AV 23rd October 2021

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

‘The Kashmir conflict is not a war of religions’ SEE PAGE - 28

R

inside

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

Rising toll triggers exodus of Bihar labourers from Kashmir SEE PAGE - 26

23 - 29 OCTOBER 2021 - VOL 50 ISSUE 25

Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani to be felicitated by the diaspora in the UK

The ‘People’s MP’ is no more

27 killed as torrential rain batters Kerala

SEE PAGE - 11

SEE PAGE - 17

SEE PAGE -25

REMEMBERING THE RAINBOW BABIES A leading baby loss charity has urged the government to urgently fund an enquiry into Asian baby deaths in the UK while mothers come forward to share their trauma of baby loss.

Shefali Saxena

Almost every family has lost at least one close relative or friend to the pandemic in the last 18 months.

However, there is no greater loss than losing a child, a baby who couldn’t even say his or her first word, or walk a few steps on their little toes. Grieving is sometimes a luxury. Labour Party MP for Luton North, Sara Owen is introducing a bill to extend paid bereavement leave to people who miscarry before 24 weeks. Sharing her story of losing a baby in an OpEd in The Independent, Owen said, “Two and a half years after my last miscarriage, I can’t believe this gross unfairness is justifiable in 2021, yet that is what the law currently is for anyone who loses a baby before 24 weeks.”

Continued on page 6

Temples vandalised in Bangladesh; 6 killed in violence Indian diaspora across the world slams attack on the Hindu community

Dhaka: Police in Bangladesh have detained at least 300 suspects after two Hindu men were killed and temples vandalised following unrest triggered by the alleged desecration of the Muslim holy book during Durga Puja festival last week. Violence erupted across the country after a photo was widely circulated on social media, showing the Quran placed on the knee of a Hindu deity during the Durga Puja festival in the eastern district of Cumilla.

Continued on page 20

2 UK

AsianVoiceNews

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

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23 - 29 October 2021

with Keith Vaz

Police boss quits after making insensitive comment

Padmini Chamund Padmini Chamund is the first Hindu Asian woman to be a Councillor in Leicester’s famous Belgrave Road area. She was born in Kenya and came to the UK in 1975, since then have lived in Leicester.

She started her first work as a machinist in the factory but was always interested in community work and helping the vulnerable.

Padmini have been a volunteer in many small organisations. Her first office job was as a receptionist and she slowly started to build up herself Currently, she works as a Payroll Administrator and Councillor of Belgrave Ward.

It gives her a pride that she can help people to those whose English is second language.

Her first election which took place in December 2018 and following with the local election.

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

Leicester has always been my home.

Leicester is the diversity which involves people from a range of different social and ethnic. I have been living in Leicester for more than 40yrs. I feel very proud of Leicester because Leicester City has been the first city to celebrate many festivals.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

My pride is that I am first Hindu Gujarati woman to be the councillor of Belgrave ward, which makes many proud of me. This has been my biggest achievement. During the pandemic period how we three ward councillors helped the businesses, constituent and elderly vulnerable, supported the volunteers who delivered food, medication and any other help needed. This was a pride that we were able to be there for the constituent and businesses.

3) What inspires you?

My constituent, when working with them and making the importance in their life. Seen the support in the pandemic and communities standing up to help, taking the charge.

4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

In my person and professional life there has been many obstacles, which is always a learning process to move on and to reach the goal.

5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?

In my person life my mother and my sister has always been supportive, caring and encouraging, but in the profession career Our Late Mansukh Lal Chohan, who supported and guided to the best way. Today whatever I am is because of Mr Chohan. It is sad that when I became councillor, he is not physically with us.

He will be always remembered. His words to me were never afraid of anyone when you know you are wright.

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

As I am able to speak four languages which makes me the voice for those whose voice has never been heard. The way I see something and someone with the constituent. During the pandemic we were not holding our surgery which is virtual. When the surgery starts will be looking forward to seeing our constituent in person and help them to the best.

7) And the worst?

The worst is that how some constituents are living in one house, how they are struggling. How many constituents are financially struggling, and many parents have to take their child to school which is not in the catchment area which cost them a lot.

8) What are your long-term goals?

My main aim is to help my constituent whose English is second language, who are not computer literacy.

This is where I can communicate with them and get the help needed.

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

Universal credit, this takes too long to sort someone’s benefit. Everything is online but how to help who are not computer literacy. Review the Pension age for women.

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

Rani of Jhansi. She was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and became a symbol of resistance.

Rani Lakshmibai was accustomed to riding on horseback accompanied by escorts between the palace and the temple. Jhansi was a brave lady who had her baby son and went to the battle ground with her baby son on her back. She was the lady of courage who should not be forgotten.

UN cancels Matt Hancock’s new role Former health secretary who resigned from his cabinet post four months ago for breaking social distancing guidelines by kissing a colleague was appointed as ‘UN special representative on financial innovation and climate change for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’. He

will continue as a conservative MP after his new unpaid role.

The UN Under Secretary-General Vera Songwe had appreciated the fiscal and monetary experience of Matt saying that the acceleration of vaccines that has led the UK to move faster towards eco-

nomic recovery is one testament to his strength. She had said that the role will support Africa’s cause at the global level and ensure the continent builds forward better, leveraging financial innovations. The UN has now told him the appointment "is not being taken forward".

Neighbour wins privacy row over smart doorbell and cameras Security cameras installed in a house in Oxfordshire didn’t go well with the neighbour who filed a case and won the privacy row.

Dr Mary Fairhurst said neighbour Jon Woodard breached data law by installing smart doorbells

and cameras.

A judge ruled in the favour of Dr Mary Fairhurst stating that a security system installed in a house in Oxfordshire "unjustifiably invaded" the privacy of a neighbour.

Mr Woodard will now

have to pay a substantial fine. He insisted that he did so with noble intention to scare away the burglars.

In the judgement, it was discovered that the Ring doorbell took images of the claimant's house and garden.

North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott made an apology for making a controversial statement in the wake of Sarah Everard’s murder. Mr Allot caused outrage saying women “women need to streetwise” In his defence, he said that his intention was to rebuild the confidence in the office. He put down his

North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Allott

papers after he lost a noconfidence vote. In a radio interview, he said that Ms Everard should not have

submitted when killer Wayne Couzens, then a serving police officer arrested her.

He said: "I misspoke and I am devastated at the effect that this has had on victims of crime and the groups that support them. I have tried to say this again and again, but I recognise that what I have said has not always been heard as I intended."

Alarming rise in homophobic attacks in London London is witnessing a 10-year-high in homophobic attacks as in the month of June alone, the Metropolitan police recorded nearly 400 offences. The same number of offences were recorded in April 2011 where anti-LGBTQ and hate crime cases were recorded.

Labour Assembly Member Unmesh Desai will be addressing the issue in City Hall on Thursday

where he will be questioning the Mayor of London about the steps that need to be taken. According to MET data, between July and

September, transphobic hate crimes remained high.

“The LGBTQ+ community in east London need reassurances that all the necessary measures are being taken to protect them from abuse and violence and that they can feel confident in coming forward reporting hate crime incidents to the police”, said Mr Desai.

Bradford resident arrested for selling guns online 32-year-old Khuram Yaqoob has been jailed for advertising guns and bullets on social media. Officers from West Yorkshire Police issued a warrant after the discovery. They also found raw materials to make bullets.

Upon the visit in June this year, police officers found blank firing ammunition, ball bearings and fireworks. It was believed that

Khuram Yaqoob

these things are used for

making bullets. Along with this, officers also recovered two pistols that were hidden under some bushes, and a shotgun cartridge was discovered on top of a wardrobe. When the warrant was issued, he was not at home, however, he was arrested the same day was charged with four offences under The Firearms Act 1968.

Afghan refugee stabbed to death in London A teenage Afghan refugee was stabbed to death on a sports field in southwest London in front of schoolchildren playing rugby.

Victim Hazrat Wali was stabbed to death on a sports field in southwest London. The incident took place on Tuesday around 4:45 pm in front of school

children who were busy playing rugby. 18-year-old Wali was an Afghan refugee who had shifted to London to live a better life leaving his family in Afghanistan.

The teacher tried giving him CPR, but Wali was pronounced dead in hospital. shortly after. A murder investigation is on, and police are yet to

make arrests.

Prince William shows displeasure against space tourism On the day, Star Trek's William Shatner was sent into space in Amazon billionaire Bezos's Blue Origin New Shepard rocket, Prince William spoke against space tourism.

William Shatner became the oldest person to send in the orbit.

Speaking to a BBC Newscast about the same, William said: "We need some of the world’s greatest

brains and minds fixed on

trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live."

The Duke of Cambridge expressed ahead his Earthshot Prize which will take place on Sunday where £50million will be handout over the next decade for initiatives to save the planet.

Space tourism has been heavily criticised for being hugely environmentally unfriendly.

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AsianVoiceNews

COMMENTS 3

AsianVoiceNewsweekly

23 - 29 October 2021

Healthy, wealthy and wise?

Everyday our social media buzzes with health-related tips. In 2020, when the Covid waves hit the UK, NHS was under a lot of pressure to save lives. Thousands still died, not because of the failure of a single hospital but because the system was already rickety and crumpling. NHS was promised millions by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, during his Brexit campaign. That money of course hasn’t seen the light of the day, let alone the treasury.

NHS is unique. Nowhere in the world is there a system, that provides healthcare free of cost to every possible human living on this island. It has some of the best doctors, nurses and specialists.

But the problem lies, that with not enough money or staff, the system is crippled with the overwhelming number of patients as the UK population increases fast. The debate about online GP vs inperson appointments is valid, but with a dwindling work force, this country is facing one of its worst shortages of skilled workers.

The backlogs and missing appointments have led to life losses and the pain is irreparable for victims. Being stuck within four walls, as winter approaches, fear of Covid-19 and flu mount, but there are issues, that are putting human lives to danger.

First is mental health. Squid Games and similar shows are promoting passive aggressive behaviour, psychosis and online extremism. What is the solution? UK government launched a campaign called Every Mind Matters, that encouraged people to go online and get a free personalised action plan with practical tips to help them deal with stress and anxiety. Workplaces regularly send emails about mental health wellbeing and a battery of stars post videos talking about their mental health challenges and respective journeys.

But iNews reported, by the middle of 2020, one in five people in Britain was suffering from depression, twice the number in

2019, according to the most recent data released by the Office for National Statistics. The number of children and young people reportedly needing emergency care because they were in a mental health crisis rose by 20 per cent to 18,269. Yet, while mental health accounts for 28 per cent of the burden of disease in the UK, worsened further by the pandemic, it only receives 13 per cent of the spending.

Even during Baby Loss Week, so many parents have come forward to share their trauma. Not every empty feeling of grieving parents gets addressed, let alone being empathised or sympathised for.

Second is diabetes. While Type 2 diabetes is irreversible with proper diet, exercise and lifestyle, Type 1 needs insulin and close monitoring. Currently, 60% of the world's diabetic population is Asian. This higher risk may be because Asians, especially South Asians, are more likely to have less muscle and more abdominal fat, which increases insulin resistance.

Third is Diabulimia for people with Type 1 diabetes. It's an eating disorder where someone reduces or stops taking their insulin to lose weight. However, when you have Type 1 diabetes, you need insulin to live. So, without it, there can be life-threatening consequences. But youngsters, who are suffering from mental health issues or affected by unhealthy body image complexes, tend to opt for this ‘automatic’ weight loss to appear ‘skinny’.

In olden days, the common phrase used was “healthy, wealthy and wise.” It did not refer to monetary gain but, a good health, which is a true symbol of prosperity and prudence. As the world struggles to come into terms with the new normal, it is time for some serious “tlc” (tender loving care). And that charity always begins at home.

Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer Who does not like to plan for a holiday? Even in the peak of the second wave, Indians were heading to Maldives, with the trend increasing sharply in summer 2021. As UK travel eases, with the scrapping of amber and green list and vaccine passport becoming a norm, people ditched staycations to travel across the channel and the pond. After filling a series of forms and PCR tests, families have rushed to India and elsewhere, following quarantine norms, to meet loved ones and attend ceremonies and celebrations. Though Covid cases soar in the UK, people continue to venture out to restaurants and to half term gateways, because staying put for indefinite period, has never been an option in human history.

With Tata’s takeover of Air India, there are now hopes of better connectivity and ease of service to India and abroad.

2020 has been hard for businesses especially tourism. The Southall Travel Group refunded more than a staggering £110m, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which devasted the UK travel industry. Southall Travel Group, which has been operating for almost 40 years, is also one of the UK’s only major travel companies to have completed all refunds on package holidays which were cancelled due to the pandemic.

According to the ONS, there were 2.6 million visits to the UK by overseas residents in January 2019 (6% more than in January 2018). Overseas residents spent £1.5 billion on visits to the UK in January 2019, which was the same as January 2018.

UK residents made 4.5 million visits overseas in January 2019 (2% fewer than in January 2018) and spent £2.9 billion on visits

overseas in January 2019 (6% more than in January 2018).

According to Visit Britain, since 2010 tourism has been the fastest growing sector in the UK in employment terms. Britain’s forecast pre-pandemic was to have a tourism industry worth over £257 billion by 2025. However there is a new challenge ahead. With staff shortage as well as increasing unemployment, questions arise whether the industry will cope? During the pandemic, UK lost close to £150 billion in tourism revenue. Even with more liberal terms, airports lost another £2.6 billion in revenue between April and September 2021. With passenger numbers expected to be similar this year or probably worse, airports perhaps stand to lose similar amount in revenue again.

But countries like India, Cyprus, Singapore, Barcelona bring hope for a steady revival as they promote quarantine free travel.

The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) said reopening the tourism industry to vaccinated foreigners from November will help drive GDP growth and sustain business confidence.

Pablo Caspers of online agency Opodo reportedly said the decision to remove 54 countries from red list by UK, was clear evidence of “an appetite to travel more widely” in the week leading up to the announcement. UK searches for travel to Brazil were up 184% on the previous week and searches to South Africa increased by 163%. So, there is optimism and there is opportunity.

With the right measures in place, one can surely enjoy travelling with new fervour. As the famous poet Wallace Stevens once said, “The most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself.”

Time to end persecution of minorities Minorities, especially Hindus, have experienced both historical and ongoing religious persecution and systematic violence, in the form of forced conversion, massacres, demolition and desecration of temples as well as destruction of education centres in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Some of these events may need to be viewed in their historical context. When India was partitioned in the name of religion in 1947, both India and Pakistan had agreed to respect and protect their minorities. In 1947, a big chunk of Muslims who rejected the two-nation theory, chose to stay on in India. Similarly, a large number of Hindus, Sikhs and other religious minorities remained in Pakistan, Afghanistan and in Bangladesh. The estimated number of minorities - Hindus and Sikhs - was around 12.9% in Pakistan at the time of partition. It has been reduced to less than 1% today.

The Hindus who constituted around 31% of the population in Bangladesh at the time of its creation have come down to only 8% today. A valid question to be asked to these countries is: Where are their ‘missing’ Hindus and other religious minorities?

