online Davos Agenda meeting next week.

India has diabolical neighbours with eyes on the country’s vulnerable corners. But what countries like China forget is its history and old ties with India. The biggest contribution of India to the world faith has been the gift of Buddhism. Buddhism entered Han China via the Silk Road, beginning in the 1st or 2nd century CE. Meanwhile, Sarvastivada Buddhism was transmitted from North India through Central Asia to China. Direct contact between Central Asian and Chinese Buddhism continued throughout the 3rd to 7th centuries, much into the Tang period.

The Chinese immigrant community started living in India centuries ago and became more prominent in the late 18th century with arrivals working at the ports in Calcutta (Kolkata) and Madras (Chennai) and has gone on to contribute to the social and economic life of Kolkata through manufacturing and trade of leather products and running Chinese restaurants.

Though the community living in Kolkata and Mumbai is dwindling, it still holds the “fading” glory of the past - kindling the hope of a reconciled friendship between the two giant nations.

Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. - Winston Churchill

Political Sketchbook Alpesh Patel

Threats to Capitalism It may come as a surprise, but the underpinnings of our political system is not simply liberalism and democracy, but it is capitalism. Yet one more thing to differentiate us from the Communists. So what may threaten that part of what we hold dear? Readers of this paper especially know social mobility for our community has come from capitalism. And like democracy and liberalism – it isn’t always 100% agreeable, but we like it, even love it. My degree at university was politics and economics (with philosophy) and for good reason those subjects are intertwined so ofen.

The occasional spot of volatility aside, 2021 was a fantastic year for stocks. The S&P 500 (US market) finished the year up almost 27%, far ahead of the average total annual return since 1980 of 11%.

However, investing never comes without risk, and a significant correction or crash could be around the corner. Let's look at the threats to the stock market in 2022.

Inflation Inflation is a critical concern for 2022. The consumer price index is forecast to be around 7% for much of the year. The knock-on effect could be significant.

The Fed Inflation is a concern for everyone, especially the Fed. Much of 2022 depends on what moves the central banks make, and if the news on January 6th is anything to go by, they plan to move aggressively against inflation. That announcement caused a sharp sell-off, and worse could follow. With monetary policy set to tighten, and talk of three interest rate hikes throughout the year, this could be grim news for Growth stocks and the S&P 500 in general.

Indeed, increased interest rates could be the sort of issue that causes a 20% market correction during 2022. The increases will happen; how badly they affect equities is less clear.

Of course, not everyone believes that central banks will be able to control inflation. Some argue that globalisation and the rise of China reduced labour costs, and that trend is now being reversed.

Tech Stocks For Tech and Growth stocks, rising inflation represents some significant issues. The price of many Tech stocks relies on future earnings, and if inflation continues to increase, these distant earnings will look far less valuable. The early January correction that followed the release of the Fed's December minutes could be a sign of things to come.

End of Stimulus Packages If the Fed does tackle inflation, it will spell the end of the COVID19 stimulus. If we hit rate hikes during Q2, asset classes like equities and high yield bonds could perform well. However, depending on how much of the market recovery has been propped up by the Fed stimulus, some sectors could take a fall.

Lack of Diversification A concentration of tech stocks was responsible for a lot of the S&P 500 growth last year. Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet, and Tesla have driven most of the gains since last April. When a market relies on a few big players, it's vulnerable to changing conditions.

However, 2022 is likely to see some of the equities that lag behind Growth stocks find their feet.

Regulatory Risk Regulatory changes could cause issues across several sectors.

Midterm elections could see a bigger focus on drug pricing reform, which could hit Pharma. Travel could feel the effects of tightening carbon emissions regulations. At the same time, environmental and pollution laws could hurt the Energy sector. But if one sector should be most concerned about 2022 regulations, it's Tech. The EU's Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act could seriously disrupt Big Tech business models.

Labour Costs The S&P 500's P/E hit 27.2 at the end of last year. It's the highest P/E since the stock market bubble. Many analysts suggest that this is fine because profits will keep rising. However, things might not be that simple. Operating margins are rising, and the share of sales spent on operation costs is about 40% higher than 12 years ago. If more profits are consumed by labour costs, equities look very expensive.

New Covid Variants Both Delta and Omicron scares have come and passed. The market could absorb both these variants; however, it's unlikely that these will be the last form of coronavirus we hear about. A particularly bad strain could still damage and hurt already creaking supply chains.

Summary The general consensus among financial institutions is that we are set for a steady year, albeit one without the enormous gains of 2021.

For believers in the January Barometer (correct almost 85% of the time since the 1950s), the early sell-off may seem like a bad omen.

However, most of the significant threats to the stock market are familiar faces from 2021. Inflation, new coronavirus variants, and less favourable conditions for growth stocks could drag at the S&P 500.

February's federal funding bill and another debt ceiling debate could also cause issues. However, despite the numerous threats out there, opportunities will present themselves. And according to CNBC's Jim Cramer, everyone should keep an open mind about equities next year because the market might just keep on going up.

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Rishi Sunak gets back at Jacob Rees-Mogg over National Insurance hike Rishi Sunak got back at anti-tax Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg after he launched a personal revolt against Boris Johnson over a rise in National Insurance.

According to reports, he argued the rise could not be taken at the same time as energy bills rise on

April 1.

The Chancellor argued against Mr Rees-Mogg stating that without the tax rise, the £12.5bn to tackle NHS backlogs this year - and social care - will have to be grabbed from somewhere else.

Protestors condemn Priti Patel’s Nationality and Borders Bill calling it ‘racist’ Organisations such as Migrants Organise, Media Diversified and the Sikh Council UK have expressed their dissent against clause nine of Priti Patel’s Nationality and Borders Bill by protesting in Westminster.

The protestors believe that this bill will be used as a “tool to divide”. If passed, clause nine of the bill will allow the government to strip a British person of their citizenship without notice.

The bill that was passed in Parliament is currently being debated in the House of Lords.

More than 300,000 people have signed a government petition demanding to scrap the “racist” legislation.

Sabby Dhalu, 42, from Stand Up to Racism told The Independent that the sole function of the bill is simply racism which will be used against black people, brown people and refugees.

According to an analysis by the New Statesman, if clause nine of the bill is implemented, then it could impact up to six million people in Britain.

Man racially abused on Northern line Tube On December 11, Saturday, around 7 pm, a man travelling with his family was racially abused and pushed by two men as he was getting off the train at Tooting Broadway station.

British Transport Police officers have released the images of two men in connec-

tion with the incident. They believe that they might have information that will help them in their investigation.

A BTP spokesperson said: "If you recognise them, or have any information, please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 569 of 11/12/21.

Schools reopen, face 10% staff shortages On Tuesday, as schools reopened, headteachers have reported an absence of staff of 10 per cent or more. Staff shortages have been reported due to the Omicron coronavirus variant. Many schools have been told that they might need to suspend “specialist” subjects like music. Most schools in Scotland are due to reopen on Wednesday and Thursday.

Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that staff shortages were posing “logistical challenges” for heads.

Ian Bauckham, the chair of the Ofqual exam regulator, said to cope with staff absences, it might be necessary for schools to introduce “exceptional, emer-

gency timetable changes”.

He said: “In cases where a specialist teacher rotates between classes to teach subjects that sometimes include for example PSHE [Personal, Social, Health and Economic education], RSHE [Relationships, Sex and Health Education] or music, it may be possible temporarily to suspend the teaching of that subject and use that teacher to teach classes whose normal teacher is absent and unable to teach remotely.”

Labour MP Jack Dromey dies at 73 Labour MP Jack Dromey, 73, passed away in his flat in Erdington, Birmingham. It is believed that he died of natural causes. He was married to party grandee Harriet Harman.

On behalf of Mr Dromey’s family, the Labour Party issued a statement about the demise. The statement reads that he has been a dedicated Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington since 2010 and was a much-loved husband, father, and grandfather, and he will be greatly missed.

He was serving as the chair of

the Labour Group of MPs, and a Shadow Home Office Minister responsible for immigration.

Before becoming an MP, he served as Deputy General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union. He also took part in battles against the Militant faction within Labour during the 1980s during his stint as a long-standing Labour activist and influential figure within the party.

Late Mr Dromey had contracted and recovered from Covid-19 last year.

Thursday, the On Chancellor hit back publicly defending the tax hike.

He said: "And if you take a step back and look at why we're in this situation, it's because we're facing an unprecedented level of backlogs in the NHS,

and we as a government don't think it's acceptable.

"We don't want families to be waiting years and years to get the treatment they need. We want investment in more doctors, more nurses, more operations.

Peer Lord Nazir Ahmed convicted as a sex offender, call to strip off peerage 64-year-old peer Lord Nazir Ahmed who has been found guilty of sexual offences against two children in the 1970s might be stripped of his peerage. He was found guilty of two counts of attempted rape and one of buggery. At the time of the offences, buggery was the legal term for the specific sexual assault.

In November 2020, after a conduct committee submitted a report of Lord Nazir Ahmed sexually assaulting a vulnerable woman who sought is help, the latter resigned from the House of Lords.

Alexander Stafford, Rother Valley’s Conservative MP who

expressed his displeasure over Lord Nazir Ahmed retaining his title, has launched a petition to strip off the title.

“I will be speaking to my colleagues in the Department of Justice to ensure that this individual is not allowed to continue to hold a peerage, which would be an insult to his victims,” said Alexander Stafford.

required on or before day two of a traveller’s arrival in the UK. Along with this, fully jabbed will not have to do pre-departure tests, which will help save a family of four a combined total of around £300.

Passengers will not have to self-isolate as well until they receive a negative lateral flow test result, however, if positive, they will have to do a PCR test and self-isolate for at least seven days until the test comes negative. This will come in effect from 4 am on Friday.

Meghan Markle to receive £1 in damages for tabloid’s privacy invasion Following her triumph at the High Court and the Court of Appeal Duchess Meghan of Sussex will receive only £1 after a court found that the Mail on Sunday invaded her privacy by publishing extracts from the letter she had to send to her estranged father. The amount was shown in court documents.

It has been confirmed that the Mail on Sunday and its sister publication MailOnline have accepted defeat and they won’t appeal to Supreme Court. Last month, their publisher Associated Newspapers Limited had expressed doing the otherwise.

Along with the nominal sum, the Mail on Sunday will also pay an unspecified sum for infringing the Duchess of Sussex's copyright. The Mail on

RISHI SUNAK'S FAMILY DAY OUT Rishi Sunak tumbled on the ice rink and fell on daughter Anoushka while he was enjoying a day out with family at the Natural History Museum in London.

Dressed in jeans and a casual jacket, he was moving around the rink with her daughter when the MP lost his balance and fell on her. The pictures were taken by fellow skater Maddie 28, a communications officer from London, who was with her boyfriend James, 29. She said that he was skating for ten minutes before he staggered and dragged her down.

She added that he was down for about 10 seconds and then he got himself up. Last month, Sunak was accused of being at California than at his Treasury desk planning how to help struggling businesses.

Lord Nazir Ahmed

PM scraps PCR tests for holidaymakers The Prime Minister lifted all the travel restrictions including the scrapping of PCR and predeparture tests with an aim of aiding families to save hundreds of pounds. This move has given a boost to travel firms who are busy preparing themselves for a surge in demand for winter sun and ski holidays.

Fully vaccinated people who wish to travel will only have to spend between £20 and £30 for lateral flow tests on their return to Britain instead of PCR that are currently

in brief

NAVID SOLE APPEARS ON THE APPRENTICE 2022, REVEALS ‘EMBARRASSING’ PAST Navid Sole will be appearing on the reality show The Apprentice where he revealed his ‘embarrassing’ past. Sole who is hoping to launch a pharmacy business with Lord Sugar’s help has earlier appeared in Rich Kids Go Skint and Eating With My Ex. On BBC's Eating With My Ex, Sole created some tension and awkward moments when he was told by 'ex-girlfriend' Charlotte "I never saw you as a boyfriend." The conversation left Navid "flabbergasted".

Apart from appearing in Eating with My Ex, he's also appeared on Rich Kids Go Skint in 2019.

A HAIRDRESSER LOSES HIS SHOP TO MASSIVE FIRE Mujahid’s Hairdressers in Small Heath caught fire on January 4 leaving the ground floor of the Green Lane building 'completely destroyed.' Devastated owner Mujahid Ahmed, who set up the business five years ago was shocked to see the videos online. He was grateful for no one was injured as the fire was tackled by 40 firefighters.

He said that he is optimistic that he will recover from the damage and will be able to open the shop back up. A West Midlands Fire Service spokesperson said that they received a call at 12.45 am to report a fire at commercial property in Green Lane, Small Heath, where 40 firefighters were sent from Hay Mills, Highgate, Ward End, Ladywood and Billesley and Sheldon fire stations. A hydraulic platform was also sent to the scene from Highgate.

ELDERLY WOMAN DIES IN HOUSE AFTER CANDLE SETS CLOTHES ON FIRE Sunday and MailOnline were ordered to publish on their front page and homepage a statement announcing they lost the legal case.

In February 2019, Meghan claimed Associated Newspapers had misused her private information, infringed her copyright, and breached the Data Protection Act with the publication of five articles across the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline which included extracts from a handwritten private letter she had previously penned to her father.

An elderly woman died in a house fire on Frederick Road, Highfields, Leicester, after a candle in her home set clothes alight. At the time, she was the only person at home.

Firefighters came across the city and county.

The incident took place on December 30 around 4:30 pm. According to the neighbours, the woman was speaking when she was brought out of the house, however, she later died. After a thorough investigation, Leicestershire Police concluded the blaze was not suspicious. Post this incident, fire crews are planning to go back to the neighbourhood to interact with locals about fire safety and will offer home safety checks as well.

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Diaspora left harassed by travel chaos Continued from page 1

My parents are in their 80s and live on their own in Salt Lake, Kolkata. Their caretaker met with an accident and now not being able to work as regular. I booked my tickets in early November for 15 January. And then as cases started rising in Kolkata. Last week, I had a call from my travel agent who said the direct Air India flight was cancelled.

“My sister and I both live abroad. I am in my 50s and have two daughters. One is 22 and the other is 17. I've been in the UK for 27 years now.

“My dad is almost 88 and my mum is 82. When my father was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017, we rushed there, and he had a major surgery. He's somehow managing now. My mum had a stroke. We haven’t been able to see our family for years, I genuinely need to go and see my parents as they are completely alone.

“I know people are stuck in Kolkata and there are people who came here on holidays who are stuck too, but we probably are in a much worse situation than them.”

Ramita Ghosh from Wembley told the newsweekly, “My sister is getting married in Kolkata in February. My parents are have not been keeping well for a while. We did not go in October, during Durga puja, considering we had to go for this wedding. The Air India direct flight first got cancelled. So I had to be on the phone for 11-17 hours over 3 days, to reschedule my ticket via Delhi or Mumbai.

Every one hour, the call would

automatically drop. Then our his PCR test in Delhi before conSharing his agony of dealing with a flight was rescheduled via Delhi, tinuing his journey onto Kolkata. delayed departure amid a surge in now that has been cancelled too But then came the rule, where Covid cases in India, Datta told us, after Kolkata brought in a weekly West Bengal government decided “My return flight from Kolkata to flight restriction from some cities. to restrict flights from Delhi to London Heathrow has been can"We are travelling amidst two to three days a week only, celled at very short notice. uncertainties and exponential rise throwing Arijit’s entire schedule “I know at least two people in cases, because we are desperate into disarray. (who had family emergencies back to go and see our elderly parents. I “My flight reaches Delhi on a in Kolkata) flew via third city do not even know if I will reach my Saturday. I have a long lay over to (Delhi-Lucknow-Kolkata). In a only sister’s wedding! Everybody is do my test, get my result and all similar way, I am contemplating panicked. the other requirements, but now flying back to the UK via another “While our travel has been but my domestic flight has been more circuitous route.” restricted, party goers are neither cancelled too,” Arijit told Asian To further add to the complexstopped nor discouraged to gather Voice. "The next domestic flight to ity of the situation, Rajdeep’s tickin thousands. There are also absoKolkata is on Monday. Where will ets were not refundable. “This is lutely no restrictions another punishfor people living in ment travellers have India travelling to to face these days. holiday destinations Airlines sell refundlike Goa and able tickets at a preUdaipur for vacamium. For every tions and weddings! change on the ticket Thousands of peo(even when a flight ple are being is cancelled), we allowed to go to pilhave to pay fees,” he Jaydeep Anusua Nag Rajdeep grimage in said.

Bhattacharya Sengupta Datta Anusua Nag Gangasagar, but we Sengupta, a resident are not allowed to go back home to see our family I go with a small child for two of Manchester came to India to members. It is a shame." days? If I step out of the Delhi airafter four years on 21st November Arijit Datta from Edinburgh port, I will be needed to quaran2021. Her scheduled flight on 23rd tine for a minimum of 7 days, so I January 2022 got cancelled as it paid almost £2000 to travel with cannot take a flight on Monday was a direct flight from Kolkata to family to Kolkata, India. When he either! What do I do now? Do I London. With a two-year-old had booked his ticket last year, to change my ticket again? When can child, Anusua has to travel back to fly via Delhi, there was no testing I travel again? We don’t have the UK on 24th January, along requirement on arrival. So a short unlimited funds and holidays at with her baby, hoping that this layover was enough to change over work!" time, her flight would not be terminals in Delhi to continue his Punishment for travellers? rescheduled or cancelled. flight to Kolkata.

Rajdeep Datta arrived from the “My husband went back early But on 1 December as the for work but my daughter and I mandatory PCR tests on arrival UK to India on 26th December stayed back for a few more days,” were reintroduced, he had to pay 2021. Due to flight cancellations, she told Asian Voice. extra to reschedule his flight to he is now hoping to leave Kolkata “I wanted to fly back on a accommodate enough time to do for the UK on 16th January 2022.

direct flight just to make her more comfortable but it won’t be possible anymore because of the flight restrictions. My flight got cancelled and it took 3 days to reach Air India for rescheduling our journey. Now, I have to travel from Kolkata to London via Delhi which will be quite hectic for my little one,” a worried mother told us.

Jaydeep Bhattacharya took a direct flight to India on 26th December to spend the new year with his 82-year-old mom who stays alone in Kolkata. Jaydeep said, “My return was booked on 9th January by a direct flight. Little did I realize that all my happiness and peace of mind will be destroyed by this bizarre decision of the Bengal government to stop all direct flights. With great difficulty, I could now get a return flight booked via Delhi on 17th January 2022. I am absolutely disgusted with this decision and would like to understand/question - Does Omicron/Delta virus travel only by direct flight?”

He believes that a two-weeks notice is essential for such changes to be implemented. Air India did not give him an option before 17th January, an agitated Bhattacharya told the newsweekly.

He further argued how this decision alone has helped curb Omicron or Delta surge in the state. “If not, why harass and penalize the NRI community of Bengal that loves to visit their root and spends a considerable amount of money on foreign exchange?”

Bhattacharya argued.

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in brief

EMPTY PROMISES? Continued from page 1

However, figures suggest that in 2010-11 Pakistani children in poverty were 172,721 out of 348,675 total children from the diaspora. In 2019-20, it has increased by 88 per cent to 348,675 children in poverty out of 586,314. The Bangladeshi community, in 2010-11 had 82,971 children in poverty out of 137,089. Currently, it has seen a rise of 75 per cent, which is 145,511, out of 238,164 children.

Health inequalities between different ethnic groups A November 2021 study from researchers at the Universities of Sussex and Manchester, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, revealed stark health inequalities between different ethnic groups that are influenced by persistent restrictions from life opportunities due to racism.

The research found that at any age after 30, people from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds experience the worst health of any ethnic group, with rates of poor health that are equivalent to those of White people at least 20 years older.

For example, 22% of White British women in their 80s report poor health – the same proportion as for women from Pakistani backgrounds in their 50s (23%). And the rate of poor health for women from Bangladeshi backgrounds in their 40s (14%) is equivalent to that of White British women in their 70s (14%).

Dr Laia Becares, Senior Lecturer in Applied Social Science at the University of Sussex and co-author of the study told the newsweekly, “Racism at the structural, institutional, and individual level leads to both poorer health and socioeconomic outcomes.

Institutional racism in one sector or domain (e.g., education, the criminal justice system, urban planning) reinforces it in other sectors (e.g., employment, housing), forming a large, interconnected system that produces and maintains ethnic inequalities across and within generations. Equity-focused policy interventions that aim to reduce poverty improve the lives of minoritised ethnic groups over time and across generations are crucial, and we must also tackle racism, the fundamental cause of these inequalities.”

Rises in child poverty fuelled by benefit cuts A report by Community Care UK revealed that rises in child poverty fuelled by benefit cuts were associated with more than 10,000 more children being taken into care between 2015 and 2020.

The research, which is currently being peer-reviewed, suggests 10,356 more children living in English local authority areas became looked after than would have been the case had poverty levels remained at 2015 levels.

It also estimates that almost 22,000 additional children were placed on child protection plans, and almost 52,000 began an episode of being in need, over the same timescale. The study found increases in both child poverty and children’s services interventions disproportionately

sonnel who join will health workers in the capital, which has been particularly badly hit by the recent upsurge in coronavirus cases leading His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad awards prizes for to mass staff academic excellence at the Annual Convention of the absences in Ahmadiyya Muslim Community hospitals. affected poorer boroughs, parThe UK also continues to ticularly in the North East but face a teaching staff shortage. also the North West, parts of the Geoff Barton, the general secreMidlands and some coastal areas tary of the Association of School further south. It said this placed and College Leaders, told the a “double burden” of deprivation BBC that staff absences had been on these places. at “unsustainable” levels at some Following this, despite the schools, with up to 25% of staff £4billion of targeted support off in the week leading up to the that had already been put in Christmas break. place this winter, including Community comes together means-tested energy bill disAs a respite for some, the counts and help for those on Muslim community has also put Universal Credit, millions of in efforts to alleviate poverty, by families on modest incomes face mentoring and educating chilbearing the brunt themselves. A dren and awarding their endeavWhitehall source told the media ours to further inspire them that the PM and Rishi Sunak despite their economic backwere 'nowhere near' agreeing on grounds. a solution.

Asians are a powerhouse of Serious child harm cases report- economic activity and make ed by councils rose by 20% immense contributions in all According to an investiga- walks of life, not just Doctors tion by The Guardian, serious and Engineers, but Lawyers, child harm cases reported by Broadcasters, Academics and councils in England rose by Entrepreneurs. It’s perhaps the nearly 20% during the first year last that’s the most significant: of the pandemic, including a 19% almost 10% of economically rise in child death notifications. active Indians are self-employed Children aged under one with employees. The likes of accounted for 36% of notifica- Brothers Sri and Gopi Hinduja tions last year. are still at the top of the Asian It called for the intervention Rich List, along with fellow sibof local authorities. The Local lings David and Simon Reuben, Government Association (LGA) which speaks volumes about the called the rise “harrowing and a combined spending power in the huge cause for concern”. It said billions of pounds a year. extra pressure experienced by Farhad Ahmad, an Imam of families during the pandemic the Ahmadiyya Muslim may have fuelled the increase Community told Asian Voice, and said the abuse was more likely to have gone unseen “behind closed doors” during lockdowns.

Earlier last year, Daniel Willis, development finance campaigner at Global Justice Now, said, “There is a clear role for UK aid to playing in supportFarhad Ahmad ing the ‘global south’ during the pandemic and against climate “Within the Ahmadiyya Muslim change, but instead the govern- Community, its spiritual leader ment is chasing colonial post- and Caliph continues to emphaBrexit fantasies.” sise the need for our members to Too short of everything? excel in education across the Food price inflation reached world, regardless of race or backa 14-month high in October with ground.” the prices of favourite snacks In accordance with this, the such as crisps and soft drinks ris- Ahmadiyya Muslim Community ing the most. Annual grocery has established thousands of price inflation reached 2.1% last schools, training initiatives, month which is the highest since scholarships and mentoring August 2020, according to gro- schemes for students around the cery market analysts Kantar. globe which have led to not only A 5% rise in inflation was members of the Community but predicted for 2022 by the Bank of also thousands of others England. excelling in all fields of educaIn 2022, importers will have tion. to make full customs declaration He added, “Every effort is when their merchandise enters made to promote education and the U.K., instead of the 175-day to provide help and educational window they enjoyed following opportunities to underprivileged Brexit. The International Road children or those who are Transport Union says about 20% deprived in any way to ensure of all trucking jobs remain open, they are able to reach their despite rising wages. potential. In the UK, His Not to forget that Britain has Holiness awards prize to young recently reported a shortage of Ahmadi Muslim men and 100,000 health care staff, and to women who excel in education. combat that, Britain has “The Community also runs deployed 200 armed forces per- free tuition lessons, youth train-

ing programmes for personal development and career guidance. It also trains its youth from the age of 7 in personal skills such as public speaking, team building and leadership. Under the direction of the Caliph, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has always maintained this strong focus on education based upon the teachings of Islam.”

As a part of the Better Health Campaign, families will be given support to help to improve the diets of their children through a new campaign as the new statistics reveal the number of parents giving unhealthy snacks to their children has increased during the pandemic. But what was the fate of those living under extreme poverty in the Asian community? Do they have even enough to fit the nutrition chart supplied by experts?

It is important to note that most children from underprivileged backgrounds go to school, seeking at least one proper meal a day. While the pandemic was brutal to many despite the noble efforts of the Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and other ethnic minority institutions that provided free food packets and subsidies to economically backward households. It is difficult to say whether demands for Halal food at schools were met or not which has clearly suffered post-Brexit.

Sharing footballer Marcus Rashford’s contribution in alle-

PRINCE CHARLES WORE COMICAL DISGUISE IN 1980 Prince Charles was at a ski resort in Klosters, Switzerland in 1980 when he decided he wanted some privacy and went under the radar. He decided to sport a comical disguise of a fake moustache, false nose, joke glasses and a bright red hat.

However, it seemed that the disguise brought him more attention from onlookers and the photographers soon caught up with him. The Prince appeared to take the situation in good humour, and according to the Daily Mail told photographers that “the prince would not be coming out today.”

UK SUPERMARKETS RECALL PRODUCTS AFTER FINDING SALMONELLA Some of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains, including Tesco, Aldi, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, have recalled 16 products after salmonella was detected.

The warning has been issued for ‘Ready-toroll’ raw pastry and dough products made

by Bake Away.

A total of 16 products have been recalled, including supermarket own-brand items such as Tesco and Asda’s pizza dough, as well as Pizza Express dough and Galberts pastry. Customers have been encouraged not to use any of the contaminated products and to instead return the product(s) to the store they purchased it from for a full refund.

RISHI SUNAK BETTER OPTION FOR CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER Marcus Rashford

viating poverty among children, a spokesperson from FareShare UK said, “Support from Marcus Rashford MBE helped FareShare to more than double its food provision during 202021, and raise over £5m to provide food for millions of vulnerable children.

During 2020/21 FareShare redistributed the equivalent of 132 million meals to vulnerable children, families and individuals – an average of four meals every second, and Marcus’ support led to an increase in the number of FareShare’s individual supporters 100 times, we’re extremely grateful for his support. Marcus remains a FareShare Ambassador, a role model for many and continues to campaign on child poverty.”

The Prime Minister had promised Marcus Rashford he will correct "unacceptable" free school meal hampers being delivered to eligible families back in January 2021. “The precise nature of any review was not immediately clear. Sources confirmed that he had thanked Rashford for highlighting issues around food parcels and agreed that the contents of the most controversial parcel were “completely unacceptable,” the Manchester United footballer had said.

A year later, the precise nature of any review is still not clear, whether the PM has reviewed it or not.

A YouGov poll by Sky News has revealed that almost half of all Conservative members believe Chancellor Rishi Sunak would make a better leader and win more seats at the next general election than Boris Johnson. The poll, conducted between 30 December and 6 January, found that the percentage of people who think Mr Johnson is doing “well” in his role as prime minister has plunged from 85% in July 2020 to 61% now. There are doubts Mr Johnson will make it to the next election in 2023 or 2024 as the poll also revealed that 33% of people voted Mr Sunak as the next best replacement.

MENTAL HEALTH ORGANISATION INTRODUCES ‘CULTURALLY SENSITIVE’ COUNSELLING A mental health organisation focused on working with South Asian women has created an interesting new technique of counselling. Based in Keighley, Roshni Ghar has been providing help and support to women from South Asian communities who struggle with mental health issues for 30 years. The organisation now introduced ‘culturally sensitive’ counselling that seeks to highlight the pain and trauma South Asian women face. Shamim Akhtar, Manager at Roshni Ghar said: “South Asians make up a large proportion of Bradford, so we need to make sure that we are helping these women overcome the issues they are facing.” The organisation can be accessed through referrals from GP’s or social workers.

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100 years of Insulin

Rotherhithe community hero continues to fight immigration battle Vimal Pandya, 41, has been described as a “shining light” by local residents after dedicating his time to ensuring those in self-isolation during the first national lockdown received regular food and essential supplies, visiting the cash and carry every morning and delivering shopping on foot until 11.30 pm after his shift most nights.

