AV 16th March 2024

Former Prime Minister

Theresa May to resign as MP

ent, fo rm er P ri m e M i ni st er T heresa M ay has announced sh e will not seek reelection as an MP Th e 67-year-old, w h o led th e C on ser v ativ e P ar ty fro m 2 0 1 6 t o 2 0 1 9, p reviously h eld the po sition o f H om e S e c reta r y fro m 20 10 to 2016

On March 8, Mrs May announced her decision to step down as the MP for M a i d e n h e a d , s t a t i n g h e r intention to focus on advocating for causes such as the f ight against modern slaver y In a statement to her l o c a l n e w s p a p e r, t h e

Theresa May

Maidenhead Advertiser, she said: “Since stepping down a s p r i m e m i n i s t e r I h a v e e n j o y e d b e i n g a b a c kbencher again and having

more time to work for my constituents and champion c a u s e s c l o s e t o m y h e a r t i n c l u d i n g m o s t r e c e n t l y l a u n c h i n g a G l o b a l C o m m i s s i o n o n Mo d e r n S l a v e r y a n d Hu m a n Traff icking

“These causes have been taking an increasing amount of my time

“B e c a u s e o f t h i s , a f t e r much careful thought and c o n s i d e r a t i o n , I h a v e realised that, looking ahead, I would no longer be able to do my job as an MP in the way I believe is right and my constituents deser ve ”

UN calls out UK for violating disability rights

The UNCRPD has ca lled out the UK gove rnm ent for disreg ardi ng its re com men dations fo r a n a ti o nw i de d i s a b i l i ty s tra te gy, citi ng vi ola tion s of b a si c hum a n ri ghts for d isa bled ind ividua ls Issues hi ghl i g h te d i n c lu d e i n a d e q u a te a cce ss to ne ce ssities such a s food, w ater, a nd san ita ti on A r e p o r t i d e n t i f y i n g b r e a c h e s o f t h e U N Convention on the Rights of Pe r s o n s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s

points to violations of articles 19, 27, and 28, covering the right to independent living, e m p l o y m e n t , a n d a d e q u a t e living standards

The government was init i a l l y s c h e d u l e d t o a p p e a r b e fo r e t h e c o m m i t t e e i n August last year to address its progress on the recommendat i o n s Ho w e v e r, t h e U K r e q u e s t e d a r e s c h e d u l i n g , pushing the session to March 2024

A t t h e t i m e , t h e C o m m i t t e e fo u n d t h a t n o t only was the UK Government in breach of three articles of t h e C o n v e n t i o n , b u t i t s actions against disabled people were “ grave and systematic”

They included the gaps in safeguards for disabled people, unimplemented elements of the Equality Act 2010, and a lack of resources to ensure the Act’s correct implementation

Tory MPs que stion memorial for Muslim soldiers

S ome Conserv ative MPs h ave vo iced private criticism o f the g overnm ent's p lan to erect a memorial for Mu slims wh o serv ed in Britain's wars

Messages exchanged in a Conser vative MPs' WhatsApp group, viewed by the Guardian, reveal doubts expressed by Marco Longhi and Jill Mortimer, both elected in 2019, regarding the necessity of such a memorial The revelation prompts scrutiny of attitudes towards Muslims within certain segments of the Conser vative Party

Both Mortimer and Longhi are aligned with Lee Anderson, the former deputy Tor y chairman who had his party membership

suspended last month over comments made about Sadiq Khan

Anderson declined to retract his statement made on GB News, where he asserted that Islamists had exerted influence over the London mayor and accused Khan of "giving our capital

Man planned attack on immigration lawyer, court hears

I n co u rt p ro c ee d i ng s a t K i ng s to n C ro w n C o u r t, C av an Medlock, a 3 1-yearo ld f ro m Ha rro w, fa c ed charg es of preparing terrorist acts and making threats to kill im migration law yer To uf ique Hossain

During the court proc e e d i n g s , i t w a s r e v e a l e d that Medlock arrived at the o f f i c e s o f D u n c a n L e w i s solicitors in Harrow around 5 pm on September 7, 2020 He was equipped with black gloves featuring reinforced knuckle pads and carried a rucksack containing a black combat knife with a six-inch blade, a pair of handcuffs, and rolls of packaging gaffer

Victim: Toufique Hossain

tape

Additionally, he carried t w o l a r g e f l a g s o n e d i splaying a Nazi swastika and the other representing the former Confederate states of A m e r i c a D e s p i t e b e i n g i n fo r m e d t h a t s e e i n g

Ho s s a i n w i t h o u t a n appointment was not possible, Medlock persisted in his request

Following the incident, Medlock retrieved the combat knife from his rucksack a n d b r a n d i s h e d i t w h i l e a d v a n c i n g t o w a r d s t h e r e c e p t i o n i s t , R a v i n d r a n T h a r m a l a n g a m T i m o t h y Cr a y KC , p r o s e c u t i n g , explained to the court that Tharmalangam seized hold of Medlock and successfully disarmed him, kicking the k n i fe o u t o f r e a c h

Su b s e q u e n t l y, o t h e r s t a f f members inter vened, overp o w e r i n g a n d r e s t r a i n i n g Medlock

World leaders vow united front against fraudsters at London summit

Th e Ho me S ecretary praises the glo bal pledg e to com bat fraud as "massive step forward " Representativ es from Five Eyes intellig ence partnership and other natio ns gathered in L ond on to sig n th e ag reem ent, v ow ing to tackle frau d collectively

Ja m e s C l e v e r l y, e v e n t host, emphasises the need fo r a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l response to combat international crime

T h e Na t i o n a l Cr i m e Agency (NCA) and US law e n fo r c e m e n t a g e n c i e s , including the FBI and the

city away to his mates"

In last week's budget announcement, Jeremy Hunt unveiled plans for a £1 million war memorial commemorating Muslims who perished "in the ser vice of freedom and democracy" during the two world wars

“Whatever your faith or colour or class, this countr y will never forget the sacrif ices made for our future,” the chancellor said There are already war memorials for Sikhs and Catholics

Secret Ser vice, committed to targeting scam call centres

Mr Cleverly said: “We’ve been clear that the global community needs to unite to f ight fraud head on and this communique is a massive step for ward ”

In his opening remarks at the summit, he cautioned t h a t f r a u d w a s e v o l v i n g , with perpetrators exploiting modern technology, particu l a r l y o n l i n e p l a t fo r m s

Despite recognizing the signif icant challenge posed by f r a u d , M r C l e v e r l y u r g e d delegates not to lose hope,

James Cleverly

emphasising the importance of collective efforts to combat the crime and prevent fraudsters from succeeding

Princess of Wales' post-op photo withdrawn over alleged manipulation

C a th er i ne, P ri nc es s o f Wales, issued an apology on M o nd ay a nd ad m it ted to altering an off icial p ortrait o f h ers elf released by th e palace

Kate, aged 42, has not made a public appearance since attending a Christmas D a y c h u r c h s e r v i c e a n d u n d e r w e n t a b d o m i n a l surger y in Januar y, sparking s p e c u l a t i o n a b o u t h e r health, particularly online Her Kensington Palace o f f i c e s o u g h t t o d i s p e l rumours on Sunday by distributing an off icial photograph purportedly taken by h e r h u s b a n d , P r i n c e William, showing her with t h e i r t h r e e c h i l d r e n

Ho w e v e r, q u e s t i o n s a r o s e a n d d i s c r e p a n c i e s w e r e n o t e d , i n c l u d i n g s e v e r a l i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s fo l l o w i n g w h i c h a g e n c i e s l i ke A F P, Getty, the Associated Press (AP), and Reuters withdrew the photo despite initially publishing it as provided by Kensington Palace Britain's domestic Press

Association also withdrew the image Shortly after PA's announcement, the palace s t a t e d o n s o c i a l m e d i a , signed by "C" for Catherine " L i ke m a n y a m a t e u r photographers, I do occas i o n a l l y e x p e r i m e n t w i t h editing," the statement read " I w a n t e d t o e x p r e s s m y apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused " Now, there is mounting pressure to release the original image to mitigate the PR damage caused by the cont r o v e r s y Ho w e v e r, Kensington Palace has stated that it will not be reissui n g t h e u n e d i t e d p h o t ograph

Man arrested after car strikes gates of Buckingham Palace

A man has been arrested b y British police after a car

crashed into the gates of Buc kingham Palac e in central London Grainy images ci rculating on s oci al media depi ct a car posi tioned at the front gates of the palace

According to British media reports, a witness reported hearing "a loud bang " The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday morning, with armed off icers arresting a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal

damage, London police conf irmed in a statement "He was taken to hospital where following assessment he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act The matter is not being treated as terrorrelated "

Buckingham Palace conf irmed that no member of the royal family was present during the incident, and repairs to the gates are currently in progress

Marco Longhi Jill Mortimer

No room for extremism

Prime Minister Sunak experienced racism when he was a child and his parents sent him for extra drama lessons so that he could 'speak properly' without an accent to 'fit in' Sunak said, “You are conscious of being different ” “I think any form of racism is simply unacceptable," the PM went on record, adding that when he speaks to world leaders, “most people look to the UK as an example of how to get this right"

Racism is about power and privilege White people have power and privilege Black people and Asians don’t This implies that only the latter group can be victims of racism Racism is the exercise of power and privilege against people of colour This logic is provincial rather than progressive, and combating material inequalities should be based on truth rather than distorted narrative

Recent research suggests that training programs targeting unconscious racial bias in the workplace may not yield the anticipated results Despite the prevalent belief that such initiatives can mitigate covert prejudices, evidence indicates otherwise Even when conducted intensively and with an engaged audience, these programs failed to produce significant changes in participants' behavior

In the tumultuous year of 2021, marked by the lingering effects of lockdowns and the challenges of navigating a world striving to return to normalcy, seismic shifts occurred A report revealed that over a third of ethnic minority individuals in B r i t a i n r e p o r t e d e x p e r i e n c i n g s o m e f o r m o f r a c i s t a b u s e Recognising the diverse experiences of different ethnic and cultural groups is essential in addressing the multifaceted nature of racism and advancing towards a more just and inclusive society

Regarding recent events, a pro-Palestinian march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign drew a significant turnout While sympathising with those who feel frightened by the demonstrations, Dame Sara Khan said that the protests are pre-

dominantly peaceful and should not be portrayed as hate marches " Khan suggests that such characterisation only adds to the polarisation of an already contentious issue and detracts from the need for constructive dialogue and common ground

Over 50 victims of Islamist-inspired terror attacks have united in a joint appeal urging an end to anti-Muslim hatred They denounce the reckless equivalence drawn by some politicians between being Muslim and being an extremist as "the height of irresponsibility " Emphasising the importance of isolating extremists and terrorists from the vast majority of British Muslims who abhor violence, the letter underscores the need for a concerted effort to combat such extremism

The signatories, caution against conflating extremists with the broader British Muslim community Prominent figures such as Dame Priti Patel, Sir Sajid Javid, and Amber Rudd have joined in endorsing the statement, which calls for a comprehensive approach in tackling extremism from Islamist and far-right groups alike Among the supporters are Neil Basu, former head of counter-terrorism policing, and General Lord Dannatt, former head of the army Additionally, Government advisers on political violence, Lord Walney, and antisemitism, Lord Mann, along with social cohesion adviser Dame Sara Khan, have lent their support to the cause

Highlighting the paramount importance of ensuring public safety, the statement underscores the necessity of addressing extremism in light of real threats from various extremist factions, including Islamist and far-right groups

At the end of the day, multicultural Britain is among the world’s superpowers for a reason - it’s acceptance and embracing of cultural diversity, and immigrants who nutured the sociocultural, economic and political fabric of UK Britain is nothing without its diversity, and diversity calls for inclusion, not extremism, not racism, and it’s above hate

Call for peace talks

The Russia-Ukraine conflict, now in its third year, has taken a heavy toll on both nations, with significant losses and devastating impacts on civilians According to the Mediazonaand Meduza, two independent Russian media outlets data, the Russian death toll has jumped to 66,000-88,000 as of December 31st 2023 The assertion that Western countries and NATO offering financial and military aid to Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict is morally incorrect merits examination The situation is complex and multifaceted, demanding careful consideration In an interview with the media, Pope Francis stated that Ukraine should have “the courage of the white flag” to negotiate an end to a war that is now in its third year Even the Russian spokesperson stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had repeatedly said his country was open to peace talks However both their and Pope’s statements received harsh refusals

As per CNN report, outreach efforts led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other countries played a crucial role in preventing a crisis in the Russia-Ukraine conflict Concerned about the potential use of nuclear weapons by Russia, the US administration sought support from non-allies like India to dissuade such actions India has consistently condemned civilian casualties and advocated for a peaceful resolution to the conflict D u r i n g t h e S C O s u m m i t i n U z b e k i s t a n , P r i m e M i n i s t e r Modiemphasised to President Putin that "this is not the era of war," a sentiment echoed in the G20 communique during India's presidency

The relationship between Russia and Western countries has not always been characterised by hostility and discord Despite

p e r i o d s o f t e n s i o n a n d c o n f l i c t , t h e r e h a v e b e e n n o t a b l e instances of cooperation and diplomatic engagement throughout history Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, a pivotal figure in modern history, demonstrated remarkable diplomacy skills which reshaped the global geopolitical landscape and fostering greater cooperation between former adversaries His willingness to engage in dialogue and negotiate with Western leaders, including Ronald Reagan of the United States and Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, played a crucial role in easing tensions between East and West Despite ideological differences, Gorbachev formed a constructive relationship with Reagan, leading to landmark arms control agreements such as the INF Treaty, which helped defuse the nuclear arms race Similarly, his interactions with Thatcher, although often contentious, contributed to a more stable relationship between the Soviet Union and Western powers, ultimately contributing to the end of the Cold War

NATO recently welcomed Sweden as its 32nd member after nearly two years of negotiations, highlighting the alliance's continued expansion This move, along with potential accession of b u f f e r s t a t e s , r e f l e c t s t h e e v o l v i n g g e o p o l i t i c a l l a n d s c a p e Amidst these developments, there's a growing call for dialogue and peace over conflict, echoing Clement Attlee's famous words: "It's better to talk than to shoot " This emphasises the importance of diplomatic efforts in resolving disputes and fostering cooperation With tensions simmering globally, the imperative for peaceful negotiations grows, advocating for dialogue to build a more stable world

India’s progressing transformation

India is strongly moving towards being one of the strongest nations in the world but things didn’t used to be the same In the past 25 years, India has shed the inertia of slow growth, particularly evident in the last decade The transformations of this period go beyond mere statistics There have been profound shifts in politics, policy, diplomacy, digitisation, arts, and sports

The country has been making the best use of its resources and moving towards development, be it economy, arts and culture, infrastructure or business and workforce The internet has enabled remarkable achievements worldwide and Narendra Modi stands out as a leader who effectively harnesses its opportunities in India As the country’s Prime Minister, he not only utilises the internet for effectively marketing himself but also employs it as a tool to drive the country's progress

India's rapid digital transformation, marked by smartphone proliferation, enhanced internet connectivity, and governmental initiatives for a digital economy, has spurred significant economic growth across sectors The surge in digitalisation continues to offer vast opportunities for economic expansion E-commerce has flourished, enabling businesses to reach consumers more efficiently and digital banking has surged, improving financial inclusion

Additionally, India's recent achievement in semiconductor manufacturing has propelled the nation forward in electronic manufacturing The rapidly expanding semiconductor sector is experiencing a surge in demand for skilled professionals, driven by fresh investments and the government's ambitious initiative to position the country as a hub for chip manufacturing The semiconductor chip fabrication factory set to be established in Gujarat's Dholera represents a major leap towards realising the

objective of producing fully made-in-India electronic appliances

The country has not only made significant progress in various sectors but has also flourished in developing its soft power Whether leading the world in yoga, promoting diverse art forms, or championing cultural integration, the Modi government has made significant strides Considering India's colonial history, the nation's progress stands out among the 70 nations that faced similar challenges While many countries struggle with economic downturns and debt deficits, India is advancing and achieving independence It serves as a prime example of democracy, with a functioning government, a robust opposition, a non-interventionist military, and a smooth electoral process

It has emerged as a powerhouse, a golden canary, boasting both human and intellectual capital With the largest diaspora globally and a reputation for technical expertise, India's influence spans the globe According to the UN's 2022 World Migration Report, nearly 17 9 million individuals born in India reside overseas Additionally, the country's food grain production has consistently increased over the last decade, with the 2022-23 output surpassing the previous five years' average by 30 8 million tonnes India's progress, as measured by GDP, is certainly impressive, but the true extent of its potential and calibre goes far beyond mere economic metrics The upcoming general election in the country represents a critical juncture that will determine whether India can realise its full potential With the fate of 1 3 billion Indians hanging in the balance, citizens must exercise their democratic rights responsibly

Thought for the week

“Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud ” Maya Angelou

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

The UK India Tech Exchange

O n t h e p an el a s De a l m ak e r i n t h e

Department fo r Bu sines s and Trade, in th e Indian High C ommiss io n and FIC CI event, I am lo oking f or in the Glo bal Entrepreneur Programme scale up comp anies w hos e fo unders wo uld be s uitable for the UK Innovator Visa (wh ether o r not they need it)

That means UK company 1 yet to be set up (not sales office) but willing+ able to go global from the UK , 2 high growth already - proven scale up 3 exceptional innovative deep tech and 4 world-class selfstarter, self-sufficient founder(s) needing limited high impact direction/help with networks/door opening initially only

Companies of the calibre of our alumni builder ai or Carbon Clean Solutions or instance Founder(s) expected to spend a lot of time in the UK with their new UK company

1 A rtificial Intellig ence and Mach ine Learning

India has emerged as a significant hub for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) innovation, with a vast talent pool of engineers and researchers

2 Cybersecurity

Indian companies with expertise in cybersecurity solutions, including threat intelligence, network security, and incident response, can address the significant demand in the UK market

3 Quantum C omp uting

Indian companies and research institutions working on quantum computing can find collaborative opportunities in the UK, which is investing heavily in quantum technologies

4 Defence Equipm ent and Manufacturing

India s defense sector has made significant strides in manufacturing a wide range of defense equipment, including vehicles, aircraft, naval ships, and unmanned systems

5 Cyber Defence and Intelligence

Collaboration in this area can help safeguard critical infrastructure and sensitive information, addressing mutual concerns over cyber threats and espionage

6 Surv eillance and Reconnaissance Technolog ies

technologies, including satellites, drones, and AI-powered analytics, are vital for national security and defence

7 A dvanced M aterials and Nanotechnology

Indian companies can work with UK entities to develop lightweight, durable materials for use in armor, aerospace, and naval applications, contributing to the next generation of defense technologies

8 S pace Tech nologies and S atellite C omm unications

With India's significant achievements in space technology and satellite communication, there is a clear opportunity for collaboration with the UK's growing space sector; i

channels

9 A utonomo us System s and AI in Defense

The application of AI and autonomous systems in defense offers transformative potential Indian companies at the forefront of AI, robotics, and unmanned vehicles can contribute to the UK's defence strategy

10 Maritime Security Tech nolog ies Indian companies can offer solutions in maritime surveillance, anti-piracy systems, and naval combat systems, contributing to the security of sea lanes and maritime infrastructure

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Shay Kang murder suspect appears in court

A mother accused of murd eri n g h er 1 0 - yea r- o ld d au ghter, Shay Kang, w hose bod y was discovered at th eir h o m e in R o w le y Re g i s, appeared at Crown Court Shay's body was found at a residence in Robin Close a r o u n d 1 2 : 1 0 p m o n

Monday, March 4th Jaskirat Kaur, also known as Jasmine K a n g , a g e d 3 3 , a p p e a r e d b e f o r e W o l v e r h a m p t o n Crown Court via video link o n T h u r s d a y , M a r c h 7 t h , charged with Shay's murder J u d g e M i c h a e l C h a m b e r s K C i n f o r m e d K a u r t h a t s h e w o u l d b e expected to appear in per-

Shay Kang

s o n a t h e r n e x t c o u r t a p p e a r a n c e , s c h e d u l e d f o r

A p r i l 2 2 n d S h e w a s n o t required to indicate or enter a plea to the murder charge during the hearing, where

d e f e n c e b a r r i s t e r O l i v e r

W

sions on her behalf

D u r i n g t h i s u p c o m i n g hearing, she will be asked to enter a plea to the charge The judge emphasised her right to a trial and stated that arrangements for such a trial would be made on A p r i l 2 2 n d K a u r w a s r e m i n d e d t h a t s h e w o u l d r e m a i n i n c u s t o

then Authorities have stated that a post-mortem examination will be conducted in the coming days to determ i

death

Historic budget cut for Birmingham

T h e B ir m i ng h a m C o u n ci l h a s a p p ro v e d w h at i s tho ugh t to be th e big gest bud get cut in the history of the local au thority, following w hich th e residents have been warning of “disastro us ” consequences

The proposed cuts will see a loss of 600 council jobs, scrapping of art grants, libraries shutting down and a reduction in bin collection to fortnightly Furthermore, t h e s e c u t s i n c l u d e a d u l t social care, flood defences

John Cotton

and highway maintenance

The street lights across the city will also be dimmed A 10 per cent increase in the council tax for the upcom-

ing financial year was also approved following special permission to increase the rate above the national cap after the council declared bankruptcy T h e l e a d e r o f t h e Birmingham City Council, J o h n C o t t o n d e l i v e r e d a n “unreserved apology” to the p e o p l e o f t h e c i t y t a k i n g r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e “Birmingham-specific problem” and urged the government to launch an inquiry into what went wrong

Sunak leaves possibility open for May election

R i sh i S u nak h a s s p ark ed sp eculation abou t the possibi lity o f an early electio n af ter initi al ly d eclini ng to rule out a po ll in M ay P r e v i o u s l y , t h e p r i m e minister had indicated that h i s " w o r k i n g a s s u m p t i o n " was to go to the country in the latter part of the year However, when questioned about a potential May vote on the Jeremy Vine show on BBC Radio 2, he chose not t o r e i t e r a t e t h i s s t a n c e I n s t e a d , t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e leader remarked, I’m not going to say anything about that What matters is the choice at that election "

Rishi

Following this, he clarified his remarks, asserting that "nothing has changed" since earlier in the year He

NHS Trusts admit to medical negligence

A ccording to FOI requests filed by Accident claims, a number of NHS trusts have ad mitted to having accid entally am putated arms or legs by accident

Among these, the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has confirmed to have amputated people’s limbs due to medical mistakes over a period of three years This is the highest number admitted by any NHS Trust across the UK

Four amputations in 2020 and two further amputations were done in 2021 by the Trust, as a result of medical negligence Medway NHS Foundation Trust in Kent further confirmed five cases of amputations due to medical negligence, one being performed in 2021, three in 2022 and another one in 2023

The George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust in Nuneaton confirmed three instances while t h r e e o t h e r s w e r e r e c o r d e d b y E a s t K e n t Hospitals University Trust Two amputations due to negligence were also confirmed by Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Wiltshire

Such incidents are referred to as ‘ never events’ by the NHS and defined as “serious, largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if healthcare providers have implemented existing national guidance or safety recommendations ”

The pickpocketing pandemic continues

In a dra matic mome nt capt ured on TikTok , a p as ser by con fr on t e d a n a lle ge d pick p ock e t who purport edly stole his wa llet Th e v ideo de pict s a man in a gre y jumpe r and jea ns, sport in g a d ark flat ca p, re st rain ing t he susp e c t e d t h i e f a g a i n s t t h e r a i li n g s o f w h a t a ppear s t o be the Blue Bridg e in St James' Park Amidst heated exchanges, the unidentified passerby seizes the alleged thief by the collar Despite the thief's attempt to flee, the passerby a p p r e h e n d s h i m , d e l i v e r i n g s e v e r a l m o r e punches before the video ends with the chase ongoing

in brief

JEREMY HUNT’S OFFICE GRAFFITIED

On the eve of his spring budget statement Jeremy Hunt’s constituency office in Surrey was vandalised with a die Tory scum” graffiti The police are investigating the incident The incident most likely took place last Monday, March 4, between 8 PM and 9 PM according to Surrey Police The graffiti was discovered on the morning of Tuesday, March 5 No one was present at the property when the incident took place The chancellor and MP for West Surrey has said that he’d not be “deterred” by this attack The incident took place amid increased concern and conversation about MPs safety and security arrangements

INCREASED FINES FOR UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE

Parents in England, who are taking children out of class without permission will face higher fines as the drive to boost attendance paces up The new rules result from the falls registered following the pandemic and the increase in homeschooling According to the Department for Education (DfE) the fine should be considered if a student misses five or more days of school unauthorised Currently, the fine starts at £6 and rises to £120 after 21 days of non-payment Now, the fine will start at £80, rising to £160 This comes after around 400,000 penalty notices were issued in 2022-23, much better than prepandemic levels

COMEDIAN APPEARS IN COURT ON SEX CHARGES

Comedian Hardeep Singh

In

reiterated his initial stance, s t a t i n g , " I w a s v e r y c l e a r about this at the beginning of the year about my working assumption for the election being in the second half of the year – nothing has changed since then "

However, senior Tories are apprehensive about the potential outcome, fearing it could further diminish their prospects in a general election Some members of the party, including former cabinet ministers, are advocating for an early election to maximise the return of Tory MPs and enhance the party's chances in 2029

Deliveroo driver stabbed in East London

S o u r c e M e t P o l c e

The incident unfolded when the driver, in an act of b r a v e r y , s o u g h t t o d e t a i n b i k e t h i e f M o h a m m e d

Shohid within the

u r i e s i n c l u d i n g l u n g ,

bowel, and kidney penetration, fought for survival during weeks in intensive care E c h o i n g t h e v i c t i m ' s anguish, prosecutor Roger S m a r t r e l a y e d a p o i g n a n t statement detailing the profound physical, mental, and emotional toll inflicted by the ordeal

Despite Shohid's denial of intent to cause significant harm during his testimony, t h e j u r y f o u n d h i m n o t guilty of attempted murder but guilty of wounding with intent

According to the Met Police, the incident occurred at 1 pm on Saturday, resulting in the theft of cash and a passport However, no a r r e s t s w e r e m a d e , a n d i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a r e ongoing London's reputation as a hub for pickpockets and thieves is well-known, underscored by data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, which revealed nearly 3 1 , 0 0 0 i n s t a n c e s o f m o b i l e p h o n e t h e f t s recorded by the Met Police between 2017 and 2022 Mick Lynch, the general secretary of RMT, attributed the alarming crime rates to staff cuts

Government allocates fund for mosque security

The g ove rnment has de cl ared its inten tion to a l l oc a t e o v e r £1 1 7 m il l io n t o sa f e g ua r d mosq ue s, Musl im fa it h schools, and commun ity centr es fr om hate cr imes, revea ling a comprehen sive pl an that includes the install ation of CCTV camera s, ala rms, and fencing over the ne xt four year s

Home Secretary James Cleverly emphasised that this investment aims to provide "reassurance and confidence to UK Muslims," echoing the government's commitment to combating anti-Muslim sentiments This initiative mirrors a previous £70 million support package for Jewish groups, underscoring the government's response to concerns about escalating division within the UK, particularly in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict Cleverly stressed that anti-Muslim hatred has no place in society and emphasised the government's stance against any attempt to exploit international events to justify abuse against British Muslims This commitment includes an initial allocation of £29 4 million for 2023-24, with an additional £4 9 million designated following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered renewed conflict in Gaza

The announcement, coinciding with the beginning of Ramadan, ensures coverage for community sites across the UK

Kohli, known for his appearances on television programs such as Celebrity MasterChef Loose Ends and Question Time recently made a private appearance at Glasgow Sheriff Court The 55-year-old was accused of multiple sex offenses, including three charges of indecent assault, one charge of sexual assault, and two charges of breach of the peace During the hearing, Kohli did not enter a plea and was subsequently released on bail He has been committed for further examination in light of the charges, which were described as "non-recent " As of now, a date for his next court appearance has not been determined

INCREASE IN MIGRATION FORECAST

Immigration is projected to contribute an average of approximately 350,000 individuals annually to the population over the next five years This forecast contrasts with measures announced by Rishi Sunak aimed at achieving the "largest reduction" in migration ever recorded The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has revised its November forecast for migration increasing it by one-fifth from an average of 290 000 to 350 000 individuals between the present and 2028 According to the latest outlook released alongside Jeremy Hunt s budget the OBR anticipates a decline in net migration over the next five years, stabilising at around 315,000 by 2027-28 The average annual net migration over this period is estimated to be approximately 350,000 This projection indicates that immigration is expected to contribute 1 75 million individuals to the population over the next five years

Hardeep Singh Kohli

Mohammed Shohid

NHS urges young adults to catch up on missed MMR Vaccine

T h e N HS c a t c h- u p ca mp a ig n i n E n g l a n d is n ow in vitin g over 900 ,000 a dult s a ge d 19 to 25 to schedule a p po i n t m e n t s f o r t h e i r m issed mea sles, mumps, a nd r ube lla (MMR) v accin e

This week, the campaign focuses on young adults in the West Midlands, Greater M a n c h e s t e r , a n d L o n d o n , areas deemed at higher risk due to lower MMR vaccinat i o n r a t e s L a s t w e e k , 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 r e m i n d e r s w e r e sent to 16-19 year olds in t h e s e a r e a s t o e n c o u r a g e them to get vaccinated M e a s l e s r a n k s a m o n g t h e m o s t c o n t a g i o u s d i se a s e s g l o b a l l y , w i t h o n e i n f e c t e d i n d i v i d u a l p o t e ntially spreading it to about 15 u n v a c c i n a t e d i n d i v i d u a l s W h i l e t h e r e ' s n o s p e c i f i c treatment for measles, two

doses of the MMR vaccine p r o v i d e e f f e c t i v e l i f e l o n g protection against severe illness from the disease

During phase one of the N H S c a t c h - u p c a m p a i g n , over a million parents and caregivers of 6-11-year-olds i n E n g l a n d w h o h a v e n t received their MMR vaccinat i o n s w e r e c o n t a c t e d v i a e m a i l s , l e t t e r s , a n d t e x t s , u r g i n g t h e m t o s c h e d u l e v a c c i n e a p p o i n t m e n t s f o r their children

In London and the West Midlands, thousands of invit a t i o n s h a v e b e e n d i spatched to parents and caregivers of children aged 11-16 years These regions were c h o s e n f o r a n i n t e n s i f i e d c a t c h - u p i n i t i a t i v e i n response to rising measles cases and low MMR vaccine uptake rates

Vara meets Indian student leaders at House of Commons

Shailesh V ara MP address ed a t t en de e s a t th e I nd ia n N at i o na l St u de n ts ’ As s o cia tio n ( IN SA) Stu dent Leadership Summit held at th e Hou se of Co mmons

The summit serves as a platform for student leaders, representatives from Student Unions, and other guests to engage in discussions aimed at shaping a brighter future for Indian students in UK higher education

D u r i n g h i s s p e e c h , M r Vara shared insights into his political journey, highlighti n g h i s a c h i e v e m e n t a s Britain’s inaugural Hindu MP and the Conservative Party’s first ethnic minority Minister in the House of Commons

During a question-andanswer session following his speech, Mr Vara answered a number of questions, ranging f r o m v i s a s f o r I n d i a n s t udents, the UK-India relationship, as well as how Indian students can become more engaged in the political pro-

Jasdeep Singh Degun: First sitar player to win Royal Philharmonic Society Award

Leed s-born sitarist and co mposer Jasdeep Singh Degun made history by becoming the first sitar pl aye r to w i n a Ro ya l P h il h ar m o ni c S oc i et y ( RP S ) A w ard i n t h e Instrum entali st categ ory

T h e p r e s t i g i o u s a w a r d c e r e m o n y o c c u r r e d y e s t e r d a y evening at Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music, marking a significant moment in UK classical music The RPS A w a r d s c e l e b r a t e o u tstanding musical talents a n d i n i t i a t i v e s t h a t i n s p i r e c o m m u n i t i e s

cess Following the event, Mr Vara said: "I was very pleased to address such talented and t h o u g h t f u l y o u n g p e o p l e The UK-India relationship, and the young people striving to make a difference in b o t h n a t i o n s , i s o f t h e utmost importance, and it was especially good to speak with the next generation of leaders

T h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m continues to be a top destination for the world’s best and brightest to study, and I wish them all the best in t h e i r s t u d i e s a n d f u t u r e endeavours ”

Prostate cancer patient urges Asian communities to speak up about their symptoms

Retired NHS GP Dr Kanty P a te l, d ia g no s ed w i th p r o st ate c an c er i n S e p te m be r 2 0 2 3 , sw if tl y ad vocated for early detection, esp ecially w ith in th e A sian comm unity, drawing f ro m h is f am i ly 's ex p er iences with the disease He j o i ns T V p r es en ter Ni c k Owen in a 'Dead ly Silent' p odcast to raise aw areness furth er

Within the podcast, Dr Patel explains how 'speaking up' is particularly challenging for the Asian community He says I have a strong family history of cancer My father was diagnosed with p r o s t a t e c a n c e r w h e n h e was 84 and my older brother

nationwide

J a s d e e p S i n g h

Degun, alongside cell i s t A y a n n a W i t t e r -

Johnson and pianist

P a v e l K o l e s n i k o v , w a s s h o r t l i s t e d f o r t h e I n s t r u m e n t a l i s t

A w a r d H i s v i c t o r y marks him as the first I n d i a n C l a s s i c a l m u s i c i a n t o r e c e i v e this prestigious accolade

Described by RPS Awards Judges as a v i r t u o s o , J a s d e e p ' s

debut album and coll a b o r a t i o n w i t h

Opera North in the retelling of Orpheus

showcased his exceptional t a l e n t A d d i t i o n a l l y , h i s o p e r a O r p h e u s , w h e r e h e s e r v e d a s c o m p o s e r , c omusic director, and soloist, earned a nomination for the L a r g e - S c a l e C o m p o s i t i o n Award

Jasdeep said: I’m thrilled t o w i n t h e R P S Instrumentalist Award I see all of these awards as a spotl i g h t o n t h e w o n d e r f u l Indian classical musicians in t h i s c o u n t r y I a m v e r y t h a n k f u l t o m y t e a c h e r Ustad Dharambir Singh and t h e n u m e r o u s i n d i v i d u a l s and organisations that have s u p p o r t e d m e o v e r t h e years "

w a s d i a g n o s e d w i t h t h e same aged 70 My mother and sister have both experienced breast cancer as well, so I speak from the heart when I encourage everyone to talk not only about any s y m p t o m s y o u h a v e , b u t also to ask questions about y o u r f a m i l y h i s t o r y o r t o share the knowledge that you have P r o s t a t e C a n c e r i s hereditary and it's a topic t h a t i s n o t d i s c u s s e d e n o u g h , e s p e c i a l l y w i t h i n the Asian community where p e o p l e a r e n t o p e n a b o u t these matters I tell my fami l y t o l o o k o u t f o r t h e s e things Keep aware of symptoms, be alert

Jasdeep Singh Degun

Sailesh Vara addressing students

Aiming for sustained economic growth with the Spring budget

On Ma rch 6, 2024 , the UK Cha ncellor unvei led the Spring Budget, aimi ng to reduce taxe s, boost i nvestment , a nd enhance publi c serv ice s

The budg et i ncluded se veral key poli ci es primari ly f ocused on indiv idual taxa tion rath er than corporate taxe s

In his opening address, Jeremy Hunt acknowledged the UK economy's resilience in overcoming challenges such as the financial crisis, the pandemic, and the energy crisis stemming from conflicts in Europe While noting persistently high interest rates amid efforts to curb inflation, he emphasised the government's commitment to providing long-term support for families through both cost-of-living assistance and permanent tax cuts and characterised the budget as a strategy geared towards fostering sustained economic growth

Some of the key developments in this budget include:

Na tiona l I nsurance:

From April, the National Insurance Contribution (NIC) rate will be reduced from 10% to 8% of pay

Someone earning a fulltime salary of £35,000 annually will save £450 per year

Non-d om tax:

Starting from April 2025, the non-domiciled (nondom) tax status will be abolished and substituted with a modern, simpler, and fairer system

Individuals will be liable to pay tax on UK income but exempt from paying tax on their worldwide income

P roperty tax: The government plans to decrease the rate of property capital gains tax from 28% to 24% and eliminate stamp duty relief for individuals purchasing more than one dwelling

V AT r egistrati on threshold: Starting from 1 April 2024, there will be adjustments to the VAT registration and deregistration thresholds The threshold, based on taxable turnover over a 12-month period, will rise from £85,000 to £90,000

Various other announcements including extended household support, vaping products levy,

alcohol duty and childcare funds also play a major role on the impact this budget can have on the economy

The election ef fect

The recently unveiled budget marked the Conservatives' final opportunity to sway voters before the impending election storm engulfs the UK It was viewed as a crucial moment for UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to infuse some muchneeded economic optimism into British politics

About whether he was able to woo the public or not, Ravi Shah, a partner at Vinod Shah & Co, the budget appears rather straightforward, with no extravagant measures or surprising revelations

About the budget aiming to impress the voters, he said “Indeed, the options are limited now, especially considering the conservative nature of the measures and the dwindling number of votes Regarding the high-income Child Benefit, it's undoubtedly a significant relief for many parents, particularly those in the workforce

“While the reduction in National Insurance contributions benefits a wide range of individuals, the crucial question remains: what tangible impact has it had?