The answer is clear. These minorities have either been converted, killed or have left these countries for safer places - mostly India. The persecution of these communities, which has, at times, taken the form of pogroms, has continued almost relentlessly in these countries. The political and social leadership of India has been justifiably worried about this, and this cuts across party lines. In 1947, there was extensive migration. Around 14 to 16 million Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims were forced to leave their homes and flee to safe zones. In the same period, over 600,000 of them were killed. The manner of killing was brutal. After the killings, the proportion of Hindu holding properties in Pakistan fell to 12.7%. Nearly 90% of the Hindu citizens of Dhaka migrated to India. The persecution of the Hindus and other religious minorities is what necessitated the introduction of Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) by the Indian government. It would provide a long overdue relief to non-Muslim refugees from these countries.

The root causes behind all the attacks were to thwart dissent,

freedom and secularism. In short, minorities at any corner of the world are increasingly at risk of losing their lives, property and religious identity. The majority community think that the Hindus are peace loving and spineless people and they will not react to the harassment. There are at least 31 million Hindus in other countries who are in powerful positions in their chosen countries. They won't tolerate these kind of minority cleansing.

The time is now for the powerful Hindus to react to these harassment through peaceful and constitutional means. The religious or ethnic minorities know that they cannot depend on the governments of their chosen country for their survival. They have to earn their bread. So they work hard and earn money. The locals cannot tolerate the outsiders earning success. The locals devised ways to harass these minorities and grab their wealth. The same thing happened to Tamil minorities in Sri Lanka. The Indians, mostly Tamils, came to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) as labourers to work in the estates owned by the Britishers. When the Britishers left Lanka, the Tamils mostly became the owners of the estates.

The locals cannot digest these and they devised ways to harass the Tamils. When the harassment became unbearable, the Tamils protested and it was crushed with a heavy hand.

Thousands of Tamils were killed and still they are living in fear.

Even in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh the same process is continuing against the minorities there. Any sort of opinions, disgruntlement from minorities invite hardline actions in these countries. In Bangladesh a young Hindu man's alleged Facebook post criticising Hefazat-e-Islam’s leader Mamunul Haque's speech, led to hundreds of supporters of a hardline Islamist group in Bangladesh attacking and vandalising 70 to 80 houses of Hindus in the country’s northeastern Sylhet division. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Muslim majority treat the minorities as third class citizens without any voice. The Indian government is taking up the issues of minorities in these countries and an atmosphere is created where they can live peacefully in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. These countries are degrading themselves in reality.

The best is yet to come.

- Frank Sinatra

Alpesh Patel

Ethnic Minorities Fall Behind on Investing Ethnic Minorities Fall Behind on Investing Ethnic minorities in the UK and US do not invest as much as they should. Their lack of participation in the financial markets compounds the existing pay and wealth gap. If we want to live in a fairer, more equal world, we need to solve this issue. So what are the options?

What are the Figures for Ethnic Minority Investment?

The latest CNBC/Momentive Invest in You survey found that almost half of Black Americans didn't have any investments. For Black women, the number is even higher, at nearly 60%.

In the UK, things aren't much better. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released data that demonstrated the severe differences in pension uptake across the country.

The report looked at median private pension wealth for ethnic groups. Bangladeshi, Black African, Chinese, "any other ethnic group" households had pensions of less than £5000. White British-headed households had £80,000.

What are the Reasons Behind the Pension Gap? There are a complex set of factors that contribute to the pension gap. One commonly cited reason is the labour market. Ethnic minorities, on average, earn less, have higher unemployment rates, and are more likely to be self-employed.

Not having the liquidity to invest in a pension is a big problem with few easy solutions. Additionally, many ethnic minorities have come from jurisdictions where public trust in institutions is low. Education can help people understand the benefits of pensions and investment and explain the checks and balances involved.

Barriers with Ethnic Minority Investment The financial industry has a fair way to go to achieve equal outcomes. Over the years, many big firms have made significant diversity pledges.

However, when it comes to actions, they've fallen short.

In a recent City of London Race to Equality report, a shocking 66% of ethnic minorities said they had experienced workplace discrimination due to their background. A further 4 in 10 believed that their employers weren't doing enough to create an inclusive environment. At the same time, 28% said that discrimination was holding back their careers.

If discrimination holds back employees, it breeds mistrust. And a lack of trust is another significant factor in low ethnic minority investment participation.

Another aspect that affects trust is a lack of transparency. Only 13 members of the FTSE 100 released their ethnicity pay gaps. Those that have published revealed ethnic pay gaps as high as 27% (British Land).

A lack of career progression means a lower income to invest. Investing gives everyone a chance to grow their money. Since the 2008 financial crisis, saving interest rates have been typically lower than 1%. If savers want to beat inflation, they need to consider investing. When you consider that average 10-year stock market returns are historically over 9%, the importance of investing becomes clear.

Continued on page 10

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23 - 29 October 2021

Urgent call for people from BAME to learn CPR Dr Habib Naqvi, the director in charge of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, is calling on everybody, and particularly people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to learn CPR skills this Restart A Heart Day. His call comes amid worrying survey results showing that many people don’t know the difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack.

A quarter (26%) of Black, Asian and minority ethnic people surveyed thought that a cardiac arrest and a heart attack are the same thing while a third (33%) didn’t know whether they are the same or different. Also, almost half of respondents (47%) from these backgrounds have never received any type of training on how to help someone experiencing a cardiac arrest.

Dr Habib Naqvi, director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, said: “Every year across the UK, more than 30,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital and the majority of these take place at home. Sadly, only 1 in 10 people survive. While we don’t know the exact numbers of people from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background who have a cardiac arrest each year, we do know that people from these backgrounds have a higher incidence of heart disease and other condi-

Dr Habib Naqvi

Dr Habib Naqvi

tions, and that these increase the risk of a cardiac arrest. I want as many people as possible to have the skills and confidence to know what to do and to act quickly in an emergency, so they are in the best position to give a loved one the best chance of life. It doesn’t take long to learn the skills you need, because one day you might need to use them.”

Rohit Sagoo Founder and Director of British Sikh Nurses said: “It’s really important that people know how to do CPR so they can potentially save the life of someone who has collapsed and is not breathing normally. “With most sudden cardiac arrests outside of hospital taking place in the home, knowing what to do and starting CPR could mean the difference between life and death for a member of your family in an emergency. The few minutes you spend learning CPR now will mean you know what to do in a future emergency and have the

confidence to carry out CPR before the ambulance arrives. We understand that you may feel that you should wait for a healthcare professional to arrive before starting CPR but it’s really important that you don’t.

With every minute that goes by, someone’s chances of survival decrease by 10%.

When you ring 999, the operator will support you and talk you through what to do, but please take the time to learn what to do now so you feel even more confident to act and help someone who needs you.”

Everyone can learn CPR by attending local training events and by using online resources, which they can find at resus.org.uk/rsah.

There are resources available in a range of languages, including Punjabi, Hindi, Arabic, Gujarati, Welsh, Polish, Chinese and Kurdish. People can also support the campaign and learn more about it on social media using the hashtag #RestartAHeart.

Scientists fear for their lives A survey of 321 scientists has found that 15 per cent feared for their life after talking to the media or commenting on social media about the pandemic.

More than one in five received threats of physical or sexual violence, some had their home address revealed online and six were physically attacked.

The study was conducted by the journal Nature. It

comes after Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty was assaulted in St James’ Park and Dr Andrew 24 hour helpline e

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Hill from Liverpool University was warned that he and his children will “burn in hell”. US President’s medical adviser Anthony Fauci was also given security guards after receiving death threats. This is a wake-up call for the government to deal with anti-vaxxers in the UK.

Diabetes will be the next epidemic to sweep the UK An expert from London Medical Laboratory has warned that Diabetes will be the next epidemic to sweep the UK, and Covid may be triggering more cases.

Dr Quinton Fivelman PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at London Medical Laboratory says diabetes is escalating rapidly in the UK population, usually linked to factors such as weight, lifestyle, age and family history. In the last year, he believes there is evidence has been building that there could also be a link with Covid-19.

One in three UK adults will be at risk of diabetes by 2030, and new research suggests catching Covid-19 could be a cause, warns London Medical Laboratory.

By 2030 diabetes cases in the UK will have risen by 50% compared to 2007 levels, according to Diabetes

UK. That’s largely down to an alarming rise in the level of obesity, but there is increasing evidence that Covid-19 may also be triggering new cases, a leading expert has warned.

According to Dr Fivelman, one in ten people will have diabetes by the end of the next decade, and one in three will be at a much-increased risk of developing it. Fortunately, there is a simple blood test (HbA1c) that will categorically confirm whether or not you have Type 2 diabetes – even in the earliest stages, long before any symptoms have developed.

This increase in diabetes could, in some cases, be linked to Covid. New

research has revealed Covid could be triggering the disease in previously healthy people, and potentially significantly worsening cases for some pre-existing diabetics.

Keeping your blood sugar levels normal requires the proper balance of glucagon and insulin secretion at the appropriate times. A lack of insulin secretion can result in Type 1 diabetes. This may be triggered by Covid-19 attacking pancreatic cells.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus can spread beyond a patient’s respiratory tract and lungs.

It is already acknowledged in the UK that patients with pre-existing diabetes have a higher risk of serious complications with Covid-19, they are on the UK priority vaccine list.

The way Covid-19 penetrates organs is a particular concern.

Lab under scrutiny for false Covid test results About 43,000 people in England and Wales may have been wrongly told their Covid-19 test was negative.

The authenticity of the lab was under scrutiny when several people had a positive lateral flow test (LFTs) but tested negative for PCR results between 8 September and 12 October.

Most of these people whose tests were negative are from southwest England. This also implies that many who must have been positive for the virus were wrongly told not to isolate.

Approximately 43,000 were affected by the wrong result.

It has taken a month for investigative agencies to find that a laboratory has been giving incorrect Covid test results. The investigation was ordered by the head of the UK Health

Security Agency (UKHSA) to figure out why it took a month to identify this private laboratory in Wolverhampton.

Reports suggest that testing at the lab has been suspended and those affected are being contacted.

Eyebrows are being raised at how this lab won a multimillion-pound government contract. All samples from the lab, where Immensa Health Clinic Ltd runs the testing operations, are now being sent to other labs, BBC reported.

Dr Harries, chief executive of the UKHSA and head of NHS Test and Trace, said, "It is the location of the laboratory, combined with the geography and the time period, that has allowed us to understand this now. I want to make sure if there are any further problems with other laboratories we can absolutely spot them as quickly as possible."

The lab has been awarded contracts for Covid testing by the Department of Health valued at £181m.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people "should not be concerned" by the lab's suspension. "We're looking into what went wrong with that particular testing centre, but it doesn't affect the overall numbers," he said.

London food shortages ‘second worst in UK’ One in five Londoners were unable to purchase essential food items in the past two weeks, new research can reveal. 19 per cent of people in London could not buy essential food items in the past fortnight - making London the second-worst place in the UK for food shortages, after the South East and the East Midlands. The research also found that nearly one in four Londoners were unable to purchase non-essential food items in the last two weeks.

The research, conducted by delivery management experts Urbantz, used new ONS data on goods shortages to analyse the percentage of people in the UK who were unable to access essential food between the 22nd of September and the 3rd of October. The study also found that 12 per cent of people in London bought less food than usual between 22 September and 3 October as a result of the shortages.

One in six Londoners reported that when they went food shopping, items

they needed were not available and they could not find a replacement, while half said that there was less variety of food in the shops than usual. Another one in six London residents were also unable to purchase fuel in the last fortnight On a UK-wide level, 17 per cent of people struggled to buy essential food items in the last fortnight, and 15 per cent of people couldn’t buy fuel. The North East and the East Midlands were the areas worst hit by food shortages, with 21 per cent of people in those regions unable to buy essential food.

The South East and the East of England were the regions that struggled most with fuel shortages. In the East of England, nearly a quarter of residents could not buy fuel, and in the South East, 22 per cent of people were unable to access it – 57 per cent higher

than the national average of people unable to purchase fuel.

A spokesperson for Urbantz, which conducted the study, said: “With the country facing significant delivery of food and other essentials, it’s important to look at the experiences of families in the UK, and what they have dealt with in the past two weeks when trying to shop for food, medicine and fuel. The impact of the driver shortage is felt across the entire supply chain, all the way through to the last mile - where consumers are faced with fewer choices at checkout and longer delays on their deliveries due to retailers' struggles to keep their warehouses stocked. Urbantz is a last-mile delivery management platform for enterprises designed to respond to the delivery needs of retailers, logistics operators, e-commerce, grocery suppliers and more.

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REMEMBERING THE RAINBOW BABIES Continued from page 1 “The law urgently needs to catch up with society to allow the time to grieve and heal.

Miscarriage can make you sick, but it isn’t an illness; it is time the law stopped treating it like one,” she added.

Leading baby loss charity ‘Sands’ has called for urgent action on Asian baby death, highlighting a worrying and unjust inequality in the risk of a baby dying in the UK. Around 14 babies die before, during or soon after birth in the UK every day. Sands estimates that had a stillbirth and neonatal death rates for Black and Asian babies been the same as for White babies, 432 fewer babies would have died in 2019 in England and Wales.

This inequity is backed up by a new analysis, released by MBRRACE-UK, of the multidimensional effects of ethnicity, deprivation, and mother’s age on baby deaths in 2019 in the UK, which shows that multiple risk factors can combine to magnify the risk, deepening inequalities for some families. Of the babies that died in 2019, two-third of Black babies, half of Asian babies and one-third of white babies lived in deprived areas, showing the cumulative impact of inequality on perinatal outcomes. Babies most at risk of neonatal death are those born to Black or Asian mothers who are under 25 or over 35 and living in the most deprived areas. The charity is calling on the Government to urgently fund an enquiry into Asian and British Asian baby deaths in the UK, as they have already for Black and Black British baby deaths.

Asian Voice spoke to mothers of Asian origin in Britain, who have suffered miscarriages, baby loss and stillbirth. They valiantly shared their learnings, pain and compassionate messages for fellow Asians, who need to be educated about stillbirth and baby loss.

The rainbow baby “I always knew the risk of miscarriage but associated it with the first three months of pregnancy. I always thought after getting to that magic 12-week scan, you were safe from loss. The possibility of stillbirth or neonatal death didn't even occur to me. I had no idea that as a British Asian expecting mum, I was more at risk of losing my baby,” Priya Vara, a mother who has suffered the loss of not one, but two babies, told Asian Voice. Priya lost her son Shayen to stillbirth, and another baby at 12 weeks. She has been documenting her journey on her blog: www.myrainbowbaby.co.uk.

On 30 August 2017, Priya gave birth to a boy named Shayen. Speaking to the newsweekly, Priya explained how she had a low-risk pregnancy with no complications, all her scans showed that Shayen was growing well. “I was actually overdue and at 40 weeks plus 5 days. I went into labour naturally at home. I felt Shayen moving in my stomach before we left for the hospital.”