On days off, Vimal spent his time calling isolated and vulnerable members of the community to lend an ear and offer companionship. His community service brought him to the attention of Sir Kenneth Olisa, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, who on February 12 last year wrote to Vimal on behalf of the Queen offering thanks for his extraordinary efforts.

Residents have expressed their despair at the situation and are calling on the Home Office to ensure Vimal can remain in his community. Vimal alleges that has been treated harshly and unfairly.

Vimal Pandya came to the UK on 24 January 2011. 11 years later, Pandya may lose his right to stay in the country.

Pandya’s purpose for coming to the UK was to have a fresh start, polish his skills and talent in management, leadership qualities and in financial modules to have a bet-

ter life. He came to the UK to study a course in management and technology.

Speaking to Asian Voice, the Rotherhithe resident said, “I have been put through a very difficult situation where it was extremely difficult to regularise my status. If I fail to get results in my favour, then authorities will send me back to India.”

Background Vimal claimed that he was refused re-entry following a return home in April 2014 to take an ill relative to her parents, UK Border Force agents informed him the college he was studying at had lost its right to sponsorship, but neither the college nor the Home Office allegedly informed Vimal.

He alleges that officers also erroneously advised him that he could apply to another college for study and sponsorship using an immigration status notice that would be posted in due course.

However, this was never received and having had both his passport and biometric residence permit retained by UK Border Force agents at the London City Airport, Vimal was left unable to secure further sponsorship.

When Vimal's chosen college lost its licence to sponsor foreign students (after taking his fees

2022 marks the 100-year anniversary of the first human ever to receive insulin

Vimal Pandya

which have never been returned), neither did it nor the Home Office, allegedly inform or grant him an extension so that he could search for another institution to complete his education.

It was only after instructing a solicitor to assist with the case before his visa expired in March 2015 that Vimal also learnt the Home Office had curtailed his initial stay to June 9 2014, a date that had already passed.

Since this time Vimal has spent thousands of pounds attempting to regularise his immigration status, earn his rights and complete his degree. Vimal’s elderly parents have also exhausted their funds trying to help Vimal to fight the case.

While awaiting permission to continue his studies Vimal has become an integral part of the Rotherhithe local community.

There is a petition on change.org that is trying to support Vimal’s quest of staying back in the UK.

Survey suggests 1.3 million people have long Covid in the UK Office for National Statistics survey suggests that about 1.3 million people in the UK have “long Covid”, symptoms lasting more than four weeks after an initial infection. 892,000 first caught the virus at least 12 weeks ago while 506,000 caught the virus at least a year ago.

The survey was done by asking roughly 352,000 people to record their own symptoms. However, there is no universal definition of long Covid and different studies use different definitions.

Symptoms that continue for

more than 12 weeks after an infection includes extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and "brain fog", according to the NHS. The ONS survey that was carried out over four weeks in

November and December 2021, suggests, of those with long Covid: 51% have fatigue ; 37% have loss of smell ; 36% have shortness of breath and 28% have difficulty concentrating.

University of Exeter senior clinical lecturer Dr David Strain said: "As we continue to see case numbers of Omicron rise, we must be wary that our reliance purely on hospitalisations and death as a measure of the risk from Covid could grossly underestimate the public-health impact of our current Covid strategy."

“Don’t treat Omicron as a mild disease” England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Witty has warned Britons not to treat Omicron as a “mild disease”. Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, he said that Britons should consider Omicron as a dangerous variant.

He said that rates in older people are going up and they might need hospitalisation. In order to reduce these rates, people should get boosted, he added.

"The idea that this is a mild disease as opposed to less likely to be hospitalised I think is easily demonstrated to be incorrect,” he said.

He stressed that London has been in advance of the rest of England in terms of "variety of different patterns" in hospitalisations. He further stated that though numbers are going up at a slow pace, but cases are still going up.

Sir Chris added that up to December 28, many people were admitted to hospital having Covid19 as their primary reason for admission, however, a “significant

Chris Witty

minority” who were primarily not admitted for the virus, contracted the virus in hospital.

Sir Chris also added that up to December 28, most people that were admitted to the hospital and have Covid-19 will “have Covid as their primary reason for admission”.

The government hopes the UK could become one of the first countries to transition from Covid-19 being a pandemic to endemic.

According to the Communicable Disease Control Handbook, a virus is endemic when there are “persistent, low or moderate levels of disease” in any geographical location.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News that he hopes “We will be one of the first major economies to demonstrate to the world how you transition from pandemic to endemic.”

However, scientists have contested this. Professor Christina Pagel, a member of Independent SAGE, told Sky News that, “We’ve literally just had a month of exponential rises of Omicron in our population – so we’re not at endemic stage.

“You can’t say we’re moving from pandemic to endemic.

That’s the virus’ timescale. It’s not ours.”

The word endemic is commonly associated with the notion

Hospital may lose 1,000 NHS anti-vaxxer staff A London hospital is at risk of losing 1,000 staff members if they refuse vaccination against Covid19 before rules on compulsory jabs for NHS workers are introduced in April.

NHS staff have started wearing purple ribbons to indicate their opposition to the introduction of compulsory jabs. Steve James, a consultant anaesthetist in the ICU at the hospital, has told health secretary Sajid Javid that the science does not support compulsory vaccines for NHS staff.

The latest figures show more than 91 per cent of NHS staff have

centres, libraries and football stadiums, and the school’s vaccination programme.

As pupils return from the Christmas break, hundreds of schools will be visited over the next fortnight as part of the NHS Covid Vaccination Programme, the biggest and fastest in health service history.

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and deputy lead for the NHS vaccination programme, said: “I know how much disruption Covid has caused for so many families over the past two years, affecting young people’s lives and education. Getting vaccinated protects

been double vaccinated, but more than 90,000 are still unvaccinated.

Javid discussed his visit to KCH and said: “One consultant told me his team estimated a shocking 70 per cent of Covid patients taking up beds in intensive care were unvaccinated. Their choice not to get vaccinated has clearly taken a toll not just on them as individuals but on wider society.

“And yet that same consultant later told me that he still hadn’t had a vaccine. This shows how much we still have to do to make the case for everyone making that positive decision to get the jab.”

IKEA slashes unjabbed sick pay IKEA has slashed the sick-pay entitlement for its unvaccinated staff members who have been forced to self-isolate after coming into contact with Covid-19.

Unvaccinated staff members, who have to isolate for ten days after exposure to the virus in line with government guidelines, could be given only the legal minimum of £96.35 a week.

This figure is significantly

Top GP urges families to protect children with NHS Covid Jab The country’s top family doctor today urged families to get their children protected against coronavirus, as the NHS vaccination programme makes hundreds of thousands of appointments available.

Dr Nikki Kanani said around half a million vaccination appointments for 12 to 15-yearolds are up for grabs across the country during January.

Families can book in at up to 300 centres through the online booking system.

The slots are in addition to those available at around 500 walk-in sites, including shopping

of learning to live with Covid-19, especially after research has shown the Omicron variant to be less likely to lead to serious illness and hospitalisations.

Professor Pagel said, “learning to live with Covid is about creating a safe environment whereby we can have as normal a life as possible.”

them, their family and their friends, letting them stay at school and continue socialising.

The vaccine is safe and effective my 13-year-old son had his first vaccination when I had my booster at our local pharmacy and it gave us both reassurance that he was protected as well, and he has recently topped up his protection with a second dose.

“Young people can get their life-saving protection at a walkin site or wait to get vaccinated at school, but the best way to make sure it happens quickly and conveniently is to book online now.”

lower than the average pay for shopfloor staff at the Swedish company who normally earn £11.30 an hour in London and £10.10 in other areas.

Government guidelines for fully vaccinated employees were eased in England in August to decrease the number of staff absences caused by the pandemic.

However, guidelines stayed the same for unjabbed employees.

IKEA employs 10,000 people and has 21 shops across the UK. The furniture company said mitigation would be determined on a case-by-case basis and fully vaccinated workers are still entitled to their full pay during the self-isolation period.

A number of large corporations, including the holiday operators Virgin, Carnival, and Tui, have made staff vaccination compulsory.

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“I don’t believe in vaccination,” doctor tells Sajid Javid Steve James, a consultant anaesthetist at King’s College Hospital told Sajid Javid that he doesn’t believe in vaccination as he got immunity from being "antibody" positive after exposure to the virus. He informed the Health Secretary that he worked in the ICU since early 2020 treating Covid patients, hence doesn’t believe in vaccination.

Sajid Javid during his visit politely expressed his

disagreement and urged the public to get boosted.

"I wouldn't say he agreed with me," he said. "I had the

LBC lay off radio host Maajid Nawaz Broadcaster Maajid Nawaz, 43, has dramatically left LBC Radio on Friday amidst the controversy over tweets about covid vaccines. He had questioned the use of booster jabs during the Omicron variant surge.

The radio station their statement thanked Maajid Nawaz for his contribution and declared that ‘he no longer presents a show on LBC with immediate effect’.

Mr Nawaz tweeted in response that his contract expires in April 2022, and he was scheduled to appear on Saturday. He also added that the show was the only source of income for his family.

Last month, Mr Nawaz tweeted, “What we do know

already, backed up by much academic research, is that MASS-VACCINATION DURING A PANDEMIC, with a jab that has not been studied for long-term side effects, could be doing more harm than good.”

This tweet was heavily criticised by his colleague Iain Dale, who called it ‘dangerously irresponsible’.

feeling he was listening,” Mr James told the PA news agency.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for King

Princess Sophia Duleep Singh to inspire children Nine to 13-year-olds will get to learn about the “extraordinary” story of an Indian princess, Sophia Duleep Singh in a book titled ‘My Story: Princess Sophia Duleep Singh’ by author Sufiya Ahmed. The book was launched at the Ancient House Museum in Thetford, Norfolk, which was founded by Sophia's brother, Frederick Duleep Singh, in 1921.

The princess was a daughter of the last Sikh ruler of the Punjab, Maharajah Duleep Singh, who grew up in Elveden, on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.

She made history in the

Computer gamer jailed for posting ISIS beheading videos Rayan Saab,22, a computer gamer from Nechells has been jailed for seven and a half years for posting ISIS beheading videos on social media. He was arrested and jailed for sending material to a fellow extremist and an undercover police officer.

He was convicted of four charges of disseminating terrorist publications between April 2019 and December 2020 following a trial at Birmingham Crown

Court. Previously, he had admitted of distributing material that can likely be used in the preparation of terrorism.

Judge Paul Farrer QC said that Saab possessed an extreme mindset and he

sent out a number of ‘books’ that glorified the actions of the Islamic State to another individual who had similar beliefs. The individual was later arrested but Saab’s views remained unchanged, and he started sending videos and material to the undercover officer.

Serena Gates, prosecuting, said the sole intention of Saab was to "encourage others to engage in terrorism. That is what the defendant intended."

Baking competition for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations A baking competition to find the best dessert has been announced as the first celebration to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

People across Britain are being asked to create a new Platinum Pudding and it is hoped that the winning dessert will be cooked in homes all over the country, becoming a favourite like the Victoria Sponge.

The competition is open to UK residents aged eight and over and any type of dessert is eligible for entry. The deadline is February 4 and a panel of eight judges comprising of

professional chefs, authors, and home bakers will shortlist the best five.

The five finalists will be welcomed to Fortnum &

College Hospital, said that it is not mandatory for staff to get Covid-19 vaccination, but they strongly support and encourage their staff to take the vaccination.

During the visit on Friday, the Health Secretary praised and expressed that he wanted to thank NHS workers across the country for "the amazing work they've been doing throughout this pandemic but particularly during these current challenging times".

Mason’s Piccadilly store in March to create their desserts live for the panel of judges in the final round.

The winner’s recipe will be shared across the nation.

Mary Berry and Monica Galetti are among the judges for the Platinum Pudding Competition.

Head chef at Buckingham Palace Mark Flanagan has told contestants to keep it simple and not to “include too many different flavours or textures in one dish. Most of us think of a pudding as a treat, so really make the flavours sing.”

early 1900s by launching a campaign for women's rights, risking her royal status.

Ms Ahmed said the princess became a committed campaigner for women's rights and was a member of both the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and the Women's Tax Resistance League, whose slogan was "No Vote, No Tax".

BBC’s Naga Munchetty praised for blood donation BBC Breakfast star Naga Munchetty has been praised by fans for sharing a picture of herself in a hospital bed after donating blood.

The post, shared to Instagram, has been inundated with comments from fans praising Naga for raising awareness about blood donation.

The video shows Naga giving blood alongside one of her favourite nurses.

She said: “Just done this @givebloodnhs with one of my favourite blood takers @willflanders.”

Naga said that she’d beaten her own record when it came to the speed of her donation, completing it in a record time of “5 mins 21 secs for approx. 0.5l,” she confirmed.

Talking in the video, Naga said: “It’s that time again, buttock clenching, leg raising, arm squeezing, giving blood today.

“If you can give blood and you want to give blood, just know that you are doing a good thing.”

The TV presenter has been called a “life-saver” by some of her fans following her noble gesture.

Why are you so serious?

Rohit Vadhwana 'Why are you so serious? Smile a bit.' Have you come across such comments by someone? It happens that a person is in a blissful state of mind, sitting quietly when someone feels that he is sad. This occurs because people have a misbelief that seriousness means sadness. It might be a case that a person is in his meditative mood - not talking to the outer world but interacting with oneself.

It is possible that sometimes you are not laughing – not showing the colour of your enamel - but still, you are in a happy mood. Right? Why is it required to show the lack of sadness by grinning? Isn't it a bit absurd if I have to wear a smile on my lips every time? People have different personalities. Some of them are reserved. They don't express everything to others. Making a judgement that such a person is in deep despair is utterly mistaken. Let’s not make such judgements.

It also happens in parties and crowds where people sitting and enjoying the atmosphere are misinterpreted as being non-participative. Some people may not be dancing, may not be singing along with the DJ, but it does not mean they are not enjoying their time. A few guests might just like to be part of the celebration, but not by acting, merely by watching. What is wrong with it? Why compel everyone to be off the sofas and join others to dance? Maybe they have never done it, and they might not even enjoy it. Not everyone expresses happiness by singing a sweet romantic song and making a graceful dance move. There is a big herd of people who have less expressive ways of enjoying their time. It is unfair to pressurise such people to try some steps on a song which they haven’t even heard in their lifetime.

Better to let them relish the company and crowd, lest they may not turn up next time.

Happiness has different ways of expression. Some are loud and evident, while others are soundless and inaudible.

Let the person decide how he is comfortable in being happy. Let's not make a conclusion that anyone who doesn't say 'I am happy' is necessarily 'unhappy'. Let's not put a burden on people to keep proving their cheerfulness. The absence of sadness should be considered enough in one's life to be considered contended and fortunate. So, next time, before you advise someone, `Smile a bit, why so serious?' remember that it might not be necessary. His happiness might be well present around him, just invisible to others.

(Expressed opinions are personal)

One Kilogram of ‘Shonar Bangla’ tea to cost £1.4 million The Golden Bengal or ‘Shonar Bangla’ which is the world’s most expensive tea is being sold at a price of 14 Crore INR per kilogram (approximately £139,0178).

The whopping price is due to the fact that every leaf of the tea is covered with gold.

The tea will be launched in May 2022 through the historic London Tea Exchange.

Legend says that poet Rabindranath Tagore was an ardent lover of Japanese Tea. “He is currently the inspiration for naming the most expensive tea in the world. The Golden Bengal.

Sonar Bangla. The Most Expensive Tea in the World.

The price is 14 lakh pounds per kg, which means 1 kg The Golden Bengal Tea in Indian currency is 14 crore rupees. The Golden Bengal is going to make its debut in the new year,” a publication reported.

Aliur Rahman, the head of the London Tea Exchange, told Business Today, “The most expensive tea in the world is The Golden Bengal Tea. The source is the Sylhet district of Bangladesh. Black tea in type, but its golden presence in the transparent cup. The process of making The Golden Bengal Tea is also quite time-consuming. It took about 4 and a half years. Only 1 kg of tea leaves is selected from 900 kg of produced tea. 24-carat gold coating on each leaf.”

According to Rahman, it took about 4 and a half years to prepare this tea.

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15 - 21 January 2022

No free prescriptions?

According to a report by Chemist4U, looking at the total number of prescriptions given in England over the last five years, there has been a considerable increase as the years have progressed. In 2015, around 1,073,128,330 prescriptions were given, with this number increasing by just over 20,692,230 for 2016.

Prescriptions have risen year on year

until reaching 1,114,519,621 in 2020.

Based on figures so far for 2021, it’s likely that this year will increase again to 1,123,408,776 prescriptions given, but only time will tell.

Overall, the most prescribed medication from 2015 up until 2020 are Statin type drugs (Simvastatin, 2015 and Atorvastatin from 2016 to 2021) both are a form of medicine used to lower cholesterol and you will be prescribed these if you have been diagnosed as having high blood cholesterol. From 2015 to 2021 these types of statins have been prescribed 275,526,511 times nationally, Prescriptions for most adults in the United Kingdom sits at £9.35 per item but there are automatic exceptions granted for those deemed in need of assistance.

Currently, that includes those over 60 years old, who are granted the right to free prescribed medication.

But there are plans to bump the qualifying age up to 66 which would force millions of over-60s to start fronting up for much-needed antibiotics, illness treatments and other drugs.

The proposed change is expected to impact around 2.4 million people who would be out up to an extra £100 a year.

From 1st April 2021, the cost for NHS prescriptions in England rose to £9.35 per prescription item, an increase of 2.19% from the 2020 prescription cost. Back in 2011, figures show that the average prescription cost for a single item was £7.40. As a result, this means that in a time span of ten years, the cost of a prescription has risen by 26.4% (a £1.95 increase per single item).

Scotland and Wales currently allow free prescriptions for everyone. Age UK director Caroline Abrahams has said that the idea to take away funding for over-60s until they turn 66 is "a bitter pill to swallow for millions”. Abrahams told The Express: “We want the Government to realise this will hit those on lower incomes hardest.”

Growing up in racist Britain Shefali Saxena Nationwide research revealed back in 2019, that ethnic minorities in Britain were facing rising and increasingly overt racism, with levels of discrimination and abuse continuing to grow in the wake of the Brexit referendum.

71% of people from ethnic minorities reported having faced racial discrimination, compared with 58% in January 2016, before the EU vote, according to polling data seen by the Guardian.

The percentages of people from Black and Asian backgrounds reporting racial discrimination grew by more than 10 points since the EU referendum. Seven out of ten people from ethnic minorities in the UK believed racist beliefs and discrimination are widespread.

Meanwhile in 2021, under provisions in Clause 9 of the Nationality and Borders bill, nearly six million individuals could be stripped of their British citizenship without warning.

Are immigrants being treated as second class citizens a recent phenomenon? Here’s a story of a man who establishes that Britain was always racist.

Jagrut Patel, a former banker, is now a property businessman in Dorset and a parttime black cab driver in London.

He came to the UK with his parents and brother in 1986. The family moved into Patel’s grandparents’ house. “I wasn’t told that we were coming for good,” he told Asian Voice. Originally from Anand, India, Patel’s mother is a Swaminarayan devotee, who came to the UK from Uganda.

Jagrut went to school and university in the UK and eventually started working. Over the years, he saw and felt racism in Britain in different forms, “some were subtle, some, loud and clear.”

Describing the first time he went to play outside, Jagrut said

that some teenage boys (15-yearolds) came up to him and started kicking him for “no reason”. He was flabbergasted. Then a woman shouted at him, “Why are you in this country?”

In 2003, when Jagrut bought a store in Dorset, a customer told him he didn’t belong there.

After finishing university, Jagrut bought his own business in the countryside. “From the very first day, it became obvious that I was like an eyesore,” he said.

Jagrut calls it ‘subtle racism’ which in his understanding was polite, but still racist. He is married and has three children who have also suffered a similar fate.

Patel reiterated that Britain was racist before Brexit.

“There is strong reluctance Timeline - In London 1986/87, Jagrut Patel was kicked around a playground by teenagers for the colour of his skin.

- In 2003, he moved out to the countryside and encountered a lady in her late 70’s from an affluent background who passed racist remarks.

- Between 2003 - 2015, a number of theft and racial reports were submitted to the Police, which they failed to investigate. One included CCTV evidence, which went to court, but the court dispelled the case on grounds of lack of evidence, completely disregarding the CCTV footage.

- In 2010/11, Patel had to take a local primary school to the LEA (Local Education Authority) for not dealing with bullying and racial issues at school. They kept brushing it off as playground matters. Patel had a long fight with the school and the board of governors to even acknowledge the matter as bullying and racism.

Jagrut Patel with his family

from the authorities to address racism and admit it exists. There could be a number of reasons around this, Ofsted reports, regional racial records (Lottery funding) which impact on regeneration fundings and PR,” Patel to us.

After Brexit and during the pandemic in May 2020, Patel wrote a post on Facebook which captured the attention of the local community.

In his post, Patel wrote that he and his daughter went on a jog in Gillingham, Dorset on 9th June 2020. As they were jogging past the co-op roundabout, a silver Zafira with a Caucasian female driver and male passenger did a full loop of the roundabout. “Obviously, you’d look at the car. Upon seeing us, the male shouted ‘PAKI!’,” he wrote.

Here are some selected excerpts: “This is Gillingham, Dorset on 9th June 2020. Please do not patronise me with stories of that is a minority and everyone else is wonderful.

“My ten-year-old girl heard that. What has that man given her as a memory of what strangers think of her in the town she was born and lives in? Her mother is a teacher at Gillingham School, she teaches hundreds of kids at Gillingham High School. Her elder two sisters have both experienced racism in their primary schools.

“My wife experienced it in a micro-aggression manner, not even the teachers who knew

Sikh boy, 18 speaks about attack in Ealing Naveen Gharyal An 18-year-old Sikh boy has spoken of his ordeal after he was attacked by three violent hooded thugs in Ealing on Tuesday evening.

The attack, which occurred at approximately 7.10 pm on Windmill Road, left the teenager bloodied with a facial injury.

The teenager, who wished to remain anonymous, told Asian Voice, “It makes me annoyed that it happened because it was preventable. I feel like I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I usually would have never been there.”

The boy was in a taxi heading towards Ealing Broadway when his friend told him he wouldn’t be able to meet him. The taxi driver refused to take him home and dropped him by a closed-off area on Niagara Avenue.

The boy was then chased down the road by an unknown suspect but was cornered by two more thugs who proceeded to pull his Joorah (topknot of long, uncut hair kept by Sikhs) and beat him up. They took his phone and schoolwork, left him there, and ran.

After being denied help from a nearby Premiere Convenience Store, the teenager was saved by a Tesco delivery driver who called the police and ambulance service after seeing the bloodied boy run out onto the main road.

The teenager believes the attack was not

racially motivated. He said, “No, I don’t think it had much to do with racism, but I do think the attackers were opportunistic in using my Joorah to hurt me. But I don’t think it’s the reason they attacked me.”

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, between June 2016 and March 2020, robbery increased by 16 per cent in London compared to 6 per cent across England.

The 18-year-old believes “attacks are becoming more and more common in London” and feels it has become unsafe for people to be outside and alone in the dark.

Kiran Panesar, the mother of two young Sikh boys who keep their hair in a Joorah, feels a sense of shock at how the thugs attacked the teenager and pulled his Joorah.

“It’s worrying for me as a mother when you hear about things like this happening in our community. I have two young boys who both have a Joorah and now I’m left concerned about something like that happening to them,” she told the newsweekly.

“It may not have been a racial attack but at the same time, a young Sikh boy had his Joorah used against him in a violent attack.

To a Sikh boy or man, their hair is their pride and in this case, the boy’s hair was disrespected and that is wrong. Very wrong,” she added.

There have been no arrests and enquiries are ongoing.

about it could reply appropriately.

“Because after sixteen years of having lived in a town with a population of under 10,000, having worked with people, directly and indirectly, we have a catalogue of racial crimes/grievances which have been unaddressed.

“But if one family has experienced over 20 counts of racial discrimination in a space of 16 years, the citizens have to accept there is much work to be done in terms of acceptance and tolerance.”

Following this, Dorset Police got in touch to investigate this and promised a thorough investigation. The local MP also got in touch with Patel. However, nothing ever happened. A local resident recognised the person and details were given. The Police interviewed the individual, but it was deemed insufficient because he didn’t admit he said anything racial. The MP made his political excuses and left it at that.

Patel added further, “To this day my daughters will get racially abused, the school will not take the matter seriously or put into place long term measures to address racism. The head teacher’s view is he won’t exclude any individual from this kind of issue. The students keep getting away with it, and the problem is never addressed, and these children grow up in society to inflict further racist views in society.”

“However, their lifestyle, their upbringing, their knowledge, their environment, is all English. They associate with and understand more about Christmas than they do about Diwali. My kids are very antiracist, anti-homophobia, antisexism, and all about women's rights, and are growing up with a new set of ideas of their own.

I don't try to impose my beliefs on them. I just try to correct them in my own way,” Jagrut told the newsweekly.

PM says “currently no evidence” of Omicron affecting BAME differently Shailesh Vara MP asked a pertinent question to the Prime Minister last week in the Parliament.

Vara said, “At the start of the pandemic, there was evidence that members of the black, Asian and minority ethnic community were more vulnerable to the covid Shailesh Vara MP virus. Has any analysis been carried out to determine whether omicron acts in a similar way? The Prime Minister will appreciate that that is of particular relevance given the significant number of people from the BAME community who work in the health and care sector.”

In reply to a question in Parliament the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said that there is “currently no evidence” that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 affects the BAME community differently to other communities.

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15 - 21 January 2022

Child abuse of ethnic minority children I grew up in the 1960s and as ethnic minority children, we were bussed from our local area to schools in mainly white areas. As children. the government at the time abused us by forcefully sending us to these schools by denying entrance to local schools.In the 1960s and 70s Britain, immigrant ethnic minority children were dispersed across schools in the hope that it would help them integrate. The process saw children - largely of South Asian and African or Caribbean descent - being "bussed" out of their local areas to go to school At these white schools, we were subjected to racism, abuse, assaults and bullying with teachers not caring. We are deliberately being forgotten from history yet there is NO inquiry. Amazing - we have no rights!

Somehow this is being buried but there are lots of us who had to endure this state-sponsored abuse.

Gurpal Virdi

English was a foreign language Before 50 years, English was a foreign language for the people who migrated to the UK from foreign countries. Due to this, it was difficult for them to fill English forms. Sangam Advice Centre was started to help them. After 50 years now the situation has changed a lot. Several people either speak English or their second-generation children who were born here can fill the forms easily on the internet.

In addition to this, information to run the administration according to the legal and government regulations is crucial. For this purpose, the trustees are required to devote sizable time. With time passing by, it is getting difficult to find knowledgeable trustees who can work voluntarily.

This year three out of seven trustees are getting relieved from their responsibilities and no other new candidates have shown readiness. Currently, the advice for permanent residency to foreigners (immigration) is provided by incurring losses. On the other hand, many of these foreigners are able to afford to pay for important personal advice. It is also to be noted that most of the guidance and services provided by the Advice Centre is also provided by the Citizen Advice Bureau.

Citizen Bureau of Barnet and Harrow is located close to Sangam and they provide this type of guidance free of cost.

Looking at the times regular income is difficult for Sangam and receiving a new grant is getting difficult with time.

Ultimately the board has come to the conclusion to shut down the Advice Centre and fulfil the objectives of Sangam by instead diverting the grant to other charities that provide counselling services related to domestic violence and mental health or to any other registered charities. This very difficult and vital decision has been taken by the trustees of Sangam after a lengthy thought process and discussions.

The objectives of charity can be fulfilled through other means also. We will still try to make efforts to support and help the community in different ways. Sangam centre will continue other activities like senior citizen club and coaching of bridge and yoga.

Vibhaben Joshi, Mumbai (Sangam center President Vibhaben Joshi was in Mumbai.

When she came to know about a letter by a reader published in 'Gujarat Samachar' dated 25-December-21 that 'Sangam Advice Centre is closing', she immediately wrote this letter to explain the organisation's standing.)

KHICHADI

Three plead guilty to running illegal school

If you pay peanuts …

I refer to Rashmi Jeshang’s letter in last week’s AV commenting on my letter, MP’s pay published in AV dated 26th November 2021. While I understand the sentiments behind the argument, the writer has to understand we live in a world addicted to money which brings along high living standard, comfort and in some cases prestige. He may have read my letter, perhaps superficially, definitely not digested its contents and the message I tried to convey, that is no second jobs, aids treated as civil servants and paid by the government, as well as all other expenses, so no personal allowances, no cushy jobs for their partners. MP’s annual earning is less than what Premiership footballers earn in a week, many of them could hardly write their own names, gamble away their hard-earned cash without a care in the world, easy come, easy go!