Another noteworthy aspect is the reduction in capital gains tax on property sales from 28% to 24%, resulting in a direct 4% saving, which higher rate taxpayers will surely appreciate As for the effects of non-dom status abolition, while it's on the horizon, it's not yet in effect, with implementation slated for 2026, providing ample time for preparations ” What’s in stor e for the SMEs a nd se lf-e mploy ed

The budget will affect the economy, businesses

and individuals in different ways Among these entities, the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and self-employed individuals need more support and the NIC rate reduction and VAT thresholds will have a major impact Analysing the offerings of the budget on these fronts, Ravi said, “For self-employed individuals and SMEs, there's a notable reduction in the NIC rate, from 10% to 8% Regarding VAT thresholds, there's been a significant change Previously set at £85,000, the threshold has now increased to £90,000, with the deregistration threshold also rising to £88,000 This is positive news and means businesses have an extra £5,000 before they need to register for VAT

“However, for businesses like restaurants or takeaways, the impact can be challenging For instance, if they sell a meal deal for £10, they're now required to add VAT, making the total price £12, which doesn't necessarily increase their profitability but rather maintains their status quo Many business owners I’ve been in touch with feel that a slightly larger increase in VAT thresholds, perhaps to £100,000, would have been more aligned with the rising inflation ” Budget’s impact on costof-livi ng cri si s d ecoded

The major and notso-major policy changes made under this spring budget will, directly or

indirectly, impact the cost-of-living crisis plaguing the UK With the abolition of the nondom status, relief in property tax, increase in public spending and extended household support among other measures will help ease the cost-of-living pressures and cash flow Detailing the various policies that will help ease the situation, Ravi said, “There's optimism regarding interest rates potentially decreasing in the latter half of the year This would benefit property owners seeking to remortgage or purchase their first home, as repayments would be comparatively lower than current variable rates On the flip side, this may not bode well for savings, given historically low-interest rates and poor savings returns

“However, there's hope that the government's efforts to reduce inflation to 2% in the coming months will positively impact the cost of goods, increasing disposable income for families and businesses Additionally, while electricity and gas prices may remain stable for now, there's anticipation for a brighter economic outlook in the long term, with the OPR forecasting a 0 8% growth in the current year, rising to 1 9% by 2025 Despite this optimism, it's important to acknowledge that immediate relief may be needed for individuals and businesses facing financial challenges ”

About cash flow, he said, “In terms of cash flow, there are several noteworthy changes outlined in the budget Firstly, the abolition of the £90 fee for debt relief orders, which assists individuals in relieving their debts Additionally, repayment periods for universal credits will be extended from 12 to 24 months, aiming to expedite payment processes

“Cash flow is vital for the viability of businesses, as it serves as oxygen for their operations Despite significant financial support provided during the pandemic through government schemes and grants, the question remains whether these measures will suffice in the short term ”

Dependency on parents increases

With branches of traditional banks v anis hi ng from th e high streets, a new p layer has em erged, operating in ev ery v illage, tow n, and city, both locally and globally the parents

S t a f f e d p r i m a r i l y b y individuals over the age of 50, this informal institution is gaining prominence due to asset and wealth transfer, a t r e n d t h a t i s g a i n i n g m o m e n t u m a n d c o u l d potentially lead to intergenerational conflicts

The parents are currently facilitating wealth transfers to the next generation, e n a b l i n g t h e m t o a c q u i r e assets and make financial t r a n s a c t i o n s t h a t w o u l d otherwise be out of reach L e g a l & G e n e r a l ' s l a t e s t annual report reveals that in 2023 alone, parents provided £8 1 billion in gifts and over the past five years (20182023), have distributed an estimated £98 billion, with £ 3 5 b i l l i o n a l l o c a t e d f o r

property purchases and £2 billion for household bills

In London, a staggering 67% o f h o m e o w n e r s r e c e i v e d f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e f r o m their parents

Many South Asian individuals in the UK have a similar story to tell These i n d i v i d u a l s h a v e a n o n ymously recounted that in order to own property in the U K , t h e y ’ v e h a d t o s e e k f i n a n c i a l h e l p f r o m t h e i r parents, especially when it comes to the hefty down payments Talk to overseas students and they’ll tell you about the financial aid they have to receive from their parents as the cost-of-living crisis adds to their struggles

The above figures only s c r a t c h t h e s u r f a c e T h e broader trend involves the transfer of assets from baby boomers to millennials and Generation Z with an estimated global value exceeding $100 trillion (£820 billion)

Tory policy pressurising single parents

Strugg ling sing le p arents are facing significant ch allenges and f ee li ng p en al is e d b y w ha t th ey d es cri be as an " u nre al is ti c " g o v er nm e nt p o li c y, w h i c h m and ate s th em to tr ans i ti o n i nto near- fu ll-ti m e w o rk w h en their children reach the age of three, as per p arents and recent research findings

detrimental impact of this policy, stating, "Parents who want to work are being set u p t o f a i l " T h e r e s e a r c h underscores the numerous b a r r i e r s f a c e d b y p a r e n t s s e e k i n g e m p l o y m e n t , including inadequate childcare options, inflexible work arrangements, and discrimination against single par-

A y e a r f o l l o w i n g t h e implementation of a policy by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, requiring parents on benefits to commit to 30 hours of work per week or risk reductions in their benefits, the o v e r w h e l m i n g m a j o r i t y o f p a r e n t s f i n d t h e m s e l v e s u n a b l e t o n a v i g a t e t h e demands of this new system In a survey conducted by c a m p a i g n g r o u p S i n g l e Parent Rights, in collaboration with Save the Children, involving 638 single parents, a striking 81% expressed that the prospect of increasing their work hours to near f u l l - t i m e l e v e l s i s s i m p l y unfeasible, with anticipated negative repercussions for both themselves and their children Becca Lyon, the head of UK child poverty at Save the C h i l d r e n , e m p h a s i s e d t h e

ents in the job market

T h i s c o m e s a m i d t h e b u d g e t c h a n g e s t o c h i l d benefit rules, proposing to base eligibility on collective household incomes rather t h a n i n d i v i d u a l i n c o m e s s t a r t i n g f r o m A p r i l 2 0 2 6 and extending the househ o l d s u p p o r t f u n d b y a n a d d i t i o n a l s i x m o n t h s H o w e v e r , r a t e s p a i d t o nurseries to cover the cost of providing free childcare hours for parents of children aged over nine months will remain unchanged for the next two years

T h e s e p a y m e n t s h a v e d i m i n i s h e d i n v a l u e f o r nurseries due to inflation, i m p a c t i n g t h e i r b u d g e t s Nonetheless, Hunt suggests t h a t t h i s d e c i s i o n w i l l enable an additional 60,000 parents to join the workf o r c e o v e r t h e n e x t f o u r years

Ravi Shah

Jeremy Hunt poses outside 11 Downing Street with the Red Box

Shefali Saxena

Loving a grandma as she navigates Dementia

Ricky’ s gran h as lived next d oor to his parents since befo re he w as born and was the family matriarch T hey u sed to watch game sh ows t o g et h er, an d s h e tau g h t h im Punjabi Sh e often ho sted family get-togeth ers with lots o f food

She looked after me and was a massive influence on him growing up, his parents didn’t need to worry about childcare when they were at work as Ricky’s Gran always c a r e d f o r h i m R i c k y h a s a l w a y s b e e n c l o s e t o h i s Gran, and she has played a pivotal role in raising him and helping him to become the man he is today H e r e ’ s h i s e x c l u s i v e interview with Asian Voice: What were some early signs or symptoms that made you realize something was wrong with your gran?

Gran was becoming forgetful and mixing up people’s names, but as she was in her early 80s, we just put it down to her getting older Over time, Gran’s condition worsened She was forgett i n g h o w t o d o e v e r y d a y t a s k s a n d n e g l e c t i n g h e r appearance, and I realised that something was wrong and it could not just be a case of getting older Her p e r s o n a l i t y w a s c h a n g i n g , e v e r y t h i n g t h a t m a d e h e r unique was slowly eroding

a w a y a n d h e r d e m e a n o u r was declining

Can you elaborate on the challenges your family faced in accessing appropriate treatment and support for your gran's condition?

There needs to be more access to Punjabi-speaking carers, we struggled for a long time to find someone suitable for my Gran who could converse in Punjabi with her We searched all the websites, asked the local c o u n c i l , a n d e x p l o r e d t h e local community and it was so tough to find anyone

Gran’s mother tongue is Punjabi and often doctors at the memory clinic or other h e a l t h c a r e p r o f e s s i o n a l s w o u l d c o m m u n i c a t e i n English and we would have to translate it makes things more difficult Often some of the memory testing quest i o n s a s k e d r e l a t e d t o English history and things t h a t m y G r a n w o u l d n o t have known even when she was fully healthy I think there have been d e f i n i t e s t r i d e s i n r a i s i n g a w a r e n e s s o f d e m e n t i a i n t h e P u n j a b i c o m m u n i t y compared to say just 5 years ago and I think future generations will be much more aware, but there is still a long way to go It is not t a l k e d a b o u t e n o u g h a n d there isn’t even a Punjabi w o r d f o r ‘ d e m e n t i a ’ I t

would be great to see dementia portrayed in Punjabi TV series or films, it is such a comp l i c a t e d c o n d ition and so much m o r e t h a n j u s t m e m o r y l o s s w h i c h i s m o s t p e o p l e ’ s p e r c e ption

Could you describe the emotional struggle you face in balancing your responsibilities while still trying to maintain a connection with your gran?

I t i s h e a r t b r e a k i n g t o watch a loved one become a shell of who they once were and it is tough to unders t a n d a n d d i g e s t w h a t i s happening You are grieving for them while they are still alive The person you knew is gone and you are now building a new relationship It takes a massive emotional toll on you, but you have to remember that as hard as it is for you – imagine what y o u r l o v e d o n e s u f f e r i n g f r o m d e m e n t i a i s g o i n g through, as they decline and understand less and less of the world they are living in

To me, one of the greatest privileges in life is being able to take care of those who cared for us, and we are a l l c o m m i t t e d t o m a k i n g Gran feel as comfortable and happy as possible Just hug-

ging her or stroking her arm shows her that she is still the person we all love, and I c h e r i s h e v e r y m o m e n t I spend with her What prompted you to reach out to Dementia UK's Helpline for support, and how has their assistance benefited you and your family?

I wanted to arm myself with as much information as possible to be in the best position to help my Gran I r e s e a r c h e d t h o r o u g h l y online and even took and passed an online Diploma C o u r s e o n D e m e n t i a t o improve my knowledge and u n d e r s t a n d i n g D e m e n t i a UK kept coming up in my research and I was interested to learn about the amazi n g w o r k t h e A d m i r a l N u r s e s w e r e p r o v i d i n g They offer invaluable supp o r t , b o t h p h y s i c a l l y a n d emotionally and I have rung them on several occasions f o r a d v i c e T h e y h a v e

offered practical supp o r t l i k e s u g g e s t i n g things like colouring b o o k s t o g e t h e r a n d listening to music But more importantly, the best advice was to stop correcting her if she got things wrong to avoid unnecessary agit a t i o n a n d t o t a k e t h i n g s o n e d a y a t a time What works one day, may not work the n e x t d a y a n d i t i s important to not take anything personally and just to do your best to be there for y o u r l o v e d o n e a n d o f f e r them all the love and support you can Can you tell us more about your involvement in Dementia UK's campaign "We live with dementia" and why you chose to share your story?

I w a s h o n o u r e d a n d p r i v i l e g e d t o b e p a r t o f D e m e n t i a U K ’ s n a t i o n a l campaign I am motivated and committed to spreading awareness of Dementia and I feel it is vital to keep getting information in the public domain, we need to get people talking more and m o r e a b o u t t h e i r e x p e r iences I wanted to share my story to hopefully reach out to people who are going through the same thing, I know personally that I felt better hearing other people’s stories – it is impor-

Take control ofyour health the easy way, with the NHS App

The NHS App is a si mple and secure w ay to access a r ange of NHS ser vices and i nf ormati on on your smart phone or tab let Mi llions of people ar e alread y usi ng t he NHS App to manage thei r healt h the easy way fr om t he comfor t of thei r h omes

Whether viewing your GP health record, ordering repeat prescriptions, or nominating your preferred pharmacy –the NHS App hosts a range of features that make it easier to access NHS services and information.

Lalit Mohan Joshi has found the 24/7 accessibility of the NHS App especially useful and has been using it to keep up to date with different aspects of his health alongside his busy lifestyle:

‘You can get so much information on the app, at your fingertips It has records of your NHS official letters, details of hospital appointments, and even general information about symptoms and conditions if you ’ re worried about something I find it easy to navigate as well, so it’s easy to find what you need - I always recommend the NHS App to my friends and family You

can use it while you ’ re sitting on the sofa, on the bus, in your lunch break, wherever you have your phone! You can search on your phone to see if you already have the app, or simply download it from the App Store or Google Play ’

Saima Iftikhar has had the NHS App on her phone since the COVID-19 pandemic when she, like many others, downloaded it to access vaccination certificates for travel abroad. Saima forgot she had the app but was recently reminded about it by her GP and has since used it for lots of different things: ‘As a telecoms engineer I’m out and about a lot so I

don’t have time to make lots of calls to my GP surgery and so on I’ve used the NHS App to view my GP health record and medication information, get test results and even order repeat prescriptions to my local pharmacy Rather than waiting on the phone to speak to someone, I can get the information quickly and directly, at a time that suits me - and even if I’m in another country I’ve also found it really helpful for alerts about upcoming appointments so I don’t miss them, which is really important when you ’ re a busy person It’s so simple to use, it saves me time and it makes me feel much more in control of my own health ’

tant for people not to feel they are suffering alone or f e e l i s o l a t e d I f e e l t h e videos and digital adverts that have been created have helped to drive the campaign forward, I have been contacted by many people that I have not spoken to for so long, who have seen these and have got them to start talking about the condition and their own experiences

Lastly, how should British Asian families envision the future to navigate life with a relative battling this condition and advocate for dementia awareness and support?

I think there could be more information / talks / f u n d r a i s i n g a t l o c a l G u r d w a r a ’ s I t w o u l d b e beneficial to try and spread awareness about this condition and try and make older g e n e r a t i o n s u n d e r s t a n d what dementia is and the effects it can have on the individual and their famil i e s P l a c e s o f w o r s h i p remain the cornerstone of many South Asian communities and I believe it is the right place to start the disc u s s i o n a n d t r y t o b r i n g some change to community p e r c e p t i o n s o n d e m e n t i a and remove the stigma and false beliefs that have crept into society due to a lack of w i l l i n g n e s s t o t r y a n d understand the condition

With the NHS App, you can:

u View current prescriptions, order repeat prescriptions

u See your consultation notes, letters and test results

u View your GP health record

u Access your appointment information and manage hospital appointments

u Find your NHS number

u Access NHS 111 Online to get instant advice or medical help near you Start using the app today. For more information, including how to download the NHS App, please visit www.nhs.uk/nhsapp or scan the QR code.

Saima Iftikhar Lalit Mohan Joshi

Neasden Temple marks International Women’s Day 2024

Over 1,300 women of all ages and diverse backgrounds came together at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London – popularly known as ‘Neasden Temple’ –to celebrate the UN’s International Women’s Day (IWD) on Saturday 9 March 2024.

The day began with welc o m i n g t h e W O W G i r l s

A n n i v e r s a r y B u s o f T h e W o m e n o f t h e W o r l d ( W O W ) F o u n d a t i o n T h e F o u n d a t i o n h a d c h o s e n Neasden Temple to be a part of the Bus’s last leg of its UKw i d e t o u r T h e W O W F o u n d a t i o n , w i t h t h e esteemed patronage of Her M a j e s t y Q u e e n C a m i l l a a s President, champions gender equality and celebrates the achievements of women and girls globally

In the evening, an inspiri n g p r o g r a m m e t i t l e d

“ C e l e b r a t i n g W o m e n : U p l i f t i n g C o m m u n i t i e s ” focussed on how everyone can be an advocate for harmony and draw inspiration from women past and present The programme delved into the challenges faced by individuals and communities a m i d t h e p a n d e m i c a n d ongoing cost-of-living crisis T h r o u g h o u t t h e t w oh o u r p r o g r a m m e , t h e s e i n s p i r i n g t h e m e s w e r e t h o u g h t f u l l y e x p l o r e d through uplifting video pre-

s e n t a t i o n s , i n s p i r i n g t e s t im o n i e s , a n d a n i n s i g h t f u l

panel discussion

The panellists included C ole tte Bailey

( E x e c ut iv e Di r e c t o r , Th e W O W F ou nd a t io n) , He en a S o la n k i ( Fo u n d e r a n d Ma nag ing Dir ector of ‘ Ev ent s G u r u ’ ) , S h us h m a P a t e l (Com munity Pha rmacist and ‘ C o r o n a t io n C h a m p io n ’

A wa r de e for Vo lu nt e e ri ng ),

Ma ria n Cohe n (C o-found er o f ‘ H o me le s s i n A c t io n B a r n e t ’ a n d H e a d o f

Educat ion Youth a t Edgwa re a n d H e n d o n R e f or m Sy nag ogue), and Va nita Pat el (Act in g Head of Diver sit y & I n c lu si o n a t Br i t i s h

Tr ansport Police an d Chair o f BT P ‘ Hi n d u P o li ce A s so c ia t io n ’ ) , w h o s h a r e d t h e i r p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e s , offering a well-rounded perspective on the significance of positivity, kindness, and community impact

Addressing the gathering,

g u e s t s p e a k e r R a v i K a u r Ma h e y , S o li ci t o r - A d v o ca t e and Dir ector in Family L aw at Dunca n Le wis Solicit ors, an eminent British law firm, s a i d , “ D o n ’ t u n d e r e s t i m a t e the importance of faith in c o m m u n i t i e s i n f e m a l e empowerment Use your values and take them into the community As a collective, w e [ w o m e n ] c a n e m p o w e r and engage

“The fact that you have opened up this platform to c e l e b r a t e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Women’s Day at the Mandir [ N e a s d e n T e m p l e ] i s s o important Empowering our future generations is key ”

Rena Amin, a senior volunteer at BAPS UK & Europe, a d d e d , “ I n c e l e b r a t i o n o f International Women’s Day this year, we hope this programme empowered women to take that small step and positively impact the society we live in ”

CB Patel performs Rudra Abhishek at Neasden Mandir

P ub l i s he r a n d E di t or i n Chief of Guj arat Samac har and Asi an Voice, CB Patel performed Rudra Abhishek o n M a ha s h i vr a tr i a t N e as de n M an di r H e al so p er for me d Ab hi s hek on a gilded brass image of Shri N ilkanth Varni H e w a s w e l c o m e d b y Y o g v i v e k d a s S w a m i , t h e head of BAPS in the UK and E u r o p e C B e x p r e s s e d h i s heartfelt gratitude for the n e w l y i n a u g u r a t e d B A P S H i n d u M a n d i r i n A b u Dhabi He said, “I am feeling

FICCI UK and the High Commission of India organised TechXchange 2024- a plenary session to showcase opportunities for Indian tech businesses in the UK, hosted at Level 39 in One Canada Square, Canary Wharf

The event that coincided with International Women s Day and Maha Shivratri witnessed a fantastic panel discussion moderated by Priya Guha MBE. India’s Deputy High Commissioner to the UK Sujit Ghosh gave an introductory speech Concluding remarks were made by Lord Kulveer Ranger A report with interviews will be published in the future issue of Asian Voice

very proud about the inaug u r a t i o n o f B A P S H i n d u temple in Abu Dhabi It is a very historic moment and a symbol of Sanatan Dharma and global unity showcasing the UAE's commitment to nurturing inclusivity, divers i t y , a n d r e l i g i o u s t o l e rance " Y o g v i v e k d a s S w a m i Presented CB with the book “ A M i l l e n n i a l M o m e n t ” , authored by Bikram Vohra, a veteran journalist, about the s t o r y b e h i n d t h e B A P S Hindu Mandir

Sadiq Khan wins Local Government Award in election year at EPG’s Political & Public Life Awards

Gl ob al ad v is o ry fi rm E P G’ s P o li ti c al an d P u bl ic L i fe Award s sou ght to honour ou tstandin g and c ap a ble lea d er s fr o m ac ro s s p o li t ic al and p ublic life at th e Ho u s e o f Com mons T h i s y e a r ’ s r o l l c a l l o f o u ts t a n d i n g w i n n e r s i n c l u d e s two of our country’s most senior political figures – Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP, the Deputy Prime Minister and Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, the Deputy Leader of His Majesty’s Opposition Both received the Parliamentarian of the Year Award

cal climate, have been some o u t s t a n d i n g a n d c a p a b l e l e a d e r s f r o m p o l i t i c a l a n d public life

T h e e v e n i n g s a w o v e r

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was the other big winn e r o n t h e n i g h t i n h i s Mayoral election year, winning the Local Government Award

P o l i t i c a l l e a d e r s f r o m across the world flew into London especially for these A w a r d s , i n c l u d i n g S u r e s h P r a b h u ( f o r m e r U n i o n Minister of India and Chair of the Governing Council at the India Foundation), Renu Dahal (Mayor of Bharatpur, Nepal), and Her Excellency Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the f i r s t f e m a l e P r e s i d e n t o f Mauritius After a stellar few years of rapid growth in the UK market, the Bank of the Year a w a r d w e n t t o S B I ( U K ) , while British Iraqi billionaire businesswomen and philanthropist Lady Ibtisam Auchi w o n t h e H u m a n i t a r i a n o f the Year award

The last few years have seen an unprecedented set of c h a l l e n g e s f o r t h e U K S t e e r i n g t h e U K a n d t h e wider world through these crises, and a turbulent politi-

2 0 0 g u e s t s i n c l u d i n g P a r l i a m e n t a r i a n s , b u s i n e s s and community leaders from the UK and abroad L G eo r g e, D i rec to r o f EPG, said: “Our Awards seek to honour outstanding individuals from across public life that have faced some of the most pressing challenges facing us head-on, and created a positive impact over the preceding year They are a modest effort from EPG to thank outstanding individuals who have made Britain better ” Rt H o n V ale ri e V az , Mem ber of P arliam ent fo r Walsall South, said: “These Awards are an opportunity t o c e l e b r a t e t h e a c h i e v em e n t s o f t h o s e w h o h a v e made a special contribution to our political and public life over the last 12 months by breaking the glass ceiling a n d m a k i n g u s i n c r e d i b l y proud No matter where we were born or grew up, we are all now proud of being citizens of the most multicultural country in the world ” Winners of the Awards in earlier years have included Sir Keir Starmer, Sajid Javid, W i l l i a m H a g u e , A n d y B u r n h a m , P r i t i P a t e l M P , L a y l a M o r a n M P a n d

Jonathan Ashworth MP

OFBJP UK to organise car rally in support PM Modi

o ' s t i r e l e s s l y d e d i c a t e d t o t h e p r o g r e s s and prosperity of our nation I n d i a T h i s r a l l y i s n ' t j u s t about driving cars, it's about driving change, driving hope, a n d d r i v i n g t h e f u t u r e o f India forward Join us as we d r i v e t o w a r d s a b r i g h t e r t o m o r r o w w i t h N a r e n d r a Modi at the helm Let your voice be heard, your presence felt, and your continued support ”

To register: https://docs google com/for ms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeoFcbnD0 dfYVrGfMrvJFN6NcxGC4T Aa031Zjs9mz-fbhTj9w/viewform

Lively and engaging panel discussion

Neasden Temple welcomed the WOW Girls Festival Bus, on its the last leg of its UK wide tour

London Mayor Sadiq Khan addressing the audience

Let's rejoice in the spirit of Holi together!

Come together to celebrate Holi with us! Join the Holi celebration on 'Soneri Sangat,' the special zoom series organised by Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar every Thursday Holi symbolises the triumph of faith and devotion over evil. Through colorful celebrations and joyful gatherings, Holi inspires us to embrace hope, unity, and positivity During this zoom programme, in addition to prayers, songs and weekly news summary, Dr Vinodbhai Kapashi a well-known Jain scholar and community leader, will share insights into the upcoming Jain Festivals

Tory donor makes racist comments about Diane Abbott

The Guardia n has uncovered s t at em e nt s m ad e by Fr an k H e s t e r , t he C on s e r v at i v e p a rt y 's l a r ge s t do no r , s u gg e s t i ng d e r og a to r y v ie ws t owards blac k wom en, part ic ula rly targeting MP Diane Abbott H e s t e r , w h o h a s c o ntributed £10m to the Tories in the last year, reportedly e x p r e s s e d s e n t i m e n t s i n a meeting that seeing Abbott on television made him feel like "wanting to hate all black women" and even remarked that she "should be shot " W h i l e H e s t e r c l a r i f i e d t h a t h e d i d n o t h a r b o u r h a t r e d t o w a r d s a l l b l a c k women, his remarks indicate a deeply troubling attitude towards a prominent black f i g u r e i n B r i t i s h p o l i t i c s

Moreover, he allegedly convened his "foreign" workers t o a d d r e s s a c c u s a t i o n s o f racism, asserting his opposition to racism and affirming t h a t p r o g r e s s i n h i s t e a m would not be influenced by factors like skin colour or ethnicity H o w e v e r , d u r i n g t h i s m e e t i n g , H e s t e r r e m a r k e d "all our Chinese girls" con-

gregating together, suggesting a pattern of inappropriate c o m m e n t s a b o u t e t h n i c i t y within his workplace R i s h i S u n a k h a s c o nd e m n e d F r a n k H e s t e r ' s r e m a r k s a s " r a c i s t a n d w r o n g " T h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r ’ s o f f i c i a l s p o kesman said: “The comments a l l e g e d l y m a d e b y F r a n k H e s t e r w e r e r a c i s t a n d wrong He has now rightly apologised for the offence caused and where remorse is shown it should be accepted “The Prime Minister is clear there is no place for racism in public life and as the first British-Asian Prime Minister leading one of the most ethnically diverse Cabinets in our history, the UK is living proof of that fact ”

“No-go” statement unhelpful

A c c o rd i ng to D a me S ar a K h an , th e g o ve rn me n t' s adviser o n soci al co hesion, p ro -Palestinian protests in London are predominantly p eaceful, and it i s misleadi ng to suggest that certain a re as o f th e ca p i ta l h a ve become o ff- limits fo r Jewish p eople on weekends W h i l e a c k n o w l e d g i n g the concerns of Jewish individuals who may feel intimidated by these demonstrat i o n s , K h a n e m p h a s i s e d that labelling the protests as "hate marches" is inaccurate Her statements contradict assertions made by h e r s u c c e s s o r , R o b i n Simcox, who claimed that central London had become inaccessible to Jews during weekends

“There is no doubt that some Jews believe parts of c e n t r a l L o n d o n w h e r e protests are being held feels frightening and intimidatory I recognise other Jews h a v e a r g u e d a g a i n s t t h i s view, with some attending t h e p r o t e s t s t h e m s e l v e s , ” Khan told The Times

Terror attack survivors demand an end to Islamophobia

A joint l etter signed by m ore than 50 victim s of Isl amistinspired ter ror attac ks urges an end to anti-M us lim hate, la belling it as the 'height of irres ponsibility for some pol it ic ians t o equa te 'being M us lim with being an extr emist '

The letter emphasises the need to isolate extremists and terrorists from the vast majority of British Muslims who condemn such violence Survivors and relatives of victims from attacks in the UK and worldwide have signed the letter, including Rebecca Rigby, whose husband Lee was killed in the Woolwich attack in 2013, and Magen Inon, who lost parents in Hamas's attack on Israel last year

The letter underscores that conflating extremists with the broader Muslim community not only aids

Vatika Naturals Inspires Inclusivity in Workplace with the #RootForMe Campaign

Vatika Naturals, a flagship brand from House of Dabur, is pioneering an empowering initiative this International Women’s Day with the launch of their IWD2024 campaign, #ROOTFORME It is a digital campaign to mark IWD2024 addressing intersectionality at workplace which affects women of color, compounded by race, ethnicity, religion and several other issues which can pose as a major roadblock for career advancement for their target segment and make them susceptible to workplace harassment and stereotyping.