Upon arrival at the hospital, the midwives checked her vitals but the doppler device couldn’t detect a heartbeat. But Priya and her husband didn’t panic at this point as there were several reasons why a doppler might not pick up a heartbeat.

‘I’m so sorry’, said a young man, and Priya turned to her husband and asked, “What is he sorry about?" He told her, “Your baby… it doesn't have a heartbeat... it's gone.” Priya and her husband decided not to do a postmortem as they didn't believe there was anything that anyone could tell them differently and make them feel better.

Medical help could do with some improvement Priya went on to tell us, “In terms of medical help, we cannot thank the midwives and doctors and Hillingdon Hospital for all of the love and support they have showed us. I went on to have another child after Shayen and the care I have received has been second to none.

Even after me, my husband and my 3-year-old received bereavement care which was like counselling that was offered through our local GP.” Sharing how the hospital despite being

Baby Shayen and Priya

equipped to handle such cases could have been better, Priya added, “Don’t get me wrong – I couldn’t have wished for a more amazing group of midwives at Hillingdon who gave me care that was out of this world. The surroundings could definitely have been improved though. We therefore over the last 2 years raised £50,000 to help Hillingdon Hospital build a maternity bereavement suite. The suite is due to be finished by the end of this year.”

Processing grief What most people tend to forget in pain and loss, is the fact that even during stillbirth, the mother physically and emotionally goes through labour to bring the baby into the world. Fortunately, Priya and Kevin had the rock-solid emotional support of their families to navigate through these unfathomable times.

Priya said, “Grief, in general, is really hard to go through. But a child’s loss is by far the worst type of grief. In the beginning, straight after losing Shayen, we controlled who we saw and honestly our circle was very small for around 6 months. I didn't really want to see anyone apart from close family and a few friends. I’m going to sound harsh here, but people are hard work.”

After losing Shayen, Priya’s local GP contacted her and asked if she needed any counselling. She had the option to wait for a referral to a qualified counsellor which could take up to 6 months, or head to the actual GP surgery which has a bereavement support group where she could see someone within a week.

She chose to go with the volunteer service where she met Julie, who held sessions with Priya and her husband. Julie even visited Priya’s daughter's nursery and did play therapy with her.

Message to fellow Asians in the UK When Priya was asked about what she would like to convey to other Asian mothers, she told us, “After losing Shayen, we made the decision to focus on raising awareness on this topic that is still very much taboo. My husband and I appeared on TV to talk about our loss and after that, so many people (mainly Asians) reached out. People who had lost years ago but had never spoken about it, people who were going through a loss then. It really surprised me how many didn't know about monitoring your baby's movements or the importance of taking vitamins and attending all antenatal appointments.

“When I asked them if they knew that Asians are more at risk of loss, not one person did. As Asians, we are more at risk of losing a baby than a white person. That stat and risk need to be communicated to expectant mothers in a way to make them more aware of their baby and monitor their baby with a clear message telling them to seek medical advice if anything seems wrong. We warn expectant mothers of so many other risks - we should be educating them on this too.”

Sands Ambassador, a bereaved mother speaks Shetal Ksavi Joshi, Sands Ambassador and Babyloss Speaker admits that she wasn’t well informed of the risk of miscarriage. Speaking to the newsweekly about stillbirth and baby loss, Joshi said, “Having had a premature baby first time and second, I was in the unknown and had to find our way through. The neonatal

nurses were incredibly supportive in the process of our first two sons being born prematurely, and it was only then that neonatal death crossed our minds, especially with our second son Shivai, because he had complications and we had almost lost him twice after he was born. We just didn’t expect he would die after being home for nearly 8 months and suddenly dying the way he did.”

Shetal had 3 miscarriages after her first son was born. “We desperately tried to have a second child, Shivai was our second born, and he was prematurely born at 29 weeks. We almost lost him the first night and then again 4 weeks later. He was revived and stabilised.

“He was home and developing well. Just before his 8-month birthday, he caught a cough and cold. I had 2 routine paediatric and dietitian appointments for him where I asked them to check him and continued to pursue 3 additional GP appointments where they all checked his chest and said he was fine, nothing to worry about.

“The day he was showing some progress, he died, in the GPs surgery, 39 seconds from home. He was fine when we put him in his car seat and when we took him out, he was limp.

45 minutes later he was pronounced dead,” Shetal Joshi told Asian Voice.

Shetal feels that medical help was available but the viral bacterial bug that caused an attack on Shivai’s immunity, and which ultimately caused pneumonia and sepsis was not picked up before, nor was he tested for it, until it was

in brief IDENTICAL TWIN IN RACE AGAINST TIME TO SAVE BROTHER'S LIFE Anoop Sumal, 36, Hounslow, is an identical twin to Aman Sumal, who is currently fighting for his life following a Grade 4 Glioblastoma diagnosis (terminal brain cancer), one of the most aggressive cancers with an average survival rate of only 12-14 months. Sadly, the most recent chemotherapy drug is not working for Aman and all other treatment options available through the NHS for this type of cancer have already been exhausted by the family.

Now, his twin brother, Anoop Sumal, along with his family are desperately calling on the community to help raise emergency funds for potentially life-saving treatments, in their last hope to prolong Aman’s life and give him the opportunity to have quality time with his wife and baby boy.

Their fundraising campaign ‘Hope for Aman’ aims to raise £150,000 for two experimental drugs that need to be privately funded, costing anywhere up to £10,000 a month.

They will also use the money to fund potential peptide vaccines formulated especially for Aman by CeGat, a gene analysis company in Germany.

For more information you can log onto : https://www.gofundme.com/f/amans-fightagainst-brain-tumour-glioblastoma

DID BORIS AND CARRIE BREAK LOCKDOWN RULES?

Baby Shivai and Shetal

discovered after he died.

Describing the kind of mental health support she had, Shetal said, “Sands, who I am an ambassador for, really helped our family. We found comfort in the arms of them and others who had been through similarities like us.” She also received post-natal therapy from her GP. Does this experience change a woman’s body beyond the mental trauma that it leaves behind? Shetal said, “It changes your whole life, you are never the same person again.

Mentally, physically, emotionally it affects every part of your day-to-day life. There’s not a second, I don’t think about Shivai and our miscarriages. What would our future be like with him in it? What personality would he have, how would the dynamics work with him around and our other children, his milestones if he was still alive?

“I always feel like I am two steps, and then one step back, grief can hold you back in unparalleled ways and the trauma from it.”

Shetal emphasises that expecting parents must speak to their GP and maternity care unit if they have any concerns and ask for the answers they seek.

“As an ambassador, I do much work to support and help Sands. There’s a great deal of support out there, and please, no one should feel alone,” Shetal Joshi said.

Last year, it was reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie had broken lockdown rules during Christmas.

The news broke in the US in Harper’s Magazine which claimed that Ms Nimco Ali, the godmother to the Johnsons’ 17-monthold son Wilfred, “spent Christmas with the couple at No10 despite pandemic restrictions on holiday gatherings”. The rules at the time said: “You can only use a childcare bubble for childcare. You cannot use a childcare bubble to mix with another household for other reasons.” A No10 spokesman said: “The Prime Minister and Mrs Johnson have followed coronavirus rules at all times. It is totally untrue to suggest otherwise.”

BBC BREAKFAST HOSTS FACE BACKLASH BBC Breakfast hosts Seema Kotecha and Chris Mason faced backlash from their viewers who described that presenting skills as ‘awful’ on social media.

Their banter about Mason’s tie was considered a “cringe” moment. Sima tried to get her opinion across, but Chris was too focused on his tie, leaving her to sit and laugh along awkwardly, Express UK reported.

Indian company wins Prince William’s Earthshot Prize 2021 Indian company Takachar won the "Clean our Air" prize for the creation of a portable machine that turns agricultural waste into fertiliser so that farmers do not burn the waste and cause air pollution. Vidyut Mohan from Takachar received the Earthshot Prize 2021 on behalf of the company.

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Been cou o ghing for three weekkss orr m Contact y If you’ve had a co more and it isn’ It’s probably y no but it could be a Your NHS want Yo nhs.uk//can cance

Sayyada yyada Mawji, GP

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LycaHealth invests more than £140 million in the UK health market LycaHealth has confirmed that it is investing more than £140 million to grow its business in the UK. The figure, which will be spent over the next five years, will primarily be invested in the South East, where LycaHealth will add the largest independent hospital in Kent, KIMS Hospital, and its associated Medical Centre in Sevenoaks to its

medical centres already operating in London. This is part of LycaHealth’s commitment to bringing high quality, accessible health services to local communities in the UK. Prema Subaskaran, LycaHealth Chairperson, said, “Our investment in KIMS hospital is a step towards us achieving our long-term goal to provide a complete pathway from

Simon & Prema

diagnosis through to treatment and aftercare for those patients that require it.

Working with the KIMS team, we’ll be able to improve access to tech and strengthen the facilities on offer that ultimately improve each patient’s individual route to care, providing the best affordable healthcare for the local community”.

Murderer husband gets life sentence Kashish Aggarwal (28), who killed his wife Geetika Goyal (29) at their Leicester home had wrapped her body in plastic and driven around for over half a mile in his car before dumping her body on the pavement. Aggarwal did not show any remorse after the "violent attack" has been jailed for life to serve a minimum of 20 years and six months after he previously pleaded guilty to murder at Leicester Crown Court.

“A search inside the home uncovered traces of blood in the dining room and garage while CCTV enquiries also showed him driving Geetika's car to dump her body,” The Sun reported.

Kashish initially pretended to not know the whereabouts of his wife, until Goyal’s brother started looking for her.

Geetika's family said in a statement: "Geetika was our

Geetika Goyal

Kashish Aggarwal

lovely daughter, sister and auntie. As a family, we always called her 'Geetu'.

"Geetu was a kind, gentle, humble and honest person. She would not do anything to harm anyone else and always spoke politely of people. She was a good person who listened and cared for others. She was innocent and did nothing to deserve her death.

We can never imagine the pain that Geetu went through that night. She was at work that day and was

having a wonderful day with us.

"A few hours later she was dead and had been killed in such a brutal way by her husband Kashish. She must have suffered so badly and there was nothing that any of us could do to help her.

"When we found out Geetu had died, we were all in a state of disbelief. We just couldn't accept what had happened. We recently travelled to India to scatter Geetu's ashes. We cried dur-

ing the journey there. We should not have been doing what we were doing.

"This was not how it should have been. We just wish we could have done more to help her when she needed us the most."

Detective Inspector Jenni Heggs, from the East Special Midlands Operations Unit, said: "Aggarwal showed no remorse and was only interested in trying to cover his own tracks pretending to family, friends and the police that he had no idea what had happened to his wife. He continued to change his version of events a number of times when being interviewed by police.

Today's hearing sadly will not bring Geetika back but I do hope it helps Geetika's family in some small way to see that justice has been done for their daughter and sister who lost her life in this most horrendous way."

Indian Army Team wins Gold Medal in Exercise Cambrian Patrol in UK 4/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) represented the Indian Army at the prestigious Cambrian Patrol Exercise at Brecon, Wales, the UK from 13th October15th October 2021. The Indian Army Team won the Gold Medal in this prestigious competition and received rich accolades from the team of judges.

HE Mrs Gaitri Issar Kumar, High Commissioner of India to UK, felicitated the Indian Army Cambrian Patrol Team at India House, London.

The event is considered the ultimate test of human endurance, team spirit and is rightly considered the Olympics of Military Patrolling.

The Indian Army team competed against 96 teams which included 17 international teams representing special forces and regiments from around the world.

The team has performed extremely well under the harsh terrain conditions and inclement weather. These, in itself, presented various challenges in addition to the

HE Mrs Gaitri Issar Kumar, High Commissioner of India to UK, felicitated the Indian Army Cambrian Patrol Team at India House, London.

complex real world situations which were simulated to assess their reactions in a combat setting.

The Indian Army team was complimented on its excellent navigation skills, delivery of patrol orders and overall endurance for completing the Patrol. The team captain stated that his team adhered to the basics

that the Indian Army follows in its battle drills and procedures.

The award ceremony was honoured by the presence of General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, the Chief of General Staff of the British Army, who presented the Gold Medal to the entire Indian Army team.

Brig Vikramjit Singh Gill,

Military Advisor at High Commission of India London, also attended this prestigious event.

This year, out of 96 participating teams in Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2021, only three international patrols have been awarded a gold medal till phase 6th of this Exercise.

49 % believe there will be further lockdowns A survey conducted by Savanta ComRes has found that 49 per cent believe there will be further lockdowns, with 74 per cent concerned about another virus wave this winter.

Most people who fear (over 75%) are over 55 years of age. While over half – 55 per cent – think the worst of Covid is behind us, 19 per cent believe the worst is yet to come. Chris Hopkins, of Savanta ComRes, said: "While it may feel to many that the

UK is out of the woods with coronavirus, there is still an underlying feeling – or perhaps fear – among the public that there are more restrictions, including lockdowns, to come. "That, coupled with a small but significant proportion who feel that the worst of the pandemic is still ahead of us, shows that trust in the vaccine rollout may still be undermined if the UK enters further restrictions during a winter that will be inevitably challenging for the NHS."

What is your unique social skill?

Rohit Vadhwana Every individual has a unique social skill based on which s/he gets along in the society. Some people have a pretty smile, while others maintain a straight face. A few are sweet spoken while others do not weigh their words.

Someone likes to make close friends, other may believe in working relationship. All these depend on a particular social skill that one develops over a period of time.

What is the social skill that is unique to you? This question is very important to understand your strengths and weaknesses. If you are a soft-spoken personality, it will be difficult for you to take up some task that requires very blunt kind of communication. Similarly, if you always speak truth irrespective of its impact, sugar coating won't work in your case. If you always smile at others, perhaps being strict and indifferent is really difficult even when required. All these skills are certain sets of characteristics that you might have developed over the period of time, from your environment, family, friends or inherently.

Although skills can be learnt and unlearned, anything that has become unique and distinctive to you should be retained and maintained. If people know you as a serious business type of person, it's your special social skill. If you are known as an easy-going happy fellow, that's also unique.

Social skills are important for everyone. They are your best describable features and your points of attraction.

Your nature will attract a certain kind of people while others will remain away from you. It is very natural that likeminded people go along very well, although sometimes the best friendship happens between people of opposite nature. Whatever way you take the relationship, but remaining true to your own style and strength is important. Being committed to your identified unique social skill is vital. Do not try to imitate any other successful person if it’s not in your trait. Do not follow anyone blindly even if it is in the most favourable trend in society at a particular time. Trends and likings of people change from time to time and place to place. But uniqueness is always appreciated.

The social skill may go beyond your nature and behaviour as well. It may include your unique style of wearing clothes, jewellery or living. If you have been living with simplicity and it has become your unique style, why not maintain it? If you have been the person who is found at parties, continue to enjoy it because people of that kind will look up to you. Do not change yourself for those people who do not agree with your preferences. There are always different kinds of people in society. That’s why we have a pub and a church in every village. That’s why there are libraries and theatres in every locality. Keep going to the place you best enjoy, provided it is not illegal or immoral. Adhering to social value is important if you do not want to confront it. However, even while following all the norms of society, you can continue to enjoy living with your own unique social skill, without trying to imbibe others.