Our MPs earn on average £81,000 annually, while the EU average is Euro 96K but Italian and German MPs are highest paid with much better expense allowance than what our MPs receive. Yet they work 24/7, receive on average one thousand messages weekly from their constituents for help and that include telephone calls, letters, emails, text messages, as well as meeting MPs personally in their monthly surgery. Yet some of us believe it is a cosy, kleptomaniac job, licence to print money!

As I have volunteered for my MP, I know how difficult, now even dangerous their jobs are. Even with all recent scandals, our MPs are one of the most honest and hard-working in Europe. So give praise where it is due, one rotten appeal in a barrel is inevitable, should not tarnish all politicians. We need politicians of high calibre, well educated, righteous, dedicated and patriotic. Many have become MPs to serve people, giving up well-paid jobs or profession that deserves our respect, not ostracism and well-earned financial reward. After all, it is not a permanent, lifelong lustre job most of us believe. If we pay peanuts, we know what to expect!

Bhupendra M. Gandhi

Two people and a charitable trust have pleaded guilty to running an illegal school, following an investigation

by Ofsted. In a hearing at Sheffield Magistrate’s Court, Shahjan Yasmin Hussain, Chair of Trustees; Dr Shathea Zamzam, Manager; and Yorkshire Tuition Centre have admitted to running an unregistered school.

The case was heard on 5 January 2022 and is the latest successful prosecution of those running unregistered schools. Deputy Senior District Judge, Tanweer Ikram, made a clear judgement that the defendants in charge “wanted to carry on under the radar without the requirement of regulation”.

The illegal school, Aysha Tuition Centre (ATC), was located at premises previously used by a registered private school, Oak Tree High (OTH), which had closed because it was failing to provide pupils with a good education.

Ofsted inspectors found ATC was operating on the same site and employing many of the same staff as OTH to teach former pupils of the failed private school.

ATC was investigated

by Ofsted’s unregistered school’s task force during 2021. Inspectors found evidence that the setting, which claimed to be a tuition centre, was, in reality, providing up to 28 children with full-time education.

The sentence handed down by Judge Ikram included:

• • •

£500 fine for Yorkshire Tuition Centre, a charitable trust which oversaw the illegal school, ATC Hussain and Zamzami to undertake 80 hours of unpaid work and be subject to a community order for 18 months £500 contribution to be paid between the 3 defendants toward the cost of the prosecution

Boost your skills and get on the path to a better job in 2022 National Careers Service careers are providing workshops starting on 17 January to take you on the journey and guide you through the process of planning your next steps and managing your career, from thinking about what skills you have to being ready to apply for jobs and make a good impression on employers.

Each week will cover a new topic to improve your employability and help you to be as prepared as possible to go out and get that dream job.

• 17-21 Jan: Reviewing skills and interests • 24-28 Jan: Exploring careers and your local jobs market • 31 Jan – 4 Feb: Identifying learning • 7-11 Feb: Writing your CV • 14-18 Feb: Making a good impression in the interview Each workshop will be hosted online by a professional National Careers Service careers adviser, with expert local knowledge, who will help you identify opportunities in your area. They will be on hand to provide further free and personalised careers advice if you need more support.

Bursary for Kashmir Shaivism & Kashmiri Hindu Studies 2022, now open “Nainika's Bursary for Kashmir Shaivism & Kashmiri Hindu Studies” fund 2022 contributions are now open.

For the unaware, Nainika's Bursary was set up by Lakshmi Kaul in her late daughter, Nainika's memory to contribute to further the pursuit of Kashmir Shaiv Darshan studies at the University of Oxford in 2019. The Bursary is included in the full list of Scholarships each year and for this year will be included in the full list of Scholarships for May/ June 2022.

According to Lakshmi Kaul, Nainika’s mother and Kashmiri Hindu, “So far we have raised close to £2000 and hoping to push this up to £10,000 to support more students of Kashmir Shaiv Darshan.” She seeks continued support and patronage of this bursary to deepen the work of preserving and scholarly pursuit of the Kashmir Shaivism studies.

Kaul added, “Every tiny contribution helps so grateful for any amount of contribution from anyone you know might like to make. International donations are welcome too as OCHS is a registered charity. I express my gratitude to the students of Kashmir Shaivism and scholars taking an interest in the domain to deepen theirs and through them, our understanding of our own heritage.”

Kapil’s

Follow me on Twitter: @kk_OEG

Arise Sir Malfeasance Kapil Dudakia Prime Minister Tony Blair was finally awarded a Knighthood by Her Majesty in the New Year honours list. No sooner was the news released and all hell broke loose with attacks on the new ‘Sir Tony Blair’ (or to give him his full title: Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair KG) from social media activists, leading commentators, politicians and even members of the Labour Party.

I was quite surprised with this out pouring of anti-Blair sentiments. People even took to setting up a petition to demand for Her Majesty to rescind the Knighthood. As I write, the petition had passed 1000000 signatories. The petition states: ‘He (Blair) was personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicemen in various conflicts. For this alone he should be held accountable for war crimes’. Which is quite ironic.

Afterall, people are angry that he has been given a knighthood for doing exactly what knights of past have always done – kill people.

If you look at the history of knights, it’s clear there is a direct relationship of being knighted and the role one played in armed conflict to protect the throne (nation). There have been many types of knights over the centuries, from those that did the bidding of the Church to those who did the killing for the monarch.

So for Tony Blair to be given a knighthood seems to be in keeping with precedence. After all, the accusers make him personally responsible for the death of tens of thousands of people post 9/11 and the subsequent ‘war on terror’. Blair seems to have fulfilled the very definition of being a true knight! In fact, he might even be the greatest knight given the devastation of nations and people left across the middle east and Afghanistan in his wake.

For me this brings into question the very essence of honours. The British honours have been created over time to reward those who helped the monarch and/or the state in the subjugation of people and the looting of nations across the world. Honours by their very definition are not honourable. They represent the supremacy of the white Christian of their dominion over people who did not look like them.

I am all in favour of awarding national recognition to those who have served the nation and its people with true honour. Those who have gone beyond the call of duty to support the very fabric of our society. However, to continue to use the old morally and ethically bankrupt honours system is no longer tenable.

Recently I wrote a piece titled, ‘Truth Commission: The British Raj and India’ in which I propose that it is in the interest of Her Majesty (and PM Johnson) to take the opportunity, whilst it still exists, to set up a proper Royal Commission to investigate the true history of the British Empire. For it is by acknowledging the truth that one can begin to consider the first steps towards a reconciliation. And part and parcel of reconciliation also demands some form of reparation. As long as Britain hides from the truth, and champions an honours system that is so steeped in the blood of the innocent, how can we ever move forward? How would we feel if the Germans had an award named after Hitler?

It is pathetic that some 1000000 people signed a petition to vent anger against the most successful Labour Prime Mister in history. Yet, where is the national outcry for the genocide and ethnocide of people and nations committed in the name of Queen and country?

Arise Sir Malfeasance says it all I guess.

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 Rupanjana at rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com

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Thinking of South Africa

Ruchi Ghanashyam Mrs. Ruchi Ghanashyam is the former High Commissioner of India to the UK. With a career in Indian Foreign Service for over 38 years, she has been posted in many countries including South Africa, Ghana, before arriving in the UK. She was only the second woman High Commissioner to the UK since India’s independence and during her tenure, she witnessed a number of significant developments in the UK-India relations. @RuchiGhanashyam South Africa lost Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the close of the outgoing year on December 26. He was known for the role he played for ending apartheid in South Africa and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 for his nonviolent opposition to apartheid in South Africa. He was given a state funeral on new year’s day on 1 January at St George's Cathedral, the Anglican cathedral in Cape Town. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described Tutu as "the spiritual father of our new nation".

A great disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, Tutu adopted nonviolent struggle to oppose apartheid in South Africa. He later chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Committee that helped to heal post-apartheid South Africa.

South Africans had not even finished mourning the loss of this iconic leader, when a large fire broke out and severely damaged the Houses of Parliament in the South African city of Cape Town, just a stone’s throw from the place where the funeral mass for Archbishop Tutu was held, just the day before. President Cyril Ramaphosa described his shock at the damage caused by the fire, calling it a "terrible and devastating event", adding that Archbishop Tutu would also have been devastated.

As dozens of firefighters battled the flames, fire and rescue service officials explained that putting out the fire completely was made harder by the carpets and wooden floors in the building. A member of the Cape Town mayoral committee for safety and security told reporters that the roof above the old assembly hall was "completely gone", and even after several hours, it had not been possible to gain access to the precious historical artefacts inside the old chamber. Strong winds caused smouldering wood in the roof to catch fire again a day later before firefighters doused the blaze.

Parliament was not in session and there

were no injuries reported.

It is the second fire at the Parliament in less than a year in March there was a fire caused by an electrical fault. Last year, a fire also ravaged part of the University of Cape Town's library, which was home to a unique collection of African archives. Reports indicate that some fire safety measures were not in place at the Parliament building; the fire sprinklers had not been activated during the fire; the alarm system did not work, and doors supposed to help block the fire from spreading were kept open by latches.

Parliament House in Cape Town was made up of three sections.The oldest dated back to 1884, while the newer sections built in the 1920s and 1980s housed the National Assembly. The Parliament of South Africa sits in Cape Town, even though the seat of government is in Pretoria. This unique and unorthodox arrangement dates back to the foundation of the Union of South Africa, the historical predecessor to the presentday Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape, the Natal, the Transvaal, and the Orange River colonies.

Disagreements amongst the four provinces over the location of the Union's capital led to a compromise by which every province was given a share of the benefits of the capital: the administration was seated in Pretoria (Transvaal), the Parliament in Cape Town (Cape Province), the Appellate Division in Bloemfontein (Orange Free State), and the archives in Pietermaritzburg (Natal). Thus, as a compromise, Cape Town became the legislative capital, Bloemfontein the judicial capital, and Pretoria the administrative capital of South Africa.

The African National Congress (ANC) government has for some time propagated moving Parliament to Pretoria, on grounds that the arrangement is cumbersome, needing ministers, civil servants and diplomats to move back and forth when Parliament is in session. Many countries maintain two residences for their Ambassadors to South Africa, one in Pretoria and another in Cape Town.

In 2018, the Government of South Africa formed a project steering committee to conduct a feasibility study for moving Parliament to Pretoria and to identify potential sites for a new parliament building. In April 2019, the Minister of Public Works announced that a list of potential sites had been drawn up. In 2020, it was suggested that moving parliament to Pretoria would save R650 million (over £ 30 million) per year.

Several Capetonians oppose this move and see it as the ANC trying to centralise power. Given the devastation caused by the fire, Parliament will need to exercise the provision available for sitting elsewhere.

This may reignite the demand for moving the Parliament to Pretoria.

The Parliament of South Africa is a proud symbol of the Rainbow Nation that replaced the white minority rule of the apartheid era. One can only wish that the devastating fire will not be able to dampen the democratic spirit that South Africans are proud of.

Brent Council opposes building 43 new homes on Mumbai Junction Brent Council’s planning bosses have rejected an application for building 43 new homes on the site of Mumbai Junction on Watford Road. Sudbury Court Residents’ Association expressed that it was essential to defend the history of the current site. It initially housed the John Lyon pub, which was converted into an Indian restaurant.

Council officers also believe that the proposed

building will be out of character for the neighbourhood. Brent councillors Keith Perrin and Margaret McLennan opposed the plans as did Brent North MP Barry Gardiner.

While opposing the plans, the group said the John Lyon name has historic value, John Lyon founded the Harrow School 500 years ago, and his legacy still funds local charitable works such as the Sudbury Neighbourhood Centre. They also criticised the design describing it as “monolithic” and one that will “tower over its neighbours”.

Tamil Heritage Month Remembrance, resilience and recognition January is an important month for Tamilians across the globe, as the Tamil Harvest Festival ‘Thai Pongal’ is celebrated this month.

By proclaiming the month of January as "Tamil Heritage Month", the Mayor of London and the members of the London Assembly, have created an opportunity

Dr Prabhu Rajendran

to remember, celebrate and educate future generations about the inspirational role played by Tamils in London; the major migrant architects who continue to be recognised as highly valued members of the communities, in which they practise, across the United Kingdom.

Dr Prabhu Rajendran, Honorary Vice Chairman, World Tamil Organisation (WTO-UK) told Asian Voice, “Nothing more could have tasted as delicious as the sweet rice pudding - Pongal, served during this ‘Thai Pongal’ celebrations; marking the end of winter, and

the beginning of the harvest season.

“When we discuss the layered and multifaceted ideas such as identity and culture, I am reminded of a couplet from a Tamil poem: Yaadhum Oore, Yaavarum Kelir. This translates as "To us all towns are one, all people our kin.”

This, I believe, captures the right spirit towards these notions of heritage, that each [identity] belongs to all, that we are all informed by each other's culture and thus, stronger for it.”

Speaking during a debate at London Assembly, member Nicholas Rogers, who had proposed the motion to declare January as Tamil Heritage Month, stated: “Tamils make a huge and important contribution to life in our city; whether in our schools, whether in our hospitals, whether in our care homes, whether on the groundbreaking Astra Zeneca vaccination. They bring an ethos of public service in our communities and this public service takes

place in a backdrop of persecution and oppression abroad”.

Dr Onkar Sahota also supported these statements telling the assembly: “Tamils are an integral part of the tapestry of this city.

They have contributed to the economic, civic life of this country… many came escaping torture and war in their own country”.

“Unmesh Desai shared these sentiments and reflected on his own personal experience participating in his first Tamil solidarity march in 1984, during “the first wave of Tamils coming over”. Desai condemned the bombardment of Jaffna and the horrors of the war noting that many Tamil refugees had settled in East Ham. “Every second home had lost someone during the war,” he told the assembly,” Tamil Guardian reported.

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Happy festive season!

P

erhaps one of the most diverse countries in the world, India is home to several different communities and religions including Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

Each of these communities has its own unique culture and traditions and it is these differences in culture that make India one of a kind. There are great variations in the customs and traditional beliefs and rituals across India and this can be seen between north and south India. The festivals, art forms, food, music, and clothing of people in the north and south India are distinct, and

these distinctions can also be seen among various communities within the same state.

January is a month of auspicious celebration as India showcases its vibrant and diverse culture through religious and non-religious festivals and celebrations. January marks the start of the new year and the beginning of the festival season where each festival has its own significance and charm. It is through these festivals and celebrations that India displays the diversity among its people and the beauty of the country.

Here is a list of the top five Indian festivals to look forward to this January.

Guru Purab When: 9 January - Where: North India, mainly Punjab and Haryana

G

uru Gobind Singh was the tenth Sikh Guru and all Sikhs are excited to celebrate his birth anniversary January 9, 2022. He was a spiritual master, poet, philosopher and warrior.

He was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs at the age of nine, after his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb. This year marks

the 355th birth anniversary of the most celebrated Sikh guru. Guru sahib’s birthday is celebrated with grand celebrations and people visit the Gurudwara to hold a special prayer for their Guru. Some people indulge in Seva and prasad distribution to celebrate the day. Rest share warm messages with family and friends.

Lohri When: 13 January - Where: North India, mainly Punjab and Haryana

L

ohri is celebrated on 13 January each year with great flourish and excitement.

The festival marks the end of the winter and signals the beginning of happy sunny days and the harvest season.

Traditionally, families gather around bonfires in the evening and sing folk songs while dancing around the

Lohri fire. People also throw foods like popcorn, puffed rice, peanuts, and gajak into the fire as ‘tributes’ to the gods in exchange for blessings. Lohri is also considered particularly auspicious for newlywed couples and parents with newborn babies.

Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan When: 14 January - Where: Every part of India but is referred to by different names such as Pedda Pandugu in Andhra Pradesh and Magha Mela in parts of central and northern India.

M

akar Sankranti is a festival that takes place on 14 or 15 January each year.

The festival is important to farmers who harvest their crops and sow new seeds. On this day, people wake up early and may take a dip in the Holy Ganges before offering their prayers to the Sun

God. Families then clean and decorate their homes to attract prosperity and good omens. Food plays a big role on this day as people make and exchange sweet dishes and it is also customary to eat khichdi and fly kites.

Pongal When: 14 to 17 January - Where: Tamil Nadu

P

ongal, similar to Lohri and Makar Sankranti, is a festival of farmers celebrated in south India.

The festival is celebrated over a four-day period where people offer prasad to the Sun God who is known as Pongal.

The festival begins on the first date of the Tamil month ‘Tai’, also signalling the Tamil New Year. To celebrate, families decorate their homes with rangoli and cook the Pongal dish.

It is also conventional to have bull fights and bird fights.

Rann Utsav When: 1 November 2021 to 20 February 2022 Where: Great Rann of Kutch salt desert, Dhordo, Gujarat his beautiful ongoing desert festival through the desert and storytelling reflects the unique culture and sessions. heritage of the region of Gujarat at its The desert is most attractive during best through folk dances, music, the chilly winter months of November to incredible displays of handicrafts, food February bringing the festival to life stalls serving authentic, mouth-watering through spectacular performances under food native to Rann of Kutch, walks the moonlight.

T

Republic Day When: 26 January - Where: Pan-India

R

epublic Day is one of three national festivals celebrated in India and marks the day when the Constitution came into power in India in 1950.

Many programs and events are held on this day throughout the country, including a grand parade show organised by the Indian Army in New Delhi.

Following the parade, all the different

states of the country showcase their culture and tradition through visual representations.

Flowers are then showered from the sky by the Indian Air Force in the colours of India’s national flag – orange, white, and green. The Republic Day Parade displays India’s diverse cultural history and the capabilities of its armed forces.

People sign petition against Sir Tony Blair’s honour More than one million people are opposing Sir Tony Blair’s appointment as a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter by signing Change.org petition. They want his knighthood removed owing to his record while in 10 Downing Street including the 2003 military invasion of Iraq.

The former Labour prime minister who served in office between 1997 and 2007, was appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter in the New Year Honours list.

The petition on the Change.org website has been started by 55-year-old Angus Scott who hails from Norfolk. He has stated that Sir Tony has "caused

irreparable damage to both the constitution of the United Kingdom and to the very fabric of the nation's society".

Until last week, almost 1,019,000 people have signed the online petition so far. Mr Scott has asked supporters to work in unity and try and push signatures to one million to have the desired effect.

Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has expressed that those who are demanding Sir Tony's honour to be "are being removed disrespectful" to the Queen.

More than 27,000 NHS medics have quit during pandemic Last year, more than 27,000 NHS medics have voluntarily resigned from the NHS from July to September making it the highest number on record.

The medics have been resigning and quitting due to the burnout amidst the Covid pandemic.

NHS Million, a campaigning website that supports NHS staff said that it has been receiving a

“constant flood” of “disturbing” messages from workers who have spent almost two years working during the pandemic.

According to the NHS England figures, more than 27,000 medics left the NHS in the third quarter of last year, and approximately 2 per cent of the entire workforce. Nearly, 7,000 left due to troubles about their work-life balance

between July and September last year.

Joan Pons Laplana, 46, who quit his frontline job as an intensive care nurse told I that he was diagnosed with PTSD in February 2021, and he couldn’t face going back to work.

Later, he completely left the frontline and believes that it was the best decision he made, though he was feeling guilty of doing so.

Government failing to learn from its failure, NAO reports The head of the National Audit Office has warned that the government is “not learning from its successes or failures” as departments do not face serious consequences for failing to evaluate their own work.

"The incentives to evaluate and learn what works and why must be stronger than the instinct to avoid evaluating in case

it uncovers bad results," Gareth Davies wrote in The Times.

As per the NAO’s recent report, only 8% of major projects were robustly evaluated, while 64% are not being evaluated at all.

“By getting better at sharing knowledge across Whitehall, the government can ensure that valuable

lessons do not go to waste and civil servants do not have to start from a blank sheet every time they devise a new policy,” Davies said.

Along with this, the NAO chief also pointed out that the government failed to act on some warnings before the pandemic that would have helped it prepare for Covid-19.

Wellcome Trust to spend £16bn on Covid vaccine research The Wellcome Trust, Britain’s biggest charity, is planning to spend £16bn on science research over the next 10 years, with a focus on funding next-generation Covid-19 vaccines.

Recently, it earned the highest investment returns in a quarter of a century.

Wellcome called it as biggest funding

Asian Voice wishes a very happy festive season to all those who celebrate.

Please stay safe and be well.

commitment to science and health in its 85-year history.

It was created by the will of the pharmaceuticals entrepreneur Sir Henry Wellcome in 1936.

The trust has spent more than £9bn on research grants and other charitable activities over the past decade, including £1.2bn last year alone.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of Wellcome and a former member of the government’s Sage advisory committee, said “With plans to spend £16bn on our mission over the next decade, we will be increasing our spending from the previous decade by more than 50%,” he added.

Teenager goes missing from Birmingham 19-year-old Naella has gone missing from her home in Bordesley Green and West Midlands Police are increasingly concerned for her welfare. Police are continuing their search for a missing teenager.

According to

officers, she was last seen wearing a long grey cardigan, black dress with white flowers and a black headscarf.

Along with it, she also wore grey trainers and had a brown Louis Vuitton handbag.

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in brief OVER 100 CASES OF HARASSMENT REPORTED IN PARLIAMENT Over the last two years, more than 100 cases of harassment and stalking were reported in Parliament while six knives were seized from people entering the estate, new data reveals. The figures, obtained by the Daily Mail, talks about the threats faced by politicians following the killing of two MPs in the space of just over five years. The Mail found out that between January 2020 and September this year, 117 cases of “harassment” and “stalking” were reported within the Houses of Parliament.

Labour MP Rosie Duffield who has faced abuse over her stand on trans issues, told the Mail she thinks the true number of cases could be far greater.

MPS TO GET PAY RISE BY £2,000 RECEIVES BACKLASH MPs are in line to get pay raise by £2,000 are currently under pressure to cut down their rise as £84,000 salary is scheduled for the same day when British families will be hit by rocketing National Insurance, gas bills and council tax. The £2,000 hike is scheduled for April 1. The Taxpayers' Alliance has criticised the potential increase, which believes that this is not the right time MPs should get a pay rise. MPs who are currently paid £81,932, usually receive a yearly pay rise linked to average public sector pay increases, but last year it was suspended due to the Covid pandemic.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - the expenses regulator - said 'a decision on MPs' pay for 2022-23 will be taken early in 2022'.

MAN GROPES A WOMAN IN LEICESTER PARK A woman was groped by a man on Wednesday when she was walking through Aylestone Meadows, close to St Andrew's football club. The incident took place at 1:35 pm when the accused approached the victim from behind and touched her indecently. The man was described as overweight who was dressed in dark clothes and was wearing a black or grey hat. He was of average height. Pc Adam King, who is investigating the incident, has asked for public help to identify the man. He asked the public to get in touch if anyone has the details or has seen the man in the park.

NORTH LONDON KEBAB SHOP FOUND INFESTED WITH RATS AND COCKROACHES Ponders End Kebab on Ponders End High Street, North London has been prosecuted

by Enfield Council for public health failings on December 9, 2021. The council’s Food Safety Team found the shop with rats and cockroaches. The shop has been fined over £4000 for multiple public health failings.

After a customer reported seeing a cockroach, on August 17, 2020, an inspector visited the shop and during his visit, he found a "genuinely disgusting infestation."

After the first visit, Ponders End Kebab agreed to a Voluntary Closure Agreement and shut the shop for a few weeks.

However, on March 1, 2021, when officers returned to a pre-arranged inspection, they found rat activity in food storage areas.

The company and the director were imposed a fine of £436 each, ordered to pay half each of the Council’s costs of £3,283.12 and was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £43 each. In total, they were fined £4,241.

Former police officer makes shocking revelations Former police officer Gurpal Virdi has made some shocking revelations with regard to racism in his book 'Behind the Blue Line: My Fight Against Racism and Discrimination in the Police'. He says he was West London’s first Asian police officer and was spat at, set up and sent hate mail. 63-year-old holds no grudge but cannot shake off the appalling racial abuse he had to put up through both as a child and a police offi-

Gurpal Virdi

cer, says Gurpal.

He further says that when he decided to stand as a local

councillor, the Met charged him with unproven accusations of sexual abuse against him which disrupted his political career. In 1961, his father came to the UK to find a better life for his family in the UK. Gurpal recalls that when he was just eight years old, he was exposed to racism. He says how his hair was pulled and would get beaten up. People would say things like 'go and have a bath you brown s**t.'"

1921 census releases online reveals life post WW1 1921 census has been released online that throws light on postWorld War One Britain. It also showcases how Britain was reeling from another pandemic. The census that was taken on June 19, 1921, shows similarities with our current post-Covid world.

Woman gets dragged out of Romesh Ranganathan’s show On January 6 pm, a woman was dragged out of a Romesh Ranganathan comedy show after shouting racist abuse at the comedian. He is currently performing stand-up on his The Cynics Mixtape Tour. The heckling by a female audience member took place during a show at the Eventim Apollo theatre in Hammersmith, London.

Romesh Ranganathan

As per the footage that was shared by the Mail, the comedian and the crowd were shocked when the woman was being taken out by the security.

Meanwhile, the audience can be heard shouting “cheerio, cheerio, cheerio” as she leaves.

According to The Sun, Ranganathan confronted the heckler, saying: “Wait listen, I’m getting distracted. You’re going to have to shut the f*** up. What’s going on?

The heckling allegedly began after Ranganathan made a joke about racism in football.

Heart patients must help themselves amid Covid surge As Northern England’s hospitals are experiencing a number of hospitalisations due to Covid-19, heart attack patients who have been calling 999 have been asked to get a life instead of waiting for an ambulance.

Four more NHS trusts in England, all outside London declared similar critical incidents amid an increase in staff shortages, rising numbers of Covid patients and growing pressure on emergency services.

According to an analysis of official NHS data by the Guardian, amid the Omicron

variant outbreak, cases and hospitalisations are levelling off, but hospitals are experiencing the fastest growth in Covid

occupancy.

In the span of one week, the number of Covid patients in the hospital has doubled up by 122% in the northeast and Yorkshire.

Likewise, in the last seven days, the number of Covid patients in hospitals in the Midlands has risen 74% with Covid occupancy up 58% in the south-east, 55% in the east and 43% in the south-west.

At the start of the week, there were 1,975 Covid patients compared to the week before where there were only 889 patients in the hospital.

Nadhim Zahawi says universities must deliver face-to-face learning Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi believes that universities must deliver face-to-face education despite the surge in Covid infections and staff shortages. He also urged students to make complaints to the Office for Students if they feel that they are not getting value for money.

As per the paper, Durham University has declared that they would teach all classes online in the first week of term, while Queen’s University

Belfast will hold most classes online this month. However, King’s College London said they will be teaching students face-toface.

A King’s College London spokesperson said: “We are teaching in person this semester, which begins on Monday 17th January. As stated

in our latest update to students, we are planning for in-person teaching to take place on campus from that date as originally timetabled.”

Along with this, the paper also reported that more than 100 institutions, including 23 of the top 24 in the Russell Group, are planning to offer a mix of online and faceto-face teaching this term.

Sarah Everard inquiry to reflect on Wayne Couzens' policing career An inquiry will be carried out to examine how a serving Metropolitan Police Officer Wayne Couzens was able to abduct, rape and murder Sarah Everard. The inquiry will also be done to check if any red flags were missed in his policing career.

For the first phase of the Angiolini Inquiry, named after Dame Elish Angiolini QC who is leading it, Home Secretary

Priti Patel has published the terms of reference. The inquiry will reflect on a timeline of Couzens’ career and “relevant incidents” including “prior allegations of criminal behaviour and/or misconduct”. Wayne Couzens is now serving a whole-life order in prison, meaning he will never be released. The Home Office said that the first part of the inquiry will start soon and by the end of

the year they will try to conclude it to make sure the “family get the answers they need”.

Priti Patel said: “I am determined to understand the failings that enabled a serving officer to commit such heinous crimes – we owe an explanation to Sarah’s family and loved ones, and we need to do all in our power to prevent something like this from ever happening again.

In 1921 census lives of the 38 million people living in England and Wales 1921 have been revealed, which records figures such as a young Captain Sir Tom Moore, Beatrix Potter and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Around 38,000 staff were sent to carry out the census, right from the grand abode of Windsor Castle to prisons, hospitals and cramped family houses, where each resident was asked to complete a survey, including questions about their age, birthplace and job.

The digitised version is available online at findmypast.co.uk that gives the first glimpse at the individual records.

Parents express rage against ITV This Morning headteacher An ITV This Morning headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh has come under fire for her remarks about parents. Fans of the show have expressed their anger after she appeared on the show and claimed that parents should educate children.

Katharine Birbalsingh

Katharine Birbalsingh said that her ‘main concern’ is simply that sometimes parents sort of tick the box and think, 'I've sent my child off to school'.

“And they don't really know what the child is accessing, and sometimes the child will access some really excellent teaching all of the time, and other times the teacher might be absent, the teacher might be tired."