From being a generic hair care brand for South Asian women, this year Vatika Naturals is embarking on a journey to become the preferred brand by multi-ethnic audiences across the UK and the USA

extremists but also perpetuates division and exacerbates the risk of extremism Signatories include survivors like Justine Merton-Scott from the Bataclan theatre attack in Paris and Michelle Hussain from the Manchester Arena bombing

In parallel, a group of senior figures, including former home secretaries Priti Patel, Sajid Javid, and Amber Rudd, have also signed the letter

underscoring the importance of a broad consensus in tackling extremism, urging both Labour and the Conservatives to collaborate in understanding and addressing the issue

The statement, also supported by experts in counterterrorism and social cohesion, stresses the need to prioritise national safety over political gains and calls for unified action against extremism

Europe UK, Zakir Mansoori, “Vatika Naturals has been bringing bespoke hair care solutions to multi-ethnic audiences around the World for over 35 years Earlier this year we launched our Afro Naturals range especially for

“What I don’t think is h e l p f u l i s u s i n g l a n g u a g e s u c h a s ‘ n o - g o a r e a s ’ Equally, there is a real sense o f c e n s o

communities here in the UK and those who support the rights of Palestinian people ”

Redefining women s empowerment this International Women's Day, Vatika leads the conversation with humour to address workplace stereotypes and discrimination, through partnerships with leading stand-up comediennes like Shazia Mirza and Sikisa

According to Business Head Dabur International

Roshni Singh, Group Marketing Manager UK EU & Americas stated, “Vatika Naturals is not just a hair care brand but a custodian of values which champion diversity, differences, and uniqueness especially amongst women With the #ROOTFORME campaign, Vatika endeavours to further strengthen its stand towards being inclusive and diverse ” #RootForMe is a call to action for individuals to stand together and dismantle barriers preventing equality for women and specifically women of colour ”

women with textured hair And there is lots to look forward to from Vatika, as we embark on this journey to make the brand relevant to a wider audience, which would include new product launches and newer formulations ”

Founder and Chairman for HereandNow365, Manish Tiwari said, “Vatika Naturals identifies and celebrates differences, and to match the brand’s vision, our team has developed this concept which is not just clutter-breaking but lighthearted The aim of deploying humour is not to make light of the issues at hand, rather to offer hard hitting provocative messaging through treatment and platforms which resonate with our younger audiences in today’s time

The two-week campaign will launch across Vatika’s social media channels on the 8th of March 2024 across UK and the USA To amplify the message, the brand will be seen at iconic landmarks like Times Square, New York city and the London Underground in the month of March

Priti Patel Sajid Javid

Frank Hester

Happy Women’s Day! Out About & Upcoming show

As the world evolves, so do people's perspectives on women and the International Women’s Special edition featured in the Asian Voice on March 9 was truly inspiring for women like me who aspire to shatter barriers and reach new heights in life

The piece eloquently captures the steps made towards gender equality, while also shedding light on the persistent c h a l l e n g e s w o m e n c o n t i n u e t o f a c e w o r l d w i d e Furthermore, the feature proficiently highlights the urgent need for action, particularly in addressing issues of supporting women as they balance multiple roles in life I believe we all must act and engage in the ongoing discourse on women's rights and empowerment Through collective effort and commitment, we can progress towards a just and equitable society

Women have now achieved significant levels of success in every sector, proving their capabilities are equal to those of men and even more After a gap of almost 12 years of my professional work life due to my family and other responsibilities, I am looking forward to restarting my career After reading this feature, I realised that age is merely a number, and there's always an opportunity for a fresh start in our lives

Kudos to the Asian Voice team for assembling such a distinctive and informative edition, which serves as a genuine gift and tribute to women worldwide

Chetna Dave

Holi, the festival of love and colours

Festivals in India are a reflection of the country’s cultural and religious richness Holi is one such festival, as it spreads goodwill among people

The festival gives us the message of friendship and goodwill On this occasion, we forget our old quarrels with people and mix with one another freely At least for a day, we forget social distinctions completely On Holi, there is no difference between the rich and the poor Holi gives us great joy It is a happy occasion when we forget our cares and anxieties But the festival has got some evils too Many people get drunk on this occasion They indulge in unruly behaviour and apply colours that are dangerous to one's health Some people sing vulgar songs and abuse women too We should celebrate Holi in a decent way

We must realise that it is a festival of joy and friendship We should share our joys with others The real spirit of the festival should be maintained

J ubel D'Cruz

Understanding stroke risk and selfmedication dangers

T h e a r t i c

a n

C E O , N i t h i n Kamath raises important questions about fitness and stroke risk, prompting reflection on the factors that contribute to this health condition

Despite efforts to manage risk factors such as high blood pressure through exercise and diet, genetic tendencies or underlying health conditions can still increase the possibility of experiencing a stroke Moreover, factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and stressful professional life can significantly add to this risk

One of the most dangerous practices is self-medication or attempting to play the role of a doctor, relying solely on information gathered from the internet This trend of selfdiagnosis and treatment without proper medical guidance poses significant risks to individuals' health and well-being Access to vast amounts of medical information online can be both a blessing and a curse as it may lead to inaccurate assessments and inappropriate treatments Regular medical check-ups are vital for early detection and management of risk factors to prevent such health crises

Vinay M ittal

AI and Elections

Recently I have been coming across many news articles on artificial intelligence (AI) in electoral processes As we navigate the complexities of modern democracy, the use of AI presents both opportunities and challenges that need careful consideration

AI technologies have the potential to streamline electoral procedures, enhance voter engagement, and improve campaign strategies However, they also raise significant ethical and security concerns From the spread of misinformation and manipulation of public opinion to potential breaches of privacy and security, the unchecked use of AI in elections poses a threat to the integrity of democratic processes

An eligible candidate might suffer defeat, while an undeserving contender could manipulate AI to influence the results in their favour It is crucial to safeguard the d e m o c r a t i c p r i n c i p l e s o f t r a n s p a r e n c y , f a i r n e s s , a n d accountability

Supriya Vishwanath an

This week on Out & About, the focus will be on YATRA, the annual youth festival organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan It served as a distinctive platform for emerging young talents in classical music and dance.

Sunday 17 March at 6 00pm only on Zee TV

SKY 709 VIRGIN 809

Soneri Sangat

A special celebration of Maha Shivratri took place during the Soneri Sangat Zoom event hosted by Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar on Thursday, March 7, 2024 Achala Miyani and Raj Gambhir treated attendees to soulful devotional songs and prayers Shri Adiyogiji enlightened the audience on the significance and traditions of Shivratri Renowned interior designer Karishma Shah from Ahmedabad, India, also shared insights into the importance of interior design in our homes A comprehensive overview of this programme is published in this week's issue of Gujarat Samachar on Page 18

Matruvandana

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar marked Mother s Day with a special Zoom program called 'Matruvandana' Bharti Patel presented melodious songs to honor the occasion, while Dhirubhai Gadhvi shared insights into the significance of mothers in our lives Numerous participants paid homage to their mothers during this program Detailed report of the event will be published in the next edition

"Human ashes" uncovered in funeral parlour raid

Human as he s suspected to be among the remai ns were found at the funeral parlour in Hull, w here 35 bodies w ere removed during a re cent police operation

Deputy Chief Constable

D a v e M a r s h a l l a n d

Assistant Chief Constable

T h o m M c L o u g h l i n o f

Humberside Police provided an update stating that they are pursuing extensive lines of inquiry in a lengthy and intricate investigation

T h e y d i s c l o s e d r e c e i v i n g 1,000 calls expressing concern about the case

Two individuals, a 46y e a r - o l d m a n a n d a 2 3y e a r - o l d w o m a n , w e r e a r r e s t e d o n s u s p i c i o n o f p r e v e n t i n g a l a w f u l a n d d e c e n t b u r i a l , f r a u d b y f a l s e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , a n d fraud by abuse of position

T h e y h a v e b e e n released on bail with cond i t i o n s p e n d i n g f u r t h e r investigation

Daughter of psychiatrist battles for her inheritance

The daught er of a psychiatrist has a ccused he r paren ts of ex cl uding her fr om family pr oper ty val ued at £2 6 million, despite he r investment of gold and jewell ery in the port folio

T a j l e e n a I s l a m , 4 3 , c l a i m e d t h a t d u r i n g h e r childhood, her grandparents and other relatives gifted her a collection of gold coins and v a l u a b l e h e i r l o o m s , w h i c h her parents, Mohammed and S u l t a n a I s l a m , a l l e g e d l y invested in various properties Following her father's passing in 2017, Tajleena is suing her 79-year-old mother and 53-year-old brother, R a h i t , i n t h e H i g h C o u r t over ownership of the portfolio

She argues that her contribution entitles her to a half share and alleges she was subject to "undue influence" from her father and brother, resulting in her signing over stakes in several properties In response, her mother and b r o t h e r c o n t e n d t h a t t h e p r o p e r t i e s a r e e x c l u s i v e l y theirs and accuse Tajleena of melodrama and dishonesty T h e c o u r t h e a r d t h a t Mohammed Islam, described as an ambitious, self-made man, initially worked as a psychiatrist before becoming a c a r e h o m e o w n e r i n W a k e f i e l d H e r e p o r t e d l y p r o v i d e d a p p r o x i m a t

daughter's medical education in the Czech Republic

Kapil Dudakia

K A P I L’ S K H I C H A D I

Is the End Nigh?

In the past fe w y ear s, I ha ve be en en gage d in man y discussions with our gra ssr oots, as well as man y lead in g light s from our community The comm on the me e mer ging, what will t he UK look lik e in a few de cade s? And will it be in a fit sta te for our communit y to live safely? Wha t will life be like for our childr en a nd t heirs in the futur e?

We may have a British PM of Hindu and Indian origin, however, the dynamics across the nation are driven by Islamists supported by theleft And I fear increasingly the far-right might have something to add to this toxicity

T h e J e w i s h a n d I n d i c ( H i n d u s , J a i n s , S i k h s , a n d Buddhists) communities, the most integrated and the most successful, law abiding and the most aligned to this nation and its well-being, are in danger the most We have already seen many in the Jewish community emigrate to Israel since it has become increasingly difficult for them to find a safe space anywhere in Europe I fear the Indic community might come to the same conclusion sooner rather than later

We may well have national and regional organisations However, to date their power and influence extends only to attracting politicians for a photo opportunity When Hindu mandirs are attacked by Islamists, we have seen the inaction of the Police and the politicians We have seen Labour politicians openly supporting these rogue elements who promote hatred against our community This week the ‘Hindu Community Organisations Group’ (HCOG) of Leicester stated that they had no confidence in the inquiry to be headed by SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) into the Leicester violence against Hindus HCOG are asking Hindu organisations to boycott the inquiry since those conducting it are considered biased against Hindus No doubt we will find some Hindus who will side with SOAS against their own community!

Most of our organisations are engaged in covering up cracks Some in leadership would rather host events and organise photoshoots for self-promotion We have emerging organisations led by newly arrived NRI’s who have very l i t t l e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f B r i t i s h v a l u e s , t h e B r i t i s h psyche,British politics, and the British way of doing things They might be well meaning and enthusiastic, but they have imported the politics of the Indian sub-continentthus creating a lot of unnecessary white noise, but there is very little of any substance

I have no objection to all of us promoting India and in challenging those who wish to undermine our heritage Some of us have been doing this for decades We can fight for Jammu and Kashmir and expose POJK Pakistani agents embedded in British society We can challenge the fake Khalistanis whose modus operandi is that of the Islamists We can have events at the Nehru Centreand the House of Commons - but all of these are to what end?

Ask yourself one question, the way this nation is going, are you confident that your children, and theirs, will have a safe nation to live in 20- or 30-years ’ time? Our universities are already in the hands of the extremists with academics whose fulltime occupation is to be anti-Hindu and antiIndia We have got civic institutions that are promoting the corrupt definition of Islamophobia A definition which by its very nature will bring in the blasphemy law through the back door and stifle any challenge to the evil ideology of Islamists Politicians and political parties on the left are all rushing to adopt thisdefinition If Labour wins the next election, can you imagine the consequences for Jewish and Indic communities should they put that into law?

On 8th of March 2024, International Women’s Day, a formal complaint was lodged before the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on the gross, reliably attested, and continuing pattern of the violation of women ’ s human rights caused by Sharia Will this complaint see the light of day? The central idea of the complaint is sound It can even be extended to, is Sharia compatible with democratic processes and the human rights of all? Just as we proscribe terrorist groups, will the international community have the spine to proscribe Sharia?

Last week I showed you that George Galloway was not voted to parliament just because of the Muslim vote Rochdale is 74% white, which means we now have white B r i t s w h o a r e a c t i v e l y p r o m o t i n g t h e a g e n d a o f t h e Islamists You may well say this world has gone mad Yes, it probably has gone mad, but even worse is the negligence of our community inappeasing to those who wish us harm Our millionaires and billionaires are busy spending huge a m o u n t s o f m o n e y o n i n s t i t u t i o n s t h a t w o r k a c t i v e l y against us Our communitiesarevery successful in most spheres of life, yet we have zero power or influence where it matters That is telling If Indic communities across the world don’t wake up and protect their interest in those countries, they’llsoon realise the future is looking dark Is the end nigh? We are not too far off that unsavoury conclusion In the words of Swami Vivekananda ji, ‘Arise awake and stop not till the goal is reached’

CALL FOR CHANGE

o p p o r t u n i t i e s T h e I n d i a n diaspora is the largest and it has shaped Britain’s outlook in a certain way But its current immigration laws and other factors- to say racism does not e x i s t i n t h e U K i s t o o f a rfetched

PM Rishi Sunak himself in past interviews has revealed about experiencing racism as a child, prompting his parents to e n r o l h i m i n e x t r a d r a m a lessons to shed his accent and 'fit in' He emphasised the pain of discrimination and his comm i t m e n t t o p r e v e n t i n g i t , s t r i v i n g f o r i n c l u s i v i t y a n d acceptance “I think any form of racism is simply unaccepta b l e , " h e s a i d , a d d i n g t h a t when he speaks to world leaders, “most people look to the UK as an example of how to get this right ”

at io n & E n g ag e m en t L e ad a t R ac e R ef le ct io n s, L ea d i ng O rg a ni s ati o na l T ra i ner s:

T ackling Inequality, Inju stice & Op pression said, "The latest d a t a f r o m M H F A E n g l a n d indicates the extent of suffering Black and Brown people are experiencing whilst navig a t i n g t o x i c w o r k e n v i r o nments Asian workers, Asian British workers or otherwise can not go unscathed in the workplace until leaders within o r g a n i s a t i o n s r e c o g n i s e a n d acknowledge their complicity in everyday instances of disc r i m i n a t i o n a n d r a c i s m

Workplaces need to consider how open they are Prohibitive hierarchical corporate structures do not promote collabor a t i v e , h e a l t h y c u l t u r e s f o r minoritised groups

“The persistent problem of white supremacy needs to be confronted Board members, s e n i o r e x e c u t i v e s a n d D i r e c t o r s h o l d p o s i t i o n s o f power and as a result, are complicit in these well-documented injustices It can be incredibly difficult to admit complicity in a system that allows you t o t h r i v e , b u t t h e p r o b l e m doesn’t start or end at the indiv i d u a l l e v e l M i r r o r i n g t h e s a m e f a c e s f r o m t h e s a m e places on these boards is hardly likely to create spaces of safety for Black and Brown e m p l o y e e s , o r t o e r a d i c a t e such toxic workplace culture Companies must be ready for o p e n n e s s ; a n d t o b e c h a llenged about their institutiona l s t r u c t u r e s f r o m q u a l i f i e d e x t e r n a l p r a c t i t i o n e r s a n d experts, so they can understand the harmful outcomes that result from inaccessible w o r k s t r e a m s O r g a n i s a t i o n a l justice is possible " P r i m e M i n i s t e r R i s h i Sunak has said, “Never let anyone tell you that this is a racist country It is not ” Britain has progressed a lot since the time our PM was born This country has self-corrective measures, and it has come a long way in its race equality laws since the 1960s It is diverse and multicultural and there are ample

f e r e d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n o v e r a c c e s s t o P P E k i t s a n d

International medical graduates working as doctors in the N H S i n t h e U K e x p e r i e n c e persistent racist microaggressions at work and don't trust their employers to deal with t h e p r o b l e m , a s u r v e y p u blished in the BMJ said Some r u l e s a n d r e g u l a t i o n s h a v e changed thereafter – may not be monumental but it shows this country aims to correct itself for the better

However, Professor Habib Naqv i, chief execu tive of the NH S R ac e a nd H eal th

ity community but it has also been shown that perception of discrimination can add to distress

EXCLUSIVE

Microaggressions and exclusionary behaviour

On Tuesday, a spokespers o n f o r t h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r said: “The comments allegedly made by Frank Hester (Tory donor) were racist and wrong He has now rightly apologised f o r t h e o f f e n c e c a u s e d a n d w h e r e r e m o r s e i s s h o w n i t s h o u l d b e a c c e p t e d “ T h e Prime Minister is clear there is no place for racism in public life and as the first BritishAsian Prime Minister leading o n e o f t h e m o s t e t h n i c a l l y diverse Cabinets in our history, the UK is living proof of that fact ”

Even if we do not look at the politics of hatred (see AV issue 24th February 2024) here, it has divided the society into Islamophobes and anti-semitic g r o u p s , a s I s r a e l - P a l e s t i n e protests take centre stage in London’s streets Rishi's fear of e x t r e m i s m b r e e d i n g i n t h e p r e t e x t o f s e l f - e x p r e s s i o n i s not wrong, as this country has s e e n t e e n a g e r s o r t o d a y ’ s youth like Shamima Begum and likes of her joining ISIS, a f t e r b e i n g b r a i n w a s h e d b y terrorists, with no interference or caution from the community at large This is not racism

The government's adviser on social cohesion, Dame Sara Khan, emphasised the peaceful n a t u r e o f p r o - P a l e s t i n i a n protests in London, rejecting claims of parts of the city being "no-go" zones for Jewish people Despite sympathising with J e w i s h c o n c e r n s , s h e s t a t e d that labelling the protests as "hate marches" is inaccurate However, former Tory leader Lord Howard of Lympne and g o v e r n m e n t a d v i s e r L o r d W a l n e y e x p r e s s e d c o n c e r n s a b o u t J e w i s h s a f e t y a n d extremism within the protests They urged clearer guidelines from organisers and increased police intervention to ensure a safe environment and prevent intimidation of MPs

But we have indeed witn e s s e d i n s t i t u t i o n a l r a c i s m a f f e c t i n g t h e l i v e s o f S o u t h

A s i a n s d u r i n g C o v i d - 1 9 a n d

the disproportionate deaths as a result of that in NHS It is common knowledge that doctors of colour worked as frontline warriors to save patients at the cost of their own lives d u r i n g C o v i d , w h i l e t h e i r w h i t e c o u n t e r p a r t s w e r e nowhere to be seen They suf-

Obs e rv a to ry t o l d t h e newsweekly, “The latest NHS Staff Survey results for all staff reflect overall improvements on matters relating to team working and staff engagement, alongside a marginal reduction in levels of bullying, harassment, and abuse However, at the same time, the data also show that the experience of staff from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds working in the NHS remains poor Further, concerted work needs to happen on this critical agenda The fact is that an engaged and fully supported workforce – that includes staff working remotely and on-site – leads to c o m p a s s i o n a t e w o r k p l a c e s , h i g h e r l e v e l s o f s t a f f w e l lbeing, organisational efficiencies and, critically, better outcomes for all patients ” Discrimination contributes to hig her rates of psychiatric disord ers in a minority com munity

The impact of racism in psychiatric research and clinical practice is not sufficiently investigated Findings clearly s h o w t h a t t h e c o n c e p t o f “ race ” is genetically incorrect Therefore, the implicit racism t h a t u n d e r l i e s m a n y e s t a blished “scientific” paradigms needs to be changed

Speaking to Asian Voice, D i n es h B hu gr a , C B E , Pr of es s or E m er i tu s, M e n ta l Health & Cultural Di versity, I oPP N , Ki n g s Co ll e ge , Lo nd on s a i d , “ W o r k a n d e m p l o y m e n t a r e i m p o r t a n t d e t e r m i n a n t s o f m e n t a l health and social functioning because work gives us a sense of purpose and belonging To achieve the most we can in our personal and work lives, a s a f e w o r k i n g e n v i r o n m e n t without bullying and harassm e n t i s v i t a l B u l l y i n g a n d harassment impact work output and productivity, it makes us feel not valued and unapp r e c i a t e d w h i c h i n t u r n affects our self-esteem and is likely to lead to anxiety and depression There is evidence t h a t d i s c r i m i n a t i o n c o ntributes to higher rates of psychiatric disorders for a minor-

“Minority groups may face e x p e r i e n c e s a n d b e h a v i o u r s which add to feeling underv a l u e d a n d d e m e a n e d Employers need to be sensitive and aware of the impact their actions have The findings show that even British workers face discriminatory b e h a v i o u r s w h i c h i n d i c a t e t h a t m a n y w o r k p l a c e s a r e t o x i c T h e s e b e h a v i o u r s impact the productivity of the individuals and that of the o r g a n i s a t i o n s t h e y w o r k for/in and their mental health suffers which contributes to a sick economy

“ D i s c r i m i n a t i o n c a n demonstrate itself in bullying and challenging these can be difficult It is likely that many minority individuals are lower down the hierarchy and may not have any power to chall e n g e d i s c r i m i n a t o r y behaviours Employees need to be aware and if they feel d i s c r i m i n a t e d a g a i n s t , i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o r e c o r d t h e s e i n c i d e n t s a n d i n f o r m t h e i r l i n e m a n a g e r s a b o u t t h e impact these behaviours are having Sensitive institutions w i l l h a v e a p r o p e r p o l i c y a g a i n s t d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a n d a p p r o p r i a t e r e s p o n s e s w i t h managers having full training Employees need support in acknowledging that they are being discriminated against so organisations must have the f r e e d o m t o s p e a k , a n d g u a r d i a n s w h o c a n b e approached privately and conf i d e n t i a l l y A c c e s s t o t h i r d p a r t i e s a n d c o m m u n i t y o r g a n i s a t i o n s c a n h e l p s o these should be made routinely available ” R a c i a l d i s p a r i t i e s a r e undeniably present in socie t y , y e t a d d r e s s i n g t h e m r e q u i r e s n u a n c e d u n d e rstanding rather than simplistic solutions Ethnic minorities experience diverse realit i e s , d e m a n d i n g a m u l t ifaceted approach to combatting racial inequity effectively While racism is morally clear-cut, its manifestations a r e c o m p l e x a n d m u l t ifaceted Therefore, a thoro u g h e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e most comprehensive survey o n r a c i a l i n e q u a l i t y i n d e c a d e s i s e s s e n t i a l f o r informed action The toxic i d e o l o g i e s , i n t o l e r a n c e towards cultures, and politicisation of peaceful protests and manufacturing meaning out of everything have ruined t h e f a b r i c o f o u r n a t i o n , m e n t a l l y a n d p h y s i c a l l y From the boardroom to the b e d r o

work on its microaggression and impulses

Alicia Nagar, Head of People, Wellbeing and Equity at Mental Health First Aid England exclusively spoke to Asian Voice about toxic workplace cultures and exclusionary behaviour What causes mi croaggress ion s at work to wa r ds p e op le of ethnic minoriti es? Is i t d i ff e r en t f r om wh a t wh i t e pe op le would f ac e?

MHFA England’s research shows Asian British people were most likely to have e x p e r i e n c e d c e r t a i n microaggressions including not being given credit for a job well done (18% of white people v 23% of Asian people) and favouritism of other employees (17% of white people v 27% of Asian people)

Many people from ethnic minority communities feel the need to ‘code-switch’ within the workplace This means they adjust and adapt their behaviour, appearance and language to avoid highlighting negative stereotypes in the work environment Typically, individuals confirm to corporate culture, consciously or not, that is generally systematically white

This can result in white colleagues finding it difficult to understand microaggressions and the impact they have It’s an employer’s responsibility to create learning opportunities to improve understanding and ensure that there are policies in place to support everyone

What to do if you ’ re a vi ctim of exclus ionary behaviour?

Your employer should support you if you ’ re a victim of exclusionary behaviour If you feel comfortable, speak to a trusted manager or someone in your HR team who can help to ensure this event isn’t repeated It will also be helpful to familiarise yourself with your employer’s diversity and inclusion policies, for example, MHFA England has a z e r o - t o l e r a n c e p o l i c y w i t h n o d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , including microaggressions If these are not in place you should ask your HR team what it is Repetitively experiencing microaggressions in the workplace can have a detrimental impact on your long-term mental health and well-being If this is your experience, it is important you report the b e h a v i o u r a n d s e e k s u p p o r t f o r y o u r m e n t a l health, whether that be from a Mental Health First Aider who can signpost you to appropriate services, an EAP helpline or external support such as Mind or Samaritans

Employee resource groups (ERG) can also be a great source of support if your organisation has them in place ERGs are often employee-led networks that support a particular community and can help promote diversity, equity and inclusion within an organisation It may be illegal if you are being treated differently at work because of who you are, such as your race or religion In this instance, we recommend that you start by talking to your employer If you do not feel it is being hand l e d a p p r o p r i a t e l y , y o u c a n t a k e t h e m t o a n employment tribunal Citizens Advice has guidance on what to do in this situation

What needs to b e done at a fundamental level at organisations, suc h that toxic culture and exclusionary behaviour don't meddle with an employee's mental health?

It’s employers’ responsibility to create a psychologically safe environment for everyone to work in Employers must take a whole organisational approach to wellbeing and ensure diversity and inclusion are woven into the fabric of the organisation In 2024 we all deserve to be able to bring our whole selves to work without fear of judgement That includes background, sexuality, religion, gender, health and mental health A zerot o l e r a n c e a p p r o a c h t o e x c l u s i o n a r y b e h a v i o u r should be included as part of this

Professor Habib Naqvi

Dinesh Bhugra

Alicia Nagar

Masterchef winner shares budget-friendly Ramadan recipes

A n ew research by Asda has u n d e r sco r e d t h e pr o fo un d impact of t he on going cost of l iving crisis on communities, n ot abl y d uring Ramada n and Eid An ov erwhelming 89% of Br it ish Musl ims fear the financial strain will disrupt t heir plan s for the se significant occasions

Nearly one in five (18%) a n t i c i p a t e c u t t i n g t h e i r weekly food expenses with 1 7 % e x p e c t i n g t o a d j u s t c o o k i n g m e t h o d s d u e t o energy cost hikes A third (36%) will opt for cheaper alternatives while 72% lack i n s p i r a t i o n f o r I f t a r a n d Ramadan meals, prioritising c o n v e n i e n c e o v e r c u l i n a r y s a t i s f a c t i o n , l e a v i n g t w othirds (70%) dissatisfied with their cooking

Shelina Permalloo

I n r e s p o n s e t o t h e s e challenges, Asda has collabor a t e d w i t h S h e l i n a P e r m a l l o o , t h e 2 0 1 2 M a s t e r C h e f W i n n e r , t o develop four affordable and appetising recipes starting at just 45p per serving These recipes, including Tropical Overnight Oats, Moroccan H a r i r a S o u p , J u i c y B e e f K e b a b s , a n d G u l a b J a m u n

Barfi for Eid dessert, utilise Asda ingredients and incorporate cost-saving ingredie n t s w a p s a n d s t o r e c u pboard seasonings

Speaking about the partnership, Shelina Permalloo said: “With the cost of living continuing to take its toll, having access to, and using low-cost, versatile ingredients is even more important

The recipes, which serve six and start at just 45p a head, are packed with flavour and d e s i g n e d t o h e l p f a m i l i e s come together to celebrate, a n d b r e a k f a s t , w i t h o u t breaking the bank ”

This partnership aims to support families during their observance, catering to various budgets, culinary skills, and time constraints

'Born Connected': UK for UNHCR's Ramadan campaign

A s Ramadan co mmences , UK f or UNH CR, th e UN R ef ugee

A gen cy ’ s nat i o n al c h ar i t y p artner in the UK, i s l aunchi ng i t s a nnu a l B or n C onnected campaign

Born Connected aims to s t r e n g t h e n c o n n e c t i o n s between Muslims living in the U K a n d d i s p l a c e d f a m i l i e s across the world whilst also r a i s i n g v i t a l f u n d s t o h e l p r e f u g e e s F u n d s r a i s e d w i l l help to provide essential cash assistance, food, shelter and m e d i c i n e f o r r e f u g e e s l i k e

O m G h a z i , f o r w h o m R a m a d a n i s a p a r t i c u l a r l y challenging time O r i g i n a l l y f r o m S y r i a , Om Ghazi fled to Lebanon after conflict broke out in her country She lost five young men from her family and is going to be spending Ramadan alone in a refugee camp in the Bekaa Valley This year, more vulnerable f a m i l i e s t h a n e v e r b e f o r e will be forced to break their f a s t s w i t h o u t n u t r i t i o u s food, clean water or a safe

roof over their heads

UNHCR’s operations in many countries remain critically underfunded, which is w h y t h i s R a m a d a n U K f o r UNHCR is urging supporters to extend their generosity to d i s p l a c e d f a m i l i e s w h o a r e observing Ramadan far from h o m e T h e c h a r i t y i s a l s o hosting an Iftar in Bradford at the end of the month, which will be attended by Khaled Khalifa, the Representative of the UNHCR to the States of the Gulf Cooperation

Championing inclusivity for women with sports hijab

Anusha Singh

Lipa Nessa is a sports activist, a former semiprofessional footballer turned grassroots coach and National Youth Board member who, along with the Sweaty Betty Foundation, has launched a new Sports Hijab, specially redesigned to cater to those seeking to maintain modesty while engaging in physical activity

The innovative Sports H i j a b c o m b i n e s f a s h i o n a n d f u n c t i o n , f e a t u r i n g hidden banding to ensure s t a b i l i t y d u r i n g a c t i v e m o v e m e n t a n d o f f e r i n g various fastening options to match individual style p r e f e r e n c e s A l l p r o f i t s from the sales of the Sports H i j a b , a l o n g w i t h t h o s e f r o m a n e x c l u s i v e l o n gsleeve Breathe Easy Top, w i l l b e d o n a t e d t o t h e Sweaty Betty Foundation A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e Foundation will annually d i s t r i b u t e a d e s i g n a t e d number of hijabs to girls across the UK, empowering and encouraging them to embrace physical activity Here Lipa talks about her love for football, her collaboration with Sweaty Betty and the challenges faced by women in sports What sparked your interest for football? Could you elaborate on the challenges you faced and how they impacted your experiences on the field?

M y s p o r t s j o u r n e y began during my time in Lower School when I was around one to five years old My parents gifted me a c a r t o o n f o o t b a l l , w h i c h quickly became my obsession My interest in football led me to join the boys i n p l a y i n g d u r i n g r e c e s s and this early exposure to p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y s t r o n g l y influenced me, sparking a lifelong love for the sport In middle school, I became an activist when I realised there was no girls' football t e a m D e t e r m i n e d t o change this, I approached the head of physical education and successfully rallied enough girls to sign up, leading to the formation of our own team, and providing me with a supportive environment to continue playing

Transitioning to high s c h o o l , w h e r e a f o o t b a l l team already existed and I enjoyed being part of a succ e s s f u l t e a m , w i n n i n g n u m e r o u s t r o p h i e s a n d gaining recognition for our skills Despite my early succ e s s e s , c h a l l e n g e s a r o s e when my appearance as a v i s i b l y M u s l i m w o m a n became a focal point for

C o l l a b o r a t i n g w i t h t h e girls in Leeds and the Betty d e s i g n t e a m , w e q u i c k l y sketched up ideas and after a lot of back and forth and I received the first prototype of the sports hijab in June 2023, which was an exciting moment We went through several prototypes b e f o r e s e t t l i n g o n o n e , ensuring it provided proper support and comfort In

discrimination This negativity reached its peak during a football match, where opposing parents taunted m e w i t h d e r o g a t o r y r e m a r k s a n d g e s t u r e s

Despite scoring the winning goal, the joy of victory was overshadowed by the hostility I faced

Can you detail your collaboration with sweaty Betty?

T h r o u g h m y i n v o l v ement with the Youth Sport T r u s t , I e n c o u n t e r e d

Sweaty Betty Foundation which led me to establish a project with them, aimed at empowering young athletes like myself During a c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h t h e f o u n d a t i o n ' s h e a d , I expressed my dissatisfact i o n w i t h e x i s t i n g s p o r t s w e a r o p t i o n s a n d proposed the idea of creating something unique and e m p o w e r i n g f o r M u s l i m w o m e n a t h l e t e s D e s p i t e i n i t i a l s c e p t i c i s m , w e shared a vision for change and embarked on a journey t o m a k e i t a r e a l i t y I n

October 2022, my belief in speaking things into existence was reaffirmed when steps were taken to turn o u r v i s i o n i n t o t a n g i b l e products, offering Muslim w o m e n a t h l e t e s c l o t h i n g t h a t n o t o n l y m e t t h e i r practical needs but also celebrated their identity

Can you detail the evolution of the hijab and its unique features?