So, there might be a particular social skill in your personality that people associate with you. Identify it, maintain it and enjoy it. Let it be your identity.

(Expressed opinions are personal)

Patients being treated by nurses, pharmacists and acupuncturists NHS data has revealed that more than two-thirds of the time, patients are given an appointment with someone other than a GP. A total of 52 per cent of consultations in July were with an actual GP. The rest were carried out by nurses, pharmacy assistants and acupuncturists.

The Royal College of GPs defended the figures, claiming that family doctors were not always most appropriate to see the patients. Meanwhile, ministers have threatened to name and shame the worstperforming surgeries unless more OPDs start.

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READERS' VOICE

Noble prize in literature won by Tanzanian author Abdulrazak Gurnah We are extremely happy to learn that person of African origin and Tanzanian born novelist and refuge who came to England with nothing and who have seen untold misery but his strong love and commitment to writing won the most prestigious Noble prize 2021 and first African in 20 years to win.

Myself being born in Arusha, Tanganyika ( now Tanzania) it was my proudest moment due to my birthplace country’s remote connection to him and it is but natural inner happiness.

I went down memory lane in 1957 during our visit from India in summer vacation to Tanga to see our parents as we all used to live in Karamsad, Gujarat with our aunt Late Kashiba to get a good education.

My parents booked a flight from Tanga to Dar es salaam for us to meet an acquaintance. First time in our life all siblings were set on the plane and the best gift of our life we ever had to cherish forever. Our first stop was Zanzibar and knowing that the noble prize author was born in Zanzibar hence went down memory lane.

Again in 1963-64 after graduating in India I went to Tanga. In January 1964 I booked a bus ticket to Dar es salaam to see my late father’s close friend Mr Kantibhai Patel who owned Kanti Printery. And I vividly remember that I had to cancelled bus ticket due to unrest in Zanzibar, King’s African Rifles 1st Battalion regiment mutinied and seized key points in Dar es Salaam and the country was in total chaos but after an appeal from President Julius Nyerere to the United Kingdom, Royal Marine No. 45 Commandos landed by helicopter and restore peace. And Tanganyika and Zanzibar united on 26th April 1964 and became Tanzania and during my short stay, I cherish that moment being part of a historic event forever in my life.

Honourable Abdulrazak was awarded The Noble Prize “ for his uncompromising penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee between cultures and continents.” His work is an eyeopener to many countries of the world where refugees and immigrants settled down where they all go through discrimination, treated as second class citizens, not recognizing their education and very hard time to find the right job as per their qualifications and forced to work in factories, service industries with very low pay and some time do two or three jobs to make ends meet.

Suresh and Bhavna Patel, Markham, Canada

Why just Bollywood stars and their kids?

Why does the NCB pull out only Bollywood stars and their kids? All the rich and famous in Mumbai are into rave drug parties. But the NCB will never pull out the industrialists because that doesn’t make news like the way Bollywood does. Pulling out Bollywood stars and naming and raiding the stars and star kids gives a kind of publicity to the NCB. It is always easy to put Bollywood names in the wrong places. I admit that these parties are common not only in Bollywood but in most of the crème de la crème parties of Mumbai. But the NCB seems to be just obsessed with Bollywood.

A walk down Colaba Causeway where some of the best schools and colleges of Mumbai are located, you can spot and smell young students smoking up in the narrow lanes and bylanes of Maximum city. So.why does it become a piece of big news when a Bollywood star or their kid gets involved in a drug racket?

On the other hand, a lot of beggars who sit on the roadside take drugs like cocaine and ganja openly. The NCB should arrest them too.

Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai, India

history. They are going to draw an ‘alpana’ on a big red floor board, representing the ‘laal mejhe’ or red floors in the olden days across Bengal. Alpana refers to a sacred art done with hands and paint which is mainly a paste of rice and flour on auspicious occasions in Bengal. The word Alpana is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘alimpana’, which means ‘to plaster’ or

‘to coat with’. Traditionally, it was drawn by the women of the house before sunset and is also a folk art in Bengal.

Mayor of Kolkata, Firhad Hakim would likely be connecting live during HBG’s promotional video show as part of Indian artwork and clips from other Diwali celebrations across UK and India. The event also promises perfor-

Ethnic Minorities Fall Behind on Investing Continued from page - 3 Not investing widens the wealth gap. It exacerbates existing labor market forces and structural inequalities. If we are to make headway on these issues, ethnic minorities must be encouraged to participate further in investments and pensions.

Solutions to the Investment Gap There is no magic pill that can solve this issue overnight. However, there are several actions we can all take to closing the investment gap.

1. Outreach Ethnic minorities and women often feel the investment industry fails to engage them. A recent report from White Marble Consulting supported by Schroders cited "historic and ongoing exclusion" as barriers to entering investment. One solution recommended in the report is to leverage social media personalities and influencers to encourage participation.

In many avenues, social media

influencers have taken the role of traditional advertising. However, this type of engagement can go beyond just selling products. Funds could use it to build trust, educate, and increase financial literacy.

2. Diversity Initiatives Closing the pay and investment gap will require uplifting specific communities. More jobs, mentoring, and clearer career progression paths are needed.

Some banks are doing the work and matching promises with action.

Associations have an essential role to play in increasing workplace diversity, especially in the finance industry.

3. More Investment in Minority Businesses Saving and investment require liquidity. For many ethnic minorities, this is a barrier to investment. A recent report into how venture capital (VC) money has been invested into new UK startups painted a disheartening picture.

mances from London and beyond with the story of the Ramayana depicted through art along with themed entertainment to be beamed on the giant screen being set up at the Square centre during the evening programme.

Indian food would be the order of the day at the street food market in the Square, where stalls would sell snacks and sweets.

Despite ethnic communities making up 14% of the UK population, allethnic teams received only 1.7% of VC funds between 2009 to 2019. Better investment for everyone will lead to more liquidity and opportunity.

Some funds are taking the lead. Citi announced a $200 million investment fund to target historically underfunded teams. More need to follow.

4. Pension Reform The People's Pension has some interesting thoughts on how pension reform could solve these issues. They suggest lowering the eligibility criteria for workplace pensions from £10,000 to £6,136. That change would bring in 1.2 million workers, 15% of which are ethnic minorities. Additionally, they believe pension contributions should count from the first pound and not use the current £6,136 threshold.

I have created a campaign to promote greater financial literacy which I hope will lead to improving the situation which of course impacts so many readers of this paper too.

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KHICHADI Kapil’s

Kapil’s Khichdi about Priti and Preet Kapil’s Khichdi about Priti and Preet (AV 16-22 Oct 2021) gives a vivid picture of different viewpoints of 2 ladies having similar cultural roots. It is very well known that the political rise of Ms Priti Patel is due to her sheer efforts, dedication and hard work. In spite of many odd situations, she has effectively handled and retained her position.

It is understood that there will be more “enemies” when one reaches a higher position, but to target a person for his racial background under the disguise of equality and diversity is absolutely unacceptable in any democratic society.

The position of home secretary is very sensitive where many courageous, confidential but delicate and sensitive decisions are taken which have long term implications on the future of the county. People having a myopic vision will try to belittle people and forget that country’s security is the most important thing. So labour politicians who do not understand the meaning of Sewa – or if they want to distort the meaning are on a sure path to alienate themselves from the vote bank of the people of Indian origin.

Stabbing of Sir David Amess last week will put the home secretary under pressure so it is time for the Labour to support the Home Secretary in taking bold and necessary decisions. The time to play the game under human rights is now over. The government needs to take stern and proactive action instead of reactive steps. People from international media will ask if an MP of a developed nation is not safe in his own country, how can a common man feel safe.

Hitesh Hingu London

'Alpana' to be drawn for the first time at Trafalgar Square Diwali celebrations Diwali will be celebrated at Trafalgar Square on Saturday 23 October 2021 between 4 pm and 10 pm.

There will be a light display and South Asian food and music.

On Saturday, at the Diwali celebrations, Heritage Bengal Global (HBG) will be participating representing the culture and traditions of Bengal for the first time in the event’s

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Dreams Do Come True Kapil Dudakia In the 19th Century there lived amongst the people of Shirdi a spiritual master who became known as Sai Baba of Shirdi.

Sai, as he was known affectionately, followed a simple moral and ethical code. He taught this to all who came to learn, and his everlasting trademark was his love for doing Nishkam Karma – selfless service. Sai left his physical body on 15th October 1918, a century on and the impact of his life continues to travel the globe to reach millions.

One such group live in Milton Keynes, known as DreamSai. DreamSai is mainly composed of people of Indian and Hindu origin. Families gather every Thursday to partake in spiritual practice of Bhajans, and there is also the provision of Bal Vikas and the opportunity to do Seva. Their core belief of Seva prompted the leadership to come to the forefront during the Covid crisis. Lakshmana Rao Kastala and his team very quickly assessed that there were many in the wider community who were struggling. From the elderly to the vulnerable, and from the single parent families to those who had lost jobs. There were people going to bed hungry. There were families who did not have essentials to get by. At this time when the nation was faced with one of its most profound emergencies, the team at DreamSai came together and put the concept of Seva into action.

The 100% volunteer force at DreamSai totalling more than 100 people (ages from 5 to 75+ years) started a programme to feed as many people as possible. Food and everyday essentials were bought through their own resources initially. These were put into food parcels and the team of drivers worked round the clock to deliver to the needy.

Soon, hot vegetarian meals were cooked, packed and delivered to hundreds of homes throughout Milton Keynes.

For some families this would be their only hot meal of the day.

Shirdi Sai Baba always said do seva, but to make sure it was selfless. With DreamSai the people of Milton Keynes witnessed the impact of this ancient wisdom in action.

This incredible feat of human endeavour did not go unnoticed. DreamSai was put forward for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services. Thousands of names of voluntary groups are put forward every year, however, for 2021 only 241 organisations secured this prestigious award. On 2nd June 2021 the decision by Her Majesty was made public and DreamSai was named as one of the winners of the award.

The aptly named DreamSai had their dreams realised.

When sevaks have the blessings of Shirdi Sai Baba, was there ever a doubt on their success?

Lakshmana Kastala, DREAMSAI’s founder and chair said: “It is a true honour to be recognised and to receive The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and a testament to the crucial work our volunteers do. Our DREAM of practicing the teachings of Shirdi SAI here in Milton Keynes has now transpired into a large network of incredible volunteers of all ages and backgrounds who give so much energy and time to help thousands of people in the community every year.”

On 16th October I attended the award ceremony in Milton Keynes. Countess Howe, Her Majesty’s LordLieutenant of Buckinghamshire (representing Her Majesty) was in attendance and presented the award in person. It was a wonderful event, organised to perfection. I t was a fitting tribute to this army of sevaks who became a lifeline to hundreds. I therefore take this opportunity to salute everyone at DreamSai. Congratulations on your award, well deserved and an honour for the whole community. Sai Ram.

Patients waiting for 50 hours at A&E Patients have been waiting for their turn for over 50 hours to find a bed in crowded A&E departments, an investigation by The Independent has revealed. Some patients have reportedly waited for 13 hours at the back of ambulances before getting to the A&E. The publication reported, “At Ipswich Hospital, in Suffolk, a child under the age of 16 with serious mental health problems waited almost 48 hours in the A&E department there last week. The trust confirmed this was because of a lack of specialist mental health beds being available for children – a problem being reported across the NHS.” Reports suggest that 91 per cent of hospital beds in England are occupied and 85 per cent and above are considered unsafe levels. These figures are from last Friday.

We are grateful to all letter writers for more and more versatile letters well within word limit.

Please keep contributing as always. If you are new, then write to Rupanjana at rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com

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Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani to be felicitated by the diaspora in the UK After being in a busy ministhe political instability in terial post for nearly five Myanmar. years, former Chief Minister He is a partner in of Gujarat, Mr Vijay Rupani Rasiklal & Sons, a trading is visiting London with wife firm, established by his Anjali, to spend time with father where he worked as a their daughter Radhika, sonstockbroker. He married in-law Nimit Mishra and Anjali in Ahmedabad which grandson Shaurya. was also attended by now Welcoming Mr Rupani Prime Minister Narendra to London, CB Patel, Modi. The couple has a son; Publisher/Editor of Asian Rushabh, an engineering Voice and Gujarat along graduate, and a daughter, with Navnat Vanik Radhika who is settled in Association (UK) and NCGO London with family. They (National Council of lost their youngest son Pujit Gujarati Organisations-UK) in an unfortunate accident sued a Bachelor of has organised a feliciArts from tation ceremony on Dharmasinhji Arts Saturday 23 October, College and Bachelors 2021 from 3:30-6.00 Law from of PM (BST) at the Saurashtra University.

Navnat Centre in During college, he was Hayes. active in Akhil Born on 2 August L-R Nimit Mishra (Radhika's husband) Bhartiya Vidyarthi 1956, at Rangoon Vijay Rupani, Rushabh Rupani (Vijaybhai's son), Parishad and later (now Yangon) in Shaurya Mishra (Radhika - Nimit's son) joined Rashtriya Myanmar, to a Jain Aditi Mandaviya (Rushabh's fiancé) family from Rajkot, Anjali Rupani & Radhika Mishra (Vijaybhai's daughter) Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He has also Mr Rupani has played associated with been and have started The Pujit different roles throughout Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) Rupani Memorial Trust his political career. He was since its establishment. Mr charity in his memory. the seventh and the Rupani was imprisoned for Political career youngest child of Shri 11 months and was sent to Ramniklal and Mayaben Mr Rupani began his jail in Bhavnagar and Bhuj Rupani. His family moved career as a student activist during Emergency in 1976. back to Rajkot in 1960 after and RSS volunteer. He pur-

He was a propagandist of RSS from 1971 to 1981and was elected as a Corporator of Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) in 1987 andsoonbecame the Chairman of the Drainage committee. He became the Chairman of the Standing Committee of RMC from 1988 to 1996. He served as the Mayor of Rajkot from 1996 to1997 and visited Leicester as they wished Rajkot to be a twin city.

He became BJP's Gujarat unit General Secretary in 1998 and served as the Chairman of the Manifesto Committee dur-

ing the tenure of Keshubhai Patelas the Chief Minister.

He was appointed as the Chairman of Gujarat Tourism in 2006. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2006 to 2012 andserved as BJP's Gujarat unit General Secretary for four times and as the Chairman of the Gujarat Municipal Finance Board in 2013 Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister.

In August 2014, when Vajubhai Vala, the incumbent speaker of Gujarat Legislative Assembly, resigned as the MLA from Rajkot West, and Vijay

Rupani was nominated by the BJP to contest his vacant seat. He won the bypoll by a huge margin.

He was inducted as Minister in the first cabinet expansion by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel in November 2014 and led the Ministry of Transport, Water Supply, Labour and Employment. He succeeded Anandiben Patel and was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat on 7 August 2016.

On 11 September 2021, he resigned from the post and was succeeded by Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel.