She added to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that parents need to realise that going to museums, reading with their child, counting the peas on the plate, asking your child, 'what tests do you have this week'? And taking out the test books must be done. She further said that sometimes parents don’t feel very confident in doing that, but parents can learn stuff with their child.

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‘Gymphobia’ is real!

Shefali Saxena Anoushé Husain is a para climber and an ambassador for the Her Spirit Couch2Kilos programme in association with British Weight Lifting.

Couch2Kilos is a simple and effective free six-week programme to help women of all abilities to help boost their strength, body composition, stability, and mental health.

In an exclusive chat with Asian Voice, ‘Her Spirit’ Ambassador Anoushé Husain spoke about fitness among women.

- Please describe the idea behind Couch2Kilos The idea for Couch2Kilos came about because lots of women in the Her Spirit community tell us that strength training has helped them build body confidence and feel more able to cope with daily life. Many people are aware that we need to do 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, but it’s also recommended that we do two strength training sessions per week, which is less understood. In fact, 78% of women are not active enough to achieve a health benefit.

We hope that Couch2Kilos will raise awareness of the importance of strength training and highlight how vital it is for building and maintaining muscle mass, which in turn helps you burn fat, increase bone density, improve posture and balance, prevent injury and improve heart health. And of course, when we feel physically stronger, we know it helps to improve our mental wellbeing too. Getting stronger also helps with doing day to day tasks which means we get more energy and improve our quality of life.

- What do you think keeps women away from exercising and why?

There’s a lot of pressure and misinformation aimed at women, especially around this time of year when we’re bombarded with messages about losing weight fast. Many women turn to fad diets, juice cleanses, very low-calorie detox programmes and they’re just not sustainable. These quick fixes don’t work, which is why I’m proud to be an ambassador for Her Spirit, which wants to challenge the diet and fitness industry by promoting the benefits of being active, eating well and looking after your mental health. I’ve had a

Q

Q

difficult relationship with food due to this type of misinformation in the past. I’m keen for other women not to fall into the same trap.

Lots of women find the gym intimidating too, especially the strength training areas! If you’re at the beginning of your fitness journey or perhaps you’ve not managed to exercise during the pandemic, heading to the gym for the first time or returning after a while can be intimidating ‘gymphobia’ is real! We need to create supportive and inclusive communities where women of all abilities, shapes and sizes can participate in a nonjudgmental environment.

Another big barrier is lack of time.

Many women juggle child-care, household duties and paid work, and don't find time for themselves. I would say, make an intention in 2022 to carve out time for yourself to nourish your mind, body and soul. Start with small daily steps to be more active and build from there.

Remember, three 10-minute bouts of physical activity over the day have the same health benefits as a continuous 30-minute session. Also building in activity with your children, such as walking to the shops or playing in the park is a great way to stay active.

Walking isn’t for everyone so be inventive, I do bodyweight squats while my kettle is boiling and dance in the kitchen when no one is looking.

It’s quick, fun, gets me moving and keeps my legs strong.

- Could you please list the benefits of strength training for women?

There are a wide variety of benefits. Women are more prone to osteoporosis than men because the hormone changes that happen at menopause directly affect bone density. I was shocked to learn that women lose approximately 3 to 8 per cent muscle mass per decade after the age of 30! Regular strength training is crucial to help build muscle mass and bone strength. It can also help with mobility, flexibility, energy, as well as transforming body shape.

One of the myths is that strength training will make women bulky. It’s just not possible. We do not have enough testosterone to bulk up! In fact, if consistent and done right, strength training can help you lose fat and maintain the body shape you desire.

Q

Anoushé Husain

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- While physical exercise is imperative, what does it take for women to have a healthy lifestyle and more importantly, a healthy mind?

Nutrition, exercise and a good night’s sleep are the basic maintenance for both a healthy mind and a healthy body. Eating a lot of junk food, that’s high in fat, sugar and salt, has been linked to depression and anxiety. It’s also not good for your heart. That’s not to say you should never enjoy cake! It’s about finding a way to balance your diet so that you are getting all the nutrients you need.

We also need seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Getting enough sleep always puts me in a better mood and it’s good for our health too.

Understanding your “why’ is also a key part of the journey. Why, because often women think that losing ‘scales’ weight will make them happy (it won’t), so think about your mindset and loving yourself just the way you are first. Perhaps your reason is so that you can play sports with your kids, or to spend more time in nature.

The reason must come from within, and it isn’t enough to simply shed the pounds as fast as possible. Also, by shedding pounds quickly with a fad diet, you will lose fat mass but you will also lose the crucial muscle mass we all need to stay strong, healthy and active. That’s why eating enough good quality food and strength training are so important.

- What is more important? Losing weight or staying fit?

Definitely staying fit! If you focus on getting fitter, healthier, and stronger, then weight loss will follow.

It’s important to focus on living your life to the full and achieving your full potential. I am a big advocate for smashing stereotypes and defying expectations. If you’ve never learned to swim, who says you’re too old. If you think that running a marathon is impossible, it’s not. I would love for more women to challenge themselves and believe they can achieve what they never thought possible.

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First family resettled under Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme The world-leading Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme is now open, with the first family granted indefinite leave.

The UK has now formally opened the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and the first Afghan family has been granted indefinite leave to remain under the scheme.

The ACRS is one of the most ambitious resettlement programmes in the world, and the first bespoke scheme in Europe to begin resettling Afghan evacuees.

The ACRS, part of the government’s New Plan for Immigration, will provide up to 20,000 Afghan citizens with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK in the coming years. It prioritises those who assisted UK

efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as democracy, women’s rights, freedom of speech and the rule of law – as well as atrisk women, girls, and members of minority groups.

This is in addition to evacuated British nationals, and the more than 7,000 people who have been relocated under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).

Minister for Afghan Resettlement, Victoria Atkins, said: “Launching the Afghan Citizens

Resettlement Scheme is a landmark moment for our country. I am proud that communities up and down the UK have opened their arms to vulnerable Afghan families who have been forced to flee their country.

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme provides a safe, legal and secure way for the most vulnerable and at-risk people from Afghanistan to come to the United Kingdom and rebuild their lives, as part of the New Plan for Immigration. This scheme is just the beginning. Now it’s time to pick up the pace and get more Afghan families into work, into education and into permanent homes so they can integrate, thrive and rebuild their lives here in the UK.”

How a unique diet plan is helping Asian women get healthy and find their voice Shazia Riaz founded DA Asian after hunting for a diet that would suit Asian tastes. She now has 245,400 members. She explains why DA’s unique approach is proving so successful.

The Middlesborough mum, who runs the Asian branch of The DA-Group, has 245,400 members spread across the globe, and when she’s not doing her day job as a lawyer, she’s putting in hours chatting with her members, giving them tips and praising their achievements.

By getting to know them she’s able to help

was the fact that the recommended foods and recipes did not suit Asian recipes.

Her tastes had been shaped by her father’s Pakistani cooking and she wanted to be able to enjoy similar flavours while dieting.

She developed a method of using additive-free spices mixed with water to achieve similar results and was delighted to find that people enjoyed her creations.

She went on to shed 12kg in six weeks on the DA plan and decided to contact the company’s founders with the idea of creating an Asian franchise.

Shazia Riaz

An online community While The DA-Group already had its own Facebook groups, Shazia decided to create a set of dedicated groups for DA Asian, including an introduction group, an active dieters’ group and a fan page. She also created a platform on Instagram to post pictures of dieters’ meals.

“A lot of people are wary of their daughters, wives and mothers being on Facebook, and many people do not feel comfortable posting on Facebook under their own name, or sharing photographs the symptoms. Researchers of their weight loss from King's College London online,” she said.

“A lot of my dieters weren't showing their faces in photos because they didn’t want members of their family to see them.

You've got to be aware of honour killings, which can relate to people posting pictures of themselves on social media. Because I'm Asian, I knew what the barriers were going to be.”

The support someand their collaborators have times goes beyond givfound specific molecular proing straightforward files in blood samples that can help predict women at risk of dietary advice: chalpreeclampsia. The findings of lenges faced by her their study have been pub- members have included domestic violence lished in Nature journal. and mental abuse.

them tackle all the barriers to weight loss – not just eating habits but also work cultural and family stresses.

It all began nine years ago she recognised an unfilled niche for a diet that suited the Asian way of eating, and her research led her to The DA-Group, a familyrun business based in Wales.

Challenging Asian recipes One of the biggest challenges she had encountered in other weight loss groups

A blood test can identify this pregnancy complication Preeclampsia is a common pregnancy complication characterized by a sudden increase in blood pressure, affecting up to 1 in 12 pregnancies. It is a major cause of maternal morbidity, preterm birth as well as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Sadly, most cases of preeclampsia are detected when the mother experiences symptoms in the third trimester. This study could widen the window of detection and lead to quicker intervention.

Now, UK researchers say a blood test can identify this pregnancy complication before a woman experiences

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The Duchess of Cambridge stuns in her 40th birthday photographs

Rohan Kamdar: Lifestyle Tech Extraordinaire Sunetra Senior Rohan is the force behind Meshed: a highly sophisticated electronic masseuse. The innovative tech captures the professional experience of a real-life expert back massage in the form of a sleek chair: “every motion of a human pair of hands can be intimately replayed. Software that’s connected to the hardware further maps an individual surface to give bespoke massages as the machinery gets ‘to know’ the customer. As well as helping people repose, Meshed will help eliminate back pain.” Indeed, from being able to program the exact duration of time whether it is 20 mins or 2 whole hours, to the specific type of massage wanted – Swedish etc. – Meshed can deliver premium relaxation. The goal is to have the tech incorporated into every kind of chair so people can travel in interconnected physical luxury too: “we want

Meshed available in offices, planes, cars and physiotherapy as well as the home. We would love to sell to a big automobile company to benefit as many customers as possible quickly.”

A modern-day Thomas Edison, Rohan also previously founded, Effie, a self-running iron which was eventually sold to Bosch. “Giants in the industry may approach you to buy because you have discovered something unique, valuably enhancing their existing product. This is mutually fiscally beneficial as a start-up.

Either way, your product will be materialised and made available widely.” Rohan has always enjoyed big-picture thinking: “Usually, mechanical discoveries are incremental e.g., when trying to improve ironing, engineers may try to increase the pressure of the steam; I’ve always wanted to meet the customer’s fundamental need e.g., dispensing of the hassle of ironing altogether! Often new products on the market are a ‘better than nothing’ option but I want to give people the lifechanging solution.” Going beyond solving the so-called ‘pain point’ then this electrical engineer completely overturns it!

ucts for the medical, industrial and consumer sectors. This ranged from creating industrial water meters and consumer face-care devices to thermal printers for medical in-vitro diagnostic machines. I needed this to achieve the grand imaginative breakthroughs of recent years. If I’d stayed in product development, perhaps I could be part of more diverse cutting-edge tech, but this way I’m able to create my own work, making a lasting individual impact. I enjoy gadgets that are dynamic and, above all, help elevate people’s lives.” Thus, Rohan not only demonstrates the nuances of contemporary discovery but also the universal mantra of mil-

Kate wears a red, one-shouldered Alexander McQueen dress and has her hands in her pockets.

ROHAN KAMDAR

S

Kate's engagement ring, which belonged to Princess Diana, can be seen clearly in the image.

lennial success: if you yourself can get excited by a service, this will at once move and be propagated by those around you. Sometimes the everyday is sublime.

Y

our focus seems to be Domestic Luxury. Is that accurate?

Perhaps in terms of generally what we do. However, we mainly focus on what’s user-friendly. I enjoy

If it happens, the event will be gradual and organic. I don’t think you can realistically start out planning this. It’s best to focus on the current business and doing your best with that. ou were likely into gadgets and gizmos from a young age. What were some favourites?

Lego Connect! Also, any little robots that ran around and did.

There’s a fine line between machines and AI and I enjoy exploring that too. hat advice would you give to other techie visionaries who are starting out?

It’s very simple logic that I was told: why you; why now?

Yes, people may need a product but why should you build it at a certain moment in time. There could be valid personal reason e.g., domain expertise or being able to see something that others cannot.

Another related piece of wisdom is asking if you should build something instead of prioritising whether you can. The order is crucial. It will save you a lot of pain down the line. Does your device solve a problem that people want to pay for e.g., with my automated iron, I knew people would pay for dry-cleaning and hire others to do the handy work for them? I had aunties at parties chase up my idea once I’d told them. I had a specific demographic. Knowing this allows you to confidently create and scale up appropriately. Bosch bought my patented tech. I needed to know it was wanted.

Y

W “Every motion of a human pair of hands can be intimately replayed. Software that’s connected to the hardware further maps an individual surface to give bespoke massages as the machinery gets ‘to know’ the customer"

“I’d love to continue to develop massage tech to help alleviate discomfort in other parts of the body too: the legs, head and feet. Let’s see where Meshed takes us: we’re still a growing start-up.” Rohan achieved a Masters in Electrical Engineering at Cambridge University, wanting to be an inventor from a young age: “my dad encouraged me to lay down a practical foundation explaining that there was no formal certificate in discovery! After completing my degree, I also worked for a product development consultancy designing prod-

Credit: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Paolo Roversi

o, concept and pragmatism are one and the same. Do you think you’ll one day have a personal brand that represents your ethos?

practical problem-solving that can be mass-manufactured. If we can drastically improve someone’s day to day, we will. As an electrical engineer, I approach this through physical means. However, most tech today is also material though we obsess about the digital and software e.g., Apple may have a lot of impressive apps but they are still operating through tangible laptops and phones etc.

Find out more about Meshed below…

W : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h AeNauIf6oE&ab_channel=MeshedUK

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Paolo Roversi The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton turned 40 on 9th January 2022. The Duchess releases some breathtakingly beautiful photographs on her birthday.

The images of the Duchess were captured by celebrated fashion photographer Paolo Roversi, famed for working with industry stars like Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, who described photographing the Duchess as “a moment of pure joy” and said with her “positive energy” she can “bring hope to the whole world”.

Mr Roversi said he was "moved" by Kate's "warmth and friendly welcome and enchanted by her shining eyes that reflected the loveliness of her soul and her smile showing the generosity of her heart. “It was a profound and rich experience for me, an unforgettable moment. I have met a wonderful person, a person who, with her positive energy, can bring hope to the whole world.”

She paid tribute to the Queen and her mother-in-law Princess Diana in her own unique way.

Celebration plans unveiled for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Buckingham Palace has unveiled the line-up of celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next month.

Festivities include street parties, a concert with the world’s “biggest entertainment stars”, and an opportunity to see the Queen’s homes up close.

The celebrations will conclude with a four-day UK bank holiday weekend from 2 to 5 June, marking the Queen’s 70year-reign on the throne.

A series of celebrations will take place throughout the year, but it is unclear which events the Queen will attend herself following advice from her medical team to rest for several weeks after an overnight hospital stay in October.

The majority of jubilee celebration duties are likely to be given to the rest of the Royal Family, including the heir to the throne, Prince William, and his wife Kate Middleton.

The festivities also act as a reminder of how much the Queen has been a continuous figure in society. According to the BBC, a recent study showed for 85 per cent of the population, the Queen is the only monarch they’ve ever known.

This will be a celebration to remember.

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15 - 21 January 2022

New rules to protect value of small pension pots laid in Parliament New measures to protect small pension pots from being eroded by charges were laid in Parliament on Monday 10th January 2022. The rules, which come into force from April 2022, mean pension savings invested in the default funds of schemes used for Automatic Enrolment with a value of £100 or less will be exempt from flat fees, benefitting hundreds of thousands of savers across the

country.

Minister for Pensions Guy Opperman said: “Automatic enrolment has truly revolutionised pension saving in the UK. More than 10 million people have been enrolled into a workplace pension, with an additional £28.4 billion per year being saved since 2012.

“By removing flat fees on pension savings worth less than £100, we’re protecting savers,

particularly those who regularly take on short-term work or change jobs frequently, and helping them build for their financial futures.”

2022 marks ten years since the introduction of Automatic Enrolment. Since its introduction, the percentage of eligible employees participating in workplace pensions as a whole has grown from 55% to 88% – an increase of 33%.

By November 2021, a record 10.6m eligible employees were enrolled in an Automatic Enrolment pension scheme.

Alongside the £100 threshold – known as the ‘de minimis’ – the government continues to engage with the pensions industry on wider consolidation initiatives to tackle the growth of small pots, including through the industry-led Small Pots Coordination Group.

Unregistered barrister Syed Idnaan Ali ordered to be disbarred

Strict Home Office visa rules might split up frail elderly parents

Unregistered barrister Syed Idnaan Ali was ordered to be disbarred by an independent disciplinary tribunal which concluded on 7 January 2022 following charges of professional misconduct brought by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).

The tribunal’s decision follows Mr Ali dishonestly providing legal services to another individual in 2018 when not authorised to do so. He told the individual that he would prepare a judicial review claim for him, produced false evidence that the claim had been prepared, and knowingly used a false address for the client on the fabricated claim form.

The tribunal found that Mr

NHS GP Dr Kamal Sidhu will be forced have to split up his frail elderly parents due to strict Home Office visa rules. Between March and October this year, Dr Kamal Sidhu had to make four trips to India to look after his mother who needed surgery and a father who suffered a heart attack. Considering the situation, he decided to bring both of them back to live with the family in Durham, so that he can take care of them and continue his work.

However, it is a possibility that Dr Sidhu’s 68-year-old father may be allowed an extension due to his inability of traveling, but his mother Amarjit may be forced to return alone to Inia as their six-month visiting visas will run out in March.

Owing to the “hostile environment policy” the Home Office has severely restricted the

Ali had failed to act with honesty, and with integrity and that he had behaved in a way that was likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in him or in the barrister profession.

The tribunal also found that in December 2018, Mr Ali had become rude and aggressive in a meeting with the individual concerned.

Commenting on the order to disbar, a BSB spokesperson said: “Acting in such a dishonest way is a very serious matter for a barrister and the tribunal’s decision to disbar Mr Ali reflects this.”

The tribunal’s decision is open to appeal.

‘Join the police to make a difference’ say officers in new ads Two new adverts featuring serving police officers already protecting their communities will be shown on TV, cinemas, YouTube, Reddit and more from today.

The government’s successful drive to protect the public by recruiting 20,000 additional police officers enters a new phase today (Monday 10 January) with the launch of a new advertising campaign.

More than 11,000 people have already joined the police as part of the recruitment drive, helping to cut crime by 14% (excluding fraud and computer misuse), remove 16,000 knives and dangerous weapons from the streets and tackle the scourge of drugs with the closure of over 1,500 county lines.

Two new adverts – featuring 2 serving police officers from different backgrounds already protecting their communities – will air on TV and in cinemas and, for the first time, on YouTube and Reddit to target a younger and more engaged audience.

With the government on track to meet its target of recruiting 20,000 more officers by 2023, the ads in which they feature form part of a wider advertising campaign across radio, social media, online, podcasts and digital display banners.

The 11,053 additional officers to date have enabled police forces to set up new units tackling crime and protecting vulnerable people – including supporting those who have suffered rape and sexual assault.

They have also helped create

the most diverse police force in history, which is more able to effectively serve communities across England and Wales.

Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said, “Two years ago, this government made a promise to the public to put 20,000 extra police officers on our streets – and we are delivering on that pledge with an additional 11,053 police officers already recruited.

“Officers like PC Giwa and Chief Inspector Burbeck are already out there making a difference – taking drugs off our streets and protecting victims of awful crimes like domestic abuse while helping to make our communities safer.

“As we continue to deliver on that promise to increase police numbers, anyone with a drive and passion to serve their community and fight crime should consider following their example and joining up as part of this new generation of brave police officers.”

HEAD-TEACHERS DEMAND GOVERNMENT ADDRESS THE ETHNICITY PAY DISPARITY ISSUE Headtheachers’ union NAHT expressed teachers of black, Asian or minority ethnic background are being subjected to less pay and ethnic wage inequality. The organisation ran the #EthnicityPayGap Campaign on Ethnicity Pay Gap Day, trying to raise awareness of the gap and to make the government aware of the ethnicity pay disparity. According to the latest Government figures, in 2019, the median hourly pay for the white ethnic group was £12.40 per hour compared to ethnic minority groups who were getting £12.11 per hour, reporting a pay gap of 2.3%.

The union has requested a detailed analysis by the Department for Education (DfE) on the equality implications of the teachers’ and leaders’ pay system.

KIND LEICESTER FOLKS COME AROUND TO HELP 83-YEAR-OLD number of visas for adult dependent relatives introduced by the Coalition Government while Theresa May was Home Secretary.

Dr Sidhu is now working with Usha Sood, a barrister at Trent Chambers in Nottingham who is representing around 150 families battling to get an ADR visa for an elderly relative.

Food delivery platform celebrates anniversary NoshyCircle, a Harrow-based food delivery platform that was set up amid the pandemic, is now celebrating a year of serving home-cooked meals. It provides a platform for home chefs to provide homemade meals.

First, it came up in Harrow and Wembley but now they provide their services to Watford and Aylesbury.

Currently, there are 30 cooks who create homemade-style meals in their home kitchens, which is then delivered to customers by NoshyCircle’s delivery team.

Subha Ganesh, founder of NoshyCircle used crowdfunding to set up the idea and received more than £100,000 in investment.

NoshyCircle is planning to expand its services and is hiring more home chefs to cook healthy and nutritious meals.

in brief

William James, 83-year-old who was robbed at a cash point in Santander on Monday is now receiving generous offers from people across Leicester. Mr James tried chasing the thief, but he got away with the money.

After his story was published on LeicestershireLive, a number of people contacted the publication to offer a donation to help replace the money Mr James and his wife had lost.

The couple's great-grandson, Timmy Clark started a GoFundMe page, with an intention to help him out. He said that he wants to be able to give him that £250 back and see that smile back on his face. Meanwhile, he added that if the GoFundMe page raises more than the £250 Mr James lost, he will donate any extra cash to charity.

BIGGEST EVER JAIL TERM: 129 YEARS AND NINE MONTHS

The cooks must be registered with their respective councils and have a minimum Level 2 Food Safety Certificate, while all delivery drivers must be DBS-checked.

NoshyCircle is aiming to expand their services further away from northwest London and Hertfordshire – reaching major cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.

All 13 members of a gang have finally been jailed for peddling class A drugs across the country. Police have termed it as a “lengthy” and “complex” investigation into a "nationwide drugs supply network".

The whole gang has been awarded a total of 129 years and nine months of jail term, which is the biggest jail term ever given. It was done following an inquiry by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (Ersoy), which investigated the drug ring.

The gang was spearheaded by brothers Ansar and Ajmal Akram, from Hemel Hempstead used the encrypted phones to peddle drugs in the East Midlands. The operation was carried out over a six-month period in 2019 where the specialist officers from Ersoy. On January 5, the final three members of the organised crime group were sentenced bringing the investigation to a close.

Good Law Project sues the Metropolitan Police Good Law Project has issued formal legal proceedings against the Metropolitan Police for their failure to investigate the unlawful party alleged to have taken place at Number 10 Downing Street on 18 December 2020. The not-for-profit sent a pre-action letter to the Met before Christmas, asking them to explain or reverse their refusal to investigate. But the Met’s response raises more questions than it answers and strongly suggests their

refusal to investigate the alleged party was unlawful.

And now, the Met’s approach is under the spotlight again, following yesterday’s revelations of yet another party, this time organised by a top Number 10 aide at Downing Street in May 2020. Each new revelation makes the Met's policy of not investigating these breaches more damaging. But if Good Law Project wins this case, it could have a knock-on effect for all

the alleged parties held at Downing Street.

The Met’s letter to Good Law Project said they concluded that further investigatory work would be required before they could decide whether to bring charges - but rather than attempting to do this, they just closed the case. The letter said they relied on the Government’s assurances that no rules had been broken. It also said there would have been no point in

interviewing Number 10 staff about the parties because they would have refused to answer questions that exposed them to a risk of prosecution. Jo Maugham, director of Good Law Project, said: "You can have the rule of law, or you can defer to the powerful. But you can't have both. Cressida Dick's cat will know that multiple criminal offences were committed. It shames the Met, and ultimately all of us, that she refuses to investigate."

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Nationality Bill concerns are misplaced but Government must reassure all citizens

Lord Jitesh Gadhia As someone whose family arrived in the UK from Uganda in 1972 - fifty years ago this year - I know the anxiety which matters of citizenship can arouse. More so given the shameful experience of the Windrush generation and the historic high-handed behaviour of the Home Office. There has consequently been much discussion in recent weeks about Clause 9 of the Nationality and Borders Bill and it’s impact on those with dual nationality, such as those holding an Overseas Citizen of India visa. Many readers of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar will be amongst the 300,000 plus signatories to an online petition arguing for removal of Clause 9. Having reviewed the position carefully here is why these fears are misplaced.

The state’s right to deny citizenship is something which has existed on the statute books for more than a century.

These powers have been amended and updated over time.

British citizenship was first put on a statutory footing through the British Nationality Act 1948. Before that there were no such thing as citizens, only subjects. Our nationality law is now governed by the British Nationality Act 1981, which provides the Home Secretary with the power to deprive an individual of their British citizenship if such action is “conducive to the public good” or if their British citizenship was obtained by means of fraud, false representation or concealment of material fact.

There have been subsequent legislative updates in 2002, 2006 and 2014. In the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, it was deemed appropriate, in the wake of the 2005 London bombings, to seek broad ranging powers to remove citizenship on public interest grounds.

When depriving a person of their British citizenship, the law requires that this action only proceeds if the individual concerned would not be left stateless, albeit no such requirement exists in cases where the citizenship was obtained fraudulently.

What constitutes the “public good” is decided by the serving Home Secretary.

The Government has said that deprivation on these grounds is considered an appropriate response to activities including espionage, terrorism, war crimes, serious and organised crime, and “unacceptable behaviour” of the kind mentioned in the then Home Secretary’s statement of 24 August 2005.

This last category includes writing or public speaking that glorifies terrorism, foments serious crime or seeks to provoke terrorism or serious crime.

There is a right of appeal where the Home Secretary seeks to use these powers.

Under the Immigration Act 2014, the Coalition Government introduced a power whereby in a small subset of “conducive” cases – where the individual has been naturalised as a British citizen and acted in a manner seriously prejudicial to the “vital interests” of the UK – the Home Secretary may deprive that person of their British citizenship,

even if doing so would leave them stateless. This action can only be taken if that person is able, under the law of a country outside the United Kingdom, to become a national of that country.

In practice, this power means the Home Secretary may only leave a person stateless (if the vital interest test is met and they are British due to naturalising as such), if that person can reasonably be expected to acquire (or reacquire) the citizenship of another country and is able to avoid remaining stateless.

Whilst this is differential treatment, its application is very restricted and predates the current bill before Parliament. The Government has stated that it considers removal of citizenship to be a serious step, one that is not taken lightly. This is reflected by the fact that the Home Secretary personally decides whether it is conducive to the public good to deprive an individual of British citizenship. It is very important to note that in the period between 2006 to 2018, the number of people deprived of their citizenship amounts to less than 200 individuals.

Clause 9 of the current Bill does not change any of the above provisions.

There is no widening of the reasons for which a person can be deprived of their British citizenship or whom the law applies to. Instead, it addresses the process for serving notice to anyone who meets the existing criteria for having their citizenship revoked. It applies in circumstances where there is no way of communicating with the person, or where making contact would disclose sensitive intelligence sources. Even where notice cannot be served, the individual retains their right of appeal.

This is an important point. Once a person makes contact with the Home Office, they are given a copy of the deprivation notice and can exercise their statutory right to appeal against that decision. As a result, there is no fundamental change of policy, or expansion in scope, or dilution in protections provided.

Much of the noise surrounding Clause 9 is therefore simple scaremongering. It conflagrates an existing policy with a new procedural provision to generate sensational headlines and stoke unnecessary fears. It is a case of adding 1+1 to make 11 or adopting the Groucho Marx approach: “whatever it is, I am against it”. It is highly regrettable to prey on people’s anxieties in this manner on such a sensitive topic.

However, before these types of emotionally charged perceptions take hold, it is also the Government’s responsibility to provide appropriate reassurance. The lack of clear explanation and sufficient empathy with the concerns of the minority communities should also be addressed.

In particular, the fears about two-tier citizenship need to be tackled head-on so that nobody feels that their ancestry makes their rights as citizens precarious or contingent.

Legislation often includes seemingly wide provisions but there are also constraints on the circumstances in which these powers can be exercised. In this particular case, there would have to be legitimate public interest grounds for stripping someone of their citizenship. If this specific clause was a genuinely ‘racist’ or a ‘discriminatory’ provision, I would be the first person to vote against.

I don’t think British Asians, or anyone else, have anything to fear unless they have done something seriously prejudicial to UK interests. There are many things to be concerned about in 2022, but this is not one of them. I would therefore encourage the Government to provide the necessary reassurances before they lose the moral argument.

UK-India Free Trade Agreement to be launched this week As Asian Voice went to print on Tuesday, the International Trade Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan was about to start her 2-day trip to New Delhi on January 12.