T h e d e c i s i o n t o p r oceed to a pilot focus group in Leeds was made with young girls from diverse b a c k g r o u n d s b e i n g involved, in January 2023 Given the diversity in facial f e a t u r e s a m o n g S o u t h Asians, I wanted to ensure the hijab design would flatt e r a v a r i e t y o f f a c e s

November 2023 I had my first photoshoot a surreal e x p e r i e n c e c o n s i d e r i n g I had never imagined myself in the industry

T h e h i j a b d e s i g n i s unique in that it's tailored specifically for South Asian f a c e s , w h i c h c o m e i n a wide range of appearances

It has multiple layers for better flattery and support, a c c o m m o d a t i n g d i f f e r e n t hair types, including Afro hair The addition of a pin pop button allows for customisation based on indiv i d u a l p r e f e r e n c e s a n d a c t i v i t i e s F o r e x a m p l e , placing the button under the chin provides stability d u r i n g a c t i v e m o m e n t s , catering to mothers, athletes, and anyone seeking c o v e r a g e a n d e m p o w e rm e n t n o t l i m i t e d t o M u s l i m g i r l s o r w o m e n , but for all who desire to feel confidently covered What advice would you give to young women aspiring to pursue sports, particularly those facing cultural or societal barriers?

Recognising that you're living life for yourself and not for others is crucial Have you ever experienced that sense of freedom and e m p o w e r m e n t w h e n you're out for a walk or a run? It's as if each step forw a r d i s a d e c l a r a t i o n o f your agency and determination If you choose to start today, you're taking a s t e p t o w a r d g r o w t h a n d progress But if you postpone it, you'll find yourself in the same place tomorrow Embracing the differences we have in society is w h a t m a k e s u s t r u l y human Your uniqueness is w h a t a d d s r i c h n e s s a n d depth to the tapestry of humanity

Commonwealth Day 2024

Free Britain exists due to the sacrifices of war veterans

Th e Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) celebrated Co mmo nwealth Day 2024 on Monday 11 March 2024 acro ss th e CPA’s nine Regions and around 18 0 Parliaments and Legislatures Th e th eme for Co mmonwealth Day 2024, and th e forth coming Co mmo nwealth Heads o f Government Meeting (CHOGM) in S amo a in Octo ber 2024, is ‘One Resilient Common

Future: Transfo rming o ur Co mmo n Wealth’

The theme highlights how the 56 member countries must harness their strengths by building resilience, unlocking potential, leveraging the 'Commonwealth Advantage' and fostering a connected, digital Commonwealth This transformation is vital to ensure a resilient common future where no one is left behind

As the Head of the Co mmo nwealth, H is Majesty K ing Charles III released a special video message, in which he said:

“The Commonwealth family is strongest when we are connected, through friendship We recognise today that our diversity is our greatest strength The Commonwealth represents a third of humanity, from all regions of the world, with all the different experiences, knowledge, and aspirations that this brings I cannot say often enough that it is by coming together that we create the best chances to improve our world and the lives of people everywhere Indeed, over the years countless people across the Commonwealth have been inspired to form their own Commonwealth Associations, from lawyers and accountants to business and trade networks, and many more besides The work they do is vital, sharing professional knowledge,

experience, and expertise across the Continents for the betterment of each one of us ” Co mmonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey

The traditional multifaith Commonwealth Service was held at Westminster Abbey in London where Queen Camilla and The Prince of Wales joined other Members of the Royal Family, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, representatives of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, High Commissioners, dignitaries and over 600 schoolchildren Commonwealth Day 2024 also marks the 75th anniversary of the ‘modern’ Commonwealth Commonwealth Day will be marked in Parliaments across the world

The UK Speaker hosted a special Commonwealth Speakers Summit to coincide with Commonwealth Day with Speakers and Presiding Officers attending from Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Canada, Grenada, Isle of Man, Kenya, Kiribati, Malawi, Malta, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Saint Lucia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, Tanzania, The Gambia, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Wales and Zambia

HC Vikram

Fundraising dinner hosted for Conservative Party

I n a r em a rka bl e s h o w o f supp ort, o ver 20 0 indiv iduals gathered fo r a fundraisi ng d i nne r h o ste d by th e C o n se rv a ti v e P a rty T h e ev en t w a s m e ti cu l o u sl y organised by S uresh Ku mar, th e C h a i rm an o f I nd r a T ra v el a nd a u th o r o f " Fo llo w th at Dream " Th e v enue for this g rand ev ent was the prestig ious Prince R eg en t Ho t el, lo c a ted i n C higwell

Doraiswami laid a wreath at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates Commemoration Ceremony and paid tribute to soldiers from the Commonwealth who fought in the First and Second World Wars

On Commonwealth Day 2024, the special focus was on the 80th anniversary of the famous Battles of Kohima and Imphal this year involving British combined forces and the Japanese in South Asia We specifically remember those who served in the Fourteenth Army at Kohima and Imphal, and across South Asia The Memorial Gates are a lasting memorial to honour the five million men and women from Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) who volunteered to serve with the British Armed Forces during the First and Second World Wars

The Gates also commemorate the contribution that their descendants and members of the Commonwealth family, continue to make to the rich diversity of British society The memorial was officially inaugurated in 2002 by HM The Queen

Lord Bilimoria CBE

DL in his speech reiterated that without the sacrifices of the soldiers and war veterans, we wouldn’t be enjoying the freedom we have today The Prince of Wales and Queen Camilla were all smiles at the Commonwealth Day service Camilla and William were accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent The annual celebration drew on the theme of resilience, at a time when the royal family has faced a barrage of health troubles

The guest of honor for the evening was none other than the Conservative Party C h a i r m a n , R i c h a r d H o l d e n M P T h e event also saw the presence of several o t h e r n o t a b l e f i gu r e s i n c l u d i n g A n d r e w R o s i n d e l l MP from Romford, C l l r K e i t h P r i n c e from GLA Havering and Redbridge, and C l l r A n j a n a P a t e l from Harrow A n i n s p i r i n g m o m e n t o f t h e evening came when Cllr Pranav Bhanot shared his journey i n t o p o l i t i c s , attributing his inspiration to Suresh Kumar His words resonated with many attendees, highlighting the influ-

ence and impact of Kumar's work

A w a r d s o f M e r i t w e r e p r e s e n t e d t o a n d b y t h e Party Chairman to members who have given many years of service

A w a r d s o f M e r i t w e r e given to Andrew Rosindell MP, Cllr Keith Prince GLA H a v e r i n g a n d R e d b r i d g e , C l l r P r a n a v B h a n o t , C l l r Anjana Patel and businessm e n J a y P a t e l a n d R a n j i t Baxi

The event concluded on a high note, with community and business leaders rallying around the Conservative P a r t y a n d p l e d g i n g t h e i r support

Sunak's email to farmers angers Labour

L a b ou r h a s a c cu se d R i s hi Suna k of pot ent ially violating the ministe rial code by utilisin g a g ov er nmen t a genc y t o s e n d t h o u sa n d s o f fa rm er s a n e ma il pled gin g his suppor t for them

He dispatched an email through the Rural Payments A g e n c y ( R P A ) t o r e a s s u r e f a r m e r s g r a p p l i n g w i t h extreme weather and inflation, stating, “This governm e n t w i l l s t a n d b y y o u r s i d e ” S u n a k f u r t h e r a f f i r m e d , “ I w i l l a l w a y s

d e f e n d f a r m i n g a n d o u r rural communities I will always support you ”

The content of the mess a g e s e e m e d t o a l l u d e t o p r o t e s t s a g a i n s t a W e l s h government proposal mandating that farmers allocate 1 0 % o f t h e i r l a n d t o t r e e planting and 10% to wildlife habitat creation in order to a c c e s s s u b s i d i e s S u n a k a s s e r t e d , “ W e w i l l n e v e r i m p o s e b r o a d , m a n d a t o r y requirements to access our s c h e m e s t h a t r e s e t y o u r

progress, ” in apparent opposition to the Welsh initiative

T y p i c a l l y , e m a i l s f r o m the agency inform farmers about technical matters or updates on the £2 4 billion in a n n u a l f a r m i n g s u b s i d i e s they receive from its overseeing body, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Labour critic i s e d S u n a k ' s e m a i l a s " a politically motivated comm u n i c a t i o n t o f a r m e r s nationwide "

Breast cancer medication refused

In E ngland, th ousands of w o m en wi t h i n cu r ab l e br e ast c anc er h av e been refu sed access t o th e lifep r o l o n g in g m e di ca t io n Enh er tu on th e NHS

The National Institute f o r H e a l t h a n d C a r e Excellence (NICE) stated that the requested cost for t r a s t u z u m a b d e r u x t e c a n , marketed as Enhertu, outw e i g h e d i t s b e n e f i t s B r e a s t C a n c e r N o w , a c h a r i t y , d e n o u n c e d t h e decision as a "bleak day" f o r p a t i e n t s a n d u r g e d

Daiichi Sankyo, the pharmaceutical firm, to resume n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h N I C E a n d N H S E n g l a n d T h e charity has initiated a petition demanding a resolut i o n t h a t w o u l d e n a b l e Enhertu to be accessible on the NHS

Enhertu is the first and o n l y t a r g e t e d t h e r a p y approved for patients with H E R 2 - l o w b r e a s t c a n c e r that is either inoperable or has metastasised to other r e g i o n s o f t h e b o d y T y p i c a l l y , p a t i e n t s d i a g -

nosed with HER2-negative cancer receive chemotherapy I n S e p t e m b e r , N I C E published draft guidance r e q u e s t i n g a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r H e l e n K n i g h t , a n e v a l u a t i o n d i r e c t o r a t N I C E , expressed profound disappointment in the organisation's inability to endorse the treatment E n h e r t u w a s s a n ctioned for NHS usage in Scotland in December

Ministers urge faster UK defence investment

Tw o current m inisters h av e u rg ed fo r a " s i g ni f i ca ntl y faster" rate of inv estment in d efence sp end ing, increasing pressure on Rish i Su nak j u s t a d ay af ter t h e C ommo ns' sp ending watchd o g c au t i on ed t h at t h e Ministry of Defence lacked a v iable p lan to finance th e military capabilities desired

by the g overnment A n n e - M a r i e

High Commissioners and representatives from across the Commonwealth to the House of Commons to mark the 75th anniversary of the Commonwealth s inception

HC Vikram Doraiswami with Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE at the milestone anniversary of Commonwealth

L-R: Cllr Keith Prince GLA Havering and Redbridge, Suresh Kumar, Cllr Anjana Patel, Conservative Party Chairman Richard Holden MP, Dipak Vora, Shashikant Patel and Jayendra Shah

Suresh Kumar the Chairman of Indra Travel with CB Patel Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar

When British Asian daughters went on to break barriers

Shefali Saxena

So nali Sh ah h as b een a regular face on BBC One for more than a decad e She is in her sixth year of hosting the property show Escape to the C ountry and also p resents from many liv e ev ents, s u c h as T ro o p i ng th e C olour, T he Lo rd Mayor’ s S h o w an d T h e C omm onwealth Service, for the ch annel

S o n a l i j o i n e d t h e I T V

Tonight reporting team in 2020 and has appeared regul a r l y o n B B C R a d i o 4 ' s Today programme and BBC Breakfast She has also been a r e g u l a r v o i c e o n B B C World Service radio Sonali was part of the presentation t e a m s f o r B e i j i n g 2 0 0 8 , D e l h i 2 0 1 0 , t h e C r i c k e t W o r l d C u p 2 0 1 1 , L o n d o n 2 0 1 2 , G l a s g o w 2 0 1 4 a n d

Wimbledon for BBC Sport S o n a l i w a s a l o n g - s e r v i n g p r e s e n t e r o f N e w s r o u n d when she travelled to China, H a i t i a n d A f g h a n i s t a n t o make documentaries about children’s lives She has also h o s t e d C r i m e w a t c h a n d N a t i o n a l L o t t e r y L i v e f o r

BBC One Sonali is an Ambassador for the British Asian Trust, T h e P r i n c e ’ s T r u s t a n d B a r n a r d o ’ s a n d r e g u l a r l y hosts live audience events She speaks to Asian Voice about the Trust Ramble and more

Tell us about the British Asian Trust Ramble

What are your expectations from it this year?

T h i s i s t h e f i r s t e v e r British Asian Trust Ramble, and as an ambassador and s u p p o r t e r o f t h e T r u s t ’ s work, I’m delighted to have taken part in it A group of s u p p o r t e r s a n d f r i e n d s o f the Trust did a 25km urban trek across 7 Royal Parks in London to raise awareness of, and vital funds for, the British Asian Trust’s work in mental health, child protection, livelihoods, education a n d c o n s e r v a t i o n T h e British Asian Trust wants to see a South Asia that is prospering and fair for all It is great to see the Trust’s work supporting ambitious, sust a i n a b l e s o l u t i o n s t h a t enable marginalised people to achieve their full potential As it was an inaugural trek for the Trust, I wasn't sure quite what to expect, but I soon realised that if you talk while you walk, the time flies and before you

a n d e x p e r i e n c e s h a v e s p a r k e d c o n v e r s a t i o n s o n identity, representation, and inclusivity, pushing Britain t o h a v e t h e s e i m p o r t a n t

conversations

From politics to arts, science to business, their influence resonates in s h a p i n g B r i t a i n ’ s c u l t u r a l l a n d s c a p e T h r o u g h b e i n g involved in community init i a t i v e s a n d c h a r i t a b l e endeavours, like the British Asian Trust, they've lifted m a r g i n a l i s e d v o i c e s a n d forged bonds of solidarity, encouraging empowerment for all Their contributions not only celebrate the richness of Britain’s multicultural heritage but also propel Britain towards a future where diversity is celebrated as our greatest strength

know it, there are only 5km to go! We are lucky the sun shone for us all day and it felt special to see so many of the capital's most beautiful p a r k s b l o o m i n g - i t w a s Spring at its finest

How would you describe your experience as a presenter and as a woman in reporting across beats and talking to people from different walks of life?

It's been a real privilege to be able to tell stories from around the world to people It was during my time as a p r e s e n t e r o n N e w s r o u n d w h e n I w a s t e l l i n g a n d s h o w i n g B r i t i s h c h i l d r e n how kids around the world were growing up when visiti n g p l a c e s l i k e H a i t i o r China or Afghanistan, that I decided I wanted to give my time to a charity like The British Asian Trust Being a journalist and presenter has allowed me to have so many engaging conversations with people who have opened up m y m i n d a n d m a d e m y world bigger I hope that I've done the same to the people who have invited me into their homes, cars and places o f w o r k b y s w i t c h i n g o n their radio or TV

How do you think British Asian women have made a unique contribution to the fabric of Britain?

Just like women tend to be at the very heart of a household, women can do and have done, the same for c o m m u n i t i e s a n d w i d e r s o c i e t y B r i t i s h A s i a n women of a certain generation sacrificed so much to make sure their families survived and made the most of a v a i l a b l e o p p o r t u n i t i e s Their daughters then went on to break barriers in tradit i o n a l l y m a l e - d o m i n a t e d fields, encouraging diversity and representation, they've carved out spaces for themselves and paved the way for o t h e r s T h e y ' v e s h a t t e r e d s t e r e o t y p e s a n d b l a z e d a trail in every facet of society T h e i r d i v e r s e p e r s p e c t i v e s

How important is their involvement in trusts like BAT to further fuel a sense of belonging, community and above all, a better future?

B r i t i s h A s i a n w o m e n c a n b r i n g a u n i q u e a n d make a valuable contribut i o n t o o r g a n i s a t i o n s l i k e the British Asian Trust As we discovered during our BAT ramble, there can be a real sense of satisfaction of a c h i e v i n g s o m e t h i n g a s a c o l l e c t i v e I n v o l v e m e n t i n these initiatives highlights our common goals, bridges c u l t u r a l d i v i d e s a n d

strengthens bonds between communities that have had divisions in the past By supporting vital work in education, mental health, livelihoods, child protection and c o n s e r v a t i o n t h a t t a c k l e s i n e q u a l i t y a n d e m p o w e r s people, women can be at the centre of nurturing a sense of collective responsibility

How can women inspire inclusion in the society?

I b e l i e v e w o m e n h a v e the power to inspire inclusion in society in so many d i f f e r e n t w a y s F i r s t l y , t h r o u g h t h e i r l e a d e r s h i p , women can champion diversity and representation in d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g r o l e s , ensuring all voices are heard a n d v a l u e d S e c o n d l y , b y a d v o c a t i n g f o r i n c l u s i v e p o l i c i e s a n d p r a c t i c e s i n w o r k p l a c e s , s c h o o l s , a n d c o m m u n i t i e s , w o m e n c a n create environments where everyone feels respected and

Paid leave for NHS staff experiencing pregnancy loss

N H S st af f f a c i ng m i sc a rriage will now receive up to ten days of additio nal paid l ea ve , a c c o rd in g to ne w g u i da nc e i s su ed to lo c a l h ospitals

W o m e n e x p e r i e n c i n g miscarriage within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy can take up to ten days of paid leave, while their partners can take up to five days T h o s e w h o s u f f e r a l o s s after six months of pregnancy will still be eligible for paid maternity leave

This initiative, a first in the healthcare sector, aims to provide couples with the necessary time to heal from t h e t r a u m a o f p r e g n a n c y

loss, with national guidelines established for local services to adhere to The National Pregnancy and Baby Loss People Policy F r a m e w o r k u r g e s N H S t r u s t s t o g r a n t s t a f f p a i d time off for appointments, including medical examinations, scans, and tests, as well as mental health interventions Upon returning to work after a pregnancy loss, s t a f f w i l l r e c e i v e o c c u p at i o n a l h e a l t h s u p p o r t , including referrals to specialist services within their Trust or external miscarriage and baby loss organisations I n i t i a l l y p i l o t e d a t

Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Trust, the initiative showed promising results A staff survey indicated that employees were twice as likely to stay with their employer as a result of the policy

In the UK, one in four pregnancies results in miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, o r m e d i c a l t e r m i n a t i o n annually, affecting numerous NHS staff According to a n a t i o n a l C I P D s u r v e y , nearly a quarter (24%) of UK employees who faced pregnancy or baby loss left their jobs due to negative experiences with their organisations

London Mayor's £1m boost to aid women affected by violence

On International Wom en ’ s Day, Lo nd on M ayor S ad iq Khan u rged collective actio n to co mbat th e global crisis of vio lence ag ainst wom en and girls

H e h i g h l i g h t e d t h e i m p a c t o f h i s £ 1 m i l l i o n c o s t - o f - l i v i n g f u n d , w h i c h has supported nearly 6,000 w o m e n a n d c h i l d r e n i n accessing vital assistance for safety and support

L a s t y e a r , t h e M a y o r introduced a £1 million costof-living fund to aid speciali s t s e r v i c e s i n L o n d o n T h e s e s e r v i c e s r e p o r t e d challenges faced by women and girls in safely escaping domestic abuse due to the c o s t - o f - l i v i n g c r i s i s T h e fund supports 44 services, e n a b l i n g t h o u s a n d s t o a c c e s s f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e

Sadiq Khan

f o r r e b u i l d i n g t h e i r l i v e s post-violence and abuse Support services across the capital have voiced concerns about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on vulnerable women and girls M a n y s t r u g g l e t o a f f o r d necessities, bills, childcare, a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n t o appointments Additionally,

a c c e s s t o t e c h n o l o g y l i k e smartphones or computers i s l i m i t e d V i c t i m s o f t e n express an inability to leave a b u s i v e s i t u a t i o n s d u e t o financial constraints, leading perpetrators to exploit financial hardship as a form o f c o e r c i v e c o n t r o l b y restricting access to money With the Mayor's fundi n g , o r g a n i s a t i o n s h a v e boosted their capacity to aid vulnerable women and girls, broadening support to more survivors and catering to the needs of specific communities, including women lacki n g p u b l i c f u n d s a c c e s s A d d i t i o n a l l y , t h e y ' v e f o st e r e d p a r t n e r s h i p s w i t h o t h e r e n t i t i e s a n d l o c a l authorities, securing extra funding to strengthen their services

Sexism hinders women in London's financial hub

International Women’s Day is m ore than just a cele brat i on o f wom en 's a c h ie v em ents it's a cal l to ac tion to ac cele rate gender parity and h ig hl i gh t a r e a s wh er e progre ss is lac king

A recent report by the Treasury Committee exposes the prevalence of sexism and b u l l y i n g i n t h e C i t y o f London, where perpetrators o p e r a t e w i t h i m p u n i t y Efforts to address misogyny are moving at a sluggish pace,

w i t h n o n - d i s c l o s u r e a g r e ements often used to conceal a b u s e a n d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n Despite some progress, such as a slight increase in female r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i n s e n i o r roles, more must be done to combat sexism and unlock t h e f u l l p o t e n t i a l o f t h e financial sector

The committee acknowledges "incremental improvements" since 2018, such as a slight increase in women's representation in senior roles

and a minor decrease in the g e n d e r p a y g a p H o w e v e r , progress remains slow

Unlocking the full potential of the City, one of our greatest assets, requires tapping into all available talent A d d r e s s i n g s e x i s m a n d m i s o g y n y n e c e s s i t a t e s s t r o n g e r p r o t e c t i o n s f o r w h i s t l e b l o w e r s i n s e x u a l harassment cases and more r i g o r o u s r e p o r t i n g o n t h e gender pay gap in the financial services sector

British Council initiates STEM scholarships for women

among others Its

ship positions and facilitating networking opportunities with peers in both their region and the UK

Additionally, the scholarship is open to applica-

dependents, providing sup-

Asian Enterprise Live:

Empowering Asian Entrepreneurs

Tanisha Gujarathi

Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar launched a new netw orking and f ireside chat platform viz Asian Enterprise Live w ith its first guest speaker Yogesh Mehta, Chairman of Pickfords Move Management

Limited on M onday 19 F eb ruary 2024 at Sangat Centre Harrow w ith Kanti Nagda MB E as the moderator.

In this series, Asian entrepreneurs will be sharing their success stories and insights, which aims to create a supportive and inspiring network for business owners and start-ups

The evening was also well attended including

by the Mayor of Harrow, Cllr Ramji Chauhan, and the Mayor of Ealing Cllr Hitesh Tailor among other dignitaries.

Yogeshbhai is a philanthropist, managing work in the UK and 13 other countries Besides building wealth, he is well known as a generous donor to various charities. He came to the UK with his family from Uganda in 1972 Mr Mehta answered a few lighthearted fun questions in a rapid-fire round before delving into some serious ones

An excerpt of the conversation is printed below, on demand, for those who could not attend the event

“I would like to encourage young people to join family businesses”

K an ti bh ai N agda ( K N) : Yogeshbhai, you were born in an evergreen town situated on Seven Hills, the capital of Uganda, Kampala Tell us, do you remember 1972?

Y ogesh bh ai Mehta ( YM): Yes, very much so At that time, I was probably 15 years old Born and brought up in K a m p a l a , I h a v e b e a u t i f u l m e m o r i e s o f t h e c o u n t r y , city, and people I remember we were 6-7 friends; we grew up together and are still very much in touch

KN: Do you know the building- Round House? Do you recall who lived there?

Y M : I k n o w R o u n d House, but I do not remember who lived there

KN: The Indian High Commissioner That was not far away from where you lived Yogesh attended college in Chippenham, a small village near Bath He also served as the President of his college later During the 1960s the shops in Chippenham would close after lunch time on Saturdays and re-open on Monday mornings Did you ever go hungry during the weekends?

Y M: Not really During the 70s, a lot changed Bath was not far away from there and I used to travel a lot Also, we friends had found all the places that served till a little late I had been in London for two years then, I became the President of the Students Union, of around 9000 students I remember t h a t m o r n i n g v i v i d l y S o m e o n e h a d g i v e n m y name for it They had faith a n d c o n f i d e n c e i n m e , t h o u g h I h a d c o m e f r o m outside and could speak just e n o u g h E n g l i s h f o r b a r e m i n i m u m c o m m u n i c a t i o n It was a big platform and I

think we were only 3 or 4 Indians That is when it all began I did make a change I turned a lot of reds into blues, and when I left, I was the only president with a good bank balance

KN: You turned a lot of reds into blues, are you going to help Rishi Sunak?

What are the chances of turning reds into blues?

YM: Chances are tough, there is a long way to and a lot can happen, but I hope he can continue and stabilise t h e c o u n t r y b e c a u s e t h e whole of Europe is changing And I think Rishi is perfect for the job and he is great

KN: Yogesh started his career as a junior in 1974. This was supposed to be a temporary job before going to the University, but he continued to work in an international industry and progressed as a manager In 1977, he left his job to join his father’s clothing business for a few months before starting his own removal and relocation business He started the business in 1980 with an American business partner and acquired the company that he used to work for I recall on 3 December 2012; you saved 900 jobs, and this made headlines in business magazines. You then bought

Pickfords, tell us more about that

Y M: As I mentioned earlier, I wanted a temporary job, but the employer wanted someone who could work f u l l - t i m e N o n e t h e l e s s , I aimed to work there for 2 to 3 months only but I enjoyed the job and ended up being there for a longer time, and within 3 years, I was General Manager It was quite challenging, but I was young and very hungry So that was my

initial journey I achieved what I wanted This is one of the main reasons why I am here Because I have seen the dynamics change in the last 20 years, a lot I see children do not want to continue with the family business, what we have done is a good thing to do Our generation has given a good education to the children; therefore, they become professionals a n d g e t g o o d j o b s A n d t h e r e ’ s a v a c u u m n o w because there is no succes-

Directors of Solar4Good Mitesh Halani, Rahi Vakani and Manan Shah talked about the

Award-winning celebrant Toastmaster and Public Speaking Expert Sonal Dave compered the event

L-R: Mr Yogesh Mehta on Fireside Chat with Kanti Nagda MBE

L-R: Mitesh Halani, Director Solar4Good, Yogesh Mehta, CB Patel and Tarun Ghulati

Girish Mashru, Yogesh Mehta, Ashok Sodha

L-R: Manjit Singh Khinda, Mahesh Liloriya, Yogesh Mehta, Peter Thomas, CB Patel, Mitesh Halani, Rahi Vakani, Baljinder Singh Rathour, Pooja Raval, Rajani Liloriya, Manan Shah

sion and what happens is I have noticed; that the next g e n e r a t i o n c o n t i n u e s t o work in their corporate jobs for 15-20 years and then it b e c o m e s v e r y d i f f i c u l t t o make a shift I know this because I took that leap of faith after 3 years of work at a company while I was general manager I was working for a big company, I could be happy and secure, if I continued but taking that

especially family businesses E n g l a n d h a s b e e n f u l l o f various small businesses

My father had a small r e t a i l s h o p i n W h e t s t o n e near Finchley I started the w h o l e s a l e d i v i s i o n , a n d what was more important was that I enjoyed working hard, I used to go to comm e r c i a l s t r e e t s a n d b u y s a m p l e s , g o a l l o v e r t h e c o u n t r y , B a t h , B r i s t o l , Cardiff, with samples, door-

risk is all that matters That is the reason I would like to encourage young people to join businesses, to take that risk after doing their foundation, and complete education, but at some stage, t r y d o i n g s o m e b u s i n e s s ,

East London, bought merchandise, and then delivered I did not have enough capital to buy stock then F o r o n e y e a r I h a d n o money I took that risk by leaving a comfortable job and that has made all the d i f f e r e n c e s E v e r y t h i n g changed, something in me wanted to do bigger things And I was fortunate

Luckily, I got a call one d a y f r o m t h e A m e r i c a n M a n a g i n g d i r e c t o r w h o used to work at my previous company He was starting on his own and offered me a place as an equity partner in a m o v i n g c o m p a n y Without any hesitation, I s a i d y e s I g a v e u p m y wholesale business to my father But I wanted equity to start the new business I could not go back to my f a t h e r a n d a s k f o r a n y money simply because I had seen him lose all his capital in Uganda So, I went to

a chance to do it again, perhaps I would have chosen a different industry, to work with labourers and drivers in Europe Whenever I woke up in the morning with a h u r d l e o r a p r o b l e m , I would take it as a process T h o s e a r e t h e e v e r y d a y challenges, and fortunately, the companies have done exceptionally well We have

friends and family friends

to-door First few weeks, I w e n t k n o c k i n g o n t h e doors, initially no one was interested but I was persistent, until they were fed up a n d g a v e m e a c h a n c e I showed them my samples, took their orders, went to

In 1978, I had to borrow £ 1 2 0 , 0 0 0 b u t I h a d t h e courage to go to people and borrow that kind of money from various people That was necessary for business a n d w i t h i n a c o u p l e o f years, it flourished We were successful We slowly built up a team We expanded, moved to Watford, continued acquiring other compan i e s , g e n e r a t e d r e v e n u e , and spread across 13 other countries It was a relocation and moving company, r i g h t a c r o s s E u r o p eS c a n d i n a v i a , N o r w a y , S w e d e n , D e n m a r k , Germany, France and for a long time my job was as a trouble-shooter, but if I had

reached a larger group that continues to prosper I started Pickfords and it goes way back but until I leave it to the next person, I want to retain it and make it stronger It is a brand

In business, I was very l u c k y t h a t m y y o u n g e r brothers Hitesh and Dilesh, stood with me as a family My youngest brother Dilesh started selling perfumes and Hitesh is a pharmacist They are doing some substantial work with Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, etc It is not just about selling perfumes, it is about creating those f r a g r a n c e s , m a k i n g t h e scent, featuring, and advertising One must spend a lot of money to survive in this

and both my brothers have d o n e e x c e p t i o n a l l y w e l l T h i s r e m a i n s t h e f a m i l y business between the three of us Ideally, one should just focus on one business, but the entrepreneur in me a l l o w e d m e t o d o o t h e r things With work going on in so many different directions, it makes difficult to travel, so I have given 25% of the equity to my management so that I do not have to travel that often I started at 20, got married at 27, and I wanted to make my father happy

KN: We see examples today where the children choose a different profession, and do not want to inherit and run the family business They do not have any interest in the family business What do you think is the future of Asian Entrepreneurs?

Y M: It is important to h a v e a n o p e n d i s c u s s i o n with them After a certain age, children do not want to take risks, so I would sugg e s t f o r t h e m t o g o a n d work elsewhere for a few years and then think and t a k e t h a t o p p o r t u n i t y t o jump out of their comfort zone Because no one wants to leave a secure job, once you get comfortable with your work life, it gets difficult to switch to business I hope I can plant these seeds o f i n s p i r a t i o n i n t h e i r minds

KN: As a philanthropist, Yogesh played an active role in several charities such as the Jain temple in Leicester, the Navnath center in Hayes Take us through the charities you have been involved in.

Y M: In the early days, I saw people like CB Patel d o i n g e x t e n s i v e c h a r i t y work I learned from people like him My wife also was a part of a trust initially, in the early 80s I was a comm i t t e e m e m b e r o f t h e NSPCC I was there for 2-3 years When Jain Derasar was being built in Leicester,

we as a family contributed good amount of money at that time and I continued to do so It took me many years to buy a property, I not only c o n t r i b u t e d t h r o u g h money, but also raised good money within the community We recently made a large contribution to one of the Swaminarayan temples m a k i n g o n e o f t h e f i r s t H i n d u c r e m a t o r i u m A n d my brothers have been a great support throughout

KN: Around 20 years ago, we were at a Kathiawadi restaurant in Rayner’s Lane where you had bid the highest for 3 paintings Tell us, collecting artwork- is that your hobby?