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SCRUTATOR’S Rajasthan girl spends a day as British envoy to India Twenty-year-old Aditi Maheshwari from Rajasthan recently became the British High Commissioner to India for a day. Maheshwari, who is pursuing her Bachelor's in Physical Science from Delhi University's Miranda House College, won the 'High Commissioner for the Day' contest organised annually since 2017 to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, British High Commission said in a statement. Maheshwari is the fifth winner of the India edition of the competition. 'As the UK's top diplomat in India', Maheshwari experienced a broad variety of diplomatic activities. She observed the India-UK Energy for Growth Dialogue alongside Ministers Raj Kumar Singh and Kwasi Kwarteng, the statement said. "She met with beneficiaries of a leadership programme for aspiring female politicians funded by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund, climate experts from the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), who signed the UK in India Pledge for Progress, to show their leadership in gender equality and young leaders from the not-for-profit Global Youth," the British High Commission said.

Maheshwari's packed day also included a hands-on demonstration of the I-PACE - Jaguar's zero-emissions, all-electric performance SUV to be used by world leaders at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow next month. (Agency) Girl who was denied hall ticket first tops exam

A Karnataka farmer’s daughter, who scored 96% in Class 9 but lost her school admission as she couldn’t pay the fees, has topped the state board Class 10 supplementary exam after having to skip the main exam as she was denied a hall ticket. Greeshma Nayak scored 599 out of 625 in the exam, the results of which were declared recently. She said she wants to be a doctor.

Renowned cardiologist Dr Devi Shetty offered to sponsor Greeshma’s studies. He also sought a mechanism to raise funds for all such students in the future. “I would support anyone who wants to become a doctor. I want her to become a cardiologist. She must commit herself to secure a seat in a government medical college,” Shetty said. “I will work hard to study well in PUC (Class 11), and get a seat in MBBS,” a jubilant Greeshma responded. “I believe that every student has the right to study.” In July, following a distraught email from Greeshma, then school education minister S Suresh Kumar had visited her family to assure the teenager that she would not lose the entire year due to non-payment of fees. The family lives in Hanumanthapura in Tumakuru district, and Greeshma was enrolled in a residential school in Dakshina Kannada.

She was denied a hall ticket for SSLC as she had not paid the Class 9 fees and was not officially enrolled in Class 10.

Cops carry elderly pilgrim to Pavagadh temple When an octogenarian woman wanted to go to the Mahakali Mata temple on the Pavagadh hill, it was two policeman who carried her in their arms to the temple. The woman had left her home in Madhya Pradesh to visit the temple in Pavagadh without informing anyone. Pavitra Harirao Jadhav, a resident of Sendhwa in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh, was spotted alone by policemen on duty for Navratri at Pavagadh. When they approached her, she told them about her wish and gave details of her family. She had a diary with phone numbers of her relatives. Initially, two Gram Rakshak Dal jawans tried to make the woman climb stairs, but were not successful. The cops even tried unsuccessfully to dissuade the woman to give up her wish. Pavagadh has a ropeway to reach the temple, but one has to climb stairs both before and after taking the ropeway. A senior officer on duty at the hill spoke to constables Riyaz Bharkhani and Ritesh Patel. The duo agreed to take the woman up the hill. Bharkhani and Patel took turns in

carrying Jadhav in their arms and ascending the hill.

Bharkhani said that the woman was sitting alone since morning. “She had categorically said that she will not return without ‘darshan’. We ensured that she visited the temple,” he added. The policemen spoke to the family of the woman and informed them about her. Her sons told the police that she had left without informing anyone.

(The Times of India) Croc comes knocking on station master’s cabin The railway station master posted at Dabhoi had an uninvited guest knocking at his cabin’s door on one night. A baby crocodile was spotted right outside the door next to the railway track on the Dabhoi Road. The station master immediately called up Wildlife Rescue Trust (WRT) volunteers who rushed to the spot.

According to WRT volunteers, the three-foot long crocodile was spotted near the railway track in Navapura village. It then ventured near the station master’s cabin.

The volunteers said that they were concerned that some train could have run over the crocodile but fortunately they could rescue it in time. In the last one month, two crocodiles have been killed after being run over by a train. During monsoons, many crocodiles migrate from one water body to another during the nights and can travel long distances. (The Times of India) Boys beaten up over chanting of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ A group of students was beaten up with sticks by their schoolmates and some adults in MP’s Agar Malwa district following a dispute over chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. The attackers, around 20 of them, also beat up onlookers, including a school teacher and a woman, in Badod town of the district. The dispute began during school assembly when a group of students refused to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ at the end of the National Anthem recital, Badod police station in-charge Vivek Kanodia said. As the students exchanged heated words, the school administration interfered and settled the matter. The students, who had questioned their schoolmates for refusing to praise the motherland, were returning home when they came under attack, said Kanodia. The main complainant told police that the attackers threatened them with dire consequences. (Agency) Double life terms for man who used cobra to kill wife

A sessions court in Kollam, Kerala, stopped short of awarding death sentence to Sooraj S Kumar, 28, but

virtually put him away in prison for the rest of his life for murdering his 25-year-old wife using a cobra, after his first attempt to kill her using a viper failed. Sooraj’s motive reportedly was to grab Uthra’s wealth. Kollam additional sessions court judge M Manoj said the life terms for the accused would begin only after he served 17 years in jail -10 years for poisoning his wife and seven years for destruction of evidence. Uthra was found lying lifeless in her bedroom by her mother on May 7, 2020 and Sooraj’s insensitive behaviour after her death made her parents suspicious and they filed a complaint. It came to light later that Sooraj had made a similar attempt with a viper on March 2, 2020. The prosecution alleged that he had searched on internet about making use of snake as a murder weapon even when Uthra was struggling for her life in a hospital. Uthra’s mother said the family would move the HC to ensure capital punishment for Sooraj. (Agency) Lion devours 8-year-old girl An eight-year-old girl was dragged away by a feline that devoured most of her body, in a village of Amreli district. The incident happened in Goradaka village of Savarkundla taluka, which has a significant presence of wild cats like lions and leopards. The victim Sangita Bhuriya was asleep in the open in a farm along with her relatives. It is suspected that a lion dragged the girl away. Surprisingly, none of her family members realized the attack and it was only in the morning when they searched for her that her body parts were found.

According to forest department sources, the lion ate 80% of the girl’s body and they only found the head and one hand of the girl with flesh scattered everywhere.

The forest department concluded that it was a lion after pugmarks were found near-by and some eyewitnesses confirming the movement of lions in this area for the past two days. Deputy conservator of forest Gir (east), Anshuman Sharma said, “the marks of dragging, blood stains found on the ground and canine marks were found on the body. Prima facie it’s believed that it was a lion.” (The Times of India) Fisherman hits jackpot A fisherman near Nava Bandar in Una taluka of Gir Somnath district of Gujarat hit jackpot on high seas after he netted a huge catch of giant croaker or ghol fish, which are highly valuable for their air bladders.

Fisherman Bhikha Puna’s total catch is valued at around £150,000 to 200,000. Puna netted around1,500 giant croaker fishes near Vanakbara. It is one of the rare cases when a fisherman could net ghol fish catch above £100,000 in one trip alone. According to industry experts, ghol fish’s air bladder is valued at around Rs100,000 per kg. While the fish variety is found at Gujarat coast, fishermen generally find 20 to 25 fish in one catch. However, such a huge catch is rare, they said. Fish exporter, Kenny Thomas said, “Generally a big fish is valued at around Rs 30,000 of which its bladder alone is valued around Rs 28,000. Even a small sized fish’s bladder fetches around Rs15,000 to 20,000.” According to Thomas, ghol fish bladder enjoys a huge market in China, Hong Kong and other countries which are generally used in making soup (The Times of India)

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R.I.P Sir David Amess

Sir David Amess

Ruchi Ghanashyam Mrs. Ruchi Ghanashyam is the former High Commissioner of India to the UK. With a career in Indian Foreign Service for over 38 years, she has been posted in many countries including South Africa, Ghana, before arriving in the UK. She was only the second woman High Commissioner to the UK since India’s independence and during her tenure, she witnessed a number of significant developments in the UK-India relations. @RuchiGhanashyam On Friday, 15 October, Conservative Party Member of Parliament, Sir David Amess died while holding a constituency surgery at the Belfairs Methodist Church in his home town of Leigh-on-Sea. He was stabbed multiple times. Sir Amess was one of Essex's longeststanding MPs. Media reports say that he would hold meetings with his Southend constituents every second week at different locations to meet more of the local residents who relied upon his help. Earlier in the week, he had informed his constituents about the upcoming surgery and invited them to join him. Sir David was known to be passionate about his job and was accessible to his constituents. Perhaps that was the reason that he was an MP for 38 years: he was first elected to represent Basildon, and then served as MP for Southend West after 1997.

Prior to becoming an MP, he was elected as a Conservative councillor for Redbridge in 1982.

A 25-year-old British citizen of Somali heritage was arrested on suspicion of murder and has since been held under the Terrorism Act. He had been referred to the Prevent scheme a few years ago but was not on the MI5 “subjects of interest" watch list. Prevent is the UK's terrorism-prevention programme and aims to stop people from getting radicalised.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer laid flowers at the scene, as did Home Secretary Priti Patel and Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. PM Johnson called Sir Amess "one of the kindest, nicest, most gentle people in politics", while HS Priti Patel called him “dear and loyal friend" and described him as ‘a man of the people’. Tributes also poured in from his constituents and friends who were left shell-shocked by his unexpected demise.

The shocking event reminded people of the death of Labour MP for Batley and Spen, Jo Cox in June 2016. She died after being shot and stabbed multiple times by Thomas Mair, in a street in the village of Birstall, where she had been due to hold a constituency surgery. These and other recent incidents once again brought to the fore questions about the security of MPs going about their regular work.

In a democracy, MPs are expected to keep in touch with their constituents. Outreach to various sections of their constituency is part of their job. As constituents, we judge our representatives on their accessibility and approachability. A representative who is never seen is invariably judged negatively by the people he/she represents. Sir David was, by all

accounts, one of those people to whom regular contact with his constituents was the soul of his politics and the crux of his popularity. A statement issued by his family reflected the compassionate values of the family when it called on people to show kindness and love and "set aside hatred and work towards togetherness".

Why would anybody want to harm such a warm and decent person? This is a question on most lips.

I made the acquaintance of Sir David under somewhat peculiar circumstances.

While I was in London, an agitated Sir David contacted me one day as the person from the High Commission who had promised to attend one of his events had failed to turn up.

The officer had to suddenly travel out of the UK and an unfortunate mix up had followed. I became aware of the mishap only when I received his complaint. Realising the mix-up at our end, I apologised to him profusely and promised to do better for the next event. He was considerate enough not to hold a grudge.

We spoke to each other at least a couple of times after that and he was always amiable. We promised to meet each other soon. I had to travel to India in early February last year and got involved with a Sari show at the London Fashion Week in the middle of February. It was my intention to fix up a meeting with Sir David sometime after that as per his convenience. Covid-19 distracted me from doing so.

As cases started going up in the UK, my close associate contracted the virus and I had to go into self-isolation. A lockdown was soon announced. I left London in the middle of the pandemic, with no opportunity to say goodbye to anyone. My promise to Sir David remained unfulfilled. I was reminded of that when I saw the shocking news of his death on Friday.

Through this column, I pay my tribute to the warm, gentle and courteous person that he was and convey condolences to his family. May all those who hold him dear, have the strength to bear this tragic loss. Rest in Peace Sir David Amess.

Durga Pujo celebration

by Bengal Heritage Foundation

Counsellor Anil Nautiyal from the High Commission of India, London, participated in the Durga Pujo festivities organised by the Bengal Heritage Foundation and London Sharad Utsav in London from October 14-17, 2021.

L: Anil Nautiyal, R: Sourav Niyogi

14 WOMEN’S VOICE

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in brief

This little girl is me Executive & Business Coach Shilpa Panchmatia recently took to LinkedIn and shared a beautifully articulated story of a little girl who grew up in Africa, wasn’t fluent in English, but worked her way up, suffered an abusive marriage, but emerged a winner. Here are few excerpts from that story: ‘She grew up in Africa, in a small town near the coast. It was an idyllic early childhood, personal nanny, lambs playing at the end of her garden and all the attention a little girl would need.

Overnight her family fled to London England with £50 in their pockets. She vividly remembers the smell of fear in the air that night.

‘Her parents worked all the hours that God sent, scrimped and saved. She had to learn to fly on her own & solve problems herself. She struggled in school always on her own, insecurity and a lack of confidence in her best friends.

‘Communication is key to success, but when you're not fluent in English it can be tricky.

The immigrant work culture made her always put 110% into whatever she did. She worked hard at school & then in the

ney that spanned 21 years, four evenings & weekends she would sectors and 3 continents. help out at the family ‘She was busy making business. businesses when the ‘She would world thought she spend her should be making pocket money babies. Today, she is buying the an investor a menFT to keep tor to many young up. She felt girls and active supher career port of empowering choices were women. She is a a disappointsought after business ment to her coach and transforms family, she was A young Shilpa businesses. successful in her mar‘She is where she is today keting career but she wasn’t a Dr because she is a determined lady, or a Dentist or an Accountant. her mother told her the story of The community thought she the spider and to try and try was a nobody. again in life. She didn't stop try‘This hurt her. She worked ing, learning and believing. hard in emerging sectors like ‘This brave little girl who technology & consumer marketgrew up to be a mentor and ing. She was a trailblazer in the coach is of course Shilpa herself. face of sexism and racism. But It’s promising to see South Asian she couldn’t see it as there was women standing up for themlittle recognition for her yet. selves and breaking the glass ‘She suffered an abusive ceiling.’ marriage, another hurdle to This little girl was Shilpa overcome in her quest for happiPanchmatia. ness and success. She failed so Speaking to Asian Voice, many times in business, people Shilpa said, “Girls all around the lied and betrayed her. She was a world have many challenges woman in a man's world. being who they want to be and ‘She started her first tech how they want to be. Every company and this was the beginwoman should be able to freely ning of an entrepreneurial jour-

UK-FUNDED MEDICAL AID BLOCKED BY TALIBAN Shilpa Panchmatia

choose what she wants to do in life and the only extent of her dreams should be the amount of effort she puts in. Research has shown by age 6 girls begin to classify in careers in line with their gender roles & this is a massive impact on their future.

“Girls need to have access to female role models women are doing amazing things and these role models allow girls to see how possible it is to have the life they want women of my generation to have a duty to show girls that they’re free to decide what to do with their lives “That’s why it’s really important that we share our journeys our challenges and the battle scars we gain to show young girls wildlife meanders and he’s not a bed of roses you do come out the other end to live a life as I do with passion and purpose.”

New imprint to tackle lack of diversity in children’s publishing Twenty years ago, Preethi Nair set up a publishing company, a PR company (complete with an alter-ego named Pru) to publish and promote her first novel, Gypsy Masala after it had been rejected. She did this whilst putting on a suit and pretending to go to work (it’s a long story!).

It worked.