Trevelyan will hold bilateral talks with her Indian counterpart Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday 13 January where they are expected to discuss a range of issues including green trade and the removal of market access barriers for both the UK and Indian businesses. They will also confirm the launch of official negotiations on a new UK-India free Anne-Marie Trevelyan with High Commissioner Gaitri Issar Kumar ahead of her India visit trade deal.

"The UK and India are already be very important for Britain and also for India close friends and trading partners, and building - Indian IT workers for example. The less on that strong relationship is a priority for restrictions they face in coming to work here, 2022,” said Trevelyan before leaving for India. the more they're able to work over here will be "I will be using my visit to drive forward an better for Indian companies.” ambitious trade agenda which represents the A Department for International Trade UK's Indo-Pacific tilt in action and shows how spokesman said: “This Government is we are seizing global opportunities as an determined to secure the best trade deals independent trading nation," she said. possible to ensure the UK goes from strength to Senior Tory backbencher Sir Edward Leigh strength. Trade and immigration are separate has warned the Prime Minister on looser policy areas. Immigration is not routinely immigration controls. Telegraph reported that discussed in trade negotiations. We took back the Gainsborough MP warned Boris Johnson control of our borders when we left the against being “held to ransom” and thundered European Union and have the freedom to now that the Tories’ new working-class support “did set our own border rules which are in the not vote to replace immigration from Europe interests of the UK.” with more immigration from the rest of the Speaking to Asian Voice, Lord Rami Ranger world”.

CBE said, "With the ageing population and It is common knowledge that in exchange declining birthrate, Britain needs a young for relaxed trade routes between India and the workforce to fuel the economy to pay for social UK, the former will seek easier visa routes for services, which we have come to enjoy. I do not its professionals and students who wish to think any Govt will give any other government enter the UK. an ultimatum or condition for a free trade Amid the shortage of workers in the UK agreement. These agreements are based on across sectors, the CBI President, Lord many critical criteria, such as trade advantage Bilimoria rooted for more flexible visa between the two countries. British Govt will restrictions between India and the UK ahead of only allow workers needed to fill the skill gap the formal launch of trade talks between the and not just get a trade deal with India. If this two countries this week. was the case, then there was no need for Brexit.

Supporting this idea, Lord Karan Bilimoria The Brexit was to control immigration and said, “Both India and the UK are very strong bring those who fit the needs of the employers. services economies and services exports also The senior Tory politician is simply need mobility. If we're going to have the ability scaremongering. Neither India nor the United to have better mobility between our countries Kingdom will accept conditional free trade." that will help our services trade, which should

Lead and collaborate to tackle mass displacement threats, Lord Loomba urges Government Collaboration with international of economic empowerment and partners is the key to addressing trade, education for girls, the rising threats of mass conflict resolution, sustainable displacement, Lord Loomba said cities and communities, and in a House of Lords debate last supporting the many British week. businesses and NGOs in delivering aid and expertise “Around a quarter of a around the world.” million people are currently Baroness Greengrass and displaced within Myanmar,” he Lord Loomba both highlighted pointed out. In Afghanistan, the the position of widows, and in figure is 665,000, 80% of them particular, the plight of widows women and children, and those greatly exacerbated by the Covid displaced due to climate change pandemic. since 2010, according to the UN, Lord Raj Loomba CBE Foreign Office Minister number more than 20 million. It Lord Goldsmith, on behalf of the Government, is important, Lord Loomba said, to focus not agreed that “climate change and environmental only at the consequences, but “to look at the destruction are likely to become a bigger and causes too, and to consider what we in Britain bigger reason for the increasing movement of can do to address them.” people in the coming years”. The Minister Identifying climate change as a growing promised that the Government’s Afghan threat causing displacement, Lord Loomba citizens resettlement scheme “will focus on the praised the Government’s leadership and most vulnerable people, such as women and collaborative approach as president of COP26 girls, and members of minority groups”. adding and added that the best way to tackle the causes that “women must have a seat at the table” to of displacement was to take a similar approach achieve lasting peace. to deliver on the UN’s 17 “We know,” Lord Goldsmith said, “that Sustainable Development Goals, which when women participate in peace processes, include climate action; peace, justice and strong there is a 35% increase in the probability of a institutions; eradicating poverty and hunger; peace agreement lasting at least 15 years. That is and promoting education and gender equality. why the UK Government are leading “Beyond that,” Lord Loomba added, proponents of the women, peace and security “Britain is well-positioned to offer a leading agenda.” contribution through science and in the areas

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Happy New Year. So this is what you want to know the most my dear readers – what do the experts say will happen in 2022? I think I’ve been writing now for Alpesh Patel Asian Voice’s Financial Voice section which I set up back in Dear Financial 2003/4! So soon it will be 20 Voice Reader, years! My resolution for the year?

To help more people learn about their investments, ISAs, SIPPs through my ongoing campaign on www.campaignforamillion.com where I give free lectures, my books for free, articles and more.

2022 Predictions By Experts The last two years have been incredible for the stock market. Since the March 2020 crash, the S&P 500 has increased by over 100%. But what will 2022 bring?

New Year, Familiar Worries 2021 closed with the big worries being inflation, new Covid19 variants, and concerns about the Fed's next actions. These concerns are likely to drift into 2022.

Covid-19, Omnicron, and Other Variants Covid-19 isn't going away. New variants and mutations may render vaccines ineffective; however, we are moving in the right direction. While Omnicron is something we need to watch out for, several other possible global scenarios may cause disruption. Crisis 24 has highlighted supply chain issues and political unrest as real threats for 2022. In particular, they have pointed to Africa and Afghanistan as regions that could be hurt by political stability.

Will the Stock Market Crash?

Every year we ask the question, "will the stock market crash?". And every year, some experts suggest it will. Volatility, rising prices, equity prices, and inflation could indicate a bubble; however, for now, it seems more likely that the markets are set for a period of modest growth throughout 2022.

Of course, continued US market growth depends on the Fed. The current loose monetary policy has helped equities hit record highs, and unless the Fed slams on the breaks, we should avoid a significant pullback. Experts are mixed on what the Fed's next move will be. Some suggest the Fed will begin tapering its asset purchase earlier than expected to tackle inflation.

Inflation Inflation is a considerable concern for 2022. Supply chains are already under duress. If inflation continues, it could affect the price of Tech stocks that rely on their promising future earnings.Inaction over money tightening could lead to a financial downturn.

Post-Brexit Britain is especially sensitive to inflation and perhaps even stagflation. High energy prices, a reliance on natural gas, and a pronounced labour shortage are all concerning trends that we'd like to see reversed in 2022.Of course, not just Britain is affected by these concerns. In fact, some monetary policymakers are concerned that labour shortages will translate into the kind of spiralling wage rises we haven't seen since the 1970s. For what it's worth, the IMF has stated that inflation will peak and begin to drop around mid-2022.

Cryptocurrency Cryptocurrencies have enjoyed a remarkable year.

However, it's hard to think of a more volatile and unpredictable asset class. Investors like Tim Draper are suggesting Bitcoin will reach $250,000 by 2022. However, much of this optimism depends on Bitcoin being used like cash. Right now, it's more of a store of value or a speculative asset.

Real Estate The incredible real estate boom in the US could cool down throughout 2022. If the Fed increases interest rates, that will also increase mortgage rates. Fixed-rate mortgages of around 3% have been at the centre of the increased and seemingly endless demand for US homes. Should this shoot up to nearer 4%, the market won't be as hot.

There are many other trends to keep an eye on in real estate. Apps like Robinhood will start making real estate equities trading more accessible, while more smart homes could boost the Tech sector.

Another point of interest is that the conforming loan mortgage limit will increase by $100,000 next year. Although supply, labour, and material demands could suppress the market, some analysts are predicting the boom times to continue.

World Economies The repercussions of the Evergrande fiasco are still being felt in China. Indeed, Citi recently decreased its 2022 Chinese GDP forecast to below 5%. However, there is better news for Central Asian and Emerging European economies. The World Bank suggests these regions should be set for a steady 5%, as the economies recover from the pandemic. That figure is slightly above the expert's best guess for world GDP growth in 2022, with the most common estimate being around 4-5%.

Summary There are several factors at play during 2022 that will affect the stock markets and global economies. We can expect to see COVID-19 variants continue to cause problems with supply chains and push up inflation until at least the summer.

Much will depend on how the Fed chooses to tackle inflation. While the US, UK, and China could be set for muted economic growth, Central Asia and European markets look likely to achieve swifter pandemic recovery.

Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are finishing 2021 by losing around 30% of their value. It's too early to write them off, but it seems they may be losing their lustre as an inflation hedge.

British households less likely to cope with financial shocks in 2022 New research reveals a lot of British households will not be able to cope with income shocks this year as a result of the cost of living squeeze.

Rising inflation, taxes, falling real wages, and interest rates hikes are set to negatively impact a lot of people as we enter Year 3 of the pandemic. New research by Oxford Economics and Hargreaves Lansdown reveals that Britons’ overall financial resilience rose to 57.7 out of 100 last year.

Already 15 per cent of

those on lower incomes have fallen behind on bills or debt repayments, a figure that is four times bigger than the national average. Senior personal finance analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, Sarah Coles says, “With (energy) bills rocketing and interest on their debt rising, the Big Squeeze could pull them under.” The report states a third of Britons overall do not have access to savings that would cover at least three months’ worth of essential expenditure.

When it comes to the ‘save a penny for a rainy day’ barometer, the average score of employees is 64.6, which is much higher than 48.1 of self-employed. the Meanwhile, 40 per cent of working-age households are on track for an annual pension income of £26,000, and only 22 per cent of selfemployed people have saved enough towards retirement.

Even among highincome families, a significant number are not putting aside enough for retirement,

considering their time of life. Coles said, “Our barometer revealed that while our overall resilience increased during the pandemic, there was a world of difference in the experiences of those whose outgoings fell, who were able to save, and those who lost income.”

Those on high incomes had the highest resilience score of 69.2 followed by baby boomers at 60.8, while Gen Z along with those on low incomes scored the lowest, both at 47.1.

Lords urge govt to sort housebuilding plans Britain is on the path to a housing crisis as confusion about planning rules and shortages of staff undermine government targets to build 300,000 homes a year.

A House of Lords committee said a retreat from housebuilding by smaller companies must be tackled by ministers to reduce the shortage of homes.

In a report titled ‘Meeting Housing Demand’, the committee said, “Too many people currently live in expensive, unsuitable and poor-quality Gomes, and housing supply needs to be increased now to tackle the housing crisis.” Chair of the Lords’ built environment committee, Baroness Neville-Rolfe said, “The

government’s ambitious target of 300,000 new homes a year will only be met if it takes action to remove the barriers for house builds, particularly for SMEs, which 35 years ago built 39 per cent of new homes but now build just 10 per cent.”

Housing Secretary

Michael Gove is expected to set out the government’s plans to kickstart housebuilding after the industry battled through Brexit and a never-ending pandemic.

Gove says he will encourage employment and housing in the regions as part of the government’s levelling-up agenda.

Uncertainty and delays to planning reforms have had a “chilling effect” on housebuilding and created uncertainty for housebuilders and planners, Neville-Rolfe said. She said 50 per cent of local authorities had adopted or updated their local plans in the last five years, leaving developers in the dark over what land was available for new construction.

“It was probably what surprised me most during our investigation. Not so much the shortages of bricklayers and skilled construction workers, which is acute and well known, but the lack of skills in planning after years of not training people,” she said.

Retailers warn sales at risk in 2022 Retailers in the country have warned that the cost of living risks is dragging down high street sales in 2022. The British Retail Consortium (BRS) said there were significant headwinds for the industry in 2022 from high inflation, rising energy bills and planned tax increases.

In a joint report with the accountant firm KPMG, BRS said soaring living costs could erode households’ spending power and had the potential to weigh on retail sales after a strong festive season and a year of recovering ground that was lost

during the first stage of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The latest snapshot reveals total retail sales rose by 2.1 per cent during the key month of December, compared with a year earlier and were up by 4.6 per cent compared with 2019 before the pandemic struck. While the British economy recovered from repeated lockdowns, total sales grew by 9.9 per cent compared with 2020, and by 6.6 per cent compared with 2019.

Retailers say the emergence of Omicron and increase pressure on house-

hold budgets could hit sales at the start of 2022. Chief executive of the BRC, Helen Dickinson said, “Retail faces significant headwinds in 2022, as consumer spending is held back by rising inflation, increasing energy bills, and April’s national insurance hike. It will take continued agility and resilience if they are to battle the storm ahead, while also tackling issues from labour shortages to rising transport and logistics

costs.” She said many had chosen to shop online in December rather than travel to nearby high streets and shopping centres.

Managing finances a weakness for many UK adults The poll of 4,000 UK adults was recently carried out on behalf of the Centre for Social Justice, a thinktank. Problems were particularly acute among young people, with more than twothirds, 68 per cent, saying a lack of money management skills had been a key factor in driving them into debt. As financial pressures multiplied, 44 per cent of adults said they would be in much better shape financially if they had been taught basic money management skills such as budgeting.

Internationally, the UK scores poorly on financial literacy compared with other developed nations, with 24 million adults

admitting they lack confidence in managing their cash, according to the government’s Money and Pensions Service.

The huge growth of “buy now, pay later” services during the coronavirus pandemic is of particular concern, with tighter regulation expected from the government later this year. Almost

one in 10 survey respondents confessed to putting their Christmas purchases on credit, using digital services such as Klarna and Clearpay to spread payments across several interest-free installments. This proportion rose to nearly one in five among 18 to 34-year-olds.

According to Joe Shalam, policy director at the Centre for Social Justice, “The cost-of-living crisis and fast-changing nature of the financial landscape brings an added urgency to the need for better education, as new finan-

cial products are developing faster than they can be regulated,” Although improving financial education in primary and secondary schools was a key part of the solution, the Centre for Social Justice stressed that the need for better money management skills was the base of grave issues. According to Shalam, “Effective early intervention in schools is crucial, but for plenty of people that’s already too late, stressing the benefits of a “mid-life financial MOT” for workers looking ahead to retirement, as well as educating older consumers about spiraling online fraud”.

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Adani sets-up ANIL for new energy business India’s top billionaire Gautam Adani's logistics-to-energy conglomerate has set up a new subsidiary and named it ‘ANIL’.

The new subsidiary will undertake green hydrogen projects, generation of low carbon electricity and manufacture of wind turbines, solar modules and batteries as it looks to become the world's largest renewable energy company and produce the cheapest hydrogen.

Adani had in November last year stated that his group will invest USD 70 billion in the new energy

space of the next decade.

The new company ANIL will undertake business of developing and operating projects for the synthesis of low carbon fuels and chemicals, generation of low carbon electricity and the manufacture of key components/material for projects including generation of green hydrogen, related downstream products, generation, electricity manufacture of wind turbines.

India’s Adani Group already is the world's largest solar power developer. At

Amazon files fresh legal challenges in ‘Future’ dispute Reliance, run by one of country's richest men Mukesh Ambani, wants to expand its footprint by acquiring debt-laden Future, but Amazon has told the country's antitrust body it believes Reliance's consolidated position "will further restrict competition in the Indian retail market".

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) last month suspended its approval of Amazon's 2019 deal with Future, denting the U.S. e-commerce giant's attempts to block the sale of Future's retail assets to domestic market leader Reliance Industries.

Amazon.com Inc has now filed fresh legal challenges in its longrunning dispute with Future

Group after the national antitrust agency suspended a 2019 deal between the two sides, leading to a halt in their arbitration.

The suspension jolted Amazon as subsequently a New Delhi court halted the arbitration proceedings between the two sides.

The filings are the latest in the bitter legal dispute which has embroiled Amazon, Future and Reliance over what is seen as a battle for retail supremacy in India's booming consumer market.

COP 26 in Glasgow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced 2070 as India's target year to reach net-zero carbon emissions. Adani as

well as the richest Indian, Mukesh Ambani have announced ambitious plans to fulfill this announcement.

India will become Asia’s second largest economy in few years Currently, India is the sixth-largest economy in the world, behind the US, China, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom.

By 2030 when India’s GDP is projected to surpass that of Germany and the UK to rank as world’s No.3, the country is also likely to overtake Japan as Asia’s second-largest economy.

India’s nominal GDP measured in USD terms is forecast to rise from USD 2.7 trillion in 2021 to USD 8.4 trillion by 2030. This rapid pace of economic expansion would result in the size of Indian GDP exceeding Japanese GDP by 2030, making India the second-largest economy in the Asia-Pacific region. In fact, By 2030, the Indian

economy would also be larger in size than the largest Western European economies of Germany, France and the UK. The rapidly growing domestic consumer market as well as its large industrial sector have made India an increasingly important investment destination for a wide range of multinationals in many sectors, including manufacturing, infrastructure and services Apart from this the digital transformation of India that is currently underway is expected to accelerate the growth of e-commerce, changing the retail consumer market landscape over the next decade..

Former RBI Governor Urjit Patel appointed VP of AIIB, Beijing

Natural gas shortage spreads to Asia’s developing economies

India is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with the second highest voting share after China. It is headed by former Chinese vice minister for finance Jin Liqun.

Former RBI Urjit Patel Governor Urjit Patel, 58, has been appointed as a Vice President of the Beijing-based multilateral funding institution AIIB. Patel, 58, will be one of the five Vice Presidents of the AIIB with a three-year tenure. He is expected to take over his posting next month.

Previously, Patel had taken over as the 24th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) succeeding Raghuram Rajan.

He has also worked with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Boston Consulting Group and Reliance Industries among other organisations.

The AIIB had recently granted USD 356.67 million loan for the expansion of the Chennai metro rail system. It is also considering funding several other infrastructure projects for the development of Chennai city and its suburbs. The bank had also funded the Bengaluru metro rail project.

Patel's posting to AIIB is regarded as significant as India has emerged as its biggest beneficiary by obtaining USD 6.7 billion funding for 28 projects.

Indian Oil Corp. and Gujarat State Petroleum Corp. have recently bought spot cargoes of liquefied natural gas after being absent from the market for months, according to traders. Indonesia -- a major exporter -- has asked its gas producers to prioritize local customers, while Thailand and Bangladesh are also seeking prompt LNG shipments via tenders released in the last few days.

Consumption of the electricity feedstock and heating fuel, which typically sees a bump in the run-up to the northern winter, has risen as major economies recover from the depths of the pandemic.

The rising interest from South and Southeast Asia adds to elevated demand from Europe, which pushed prices to record highs last month. Supply, meanwhile, remains constrained due to under-investment in new projects over the last few years.

One factor keeping prices from surging even higher is ample stockpiles in China, which overtook Japan as the world’s biggest LNG importer in 2021. Asia’s largest economy has spent the last year restocking its natural gas inventories. It’s entering the chilliest months well supplied and has little need for more unless the weather turns significantly colder, according to traders. That means there’s still some spare supply in the Pacific region.

Power of the Word

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

A few months ago, a colleague of mine took the bold step to purchase a property in North West London. I say bold because this was no ordinary property, it was a place of worship.

The property had been repossessed, and was due to be sold in the auction. It was due to be sold a couple of months before but was withdrawn prior, such is the nature of repossessions.

The deal was done prior to the auction, for around three quarters of a million. Considering freehold properties in this location go for around £650K, this was a lot of property for this amount of money; one could fit three if not four houses on this plot.

There was no firm plan for the property, the deal was done the last quarter of last year, when the auction market in particular was very hot. Thus what prompted the decision to purchase was purely the amount of property for the price.

The property consists of about 5,000 sq. ft. and is spread over two floors. There is lapsed planning for a third floor, which should be easy to resurrect.

I don’t think he appreciated at the time, the usage class is community use, which is very difficult to change for obvious reasons. The council wish to preserve any buildings which have this usage.

This investor took a leap of faith and exchanged on the deal prior to it going to auction.

Normally receivership sales do not sell prior to auction, as the receiver prefers to have the transparency of selling the lot in the room. However, given the property had been withdrawn from the last auction, the receiver I presume would have felt justified in doing the deal.

Once the property was exchanged on, the investor started to receive enquiries from various denominations and faiths, for well in excess of the money he paid. In fact, he was getting offers for nearly double the price paid.

It appears that there happens to be a huge demand for places of worship and very little supply. The reasons I assume these organisations could not buy from the auction were perhaps they simply did not know about the auction, or they would need time to have a whip round from the congregation, in order to raise the funds. Once it’s in the hands of a dealer, they can work together to execute the deal in a suitable time frame.

One organisation who wants the site has a turnover of £6M per annum and also has the bank funding in place to execute the deal. Whilst the onward sale was being negotiated, it seems the previous pastor seemed to think he still owned the building; his justification was the building had not yet been registered in the new buyer’s name. It is not unusual for there to be a time lag from the time of completion to when the property is actually registered in the new buyer’s name. This is no basis to contest the ownership of an asset.

Anyhow, undeterred he managed to break into the building and even held a sermon in the property he didn’t own. It seems God’s laws truly do transcend the laws of man, in this pastor’s mind most certainly.

The investor was worried this would sabotage the onward sale, and so approached his solicitor. The response was a predictable £10,000 fee and to apply to the courts, bailiffs etc. Some matters require a more hands on and practical approach. We decided to attend the property together to sort the issue out.

In a matter of a few hours we had resecured the building leaving a security team in occupation. Thus, saving a tidy sum, saving a huge amount of time, and more importantly protecting the onward sale.

India issues a notice of INR 6.5 billion to Xiaomi The Union Ministry of Finance on Wednesday issued a notice of INR 6.5 billion to Chinese phone maker Xiaomi’s India unit for alleged violation of Customs Act. The reason for the notice is that the company did not include royalty and license fee in the value of its imports.

A show-cause notice has also been issued by the union finance ministry to Xiaomi India following the recovery of documents during searches on its premises that indicated remittance of royalty and license fee to US and Chinese firms under contractual obligations.

The Finance Ministry said being the beneficial owner of such imported mobile phones, Xiaomi India was evading customs duty by not adding royalty and license fee in the transaction value. According to the ministry, the evidence collected during investigations by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) showed that neither Xiaomi India nor its contract manufacturers were including the amount of royalty paid by the firm in the assessable value of the goods imported by the company and its contract manufacturers, which is in violation of the customs law.

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Infant lost during American evacuation of Afghanistan reunited with family During the tumultuous Afghan evacuation over the summer, Mirza Ali Ahmadi - the boy Sohail's father who had worked as a security guard at the US embassy - and his wife Suraya feared their son would get crushed in the crowd as they neared the airport gates en route to a flight to the United States.

In his desperation that day, Ahmadi handed Sohail over the airport wall to a uniformed soldier who he believed to be an American, fully expecting he would soon make it the remaining 5 meters (15 feet) to the entrance to reclaim him. Just at that moment, Taliban forces pushed the crowd back and it

would be another half an hour before Ahmadi, his wife and their four other children were able to get inside. But by then the baby was nowhere to be

found.

The baby, Sohail Ahmadi, was just two months old when he went missing on Aug. 19 as thousands of people rushed to

leave Afghanistan as it fell to the Taliban. The baby was later located in Kabul where a 29year-old taxi driver named Hamid Safi had found him in the airport and took him home to raise as his own.

After more than seven weeks of negotiations and pleas, and ultimately a brief detention

by Taliban police, Safi finally handed the child back to his jubilant grandfather and other relatives still in Kabul.

Now Ahmadi and his wife and other children, who in early December were able to move off the military base and resettle in an apartment in Michigan, hope Sohail will soon be brought to the United States.

200 killed and 10,000 displaced Auction of Mandela’s prison in Nigeria bandit attack key suspended Estimated 200 people were killed and 10,000 displaced in attacks by armed bandits in the northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara following military air raids on their hideouts last week. A spokesperson for Sadiya Umar Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs confirmed that more than 200 bodies were buried.

More than 300 gunmen on motorcycles stormed eight villages in the Anka local area in Zamfara on Tuesday and started shooting sporadically, killing at least 30 people. Attackers also rampaged through 10 villages in Anka and Bukkuyum districts firing at residents and looting and burning homes.

The minister said more than 10,000 people were displaced when “their homes were razed by the bandits while scores are still missing”.

The state government had previously said 58 people were killed in the attacks.

It is to be noted that Northwest Nigeria has seen a sharp rise in mass abductions and other violent crimes since late 2020 as the government struggles to maintain law and order.

Mandela was elected as first president of democratic South Africa in May 1994 and served in the role until June 1999. He died aged 95 in December 2013.

The key to the Robben Island prison cell, where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in jail, had been slated

by United States auction house Guernsey’s was planned to go for auction on January 28 along with an assortment of items including an iconic “Madiba” shirt, eyeglasses and ceremonial pens.

Guernsey had been contacted by one of Mandela’s daughters to auction the paraphernalia, including the key. The proceeds of the auction would be used to build Mandela Memorial Garden in his home village where his remains are buried.

However, Guernsey’s President Arlan Ettinger has said that the government agency has now called for the auction to be stopped.

The reason for suspension is not because they believed anything was stolen but because things left South Africa without necessary permits.

Since 1980s, the key was in possession with Mandela’s former prison guard Christo Brand, who struck up an unlikely and enduring friendship with the anti-apartheid icon.

Over 2000 flee Myanmar and UN says Iran may be smuggling weapons to Yemen camp on Thailand border Heavy fighting between the Myanmar military, which seized power in a coup last year, and resistance fighters has killed or displaced thousands of civilians in this region and elsewhere. This has forced thousands of Myanmar villagers to live under makeshift tents alongside a river that borders Thailand. They are fearful of returning to homes they said had been bombarded by military air raids, but reluctant to seek refuge across the frontier.

Estimated 2,000 men, women and children were seen on the Thai side of the Moei River, living under tarps on the opposite bank in four separate locations About 8,000 Myanmar refugees are already staying in temporary shelters in Thailand, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

UNHCR has supplied mosquito nets, sleeping mats, blankets and facemasks to support the humanitarian response being led by Thai authorities. Elsewhere in Myanmar, there have been reports of a village in the northern Sagaing division being allegedly attacked on Friday by the military.

Yemen has been racked by war since 2014, pitting Iranbacked Houthi rebels against the internationally recognised government and a Saudi Arabian-led military force.

The United Nations found thousands of weapons recently seized in the Arabian Sea likely came from a single port in Iran, evidence Tehran is exporting arms to Yemen and elsewhere.

According to a confidential report by a UN Security Council panel of experts on Yemen, boats and land transport were

used to smuggle weapons made in Russia, China and Iran into Yemen. The arms included rocket launchers, machine guns and sniper rifles, which had been seized by the US Navy in recent months.

In recent months, fighting in Yemen has seen Saudi-led coalition forces carry out air raids on the rebel-held capital Sanaa. Riyadh has said its 2015 intervention in Yemen was aimed at preventing an Iranian ally taking power on its doorstep.

Woman marries the colour pink Kitten Kay Sera is known as 'the pinkest person in the world' and she made headlines in 2018 as it emerged she had spent over £1 million on her monochromatic home and wardrobe Now she's taken her obsession a step further, as Kitten has now married the colour, after being inspired by a child she had spoken to. Yes, Kitten marries the

colour pink in a bizarre ceremony - after dating it for more than 40 years.

For the ceremony, Kitten wore pink, arrived in a pink Chevrolet, and gave herself a pink ring in what must by the least white wedding in history.

She said she got this idea from a child who mentioned marrying the colour since she loved it so much.

Kitten’s love affair began almost by accident on her 20th birthday, as she was trying to work out what to wear to her party. She settled on a pink top, pink fluffy skirt, pink shoes and pink accessories.

Over the years, the lady estimates she has actually spent over one million pounds on pink paraphernalia and outfits.

in brief 3 MEN GET LIFE IMPRISONMENT IN US FOR KILLING ARBERY Ahmaud Arbery’s fatal 2020 shooting in the state of Georgia fuelled mass protests against racism and vigilantism. A Georgia jury Timothy Walmsley in November found the three men – who chased and fatally shot Arbery in February 2020 as he jogged through the coastal community of Satilla Shores – guilty of a range of charges, including felony murder. The Judge ruled on Friday that Travis McMichael, 35, and his father, 66-year-old Gregory McMichael, would spend life in prison without the possibility of parole for Arbery’s murder. McMichaels’s neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, was also sent to life in prison, but he will have the possibility of parole after 30 years. Walmsley has gone on record to say that he gave the McMichaels the harshest sentence open to him in part because of their “callous” words and actions captured on video.

During the sentencing hearing earlier on Friday, Arbery’s relatives had asked the judge to show no lenience to the three men.

7 DEAD IN BRAZIL AFTER CLIFF FALLS ON BOATS The cliffs collapse on a Brazilian lake in the south-east of the country followed days of rain in Minas Gerais state, which had made the cliffs more susceptible to collapse Seven people have been killed after part of a cliff collapsed onto leisure boats. In addition to this, another three are missing and 32 injured in the accident. Video circulating online shows the moment the rock detaches from the cliff face as onlookers try to yell warnings to the boats beneath. At least one of the boats appears to have sunk, while others managed to escape. Divers and helicopters are searching the water for any more survivors. Twenty people were initially reported missing, but most were accounted for after checking hospital lists.