YM: I am fond of art In my younger days, I used to l i k e c o l l e c t i n g c a r s G r a d u a l l y I g o t i n t o a r t , specifically Indian masters like MF Hussain, Gaitonde, and Mehta This has nothing to do with investments, but it just so happened that the value of art has gone up substantially

T h e f i r e s i d e c h a t w a s f o l l o w e d b y a s p e e c h b y P u b l i s h e r / E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f C B P a t e l s h a r i n g h i s thoughts about the fireside chat He talked about life, luck, inner desire, a healthy l i f e s t y l e , n e t w o r k i n g , a n d b u i l d i n g c o n n e c t i o n s i n business He spoke about how he had an idea about i n s p i r i n g y o u n g entrepreneurs and years ago h e h a d s t a r t e d t h e A s i a n Achievers Awards as well H e t h r e w l i g h t u p o n Yogeshbhai’s charity work with different associations a n d c o m m u n i t i e s H e t h a n k e d K a n t i b h a i a n d e x p r e s s e d g r a t i t u d e t o Yogeshbhai for his invalua b l e c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h e business world, and to all t h e a t t e n d e e s f o r t h e i r e n t h u s i a s t i c p a r t i c i p a t i o n

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Mahesh L i l o r i y a ( G r o u p E d i t o r , ABPL)

Photo courtesy: Raj D Bakrania, PrMediapix

L-R: Mayor of Harrow Cllr Ramji Chauhan Yogesh Mehta and Mayor of Ealing Cllr Hitesh Tailor

L-R: Subhasbhai Patel, Dr Pravin Patel, CB Patel and Kokila Patel

L-R: Dilipbhai Sheth, CB Patel, Narendra (Bali) Patel, Yogesh Mehta Himesh Patel Bharat Vyas and Hasmukh Amin

L-R: Shrey Mehta, Rohit Mehta, Yogesh Mehta and Jay Mehta

L-R: Nemish Mehta, CB Patel, Rumit Mehta, Hital Mehta and Chirag Mehta

L-R: CB Patel, Yogesh Mehta, Raj Ragoowansi and Mihir Kapadia

Yogesh Mehta with Vijay Tanna

L-R: Kantibhai Nagda MBE, Jeetendra Mehta, CB Patel

L-R: Mitesh Kothari Yogesh Mehta Mamta Kothari Kishore Parmar

L-R: Rumit Shah Paras Meisheri Kantibhai Nagda Mayor of Harrow Cllr Ramji Chauhan Mayor of Ealing Cllr Hitesh Tailor Vijaybhai Amin

Dear Financial Voice Reader,

Alpesh Patel

St Jam es s Place (S JP), a prom inent U K-based w ealth m anag em ent firm, h as recently been at the centre of neg ative attention d ue to a series of d ev elopm ents th at h av e raised concerns am ong clients, regulators, and the market

It’s not the only one Many people write to me about their IFA or workplace pension or wealth managers and complain about endlessly poor performance year after year

The company, known for its comprehensive financial planning and investment services, has faced scrutiny over its fee structure, regulatory pressures, and operational challenges These issues have not only impacted SJP's market performance but also ignited a debate on the broader implications for the wealth management industry and investor protection in the UK

A pivotal factor contributing to the negative news surrounding SJP is the overhaul of its fee structure, prompted by intensified scrutiny from UK financial regulators The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), aiming to enhance protections for savers and pension investors, has been cracking down on financial products where fees and charges are deemed not to represent fair value This regulatory pressure comes in the wake of historical retail misselling scandals, underscoring the FCA's commitment to safeguarding consumer interests through its Consumer Duty framework

SJP's response to this regulatory landscape has been to revise its fee structure, reducing overall ongoing charges for existing investments But fees are not the major problem The major problem is something the Chancellor mentioned Poor performing pensions

The news of the fee structure revamp and regulatory scrutiny has reverberated through the financial markets, with SJP's shares experiencing significant volatility Over the course of 2023, the company's shares declined by more than 35% This market reaction reflects investor concerns over the company's future profitability and the broader challenges facing wealth managers in justifying their fees amid rising interest rates and evolving regulatory standards and of course angry customers

Operational challenges have also emerged, particularly in relation to SJP s fund management performance and customer inflows Despite managing a substantial asset base, SJP has observed a notable reduction in net inflows, which more than halved in the third quarter compared to the previous year This trend signifies potential shifts in investor confidence and appetite, partly influenced by economic factors such as inflation and market volatility

Im plications for the Wealth Management Indu stry

The recent developments at SJP underscore a critical juncture for the wealth management industry, highlighting the importance of fee transparency, regulatory compliance, and value delivery to clients As regulators like the FCA intensify their focus on consumer protection, wealth management firms are compelled to reevaluate their business models and fee structures to ensure alignment with these evolving standards For investors, this evolving landscape emphasizes the need for diligence and informed decision-making when selecting wealth management services

The victim in all this is you The person with the pension pot

UK firms told to get anti-money laundering 'basics' right in 6 months

The UK 's financial regulatory body has express ed conc ern that l enders, m oney brokers , and lea sing c om panies ar e f ailing to a deq uatel y addr ess money launder ing risks The Financ ial Conduct Authority (FCA) iss ued a let ter to f irm l eaders, giving t hem a six-month deadline to review and st rengthen their a nti-money launder ing meas ures

"Where firms do not take suitable steps in response to our letter, they could face regulatory action, including possible enforcement action," the FCA said

Possible actions may entail mandating firms to enlist an external assessor to evaluate their controls Additionally, the regulatory body may take enforcement measures, including imposing fines and revoking authorisations The watchdog announced its focus on around 1,000 companies, including specific lenders, safe custody providers, money brokers, and financial leasing firms, whose operations are subject to supervision for compliance with anti-money laundering regulations

A data-led review and onsite inspections of a sample of companies found financial crime controls had not kept pace with business growth, failures to assess risks from customers properly, and inadequate resourcing of oversight, the FCA said

"We expect you to complete a gap analysis against each of the common weaknesses we have outlined within six months of receipt of this letter," the FCA told firms

House prices head for faster recovery

T h e Of f ic e f o r B u d g e t Res p o ns i bi l it y ( O BR ) h as stated that house prices are poised to rebound at a faster pace than prev iously anticipated T his is attributed to m o rtg ag e i n tere s t rat es declining more rapid ly than initially projected

The OBR s latest forecast suggests a mere 2 per cent decrease in prices for this year, significantly less than the 5 per cent decline p r e d i c t e d i n N o v e m b e r Consequently, it is anticipated that the average UK

property price will approach just under £275,000 by the final quarter

It predicted that prices would then grow higher and faster than previously forecast, with an increase of 2 per cent in 2026 and 3 5 per cent in 2027 and 2028 At

Issa brothers in talks over splitting the family fortune

Zuber Issa is cu rrently i n ne go t i at io ns to a c qu i r e shares fro m his older brother and busi ness co llaborato r , Mo h s in , w it h i n se gments of th eir p etrol statio n empire T his marks th e latest step i n their efforts to di vi d e th ei r r es p ec ti v e fi nancial interests T h e B l a c k b u r n - b a s e d EG Group, which is cont r o l l e d b y Z u b e r , 5 1 , a n d Mohsin Issa, 52, and by TDR Capital, the private equity c o m p a n y , t o l d i n v e s t o r s that it “continued to have a c t i v e d i s c u s s i o n s ” w i t h Zuber about divesting some a s s e t s i n t h e U K a n d Ireland, with plans to strike a deal “in the near term”

I t w a s r e v e a l e d l a s t m o n t h t h a t Z u b e r w a s attempting to sell his 22 5 per cent stake in Asda, the s u p e r m a r k e t s c h a i n a l s o owned by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital Mohsin recently denied

r u m o u r s o f a r i f t w i t h Zuber, saying in an interview with the BBC that the pair “get on exceptionally well” and “talk probably two or three times a day”

Numerous reports have i n d i c a t e d t h a t M o h s i n ' s choice to separate from his wife and engage in a relationship with Victoria Price, a former tax partner previously associated with Asda's auditing firm (although not i n v o l v e d w i t h t h e A s d a account), has led to tensions w i t h i n t h e f a m i l y E G Group was established in 2001 by the brothers when they purchased a BP forec o u r t i n B u r y , G r e a t e r Manchester

W i t h t h e m a j o r i t y o f

EG's UK business sold to Asda for £2 3 billion a year ago, the bulk of EG's revenue now stems from its 5 , 5 0 0 p e t r o l s t a t i o n s a n d s h o p s s i t u a t e d a c r o s s t h e US, Europe, and Australia

t h i s r a t e o f i n c r e a

, h o u s e p r i c e s w o u l d break records in the first quarter of 2027, the OBR said

The prediction coincided with a significant drop in mortgage rates, which had surged in the m o n t h s f

t o f S e p t e m b e r 2022 However, these rates are now declining at a pace faster than initially anticipated According to the watch-

dog, average mortgage rates are expected to reach their highest point at 4 2 per cent in 2027 This projection is 0 8 percentage points lower than the forecast made in November

However, it said: “There are significant risks to our m o r t g a g e - r a t e f o r e c a s t , demonstrated by the large movements in bank expect a t i o n s s i n c e N o v e m b e r T h i s a l s o p o s e s a r i s k t o h o u s e h o l d i n c o m e s , r e s idential housing transactions and house prices ”

MPs voice fears over ballooning government borrowing

The financial ov ersight body o f Parliam ent has urg ed HM Treasu ry to enh ance the monitoring of gov ernm ent d ebt management A dditionally, it has raised concerns about a potential loss of crucial skills with in a key asp ect of the borrow ing p rocess

The Public Accounts Committee said the Treasury has no directly-measurable success criteria to assess whether its objective to "minimise, over the long term, the costs of meeting the government’s financing needs, taking into account risk, while ensuring that debt management policy is consistent with the aims of monetary policy” is being met

A just-published report from the committee says the objective is high-level and difficult to quantify and that the lack of assessment criteria makes it "impossible to know" whether value for money is being secured from the government's approach

The report highlights that government borrowing overseen by the Debt Management Office has surged from approximately £300 billion in 2003 to £2 5 trillion last year This increase has been driven by the global financial crisis of 2007-08 and the subsequent response to the Covid-19 pandemic

Furthermore, it raises concerns about the impending retirement of DMO chief executive Sir Robert Stheeman this summer, who has served in the position for 20 years Additionally, it notes that other senior staff members at the HM Treasury executive agency are nearing retirement age

Nationwide to buy Virgin Money in nearly £3 bn deal

T h e a c q u i s i t i o n b y

Nationwide marks the latest development in Virgin Money's series of significant deals Notably, Virgin M o n e y e x p e r i e n c e d s u bstantial growth following its acquisition of the troubled lender Northern Rock f r o m t h e g o v e r n m e n t f o r £747 million in 2011, nearly four years after the latter's nationalisation during the financial crisis S u b s e q u e n t l y ,

Virgin Money found itself at

loans

Y o r k s h i r e B a n k i n g G r o u p (CYBG) acquired it for £1 7 billion Despite CYBG's substantial investment to retain t h e V i r g i n M o n e y b r a n d , Nationwide's plans indicate that the Virgin Money name will vanish from the high street within six years

Phasing out the brand c o u l d s a v e N a t i o n w i d e , which is led by the former TSB boss Debbie Crosbie, tens of millions of pounds l o n g t e r m V i r g i n M o n e y paid £17m to Virgin Group, which is 100% owned by Sir Richard Branson, for use of the name last year

Currys rejects second takeover offer from US firm Elliott

Currys has rejected a second takeover approach from US firm Elliott, saying the offer "s ig nifi cantly und erv alued " the electronics ch ain Elliott valued the retailer at around £757 million, up from its initial £ 700 m n valuatio n earlier this mo nth

The US company is up against Chinese rival JD com which has also expressed an interest in buying the British firm Currys has more than 800 stores globally, but has seen slowing sales due to the cost-of-living crisis

High Street businesses, Currys has been struggling with falling sales as customers cut back on spending E l l i o t t , w

i c h bought UK book shop c h a i n W a t e r s t o n e s i n 2018, has a reputation as a n a c t i v i s t i n v e s t o r , meaning it pursues companies in order to take them over and change how they are run

T h e U S f i r m ' s l a t e s t offer valued Currys at 67p per share, an increase on its

previous offer of around 62p per share In a statement, C u r r y s c o n f i r m e d i t h a d received a second offer from Elliot " T h e B o a r d o f C u r r y s c o n s i d e r e d t h e S e c o n d E l l i o t t P r o p o s a l , t o g e t h e r with its financial advisers, and concluded that it signifi c a n t l y u n d e r v a l u e d t h e C o m p a n y a n d i t s f u t u r e prospects Accordingly, on 26 February 2024, the Board o f C u r r y s u n a n i m o u s l y rejected the Second Elliott Proposal," it said

average of more than 15 p e r c e n t , c o m p a r e d t o t h e l o w s i n g l e d i g i t s e i g h t y e a r s a g o , " s a i d

Tarun Pathak, research d i r e c t o r a t

Counterpoint

C o u n t e r p o i n t a l s o s a i d t h a t P h a s e d

M a n u f a c t u r i n g P r o g r a m ( P M P ) , M a k e i n I n d i a ,

Production-Linked Incentive ( P L I ) a n d A t m a - N i r b h a r

t a n

Bharat (Self-Reliant India) p r o g r a m m e s h a v e contributed to an increase in local manufacturing and v a l u e a d d i t i o n f o r smartphones

Sidbi secures first green climate fund project worth $120 million

s i g n i f i c a n t c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o c l i m a t e c h a n g e m i t i g a t i o n , a d a p t a t i o n , and the enhancement of r e s i l i e n c e i n v u l n e r a b l e sectors of the economy

wi ll invest US D 24 5 mil lion in th e fund, in Ki gali, Rwanda, S id bi , an accredi ted entity of G CF, sai d in a statement

The primary aim of the ASF project is to invest in e a r l y - s t a g e c o m p a n i e s

harnessing technology-led i n n o v a t i o n t o s p u r c l i m a t e s o l u t i o n s a n d s u s t a i n a b i l i t y i n t h e c o u n t r y T h e a n t i c i p a t e d o u t c o m e s i n c l u d e

This is the first project anchored by Sidbi including t h e f i r s t s e c u r e d f o r t h e country in the past few years and will go a long way in a d v a n c i n g t h e c o u n t r y ' s n a t i o n a l l y d e t e r m i n e d c o n t r i b u t i o n s b y e f f e c t i n g s u b s t a n t i a l g l o b a l c h a n g e s t h r o u g h i t s p r o f i c i e n c y i n green and climate finance, S i d b i s a i d T h e G r e e n C l i m a t e F u n d i s a k e y component of the historic Paris Agreement and also the world's largest climate fund

RBI signs pact with Bank Indonesia

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Bank Indonesia (BI) sig ned a Memorandum o f Understanding (M oU) to prom ote use of lo cal currencies for bilateral transactions

The MoU was signed for establishing a framework to promote the use of local currencies - the Indian rupee and the Indonesian rupiah - for cross-border transactions, RBI said in a statement This framework would enable exporters a n d i m p o r t e r s t o i n v o i c e a n d p a y i n t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e d o m e s t i c c u r r e n c i e s , w h i c h i n t u r n w o u l d e n a b l e t h e development of an INR-IDR foreign exchange market “ U s e o f l o c a l c u r r e n c i e s w o u l d o p t i m i s e c o s t s a n d settlement time for transactions,” RBI said The MoU was signed by RBI governor Shaktikanta Das and Bank Indonesia g o v e r n o r P e r r y W a r j i y o “ T h e M o U o n e s t a b l i s h i n g a framework for cooperation aims to promote the use of INR and IDR bilaterally,” RBI said

Adani group to invest £3 billion in expansion of airports

M u m b a i , A h m e d a b a d , L u c k n o w , M a n g a l u r u , J a i p u r , G u w a h a t i & Thiruvananthapuram

M a n d a t e d t o a s s i s t d e v e l o p i n g c o u n t r i e s i n raising and realising their n a t i o n a l l y d e t e r m i n e d c o n t r i b u t i o n s ( N D C ) a m b i t i o n s , t h e G C F e x p e d i t e s t r a n s f o r m a t i v e climate action through a partnership-driven approach a n d d e p l o y i n g f l e x i b l e f i n a n c i n g s o l u t i o n s a n d c l i m a t e i n v e s t m e n t expertise

The fund's investment s t r a t e g y t a r g e t s f o u r s i g n i f i c a n t t r a n s i t i o n sbuilt environment; energy industry; human security, livelihood, wellbeing; and l a n d u s e - f o r e s t s a n d e c o s y s t e m s , e m p l o y i n g four key approaches

U n d e r t h e M a k e i n

India initiative, the Centre i n t r o d u c e

Air India-Vistara merger gets approval from Singapore panel

Th e C o mp et i ti on a n d C on s u me r Co mm i s s i on o f Sin gapore (CCCS) has g ranted

co n d i t i o n al ap p ro v al f or merg i n g Vi s tara - wh i ch i s o wn ed 4 9% by S i n g ap o re Airlin es (S IA) - into Air I ndi a

SIA will hold 25 1% stake i n th e m erg ed A I , wi t h T at as hav in g the remai nin g stake

T h e C C C S “ i d e n t i f i e d

g m o b i l e p h o n e m a n u f a c t u r i n g D u e t o a l l this, exports from India have i n c r e a s e d , " s a i d P r a c h i r S i n g h , s e n i o r a n a l y s t a t Counterpoint

some competition concerns ”

e d s u b s t a n t i a l market share in recent years C C C S a l s o f o u n d t h a t t h e p r i c e a n d c a p a c i t y c o o r d i n a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e p a r t i e s a r i s i n g f r o m t h e confluence of the transactions w o u l d s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t competition on the affected routes,” the regulator said in a statement

Indian rupee outperforms other Asian currencies this year

T h e I n d i an ru p ee outperformed other emergi ng A s i an c ur re n ci es t h i s ye ar , b uo ye d b y l ow er cr ud e o i l p ri ce s an d s tr o n g s e rv i c es e xp or ts th at h av e h el p ed m ai n t ai n a man ag ea bl e c u rre n t ac co u n t d ef i c i t Ad dition ally, the anticipation of sig nifi can t forei gn capital i n f l o ws , d ri v en by th e i nclusion of In dian gov t bonds i n gl obal in dices, has further bolstered the local curren cy

In 2024, the rupee, along with the Mexican peso, are a m o n g t h e o n l y m a j o r emerging market currencies to have gained against the d o l l a r , r e g i s t e r i n g a 0 6 % increase In contrast, the Thai b a h t , S o u t h K o r e a n w o n ,

T a i w a n e s e d o l l a r , a n d M a l a y s i a n r i n g g i t h a v e weakened by 4 5%, 4%, 3 2%, and 2 6%, respectively

“ R e s i l i e n t d o m e s t i c g r o w t h , c o m b i n e d w i t h a manageable trade deficit, has been supporting the strength o f t h e r u p e e , ” s a i d A d i t i Gupta, economist at the Bank of Baroda “This strength is

f u r t h e r s u p p l e m e n t e d b y r o b u s t f o r e i g n i n f l o w s , p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e d e b t segment We anticipate this trend to continue into March ’ 24 ” According to a report by I C I C I S e c u r i t i e s P r i m a r y D e a l e r s h i p , R B I h a s m a n y reasons to allow the rupee to s t r e n g t h e n i n t h e c o m i n g weeks

Nearly 70 billion mutual fund money riding on shoulders of 42 women fund managers

managing funds either as p r i m

development at its a ir po r ts, A d ani P o rts M D

K aran Ad ani said T h i s w i l l b e f u n d e d through internal accruals of the parent company Adani

E n t e r p r i s e s T h e g r o u p o p e r a t e s a i r p o r t s i n

“The current capacity of our airports is 100 to 110 million passengers annually (CPA) This will be increased b y u p t o t h r e e t i m e s L u c k n o w h a s g o t a n e w t e r m i n a l N a v i M u m b a i airport will open next (by n e x t M a r c h ) T h e n Guwahati airport will get a n e

he majority outper forming their peers While the number of w o m e n

managers in the industry remains the same at

increased by 50% year-on-

4 4 4 b i l l i o n l a s t y e a r M e a n w h i l e , t h e A U M managed by women fund managers of open-ended a n d c l o s e d - e n d e d f u n d s w a s £ 5 2 7 4 b i l l i o n o r 12 63% of total assets

Out of the total fund managers of around 473 in the mutual fund industry, 4 2 a r e w o m e n w h o a r e

least o n e w o m e n f u n d

h e r e p o r t a l s o h i g h l i g h t s t h a t t h e number of women fund managers have increased over the years From 18 women fund managers in 2017, the figure surged to 42 in 2023 and remained the same in January 2024

within the factory to help do that At the Sanand-I plant, we have already remodelled the assembly line before to a c c o

d i f f e r e n t powertrains,” Chandra said “ G o i n g f o r w a r d , depending on the demand, t h e p l a n t h a s e n o u g h flexibility to be re-modelled again and accommodate the m a n u f a c t u r i n g o f b i g g e r cars The plant should have the same flexibility as any other plant to make cars of any size so that you are not v u l n e r a b l e t o s e g m e n t a l shifts,” he said

Sikh community member becomes minister in Pakistan's Punjab

I S L A M A B A D : S ar d ar Ra m es h S ing h A rora, a th ree-time member of the Prov incial A ssembly ( MPA ) in Pakistan, becam e th e first m em ber of th e Sikh comm unity to take oath as a m inister in the Punjab p rov ince, representi ng the m inority in th e p rov incial assembly The cabinet in the prov ince was form ed by t h e n ew l y ele ct ed P aki s ta n M us li m Leagu e (P ML -N) go vernment led by chief minister M ary am Naw a z S h ar if , t h e d au g h te r o f fo rm er P r im e M inister Nawaz S harif Ramesh Singh Arora, 48, is a legislator from the Pakistani district of Narowal In a phone call,

Ramesh Singh said, “It is for the first time since Partition in 1947 that a Sikh has been inducted in the cabinet of Punjab province I won’t just work for the safety and well-being of Sikhs but all m i n o r i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g H i n d u s

Zardari’s sworn in as Pakistan president

I SLAMABAD: Asif Ali Z ardari took oath as the 1 4th presi dent of Paki stan at an impress i v e ce re m o n y a t the A i w a n -e - S a dr o n Sunda y, be com ing the fi rst lea der to tak e the hi ghest office of the country tw ice

Asif Ali Zardari

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to Zardari, the president of the Pakistan Peoples Party, w h o r e p l a c e d D r A r i f A l v i o f t h e Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) The PPP is a major partner in the ruling coalition government The ceremony was attended by the outgoing president, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, top military leadership, governors, chief ministers, National Assembly speaker, parliamentarians, political leaders, diplomats and media persons

The hall, where the oath ceremony took place, was packed with guests The supporters of the PPP often raised slogans in favour of Zardari and the party They also raised slogans in favour of the army, when Army Chief Gen Asim Munir entered the hall

Upon arriving for the ceremony, Gen Asim went to the children of Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Bakhtawar and Aseefa As a traditional and cultural way o f greeting, Gen Aism placed his hand on the heads of both Bakhtawar and Aseefa and shook hands with Bilawal

Gen Asim also shook hands with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was seated in the front row Lt-Gen Nadeem Anjum, who was also present at the ceremony, met with Nawaz Former Punjab caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi also walked to Nawaz and inquired after his health The ceremony had a special guest, the grandson of Zardari Besides, ambassadors and high commissioners of more than 70 countries, including the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirate (UAE), also participated in the ceremony

Attack on prison housing

Imran foiled, 3 arrested

I S L A M A B A D : P ak i st an ’ s c o unte r-terro ris m dep artmen t ( CT D), a front fo r IS I, has foiled a n a tt ac k o n R a wa lp i n di ’ s A di a la j ai l h o u s i n g f o r me r p ri m e mi n is t er a nd P ak i st an T eh re ek - i -I n s af c h i ef I mr an

K han and other senio r leaders o f his p arty

I n a j o i n t o p e r a t i o n , R a w a l p i n d i p o l i c e a n d C T D arrested three suspected milit a n t s f r o m A f g h a n i s t a n , a n d seized a map of the prison as well as hand grenades, automati c w e a p o n s a n d b o m b s f r o m them

The three men were taken

t o a n u n d i s c l o s e d l o c a t i o n P o l i c e s a i d t h e y w e r e b e i n g investigated and a search operation was going on in and around t h e h i g h - s e c u r i t y , b u t o v e rcrowded prison, which is housing inmates twice its capacity

Last week, an inmate had killed a fellow prisoner in the same jail, and injured two others by hitting them with a brick w h i l e t h e y w e r e s l e e p i n g i n their cell Several senior PTI leaders and workers, including former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and ex-chief m i n i s t e r P e r v e z E l a h i , a r e lodged in Adiala jail

l i v i n g i n Pakistan ”

Who is Sard ar Ramesh Singh A ro ra?

- Ramesh Singh Arora, born in Nankana Sahib, holds a postg r a d u a t e d e g r e e i n e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p a n d S M E management from Government C o l l e g e U n i v e r s i t y , L a h o r e Before entering politics, he contributed to the World Bank's Poverty Reduction Programme in Pakistan In 2008, he established the Mojaz Foundation, dedicated to assisting the underprivileged in Pakistan

In the recent Pakistani elections, he was re-elected as MPA

from Narowal, his hometown and the location of Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib, Guru Nanak's final resting place He was also a p p o i n t e d a s “ A m b a s s a d o r a t L a r g e ” f o r t h e K a r t a r p u r

Corridor last year

He played a significant role i n i m p l e m e n t i n g t h e S i k h

Marriage Registration Act 2017 in Pakistan He introduced the bill as a private member and u n a n i m o u s l y p a s s e d b y t h e A s s e m b l y i n M a r c h 2 0 1 8

Recently, he was unanimously elected as the president of the P a k i s t a n S i k h G u r d w a r a P r a b a n d h a k C o m m i t t e e (PSGPC) for a three-year term

6 Sri Lankans killed in mass stabbing in Canada's Ottawa

O T T A W A : A 1 9-y e a r -o ld st ude nt fr om Sri La nk a is accuse d of sta bbing an d killing six people he live d with, in cluding a 2 1/2mon th-old baby g ir l an d t hre e ot her k ids fr om a Sr i Lan ka n family, Ot ta wa police said O t t a w a p o l i c e c h i e f E r i c Stubbs said an “edged weapon ” or “knife-like object” was used by the suspect, who was identified as Febrio De-Zoysa He has been charged with six counts of f i r s t - d e g r e e m u r d e r a n d o n e c o u n t o f a t t e m p t e d m u r d e r Mass killings are rare in Canada Stubbs said the deceased are S r i L a n k a n n a t i o n a l s w h o recently came to Canada He said they include a 35-year-old mother, a 7-year-old son, a 4year-old daughter, a 2-year-old daughter and the 2 1/2-monthold baby girl as well as a 40y e a r - o l d a c q u a i n t a n c e o f t h e family The police chief said when the first officers arrived at the home the family’s father was o u t s i d e a n d s c r e a m i n g f o r

someone to call 911 “This was a senseless act of violence perpetrated on purely innocent people,” Stubbs said Sri Lanka’s high commission said that it is in touch with relatives in the country’s capital, Colombo

D e - Z o y s a m a d e a b r i e f appearance in court and mumbled his assent as the justice of the peace ordered him not to speak to the father who survived the attack or to four other witnesses who provided statements to the police

His case was adjourned until March 13 to give him time to find a lawyer Police were called to the home in the Barrhaven area The suspect was arrested quickly after that, and police said there was no continuing threat to public safety

Don Perera, a neighbor, said he met the family that lived in the home last fall at a Halloween party at the nearby Catholic elem e n t a r y s c h o o l H e s a i d t h e father was from Sri Lanka

Former JPMorgan banker is new Pak finance minister

in brief

DOCTOR FROM ANDHRA DIES WHILE TREKKING IN AUSTRALIA

A lady doctor from Andhra Pradesh died in an accident while trekking in Australia Vemuru Ujvala (23), a native of Krishna district, who was practising at a hospital in Brisbane died after falling into a gorge while trekking with friends According to family members her mortal remains will be flown to Andhra Pradesh The last rites will be performed in Elukapadu village in Unguturu mandal Ujvala completed her MBBS from Bond University Gold Coast, Australia and was practising at Royal Brisbane and Women s Hospital Her relatives said she had fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a doctor and was planning to do post-graduation but the tragic accident cut short her life Ujvala along with her friends, was trekking at Yanbacoochie Falls at the Lamington National Park in Gold Coast Hinterland

SHARIF THANKS PM MODI FOR FELICITATIONS

Pakistan s newly elected PM Shehbaz Sharif thanked his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for felicitating him on his re-election Sharif, 72, took the oath as PM of Pakistan on Monday, assuming the cash-strapped country’s reins for a second time, nearly a month after an inconclusive election marred by allegations of vote rigging “Thank you @narendramodi for felicitations on my election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” Sharif said on X On Tuesday, Modi congratulated Shehbaz on taking oath as the 24th PM of Pakistan

PAK STUDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY

A 22-year-old student in Pakistan has been sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy over Whatsapp messages In the ruling, a court in Pakistan's Punjab province said that the student was sentenced to death over photos and videos that contained derogatory words about Prophet Muhammad Another student 17 was sentenced to life imprisonment instead of the death penalty because he is a minor The action against the student was taken after a complaint was filed in 2022 by the cybercrime unit of Pakistan s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Lahore The complainant alleged that he had received the videos and photos from three different mobile phone numbers

2 INDIAN ORIGINS TO FIGURE ON CA’S NOV BALLOT

The

dollar-denominated bonds mature in April as well

Rains damage Dilip Kumar’s ancestral home in Pakistan

P ES HA WA R : Legend ary late acto r Dilip Kumar’s anc es tr al h o m e i n P ak is ta n ’ s K h yb er Pakhtunkh wa province, a national h eritage, is almost on the verge of collapse after being severely damaged in recent rains, an official said

The torrential rains exposed tall claims of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Archive Department about rehabilitation and renovation of the house

Kumar was born in 1922 in the house, located in Mohallah Khudadad near the historic Qissa Khwani Bazar in Peshawar city, and spent his ini-

tial 12 years here before leaving for India in 1932

The house was declared Pakistan’s national heritage monument on July 13, 2014, by then-PM Nawaz Sharif Kumar had visited his house once and sentimentally kissed the soil

Aurangzeb was chosen over other possible candidates, including longtime Sharif ally Ishaq Dar and ex-central bank governor Shamshad Akhtar His appointment suggests Sharif wants technocrats to help fix the country, w h i c h n a r r o w l y a v o i d e d a sovereign default last year

Shakeel Waheedullah Khan, secretary of heritage council KPK province, said the recent rains badly damaged the house, and despite the previous KPK govt pledging so many grants, not a single penny had been spent to protect and preserve it The property was built in 1880

“We have to carry out a surgical operation as antibiotics will not work at all," Sharif said after t h e c a b i n e t a p p o i n t m e n t s

“There will be a deep surgery so that the roots of this country can deepen Whenever there is a will, there is a way and it is never too late "

Incumbent California Democrats Ami Bera (CA6) and Ro Khanna (CA-17) coasted to victory in the March 5 primaries for their House seats in Washington Bera is running for a 7th term and will face off Republican Christine Bish while Khanna wants a 5th term and will run against Christine Chen in the November general elections The popular Rep Eric Swalwell found that his challenger (CA-14) will be Vinay ‘Vin’ Kruttiventi At the state level, Darshana Patel, also a Democrat, will face off against Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane for the Assembly seat in District 76 Many others did not fare as well including Rishi Kumar who was running for Congress and coming in 7th From Silicon Valley Tara Sreekrishnan running in District 26 for the Assembly seat also lost

TIMES SQUARE LIGHTS UP FOR MAHASHIVRATRI

Mahashivratri celebrations have not just gripped India but several parts of the world New York's Times Square was lit up with chants of Shiva and Shambhoo on the occasion of Mahashivratri Founder of Isha FoundationSadhguru - shared the video of the fervour in Times Square on X In the video, Indians along with people from around the world can be seen dancing to the beats of ‘Har Har Mahadev Mahashivratri is one of the most important Hindu festivals It falls on the 14th day of the dark (waning) half of the lunar month of Phalguna or Magha a day before the new moon This year, it is being observed on March 8

Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora

INDIAN WRITER AMITAV GHOSH WINS ERASMUS PRIZE 2024

Eminent Indian writer Amitav Ghosh has been awarded the prestigious Erasmus Prize 2024 “He receives the prize for his passionate contribution to the theme ‘imagining the unthinkable’, in which an unprecedented global crisis, climate change, takes shape through the written word ” Utrecht-based Praemium Erasmianum Foundation said “Ghosh has delved deeply into the question of how to do justice to this existential threat that defies our imagination His work offers a remedy by making an uncertain future palpable through compelling stories about the past He also wields his pen to show the climate crisis is a cultural crisis that results from a dearth of the imagination, the citation said

TWO YOUTHS FROM PUNJAB DIE IN US ROAD MISHAP

Two youths from Terkiana village of the Dasuya sub-division in Punjab died in a road accident in the USA They went to the United States two years ago to earn a living The deceased have been identified as Sukhjinder Singh (23) and Simranjit Singh (23) According to information, the duo used to drive a trailer together in America They were going from California to New Mexico When they reached Highway No 144, their vehicle collided with a trailer coming from the wrong side The impact of the collision was so strong that they could be pulled out of the badly smashed trailer only after about six hours of struggle They died on the spot

INDIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST HONOURED

Virginia State Senate has passed a resolution commending the work of an Indian-American journalist T Vishnudatta Jayaraman for his “dedication to journalism and foreign policy” The resolution was introduced by IndianAmerican State Senator Suhas Subramanyam, who is also a Democratic candidate for US Congress from Virginia's 10th Congressional district Introducing Jayaraman in the Senate gallery Subramanyam referred to him “as the recipient of the prestigious Ashoka Award for social change” while commending his dedication to journalism and foreign policy

2 KILLED IN NAIROBI MID-AIR COLLISION

Two planes collided at Nairobi National Park leaving at least two people dead 44 others escaped unharmed in the incident One of the planes involved was a Dash 8 owned by Safari Link bound for Diani with 44 passengers and crew The other was a Cessna plane on a training session, carrying two people The Cessna crashed in the park, while the Dash 8 safely landed back at Wilson Airport Both planes had taken off from Wilson Airport, according to officials, who confirmed two fatalities in the accident Safarilink Aviation, however, confirmed the incident and stated that none of their passengers was hurt

RUSSIA PUTS KASPAROV ON ‘TERRORISTS & EXTREMISTS’ LIST

Russia s financial monitoring agency has added former world chess champion and political activist Garry Kasparov, a prominent critic of Kremlin to its list of “terrorists and extremists ” The listing puts limits on individuals’ bank transactions and forces them to seek approval every time they want to use their accounts Kasparov 60 fled Russia in 2014 for fear of persecution He currently lives in the US He has been a longtime opponent of President Putin and has repeatedly spoken out against Russia s invasion of Ukraine In Feb last year, he urged the West to keep up its support for Kyiv and said Ukraine had to defeat Moscow as a“pre-condition for a democratic transition in Russia