Preethi’s alter-ego Pru was shortlisted as Publicist of the Year and she subsequently signed a three-book deal with HarperCollins.

Nair is back again with a new

publishing company called Kiss The Frog Press to tackle the lack of diversity in children’s publishing. She aims to do this with her first series of books called “Monster Life Lessons”.

“Representation matters and change is slow. Only 6% of all children’s books have a diverse character on the front cover. I want ALL children to see themselves as heroes of their own story. I grew up with 0 children who looked like me on covers, those books weren’t for me as a reader so I didn’t think that I had

Preethi Nair

a right to write. When I did eventually write, it was a tough journey of getting published.

What I want to do with the

“Monster Life Lessons” series is to create more opportunities for children from ALL backgrounds to dream big and to know that with imagination, anything is possible.” Nair says.

“Monster Life Lessons” is a fictional series that teaches children things that they would not ordinarily learn at school. The first book in the series is on entrepreneurship and resilience.

Anjali’s Story is about a ten-yearold who starts a lip balm business in Lockdown and dives into a magical adventure.

Save the Children campaigns director Athena Rayburn has warned that many Afghan women could die due to gender rules blocking UKfunded medical aid by Taliban. Rayburn has urged charities to secure permission from provincial leaders before their female staff can administer aid in the area, a problem which has also been raised by British charity Afghanaid, as told to PA. Some 5.5 million people are displaced in Afghanistan and “the vast majority of them” are women and children, Miss Rayburn said. She told PA: “Even with our mobile health teams, we’re being told that we shouldn’t allow female patients to see male doctors. If we can’t ensure the protection for our female staff, those people will not receive services and it will lead to loss of life. That’s devastating, and something that’s entirely preventable.” She added that the health system in Afghanistan has “pretty much collapsed” and Save the Children has seen a huge increase in the number of alnourished children needing urgent care. A UK Government spokesman said: “We are looking at the best way to ensure critical, life-saving humanitarian aid continues to reach Afghans who need it. We have been clear with the Taliban and with our partners that we expect women and girls of all ages to be able to access quality education, and that their rights need to be protected.”

WOMEN THREE TIMES LESS LIKELY TO DIRECT Factual Television Survey Report that surveyed 700 people last November, has found almost three-quarters (73%) of directors/series directors were male. Going down the chain of command this figure was reversed, with threequarters (76%) of researchers female. The report stated that women are “more likely to work in, and spend longer in lower-paid editorial roles.” Producers were also more likely to be female at 70% of respondents but only 2% of women said they aspired to be a producer, compared to 30% who want to go into directing. The survey also found women were three times less likely to be offered a second directing role once they had been given a first.

Rheumatoid Arthritis, a punch in the stomach Parveen, 30, wishes she’d been more vocal when first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) five years ago.

Parveen is the marketing manager at a technology company. She wishes she’d been more vocal when first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) five years ago.

Gathering the courage to share her story, Parveen said that she started waking up to swelling in her fingers and wrists. “I had this sense of urgency because of stiffness and slight deformities in my fingers. I wanted to get it sorted as soon as possible. My GP told me to see if painkillers helped but I knew there was something more serious going on. I decided to see a private specialist through my company at the time and after a blood test, they diagnosed me with RA. It was a punch in the stomach,” she said.

Parveen was already being a type 1 diabetic and it was disheartening for her to have yet another condition. She was put on medication but she faced flare-ups in different parts of her body on and off.

“I went to bed not knowing which joint would be affected in the morning. It was scary,” she added.

“Growing up and having different priorities has helped me

details with her partner Sanj, who comforted and supported her. It is imperative to realise that 27,000 people in the UK under 25 live with a form of arthritis, and many are so distressed and embarrassed by their situation they suffer in silence.

Dr Benjamin Ellis, Consultant Rheumatologist at Versus Arthritis explained that Arthritis means

pain, swelling or stiffness in a joint or joints. Arthritis isn’t a single condition and there are many different types. “There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, and for most people, it is a life-long condition.

But there are effective treatments.

These are prescribed by rheumatology doctors and nurses and include tablets, injections, intravenous drips, and sometimes

injections into the joints. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, the sooner you start these treatments the more effective they are likely to be. Sometimes people need a combination of treatments to get the best effect, and it can take months or even years of trying different treatment regimes until finding the one that’s right for you,” Dr Ellis said.

Small victory for Night Tube petitioners Parveen and Sanj

change the way I think about my conditions. I hid my diabetes during my time as a student, I was embarrassed of it. Not much changed when I was diagnosed with RA. Diabetes and arthritis are often associated with old age and I didn’t want to seem different. I felt like RA was just another thing I’d have to explain to people.

“Being in your 20s is when you normally have the most freedom. I didn’t want to be the boring girl who couldn’t do things because of her health. So, most of the time, I’d either make excuses to not go out or go out and not talk about the pain,” she further added.

Parveen shared her health

A change.org petition to resume the Night Tube with over 138,000 signatures has finally seen some light.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced that the Night Tube will open on two lines from the early hours of Saturday, November 27. From that date, the Central and Victoria Lines will be running 24/7.

On Thursday, Mr Khan said: ‘The reason why I was so keen to be the first mayor in London’s history to start the Night Tube in 2016, and to restart it now, after the Covid pause, is because I know how important this is to London’s thriving night-time economy, to London’s recovery

and to the confidence and safety of everyone travelling home at night, particularly women and girls.

‘I am determined to make our city as safe as possible for all Londoners.

‘That’s why I’m delighted to

see the return of the Victoria and Central Night Tube lines next month, which will make a huge difference to people travelling around our city at night and making their way home, offering them an additional safe, reliable transport option.’

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Jaya Mehta: Gifting Inspiration Sunetra Senior Jaya is the founder of uplifting colourful accessories boutique: Siya + Pari. Her attractive handcrafted items range from bracelets and phone charms to hair clips and whole jewellery sets. As well as being personalised, each product is designed to elevate, where Jaya utilises handpicked crystals to convey the healing energies, bringing on a feeling of wellbeing. “The rainbow bracelets are best-sellers. They kick-started the business where the first piece was actually a loving gift to my daughter. I wanted to surprise her for her birthday. At the time, I couldn't find affordable personalised keepsakes which would stand the test of time. Using my passion for creativity, I decided to bead one for my daughter. It was instantly a hit on Instagram with many people asking after it.”

Named after her young daughter, Jaya's business began catering to children but has expanded to all ages to salute any close bond across a variety of special occasions: “I’ve had orders for bridesmaids, teacher’s gifts, best friends who want to celebrate, children leaving nursery and everything inbetween!” Siya + Pari’s personalised rakhi bracelets have been very popular too.

Jaya Mehta

Jaya’s creations.

“Another favourite stone is Black Tourmaline: it’s good for protection. I also love green generally as a colour. They do say to go with whatever you are instinctively drawn to.”

Indeed, this hue typically conjures nature, growth and renewal, feeding into the world-wide desire to reconnect to the sensory. Perhaps a rising response to our overly digital age: “There

asking for matching bracelets with their children to share the good vibes. Crystals are in fashion too with big brands now beginning to sell them.” Emotional energy then is by itself a valuable power! This is certainly reflected in the warm charm of

are worse compulsions to have!” Jaya’s business has rocketed over the past year, shipping to international locations such as Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa and Dubai. However, the founder emphasised the importance of interpersonal appeal: “You have to be authentic. I really believe people invest in the person and a good quality product– not

new NHS campaign backed by South Asian healthcare professionals is encouraging people with potential cancer symptoms to come forward for life saving checks.

The ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign raises awareness of symptoms of cancers in the abdominal area, urological cancers and lung cancer. The campaign highlights that the NHS is open and ready to treat people.

Cancers in the abdominal area include bowel, oesophageal, stomach, bowel, pancreatic, ovarian, and uterine cancers, and urological cancers includes prostate, kidney, and bladder cancers. Symptoms that could be possible signs of these cancers include persistent diarrhoea, prolonged discomfort in the tummy area, or blood in your urine – even just once.

Despite abdominal and urological cancers accounting for nearly half (44%) of all cancer diagnoses and two in five (41%) cancer deaths in England, new research findings show that many South Asians are less likely to recognise cancer symptoms – which could prevent them seeking help.

The research found that awareness of a range of potential cancer symptoms was in each case lower among South Asians than for the general public. Only 58% of South Asians knew that tummy troubles for three weeks or more could be signs of cancer (compared to 71% for the general public), and only 59% were aware diarrhoea for three weeks or more could also be a sign (compared to 73% for the general public).

More than half of South Asian respondents (55%) would be put off going to see their doctor if they had symptoms such as tummy troubles for three weeks or blood in their urine due to feeling embarrassed.

The campaign also highlights common signs of lung cancer - the third most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in

“Trust your talent and defend it – that’s the path to success” an abstract concept of brand. I love meeting my customers at festive pop-ups and enjoy hearing their stories. I love the fact that clients can confide in us and trust us to deliver.” Going beyond material glamour, Siya + Pari not only highlight the importance of connection but deeper yet true confidence. The universe can naturally hold us but we must first try to meet it ourselves. “Trust your talent and defend it – that’s the path to success.” Visit Siya + Pari's pop-up event on Saturday 30th October at Orley Farm School for all your Diwali gifts.

Discover Siya + Pari at: W: https://www.siyaandpari.com/

23 - 29 October 2021

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NHS urges South Asians to come forward for life saving checks A

"I became fascinated by the healing properties of different stones: Rose Quartz, for example, is my favourite. Its pink tone represents love, encouraging universal harmony" Jaya began the business during lockdown, channelling her own need for therapeutic release in the everyday: “it was a creative escape. I became fascinated by the healing properties of different stones: Rose Quartz, for example, is my favourite. Its pink tone represents love, encouraging universal harmony. I was suffering anxiety as many people have at this strange time and was heavily pregnant with my second child.

Exploring these stones while creating intimate jewellery, another passion of mine, helped lift my mood – being able to share this with others lifted my spirit! I’ve had an explosion of mums, dads, and grandparents

A

Dr Jyoti Sood the UK, with around 39,000 people diagnosed each year.

Whilst 65% of South Asians know coughing regularly for three weeks can be a symptom of cancer, this was 15% less than the awareness

amongst the general public (80%).

Over half (58%) of South Asian respondents said they would be more likely to speak to a GP about this if someone close to them told them to do so.

Anant Sachdev, CRUK GP and TVCA Clinical Lead Prevention & Early Diagnosis said: “The research findings show that there is a lot of work to be done in South Asian communities to increase awareness of cancer symptoms; the Help Us

Dr

Dr Anant Sachdev Help You campaign can play an important role in helping to close the knowledge gap and encourage more people to come forward if they notice any of the symptoms.

“I urge people to contact their GP if you see blood in your stool or urine just once or have diarrhoea or tummy trouble for three weeks or more, you should get it checked out straight away. Likewise, if you’ve had a cough for three weeks or more, and it isn’t Covid-19, it could be a warning sign. Don’t ignore these symptoms and don’t worry about wasting our time or feeling embarrassed, contact your GP straight away – we want to see you!”

The research also finds that 81% of South Asians put other things before their physical health compared with 75% of the general public, with half of South Asians putting family life before their own physical health compared with 41% of the wider public.

Jyoti Sood, GP Partner at Newbury Park Health Centre and Clinical Director at Redbridge said: “South Asians tend to put their family first, even above their own health. Yet finding out about the symptoms of cancer and seeking treatment early is the best way to ensure you can be with your family for as long as possible. If you see any unusual changes like lumps, bleeding, weight loss, tiredness or loss of appetite, get it checked immediately – it could be a sign of cancer, finding cancer early makes it more treatable and can save lives.”

Your NHS wants to see you, for further information please visit nhs.uk/cancersymptoms

Dr

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Families with Covid deaths demand public inquiry After a damning report by MPs on the handling of the pandemic, the bereaved families have called for the Covid public inquiry to be accelerated and for ministers to apologise.

While The Royal College of Nursing called for a faster start to inquiry, Sir Keir Starmer and the Covid-19 bereaved families for justice group asked ministers to apologise for their handling of the crisis.

According to a first official report published on Tuesday on early handling of the pan-

demic, it was one of the worst public health failures in British history with a deliberately slow approach to imposing the first lockdown leading the UK to fare worse than other countries.

Steve Barclay, cabinet office minister refused to apologise claiming that the government took decisions at the time based on the scientific advice it received, but those scientists themselves were operating in a very new environment.

Rishi Sunak in conflict with Boris Johnson Chancellor Rishi Sunak disagrees with Boris Johnson over the economic plan saying that if wages are raised then it can cause inflation.

While Prime Minister claims that current shortages might benefit Britain by increasing wages, Mr Sunak believes that it should be accompanied by gains in productivity.

Speaking in Washington, Mr Sunak told reporters, “That is something that we’ve discussed in this

country together and have collectively decided that’s not the right model going forward.

Companies that failed to invest enough in the past has led to the current supply chain problems, believes the Prime Minister.

Queen upset with world leaders The Queen has dubbed leaders of countries including China and Russia as “irritating” for not confirming their visit to next month’s UN climate change conference. The monarch will be attending the COP26 in Glasgow with Prince Charles and William.

After the official opening of the Welsh parliament’s sixth session in Cardiff, her majesty said, “Extraordinary, isn’t it.

I’ve been hearing all about COP, [we] still don’t know who is coming, no idea. We only know about people who are not coming and it’s really irritating when they talk, but they don’t do.”

President Xi Jinping of China and Brazil’s sciencedenying president, Jair Bolsonaro has not yet confirmed. President Vladimir Putin’s name is on the list of non-attendees as well. PM Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau will all be attending.

Priti Patel not sparing foreign criminals Home secretary Priti Patel has revamped the Nationality and Borders Bill to improve Britain’s borders. Visas will be taken away from countries that will refuse to take back their criminals, and a fine of £190 will be imposed and visa processing times will also be increased.

Along with this, there are plans to use X-Rays, dental records and scans of asylum seekers who often lie about their age and try to fool the system. Home Secretary, Priti Patel told reporters, “It is unfair on UK citizens and taxpayers that pressure is put on

our public services by foreign nationals with no legal right to be here. Through my New Plan for Immigration and this landmark legislation, I will continue to take the difficult action needed to fix our broken asylum system and deliver on what the British people want – full control of our borders."

AAD backs football club’s action over racist poster AAD condemns the of anti-Semitic hate, poster with the words which must be “Achtung Juden” addressed and the (German for Attention perpetrators identiJews) by the Millwall fied.

Berserkers hooligan On another note, group – found near AAD applauds the Millwall Football Club’s Premier League inistadium – which fea- Jonathan Metliss, Chairman tiative, “No Room of Action Against tures the cockerel from For Racism, anyDiscrimination (AAD) Tottenham Hotspur’s where”, to which all logo with its head detached from this weekend’s Premier League its body and lying in blood. matches will be dedicated. Let us hope that this initiative will also It applauds Millwall FC for include action against antiremoving the poster and confirmSemitism which remains rife in ing that it has a zero-tolerance polfootball and society in general, and icy against discrimination of any which is so often ignored by the kind and that, following a full and relevant football authorities, the comprehensive investigation in clubs and the police. conjunction with the British Finally, AAD notes with regret Transport Police, any individual or an incident which occurred at the group identified will be banned NFL game between Miami from the club for life. AAD also Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars applauds Millwall Football Club at the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Club condemning the Stadium on Sunday night (October poster.