WWII’S OLDEST VETERAN IN US DIES AT 112 Lawrence N Brooks, the oldest World War II veteran in the US who is also believed to be the oldest man in the country, died at the age of 112. His death was announced by the National WWII Museum and confirmed by his daughter. Brooks, born on September 12, 1909, was known for his good-natured sense of humour, positivity and kindness. When asked for his secret to a long life, he often said, “serving God and being nice to people”.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday posted a video on Twitter of him calling Brooks to wish him a happy Veterans Day last year. “He was truly the best of America,” Biden tweeted. In the Veterans Day video, Biden thanked Brooks’ daughter Vanessa for taking such good care of him.

200 KG COCAINE SEIZED FROM MAYOR’S CAR IN NIGERIA Drug smuggling and police seizures are becoming more common in Nigeria. Niger's Central Office for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS) said that police had been aware of a large quantity of cocaine being transported through the country towards Libya, and had been following the trail. A recent investigation led to the seizure of 199 bricks of cocaine - weighing a total of 214 kg in a vehicle belonging to the mayor's office in Fachi. The vehicle had left Fachi and was heading towards Libya for the town of Dirkou when it was stopped. The mayor and his driver were taken to Niger's capital, Niamey, for questioning. Fachi is an oasis in the Tenere desert about 400 km (250 miles) north of the town of Agadez. It is known as a trading centre for salt and dates. The region is used as a route for multiple types of trafficking - such as moving drugs between South America and Europe and migrant smuggling.

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in brief US TEACHER LOCKS COVID INFECTED SON IN CAR BOOT Sarah Beam, 41, who has worked as a teacher at Cypress Falls High School since 2011, is reportedly charged with endangering a child. Ms Beam said her 13-year-old son had tested positive for Covid-19 and she was taking him to the Pridgeon Stadium location for another test to confirm the result. She said she had placed the teenager in the car boot because she did not want to be infected herself. A health worker told her there would be no coronavirus test until the boy was allowed to sit in the back seat of the car. The teacher has now been arrested for allegedly locking her Covid-positive son in a car boot to protect herself from exposure to the virus as she drove to a testing site. Cy-Fair ISD Police Department said they were alerted that a child was in the trunk of a car at a drive-thru Covid-19 testing site. Law enforcement conducted a full investigation, resulting in a warrant for arrest. The child was not harmed.

TURKMENISTAN PRESIDENT ORDERS EXTINGUISHING OF DECADES OLD FIRE Turkmenistan's president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has ordered the extinguishing of the country's "Gateway to Hell", a fire that has been burning for decades in a huge desert gas crater. He has asked to put it out for environmental and health reasons, as well as part of efforts to increase gas exports.

Mystery surrounds the Darvaza crater's creation in the Karakum Desert. Many believe it formed when a Soviet drilling operation went wrong in 1971. But Canadian explorer George Kourounis examined the crater's depths in 2013 and discovered that no-one actually knows how it started. The crater is in fact, one of Turkmenistan's most popular tourist attractions.

According to local Turkmen geologists, the huge crater formed in the 1960s but was only lit in the 1980s. In the past there have been numerous attempts to end the fire, including in 2010 when Mr Berdymukhamedov also ordered experts to find a way to put out the flames.

GOOGLE MAPS HELP IN CAPTURING ITALIAN MAFIA BOSS Gammino Gammino, 61, a member of a Sicilian mafia group dubbed Stidda, had escaped Rome's Rebibbia jail in 2002 and in 2003 had been sentenced to life imprisonment for a murder committed several years earlier.

After a two-year investigation, Gioacchino was tracked down in Galapagar, a town close to Spain's capital Madrid. He lived under a fake name there. The breakthrough came when a Google Maps street view picture portraying a man who looked like him in front of a fruit shop. The photogram was key in triggering a deeper investigation and helped police to confirm the investigation they were developing in traditional ways. Gammino is currently under custody in Spain and would most probably be brought back to Italy by the end of February.

TIGER AND LEOPARD STOLEN FROM KARACHI ZOO A one-month-old leopard cub and an eightmonth-old baby tiger were allegedly stolen from a private zoo in Karachi in Gadap. The Gadap police have registered a case on the complaint of Dr Shahid Jalil, a vet at the zoo, and an investigation has started into the robbery. The doctor has told the police that when he had arrived at work on January 6 and checked the cages of the animals, the cubs of a tiger and jaguar were missing. When the closed-circuit television camera footage of the zoo was checked, the night supervisor was absent from duty from 3am, the vet told the police. The doctor was of the view that the night supervisor was involved in the robbery.

8000 detained in Kazakhstan protests The demonstrations began on Jan. 2 in Kazakhstan over a neardoubling of prices for a type of vehicle fuel and quickly spread across the country, apparently reflecting wider discontent with the authoritarian government.

The protests grew to reflect discontent at the government and former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who led Kazakhstan for three decades and is still thought to retain significant influence. authorities in The Kazakhstan have detained nearly 8,000 people during protests that descended into violence last week and marked the worst unrest the former Soviet nation

has faced since gaining independence 30 years ago. Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has described deadly violence last week as an attempted coup d'etat.

The authorities have declared Monday a day of mourning for dozens of victims of the unprecedentedly violent unrest. The country's Health Ministry said Sunday that 164 people, including three children, were killed in the unrest.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Kazakhstan had been targeted by international terrorism, but provided no evidence for this claim. He added that Russia would never allow revo-

lutions in the region.

The authorities have now declared a state of emergency over the unrest, and President Tokayev requested help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Russia-led military alliance of six former Soviet states. The group has authorised sending about 2,500 mostly Russian troops to Kazakhstan as peacekeepers. Troops from Russia and other countries are currently in Kazakhstan to restore order.

The recent violence may also be linked to a power struggle

within the ruling elite.

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken questioned Kazakhstan's decision to seek Russian military help.

Officials in Moscow gave assurances their presence was temporary. Mr Blinken urged the Kazakh authorities to respect the rights of protesters while maintaining law and order.

Events in Kazakhstan come at a time when tensions are high over tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on the border with Ukraine, prompting fears of an invasion

First female judge for Pakistan Supreme Court

TV star who sold fart, rushed to hospital

The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) – headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed has approved Ayesha Malik’s elevation by a majority of five votes against four. After this endorsement by the JCP, her name will be considered by a parliamentary committee which rarely goes against the recommendation of the JCP. This moves Pakistan closer to appoint the first woman judge of the Supreme Court, after a high-power panel approved the elevation of Lahore High Court judge Ayesha Malik to the apex court.

Justice Malik’s name first came before the JCP last year but the panel was equally split, resulting in the rejection of her candidature.

The Supreme Court Bar Association had expressed reservations at her nomination due to the issue of seniority. President Abdul Latif Afridi had called a countrywide protest against her name being considered, saying that she was junior to many judges serving in five high courts of the country.

Ayesha Malik became a high court judge in March 2012, and currently she is number four on the Lahore High Court (LHC) judge seniority list. In case of her elevation, she will work as a Supreme Court judge until June 2031 before retiring at the age of 65. She will also be the senior most serving judge and likely to become the Chief Justice of Pakistan in January 2030.

An American reality ment from selling TV star has given up farts after she was on her career of sellrushed to the hospiing farts in a jar after tal. being rushed to the The 31-year-old hospital. Stephanie said she had conMatto recently sumed three protein revealed in a TikTok shakes and a huge video that she had an bowl of black bean unusual side hustle soup the day she was Steph Matto she would bottle up rushed to the hospiher farts and sell them for as tal - all in an attempt to fart much as $1,000 a jar. more. "It was quite hard to The demand for her punbreathe and every time I tried to gent product was so high that breathe in I'd feel a pinching Ms Matto was selling 50 jars a sensation around my heart," she week at one point recalled.

But, recently Ms Matto had Though her clients may not to give up on her lucrative side be able to buy fart jars anymore, business after a health scare and they can purchase them as digishe had to announce her retiretal artworks.

German teacher with cannibalism fantasies commits murder A 42 year old Berlin teacher Stefan R was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the killing of another man that the court said was carried out as part of “canniStefan R balism fantasies.” The Berlin state court found that the defendant killed a 43-year-old mechanic in September 2020 “to live out his cannibalism fantasies,” He was also convicted for disturbing the peace of the dead.

The men met on a dating portal and agreed to meet for sex at the teacher’s apartment in the German capital, according to investigators. The court found that the defendant killed his acquaintance there, cut up his body and then spread parts of it in different neighborhoods of the city.

Prosecutors said that he cut off the victim’s genitals with the intention of eating them. It couldn’t be established whether he actually carried out that intention. Police spent weeks looking for the missing mechanic before walkers found bones in a Berlin forest. The case isn’t the first in Germany involving alleged cannibalism, or fantasies involving it.

Hollywood Legend Sidney Poitier passed away at 94 Sidney Poitier was the the first black actor to first black man to win a receive a life achievement best actor Oscar. He was a award from the American trailblazing actor and a Film Institute in 1992. respected humanitarian Five years later, he was and diplomat. He won the appointed the Bahamas' Academy Award for best ambassador to Japan. actor for Lilies of the Field He left for the heavin 1963. enly abode at the age of 94. He was married twice Former US President and had six children. The Barack Obama had said actor was a regular on the Poitier epitomised dignity big screen at a time of and grace and had "singuracial segregation in the lar talent". He also added Sidney Poitier US, appearing in a Patch that Poitier had the power (20 February 1927 of Blue in 1965, and then of movies to bring us clos6 January 2022) Heat of the Night the year er together and opened after, followed by Guess Who's Coming to doors for a generation of actors.

Dinner, playing a black man with a white Poitier, who had received a knightfiancé. hood from the Queen in 1974, had become

Mrs. Indradevi Ratilal Chohan passed away on 10th January 2022 in Greater Manchester. Condolences and prayers from ABPL

Contact : Rishi Chohan 0161 2843023 Om Shanti

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Mali condemns economic sanctions, closes land borders On Sunday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) imposed a raft of economic and diplomatic sanctions in response to Malian military leaders’ desire to push back elections until 2025.

ECOWAS insisted that Mali hold elections in February. But the government then said it would only set an election date after holding a nationwide conference – arguing a peaceful vote was more important than speed.

Mali’s military-dominated

government has “strongly” condemned “illegal” sanctions imposed on the

US man becomes the first to get successful pig heart transplant into human body David Bennett, 57, of the USA has become the first person in the world to get a heart transplant from a genetically-modified pig.

The transplant was considered the last hope of saving Mr Bennett's life, though it is not yet clear what his long-term chances of survival are. Bennett is now doing well three days after the experimental seven-hour procedure in Baltimore. Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center were granted a special dispensation by the US medical regulator to carry out the procedure, on the basis that Mr Bennett would otherwise have died. For the medical team it marks the culmination of years of research and could change lives around the world. The possibility of using animal organs for so-called xenotransplantation to meet the demand has long been considered, and using pig heart valves is already common. The pig used in the transplant had been genetically modified to knock out several genes that would have led to the organ being rejected by Mr Bennett's body.

Mr Bennett was bedridden for six weeks leading up to the surgery, and attached to a machine which kept him alive after he was diagnosed with terminal heart disease.

country by the ECOWAS, adding that it has closed its land borders “with the states

concerned”. In August 2020, army officers, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, toppled the elected President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita amid street protests against his unpopular rule. Under threat of sanctions, Goita subsequently promised to restore civilian rule in February 2022 after holding presidential and legislative elections.

Faced with the West African embargo, the government said it had made arrangements to ensure normal supplies “by all appropriate means” and called on the population to remain calm.

Fire kills 19 in a New York apartment 19 people, including nine children, have died after a fire in a New York apartment building. Another 32 people were sent to hospital, several of whom are in a critical condition.

The victims were found on every floor of the 19-storey block and the smoke was "unprecedented". The death toll was the worst seen in New York for 30 years.

The incident comes days after an apartment fire in Philadelphia killed 12, with eight children among the dead.

Some 200 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze, which officials believe was sparked by a malfunctioning electric heater. The fire broke out in an apartment that spans the

brink of default.

In fact, Sri Lanka's foreign reserves had dropped to just $1.5

billion at the end of November -- enough to pay for only about a month's worth of imports.

Sri Lanka has borrowed heavily from China for infrastructure, some of which ended up as white elephants.

Unable to repay a $1.4 billion loan for a port construction in southern Sri Lanka, Colombo

second and third floors of the Bronx apartment block at about 11:00 local time (16:00 GMT).

The building hosts a number of affordable housing apartments and the blaze is likely to raise questions over the quality of such units in the city. The door to the apartment where the fire started was left open, and smoke then spread to every floor.

was forced to lease out the facility to a Chinese company for 99 years in 2017.

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka has now sought to reschedule its huge Chinese debt burden in talks with visiting foreign minister Wang Yi. China has offered the Maldives infrastructure maintenance, medical aid and visa concessions as Beijing moved to strengthen its connections with the strategically placed archipelago.

Biden’s State of the Union 23 tourists freeze to death in Murree, Pakistan Address on March 1 Marking the latest any president has delivered a State of the Union address, US President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address on March 1.

The White House has confirmed the schedule after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the president a formal invitation to speak to Congress and the American public one year into his term.

The last State of the Union address was delivered by thenPresident Donald Trump on the eve of his acquittal by the Senate in his first impeachment trial.

Officials said pandemic precautions for this year’s speech were still being worked out, though they expect it to look more like a traditional State of the Union address than last year’s remarks.

An address to Congress in the president’s first year is not an official State of the Union address, and Biden’s April speech bore little resemblance to one because of strict Covid19 protocols. It was marked by limitations on attendance, with no guests allowed, and lawmakers seated on both the floor of the House chamber and the galleries above.

Murree, a hill town in Pakistan have recorded the deaths of 23 tourists after heavy rainfall and snowstorm trapped them in. In a video message, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that the military has been mobilized to clear roads and rescue the trapped people.

A police spokesperson confirmed that over 100,000 cars had entered the scenic town of Murree in the past few days to visualize the unusually heavy snowfalls, causing an enormous traffic jam on the roads leading in and out. Rawalpindi and Islamabad administration have been trying their best to clear the area since Friday night, but there

SIKH TAXI DRIVER ASSAULTED IN THE US A Sikh driver of an Indian origin was assaulted by an unidentified man who knocked off his turban and also used expletives against him, according to a video on social media. The heart breaing incident took place at JFK International Airport in New York. Navjot Pal Kaur on micro-blogging site Twitter uploaded the hatered 26 second video that stated the incident on January 4. She said the video was shot by a bystander at the airport.

The person was using expletives against the victim and also was repeatedly hitting him & punching him also was recorded knocking off his turban! Meanwhile, Consulate General of India in New York on Saturday tweeted:“The assault against a Sikh taxi driver in New York is deeply disturbing. We have taken up the matter with US authorities and urged them to investigate this violent incident,”

COLOMBIAN MAN DIES UNDER NEW EUTHANASIA POLICY

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka asks to reschedule Chinese debt The island country's tourismdependent economy has been hammered by the pandemic and its depleted foreign exchange reserves have led to food rationing at supermarkets and shortages of essential goods.

Key ally China is Sri Lanka's biggest bilateral lender. Chineses minister Wang's visit comes after a warning from international ratings agencies that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's government could be on the

in brief

was a massive influx of people coming to Murree, Galiaat and Bariyaan, Sheikh Rashid said. As a result, authorities were unable to clear the area. The roads leading to Murree have been cordoned off.

The Punjab province chief minister’s office said Murree had been declared a “disaster area” and urged people to stay away.

Colombia had depenalized assisted death in 1997, and in July 2021 a high court expanded this "right to dignified death" to those not suffering from a terminal illness.

It is the first Latin American country to take the step and one of the few in the world, and did so despite being mostly Roman Catholic.

The church categorically opposes euthanasia and assisted suicide. Victor Escobar decided to die and to do so publicly, becoming one of the first Latin Americans to end their life without suffering from a terminal disease, under a ground-breaking court ruling in Colombia. Hours before dying on Friday, 60 year old Escobar celebrated what he called victory in his two-year battle with a lung ailment that left him unable to breathe on his own. Victor died in the city of Cali with doctors present. The last footage of him alive shows him smiling and surrounded by family.

He was sedated and then given a lethal injection. In Europe only Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and Spain have legalized euthanasia. Colombia may have joined that list but access to the procedure is not always smooth.

SA’S FORMER PRESIDENT AND GUPTA BROTHERS MISAPPROPRIATED PUBLIC MONEY? According to report received by President Cyril Ramaphosa from the South African Commission of Inquiry into State Capture from the chairperson of the Commission, Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo; South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma along with Indian-origin Gupta brothers, who had “considerable” influence over him, misappropriated huge amount of public money. The scam included diverting millions of rands to enrich the now defunct The New Age newspaper, according to a probe report on corruption during Zuma’s tenure from 2009 to 2018. The report has been made public, however, the government said it will be able to comment on it only after studying all the three parts. The rest of the parts will be handed over to the president by February-end. The report said the Guptas wielded great influence over Zuma, as they set about looting billions from state enterprises before fleeing the country. The Commission also recommended that the law enforcement agencies should investigate a possible case of corruption against Tony Gupta.

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Elections in five states of India from February 10 As the third wave of Covid sweeps in India, driven by Omicron, the election commission announces dates for Assembly elections in India's five states - Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. These five states will vote over seven phases starting February 10, with counting of votes scheduled for March 10.

This means a total of 690 Assembly constituencies will vote over the next two months, with the maximum in UP (403 seats) followed by Punjab (117), Uttarakhand (70), Manipur (60) and Goa (40). Concern over the virus spreading had

further increased after political parties held mega rallies in pollbound states. These rallies are attended by thousands (many without face masks) and social distancing is entirely absent for such events, which are understandably difficult to control. To ensure safety, the Commission barred physical rallies

and meetings till January 15, saying a review will be taken after that since the "ground situation is dynamic".

Officials are also discussing other measures, including extending voting times by an hour and setting up extra polling booths in UP India's most populous state - to ensure social distancing.

Meanwhile, with the Election Commission of India banning political rallies, nukkad meetings, roadshows till January 15 in election-bound states,

the Congress has once again deferred its rally that was to be addressed by AICC leader Rahul Gandhi on January 15 at Moga.

In a major decision, it is also declared that the Covid vaccination certificates issued in the five poll-bound states will not have Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photo since the model code of conduct has come into force there. The Union Health Ministry has applied necessary filters, soon after the poll schedule was announced, on the CoWIN platform to exclude Modi’s photo from the vaccine certificate.

As Covid surges, Indian airline companies waive rescheduling fees As Covid and Omicron wave surges in India, India’s biggest airline – IndiGo – announced it is waiving change fees for rescheduling flights, besides scaling back capacity by 20 per cent. Air India too has offered 'one free change' of date or flight number or sector for all domestic tickets with confirmed travel till March 31 this year.

The Tata-Singapore Airlinesbacked Vistara is also providing one complimentary ‘date change’ for all domestic flights. The complimentary date change is permitted on all domestic flight routings issued for travel up to March 31, 2022. Apart from this, Online travel bookings company EaseMyTrip said it is offering a full refund to customers (includ-

ing money deducted by airlines), in case of medical emergencies.

Another major airline in India, SpiceJet is also discussing the issue internally and is likely to make an announcement soon.

"The Ministry of Civil Aviation is in regular touch with the officials from the Health Ministry and will take appropriate decisions to ensure the safety of passengers in Indian skies,” said an official.

Mastermind of ‘Bulli Bai’ app arrested from Assam During the first week 2023 Twitter was flooded with pictures of several women of a particular community, with the caption, “Today’s your Bulli Bai is…”. And hashtags like #BulliDeals #SulliDeals #BulliBai were being used.

Surprisingly, these women did not even know how their pictures were becoming viral on social media.

What is even more shocking is that using these captions and hash-

tags, women of a particular community were auctioned off on online platforms.

An FIR was registered in this case on January 1 when a woman journalist complained that her photograph was uploaded on Twitter. The police launched an investigation and the accounts were suspended. GitHub blocked users by removing the app. Cyber experts team of Mumbai Police

probing the case traced three

Delhi on alert: 750 doctors, 400 parliament staff test positive At least 750 doctors and hundreds more nurses and paramedics from the six major hospitals in Delhi are currently down with Covid-19. Although most of them have mild symptoms and are in home isolation, it has taken away a huge chunk of the workforce, resulting in hospitals having to curtail routine clinics and surgeries. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is the worst hit, with nearly 350 resident doctors currently in isolation.

In addition to this, at least 400 staff and security personnel working at the Parliament had tested posi-

tive for Covid-19. The test results were revealed during random testing between January 6 and January 7.

According to hospital sources, over 100 healthcare workers tested positive at AIIMS in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of staff in quarantine to over 400. At Lok Nayak, which is the only Delhi government

hospital designated for the treatment of Omicron patients, 29 persons from the hospital have tested positive officially, with a senior administrator saying that many more – including junior resident doctors – are in isolation. While, at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, 175 staff members currently have Covid, of which 125 are doctors and at Lady Hardinge Medical College and the two associated hospitals, nearly 100 resident doctors are currently positive. At both Lady Hardinge and RML, discussions are on to stop routine surgeries.

Mandatory 7-day quarantine for international travellers in India As per the new rules that take effect in India to tackle a huge Omicron-driven surge in Covid cases in the country, people flying in from abroad will need to home quarantine for a week after landing in India and test on the eighth day.

The number of "at-risk" countries has now increased to 19 after nine more have been added since December.

According to the guidelines, all passengers have to go into home isolation for seven days and take an RTPCR test after that. If they test positive, they will be

sent to an isolation facility and their samples will be sent for genome testing.

Passengers seated near them and cabin crew will be treated as contacts. If the test is negative, the passengers will have to further self-monitor their health for next seven days.

If travelers under home quarantine or self-health monitoring develop signs and symptoms suggesting Covid or if they test positive on re-testing, they will immediately self-isolate and

report to their nearest health facility. The rules for those arriving from countries "at-risk" also remain the same. However, they have to take a test and wait for the results before leaving or taking a connecting flight.

dozen IP addresses using penetration technique.

The police have arrested four people including Neeraj Bishnoi, who is said to be the mastermind of Bulli Bai app. Bishnoi, 21, who is pursuing computer engineering, was arrested from Assam.

Bangalore based Visha Jha who was the first person to be arrested in the case, tested positive for Covid.

During interrogation, Neeraj

has said that he was very upset with the political stand and report of some journalists and wanted to teach them a lesson, that is why he had listed the picture of journalists on Bulli Bai app. Recently, the complainant has again turned up to cyber police after receiving threats from unknown callers. The cyber police have lodged a complaint and probe is on trace the callers.

A world famous humorist who believes in the power of giving Nischal Sanghavi

The humorist has pledged to donate INR 110 million (over £1 million) for education of underprivileged.

Jagdish Trivedi was born to teacher parents in a modest Indian family. Spending his childhood in a small village called Gujarvati, in Surendranagar district of Gujarat, Trivedi struggled his way up to become a well known Gujarati humorist.

Today at 54, Trivedi has completed three PhDs, has authored 60 books. Besides India he has been abroad 76 times and performed at 1000 shows in the US alone. 4 years ago Trivedi had pledged all his structed a school in Sayla located in future incomes with a minimum donaGujarat’s Surendranagar district, in an tion of INR 110 million (£1.09m) from his area where thousands of stone crusher personal earnings for children’s educalabourers and their families live, but they tion. During this period Trivedi contindo not have a school where their children ued his studies and went to complete PhD could study. The sixth school not once, twice but three times. In fact was made for the children of a tribe of a student has done a doctorate on snake charmers near a small town called the 60 odd books written by Jagdish Chotila town in the same district.

Trivedi. In addition to this, two He gives uniforms, books etc. to each students under child year on year and also gives facilities official guidance of Trivedi, have like library, water cooler, fans, lights etc. also completed their doctorates. to each school. Currently around Keeping up with his 1000 children have benefitted pledge, Trivedi has from the schools and the already spent INR 25 milavailable facilities. Trivedi's lion (approximately dream is to build at least one £250,000) to inaugurate 6 school in each district of schools in the last three Gujarat.

Today years. The seventh one will Jagdish Trivedi is not only be inaugurated on 9 one of the most sought after February 2022 in presence of mincomedy artists in Gujarat, isters, political leaders and saints. but has also won awards like Trivedi started with two Gaurav Rashtriya schools in Thangadh, a small Purashkar and Gujarati town in Gujarat where his parSahitya Parishad’s Jyotindra ents served as teachers during Dave Partisohikis - the ultitheir early days. The school had mate award for a Gujarati three broken rooms. Trivedi crecomedy artist. Trivedi has also ated schools with six classrooms, won all 5 different awards given corridor, toilet blocks and compound walls. After that he conJagdish Trivedi by the Gujarati Sahitya Academy.

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PUNJAB

in brief

Major security breach during PM's visit to Punjab On 5th January, in what is considered to be a major security lapse for India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the PM's convoy was stuck on a flyover during his Punjab visit for 15-20 minutes.

The Indian Supreme Court has constituted a committee headed by a retired apex court judge to probe the security lapse.

It has asked the centre and the Punjab government to hold the ongoing probes by panels they had appointed and said detailed orders regarding this will be issued soon.

Advocate General DS Patwalia informed the court, on behalf of Punjab Government, that seven show cause notices were issued to police officers and other authorities in the state, sans any opportunity of hearing. He has also urged the

Court to direct an independent probe.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta referred to the Blue Book of the Special Protection Group (SPG). He said, “Convoy of the PM had reached the place which was 100 m from the protest area…as per the Blue Book, it would be incumbent upon the officers that the rules are strictly implemented and state

government should direct such officers so that there is minimum inconvenience."

As Punjab Police finds itself in the crosshairs of the centre over the security lapses, the Punjab government on Saturday appointed VK Bhawra as the new Director-General of Police, the third in around 100 days of Chief Minister Charanjit Channi's brief tenure.

Meanwhile, the Congress has said the BJP must stop politicising the issue and explain why the SPG allowed him to be visible from outside when he was stuck on a flyover in Punjab.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, the pictures the government released of the stranded cavalcade on the flyover clearly showed the PM. “Why did the SPG leave the line of sight uncovered,” she asked and said PM and BJP leaders should stop defaming Punjab and the pride of Punjabis over the issue. A BJP delegation has submitted a memorandum to the President expressing deep concern over the lapse. After meeting the Governor, Mohanty lashed out at Congress for the breach in the prime minister’s security. It is very shameful that the Congress-led.

SOUTH INDIA

Kerala minister seek govt. intervention for safety of Indians in Kazakhstan The unrest began in Kazakhstan's far west as protests over a sharp rise in prices of LPG that is widely used as vehicle fuel began on January 2 and spread throughout the country, apparently reflecting discontent extending beyond the fuel prices.

Since the outbreak of protests, internet services in the Central Asian nation Kazakhstan has been suspended and the Keralites living there are unable to get in touch with their families back home in India.

Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly VD

Satheesan has sought the intervention of the central government to ensure the safety of Indians stranded in Kazakhstan, which has been rocked by violent protests over rising fuel prices. He has urged for necessary steps to bring them back.

Mr Satheesan, in a letter to Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, stated that there are numerous Keralites, including students who are stuck in that country.

Security forces have killed 26 demonstrators during this week's unrest apart from which 18 law enforcement officers also died.

Former minister arrested over a job scam in Tamilnadu At least 23 victims were identified and a total of 1.4 crore was collected from them allegedly for securing jobs. They were promised various jobs in the state government d e p a r t m e n t s/ un d e r t a kin g s including in the state-run dairy cooperative 'Aavin.'

Two separate FIRs were registered previously by the Virudhunagar police following complaints. Former AIADMK minister K T Rajenthra Bhalaji along with three others were arrested in a case involving an alleged job scam in Karnataka and brought to Tamil Nadu.

The anticipatory bail application of a former minister who was arrested in connection with the scam was dismissed by

K T Rajenthra Bhalaji

the Madras High Court last month, The police case on job scam is against Mr Bhalaji, two of his personal assistants and an associate.

Dismissing the anticipatory bail petition of Mr Bhalaji and others, the High Court had said in cases of job racketeering, the court finds innocents are being cheated, lured and their future becomes questionable. "Job aspirants not only lose their money, they also lose their future," it said.

WEST BENGAL

Indian Minister Thakur PM Modi to virtually address criticizes West Bengal CM Bengal on Swami Mamata over her remarks Vivekananda’s Birthday The second campus of CNCI has been built at a cost of over INR 5.3 billion out of which around 4 billion have been provided by the Union government and the rest by the West Bengal government, in the ratio of 75:25.

Mamata Banerjee The campus is a 460 bedded comprehensive cancer centre unit with cutting-edge infrastructure for cancer diagnosis, staging, treatment, and care.