PM Modi's outreach helped avert a 'nuclear' crisis in Ukraine: Report

W A S H I N G T O N : A s th e Ru s s ia - U kr ai ne conflict raged in 2022, the U nited States started "prep aring rig orously" for a potential nuclear strike by Moscow against Kyiv, in w hat w o uld hav e b een th e fi rst nu clear attack since th e US d rop ping atomic bombs on Hiroshim a and Nag asaki nearly 80 years befo re, C NN rep o rted c iti ng tw o s eni or ad ministration officials

The report stated that outreach from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other countries also played an important role in averting the crisis The Biden administration was specifically concerned Russia might use a tactical or battlefield nuclear weapon, the officials said

Amid the fears, the US sought to enlist the help of non-allies including India, to disc o u r a g e R u s s i a f r o m s u c h a n a t t a c k , a s reported by CNN

"One of the things we did was not only message them directly but strongly urge, press, encourage other countries, to whom they might be more attentive, to do the same

thing," the senior administration official said US officials say that outreach and public statements from Prime Minister Modi and others helped avert a crisis I think we believe showing the international community the concern about this, particularly the concern from key countries for Russia and the Global South, was also a helpful, persuasive factor and showed them what the cost of all this could be," CNN quoted a senior administration official as saying "I think the fact that we know, India

w e i g h e d i n , C h i n a w e i g h e d i n , o t h e r s weighed in, may have had some effect on their thinking," the senior administration official added "I can't demonstrate this positively, but I think that's our assessment "

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, India has always condemned civilian killings and called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict

In a major statement, PM Modi told President Putin that "this is not the era of war" on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Uzbekistan last year The statement even made to the G20 communique under the presidency of India

During this period from late summer to fall 2022, the National Security Council convened a series of meetings to put contingency plans in place "in the event of either a very clear indication that they were about to do something, attack with a nuclear weapon, or if they just did, how we would respond, how we would try to preempt it or deter it," the senior administration official said

Haley ends GOP race, but does not endorse Trump

S O U T H C A R O L I NA : Ni kk i Haley, the form er gov ernor of S outh C arolina, end ed h er p resid ential campaign, and pointedly d eclined to endo rse h er riv al, f o rm e r P res i d en t D o na ld T rum p Instead, sh e told supp o r ter s i n C h a rle s to n, S o u th C aro l i na, th a t th e ef f ec ti v e Republican nominee must earn t he b acking of he r vot ers “ I t i s n o w u p t o D o n a l d Trump to earn the votes of those in our party who did not support him, and I hope he does,” she said in brief remarks to her campaign

Nikki Haley

staff, core backers and the gathered news media “This is now his time for choosing ” Haley’s announcement effectively ended the Republican primary season,

4 prominent women honoured by Indian Consulate in US

were

for their achievements and c ontributions to society on the occ as ion of I nternational Women's Day

M a h a

Gaekwad, Neena Singh, Dr Indu Lew and Megha Desai were the honorees at the 6th edition of the International Women's Day commemoration event hosted by the Consulate General of India in New York and the Federation of Indian Associations

Gaekwad is a visionary committed to education and community empowerment through her philanthropic work, the FIA said in a release Singh is the first Indian and Sikh woman Mayor in New Jersey and is known for her dedication to mental wellness and community engagement

Lew rose from being a clinical pharmacist to becoming the Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at RWJ Barnabas Health, demonstrating exceptional leadership in health care Desai is the president of the Desai Foundation, whose work focuses on improving health, livelihood in rural India, the release said The event “recognised the achievements of four extraordinary women, celebrating their significant contributions across various fields and reinforcing a commitment to empowerment and recognition”

less than two months into it, remarkably early for a contest without an incumbent It came after she lost 14 of the 15 primaries held on Super Tuesday, making her quest for the White House all but out of reach mathematically Haley can boast of two victories in the first 25 contests of the nomination s e a s o n - V e r m o n t a n d t h e District of Columbia - the first w i n s e v e r f o r a f e m a l e Republican candidate for president But that was enough to win her only 89 delegates to

Trump’s 995 - with 1,215 needed to win H a l e y , w h o w a s T r u m p ’ s first ambassador to the UN, had painted her former boss as an aging, mentally unsound agent of chaos, unable to respect veterans or service members and unwilling to be faithful to the Constitution President Biden, responding t o H a l e y ’ s d e c i s i o n , s a i d , “Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Haley’s supporters I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign ”

Acclaimed scholar of South Asian literature passes away

WA S HI NGT ON: Dr Kamal D Verma, an acclaim ed scholar of So uth A sian literature, d ied o f natural cau ses th is w eek here in th e Am erican capital He would have tu rned 92 in April

P r o f e s s o r V e r m a t a u g h t f o r 4 2 y e a r s a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ) in Pennsylvania After retirement, he continued to serve as Professor Emeritus and an advisor to the University President, focusing on recruiting more diverse faculty and students from South Asia

He was also one of the founding members of the South Asian Review and the South Asian Literary Association - two nationally acclaimed scholarly efforts aimed to promote Indian and other South Asian writers and ideas

Dr Jem Spectar, President of UPJ, called Dr Verma “ a brilliant scholar, an exceptional teacher and guide, a highly respected colleague, and a dear friend” “His students speak of a great intellect: a professor who deepened their critical thinking, analytical, and writing skills, someone who deepened their understanding of our world, and someone whose classes prepared them for lifelong success, ” Spectar said

In India, he became the principal of a teacher’s college in Punjab where he served until 1963, when he departed for the United States o n a F o r d F o u n d a t i o n F e l l o w s h i p t o o b t a i n h i s S p e c i a l i s t i n Education degree at the University of Northern Iowa He then pursued further professional studies in literature, leading to his PhD from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada

shares According to a Twitter securities filing, Agrawal was entitled to a so-called golden parachute payment of $60 million in the case of an involuntary termination According to t h e d o c

m

t , S e g a l w o

f legal and policy, Vijaya Gadde;

if Twitter was taken private by Musk in October 2022, they were entitled to the payments Agrawal’s offer letter for the position said that he would get a $1 million annual salary in addition to $12 5 million in

d receive $46 million, and Gadde would receive $21 million in identical circumstances Musk claimed he could fire the executives “for cause ” at the time of the takeover to avoid having to pay them severance To save himself roughl y $ 2 0 0 m i l l i o n , M u s k

informed Walter Isaacson, his b i o g r a p h e r , t h a t h e w o u l d refuse the executives’ severance benefits He vowed to “hunt” the executives “till the d a y t h e y d i e ” i n f r o n t o f I s a a c s o n , a c c o r d i n g t o T h e New York Times

The executives previously sued Musk for legal fees they incurred while responding to investigations into the compan y I n O c t o b e r , a D e l a w a r e j u d g e o r d e r e d M u s k t o p a y t h e m $ 1 1 m i l l i o n t o c o v e r those expenses

Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi

India successfully tests Agni-5 missile with multiple nuclear warheads

Indi a on Mo nday tested its m o s t f o rm i da bl e A gn i - 5 b al li s ti c m i s s il e wi th a multip le-warh ead cap ability for the first time o ver th e Bay of Bengal, in a major b o o s t f o r th e c o u n tr y ’ s credible strategic deterrence especially against Ch ina T h e f l i g h t - t e s t o f t h e Agni-5 missile, which has a strike range of over 5,000k m , w i t h M I R V ( m u l t i p l e independently targetable ree n t r y v e h i c l e ) t e c h n o l o g y u n d e r ₹ M i s s i o n D i v y a s t r a ’ w a s a n n o u n c e d b y P M

Narendra Modi on X “Proud o f o u r D R D O s c i e n t i s t s ’ Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously d e v e l o p e d A g n i - 5 m i s s i l e with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle Technology,” he posted

A n M I R V p a y l o a d b a s i c a l l y m e a n s a s i n g l e m i s s i l e c a r r y i n g s e v e r a l n u c l e a r w a r h e a d s , e a c h programmed to be released a t d i f f e r e n t s p e e d s w i t h different trajectories to hit different targets that can be h u n d r e d s o f k i l o m e t e r s

apart All the Agni series of missiles inducted by the tris e r v i c e S t r a t e g i c F o r c e s C o m m a n d ( S F C ) t i l l n o w carry only a single warhead DRDO has been working for several years for MIRVs and “manoeuvring warheads or intelligent re-entry vehicles” f o r t h e A g n i m i s s i l e s t o defeat enemy ballistic missile defence systems and ensure effective retaliation to a firststrike by an adversary MIRV m i s s i l e s , i n c i d e n t a l l y , c a n also have decoys in addition to actual warheads to fool enemy defence systems T h e f l i g h t - t e s t o f t h e three-stage Agni-5 with the m u l t i p l e r e - e n t r y v e h i c l e s , conducted from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the O d i s h a c o a s t o n M o n d a y , was tracked and monitored

b y v a r i o u s t e l e m e t r y a n d

radar stations “The mission accomplished the designed p a r a m e t e r s , ” t h e D R D O said

T h e r e w a s n o o f f i c i a l w o r d o n h o w m a n y w a r h e a d s w e r e c a r r i e d b y

t h e m i s s i l e f o r t h e t e s t

Sources, however, said the Agni-5 was tested with three w a r h e a d s w i t h a r a n g e reduced to around 3,500-km s i n c e i t w a s t h e m a i d e n MIRV flight “This system is e q u i p p e d w i t h i n d i g e n o u s avionics systems and high a c c u r a c y s e n s o r p a c k a g e s , which ensured the re-entry vehicles reached the target p o i n t s w i t h i n t h e d e s i r e d accuracy The capability is a n e n u n c i a t o r o f I n d i a ’ s g r o w i n g p r o w e s s , ” s a i d a source

Cong first list confirms Rahul will contest from Wayanad

R ah u l Ga nd h i l ed th e fi rs t li st o f C o ng res s cand i d ates fo r L o k S abh a electio ns, as the party d eclared that it is g oing into th e parliamentary contest to seriou sly dent th e BJP and is willing to g o out of its way to court allies wh ile u rging the latter to reciprocate

Rahul will contest from his present constituency of Wayanad in Kerala

The list of 39 candidates includes six in Chhattisgarh, seven from Karnataka, 16 from Kerala, four from Telangana

Congress did not answer queries if Rahul Gandhi will contest from his old seat of Amethi too AICC office-bearers

K C V e n u g o p a l a n d A j a y M a k e n released the list at a press conference, specifying that of the 39 candidates, 15 belong to the general category while 24 are from SC/ST/OBC and minorities

While 12 candidates are below 50 years, eight are between 50-60 years and 12 are between 60-70 years

The party declared that it is time to r e m o v e t h e “ f a s c i s t g o v e r n m e n t ”

Venugopal said Congress’ guarantees announced by president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi“ yuva nyay ” focusing on “promised first job” to all youth through right to apprenticeship and filling of 30,00,000 government vacancies, “hissedari nyay ” promising inclusive development through caste census, “kisan nyay ” through law on MSP – will be the key planks in the elections

Given its dim show in the Hindi belt in the recent assembly polls swept by the BJP, Congress has decided to pitchfork its senior leaders into the parliamentary battle to shore up its prospects in what will be a challenging e l e c t i o n F o r m e r C h h a t t i s g a r h C M Bhupesh Baghel, who was voted out of power weeks ago, will contest from Rajnandgaon while his senior minister Tamradhwaj Sahu (74) has been fielded from Mahasamund Also, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, who is a Rajya Sabha MP, will contest the LS polls again after a break in 2019, from his old constituency of Alappuzha in Kerala These are indications that veterans may also be asked to contest in other states like Rajasthan, MP, Maharashtra In Karnataka, Geetha Sivarajkumar, d a u g h t e r o f l a t e K a r n a t a k a C M S Bangarappa, daughter-in-law of late t h e s p i a n R a j k u m a r a n d w i f e o f K a n n a d a s t a r S h i v a r a j k u m a r , w i l l

Czech Republic’s Krystyna Pyszkova crowned Miss World 2024

K rystyna Pyszkova from t h e C z ec h R ep u b li c clinch ed the p restigio us M iss World 2024 title at a g rand event in Mu mbai S he is th e seco nd M iss W orl d fro m th e C z ech

Republic after the 20 06 w in ner T ata na

K ucharova

The 71st Miss World p a g e a n t , f e a t u r i n g c o n t e s t a n t s f r o m 1 1 2 countries, took place at t h e J i o W o r l d

Convention Centre in Mumbai Reigning

Miss World Karolina Bielawska of Poland passed on her crown to the new winner

Miss Lebanon Yasmina Zaytoun secured the first runner-up position, while Aché Abrahams from Trinidad and Tobago a n d L e s e g o C h o m b o f r o m B o t s w a n a were among the top four finalists This

event marked Mumbai's debut as the host city for the Miss World pageant, with Bengaluru hosting it 28 years prior T h e d a z z l i n g f i n a l e this year was co-hosted b y M i s s W o r l d 2 0 1 3 M e g a n Y o u n g a n d

filmmaker Karan Johar Singers Neha Kakkar and Tony Kakkar delivered an o r i g i n a l p e r f o r m a n c e , w h i l e S h a a n s e r e n a d e d the audience Neha and T o n y s h o w c a s e d t h e i r h i t s o n g s l i k e " K a a l a C h a s h m a h " a n d " D h e e m e Dheeme," while Shaan dedicated "Tu Aaj K i N a a r i H a i " t o a l l M i s s W o r l d p a r t i c i

t y , representing India, reached the top 8, she narrowly missed securing a spot in the final 4

PM Modi opens world's longest twin-lane tunnel in Arunachal

PM Narendr a Modi inaugurat ed the strat egical ly crucia l Sela tunne l, the world's longest twin-lan e pa ssageway near t he C hi n a b o r d e r , si t ua t e d a t a n e l e v a t i on o f 1 3 , 7 00 fe e t

Arunachal Pr adesh This move reaffir ms his commitment to bol ste ring in fra str ucture in the border re gions

Stating that inaugurating this all-weather tunnel less than five years after he laid the foundation for it is what ‘Modi ki guarantee’ means, the PM said he doesn’t work keeping the number of Lok Sabha seats in mind unlike Congress

contest from Shimoga, the stronghold o f Y e d d y u r a p p a f a m i l y o f t h e B J P Geetha’s brother Madhu is a senior m i n i s t e r i n t h e S i d d a r a m a i a h government D K Suresh, brother of deputy CM D K Shivakumar and the lone Congress winner in 2019, has been fielded again from Bengaluru rural Former MP Hamdullah Sayeed, son of l a t e C o n g r e s s l e a d e r a n d U n i o n minister P M Sayeed, will try his luck once more from Lakshadweep, after losing in the last elections C o n g r e s s a n n o u n c e d c a n d i d a t e s for the 16 seats that it will contest out of 20 as part of the UDF bloc in Kerala L ist for A ssam , MP, Gujarat and Rajasthan

The Congress on Tuesday released its second list of 43 candidates for R a j a s t h a n , G u j a r a t , U t t a r a k h a n d , Madhya Pradesh, and Assam

Gaurav Gogoi, son of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, will be contesting from Jorhat

Nakul Nath, son of Kamal Nath, will contest from Madhya Pradesh s Chhindwara Vaibhav Gehlot, son of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, has been fielded from Jalore, Rajasthan Sachin Pilot's name did not f e a t u r e i n t h e s e c o n d l i s t a s w a s reported earlier Rahul Kaswan, who was denied a ticket by the BJP, has been f i e l d e d b y C o n g r e s s f r o m C h u r u , Rajasthan

P M M o d i e m p h a s i s e d h i s g o v e r n m e n t ' s f o c u s o n constructing roads leading to the Line of Actual Control while criticising Congress governments for neglecting this task He stated, "Their priorities were wrong Otherwise, strategic infrastructure crucial for the security and development of border areas like the Sela tunnel would have been built earlier " Modi's remarks seemed directed not only at Congress but also at China, which has criticised India's efforts to build roads in the border areas and deemed the deployment of troops as "counterproductive "

“You know very well what Congress and Indi-alliance are doing amidst these efforts of the BJP government In the past, when they should have built modern infrastructure on our borders, Congress govts were busy running scams Congress was playing with the security of the country by keeping our border and our border villages underdeveloped Keeping its own Army weak and its own people deprived of facilities and prosperity is the way Congress works,” said Modi

Rahul pays tributes to Sardar Patel at Bardoli

During the fina l phase of his 'Bhar at Jodo Ny ay Yat ra ' in Guja rat , Con gre ss lea der Rahul Ga ndhi v isite d th e Swar aj Ashra m in Sur at and paid h om age to Sa rda r Valla bhbhai

Pat el Followin g a four -d ay jour ne y a cr oss se ven distr ict s of Guja rat , t he y atr a conclud ed in the stat e Senior le ade r Jair am R a me sh a n no un ce d t ha t t he y a tr a w ould r e sum e fr om Ma hara sht ra 's Na ndurbar d ist rict afte r a one -day pa use Gandhi visited the Swaraj Ashram at Bardoli in Surat district and offered tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel “For a few minutes, he went to the Swaraj Nivas which was set up by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1922 It was a moment of inspiration for the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra amid injustice being meted out to farmers from different states gathered at DelhiHaryana border,” Ramesh said Gandhi later left for New Delhi from Vyara in Tapi district after completing the Gujarat leg of the yatra, a mass outreach programme ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, covering more than 400 km in four days across seven districts of the state

Delhi man gets new hands after 12-hour transplant surgery

In a g round breaking medical achiev em ent, a painter from Delhi, who tragically lost bo th hands in a train accid ent back in 20 20 , has recently und erg one a h istoric bilateral hand transplant su rgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Led by th e ski lled expertise of Dr Mah esh Mangal and Dr Nikhil Jhunjhunwala, th is 1 2hour op eration m arked a sig nificant m ilestone as th e first of its kind in the national capital This extraordinary feat was made possible through the generosity of Meena Mehta’s family, the donor Meena, formerly the administrative head of a prestigious South Delhi school, had selflessly pledged to donate her organs prior to her tragic passing She suffered from a brain h a e m o r r h a g e H e r g e n e r o u s d o n a t i o n s a v e d three more lives

According to a report, Dr Jhanjhunwala said, “After the surgery, there is a lot of improvement in the hands of the man It is also possible to use the elbow It also includes other improvements Blood circulation is happening properly in the hand ” Reportedly, due to the accident, the

man ’ s hand were amputated just above the thumb on one hand and slightly below the t h u m b o n t h e o t h e r D u r i n g t h e v i c t i m ’ s treatment at the hospital, surgical procedures were performed to address these injuries “We performed surgery and joined both the hands from below the closed area, ” he added Dr Jhunjhunwala further stated, “The arms found were extended above the elbow of the donor and attached to the youth Hand knots, arteries and stones were connected one by one The surgery was successful and now the patient is being discharged from the hospital ”

According to a report, the 45-year-old man lost both his arms in a harrowing train accident in October 2020 Following the incident, he underwent treatment at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where he was fitted with artificial arms However, regaining full functionality remained a significant challenge for him Meanwhile, in a tragic turn of events, in 2021, Meena Mehta was declared brain dead Her family chose to honour her wish for organ donation

Rahul Gandhi

I have come to win hearts, PM Modi tells Kashmiris

D u ri n g h is f ir st v i si t to K ashm ir since the abrogation of A rticle 370 in 2019, P M Narendra M odi strongly ju stified the decision, stating it h as spurred developm en t and i m p ro v ed li v es S eeking to strike an em otional connection, he said, " I h av e come to w in hearts " A d d ress ing a g atheri ng at S r in ag a r's B aks h i s tad iu m after inaug urating p roj ects w orth over £ 600 m illion, he e m p h as i s ed h i s on g o i ng efforts to win the hearts of K a sh m ir i s T h i s o u t rea ch c o i nc id ed w i th a s tau n ch d efence of the d ecision to rev oke special status, wh ich h a s f ac ed c ri ti c i sm f ro m V alley p arties A s s e r t i n g t h a t A r t i c l e 370 favoured a select group of politicians and their families, he said, “Kashmir has

suffered the consequences o f d y n a s t i c p o l i t i c s s i n c e Independence The truth is n o w e v i d e n t , a n d p e o p l e c a n n o t b e d e c e i v e d a n y longer A new promising era l i e s a h e a d f o r K a s h m i r , marked by equal opportunities, dignity, and rights for a l l U n l i k e t h e p a s t , t h e locals now reap the benefits of various laws and pro-poor s c h e m e s i n i t i a t e d b y t h e Centre concurrently ”

Criticising dynastic poli-

t i c s t h a t “ p l a g u e d t h e region” -an oblique reference to PDP and National Conference, the two main parties rooted in J&K -he c a l l e d n e u t r a l i s a t i o n o f A r t i c l e 3 7 0 a “ p r o - p o o r , pro-development and prowomen ” initiative that has given “azadi (freedom)” to the people of the Valley “Congress misguided the nation about Article 370, but w h o d i d i t b e n e f i t , " h e asked

He declared that J&K is now "breathing freely" after the abrogation of Article 370 a n d v o w e d t o e x p e d i t e progress over the next five y e a r s A d d r e s s i n g a l a r g e crowd at the stadium, he affirmed, Modi will spare no effort to repay this debt of affection This is Modi's guarantee "

India signs $100 bn trade deal with four European countries

Wi th the UK sti ll s truggling to i ron out the detai ls of a post- Bre xit f ree t r a de a g r ee m en t w i t h I n di a , Ne w De lhi has i nste ad cli nched a landm a r k d e a l w i t h f o u r E u r o pe a n n ation s that it cla ims will res ult i n $ 100bn (£78b n) of inv estment in the country

T h e a g r e e m e n t w a s s i g n e d between India and the European Free Trade Association (Efta) bloc of nonEU nations – Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein – after 16 years of negotiations The EU is also engaged in a race to reach its own trade deal with India

after some 14 rounds of talks

Under the deal, the four European countries will invest $100 bn in India over the next 15 years and create over million jobs In return, India will lift or partially remove what are currently very high customs duties on industrial goods from the four countries

The deal was unveiled by the Modi administration with just days to go before the expected start of the general election Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the conclusion of what he called “ one of the most pioneering free trade agreements ever ” was a “watershed moment”

“This landmark pact underlines our c o m m i t m e n t t o b o o s t i n g e c o n o m i c progress and creating opportunities for our youth,” he said “The times ahead will bring more prosperity and mutual growth as we strengthen our bonds with Efta nations ”

It means India has now signed three trade deals in the past two years, with Australia, the UAE and now the Efta bloc, while negotiations for a UK-India free trade agreement that would double trade to £86 billion are frozen in the final stages

First-ever National Creators Awards conferred in Delhi

P ri m e M i ni s ter N are nd r a Mo di conferred the inaugura l Nat io n al C rea to rs A ward at Bharat Mand apam in New Delhi This award re co g ni s es ex c ell en ce an d imp act in field s like storytelling, environm ental sustainab ility, ed u catio n, and gaming, harnessing creativity for p ositiv e chang e The award comprises 20 c a t e g o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g B e s t Storyteller, Disruptor of the

Year, Celebrity Creator of the Year, Green Champion, B e s t C r e a t o r f o r S o c i a l C h a n g e , M o s t I m p a c t f u l A g r i C r e a t o r , C u l t u r a l

Ambassador of the Year, and International Creator Playback singer Maithili Thakur, trained in Indian classical and folk music, was crowned the winner of the ' C u l t u r a l A m b a s s a d o r o f T h e Y e a r ' a w a r d T h e a w a r d s r e c e i v e d o v e r

150,000 nominations across 20 categories, with nearly 1 million votes cast for digital c r e a t o r s i n d i v e r s e f i e l d s N o t a b l e w i n n e r s i n c l u d e Nishchay for Best Creator in Gaming, Ankit Baiyanpuria for Best Health and Fitness Creator, Naman Deshmukh f o r B e s t C r e a t o r i n E d u c a t i o n , K a b i t a S i n g h (from Kabita's Kitchen) for Best Creator in Food, among others

Indian Navy rescues 21 crew after Houthi targets vessel in Gulf of Aden

Setting another ex ample of f e a r le s s n es s , th e I n d i a n N avy res cued 2 1 c re w m emb ers, i nc ludin g an I ndi an nati onal, after their c argo v es s e l w as a tt ac k ed b y a mi ssi le by Yemen's Houthi rebels i n the Gulf of Aden The G ulf of Aden is a deep w at e r gu lf of th e I n d ia n O cean b etween Yemen to the north, the Arabia n Sea to the eas t, Djib outi to the w e s t , a n d t h e G ua r d af u i C h a n n e l, S oc o t ra a n d Somalia to the south

In a social media post, the Indian Navy said that I N S K o l k a t a r e s c u e d t h e crew using "integral helicopter and boats" It added t h a t t h e n a v y p e r s o n n e l involved in the operation

Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal said the deal with the European bloc marked the “first time in the history of the world that we are inking an agreement with a binding commitment” for investment He claimed that it shows “investor confidence in India is at an all-time high”

The pact covers some new elements, s u c h a s i n t e l l e c t u a l r i g h t s a n d g e n d e r equality, Goyal added: “It is a modern trade agreement: fair, equitable, and win-win for all five countries ”

The agreement will provide advantages to the pharmaceutical and medical devices sector within the bloc Indian exporters will enjoy expanded access for their rice a n d o t h e r g o o d s t o E u r o p e a n n a t i o n s , while high-end Swiss watches will gradually become more affordable in India

Swiss machinery manufacturers, producers of luxury goods, and transport sectors are anticipated to gain, according to the Swiss government India has extended an invitation to Swiss transport companies to invest in its railways

The agreement gives Efta nations the chance to export processed food and beverages, electrical machinery, and various engineering products to a potential market of 1 4 billion people at reduced tariffs

PM Modi opens India's first underwater Metro; rides with kids

P rime M inister Narendra M odi threw open India's first und erwater M etro link, connecting K olkata and its twin city Ho wrah Later h e undertook an u nd er-riv er ride with a g rou p of lu cky schoolkids, but the average K olkata citizen would have to wait a little m o re to av ai l th i s fa ci li t y, s ai d M et ro sou rces

The new lines (the PM inaugurated two other Metro lines apart from the under-river section) would be thrown open to all in seven to 10 days, said sources Trains in the newly opened Esplanade-Howrah stretch

will run at an interval of 12 minutes or less during rush hours The East-West Metro, of which 2 5 km is still incomplete, will be fully operational by Oct-end, they added

About 103 years ago, in 1921, a British e n g i n e e r o f I n d i a n o r i g i n , S i r H a r l e y Dalrymple-Hay, had dreamt of connecting the vibrant east (Kolkata) with the bustling west (Howrah) PM Modi made this a reality by taking the under-river ride from EastW e s t l i n e ’ s 3 0 m - d e e p E s p l a n a d e s t a t i o n (India’s second-deepest Metro station) with 100-odd schoolchildren

a l s o p r o v i d e d t h e m wi t h critical medical aid

According to the statem e n t r e l e a s e d b y t h e I n d i a n N a v y ' s s p o k e s p e rson, the vessel which was t a r g e t e d w a s B a r b a d o sf l a g g e d L i b e r i a n - o w n e d b u l k c a r r i e r T r u e

Confidence Taking to X, t h e I n d i a n N a v y w r o t e , " I n d i a n N a v y ' s s w i f t r e s p o n s e t o M a r i t i m e I n c i d e n t i n t h e G u l f o f A d e n B a r b a d o s F l a g g e d B u l k C a r r i e r M V

#TrueConfidence reported on fire after a drone/missile hit on March 6 resulting in critical injuries to c r e w , f o r c i n g t h e m t o abandon the ship "

Earlier on March 4, the

I n d i a n N a v y s w i f t l y responded to a drone strike on a Liberian-flagged commercial vessel in the Gulf o f A d e n A c c o r d i n g t o reports, the vessel, transiting about 90 nautical miles southeast of Aden, reported a fire resulting from a d r o n e o r m i s s i l e a t t a c k T h e I n d i a n N a v y ' s I N S Kolkata, engaged in maritime security operations in t h e r e g i o n , p r o m p t l y arrived at the scene of the incident

INS Kolkata, mission deployed in the region for m a r i t i m e s e c u r i t y o p e r ations, promptly responded and arrived at the scene of t h e i n c i d e n t , " t h e N a v y statement read

NIA releases new photos of Bengaluru Cafe blast suspect

N E W D E L H I : T h e Nat i o nal I n v es ti g a ti o n A g e nc y ( N IA ) h as released new photograph s of the su spect linked to the Beng aluru Ram es hw aram C afe blast wh ic h left 1 0 peo ple injured The antiterro r agency, which took ov er the case on M arch 3, has sought the p ublic's assi stance in i dentifying the suspect who is believed to have p lanted an Imp rov ised Explosive D ev i ce ( I E D) i n t h e p o p u lar Beng aluru eatery on M arch 1 C C T V f o o t a g e c a p t u r e d t h e p r i m e s u s p e c t b o a r d i n g a b u s approximately an hour after the b l a s t o c c u r r e d a t t h e c a f e T h e timestamp on the video reads 2:03 pm on March 1, with the blast t a k i n g p l a c e a t 1 2 : 5 6 p m T h e suspect, wearing a T-shirt, cap, and facemask, was seen leaving behind a bag containing the IED in the cafe In another footage from the s a m e d a y a t a r o u n d 9 p m , t h e

PUNJAB

suspect is observed roaming inside a bus station The NIA has urged citizens to come forward with any information that may lead to the identification and apprehension of the suspect, offering a reward of Rs 1 0 , 0 0 , 0 0 0 f o r v a l u a b l e information

C afe reopens

Meanwhile, the Rameshwaram

C a f e r e s u m e d o p e r a t i o n s w i t h enhanced security measures Metal detectors have been installed at the e n t r a n c e , a n d c u s t o m e r s a r e s u b j e c t e d t o s c r e e n i n g u s i n g handheld detectors to ensure the safety of patrons and staff R a g h a v e n d r a R a o , t h e c of o u n d e r a n d C E O o f T h e R a m e s h w a r a m C a f e , s a i d , " W e h a v e s t r e n g t h e n e d o u r s e c u r i t y team and are also trying to set up a s e p a r a t e p a

Cong seals pact with DMK for 10 LS seats in TN, Puducherry

CH EN NA I: After sever al da ys of hectic parl eys, Congre ss sign ed a pact wit h DMK t o cont est n ine seat s in Tamil Nadu a nd t he l one Puduche rry seat for Lok Sab ha poll s

Racing ahead of its rivals, AIADMK and BJP, DMK sealed seatsharing deals with allies Congress, VCK (2), CPI (2), CPM (2), and MDMK, IUML and KMDK (one each), sticking to its 2019 winning formula The DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu had won 38 of the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu in the 2019 polls In all, DMK will field candidates in 21 seats, as it did in 2019 DMK’s leadership managed to convince Congress high command to retain the same number of seats it contested in 2019 The pact was signed in the presence of Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin and AICC general secretaries K C Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik, and Tamil Nadu incharge Ajoy Kumar at DMK headquarters “We will win with a huge margin in all 40 seats,” TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai told reporters, waving the copy of the agreement signed with DMK Kamal Ha asan gets RS seat for next ye ar

The deadlock in talks between DMK and Makkal Needhi M a i a m e n d e d w i t h a c t o r - t u r n e d p o l i t i c i a n K a m a l H a a s a n climbing down and accepting a Rajya Sabha seat for next year MNM had submitted a wish list of three LS seats and one RS seat Haasan visited DMK headquarters and signed a pact with DMK chief and Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, in the presence of senior politicians “I am not going to contest But this alliance will have our full support Since it is not for a position but for the country, I have shaken hands where I should shake hands,” Haasan told media persons later

AAP launches LS poll drive in Punjab, Mann to be frontman

C H A N D I G A R H : Pun j a b C h i ef M i ni s t e r B hag wan t M an n an d A am Aa dmi Part y national convener Arvind Kejriwal made a pitch for all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab as they launched the party campaign for the c oming Lok Sabha poll

This is for the first time that Mann has been given precedence over Kejriwal in the A A P p o l l c a m p a i g n P o s t e r s , t h o u g h c a r r y i n g p i c t u r e s o f b o t h M a n n a n d Kejriwal, bear a slogan highlighting the l e a d e r s h i p o f M a n n“ S a n s a d c h v i B h a g w a n t M a n n , k h u s h a a l P u n j a b t e vadhegi shaan” Mann was elated at being given the opportunity to lead the party c a m p a i g n “ W e w i l l e n s u r e t h e p a r t y ’ s victory on all 13 seats,” he said

While the poll campaign was launched in Punjab, the party has not yet announced

WEST BENGAL

its candidates

They are expected to be named anytime now The candidates will be announced after the model code of conduct comes into force, said a top source in the party, requesting anonymity “My aim and duty is to win the match The players will be