17) when racially-abusive and AAD condemns other logos intimidatory comments (including and posters bearing a striking the word “Yiddo”) were directed resemblance to Nazi symbols on towards a North London Rabbi the Millwall Berserkers Instagram and his son who were at the game. page. Sadly, this shows that we The matter is being investigated. appear to have reached a new level

Son of British Army’s Afghan interpreter commences schooling in London Burhan Vesal, 34, from Kabul, who worked as an interpreter with the British Army in Afghanistan from 2009 for about three years, was evacuated to the UK in August when Taliban took control of the country.

Burhan’s six-year-old son Sepehr has been enrolled in a school in London. Vesal is the happiest person as his son finds the school fantastic and lovely and is

learning a lot of new things, including English. Describing the horrifying experience back in Kabul, where there were lots of explosions everywhere, Burhan says, there were worries all the time while Sepehr went to school there. Sepehr, who is making new friends in London, is surprised to have a two day weekend as compared to the Friday single-day holiday back in his home country.

Labour Party demands Claudia Webbe’s resignation The Labour Party is demanding Leicester East MP Claudia Webbe to resign as MP after she was convicted of harassing Michelle Merritt who is a friend of her partner, Mr Thomas.

Unhappy with the verdict, Webbe has decided to appeal the verdict. The labour party has not only criticised Webbe’s actions but has suspended her from the party and has removed her whip

as well. Ms Webbe has been convicted of making threatening calls to Ms Merritt along with threatening of sending naked videos to the victim’s family and throw acid on her face. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring adjourned the sentencing to November 4. Ms Webbe was released on unconditional bail but with a warning that she could face prison.

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in brief in brief CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY TERMINATES £400M DEAL WITH UAE Cambridge University will not carry forward the £400m deal with UAE over Pegasus spyware claims. UK institution was to get huge donation but now the plans are on hold, confirmed the university’s vice-chancellor. In an interview with the Guardian, Cambridge’s outgoing vice-chancellor Stephen Toope said that no meetings with UAE were taking place after Pegasus hacking software claims. Mr Toope blamed UAE for ending the talks as the latter was allegedly found using controversial hacking software.

SENTENCE EXTENDED FOR SERIAL SEXUAL ABUSER Ali Hussein who was convicted of sexual assault by penetration in August was sentenced to six years and nine months.

On October 13 the court found the sentence unduly lenient and extended it to nine years of imprisonment.

In August 2020, Ali followed a woman returning home for market and then grabbed her by the neck and sexually assaulted her. After a few weeks, along the same underpass A12, he pushed a woman to the wall, held her by the neck and began touching her. He also attacked a pregnant woman by slapping her from behind. All victims managed to run away.

GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT AGENCY WARNS UK The Environment Agency said in a report that climate change would exacerbate the pressure on England’s water environment, which is already suffering from problems such as pollution, increased demand, making it harder to ensure clean and plentiful water. EA has also said that there will be more and worse environmental incidents like flooding, water shortages and pollution. However, the natural world cannot adapt as fast as the climate is changing and even the regulation is not ready for climate change. It also warns that London’s sea level is expected to rise by 23-29 cm by 2050 and to 45-78 cm by 2080. During this period wet days could become more intense and the patterns of river flows will become more extreme.

Sadiq Khan to introduce new MIGRANT BOATS COULD BE GIVEN car tax charges IMMUNITY IF

Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his excitement about bringing in new car tax charges for the betterment of London.

Under the new expanded Ultra-Low Emissions Zone, which is scheduled to commence from 25 October, petrol and diesel cars will be charged £12.50 per day to use the roads adding to the Congestion Charge. Per day, the price to pay will be £15, hence, in a week’s time, £27.50 will be raised.

Speaking at Mayor’s Question Time, Mr Khan said, “Six in 10 households in the expanded zone do not own a car yet suffer appeal-

ing air quality in part caused by polluting vehicles.” He also added that new ULEZ combined with tougher Low Emissions Zones for heavier vehicles, will aid in reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions from vehicles by 30 per cent in 2021.

However, the Conservatives want the Mayor of London to delay the expansion of the UItra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) zones as motorists will not be able to cough up £27.50 on a daily basis. Torries have termed it as an absurd expansion and are demanding to delay the same.

REFUGEE DIES A new provision in the Nationality and Borders Bill is intended to give legal protections to border force staff if a refugee dies after the migrant boat is pushed back. More than 17000 migrants have entered the UK via small boats which is double than that in 2020. Patel is under pressure from PM Johnson and Conservative party members to stem this rise in the number of illegal migrants. However, if the provision tucked away in a corner of the bill, would actually protect officers from conviction under international maritime laws could be tested in the courts.

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The ‘People’s MP’ is no more British Conservative MP Sir David Amess was Tributes pour in brutally stabbed to death in his constituency Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Home in Essex on 15 October 2021. He was hailed as Secretary Priti Patel and Sir Keir Starmer “the perfect and people’s MP”. Paying tribute were seen paying their respects to Sir David. to Sir Amess’ 38 years of service to his He said, “All our hearts are full of shock constituency, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and sadness at the death of Sir David Amess on Monday announced that the Queen has MP. He was one of the kindest, nicest, most agreed to grant Southend a city status. gentle people in politics.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel said, “David Sir Amess was killed while holding his served the people of Southend with endless constituency meeting at the Belfairs passion, energy and integrity. That he was Methodist Church on Friday. Ali Harbi Ali, a 25-year-old British citizen of Somalian-origin, has been arrested as a suspect and detained under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Background Born in Essex in 1952, Sir Amess was pro-Brexit. Serving for 38 years, he was one of the longest-serving MPs in the House of Commons. He was a patron of the Conservative Sir David Amess at the first-ever Bengal's Pride Awards, organised by Animal Welfare Foundation Asian Voice in June 2018 in the House of Commons along with Mr Johnson’s wife Carrie. He leaves behind a wife and four killed while going about his constituency children - one son and three daughters. duties is heartbreaking beyond words. It His family released a statement saying, represents a senseless attack on democracy “Our hearts are shattered. We are trying to itself. Questions are rightly being asked about understand why this awful thing has the safety of our country's elected occurred. Nobody should die in that way. representatives and I will provide updates in Nobody. Please let some good come from this due course. My heartfelt thoughts and tragedy. We are absolutely broken, but we prayers are with David's family and friends.” will survive and carry on for the sake of a Later, she stated that the security of all MPs wonderful and inspiring man.” must be amped up with immediate effect and Sir David launched an all-party MPs could be given protection at parliamentary group on endometriosis with constituency meetings. the aim of raising awareness of the condition and investigate how those who suffer from endometriosis can get the support that they need. He was knighted in the 2015 New Year Honours for political and public service. He was a member of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor.

Nurturing the diaspora community Saluting the community as the host of the first-ever Bengal's Pride Awards, organised by Asian Voice in June 2018 in House of Commons, Sir David Amess MP told the PM Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel audience, "This is the opportunity to pay tribute to Sir David Amess celebrate the achievements of the Bengali diaspora in the UK as well as the Bengali Lord Rami Ranger CBE tweeted saying, community in India and Bangladesh...From a “Rest in peace in heaven, Sir David. You have rich history and countless achievements in left an inspirational legacy. You will be greatly various fields, Bengalis have a lot to be proud missed by your family, friends, constituents of. We always show huge gratitude to the and the nation.” tremendous contribution made by young Paying tribute to Sir David, Conservative Bengalis who travelled here to help rebuild Friends of India tweeted: “We are very sad this country following the Second World today we have lost a friend and colleague; Sir War...

David Amess was a committed champion for "The Bengali community now is one of his constituency and a Parliamentarian of the the most prominent cultural groups in the highest accord, we are so very sad today. Our world." thoughts and prayers are with his family. Rest Neil Basu QPM, Assistant Commissioner in Peace Sir David.” for Specialist Operations in Met Police and Preet Kaur Gill MP said, “This is a tragic National Police Chiefs Council lead for day for our democracy. No one should be at Counter Terrorism Policing was a recipient of risk when serving their communities. David an award at this ceremony along with Nobel was always a kind and respected Laureate Amartya Sen, for their achievements parliamentarian. My thoughts are with his and contributions to the community. family.”

Who is Ali Harbi Ali? Zarah Sultana MP said, “It's hard to find the words. David Amess was killed while Ali was arrested inside the church and has holding a constituency surgery, just doing his been cooperating with detectives at a London job. It's truly horrific. police station where he is being held under My thoughts and prayers are with David's the Terrorism Act. The Sun reported that loved ones on this devastating day for them, police discovered Islamist material on his and for our democracy.” phone following the fatal stabbing and he is Apsana Begum MP tweeted: “My deepest accused of travelling 50 miles by train to sympathies and condolences to all of David's commit the murder - and admitted to killing loved ones following his devastating death.

Sir David. He lives on the celebrity street Lady Truly horrific day.”

Somerset Road in North London which Mayor Sadiq Khan said, “My thoughts comprises £2million three-storey remain with Sir David Amess’ family, friends townhouses. and staff at this time of unimaginable grief.

Ali is the son of Harbi Ali Kullane, a As we have heard from the outpouring of former adviser to the prime minister of tributes, Sir David was a brilliant, kind, Somalia who said that he felt ‘traumatised’ dedicated public servant, widely liked and after the arrest of his son. His friend has respected across the political divide.” reportedly said that Ali was “radicalised” after “The news of the attack on David Amess watching online videos by convicted hate has tragically now turned to the devastating preacher Anjem Choudary. According to news that he’s died -a friendly & devoted reports, police are investigating whether Sir colleague - a true campaigner who I came to Amess’ close links with Qatar may have led to respect as we shared thinking over freedom & his death. Sir David returned from a threethe defence of human rights of people across day visit to Qatar recently and was the the world - RIP David," Lord Tariq Ahmad of chairman of the all-party parliamentary Wimbledon tweeted. group on Qatar.

GOLD RUSH AT GOLD BANK LONDON

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In 2021, the Gold Bank launched its first-everphoenix

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For more information and booking visit www.goldbank.co.uk.

Patels Chemist teams up with Jalaram Community Centre in Leicester to offer Covid booster shots A pharmacy group has opened a highvolume NHS Covid-19 vaccination centre in a Leicester community centre in a bid to encourage more people from ethnic minority groups to get protected.

The site at the Jalaram Community Centre off Leicester’s Narborough Road is being administered by Patels Chemist, which is part of the Morningside Pharmacy group in Loughborough.

It has the capacity to administer up to 3,000 vaccinations a week and aims to serve the local community in Leicester and especially in the Westcotes area.

Millions of vulnerable people are being offered booster jabs and the programme is being rolled out to the same priority groups as the initial vaccines, including care home residents, health and social care workers, and people aged over 50.

Pramod Thakkar, chairman of the Jalaram Charitable Trust said, “The Jalaram Community Centre has always been used for various multi-cultural activities for various faiths to come together and has been an integral part of Leicester’s multicultural success.

“We have a long history of supporting good causes in our community and so hosting the Covid-19 vaccination centre fits perfectly into the ethos and values of the Jalaram Charitable Trust.”

Danesh Gadhia, chief executive of the Morningside group of pharmacies said: “Patels Chemist on Narborough Road has been caring for the health of our local community for over 30 years and we are extremely proud to be part of the national NHS effort against the coronavirus

pandemic. This NHS Covid-19 vaccination centre is well located to serve the needs of the multicultural local community and both Patel's Chemist and the Jalaram Charitable Trust are well-trusted members of this community. This combination we hope will encourage people to come forward for the vaccination and help us beat this pandemic.

We are also very grateful to the Jalaram Community Centre for accommodating our request to administer the Covid-19 vaccination site from their premises. One of the ways to overcome Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minority groups is through local engagement and trust."

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Whilst India is the fastest growing economy in the world, the same size as the UK, it is still the US which is the most important economy in the Alpesh Patel world.

Dear Financial How Does U.S. Debt Impact US Stocks?

Voice Reader, On October 12th, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation that temporarily raised government borrowing limits to $28.9 trillion. This action has staved off the prospect of debt default until December.

President Joe Biden will sign the measure into law before October 18th, which is the day the Treasury Department calculated it would no longer be able to pay U.S. debts without congressional action.

But how did it get to this? And what does this mean for the broader economy and U.S. stocks?

What is the U.S. Debt Ceiling?

Late September and early October 2021 have been anxious times for the U.S. economy. Congress faced a tricky task: reach a deal on the U.S. national debt ceiling, or the government would run out of money to pay its bills. Failure to do so could lead the U.S. to default on its debt, which has never happened before.

While this prospect has been put off until December, a solution needs to be found. So far, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been at odds over raising federal borrowing limits, also called the debt ceiling.

Before the temporary agreement, the debt ceiling stood at $28.4 trillion. However, the national debt, which is the total that the government owes creditors, was $28.43 trillion.

With the October 18th deadline looming, a stopgap bill was required to prevent the first default. Failure to reach an agreement would have meant that the federal government would default on its obligations, including Social Security and payments to veterans.

The debt crisis was causing some nervousness in the U.S. markets. Republicans had been expected to block a third attempt to raise the debt ceiling. However, fears eased slightly once Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, indicated his party would support the debt ceiling extension into December. Additionally, McConnell’s announcement caused yields on one-month Treasury bills to drop.

What Would Happen If the U.S. Defaulted?

Congress may have kicked the debt ceiling down the road for now, but an agreement still needs to be found.

Otherwise, the U.S. faces the prospect of a government shutdown.

Stock investors won’t be delighted about this prospect.

Several headwinds are swirling at the moment, like Federal Reserve tapering. Analysts at Goldman Sachs have suggested that shutdowns don’t necessarily spell bad news for the market. However, there are several other factors that could affect stocks.

Goldman’s analysis shows that government shutdowns have historically failed to have a meaningful impact on equity returns. There have been 14 government shutdowns since 1980. During these shutdowns, the S&P 500’s median returns were: -0.1% on the day of the shutdown 0.1% during the shutdown 0.3% on the day of the resolution.

The only exception was the most recent shutdown during December 2018. During this time, the S&P 500 dropped by 2%. However, as Goldman notes, this decline was more likely driven by investors’ fears about Fed tightening.

While budget expiry doesn’t have a considerable effect, debt limit deadlines do affect some parts of the market.

Government revenue exposed stocks — like industrials and health stocks — underperformed the market during the 2011 and 2013 debt limit deadlines.

If a debt ceiling solution can’t be found by December, these stocks could be affected again.

What Else Could Rattle Equities?

Goldman strategists went on to suggest that the macroeconomic picture is a better predictor of how the equity markets would respond. During the 2011 and 2013 debt limit shutdowns, the S&P fell in 2011 but rallied in 2013.