This second campus of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) in Kolkata which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

Banerjee, who attended the inauguration event virtually from her office, said she was invited twice by Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya. She said that the prime minister virtually inaugurated the project. But they had already inaugurated it earlier during the outbreak of pandemic when they needed a Covid centre.

In a swipe at Banerjee, Thakur said that as a chief minister she should know the difference between a temporary Covid-19 centre and a world-class cancer institute. His remarks came a day after the West Bengal CM claimed that the project was already inaugurated by her government a long time ago.

On the occasion of Swami Vivekananda’s birthday, the BJP Yuva Morcha plans to launch saffron volunteers in West Bengal under the name “Vivek Vahini" and with this motto ‘To serve man is to serve God’, which is also the philosophy of Vivekananda The launch of the Vivek Vahini programme will be officially done by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will virtually address the session at 10:30 am.

Vivek Vahini will have two parts. In one part, more than 100 doctors will give teleconsultation to patients and the other section will reach out to patients in any need. From bringing medicine to hospitalisation, these saffron volunteers will be with the

BJP STRENGTHENS ITS FEET IN CHANDIGARH Chandigarh Municipal Corporation saw the BJP setting its feet stronger on the municipal corporation soil. BJP Municipal Councillor Sarabjit Kaur got chaired on the Mayor post defending AAP's Anju Katyal by just one vote in a direct contest. As per the officials statement, Ms Kaur bagged 14 votes while Ms Katyal got 13, and one was declared invalid.

After the results, AAP Councillors cried foul & created rucks in the house. The police had to intertwine in between and calm them. AAP in its social media account has blamed this incident as shocking death of democracy.

The BJP has also bagged the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor seats. The Congress and SAD abstained from voting in both the elections as well. “I am mayor of the entire city not of a party; and will try and take all the parties along. My first priority would be to improve city’s ranking in Swachh Survekshan,” Sarabjit Kaur Dhillon said.

FAKE NURSE KIDNAPS BABY IN KERALA A woman, dressed as a nurse, entered the gynecology department of the medical hospital and walked away with the infant at around 3.00 PM and it took more than half an hour for the child's mother and relatives to realise the baby had been kidnapped. Neethu R Ra, the woman who allegedly kidnapped the child was a native of Thiruvalla and she plotted this plan to prevent her lover marrying another woman. The breakthrough came when an autorickshaw driver informed the police that a woman with a baby was seen entering the Park Hotel which was just 100 meters from the hospital. Police reached the hotel, arrested the woman and rushed the baby back to its mother at the hospital.

UGANDAN WOMAN CAUGHT WITH 1KG SYNTHETIC DRUG IN BENGALURU The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru on Saturday seized around 1 kg of Methamphetamine from a Ugandan lady at Hubli railway station, the agency said in a statement. The bust comes a day after the Bengaluru police made startling claims of an increase in the peddling and consumption of drugs in the city, especially those from other nationalities. She was traveling with the drugs in a concealed form on the train. The drug was sourced from Delhi and was for further distribution in the state of Karnataka,” according to the NCB statement on Saturday.

The drug was cleverly packed and further concealed in two Cerelac baby food carton boxes to avoid detection. Each box contained around 500 grams of Methamphetamine.

By arresting the said Ugandan national by officers of NCB, Bengaluru has effectively neutralized a drug syndicate which was operating in the southern regions uniquely and systematically.

JAGANNATH PURI CLOSED FOR DEVOTEES TILL 31ST JANUARY people.

On Vivekananda’s birthday on January 12, the TMC too has plans in West Bengal. Abhishek Banerjee has also come up with an aim of 30,000 tests on the birthday in his constituency.

Party insiders say now BJP is not eyeing any elections. They want to just build up this perception that they are with the people.

With the rise in Covid cases, the Odisha government has decided to shut down Jagannath Temple for devotees from January 10, said Samarth Verma district collector of Puri. The government has decided to shut down colleges, universities & other educational institutions in the state w.e.f January 10, confirmed special relief commissioner PK Jena.

The state has recorded six times rise in Covid19 cases in less than a week. Verma said the temple will be shut down following the discussion with the temple priests & management. Some priests have also been tested positive for the virus. Hence the temple shall remain closed till January 31.

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in brief US LIFTS TWO YEAR RESTRICTIONS ON IMPORT OF MANGOES FROM INDIA There was a restriction on the export of Indian mangoes to the US earlier, where the US was allowing imports but it had to be subsequently linked to the export of Indian cherries and fodder. The US has now agreed to easier rules to allow the export of Indian mangoes and pomegranates in return for the entry of American cherries and Alfalfa hay as well as pork. A framework agreement for implementing the 2 Vs 2 Agri market access issues had been signed between the department of agriculture and farmer’s welfare and the US department of agriculture.

The exports of mangoes and pomegranate will start from January-February 2022 and pomegranate aril exports will start from April 2022 along with the exports of Alfalfa hay and cherries.

PAKISTAN BOAT WITH 10 CREW CAUGHT IN INDIAN WATERS A boat, named 'Yaseen,' was caught by an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Ankit during an operation on Saturday night. The boat caught by ICG in the Indian waters off the Gujarat coast was a Pakistani boat with 10 crew members on board. The ICG ship apprehended a Pakistani boat during night ops on 08 Jan. The boat was brought to Porbandar for further interrogation. On September 15 last year, the ICG had in a similar operation caught a Pakistani boat with 12 crew members in the Indian waters off the Gujarat coast. In fact, there has also been a rise in cases of such boats being used to smuggle drugs through the state coast.

CHRISTIAN PRIEST BOOKED FOR OUTRAGEOUS REMARKS Partly quashing an FIR filed against priest P George Ponniah who was booked under different sections of the IPC including outraging religious sentiments, Justice G R Swaminathan said such immunity would be available only to rationalists or satirists or even academics under the Constitution.

The judge, while batting for an individual’s decision to convert from one religion to another, however said “religious conversions cannot be a group agenda.” The judge made the observations while hearing a petition of Ponniah against whom a case was filed by the police for saying Bhooma Devi and Bharat Mata were sources of infection and filth.

The priest had also made critical remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and a state Minister during a meeting at Arumanai in Kanyakumari district in the state. The Madras High Court has ruled that offending remarks against Hindus cannot claim immunity after outraging religious beliefs of others and stated he cannot be equated as a neutral commentator or a stand-up comedian like Munawar Faruqui.

1500 ATTEND MONKEY’S FUNERAL IN AN INDIAN VILLAGE In several parts of India, monkeys are considered sacred for their association with Lord Hanuman. The monkey that frequented the village of Dalupura in India’s Madhya Pradesh state was known to people.

Pained by the monkey's death, the residents of this village in Rajgarh district organised its last rites. A funeral procession with hymns was chanted as people carried the bier to the cremation site. Following the last rites, villagers collected money and organised a feast for more than 1,500 people. Cards were printed and distributed, inviting villagers to the feast. A video of the feast went viral showing hundreds of people seated in rows under a massive pandal.

Gujarat calls off prestigious Vibrant Summit-2022 Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, a biennial event was conceptualized in 2003 under the visionary leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India (then the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat). The Summit has today evolved into one of the most reputed global forums for business networking, knowledge sharing and strategic partnerships for inclusive socioeconomic development.

The 10th edition of the 3-day business summit was scheduled from January 10 2022. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who first conceptualised VGGS in 2003, was to inaugurate the 3-day Summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

The Gujarat Government has deferred the mega business congregation Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) 2022 as the State continued to witness a sharp surge in

Covid-19 cases with the threat of Omicron looming large.

Notably, the government did not consider conducting the Summit online, unlike JP Morgan Chase & Co’s annual healthcare conference on January 10-13, which was moved online after several participants raised concerns over Omicron. After Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reviewed the Covid situation and the Omicron outbreak in the State, the government decided to temporarily postpone the Summit. It is not decided

when the event will be convened next. The government has declared that in the larger public interest and keeping welfare of all citizens of the State in mind, the Chief Minister has decided to postpone the 10th Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit for the time being. Besides the Vibrant Summit, Ahmedabad civic authorities have also suspended the annual flowershow held on the Sabarmati Riverfront and the International Kite Festival which is a major attraction for kite flyers around the world.

India successfully tests supersonic missile BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms.

The BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

India has now successfully test-fired a naval variant of the advanced supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from a stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy. The advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was tested from INS Visakhapatnam and the missile hit the designated target ship precisely.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the successful launch of the missile reconfirmed the robustness of the Indian Navy's "mission readiness".

Minister Singh had tweeted that “The robustness of @indiannavy mission readiness is reconfirmed today after successful launch of the advanced version of BrahMos Missile from INS Visakhapatnam today. I congratulate the wonderful team work of @indiannavy @DRDO_India & @BrahMosMissile,"

India extends OCI re-issuance deadline OCI is a form of permanent residency available to people of Indian origin and their spouses which allows them to live and work in India indefinitely.

Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in the US, India has extended the timeline for reissuance of Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card by one year till Dec 31, 2022. The mandatory requirement of reissuance of an OCI card each time a new passport is issued to

a foreigner up to 20 years of age and once after completing 50 years of age has also been dispensed with. Now, an OCI card-

holder is required to get the OCI card reissued only once when a new passport is issued after completing 20 years of age.

The requirement of carrying old and new passports, along with the OCI card, has also been done away with. An OCI cardholder travel-

ing with an OCI card bearing old passport number is not required to carry the old passport now. However, carrying the current passport is mandatory.

Uploading of copies of new passports, photos and other documents of an OCI card holder or their foreign origin spouse can be done through ‘OCI Miscellaneous Services’ section at: https://ociservices.gov.in/we lcome.

NCP’s Pawar claims 13 MLAs Odisha’s Chilika Lake receives will join Samajwadi Party in UP over a million migratory birds As India’s state of Uttar Pradesh heads for its 2022 assembly elections on February 10, the National Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar has claimed that around 13 MLAs will be joining Akhilesh's Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead of the elections.

His statement came hours after UP cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya of the Bhartiya Janata Party resigned from the post and quit his party. Soon after Swami Prasad Maurya's resignation, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav welcomed him in the party. He has given a

statement that several more leaders will be joining his party in the run up to the elections.

Addressing a press conference, Pawar has said that in UP, NCP is going to contest elections with Samajwadi Party and other smaller parties. He has claimed that the people of Uttar Pradesh are looking for a change and the world will surely see the change in the State. According to him, Communal polarisation is being done in Uttar Pradesh, ahead of Assembly elections, but the people of UP will give a befitting reply.

Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon Chilika Lake, located in India’s Odisha state, witnessed over 10.74 lakh birds.

The birds include an uncommon Mongolian gull, visiting the waterbody in Odisha this winter, according to a census report released recently.

Spread over Puri, Ganjam and Khorda districts, Chilika Lake covers an area of around 1,100 sq km. However, compared to around 11.40 lakh birds of 190 species last year, this year 10,74,173 winged guests of 183 species to the lake were counted during the exercise.According to

CDA chief executive Susanta Nanda, the Mongolian gulls were observed this year, which is indeed uncommon.Among the pintail species of ducks, the Northern pintail, gadwall, Eurasian wigeon accounted for over one lakh each. The count of visiting gadwall and Eurasian wigeon was less than that of last year. A decrease in the number of species such as northern shoveler, tufted duck, and redcrested pochard was observed this year. An increase in the population of pintail, northern coot and common pochard was also noticed.

State funeral for notable historian Purandare Padma Vibhushan Babasaheb Purandare was a celebrated author, historian and theatre personality. He was known for his work on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He wrote several books on the king, his administration and the forts from Shivaji’s era.

Babasaheb Purandare also directed ‘Jaanta Raja’, a popular play on Chhatrapati’s life.

Babasaheb Purandare was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital recently after he fell in the bathroom. He was 99 years old and on life support. He took his last breath at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav

Thackeray has announced a state funeral for Babasaheb Purandare, according to a

statement by the Chief Minister's Office.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his condolences on the sad demise. The PM tweeted, “I am pained beyond words. The demise of Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare leaves a major void in the world of history and culture. It is thanks to him that the coming generations will get further connected to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. His other works will also be remembered.”

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Audience show suspended at Wagah Border retreat ceremony The lowering of the flag ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force, BSF) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959.

At the international border between India and Pakistan, the pomp and pageantry of the Beating Retreat and the Change of Guard occur within the handshaking distance of the Indian and Pakistani forces. Wagah, an army outpost on the India-Pakistan border between Amritsar and Lahore, is an elaborate complex of buildings, roads and barriers on both sides. The daily highlight is the evening “Beating the Retreat” ceremony. Soldiers from both countries march in a drill, going

through the steps of bringing down their respective national flags.

Officials have declared that, as a precautionary measure against covid pandemic situation, the public viewing of the daily flag-lowering

retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah joint check post (JCP) at Attari near Amritsar in Punjab has been suspended indefinitely. Last year also, the BSF had suspended the retreat ceremony on the Indian side of the border owing to the pandemic.

The public will not be allowed at the Attari-Wagah JCP, around 30 km from Attari on the Indian side till further orders, a Border Security Force (BSF) official has said in a statement.

80 shops fire gutted in Kovid Kapoor goes viral Delhi’s Chandni Chowk because of his name A call about the fire at the Lajpat Rai market in India’s capital Delhi was received at around 4.35 a.m. on Thursday (January 6, 2022). Lajpat Rai market located in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk is located in Delhi’s city center and is a very popular marketplace not only among locals, but also tourists.

Initially, 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and later six more were sent. To reach the site, the fire officials faced a tough time due to the narrow lanes.

A team of senior police

personnel was also sent to the spot to assist the fire officials. The Centralised Accident & Trauma Services (CATS) ambulance was also called for the rescue operation. The fire was brought under control by 8 a.m. No one was reported to be injured in the incident, but at least 80 shops were gutted after the massive blaze broke

Mr Kovid Kapoor, cofounder of Holidify, had to change his Twitter bio to "My name is Kovid and I'm not a virus – recently.

Detailing his experience of traveling abroad in a Twitter thread that has gone viral on the microblogging platform, he said that he had gone outside India for the first time since COVID and got people amused by my name.

According to Mr Kapoor, his name actually means "scholar" or someone who is learned, and comes from the Hanuman Chaleesa. Unlike the highlyinfectious disease that has upended lives across the world, "Kovid" is actually

Kovid Kapoor

pronounced with a soft "d". Infact, his tweet has gone viral with over 30,000 'likes' and a ton of amused comments. Kapoor says, there have been a number of funny micro-interactions, with Amazon delivery guys, with electricians, at airport security, at hotel check-ins, etc. However, he says has just decided to take it all in good humor and make some lemonade out of a sour lemon life threw at him

Modi declares 26 December as ‘Veer Baal Divas’

Indian passport now extends its strength to 60 countries The Indian passport has now become even more powerful. The country’s passport, which was at 90th position last year, has now climbed up by 7 places to reach the 83rd position.

Now Indian passport holders can travel to two new destinations without visa. The new countries in the list are Oman and Armenia, where Indian passport holders can travel without visa. This brings the total country count to 60, where Indian passport holders do not need a visa.

India is right now the third largest passport issuer in the world after the US and China. The country

issued over 12.8 million passports in India and abroad in the year 2019.

2020 saw a 21% increase in Indian nationals acquiring investment migration programs as compared to the previous year. While in 2021 the increase was whooping 200% as compared to the previous year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that, as a tribute to the 10th Sikh guru Gobind Singh's four sons who were executed by the Mughals, December 26 starting this year will be observed as "Veer Bal Diwas" PM Modi's announcement came on the day of the birth anniversary of the Sikh guru and is a fitting tribute to the courage of the "sahibzades" and their quest for justice.

The PM Narendra Modi-

Narendra Modi

led government in India has been taking a number of measures to reach out to the

J&K Police arrests journalist for posting video Dar is a journalism student at Central University of Kashmir, and writes for several newspapers in the Valley. The J&K Police has arrested him days after he posted a video of a slain militant’s family raising slogans after his death.

According to police the journalist, Sajad Ahmad Dar, who writes under the name Sajad Gul, is “always in search of antigovernment news” and uploads “fake tweets”. Dar’s family said he was arrested from his home at Gund Jahangir village in Bandipora district during an Army raid, and added that he was later handed over to police.

The raid on Dar’s house came three days after he shared on social media a video of slain militant commander Saleem Parray’s family. In the video, Parray’s family and neighbours could be heard raising slogans.

The IGP’s statement said Dar uploaded a video of “antinational slogans” raised by “some women folk, mostly relatives” of slain militant Parray, and “thereby tried to disrupt the peace”. “The activities of the subject (Dar) are prejudicial to the security and sovereignty of the country,” the statement said.

Sikhs, a community which was perceived to be upset with the ruling BJP after three farm reform laws were enacted. It is to be noted that the prime minister recently also announced the repeal of the laws.

Modi has said that "Veer Bal Diwas” will be on the same day Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji attained martyrdom after

being sealed alive in a wall.

He added that these two greats preferred death instead of deviating from the noble principles of Dharma.

The bravery and ideals of Mata Gujri, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the 4 Sahibzades give strength to millions of people. They never bowed to injustice.

They envisioned a world that is inclusive and harmonious. It is the need of the hour for more people to know about them.

Covid explosion at Amritsar Airport Over 275 passengers boarded on 2 different inbound flights from Italy were tested positive upon arrival at Punjab’s Amritsar airport.

Around 175 passengers on a Rome-Amritsar charter flight and 125 passengers on another charter flight from Milan-Amritsar were found positive. The charter flight was operated by Portuguese company EuroAtlantic Airways.

According to the reports, children and infants travelling on the plane were exempted from testing.

Ambulances lined up outside the airport to shift the infected passengers to isolation wards set up in hospitals across the city as per protocol. Several of the passengers who were tested Covid positive created ruckus at the airport alleging the test results as they had been tested negative hours before boarding the flight. A probe has been ordered against the private laboratory after this incident and AAI has suspended the services of the Delhi-based laboratory replacing it with a local lab.

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Include : 1. High fiber grains 2. Millets 3. Cooked vegetables 4. Beans and lentils 5. Fruits like papaya and pomegranate 6. Mung beans 7. Spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic, coriander and cumin to the food.

Exclude: 1. Raw foods 2. Foods high in inflammation like sugar and sour food 3. Processed meat 4. Foods made with white flour, cheese and butter.

Cardiovascular risks greater in middle-aged women: Study New research has found that the negative impact of most cardiovascular diseases may be stronger for women than men. Results of the study have been published in the Neurology Journal. Study author Michelle M. Mielke, PhD., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, was quoted in a report as saying, “Our results show that midlife cardiovascular conditions and risk factors were associated with midlife cognitive decline, but the association is stronger for women.”

She added, “Specifically, we found that certain cardiovascular conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and dyslipidemia, which is abnormally high levels of fats in the blood, had

stronger associations with cognitive decline in women compared to men.” The study looked at 1857 people without dementia who were between the ages of 50 and 69 at the start of the study.

The candidates were given a clinical evaluation every 15 months for an average of three years. It included nine tests of memory, language, executive function, and spatial skills combined to calculate a composite cognitive score. Overall, 1,465, or 79 per cent, of the participants had at least one cardiovascular condition or risk factor. More men than women had at least one risk factor: 83 per cent for men compared to 75 per cent for women. Researchers found that most cardiovascular conditions were more

strongly associated with cognitive function among women.

Mielke said, “More research is needed to examine sex differences in the relationships between the cardiovascular risk factors and specific biomarkers of brain disease like white matter hyperintensities, areas of

dead tissue and overall white matter integrity in midlife.”

She added, “That may help us better understand the sex-specific mechanisms, by which the cardiovascular conditions and risk factors contribute to cognitive impairment in both women and men.”

Intense meditation can boost immunity: Study A study conducted by the University of Florida suggests eight days of intense meditation causes robust activation of the immune system. The results of the study have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal. The research is believed to be the first comprehensive genomic study of how meditation affects the biological processes directly involved in disease development.

Assistant professor of pediatrics and neuroscience in the UF College of Medicine, Vijayendran Chandran said that while the positive effects of meditation are well documented, far less is known about its molecular and genetic

effects. His own experience with meditation piqued his curiosity. To establish his findings, his team studied the genetic profiles of 388 samples obtained from 106 people before and after an April 2018 advanced Inner Engineering retreat at the Isha Institute of InnerSciences in McMinnville, Tennessee.

15 - 21 January 2022

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Ayurvedic tips for a more holistic lifestyle Ayurveda is an alternative medicine system that has taken up many roots in the West over the years. Based on the five elements of Vayu (air), Jala (water), Aakash (sky), Prithvi (Earth), and Tej (Fire), it promises to prevent diseases and preserve health and wellness. Ayurveda emphasises diet, herbal remedies, exercise, meditation, breathing, and physical therapy.

A person’s lifestyle, illness, and family history, everything contribute to their diet chart. Ayurveda has always focused on the quality lifestyle of healthy living and has a special emphasis on diet and food that results in the good well-

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Participants at the retreat remained silent for eight days, meditated for over 10 hours a day, ate vegan meals and followed a regular sleep schedule.

Blood samples from the participants were collected five to eight weeks in advance, then just before, and after the retreat as well as three months later.

Chandran said, “What we found was that multiple genes related to the immune system were activated, dramatically, when you do Inner Engineering practices.” The increased gene activity among interferon-signalling genes is particularly significant, he said. Interferon proteins rally other parts of the immune system to defend against viruses and several recent studies have shown that interferon signalling is imbalanced in patients with severe Covid-19.

“This is the first time anyone has shown that meditation can boost your interferon signalling. It demonstrates a way to voluntarily influence the immune system without pharmaceuticals,” he said.

HEALTH & VITALITY Tablets

Home remedies for relief from knee pain Our sedentary lifestyle during pandemic times has affected our bodies in more ways than one. Our eyes strain from excessive screen time, our joints and muscles grow stiffer due to prolonged sitting, and not to forget joint issues. The winter season can aggravate knee pain in general. There are more than one reason, including obesity as the extra weight can put additional strain on your joints apart from arthritis and gout.

To ensure good joint health even later in life. A good diet loaded with nutrition can make sure you have stronger bones and overall good health. Experts say mild and moderate knee pain can be treated at home with easy remedies.

In this article, we discuss ways to nurse knee pain. The first option in case of a recent twist or fall is to try the RICE therapy (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation). However, if you have long-standing knee discomfort, daily exercises can help keep muscles strong and maintain mobility. Try lowimpact activities like cycling, walking, swimming, yoga, or tai chi. If your knee pain is affecting your mobility, you should refer to a doctor soon.

Exercise daily People who are physically inactive and lead predominantly sedentary lives, try to move as much as they can.

Exercise every day to strengthen the joints and increase mobility. Try activities such as walking, yoga, cycling, or swimming.

Cut down extra weight It would be in your best interest to cut down some kilos and get back in shape if you weigh on the heavier side of the scale.

Massage Massage your knees every night to tackle and control the pain. Do not apply too much pressure.

Epsom salt bath Epsom salt contains anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling and joint pain. Add some to your bath water and soak in it for around 15 minutes for some relief.

This study reveals how ovarian cancer begins in women A team of researchers appear to have found the origin of common ovarian cancer, allowing them to characterize how a genetic mutation puts women at high risk. Findings of the research have been published in the Cell Reports Journal. Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecology cancer deaths in the US, in part because symptoms are often subtle and most tumours elude detection until they are in the advanced stage.

According to the American Cancer Society, while the lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer is less than two per cent for the general female population, the estimated risk for women who carry a mutation in the so-called BRCA-1 gene is between 35 per cent and 70 per cent. Faced with such steep odds, some women with the mutations choose to have their breasts

or ovaries and fallopian tubes surgically removed even though they may never develop cancers in these tissues.

The new study findings could help doctors pinpoint which of these women are most likely to develop ovarian cancer in the future, and pursue new ways to block the process or treat cancer.

Clive Svendsen, PhD, executive director of the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, said, “We created these fallopian organdies using cells from women with BRCA-1 mutations who had ovarian cancer. Our data support recent research indicating that ovarian cancer in these patients actually begins with cancerous lesions in the fallopian tube linings. If we can detect these abnormalities at the outset, we may be able to short-circuit ovarian cancer.”

To Our Readers

We are publishing these reports in good faith. Before you try any of these remedies, please consult the doctor. We are not responsible for any adverse effects.- Editor

28 15 - 21 January 2022

Shefali Saxena Vikas Dhawan grew up in India and has been living in England for the past two decades. He enjoys writing for leisure as well as in a professional capacity and has experience working in the education sector at the UK Civil Service and the University of Cambridge.

He spoke to Asian Voice about his latest book, ‘India India Feeling’.

- Which part of India do you come from?

Tell us a bit about your background.

I grew up in Punjab and Chandigarh, the capital of two states in the north – Punjab and Haryana. My father used to work at the State Bank of India, a transferable job, which led to varied experiences, some of which I have captured in the book.

My grandfather moved from what is now Pakistan during Partition in 1947. He established himself from scratch as a revenue officer in Punjab and later gained reverence as a preacher of moral, spiritual and national values. His influence in our lives has been deep.

- What made you come to the UK? How was it like adjusting to a new culture?

I landed in London nearly two decades ago to study, later finding a job at Cambridge. I didn’t find adjusting to the new culture challenging as such. Intricacies of the human mind are the same everywhere. I did however have to learn a few things, for instance, that you don’t have to stand up when your teacher enters the classroom in the UK! I also had to learn to cook for myself and to be ready to talk about the weather on any occasion.

- In your perspective, how much has India changed since your childhood?

For me, the warmth of families and friendships remains the same.

I do see new shopping malls, new highways, and the latest cars at every visit.

During my childhood, things were simpler.

There were fewer choices and more time.

And perhaps more acceptance of differing

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India India Feeling Q

Q

Vikas Dhawan

- What does your book intend to convey to the readers? Why should the diaspora grab a copy?

The book is a light-hearted celebration of growing up; an exploration of India using my memories that brings to life things that defined growing up, eg scooters, Doordarshan TV, power cuts, cricket, street food, kite flying, and more.

Many of your readers would be able to relate to my experiences and relive their own memories. There is a certain comfort in revisiting your good ol’ days, more so during these uncertain times. The younger audience would also find the book entertaining and a nice gift for their family and friends!

- Do you think British Indians know enough and the right details about India?

The first generation that moved to the UK would have a different ‘India India’ feeling than the subsequent generations.

When I moved to the UK, I found it fascinating that the Indian community in the UK observed Indian customs more traditionally than their counterparts in India which were great. I see parents of Indian origin around me raising their children with British values and at the same time living their Indian heritage, be it through music, dance, beliefs, food or festivals.

- If you were to describe Indian culture and India to people in the west (in the context of your book), what would it be like?

I won’t attempt to give a single description of the Indian culture. It’s more a way of life, as diverse as life can be. A mélange of fathomless customs, scriptures, cuisines, languages, art, landscapes, philosophies, aspirations, and conflicts that shape your view of the world. It’s all things temporal and spiritual mixed in one. I am a product of that way of life. The readers, those with links to India or not, would see a reflection of this in the book through my memories. Enjoy reading.

Q

Q

Q

AsianVoiceNews

Q

views in the society. I wonder how much of that is a global trend now, amplified by social media.

It gives me great delight to see the youth in India nowadays more confident, more aware and more entrepreneurial than in our times.

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THE INDIAN FARMERS’ PROTEST (The largest protest in human history 2020-2021) ‘The ongoing protests come after a nationwide demonstration Thursday, when an estimated 250 million workers, farmers and their allies joined in what’s believed to be the largest organised strike in history anywhere in the world. Organisers say tens of thousands of demonstrators have now gathered at each of New Delhi’s three borders, in cold winter conditions….’

Democracy Now reported in 2020.

When events compel activists such as Greta Thunberg and Russel Brand, politicians like Justin Trudeau, Tan Dhesi and Jagmeet Singh, as well as A-list celebrities like Rihanna to enter the fray; something pivotal catches the collective imagination.

MP Tan Dhesi pictured with James Broomfield, a trustee of the freedom of expression nonprofit organisation, the Deol Foundation UK.

Sir-Inder Deol is a poet, a human rights activist, and a strong advocate of freedom of speech and expression. He published The Deol Foundation's Indian Human Rights Report in March 2021, the first report of its

Through the Lens of Masterji The largest-ever exhibition of work by one of British photography’s true pioneers opens at Compton Verney in 2022 from 12 February.

Remarkably, in a career spanning seven decades, it was just six years ago that Maganbhai Patel (1924 – 2018), more widely known as Masterji, finally achieved national recognition at the age of 94 with a solo show, as part of Coventry’s bid to become UK City of Culture.

In Compton Verney’s comprehensive survey of Masterji’s career, visitors will be able to see and enjoy photographs and portraits taken between the 1950s and the 2000s, charting the South Asian community in Coventry and the West Midlands – including many which have not been publicly displayed before. The images also provide an important socio-historic record of people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh settling into a new country and establishing themselves over successive generations.