Mamata's TMC to fight all 42 seats in Bengal

KOL K A T A : M am ata Banerjee’s T rinam ool Congress anno unced cand idates for all 4 2 L ok Sabh a s ea ts in Ben g al , g et ti ng I P L franchise KK R’s retired star allrounder Yusuf Pathan to pad up for h is political d ebut alongsid e 25 other fresh faces, dropping fiv e sitting M Ps from the team , and settling the veteran versusnew debate by retaining sev eral o ld w arhorses

Expelled Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra features among the 16 from TMC’s winning 2019 l i n e - u p t o b e r e n o m i n a t e d P a t h a n , w h o p l a y e d s e v e n seasons for KKR and was part of t h e 2 0 0 7 T 2 0 a n d 2 0 1 1 O D I World Cup-winning teams, will c o n t e s t t h e B e h r a m p o r e s e a t a g a i n s t a p o s s i b l y f o r m i d a b l e o p p o n e n t i n s t a t e C o n g r e s s chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury TMC blames the latter for I N D I A b l o c f a l l i n g a p a r t i n B e n g a l B e s i d e s P a t h a n , 1 9 8 3

ODI World Cup winner Kirti Azad figures in Mamata’s pick of new faces The former threetime BJP MP has been fielded in Burdwan-Durgapur A c t o r s M i m i C h a k r a b o r t y and Nussrat Jahan are among the five who didn’t make the cut

– the former had announced weeks ago that she was done with politics – but TMC ‘talent s p o t t e r s ’ h a v e m a d e s u r e i t w o n ’ t m i s s t h e f l a v o u r o f

showbiz in its politics Rachana Banerjee, producer of the TV s h o w ‘ D i d i N o 1 ’ , i n w h i c h

Mamata appeared a few days a g o , i s t h e c a n d i d a t e f o r

Hooghly Actor and TMC state youth wing president Saayoni G h o s h r e p l a c e s M i m i i n

Jadavpur, Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who won the Asansol LS bypoll in 2022, is among those on the list TMC’s social media u n i t ’ s s t a t e i n - c h a r g e

Debangshu Bhattacharya is seen as a surprise pick for Tamluk, w h e r e B J P i s l i k e l y t o f i e l d f o r m e r H C j u d g e A b h i j i t G a n g o p a d h y a y R e t i r e d I P S

Shahjahan’s

in brief

HC DISMISSES PLEA TO UNSEAT 2 DMK MINISTERS AND AN MP

Madras high court has declined to issue a writ of ‘quo warranto’ on petitions filed by members of a pro-Hindu outfit against DMK ministers Udhayanidhi Stalin and P K Sekar Babu and Member of Parliament A Raja questioning their right to hold office after they made comments allegedly against Sanatana Dharma The quo warranto petitions questioned under what authority they were holding their official posts Justice Anita Sumanth disposed of the petitions filed by two Hindu Munnani functionaries and another person which questioned authority of the three DMK functionaries holding official posts when they had participated in an antiSanatan Dharma meeting and allegedly delivered speeches against it

SC QUASHES ED SUMMONS TO KARNATAKA DEPUTY CM

decided by Kejriwal,” said Mann

As the party sounded its poll bugle in the state, the two leaders made a scathing attack on the BJP a n d t h e S h i r o m a n i A k a l i D a l though they did not name the p a r t i e s a n d m a d e i n d i r e c t references to these

The Congress, which is a part of the INDIA bloc along with AAP, was spared Both leaders accused the Centre of not releasing funds to the state, withholding a sum of £800 million, “which could be used for making schools of eminence and creating public health infrastructure” They also hit out at the Centre for using the office of G o v e r n o r t o c r e a t e r o a d b l o c k s i n t h e i r governance initiatives

and could not enter his house,

women He said Shahjahan, with 42 FIRs against him, was not arrested and continued to be patronised by the local police and political party CBI ge ts custod y of Sha hjaha n Meanwhile, the tug-of-war

Shahjahan who was arrested by the state CID in connection with Sandeshkhali violence The CID finally hand him over to CBI, a

deadline set by Calcutta high

additional solicitor general

the

team, which was attacked by

mob mobilised by Shahjahan

headquarters at Kolkata’s Nizam

capping a jurisdictional and legal battle that saw all three agencies involved - including CID and ED - approach the courts

Supreme Court quashed the Enforcement Directorate s summons under PMLA to Karnataka deputy chief minister D K Shivakumar, which were issued shortly after an Income Tax raid in 2017 allegedly led to the seizure of £700,000 unaccounted cash from the Congress leader and his aide’s premises The summons under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) were issued by the ED taking conspiracy punishable under Section 120B (conspiracy to commit an offence), to be a standalone predicate offence Shivkumar’s discharge plea was rejected by a Bengaluru special court and the Karnataka HC The Congress leader had moved the SC and pleaded that in absence of any conspiracy for commission of any ‘scheduled offence’ no ‘proceeds of crime’ as defined in Section 2(u) of PMLA can be said to exist Consequently Section 3 of PMLA cannot apply he had said

TWO CHANDIGARH COUNCILLORS RETURN TO AAP

Within weeks of switching to BJP, two Chandigarh municipal councillors rejoined Aam Aadmi Party The development came days after Congress-AAP alliance lost elections to the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Poonam Kumari and Neha Musabat returned to AAP fold a party statement said Both leaders rejoined AAP in the presence of AAP s co-incharge Sunny Ahluwalia Kumari Musabat and another councillor had joined BJP on Feb19, a day before Supreme Court was scheduled to hear a plea alleging irregularities in the mayoral polls Now, that Kumari and Musabat have returned to the AAP, the party s strength in the 35-member house of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation reaches 12 while BJP’s tally is down to 15 Congress has seven councillors while the Akali Dal has one

MAMATA BANERJEE DARES EX-JUDGE WHO JOINED BJP

Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay who joined the BJP has come under a ballistic attack by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Banerjee described the former judge as a BJP babu who was sitting on the bench" and said that if he contests the upcoming Lok Sabha election, she will ensure he loses "A BJP babu was sitting on the bench and now he has joined BJP How can you expect justice from them? The mask is off " she said Gangopadhyay had made headlines as a judge of Calcutta High Court when he issued several orders to central agencies to investigate allegations of irregularities in the Mamata Banerjee government s recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff He joined the BJP, days after resigning as a judge

Mamata Banerjee

Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal

PM Modi unveils £10.6 bn development projects in Ahmedabad

P r i m e M i n i st e r N a r e n d r a M od i d edicat ed to th e n ation an d laid t he found ation ston e of v arious deve lopm ent al pr ojects worth ov er £10 6 bn at Ded ica ted Fre ight Cor ridor’s O pe r a t i o n C o n t r o l C e n t r e i n A hmeda ba d

He also flagged off ten new V a n d e B h a r a t t r a i n s b e t w e e n A h m e d a b a d - M u m b a i C e n t r a l , S e c u n d e r a b a d - V i s a k h a p a t n a m , M y s u r u - D r M G R C e n t r a l (Chennai), Patna- Lucknow, New J a l p a i g u r i - P a t n a , P u r iV i s a k h a p a t n a m , L u c k n o wD e h r a d u n , K a l a b u r a g i – S i r M

Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru, Ranchi-Varanasi, Khajuraho- Delhi (Nizamuddin) The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for Ekta Malls in two states - Gujarat and Maharashtra - worth around £40 million

H e a l s o i n a u g u r a t e d s e v e r a l other key projects, including newly e l e c t r i f i e d s e c t i o n s , t r a c k d o ub l i n g / m u l t i - t r a c k i n g , a n d t h e development of railway infrastructure like goods sheds, workshops, and loco sheds

He inaugurated India's firstever automobile in-plant railway

siding at Maruti Suzuki's Gujarat facility through a virtual confere n c e T h i s i n i t i a t i v e a i m s t o enhance logistics, reduce carbon emissions, and alleviate road congestion by leveraging railway transport to diminish fossil fuel consumption and mitigate traffic congestion on roads

BJP's Nayab Singh Saini takes oath as new Haryana CM

BJP's Nayab Sing h Saini, 54, w as swo rn in as th e new C hief Minister of Haryana at a rapidly-assem bled cerem o ny in C h a nd i g a rh o n T uesd ay evening, cap ping a frenetic few hou rs trigg ered b y th e r es i g nat i o n th i s m orning of h is pred ecessor, M ano har L al K hattar, and the entire cabinet Saini, seen as a confid a n t e o f t h e 6 9 - y e a r - o l d Khattar, bent to touch his feet twice, and was hugged i n r e t u r n n a d d i t i o n t o S a i n i , t h e B J P ' s J P D a l a l , M o o l c h a n d S h a r m a , Banwari Lal, and Kanwar Pal Gurjar - all from the old cabinet - took oath as ministers

In an equally significant m o v e , o u t g o i n g H o m e Minister Anil Vij has been dropped The new government will be backed by six i n d e p e n d e n t l a w m a k e r s and, potentially, five from

the JJP of now ex-Deputy C h i e f M i n i s t e r D u s h y a n t C h a u t a l a , w h o a r e s e t t o cross but are not expected to get cabinet berths The BJP h a s 4 1 M L A s i n t h e 9 0m e m b e r H o u s e , i n w h i c h the majority mark is set at 46 A floor test is scheduled for Wednesday

Khattar's stepping down - and that of his ministersfollowed a breakdown of the ruling BJP-JJP alliance over failed seat-sharing talks for t h e L o k S a b h a e l e c t i o n

However, the swapping of a chief minister has also been seen as another chapter in the BJP's well-worn election playbook

In the past, the party has changed out chief ministers, a n d r e s h u f f l e d c a b i n e t s before Assembly elections to ward off the anti-incumbenc y f a c t o r a n d r e j u v e n a t e state units and leaders This was the tactic before polls in G u j a r a t a n d U t t a r a k h a n d , which the party won, and Karnataka, which it lost

Govt notifies CAA rules ahead of Lok Sabha election

Continued From page 1 T h e n o t i f i c a t i o n o f C i t i z e n s h i p (Amendment) Rules, 2024, marks the fulfilment of an important promise in BJP's 2019 m a n i f e s t o a n d w i l l m a k e n a t i o n a l s o f P a k i s t a n , A f g h a n i s t a n a n d B a n g l a d e s h belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, P a r s i a n d C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t i e s , w h o migrated to India before Dec 31, 2014 to e s c a p e r e l i g i o u s p e r s e c u t i o n , e l i g i b l e t o apply for Indian citizenship For citizenship by naturalisation, the aggregate period of residence was cut under CAA to “not less than five years ” from “not less than 11 years ”

Soon after CAA was enacted in Dec 2019, violent protests had broken out in many parts of India, with many terming it a law meant to disenfranchise and deport Muslims lacking valid citizenship papers

Govt has repeatedly said CAA will not take away citizenship of any Indian, irrespective of his or her religion “This Act is only for those who have suffered persecution for years and have no other shelter in the world except India,” a senior home ministry official said “It will remove legal barriers to rehabilitation and grant of citizenship to eligible refugees from the three neighbouring countries, giving them a chance to lead dignified lives after decades of suffering Citizenship rights will protect their cultural, linguistic and social identity; give them economic rights, including for purchase of property;

and enable their free movement,” the official added Opposition parties criticised govt's decision, which had been anticipated for at least a couple of months now, for its timing, coming as it does days ahead of the impending announcement of Lok Sabha poll schedule BJP celebrated it as a proof of its commitment to “walk the talk”, with party circles flagging it as another instance of the saffron outfit standing by “persecuted” Hindus and others However, PM Modi did not react to the development

PIO card validity extended up to Dec 31, 2024

Indian Immigration will accept all PIO cards, alongwith a valid foreign passport, as a valid travel document till December 31, 2024, instead of the earlier deadline of December 31, 2023 This extension of timeline is subject to the condition that if in the meantime, any deadline is notified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) thereby making handwritten PIO cards invalid, then PIO cardholders may have to obtain appropriate visa from Indian Missions/Posts All PIO cardholders with valid PIO cards as on January 9, 2015 are, meanwhile, advised to convert their PIO card to OCI card at the earliest

Launches Ga ndhi Ashr am Me morial maste r pla n

During his visit to Sabarmati Ashram, he inaugurated the redev e l o p e d K o c h r a b A s h r a m a n d l a u n c h e d t h e M a s t e r p l a n o f

Gandhi Ashram Memorial He paid f l o r a l t r i b u t e s t o M a h a t m a

Gandhi's statue and visited Hriday Kunj P M M o d i s a i d t h a t t h e

Sabarmati Ashram has always been a vibrant centre of incomparable energy and we feel the inspiration of Bapu in ourselves “Sabarmati Ashram has kept alive Bapu’s values of truth and non-violence, rashtra seva and seeing God s service in the service of the deprived”, he added T h e P r i m e M i n i s t e r r e c o u n t e d

Gandhi Ji’s time in the Kochrab A s h r a m w h e r e G a n d h i j i s t a y e d b e f o r e s h i f t i n g t o S a b a r m a t i

Redeveloped Kocharab Ashram was dedicated to the nation today The P r i m e M i n i s t e r p a i d t r i b u t e s

Mahatma Gandhi and congratulated the citizens for the significant and inspirational projects of today

The masterplan entails constructing new buildings to accommodate administration facilities, visitor amenities such as an orientation centre, interactive workshops for activities like charkha spinning, handmade paper, cotton weaving, and leatherwork, along with public utilities These buildings will host interactive exhibits and activities highlighting various facets of Gandhiji s life and the Ashram s legacy Additionally, the plan includes establishing a library and archives building to preserve, protect, and promote Gandhiji's ideas

Social worker, philanthropist Sudha Murty nominated to RS

Philant hropist, eng inee r a nd auth or Sudha Mur ty wa s nomina te d to Rajy a Sa bha la st we ek, filling the lone v acant se at und er the n om in at ed cat egory in the Upper House The s e a t ha d be e n v a c a n t fo r m o r e t ha n 2 1 mon ths

The nomination of Murty, wife of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy and form e r c h a i r p e r s o n o f I n f o s y s F o u n d a t i o n , came on International Women’s Day with PM Narendra Modi announcing that her presence in Rajya Sabha would be a “ powerful testament to our ‘Nari Shakti’, exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping our nation’s destiny”

“I am delighted that the President of India has nominated Sudha Murty ji to Rajya Sabha Sudha ji’s contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy a n d e d u c a t i o n h a v e b e e n i m m e n s e a n d

inspiring,” PM said on X

Twelve members having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art and social service are nominated to Rajya Sabha by the President on the advice of the central govt Seven of the 12 seats fell v a c a n t i n A p r i l - M a y 2 0 2 2 W h i l e t h e President nominated five members - P T Usha (athlete), D V Heggade (social worker), V Vijayendra Prasad (screen writer-director), Ilaiyaraaja (music composer) and Gulam Ali ( e n g i n e e r ) - t h e s a m e y e a r , t w o s e a t s r e m a i n e d v a c a n t P r e s i d e n t D r o u p a d i M u r m u n o m i n a t e d P u n j a b e d u c a t i o n i s t Satnam Singh Sandhu on January 30, leaving one vacancy which was filled with Murty’s nomination Reacting to her nomination, 73year-old Murty, mother-in-law of UK prime minister Rishi Sunak, said she was surprised and happy on the development

BJP clinches seat-share deal with TDP, Jana Sena

T h e B J P h a s f in a l i s e d a s e at - sh a ri n g a greem ent w ith C ha nd ra ba bu Na idu' s Tel ugu Desam Party (TDP) and Paw an Kal yan 's Jana Sena Party (JSP) in An dhra Pradesh This move is expected to bolster the BJP's prospects in the upc oming Lok Sabha an d assembly elections, espec ial ly in a state where the party's in fl uen ce is traditionall y w eak

A l t h o u g h t h e j o i n t s t a t e m e n t m e ntioned that the specifics of seat-sharing would be discussed later, sources indicate that the BJP has accepted Naidu's proposal of allocating 30 assembly seats (out of 175) and eight Lok Sabha seats (out of 25) to its alliance partners With the Jana Sena Party

already allocated 24 assembly and three Lok Sabha seats, the BJP is anticipated to receive six assembly and five Lok Sabha seats Odisha ne ta s summone d to Delhi

Amid buzz in political circles that coalition talk between BJP and BJD could be in final stages, the saffron party’s Odisha leadership was summoned to Delhi by party’s c e n t r a l h i e r a r c h y T a l k s a r e d o i n g t h e rounds that state BJP functionaries may be asked by the top leadership to refrain from m a k i n g m i s l e a d i n g c o m m e n t s o n t h e a l l i a n c e a f t e r p a r t y ’ s O d i s h a c h i e f M a n m o h a n S a m a l s t r o n g l y r u l e d o u t a coalition with BJD upon his return from Delhi

SBI sends electoral bonds data to poll panel day after Supreme Court rap

The State Bank of India on Tues day evening s ubmitted data about electoral bonds to the E lection Commissi on of India, in line with a s tern order from the Supreme Court The data wi ll be collated and released by the poll panel - which has confirmed receipt of the data - as ordered

The bank's Chairman and Managing Director, however, has not yet filed the affidavit confirming compliance with the court order This is ready and will be submitted on Wednesday The Supreme Court on Monday nixed a plea by the SBI to extend the March 6 deadline to release this data A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud came down strongly on the bank for "willful disobedience" of orders, and warned it of contempt proceedings

"While we are not inclined to exercise contempt jurisdiction at this time, we place

S B I o n n o t i c e t h a t t h i s c o u r t m a y b e inclined to proceed against it for willful disobedience if it does not comply with directions by timelines indicated in this order," the court had said

The bank argued it would take considerable time to collect, cross-check and release the data, which was stored in two "silos" to maintain confidentiality of both sides "We need a little more time to comply We were told this is supposed to be a secret," the bank said, and asked for time till June 30 That deadline is well past the completion of the 2024 general election In response the Supreme Court pointed out donor details were available at the SBI's Mumbai branch, and the bank just had to "open covers, collate details and give information" "We had not told you to do the matching exercise We have asked you for a plain disclosure," the Chief Justice rapped SBI

Embracing Vulnerability: Finding Strength in Being Real

Psychologist Mamta Saha

Have you ever found yourself holding back or putting up walls because you're afraid of showing your true self? Vulnerability can be a scary concept, especially in cultures like ours where there's a strong emphasis on maintaining appearances and projecting an image of perfection. Here's t h e t r u t h : e m b r a c i n g v u l n e r a b i l i t y i s n o t a s i g n o f w e a k n e s s b u t a d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f c o u r a g e a n d authenticity

In the Asian community, there's often immense pressure to excel in every aspect of life Whether it's the expectation to excel academically and secure a prestigious career path or the pressure to maintain traditional family values and uphold cultural norms, there's a constant striving for perfection Additionally, there's often shame surrounding mental health issues, leading many individuals to hide their struggles and suffer in silence This cultural emphasis on perfectionism can lead to feelings of failure andanxiety, making it difficult for individuals to embrace vulnerability and show their true selves

However, there are powerful benefits to embracing vulnerability and allowing ourselves to be seen for who we truly are Vulnerability fosters genuine connections and deepens relationships, as it allows others to see us in our raw and authentic state When we let go of the need to appear perfect and allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we create space for empathy, understanding, and compassion

P s y c h o l o g i c a l r e s e a r c h , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e w o r k o f

Dr Brené Brown, has shown that vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and meaningful connections When we embrace vulnerability, we open ourselves up to new experiences, perspectives, and opportunities for growth By acknowledging and accepting our vulnerabilities, we become more resilient in the face of challenges, better equipped to navigate life s ups and downs with grace and authenticity

So, how can we embrace vulnerability in our lives? Here are

6 ways:

1 Be Authentic: Allow yourself to be seen and heard as you truly are, without fear of judgment or rejection

2 Share Your Feelings: Open up to trusted friends or family members about your fears, insecurities, and struggles Vulnerability creates connection and strengthens relationships

3 Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, recognising that vulnerability is a natural and courageous aspect of being human

4 Set Boundaries: Recognise your limits and prioritise your well-being by setting boundaries in your relationships and commitments

5 Seek Support: Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it Seeking support from others is a sign of strength, not weakness

6 Embracing vulnerability is a powerful act of courage that allows us to live authentically and connect more deeply with ourselves and others By letting go of the need to appear perfect and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, we create space for growth, connection, and genuine fulfilment

If you notice an internal block that’s getting in the way of you accessing your vulnerable self and would like to do some work with a trusted professional, in a safe environment, email me to find out more: mamta@mamtasaha com Grab a copy of your free eBook on: www mamtasaha com Here’s wishing you all the luck, Mamta

World Kidney Day: Why does it matter?

Shivani

Sharma

Professor of (Health) Equity and Inclusion, Aston University College of Business and Social Sciences

T h u

think abo ut all thing kidneys M ost p eo p le h av e tw o kid n eys T he y are loc ated j us t below the ri b cag e, on either side o f the spine T hese bean s h ap e d o rg a ns c ar ry o ut i m p o rt ant functions including acting as a filter s ys te m , s u p p o rt in g th e rem o v al o f waste produ cts and excess fluid from th e blo o d , a nd m a ki ng u r in e T h e kidneys also help w ith the release of hormones that regulate blood pressure

Our kidneys really are amazing and i m p o r t a n t t o h e a l t h a n d w e l l b e i n g That’s why World Kidney Day matters It’s a call to action to understand more a b o u t k i d n e y h e a l t h , a n d t o w o r k together to prevent or slow down the impact of kidney disease Ranked as the 8th leading cause of death worldwide, kidney disease affects an estimated 850 million people In the UK, that’s around 7 2 million people, or over 10% of the population

Does your backgr ound affect y our k id ney health?

Not everyone has access to suitable education, support, and intervention in t h e p r e v e n t i o n o r m a n a g e m e n t o f kidney disease For this reason, the 2024 t h e m e f o r W o r l d K i d n e y D a y i s

‘Advancing equitable access to care ’ D a t a f r o m t h e U K s h o w s t h a t people of South Asian heritage are 3 to 5 times more likely to be affected by kidney disease This is often because of t h e h i g h e r o c c u r r e n c e o f r e l a t e d conditions that impact kidney health i n c l u d i n g d i a b e t e s a n d h i g h b l o o d pressure I n e s s e n c e , p e o p l e a n d t h e i r background matters for kidney health i n c l u d i n g h o w i n d i v i d u a l b i o l o g y interacts with lifestyle and wider social, c u l t u r a l , a n d e c o n o m i c f a c t o r s F o r example, more South Asians in England and Wales with kidney disease live in areas of high deprivation compared to people of white heritage South Asian people are more likely to be impacted at a younger age, and progress faster to ‘kidney replacement therapy’ This is often in the form of dialysis because of i s s u e s i n a c c e s s t o k i d n e y transplantation

Generally, people of South Asian h e r i t a g e w a i t l o n g e r f o r a n o r g a n

Obesity 'epidemic' hits more than one billion people globally

A recent report from the Lancet medic al j ou rnal reveal s th at th e glo bal p revalence of o besi ty h as surpassed one bi llion individuals, rep resenting a mo re than fou r-fo ld in crease si nce 1 99 0 Rese arch ers f ro m th e W o r ld H e al th O rg an i za ti o n ( W H O) h ig h l i gh t that lower-income nati ons are disp ro p o rti o n ate ly af f ec ted b y th i s "ep idemic," with the rate o f o besity rising among ch ildren and adolesc ents at a faster pace compared to adults

T h e s t u d y , r e l e a s e d a h e a d o f World Obesity Day on March 4, estimated that there were about 226 million obese adults, adolescents and children in the world in 1990 The figure had risen to 1,038 million in 2022 Francesco Branca, director of nutrition for health at the WHO, said the rise past one billion people has come "much earlier than we have anticipated”

Although physicians anticipated a

significant increase in obesity rates, the milestone figure was originally projected for 2030 Lancet reports that r e s e a r c h e r s e x a m i n e d w e i g h t a n d height data from over 220 million individuals across 190 countries to derive their estimates According to the study, approximately 504 million adult women and 374 million men were classified as obese in 2022 The research indicates that the obesity rate has nearly tripled among men (14 per cent) since 1990 and more than doubled among women (18 5 per cent)

US FDA allows yogurt companies to claim diabetes risk reduction

Benefits of Parsley

Parsley is rich in vitamin K, essential for bone health It supports bone density and helps prevent fractures by working with calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium Parsley also slows down bone resorption, contributing to a stronger skeletal structure.

Th e A m e r ic an Fo od a n d D r ug Ad m in is t r a ti on ( FDA ) a nn oun c ed it s decis ion to grant yogurt manufac ture rs the authority to claim that their dairy product coul d potentiall y l ower t he risk of type 2 diabetes This m ove c om es am id the inc reasing mortality rat es ass oc i a t ed wi th t he di s e a s e a nd t he wides pread use of medications s uc h as Ozem pic f or it s managem ent

As per a letter posted on the regulator's website, the FDA will authorize dairy companies to assert that regular consumption of yogurt, specifically at least two cups or three servings per week, may decrease the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, supported by limited scientific evidence

Activia yogurt maker Danone SA asked the FDA to greenlight the claim in 2018, after the French company "noticed

b e c a u s e o f l o w e r r a t e s o f d o n a t i o n

amongst minority ethnic people It is more likely that a suitable match will be from someone of the same ethnicity

Why Asian voice s m att er T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l r e s e a r c h e r s working to understand the needs and p r e f e r e n c e s o f p e o p l e f r o m d i v e r s e ethnic backgrounds to enhance kidney health education and the take up of early detection and reduce barriers to therapies such as transplantation This requires meaningful ways of engaging w i t h c o m m u n i t i e s t o u n d e r s t a n d experiences and priorities for health and wellbeing Yet diversity is underr e p r e s e n t e d i n e f f o r t s t o i m p r o v e k i d n e y c a r e f r o m p r e v e n t i o n t o intervention, adding further to health inequities

World Kidney Day is an opportunity to commit to finding out more about the kidneys and inspiring others to do the same The campaign website has a range of useful information including 8 golden rules to support kidney health Y o u m i g h t a l s o t h i n k a b o u t h a v i n g conversations with others about organ d o n a t i o n , a n d s h a r i n g c o n c e r n s , i n f o r m a t i o n n e e d s , p r e f e r e n c e s , a n d wishes And finally, if you’d like to contribute to kidney research, there are a n u m b e r o f p a t i e n t a d v o c a c y organisations that are a useful starting point to learning about different ways in which South Asian people can make a marked difference to kidney health now and in the future

Not enough sleep raises diabetes risk

People who sleep for less than six hours a night may have a 16 per cent higher ris k of developing type 2 di ab etes even when they eat healthily, research s uggests An analysis of data from nearly 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 U K a d u l t s s u g g e s t s p e o p l e sleeping three to four hours a night may have a 41 per cent higher risk of d e v e l o p i n g t h e c o n d i t i o n c o m p a r e d with those who get more than seven hours Five hours or so of sleep was associated with a 16 per cent higher risk

The researchers said further study was needed but added that their work suggests healthy eating alone cannot compensate for sleep deprivation

Christian Benedict, a researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden, said the findings “should not cause concern but instead be seen as a reminder that sleep plays an important role in health”

He said: “I generally recommend prioritising sleep, although I understand it’s not always possible, especially as a parent of four teenagers ”

the body of evidence was really growing and becoming more compelling" to support it, said Amanda Blechman, Danone director of health and scientific affairs

She said any yogurt maker will be able to use the claim on dairy-based yogurt Danone's competitors include General Mills, which makes Yoplait, and privately held Chobani Although many manufacturers add sugar to yogurt, the research showed that the benefit still applied “regardless of sugar or fat content," Blechman said

In the letter, the FDA said it was concerned that the use of the claim on yogurts with a "significant amount of added sugars could contribute empty calories to the diet " The regulator said it "encourages careful consideration" of whether to use the claim on yogurts that are high in added sugar

It is estimated that more than 4 4 million people in the UK are living with type 2 diabetes, which over time can cause serious damage, particularly to nerves and blood vessels

For the study researchers looked at the health data of 247,867 adults in the UK Biobank, a database of the medical and lifestyle records of more than half a million people

T h e i r a i m w a s t o u n d e r s t a n d whether people who sleep too little can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by eating healthily Over 12 y e a r s , 7 , 9 0 5 p e o p l e w e r e d i a g n o s e d with the condition Benedict said several factors could raise the risk for poor sleepers, such as “ a sedentary lifestyle, diminished skeletal muscle function in regulating blood sugar levels, and unfavourable changes in gut microbiota [bacteria]”

In

a calls Aishwarya, Priyanka d Deepika her inspiration

Anurag Kashyap calls 90% feminist filmmakers frauds

Not one to be known for mincing words, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap shared his opinions on feminist filmmakers at an event in Kolkata, calling the majority of them “frauds ”

In a report on Outlook India, Anurag is quoted as saying, “The filmmakers who seem to be feminists, socialists, revolutionaries Let me tell you that 90% of them are frauds They’re all posturing After so many years of trying to put together so many independent filmmakers, I’ve realised that independent filmmakers are the worst Because all they’re doing is pulling each other down and calling each other names What is the difference between the so-called intelligent people and the so-called fools? The fools are united The ‘intelligent’ people are busy pulling each other down ”

He also discussed two kinds of directors, adding, “I know most filmmakers personally, even the most problematic ones The commercial filmmakers, the people behind films like ‘KGF’ and ‘Salaar,’ are of two kinds There are the opportunists and those who are very honest about only wanting to make money and make hit films ”

Anurag often reviews new releases on his social media platforms He had recently heaped praise on Kiran Rao s ‘Laapataa Ladies,’ and said, “What a sincere, funny , beautiful film @raodyness has made She says so much with so much subtlety but more than that , watching such a soulful film , an incredible love story , beautiful storytelling with truth bombs dropping with such humour every ten minutes I cried like a baby Don’t miss this film, it’s unforgettable ”

Anurag premiered his latest film, 'Kennedy,' at the Cannes Film Festival last year It is a dark noir drama starring Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone

a wonderful display of the power of the pack, actress Alia Bhatt called “friends” Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, and Deepika Padukone her “huge sources of inspiration.” Speaking at the Forbes 3050 event, she said that she admires them “deeply.”

Alia said, "Actresses from the Indian film industry have done that, and have been huge sources of inspiration to me Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika (Padukone), these are actors who are also friends of mine, but I also admire deeply So I have to give them a lot of credit because they paved the way in a sense You know, made it a normal thing ” She also added, I also feel like we are living in a time where inclusivity, diversity is the need of the hour where you want to see different f a c e s f r o m d i f f e r e n t p a r world, speaking in different But all part of the same, tel same language of a story end of the day, the story should be at the forefron where you come from, o accent you speak, or wh your ethnicity is ”

T h i s i s n o t t h e f i r s t time Alia has spoken to s u p p o r t h e r f e m a l e c o l -

leagues Last year, on an episode of ‘Koffee with Karan,’ when host Karan Johar had asked K a r e e n a K a p o o r i f s h e t h o u g h t D e e p i k a Padukone was her competition, she said the question applied to Alia When Karan asked Alia the same question, she said, “Please Not at all Why would she be? She’s my senior There’s no competition ”

On the work front, we will see Alia in a YRF spy universe film, shooting for which is set to begin later this year She will team up with Sharvari Wagh in the yet-to-be-titled film They will play super agents in the action entert a i n e r a c c o r d i n g t o Y R F C E O A k s h a y e Widhani Alia also has Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Love & War’ alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, and Vasan Bala’s ‘Jigra’

Priyanka praises Nita Ambani after no-show in Jamnagar bash

Ina video message posted recently, Priyanka Chopra spoke about her parents, Miss World Organization CEO Julia Morley and Indian billionaire Nita Ambani.