Although it took until the 2016 exhibition in his adopted home city for him to receive critical acclaim, Masterji was already a well-known figure in Coventry, not least as its first Indian photographer.

His route into photography began in 1951 when he took a job at Coventry’s General Electric factory and joined the firm’s photographic society. He saved up to buy a Kodak Box Brownie camera and, as word of his obvious skills behind the lens spread, he soon found himself in demand for weddings and other social events.

In 1969 he opened the appropriately named Master’s Art Studio, with his portrait photographs continuing to create brilliantly evocative records of people moving to the West Midlands from South Asia and making it their home.

Early works – predominantly black and white portraits of young men – document the pioneers who came to post-war Coventry

to find work and helped to rebuild the city, while the later photographs document a community becoming less transitory and more established in the city, with increasing numbers of family portraits commissioned Masterji, Mr Singh, 1990s. to mark significant occasions such Digital print. ©The Masterji Ramaben. Digital print. ©The as weddings. The works also Estate Masterji Estate capture changes in fashion across Masterji enjoyed a uniquely close the decades, at the same time illustrating the relationship with his sitters – his experiences development of photography as a medium mirrored theirs and there was no sense of from the heyday of film to the dawn of formality in his studio. As a photographer, digital. he was known for his charm and his ability The studio’s success was also thanks to to put his sitters at ease. The bond he shared the work of Masterji’s wife Ramaben Patel, with his sitters, combined with his who was instrumental in developing many of sensitivity, resulted in portraits that are the photographs and interacting with characterful and revealing. customers. A photographer herself, Compton Verney’s exhibition will be Ramaben took many intimate family accompanied by oral history interviews with photographs and also taught her children to members of the pioneering generation of take photos. Ramaben’s important South Asian migrants in Coventry, exploring contribution to both Masterji and the the wider context of migration to the city studio’s success will be highlighted in the and highlighting the challenges faced by exhibition, at the same time shedding light many migrants coming to the UK. These on the experiences of other migrant women. interviews will also shed light on the The exhibition will include a space that challenges that many people faced, including evokes the atmosphere of Masterji’s studio, economic hardship and racism. The complete with the hand-painted backdrops recordings will be played within the which appear in many of his photographs, exhibition and in Compton Verney’s some of the camera equipment used and grounds. other props.

The exhibition is curated in consultation Another aspect of his work was to take with Coventry-based artist Tarla Patel, portraits that would be sent back home. In Masterji’s daughter, and the custodian of the some cases, there is a sense of artistry or Masterji archive. Tarla highlights the future ambition, as Masterji and his subjects importance of the personal stories which are collaborated to create their own images of shared through the exhibition: “Through the success. In the case of Kelly, a bus conductor, Lens of Masterji is a wonderful collection of we see a suave figure in a pinstripe suit and photographs that show an intimacy of lives highly-polished shoes. He would go on to lived, through different eras of political, buy an off-licence and move to London. cultural and technological change. This While Gordonbhai Bhakta cuts a playful exhibition offers an insight into the public dash, as he reclines on a small table, smiling and private world of Masterji, his family, and and with an air of a movie star larking about the people he met.” during a studio shoot.

kind during the historic struggle. Writing and poetry are his passions. In 2020 SirInder decided to start a foundation that bore the family name. Focusing on freedom of expression, human rights, environmental rights, and social impact. The foundation has created projects worldwide to support this agenda. One of the programmes includes Academic Research, run by up-andcoming scholars. Covering a wide range of topics, the project has gained support from Internationally established senior academics. Sir-Inder has also helped to establish the emerging publishing house TDF Books, which is dedicated to publications that fall within the parameters of the aforementioned areas of focus.

Sir-Inder Deol’s mastery of the poetic word transports the reader directly into the forefront of the largest mass protest in human history. His tone eloquently reflects a combination of the personal and collective struggle of the agitators, inviting readers to both question and better understand the political and corporate cogs of society. It literally makes you want to go out and protest! The Resistance Collection, whilst containing a rich insight into the Indian farmers’ protest, also crosses over. A modern-day inspirational manual of sorts for activists and reformers worldwide.

Deol illuminates every single poem with his command of figurative language, managing to effortlessly capture such raw emotion in a mere matter of words.

The conscious artwork from Artful Skecha and Ravi Ravraj complements the poetry perfectly, Ravi Ravraj painted many murals and paintings live at the protester sights around New Delhi, India. U.K artist Artful Skecha (aka Randeep Singh Sohal) has created a number of emotionally fluid pieces, adding further to the brilliance of this book.

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Jacqueline requests privacy after new picture with Sukesh Chandrashekhar goes viral S

ri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez has requested the media for privacy in a statement on Saturday, as yet another picture of her with conman Suresh Chandrasekhar surfaced online. She has requested the media to not circulate intrusive images and not invade her privacy during a difficult time.

Fernandez’s statement read, “The country and its people have always given me tremendous love and respect.

This includes my friends from the media, from whom I have learnt a lot. I’m currently going through a rough patch but I’m sure that my friends and fans will see me through it. It is with this trust that I would request my media friends to not circulate images of a nature that intrude my

privacy and personal space. You would not do this to your own loved ones, am sure you would not do this to me either. Hoping that justice and good sense prevails.

Thank you.”

Fernandez is in the middle of a controversy revolving around Chandrashekhar, who allegedly pulled off a Rs 200 Crore heist from inside prison by duping former Ranbaxy promoter Shivinder Mohan’s wife Aditi Singh. He, however, has denied all allegations issued through his lawyer earlier this month. The intimate nature of Jacqueline’s relation with Chandrashekhar has been put under the limelight.

Chandrasekhar has claimed in a statement that he was in a relationship with the actress and that his personal relationship has no connection to the criminal case.

Sukesh reportedly revealed in an interrogation that he had gifted a horse worth Rs 52 Lakh, and a Persian cat worth Rs 9 Lakh to the actress. Jacqueline has been connected to the money laundering case and was even questioned by the Enforcement Directorate.

On the work front, the actress was last seen in the movie ‘Shoot Police’. Her upcoming movies include ‘Attack’, and ‘Bachchan Pandey’.

Kangana’s “irresponsible” behaviour draws internet ire A Covid surge puts multiple

MOVIES ON PAUSE T

he shooting and production of several upcoming Bollywood movies have been put on pause as a brand new wave of Covid19 emerges in India. If media reports are to be believed, the New Delhi schedule of Yash Raj Films’ much-awaited ‘Tiger 3’ starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif has been cancelled. The cast was originally supposed to head to Delhi in mid-January for a crucial schedule.

The movie will bring both the actors back on screen together after her marriage to actor Vicky Kaushal last month. A media report quoted a source as saying, “The time is not conducive to plan big outdoor schedules.

Omicron threat is real and it is one wise that the makers are choosing to be cautious at this sensitive time. The intense 15-day schedule, which was expected to begin on January 12, stands postponed as of now, given the surge of coronavirus cases across India, including New Delhi.”

Not just ‘Tiger 3’, the production house’s ‘Pathan’ starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, too has reportedly hit a roadblock. Other big

banner movies to be put on hold include Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday’s ‘Liger’, and Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt’s ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’.

Deverakonda took to his social media last week to share an update on his film.

Sharing a picture of himself chilling with his pet husky Storm, Vijay wrote,

video of Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has made rounds on the internet, leaving netizens upset.

The video features Ranaut surrounded by paparazzi, picking up a pastry and bringing it close to her mouth to pose only to put the piece back on the tray with other confectionaries.

The act has left several internet users upset with what they call “irresponsible” behaviour especially considering the rising number of Covid-19 cases. One Instagram user commented on the video, “Contamination in the time of Corona-Brilliant.’

Another called Ranaut’s action “gross”. Yet another user wrote, “How can she do this in Covid times? Surely she’s spreading the germs.”

Ranaut has a knack to attract controversies, especially with her social media posts. An FIR was lodged against her recently for her alleged derogatory remarks against the farmer protests. She is also facing proceedings after a complaint filed by Jawed Akhtar claimed she had defamed him in an interview last year.

On the work front, Kangana is busy with her debut production ‘Tiku Weds Sheru’. The movie stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Avneet Kaur in lead roles.

Kangana also has ‘Tejas’, ‘Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda’, ‘Emergency’, ‘Dhaka’, and ‘The Incarnation: Sita’ in her kitty.

Salman Khan posts witty caption, week after snake encounter

A

“Apparently, it’s another wave Storm.

Shoots cancelled. Back to us just chilling at home.”

With a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in the country, several filmmakers are choosing to postpone their schedules, while others are ensuring safety on sets.

ctor Salman Khan’s humour is known to be always on point. The actor, who has quite the soft corner for animals, was recently in the news for being bit by a snake. Over the weekend, a few days after the encounter, Khan posted a picture of himself with a horse on his Instagram. While it is always delightful to see his posts, it was the actor’s caption that caught everyone’s attention.

In the photo, Salman holds the animal close to him. His one hand comforts the horse, and his other grabs the rein. He captions the picture, “Horse’s mouth..” For the

uninitiated, horse's mouth is a popular idiom that means 'from a reliable source or straight from the authority’. Fans and fellow celebrities commented hearts and lovestruck emojis on the picture.

On the work front, Salman Khan recently announced that he is working on the script of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2’ along with KV Vijayendra Prasad. He also has ‘Tiger 3’, ‘Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali, the sequel of ‘No Entry’, and a cameo in Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Pathan’ in the works.

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A

n unseen video of actor Priyanka Chopra and chef Sami Udell performing an Aarti together at her Los Angeles home has surfaced online. The clip, shared by a fan club, comes from the Lakshmi Puja she performed on Diwali last year. Her husband Nick Jonas can be seen in the background clapping.

Fans dropped comments of praise, with one writing, “So much love and respect for both Nick and Priyanka who always treated their friends and staff more like family. May God continue to bless these two beautiful souls with endless love and happiness together.”

Another wrote, “Bless this family and their house.”

Priyanka first shared pictures of the Puja on Instagram in November last year.

She was dressed in a yellow saree, while Nick wore white kurta-pajama. She wrote in her caption, “Ya devi sarvabhuteshu Lakshmi rupena sangsthita. Namastasye

New video of Priyanka Chopra’s Lakshmi Puja surfaces online

Rajkummar Rao set to star in Srikanth Bolla biopic A

biopic based on the life of visually impaired industrialist Srikanth Bolla was announced last week. Starring Rajkummar Rao in the lead role, the movie will be bankrolled by Bhushan Kumar’s TSeries along with Chalk N Cheese Films.

The film will see Rao bring Srikanth’s personality to life onscreen as he battled poverty and other adversaries.

Talking about the film, Rao said it would be his honour to get a chance to tell such an inspiring story to millions of people. In a statement, he said, “Srikanth Bolla is an inspiration. It’s indeed a privilege to play such an inspiring persona who has been through a lot of hardships and despite that has risen like a phoenix. I am really looking forward to playing Srikanth. I’m happy to collaborate with Bhutan sir yet again on this compelling project.”

Director Tushar Hiranandani said he hoped the journey of the industrialist would touch everybody’s heart just like it did his. The biopic is expected to go on floors in July this year.

namastasye namastasye namo namaha.

With the blessings of Goddess Mahalakshmi, we invite Her grace and abundance into our home. Happy Diwali.”

Priyanka has been vocal before about her Indian culture, and how Nick has embraced it as well. She said, “I do a lot of pujas in the house which are prayer ceremonies. Nick usually asks me to do them whenever we are starting something big because that is how I have always started something auspicious in my life, with a prayer of thanks. I have had that upbringing and he has had that upbringing and we have sort of created that within our family as well.”

On the work front, Priyanka was recently seen on the big screen in ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ alongside Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jada Pinkett Smith, Neil Patrick Harris, and others.

Her upcoming movies include ‘Text For You’, ‘Citadel’, and ‘Jee Le Zara’.

Tendulkar praises Ranveer Singh’s ’83 performance

W

hile Ranveer Singh’s latest sports drama ’83’ failed to make the mark in the box office, the actor’s performance as former Indian cricket team captain Kapil Dev has garnered a lot of praise from all corners.

Directed by Kabir Khan, the film chronicled Team India’s victory at the 1983 World Cup, under Dev’s captaincy.

Recent praise came from a rather esteemed and unexpected source; Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar himself. Tendulkar took to social media to praise Singh, and wrote, “A brilliant ‘all-round’ display by @RanveerOfficial in 83. Really soaked in all

the @kapildev paaji traits to make us reminisce the iconic moments of our first-ever World Cup victory. I know the win really inspired the little boy.”

A delighted Ranveer responded, “And that little boy went on to inspire generations! Thank you Master! This means everything!” Despite glowing reviews, a stellar cast, stunning performances, and cricket blended with nationalism, ’83’ failed to create the expected box office impact.

On the work front, Ranveer Singh has several films in the pipeline including ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani’, ‘Circus’, and ‘Jayeshbhai Jordaar’.

Deepika Padukone opens up about battle with Covid-19 A

ctress Deepika Padukone was among the several people who contracted Covid-19 during the second wave of the pandemic last year. Padukone, along with her family including father Prakash, mother Ujjala, and sister Anisha, all tested positive in April 2021. In a recent media interaction, the actress opened up on how the illness made her “physically unrecognisable”.

Despite recovering from the virus in a few weeks, Deepika took a two-month break before resuming work. He now admits, it was because her “mind wasn’t working” and that it was a ‘very, very difficult phase” for her. Sharing how Covid-19 affected her physically, she said, “Life after Covid changed for me because physically, I was unrecognizable completely… I think the (due to) the

medication I was given, the steroids that I was put on. So Covid in itself was weird, your body feels different, your mind feels different.”

Deepika added that it wasn’t that the illness affected her, it was the aftereffects that forced her to go on a minisabbatical of sorts. She added, “I felt that when I had the illness it was still okay but after that, I needed to take two months off work because my mind wasn’t working. The phase for me was very, very difficult.”

On the work front, Deepika is currently gearing up for her next release ‘Gehraiyaan’ which is directed by Shakun Batra. The film also stars Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, and Dhairya Karwa, and is set to release on Amazon Prime Video on February 11.

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Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s chemistry with Vijay Sethupathi in ‘Kathu Vaakula Rendu Kadhal’ is incredible S amantha Ruth Prabhu and actor Vijay Sethupathi are coming together as a pair for the first time in the upcoming Tamil romantic comedy ‘Kathu Vaakula Rendu Kadhal’. If recently released pictures from the movie are any proof, the on-screen chemistry between the two is unbelievably incredible.

Directed by Vignesh Shiva, the film also stars Nayanthara. Vignesh Shivn took to Instagram to share some pictures of Vijay Sethupathi and Samantha from the movie.

In the movie, Vijay and Samantha play characters named Rambo and Khatija

respectively.

On the work front, Samantha was last seen playing a Sri Lankan Tamil rebel in the hit web series ‘Family Man’ season 2. She was also recently seen in a special song in Allu Arjun’s ‘Pushpa: The Rise’. She is also Hollywood-bound as she is all set to make her international film debut with ‘Arrangements of Love’, which will be directed by ‘Downtown Abbey’ creator Philip John.

The project will reportedly be produced by Sunita Tati, who had previously worked with Samantha on ‘Oh! Baby’. Samantha will reportedly play a bisexual Tamil woman running her own detective agency.

Yash is “fed up” with the pandemic and recent surge in Covid cases W ith the recent surge in Covid-19 cases all over the country worrying every, Kannada actor Yash admits that he is “fed up with this yet we all are optimistic”. He says, “We never thought there would be a day when we have to sit at home and do nothing. Humans are like this, we need things to happen the way we want to happen. We are tuned (programmed) to live our life a certain way and if that is not happening then it is a problem. But nature, on the other hand, is different.”

He adds, “Not just the cinema industry but a lot of people are going through a bad phase… there is no consistency in their incomes, plus there is

psychological pressure. However, let’s hope and be positive. It should settle down. Eventually, any pain has to end.

Nothing is permanent. It has gone to an extent, but it has to come down.”

On the work front, it has been a long time since Yash has arrived on the big screen. Last seen in ‘KGF: Chapter 1’ in 2018, his sequel is in the works. Talking about the movie, Yash said, “We are equally excited about presenting the film to our fans because know what we have created. I know people will love it. It is like you are cook and everything is ready and you know people are hungry but there is some process you need to finish. That’s taking time.”

R Madhavan responds to a fan who wants to call him “daddy” A

ctor R Madhavan recently shared a video of himself from the sets of a project, and as expected, was showered with love and praise. Sharing a short video in which he said, “Guess what, wearing white today again. Ahaa ha ha.” He was responding to a fan’s tweet about his TV show ‘ Sea Hawks’.

However, things got spicier when a fan wrote she is “This close to calling this man daddy”. The comment caught Madhavan’s eye and he replied, “Try Uncle kid. Don’t want your dad to get offended.” The interaction has left the internet in splits. “Daddy” is a term of endearment for one’s romantic partner.

On the work front, Madhavan was most

Trisha tests positive for Covid-19, in recovery now A

ctor Trisha Krishnan shared a health update on social media recently and announced that she tested positive for Covid19 “just a little before New Year” and had all the symptoms. However, the actor is recovering now. In a Twitter post, Trisha wrote, “Despite taking all the precautions and safety measures, I tested positive just a little before the New Year. You name the symptoms, I had it!”

She added, “Even tho it was one of my most harrowing weeks, I am recovering and feel better today thanks to my vaccinations. I request everyone to do the same and mask up. Hoping to

recently seen in Netflix’s ‘Decoupled’ that was created by Manu Joseph and directed by Hardik Mehta. The series has received mixed reviews. He now has the ambitious project ‘The Railway Men’, which is scheduled to release online in December 2022. The show will also feature Kay Kay Menon, Divyenndu Sharma, and late Irfan Khan’s son Babil.

Madhavan will also make his directorial debut with ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’. The movie is based on the life of a former scientist and aerospace engineer of the Indian Space Research Organisation, Nambi Narayanan. clear my tests and fly back home soon.” The actor also thanked her friends and family for the love and prayers. She concluded, “My heartfelt thanks to the best family and friends I have and for all the prayers.”

Several actors besides Trisha have also tested positive for coronavirus. Actors Swara Bhasker, Mahesh Babu, Mimi Chakraborthy, Sumona Chakravarti, John Abraham, Ekta Kapoor, Nakuul Mehta, Nora Fatehi, Arjun Biplane, Prem Chopra and Dhrashti Dhabi are currently in quarantine.

On the work front, Trisha will be next seen in the epic fantasy drama ‘Ponniyin Selvan’.

The movie also stars Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Trisha, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Lal, Sarath Kumar, Jayaram, Vikram Prabhu, Prabhu, Ashwin Kakumanu, Kishore, and Aishwarya Lakshmi among others.

TV Listing

* Schedule is subject to change

MON 17 JAN - FRI 21 JAN 2022 6.00 Daldu Chorayu Dhire Dhire 15.00 RASOI SHOW 18.00 SUDI VACHCHE SOPARI 18.30 SURI 19.00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR 19.30 MARU MAN MOHI GAYU 20.00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI 20.30 MOTI BAA NI NANI VAHU 21.00 PREM NI BHAVAI

* Schedule is subject to change

MON 17 JAN - FRI 21 JAN 2022 9.00 BIGG BOSS 15-WEEKEND KA VAAR 11.00 KARADI TALES 16.00 DIL SE DIL TAK 16.30 RASOI SHOW DESI FLAVOURS 17.30 CHHUTA CHHEDA 18.00 SASURAL SIMAR KA 18.30 TU AASHIQUI 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 19.30 EK SHRINGAAR SWABHIMAAN 20.00 BALIKA VADHU 2 20.30 SIRF TUM 21.00 THAPKI PYAR KI 2 21.30 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2

21.30 MANASA SATURDAY 15 JAN 2022 6.00 Laaj Rakhjo Chudel Maa 15.00 RASOI SHOW 18.00 SUDI VACHCHE SOPARI 18.30 SURI 19.00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR 19.30 MARU MAN MOHI GAYU 20.00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI 20.30 MOTI BAA NI NANI VAHU 21.00 PREM NI BHAVAI 21.30 MANASA SUNDAY 16 JAN 2022 12.00 Tamburo 15.00 Pela Adhi Akshar 18.00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR 19.00 SHU CHALE CHE 19.30 MOTI BAA NI NANI VAHU 22.00 SHU CHALE CHE SATURDAY 15 JAN 2022 9.00 BIGG BOSS 15 11.00 KARADI TALES 15.00 SHU CHALE CHE 16.30 RASOI SHOW-DESI FLAVOURS 17.30 DESI BEAT 3 18.00 SASURAL SIMAR KA 18.30 TU AASHIQUI 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 20.00 COMEDY NIGHTS WITH KAPIL 21.00 THAPKI PYAR KI 2 21.30 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2 SUNDAY 16 JAN 2022 9.00 BIGG BOSS 15 11.00 KARADI TALES 16.30 RASOI SHOW-DESI FLAVOURS 17.30 DESI BEAT 3 18.00 BFFs with Vogue - Season 2 19.00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 20.00 COMEDY NIGHTS WITH KAPIL 21.00 THAPKI PYAR KI 2 21.30.00 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2

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Djokovic wins legal battle against Australian government World number one Novak Djokovic's visa was revoked and he was moved to a notorious immigration detention facility pending deportation.

When the 34-year-old Djokovic arrived in Melbourne last week ahead of the Australian Open, which starts in just one week, hoping to win a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title, instead of a champion's welcome, officers at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport decided the unvaccinated star had failed to present a solid medical reason for not being jabbed.

Djokovic has been in

detention at the former Park Hotel, a five-storey facility that holds about 32 migrants trapped in Australia's hardline immigration system -- some for years on end.

Djokovic has now won a stunning victory over the Australian government, overturning the cancellation of the tennis star's visa on Covid19 health grounds, and ending his detention. It was an extraordinary setback for the Australian government, which has imposed strict pandemic requirements on arriving foreign travellers for the past two years. But the Australian

England tailenders clinch a draw At stumps, England finished 270-9 with Broad unbeaten on eight and Anderson not out on zero to give England its best result of the fivematch series which Australia leads 3-0.

England tailenders resisted Australia’s bowlers in fading light Sunday to clinch a draw on a dramatic final day of the fourth Test in fading light at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Jack Leach, Stuart Broad and then Jimmy Anderson batted out the final 10 overs under immense pressure after Pat Cummins and Scott Boland took three quick wickets in the final session before Steve Smith removed Leach with two overs remaining to set up a nervous finale to a gripping test match.

With the final hour approaching, Cummins removed Jos Buttler and Mark

Wood in the space of three balls to turn the test on its head after it was looking increasingly likely that England would earn a draw after its most determined batting effort of the series.

Needing to bat out the day to draw the Test after being set an improbable 388 to win, the tourists lost a very defensiveminded Hameed (9) and Malan (4) in the morning session, but Zak Crawley decided that attack was the best form of defense as he unleashed eight boundaries on his way to a 69-ball halfcentury.

India’s Prajnesh moves to second round in Australian Open India’s Prajnesh Gunneswaran knocked out third seed Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan from the Australian Open Qualifiers with a straight set victory. Ranked 221, left-handed Prajnesh beat 119th ranked Galan 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 13 minutes in the first round at court number six of the Melbourne Park.

Prajnesh Gunneswaran Prajnesh hit a crushing backhand winner from the middle of the court to open up a break opportunity in the third game of the opening set and converted the second chance with a deep return that Galan sent on the net with his forehand as he will next take on the winner of the match between Germany’s Maximilian Marterer and Croatia’s Nino Serdarusic.

Prajnesh found himself down a breakpoint when he was serving for the match as he hit a forehand long at 30-30 but saved that with a good serve. Again, he hit a forehand soaring over the baseline with nerves perhaps getting the better of him. However, he saved that break chance too with a booming serve. However, Prajnesh eventually finished the match with an easy winner in open court with Galan stranded on one flank of the court. India’s other players Ramkumar Ramanathan, Yuki Bhambri and Ankita Raina are also playing the Australian Open.

government's lawyer told the court that Immigration Minister Alex Hawke may still decide to use his "personal power of cancellation" despite the player's victory.

Though the hearing was held online, a small group Djokovic fans of gathered outside the federal court building, waving a Serbian flag, holding up a photo of their hero and dancing to the tune of an accordion. Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said this weekend that

Novak Djokovic

after "constructive talks" with her Australian counterpart "we managed to get gluten-free food, exercise equipment, and a laptop."

India adds 10 more athletes under TOPS support scheme The Indian Ministry primarily supports elite athletes under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) of each National Sports Federation. Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) provides customised support to athletes in areas not covered under the ACTC and addresses unanticipated needs of the athletes as they prepare to excel in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Ace rider Fouaad Mirza, golfers Anirban Lahiri, Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar and Alpine Skier Mohammed Arif Khan are among the 10 athletes added by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) to the list of athletes who would be provided support under TOPS. While these five athletes have been included in the Core group, golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Tvesa Malik and

in brief ACTOR SIDDHARTH’S LEWD TWEET AGAINST SAINA, MISOGYNIST A "lewd and inappropriate remark" was made by Indian bollywood actor Siddharth against badminton player Saina Nehwal on Twitter. The tweet was a reply to Saina’s tweet on PM Modi’s security breach.

Siddharth had tweeted, “Subtle cock champion of the world. Thank God we have protectors of India.” In a statement issued by the National Commission for Women (NCW), the commission said it had come across a post of Siddharth using lewd comments on Twitter on the post of Sania.

They termed the tweet as being misogynist and outrageous to the modesty of a woman amounting to disrespect and insult to dignity of woman on social media platform. NCW chairperson has written to social media platform demanding to block Siddharth’s account and take appropriate action against him for posting offensive remarks on Nehwal’s post, thereby outraging her modesty and insulting her right to live with dignity.

AMID COVID CONCERNS, ENTIRE IPL MAY BE PLAYED IN MAHARASHTRA Judokas Yash Ghangas, Unnati Sharma and Linthoi Chanambam have been added to the Development group.

These additions take the number of athletes under TOPS to 301, including 107 in the Core group.

Among this players are the 23-year-old Aditi Ashok, hailing from Bengaluru, wrested the nation’s attention in Tokyo 2020 after being in medal reckoning throughout the competition and the 21-yearold left-hander Diksha Dagar, who is from Jhajjar in Haryana and is a silver medalist in the 2017 Summer Deaflympics, finished 50th in the Olympic Games last year.

Indians win Adelaide International in an upset It was Rohan Bopanna’s 20th ATP doubles title and first for Ramkumar Ramanathan, who was playing only in his second summit clash at this level, having ended a runner-up at the Hall of Fame Tennis Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan Championships in After saving an early 2018. Bopanna’s excellent breakpoint, Bopanna and service returns at crucial times Ramkumar upped their game. and Ramkumar’s all-round Bopanna then saved another game tilted the match in their breakpoint and converted the favour. deciding deuce point to make it For the first-time, in a team, 4-4. Serving to stay afloat in the on the ATP Tour, India’s set at 5-6, the Indian pair was up Bopanna and Ramkumar won 40-30 when Dodig created a the Adelaide International winner on Bopanna’s serve that doubles trophy with a hardwhizzed past Ramkumar on his fought 7-6 (6) 6-1 win over top right but the big-serving Coorgi seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcelo hit an ace to drag it to a tieMelo here on Sunday. In the breaker. one hour and 21 minutes It was one-way traffic in the contest, the Indians saved all second set with the Indians the four break points they faced dominating all through. and broke their rivals twice.

As covid cases rapidly rise in India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is working on a Plan B to stage the entire IPL tournament in the Indian state of Maharashtra instead of the previous ones, when the tournament was spread among several states. The board is reportedly looking at three venues in Mumbai to organize T20 matches of the IPL tournament. These venues are The Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium and D. Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

The Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Gahunje, Pune is also being considered.

As per the latest order of the Maharashtra government “sporting competitive events are to be deferred, except for National and international level competitions already scheduled with the following: 1. No crowd, 2.

Bio-bubble for all the players and officials 3.

Government rules shall be applicable for all participating international and domestic players & 4. RT PCR/RAT every third day for all players and officials. It is said that if the India and Maharashtra plans do not work out, the IPL may be again taken to UAE like the last tournament.

ROSS TAYLOR RECEIVED GUARD OF HONOUR FROM BANGLADESH TEAM The 37-year old NZ player Ross Taylor walked out to huge applause from the crowd on Day 2 of the second Test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch and also received a guard of honour from Bangladesh players. Taylor, who is considered one of the greatest servants of New Zealand cricket came in to bat No 4 when left-handed Devon Conway was dismissed for 109.

Ross Taylor, one of New Zealand's most consistent and experienced cricketers has decided to bid adieu after playing for almost 16 years for his country. Taylor had announced before the start of the home summer that the two-match Test series against Bangladesh will be his final red-ball assignment before playing the six ODIs. Everyone in the crowd, including his family and those on the field stood in unison to cheer for Taylor.