Shared on the finale day of the 71st Miss World event held in Mumbai, the former Miss World said, “Purpose, a word that has always held a lot of meaning for me, because of the experiences I've had personally Growing up, I watched my mom Dr Madhu Chopra and my dad not only carry out their duties as doctors in the Indian Army, provide for us but also use their knowledge, position, talents to help those in need I remember the countless hours my brother and I tagging along when they would use their days off to help those who didn't have access to proper medical care Now I've been very fortunate to continue my life's journey surrounded by women who have redefined the absolute essence of womenhood Their power, their beauty, and their ability to change the world ”

passion, commitment, and eye for detail in everything she does To me, Nita Ma’am epitomises exactly what Mrs Morley tried to instil in our young minds back then O v e r t h e y e a r s , I h a v e w i t n e s s e d N i t a Ma’am’s profound impact through her vari o u s e n d e a v o u r s S h e n o t o n l y i s a respectable educationist, philanthropist, and businesswoman but also a staunch a d v o c a t e a n d p r o t e c t o r o f t h e a r t s o f India ”

“With utmost dedication, she has consistently brought India’s art and culture to the global stage Nita ma ’ am wears all of these hats and more with a warm smile and so much compassion Her journey is the embodiment of the ethos of beauty with purpose This evening as we honour Nita ma ’ am, let not just celebrate her accomplishments but also the joy, empowerment and growth she has brought to so many lives,” she also said

Aamir Khan’s ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ to centre around Down Syndrome

Aamir Khan announced a new project, ‘Sitaare Zameen Par,’ last year, and if reports are to be believed, it will centre around Down syndrome Khan’s 2007 directorial debut, the emotional drama 'Taare Zameen Par', emerged a critical and commercial success, striking a chord with the audience as it touched upon the lesser-known condition of dyslexia

About Morley, she said, “In the year 2000, when I had the opportunity to not just participate but be crowned Miss World, I wa d u c e d t o t h e i d beauty with purpo an initiative by M M o r l e y , w h o reminded us that the title of Miss World wasn’t just a b o u t l o o k i n g good, it was about using the platform t o c h a l l e n g e o i n n e r d u t y a n d channel it It taug 18-year-old me th y make a difference when we walk the walk and talk the talk from the get-go ”

Priyanka said about Ambani, “I have had the honour and privilege of knowing the phenomenal Mrs Nita Ambani for a few years now She is someone, whom I admire and respect for everything she does I have witnessed what happens behind the scenes, and I have witnessed first-hand her

K h a n p l a y e d a t e a c h e r who helps the lead character, D a r s h e e l S a f a r y ’ s I s h a a n Awasthi, with his dyslexia A source close to the development was quoted in a media r e p o r t a s s a y i n g , “ J u s t l i k e TZP, Aamir Khan wanted to bring focus on another condition that gets stigmatised in our society through Sitaare Zameen Par That’s when he found a heartfelt story that s h e d s l i g h t o n D o w n Syndrome and what people dealing with that go through He wants to handle the subject very sensitively and create an impact that makes people suffering from the syndrome be treated as equals ”

T h e s o u r c e a d d e d t h a t other details about the film are under wraps for now It is yet to be revealed if Khan would make his directorial comeback with the film or just produce it Earlier, in an interview with News18, Khan h a d s a i d , “ W i t h S i t a a r e Zameen Par, we are moving 10 steps ahead with the same theme TZP was an emotional film This film will make you laugh That film made you cry, this one will entertain you The theme is the same That’s why we kept this name very thoughtfully ”

He’d added, “We all have flaws, we all have weaknesses, but we all also have something special, so we are taking f o r w a r d t h i s t h e m e ” H e added that in TZP, his character helped the special child Ishaan but “in SZP, nine boys, who have their own issues, help me It’s the opposite ”

For the unversed, Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division results in extra genetic material from chromosome 21 It causes developm e n t a l a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l d e l a y s I n t e r e s t i n g l y , t h e school that Khan’s character visited as a teacher in TZP w a s f o r k i d s w i t h s p e c i a l needs like Down Syndrome We reached out to Khan and his team for a comment but they were unavailable for the same

Ajith Kumar returns home after medical procedure to treat swollen

Actor

Samantha says taking a break from work was the 'hardest' decision

Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu has been quite open about her battle with myositis. In an interview she opened up about the break she took from her work because of her condition. She revealed that taking a break from work to recover from myositis was the “hardest decision” of her life However, in hindsight, she feels it was also the best one

nerve

Ajith Kumar has been discharged after he was hospitalised for a minor medical procedure The actor underwent treatment for a swollen nerve earlier this week and has now returned home to recuperate Trade analyst Ramesh Bala took to his X account to share an update about Ajith He wrote, “Actor #Ajithkumar has returned home from his recent hospital visit All is well! (sic)” A fan also shared a picture of Ajith taken from a distance at a football field They wrote, “Dealing fake ID and Fake news like this He is cool and doing his work Focus on target, and not on Fake attention Name is #Ajithkumar ”

L a s t w e e k , f a n s s h a r e d v i d e o s a n d pictures of the actor and his wife Shalini visiting Apollo Hospital in Chennai While h e l o o k e d h e a l t h y i n t h e v i d e o , s o o n r u m o u r s b e g a n s w i r l i n g t h a t A j i t h w a s undergoing a procedure to remove a cyst in his brain However, Ramesh busted these r u m o u r s w r i t i n g , “ A p a r t f r o m r e g u l a r c o m p l e t e h e a l t h c h e c k - u p , A c t o r

#Ajithkumar underwent cardio and neuro check-up also Fans and well-wishers need not worry about his health He is doing fine ”

Ajith’s spokesperson, Suresh Chandra, s a i d t h a t t h e a c t o r u n d e r w e n t a m i n o r medical procedure to treat a swollen nerve between his ear and brain He said that Ajith sir got admitted to the hospital for a general examination There was undue swelling in the nerve connecting his ear to the brain Doctors got rid of it now with a simple medical procedure Ajith is fine, he walked from the ward to the ICU ”

On the work front, Ajith will soon be s e e n i n M a g i z h T h i r u m e n i ’ s ‘ V i d a a Muyarchi,’ which stars Trisha Krishnan, Arjun Sara and Regina Cassandra in the lead roles He will also star in a film by Adhik Ravichandran

Sam said, “I’ve had my fair share of selfloathing and really low confidence, but I’ve always strived to grow as a person With that growth came a deeper understanding of my insecurities and self-loathing I was able to heal by addressing them – not by trying to fix them from the outside, but by fixing the inner trauma that needed more healing than any external quick fix ”

She also added that setbacks like these have made her a stronger person “People might think that success defines you, but it is failure and loss that truly define you, and introduce you to the best version of yourself These lows and these losses have

made me a person I am truly proud of,” she said Samantha's condition of myositis entails the immune system of her body attacking her muscles

On the work front, she was recently s e e n s h a r i n g s c r e e n s p a c e w i t h V i j a y D e v e r a k o n d a i n ‘ K u s h i ’ W r i t t e n a n d directed by Shiva Nirvana and produced b y M y t h r i M o v i e M a k e r s , ‘ K u s h i ’ w a s released in theatres on September 1, 2023, i n T e l u g u , T a m i l , K a n n a d a a n d

Malayalam

Samantha will be seen in the Indian adaptation of the action series ‘Citadel’ opposite Varun Dhawan Recently, she finished the shoot of the series After wrapping up the shoot, Samantha penned a lengthy note by sharing the pictures from the sets She wrote, "And it's a wrap on #CitadelIndia A break doesn't seem like a bad thing at all when you know what's coming @rajanddk @mensit The family I didn't know I needed Thank you for helping me fight every single battle and never ever giving up on me ”

Ram Charan cooks food for mother, MIL on Women’s Day

Actor

for his mother, and mother-in-law on the occasion of Women’s Day His wife, Upasana Konidela took to Instagram to share a sweet video, writing, “Women’s Day Special @athammaskitchen @alwaysramcharan.”

I n t h e r e e l , t h e a c t o r ’ s mother, Surekha, can be seen making dosas while Ram flips them while he also prepares p a n e e r t i k k a “ M y s o n i s cooking, it’s Women’s Day no, so he’s cooking for us today,” Surekha says with a smile Upasana responds, “Let’s make every day Women’s Day ” Ram Charan has been in the news for all the right reasons lately A week ago, a video of the actor massaging Upasana’s t i r e d f e e t o n a f l i g h t s u r f a c e o n X p r o m p t e d f a n s t o c a l l t h e m “ c o u p l e goals ”

On the work front, Ram is currently shooting for ‘Game Changer,’ director Shankar’s maiden Telugu project The movie that features an ensemble cast, i n c l u d i n g K i a r a A d v a n i , S J S u r y a h , Jayaram, Anjali, Samuthirakani, Naveen Chandra, and others, is a political action thriller The film has been in production since 2021 and is slated for release later this year

Prabhas reacts to Prithviraj Sukumaran’s ‘The Goat Life’ trailer

The trailer of filmmaker Blessy’s Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer ‘The Goat Life’ or ‘Aadujeevitham,’ as it is titled in Malayalam, has garnered a good response from fans In fact, it also caught the eye of actor Prabhas, who took to this Instagram Stories to share his reaction to the trailer and said that he “can’t believe it’s the same person” who played Varadharaja Mannar in ‘Salaar ’

Taking to Instagram Stories, Prabhas shared the trailer of ‘The Goat Life,’ and wrote in the caption, “My brother @therealprithvi what have you done!! I can’t believe its the same person who played Varadharaja Mannar Congrats and all the best, brother Looking forward to #TheGoatLife With lots of love Blockbuster is loading ”

Prithviraj responded to the story and replied via his Instagram Stories, “Thank you DEVA! See you in the battlefield soon!

#SHOURYANGAMPARVAM ”

‘Aadujeevitham’ has been in development since 2009 and will finally be released on March 28 The trailer sees Prithviraj play Najeeb, a Malayali immigrant labourer who finds himself forced into slavery as a goat herd on a farm in Saudi Arabia His journey is filled with trials and tribulations The actor is almost unrecognisable with matted hair and a beard The movie also features Amala Paul, KR Gokul, Arab actors Talib al Balushi and Rik Aby in pivotal roles

Meanwhile, makers of Prabhas’ next ‘Kalki 2989 AD,’ revealed his character

name on the occasion of Maha Shivrattri

Announcing Bhairava, they also shared a side profile of Prabhas sporting an allblack ensemble, complete with a cape, in a factorylike setting

Directed by Nag Ashwin and bankrolled by Vyjayanthi Movies, Kalki 2898 AD is a multilingual film, a mythologyinspired sci-fi spectacle set in the future

Ram Charan took over his kitchen and prepared dinner

Turkish actress Hande Erçel wants to work with Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan

Turkish actress Hande Erçel was in India recently for the FICCI

Frames 2024 Known for her roles in popular series like ‘You Knock on My Door’ and ‘Pyaar Lafzon Mein Kahaan,’ she has garnered a significant Indian fan base owing to her compelling performances and onscreen charm

Addressing the media during the event, Erçel expressed interest in working with Indian actors, saying she was “destined” to visit the country She said, “I would like to work with Hrithik Roshan, Aamir Khan, and Sidharth Malhotra This is the right time for me to be here A new door is opening for me to do something here ” She further mentioned that she likes Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra and Dev Patel He named ‘PK’ and ‘ 3 Idiots’ some of her favourite Indian films

Erçel added, “Among the directors I like is Sanjay (Leela Bhansali); he was there at Cannes We don’t have Hindi movies releasing theatrically (in Turkey), so I saw them all online ”

Talking about visiting India, Erçel said through an interpreter, “My agent asked me if I would like to go to India for FICCI Frames this year I instantly said yes as I was thinking of coming here I feel this is a u i al l ”

Aanand L Rai set to make his OTT debut with romance-drama

Director Aanand L Rai said in an interview that he needed to understand the digital medium before taking the plunge and giving the audience “something new ” He said the digital space is populated by projects in the mystery and thriller genres, adding that he aims to deliver something different to audiences

Rai said on the sidelines of t h e F I C C I F r a m e s 2 0 2 4 , “ T h e r e a r e p e o p l e m a k i n g fantastic thrillers and mystery series, but I would love to do something different I want to r e a c h o u t t o t h e a u d i e n c e with something new on OTT ( o v e r - t h e - t o p p l a t f o r m s ) I want to give them a world which they have not seen on OTT before So, I'll do things on my terms and conditions ” “ A s a g o o d s t u d e n t , I ' l l learn first and then deliver This year you can expect (the show) but I won't reveal much about it All I can say is, I'll be

d e a l i n g w i t h r o m a n c e a n d drama,” he added Known for f i l m s s u c h a s ‘ Z e r o , ’

‘Raanjhanaa,’ and the ‘Tang W e d s M a n u ’ f r a n c h i s e , R a i said he needed to understand the streaming medium before taking the plunge “ A l l t h e O T T p l a t f o r m s w e r e a s k i n g m e t o m a k e c o n t e n t b u t I w a s n ' t convinced as it's new (format of storytelling) It's a different kind of writing It is character driven, it has a bigger plot and arc, which we don't have in f i l m s F i l m s a r e l i k e a complete soul, and for a series you need a big body So, I now know the difference (between t h e t w o m e d i u m s ) , b u t knowing is not enough I have to learn," he added On the work front, Rai w i l l b e g i n s h o o t i n g f o r h i s next directorial venture ‘Tere Ishk Mein ’ The movie marks t h e t h i r d c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n h i m a n d a c t o r D h a n u s h a f t e r ‘ R a a n j h a n a a ’ and ‘Atrangi Re ’

Kumail Nanjiani joins cast of ‘Only Murders in the Building’

PakistaniAmerican actor and stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani will appear in a recurring role that is mostly being kept under wraps, though his character will be integral to this season’s investigation. The Hulu series is led by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez.

with the murder of Charles’ (

double Sazz, who was shot in

Pak actor Mahira Khan opens up about pregnancy rumours

Pakistani actor Mahira Khan recently opened up about the “weirdest rumour” she has heard about herself lately In a YouTube video uploaded by her online platform, Mashion, she spoke about what she loves, hates, and tolerates about her “significant other,” Salim Karim

Kumail joins Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, and Molly Shannon as the new cast members Meryl Streep is also set to reprise her role from season three of the show

return to Hulu He previously starred in the limited series

‘Welcome to Chippendales’ on

Season four of the hit comedy show will pick

cuts to black, Sazz could be seen writing something on Charles' kitchen floor with her blood It is unclear why she was killed or whether Charles was the true target S

Short, Selena Gomez, and John

Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal C

‘Only Murders in the Building’ received much praise from the audience for its previous three seasons

W h e n a s k e d a b o u t t h e “ w e i r d e s t rumour ” she heard, the actor said “Oh, that I’m pregnant It’s not weird it’s just a rumour I don’t know where they came up with it I think it’s because I’ve put on weight, but then they also said that I’ve also left a Netflix series and a major film and whatnot But it’s not true ”

When asked what she loves, hates, and tolerates about Salim, she replied, “Do I really have to answer this question? I hate that he’s not expressive I tolerate that he’s not expressive No, sometimes I like the music to be turned off, but he likes the music to be on all the time It’s like the minute he wakes up, he wants the music on I like listening to the sound of birds I love that he tolerates the fact that I like having breakfast alone ”

Mahira and Salim tied the knot in October last year in Pakistan’s Bhurban in the presence of family and close friends

The actor met Salim, the CEO of Pakistani telecom company Simpaisa, in 2017 and they got engaged in 2019 in Turkey The actress was earlier married to Ali Askari in 2007, and separated in 2015 They are parents to a 13-year-old Azlaan O n t h e w o r k f r o n t , M a h i r a w a s recently seen in Pakistani blockbuster ‘ T h e L e g e n d o f M a u l a J a t t ’ a l o n g s i d e Farad Khan The two will also be seen in the upcoming Netflix series ‘Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo ’

'Oppenheimer'

emerges as a powerhouse at Oscars 2024

The 96th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, showcased a night of triumphs and surprises Among the highlights, 'Oppenheimer' emerged as a powerhouse, clinching a total of seven awards, including the prestigious Best Picture title Christopher Nolan's adept direction earned him the Best Director accolade, while Cillian Murphy's captivating portrayal secured him the Best Actor award. Robert Downey Jr added to the film's triumph by winning the Best Supporting Actor award With a touch of humour, he joked about his childhood during his acceptance speech, garnering laughs from the audience He then thanked the Academy and expressed heartfelt gratitude to his wife, Susan, for her support in his journey of redemption

In a twist, Emma Stone claimed the Best Actress a

her role in Poor Things, which also secured wins in three craft categories for Best Costume Design, Production Design, and Makeup and Hairstyling The unexpected victory for Stone overshadowed Lily Gladstone's anticipated win for her role in 'Killers of the Flower Moon '

Da’Vine Joy Randolph's portrayal in 'The Holdovers' earned her the Best Supporting Actress award Additionally, Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki’s animated feature 'The Boy and the Heron' clinched the Best Animated Feature title, while Jonathan Glazer’s 'The Zone of Interest' was honoured as the Best International Feature

The musical talents of Billie

Eilish and Finneas O’Connell were acknowledged with the Best Original Song award for “What Was I Made For?” from 'Barbie '

Billie Ellish is now the youngest two-time Oscar winner in history ears old Justine Triet and

South Asian stars at Oscars

Renowned actor Ben Kingsley paid a heartfelt tribute to lead actor nominee Cillian Murphy, who later emerged as a winner for his stellar performance in “Oppenheimer ” Liza Koshy exuded elegance in a striking red gown, while British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed, of South Asian origin showed his support for "Nimona," which was nominated for Best Animated Feature by attending the award show Indian-born Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja, celebrated for her impactful documentaries, graced the event alongside Ranjith, the father of a rape survivor depicted in her nominated film To Kill a Tiger

Additionally, Indian-American Bela Bajaria proudly flaunted her Indian heritage with her outfit choice adding a touch of cultural significance to the red carpet

“Never Have I Ever” actress Maitreyi Ramakrishna looked gorgeous in this black and white gown at the ceremony WriterDirector-Producer Nazrin Choudhury looked stunning in a multi-coloured gown for the event American Fiction composer Laura Karpman accessorised her look with a Dairy Milk logo adorned handbag, adding a playful touch to her ensemble

Arthur Harari secured the Best Original Screenplay award for Anatomy of a Fall, while Cord Jefferson was honoured with the Best Adapted Screenplay award for "American Fiction " Heading into the ceremony, 'Oppenheimer' led the nominations with an impressive 13 nods, followed by 'Poor Things' with 11, 'Killers of the Flower Moon' with 10, and 'Barbie' with eight med

Oscars honours

Late Nitin Desai alongside industry icons

During the Oscars' In Memoriam segment, art director and producer Nitin Desai was honoured alongside luminaries such as Tina Turner Friends star Matthew Perry, composer Bill Lee, actress Chita Rivera, actor Ryan O'Neal, and others Desai who tragically passed away at the age of 57 last year, was remembered for his contributions to the industry

A frequent collaborator of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Nitin created the sets of a number of memorable films such as Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Bajirao Mastani. He also worked with filmmakers like Rajkumar Hirani Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Ashutosh Gowariker His other credits include Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dostana Lage Raho Munna Bhai Munna Bhai MBBS Mission Kashmir and many others His last film was the 2019 war epic drama Panipat, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker

To Kill A Tiger's Jharkhand farmer Ranjit attends Oscars

At the 2024 Oscars Jharkhand farmer Ranjit featured in Priyanka Chopra-produced film "To Kill A Tiger " was a special guest marking a significant moment Nisha Pahuja, sharing photos with him on Instagram expressed pride in his presence Despite initial visa denials, supporters ensured their attendance Ranjit s resilience resonated inspiring millions globally

To Kill A Tiger, the documentary feature set in India that was competing at the Oscars in the Best Documentary Feature category, lost the award to 20 Days in Mariupol Directed by Ukrainian filmmaker and war correspondent Mstyslav Chernov, 20 Days in Mariupol follows the story of Ukrainian journalists trapped in Mariupol after Russia s invasion

"Anatomy Of A Fall," Messi starred as Snoop, Daniel's guide dog, and made an appearance at the 2024 Oscars A viral moment ensued as the adorable dog was caught clapping, becoming an instant hit on the internet Ryan Gosling embraced his inner Ken at the Oscars, delivering a spirited rendition of "I'm Just Ken" on stage The visuals from "Naatu Naatu" from RRR, which won the Osca Song last

year, were showcased during this year's presentation of the same category

The Los Angeles Times has covered the Oscars for 95 yearsnow it has won one The heartwarming “The Last Repair Shop” directed by Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers and codistributed by L A Times Studio and Searchlight, took home the prize in the documentary short category at the Oscars

Unveiling the secrets: How celebrities master the red carpet in heel

At the Oscars celebrities arrive in style meticulously groomed from head to toe Despite chauffeur-driven limousines whisking them to the ceremony many still grapple with the daunting task of strutting the red carpet in towering heels What secrets do celebrity stylists employ to ease their journey?

Dipesh Raja is HCPC registered Podiatrist with over 28 years clinical experience and is a member of the Royal College of Podiatrists He is director and founder of Footopia in London’s Chelsea In an interview with media Dipesh revealed some are comfortable in using foot spray, likely due to its antiinflammatory properties known to ease soreness and foot pain However it doesn't solve the long-term issues of frequent high heel wear

Talking about leather soles, He noted that leather soles are ideal for high heels, offering a middle ground between bulky custom orthotics and going without any support Regarding Bunion busters, he noted that they re a wise option if high heels are a must Their design caters to foot comfort Nevertheless, it s not a green light to wear them daily

Numerous actresses opt for larger shoe sizes to prevent blisters on the red carpet However, to address potential slipping they often use silicone pads in the heels or stuff tissue or cotton wool in the toes Dipesh cautions against this approach as it can lead to foot movement inside the shoe, increasing the risk of injury or accidentally stepping out of the shoe

Nazrin Choudhury Margot Robbie

Emily Blunt and husband John Krasinski Anya Taylor Joy

Zendaya Ryan Gosling

Filmaker Nisha Pahuja with Ranjit

India thrash England to wrap up 5th test in 3 days

I n d i a t h ras h e d E n g la nd by a n inning s and 64 runs to wrap up th e fifth Test in Dharam sala after just three d ays and secure a 4 -1 overall series win Rav ich andran Ashw in w as am ong th e head li ne-m akers w ith h is fiv e w ickets, as England collapsed to 195 all ou t in their s e co n d in ni ng s A m o ng t h e h ighlights of an otherwise d ismal d ay fo r th e to u ri s ts i nc lu d e d J i m m y A nd e rs o n's 70 0 th T es t w icket, and Sh oaib Bashi r's fiv e w ickets

But what followed was bleak, as the tourists were left on 141-8, b e f o r e J o e R o o t ' s 8 4 n o t o u t r e s t o r e d s o m e e l e m e n t o f respectability to the defeat After a pulsating win in Hyderabad in the first Test which allowed Brendon M c C u l l u m ' s s i d e t o d r e a m , e v e r y t h i n g h a s s e e m i n g l y u n r a v e l l e d f r o m t h a t p o i n t onwards K u l d e e p Y a d a v a n d J a s p r i t

Bumrah were at the crease as India began the day on 475-8, as Ben Stokes' men had the daunting task of cutting a deficit which was more than England's first-innings total

The day began on a positive

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

7 0 0 t h T e s t w i c k e t t o d i s m i s s Yadav, with the ball edged behind to Ben Foakes Foakes was then alert to dismiss Bumrah after some fine work behind the stumps, and India were all out for 477

T h i s l e f t E n g l a n d w i t h t h e challenge of eating into that huge India lead, one which became all the more challenging when Ben D u c k e t t w a s d i s m i s s e d b y Ravichandran Ashwin in the first o v e r W i t h Z a k C r a w l e y t h e n d i s m i s s e d f o r a 1 6 - b a l l d u c k , McCullum's side had already lost both of their opening batsmen at 21-2 before Ollie Pope and Jonny

Bairstow followed to leave England on 92-4

T h e h o s t s r a t t l e d t h r o u g h E n g l a n d ' s m i d d l e o r d e r , w i t h captain Ben Stokes dismissed for just two off the bowling of Ashwin as the tourists' skipper continued his miserable run with the bat Foakes, Tom Hartley followed b e f o r e M a r k W o o d w e n t L B W , with England left on 141-8

There was admirable resistance l a t e o n f r o m J o e R o o t , a s h e progressed past his 61st Test halfcentury, but his knock - and the series - would end when he was caught by Bumrah off the bowling of Kuldeep

India reign at home again, England grapple with 'Bazball' doubts

India maintained th eir aura of invincibility at ho me after comp leting a 4-1 seri es triu mp h against England, and th e ease of their final win may well subject the vis ito rs ' mu c h -h yp ed " Baz ball" ap pr oac h to fres h scru ti ny Roh it Sh arma and h is men h ad clinched the series in Ranch i but did not take their foo t off the pedal i n Dharamsala, where th ey ro uted England inside three days

The win, which consolidates two-time finalists I n d i a ' s p o s i t i o n a t t h e t o p o f t h e W o r l d T e s t Championship standings, will have a special place in the memory of Ravichandran Ashwin

The India off-spinner claimed five second-innings wickets to hasten England s collapse in his 100th test match England seamer James Anderson, meanwhile, became the first pace bowler to claim 700 test wickets, partially lifting the gloom that had settled on England's travelling "Barmy Army" fans

“If I look at this tour, I don’t feel like I can sit here and be unduly critical,” said former England batter Michael Atherton on the Sky Sports Podcast with Nasser Hussain “I don’t think anyone expected them to come and win here In general, I feel they played some pretty good cricket The cricket has been competitive India know they’ve been in a scrap But in the end they were not quite good enough The residual regret over the opportunities missed and the fact India were missing big names like Kohli and Shami and Bumrah here ”

The series has been a revelation for India with a string of youngsters stepping up in the absence of key senior players Wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who made his Test debut in the third match in Rajkot, led the Indian fightback with a stoic 90 in the first-innings He backed

it up with a match-winning partnership with Shubman Gill in the chase

“India, 17 series in a row they’ve won at home, that’s how difficult they are to beat in those conditions But I sit here and see it as a missed opportunity in as much as there is no Virat Kohli, there is no Mohammed Shami, there is no Rishabh Pant, for most of the series there is no KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah has been rested, Jadeja injured, Ashwin has to leave for a day of Test match cricket There were opportunities there ”

Meanwhile, Hussain touched upon on the lost phases of play for England in the fourth Test “There is no shame in losing to this India side but obviously, like with any Test series and any Test match, you look at key areas where you let the game slip and for me, all of yesterday really

“What could have been a 100-run lead ended up being 46 and then in your third innings you don’t know whether to stick or twist and I think England batted in that collapse 26 overs for that 37/5 which, for this side, to go just over one run an over shows they didn’t know whether to stick or twist yesterday ”

Meanwhile, English batting legend Geoffrey Boycott questioned the success of the Bazball formula, labelling winning as the more important element England is currently eighth on the World Test Championship 202325 cycle standings, with only three wins in nine matches

“Bazball has given Test cricket a shot in the arm and England deserve praise for that At times, I love it But I love winning more and England have failed to beat the best two teams in the world: Australia and now India What should really hurt them is that they should have beaten both,” wrote Boycott in The Telegraph

Warwickshire outlines its cricket inclusivity plan

Warwi cks hi re has outlined i ts commi tm ent to Equality, Di vers ity and Inc lus ion i n c rick et with the publicati on of its updated Edgb aston f or Eve r yon e pla n Ed gb a st on fo r Ev er yo ne do c um en ts t he p ro gre s s

Warwi cks hi re ha s made s ince the Club’ s EDI bluepri nt was launched two years ago and its pledges for the future

Highlights from the last 12 months include organising the country’s first ever LGBTQ+ cricket tournament, hosting the inaugural Vaisakhi Cricket Cup at Edgbaston, and assembling an all-women grounds staff for a women ’ s international match The Club has also introduced a new youth selection system aimed at reducing unconscious bias – a project that is attracting more applications from state educated children – and expanding opportunities for disability cricketers

Edgbaston for Everyone vows to increase its school engagement p r o g r a m m e t h r o u g h t h e n e w W a r w i c k s h i r e C r i c k e t F o u n d a t i o n charity; provide jobs, training and education opportunities for local people; and expanding its EDI training programme for staff

Satwik-Chirag pair reclaims French Open doubles title

A domina nt Satwik sa iraj Ran kire ddy

a nd Chira g She tty won their fir st t it le of the y ea r with a 21-11, 21-17 victory

a gain st Lee Jhe-Huei and Ya ng PoHsua n i n t he fin a l o f t he Fr en ch

O pen BWF Supe r-750 t our na ment in

P a r is o n S u n d a y T h e y w o n t h e

Fr en ch Ope n in 2022 but lost in the se con d r oun d last ye ar Though t hey

m ade it to the fin als of the a ll the thre e tour name nt s t hey p lay ed t his y ea r,

t his the t heir first title They lost in the fin als of t he Malaysian O pen a nd In dian O pen t ourna men ts

The Indians were so dominant on Sunday that they took just 36 minutes to oust their rivals and this was the shortest final of the day Satwik-Chirag did not lose a single game in the entire tournament

With renewed vigour they will now compete in the All England Championships The unseeded Taipei pair proved no match for the Indians as they broke free from 4-4 in the first game to wrap it up at 2111 Though Lee and Yang did well in the second, it was only till the 14th point The Indians won seven of the next ten points If it was Satwik’s smash that won the first game, Chirag full-blooded drive secured the match winning point for the Indian pair

Late on Saturday, Lakshya Sen suffered a three-game loss against world champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 22-20, 13-21, 11-21 On Sunday, Kunlavut lost to China’s Shi Yu Qi 20-22, 21-19 in the men ’ s singles final Top seed An Se Young of South Korea fought back after losing the first game to beat fourth seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 18-21, 21-13, 21-10 in the women ’ s singles final

Delhi Capitals steal last-ball win

A day after Harmanpreet Kaur's fiery match-winning 48-ball 95 for Mumbai Indians against Gujarat Giants at Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla g r o u n d r a i s e d t h e p i t c h i n t h e

Women's Premier League (WPL), R o y a l C h a l l e n g e r s B a n g a l o r e (RCB) came close to replicating the effect against hosts and last year's runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC)

H o w e v e r , t h e y f e l l o n e - r u n s h o r t d e s p i t e R i c h a G h o s h ' s stunning 29-ball 51 as the hosts snatched victory to sail through to the playoffs in style Chasing DC's 181/5, RCB stumbled in the last over as they were restricted to 180/7 in 20 overs with Ghosh run out on the last ball With 17 runs needed off the last six balls, Ghosh charged ahead hitting two sixes o f f J e s s J o n a s a n ' s b o w l i n g , b u t faltered in the end as DC earned the win Harmanpreet stars in MI win A h e i s t w a s p u l l e d o f f b y M u m b a i I n d i a n s o n S a t u r d a y , c o u r t e s y t h e i r c a p t a i n H a r m a n p r e e t K a u r I t w a s a difficult chase at the start and nearly became impossible when Yastika Bhatia (49) gave a return catch to Ashleigh Gardner in the 1 4 t h o v e r A t t h i s p o i n t , M I required 93 runs from 39 deliveries to win against Gujarat Giants The required rate was more than 15 runs per over Harmanpreet was batting at 19 off 20 balls Then something flipped A switch was turned on

Harmanpreet blasted 76 off

Big pay boost for playing test cricket

In dia ’ s Test cap has just been ma de mor e valuab le For India’s budding tal ents, Test cricket will now be a format t o drea m for Realising that playing Test cricket needed to be incentivised in the age of the financially lucrative IPL, the BCCI has ensured that those giving primacy to traditional multi-day cricket get high rewards

BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced on ‘X’ the initiation of the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme for Senior Men,’ commencing from the 2022-23 season As per this scheme, those players who play seven or more Tests (assuming that there are nine Tests in a season) will earn an additional Rs 45,00,000 per match This effectively means that if a player has featured/features in all the nine Tests in a season, he will receive a fee of Rs 60,00,000 per match£540,000 overall Basically, those players who feature in, or are a part of the squad for 75% of the Tests that India play in a season, will receive Rs 60,00,000 per match Those who play in five to six Tests in a season stand to earn an additional Rs 30,00,000 per match Alternatively, those players who feature in less than roughly less than 50% of Tests in a season, will not be eligible for the benefits Those players who aren’t a part of the playing XI, but are part of the squad, will receive 50 per cent of the sum the playing XI will receive

the next 28 balls she faced to pull o f f a s t u n n i n g s e v e n - w i c k e t victory for her team The Indian t e a m c a p t a i n f i n i s h e d w i t h a breathtaking unbeaten 95 to her name A six Harmanpreet hit off G a r d n e r ’ s b o w l i n g i n t h e 2 0 t h over measured at 90m – a distance hardly seen in women ’ s cricket Perry takes Bangalo re to p layoffs

Ellyse Perry was nothing less t h a n ' P r e c i o u s ' f o r t h e R o y a l

Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as they beat Mumbai Indians (MI) by seven wickets with five overs to spare at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday, to make it to the playoffs of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2024 Perry scored 40 and added an unbeaten 74 with Richa Ghosh (36) after RCB were left gasping at 39/3 in 6 1 overs, chasing a low but tricky target of 114 to win Earlier, RCB restricted MI to 113 as they bowled the opposition out in 19 overs Perry was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 6/15, which are the best in the history of the league Sajana Sajeevan top-scored for the Mumbai side with 30 runs to her name RCB skipper Smriti M a n d h a n a w o n t h e t o s s a n d decided to bowl first Gu jarat Giants stay alive Gujarat Giants stayed alive in the race for the Playoffs of the WPL after their 8-run win against t h e U P W a r r i o r z a t t h e A r u n Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on M o n d a y E v e n a f t e r a l o s s , Warriorz too is mathematically in w i t h a c h a n c e f o r o n e s p o t a l o n g s i d e R C B D e e p t i S h a r m a took the Warriorz right till the end even as they were 35/5 in seven overs while chasing 153 to win the match Deepti scored an unbeaten 88 off just 60 balls and added 109 f o r t h e s i x t h w i c k e t E a r l i e r , Mooney hit 21 in the last over to smash an unbeaten 74 off 52 balls and took her team to 152/8 in their 20 overs against the Warriorz In the last over, she hit Warriorz bowler Sophie Ecclestione for 21 Before that over Eccelstone had picked up three wickets for 17 runs Apart from Mooney, only Laura Wolvaardt was able to put pressure on the opposition with her 30-ball 43