The big difference between these two was the broader economic situation. In 2011, there was declining economic growth, the S&P had downgraded U.S. sovereign debt, and the European debt crisis. By contrast, the conditions in 2013 were more favorable.

The macro picture is causing some concern heading towards the fall. Global markets rose last week as the U.S. waited for Labor Department data. However, tdon’tcan’tdoesn’tinvestors’500’sGoldman’sere is hope for the broader economy.

Summary Historically, debt limit deadlines don’t have a major impact on the S&P 500. However, some caution is the market should be expected if Congress struggles to reach a more permanent solution to the borrowing limits problems. For now though, the biggest fears for equities come in the form of the energy crisis, Fed tapering, and concerns about GDP.

Interest rates may increase, Bank of England warns The Bank of England "will have to act" over rising inflation, governor Andrew Bailey warned, suggesting that UK interest rates may rise soon. However, he gave no indication of when the Bank might increase rates from the current record low of 0.1%.

The Bank has already said UK inflation is set to exceed 4% before falling back as the economy recovers from Covid. But Bailey said surging energy prices would push inflation higher for longer than previously thought. Investors are expecting rates to be raised later this year or early in 2022, in an effort to bring

inflation back down to the Bank's target of 2%.

The most recent figures show prices rose by an average of 3.2% over the past 12 months. Financial commentators described Bailey's remarks as his clearest hint

yet that a rate increase could be imminent. "Monetary policy cannot solve supplyside problems - but it will have to act and must do so if we see a risk, particularly to medium-term inflation and to medium-term inflation

expectations," the Bank governor said.

"And that's why we at the Bank of England have signalled, and this is another such signal, that we will have to act," he added. "But of course, that action comes in our monetary policy meetings." The Bank's ratesetting Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is next due to meet on 4 November.

Bailey said demand for workers in the UK had been stronger than expected, while the number of younger and older workers leaving the labour market had grown. "I do have concerns about labour supply growth," he said.

Many companies fail to survive in UK The number of businesses that failed in England and Wales last month was the largest since the Covid pandemic began. Company insolvencies in September totalled 1,446, increasing from 1,349 in August and 56% higher than the same month last year, data from the Insolvency Service shows.

September saw many firms contend with rising energy and labour costs and the tapering of Covid gov-

ernment support. Some insolvency experts fear the number will rise further.

Energy companies Utility Point and PfP Energy, musical instrument maker Roli, as well as chilled food delivery firm EVCL Chill all collapsed last month.

Claire Burden, a partner at professional services firm Tilney Smith & Williamson, said the ongoing energy price rises will "reverberate into additional sectors" and push more companies such

Another energy supplier folds up over soaring prices

Daligas, another UK energy supplier, has ceased trading, regulator Ofgem announced, making it the third provider to collapse this week. It supplies gas to 9,000 domestic and nondomestic customers. Ofgem said it would find a new supplier. Earlier, Pure Planet and Colorado Energy folded, following a sharp rise in wholesale gas prices this year.

It comes as big supplier EDF said it was not ready to take on new customers from more failed firms.

Since September, 12 energy firms have collapsed which has affected nearly two million customers.

Ofgem said it would protect customers and advised them to do nothing until a transfer to a new provider takes place in the coming weeks.

Ofgem appoints companies as a "supplier of last

resort" for people whose energy company has ceased trading. So far, EDF has taken on 220,000 customers from Utility Point, which went bust a month ago. In January, it was appointed by Ofgem to take over 360,000 households from Green Network Energy. EDF's managing director for customers Philippe Commaret said the company was already working on moving customers from failed company Utility Point.

Commaret said the issue of whether Ofgem can force larger energy firms to step into that role is "the big question at the moment across the industry". "What we are seeing is that the supplier of last resort [process] has worked really well until now and we can be very proud that industry has stepped in in order to help the customers who were in distress," he said.

as those in manufacturing and consumer goods into financial strife. "This will cause further failures when combined with existing pressures of increased transport costs and supply issues," Burden added.

The Bank of England earlier this month said one third of small businesses in the UK are classed as "highly indebted", where their debt levels are more than 10 times their cash balances. Matt Richards, a restructuring

and insolvencies partner, said he expected the upward trend of insolvencies to continue "now that the government has withdrawn most of its corporate support measures".

"The additional pressures facing businesses today with higher inflation, staff shortages, increasing energy prices and the need to repay Covid-incured debt, is likely to increase the number of insolvencies over the next 12 months."

UK set to relax rules to tackle lorry driver shortage In a bid to tackle supply chain problems in the run -up to Christmas, UK is set to relax the rules on the number of deliveries overseas lorry drivers can make. Under the new plans, drivers will be able to make unlimited deliveries or collections within a 14 day period. Currently EU drivers can only make two pickups or drop-offs each week.

It is hoped the changes will happen by December - but UK drivers fear they might lose work to cheaper EU rivals.

The lorry driver shortage in the country- due to a combination of Covid, Brexit and other factors - has affected petrol stations, supermarkets and left containers piled up at Felixstowe Port unable to be moved.

Retailers have also warned there could be shortages of items such as toys at Christmas, with shoppers urged to buy gifts early. Last month, the government announced it would grant up to 5,000 temporary visas for HGV drivers from abroad - but so far only a fraction have been issued.

And the first foreign drivers brought in on the visa scheme may not even arrive for another month, sources said.

But now ministers are going further, and plan to make temporary changes to rules, which govern how many jobs a haulier can make in a foreign country.

It means foreign HGV drivers that come into the country laden with goods can pick up and drop off items an unlimited number of times for two weeks before they return home.

The changes still need to be approved after a one-week consultation - but if passed they will come into force "towards the end of this year for up to six months", according to the government.

It would mean thousands more HGV deliveries each month, the government said, so more goods - especially food and items that come via ports - can get delivered on schedule. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "Having some additional capacity right now... it is a good idea. This is a quick way of doing it. It doesn't require visas, it's just a common sense measure. It is one of very many things. I don't think it is going to undercut or suppress the market."

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23 - 29 October 2021

India on track to achieve $400 bn export target this fiscal Expressing confidence that India is on track to achieve its merchandise export target of $400 billion this financial year, a Central government official said the country has already clocked in $164 billion of exports in five months.

“The government has embarked on an ambitious, but achievable target of $400 billion exports of merchandise goods in the current financial year. I am happy to report to you that our industry and exporters have responded wonderfully and we have reached record levels of export of almost $164 billion in the fivemonth period of April-August,” said Shyamal Misra, joint secretary, Department of Commerce, while speaking at “Vanijiya Utsav”, an event organised by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) at Ahmedabad Management Association.

“The buoyancy in exports and the resilience shown by our major export products and our export markets give us hope that we are on track and will be able to reach the target of

$400 billion by the end of this year,” Misra said at the event where Union Minister of State for Railways and Industry, Darshana Jardosh, was also present. The official noted that 60 per cent of India’s current exports are from engineering goods, gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals, petroleum and chemicals. “We need to find new products and new destinations for our exports… Our exporters are urged to strengthen their partnership with MSMEs, farmers and fishermen, and promote our startups, too,” he added.

India pushing to get LIC IPO done on time: Sitharaman The government is pushing to get the initial public offering of state-backed Life Insurance Corp. of India across the line by next March and any delay won’t be due to a lack of political will, according to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

“We are pushing to have it done,” Sitharaman said in an interview. “The problem is not that we don’t want it or we are pussyfooting on it now, it is more a question of doing the due process.” The internal valuation that’s needed “almost annually” for a company of LIC’s size, “hasn’t been done,” Sitharaman said. Given that the 65-year old insurer hasn’t ever been valued, the process will take time, she said.

“So the delay or the time that is being consumed is not due to the lack of political will to go ahead with the stated policy,” she said.

Sitharaman announced plans to sell shares in the insurer in February 2020, but pandemic slowed the process. The minister revived the offering in February this year, but the valuation report which is key for investors and bankers - is yet to be finalized. The government has appointed bankers and legal advisers for the sale and held meetings with stakeholders.

Valuing the giant insurer that holds more than $511 billion of assets, equivalent to the size

of India’s mutual fund industry, and controls two-thirds of the nation’s market, has been going on for months. The government is seeking to raise $133 billion by selling up to a 10% stake. The sale of a 5% stake would make it India’s largest IPO, while a 10% dilution would make it the second-biggest of an insurer globally.

“I can’t go to the market without doing my own internal valuation,” Sitharaman said. “I will have to go through the necessary and due path before I go to the market and say yes, I am fulfilling my commitment.” The IPO is crucial for the government because it would make up the bulk of its plans to raise Rs 1.75 trillion through asset sales in the current fiscal year.

Indian startups raise record $10 bn in a quarter Indian startups have got record funding in Q3 of 2021, with investment totalling $10.9 billion across 347 deals - the first-time investments in a quarter have crossed the $10 billion mark, as per the PwC India. This was twice the amount of funding received in Q3 2020 and was up about 41% over the Q2 2021 figure, said the findings of the report titled 'Startup Perspectives-Q3 2021'.

The increase in funding activity was noted across all sectors, both by value and volume.

However, fintech, edtech and Software-as-aservice (SaaS) are the top three hot investment sectors in 2021, together accounting for about 47 per cent of the total funding activity. The fintech sector saw a four-fold increase in funds raised in the first three quarters of 2021, over the first three quarters of 2020. Six fintech companies attained unicorn status.

Discussing the investment in startups 2021 thus far, Amit Nawka, Partner–Deals &

Startups Leader, PwC India, said, “Start-ups have leveraged the accelerated digital adoption seen amongst businesses and individuals alike to create newer business models and this is driving investor interest in a big way. We are seeing the average deal size increase and quicker funding rounds which has led to a surge in deal activity across sectors, since early this year.”

Fintech investments: FinTech investments in 2021 have grown exponentially. In the first three quarters of 2021 investments worth $4.6 billion in the FinTech space were recorded, up approximately 3x from $1.6 billion in 2020.

Bengaluru and NCR continue to be the key start-up cities in India, together contributing around 76–78 per cent of the total funding activity in the first three quarters of both CY20 and CY21, followed by Mumbai and Pune.

US pips China as India’s largest trading partner The US has overtaken China as India’s largest trading partner, thanks to faster growth during the first nine months of 2021. Data collated by the commerce department showed that during January-September, two-way trade between India and the US jumped 50% to $28 billion. A comparatively slower 46% rise with China saw bilateral trade increase to $25.3 billion.

China has, however, narrowly managed to retain the top spot during the first four months

of the current financial year, for which disaggregated data is available with the government. During April-July, India’s trade with China was estimated at $36.6 billion, against $36.5 with the US. During the first nine months of 2021, a low base and pent-up demand have seen overall trade jump 50% to $231 billion. Countries such as Australia, the UAE and Belgium are seeing a much sharper increase.

The Brown Pound

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

I went to visit a prospective client in East London, Bethnal Green. The whole experience was an eye opener for me.

I was not aware of the high property prices and rents achieved in this location; they were actually higher than in the many parts of the West End. The client I went to see took me on a quick tour of a few blocks of properties he owned and gave me an insight into the rental he was getting and the local politics of the area. For example, half a shop which couldn’t have been more then 700 sq. ft., was bringing him £1,000 per week in this market. It was rented out to an independent who must have been doing well in order to be paying this kind of rent.

The client was in the niche trainer business, I wasn’t even aware such a market existed. When I was young in Copland High School, I only knew of Adidas or Nike, the lucky kids who had money to splash out would wear them, but generally the rest of us would be wearing trainers like Dunlop, as they were one of the cheapest, and we would get laughed at by our class mates.

It seems things have moved on exponentially. Teenagers now are spending upwards of £500 to even thousands on a pair of trainers. What’s more is that as some of the lines are niche products, as the items decrease the price of the remaining pairs increase; as the supply is decreasing and the demand is still there.

The area and the local economy is testimony to the hard work and progress of the local community. A similar dynamic operates in and around Ealing Road, both on the residential and the retail front; the Brown Pound as I call it is often overlooked by the mainstream.

It’s important to get a feel of the location and not just focus on the property itself, the first rule of property is after all location. We have been looking at a couple of blocks in East London, smallish ones around the £500K mark, comprising of a shop and uppers. One of them in particular interests me more; not because it’s better but because it has issues associated with it. It’s rare a fully perfect deal will land on your table with a discount to it; most of the time cheap properties come with issues and complications.

This one comes with two, one is an illegal flat which has been rented for a number of years, and the other is that the retail is occupied by an independent take away.

Both of these will dampen the ability for the potential buyer to gain finance. This means the property is likely to stick around and therefore the vendor will be open to doing a deal. From my enquiries, I know the vendor is not desperate, but at the same time he is commercially minded. Therefore, after the property has had its time on the market, and – hopefully doesn’t sell, we can then approach him with an offer. Time will tell.

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Temples vandalised in Bangladesh; 6 killed in violence Indian diaspora across the world slams attack on the Hindu community Continued from page 1

Angry mobs attacked Hindu temples and clashed with police in various parts of the country in the following days, leaving at least six people, including two Hindus, dead and more than 100 injured.

Police said more than 200 attackers beat and stabbed to death an executive member of the temple committee in the southern town of Begumganj where members of the Hindu community were preparing to perform the last rites of the 10-day Durga Puja festival. On Saturday morning, another Hindu man’s body was found near a pond next to the temple, district police chief Shahidul Islam said.

The Hindu community makes up about 10 per cent of Bangladesh’s 165 million population. At least four others were killed when police opened fire on a crowd of about 500 people attacking a Hindu temple in Hajiganj, one of several towns hit by the disturbances. Violence also broke out in the capital Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong, prompting police to fire tear gas and rubber bullets at thousands of brick-throwing Muslim protesters.

Media reports said at least 20 homes belonging to Hindus were torched in Rangpur city’s Pirganj neighbourhood. The incident came a day after some 10,000 protesters took to the streets outside Dhaka’s main mosque.

Separately, in a nearby intersection, about 1,000 Hindus protested against the attacks on temples and the killing of two Hindu devotees in another district where sev-

eral temples were vandalised

by Muslim mobs. At least 150 Hindus were injured across the country, community leader Gobinda Chandra Pramanik said and at least 80 makeshift temples had been attacked. The authorities said they have deployed extra security including a paramilitary border guard to control any further unrest.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met leaders of the Hindu community and promised stern action. “So far around 90 people have been arrested. We will also hunt down all the masterminds,” Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

In the port city of Chittagong, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has announced a sit-in and hunger strike from October 23 in protest against the attacks on Hindus, reports said.The protest events will take place at Dhaka’s Shahbagh and Chittagong’s Andarkilla, said a spokesman of the forum, which observed a six-hour strike in Chittagong on Saturday before making the announcement.

Following are the reactions UK diaspora after the attacks on Hindu temples in Bangladesh: Anirban Mukhopadhyay,

Taliban fighters vandalise Kabul gurdwara again Kabul: For the second time in two weeks, the Taliban vandalised a gurdwara in Kabul, reports said. Heavily armed officials, who claimed to be from a special unit of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, forcibly entered and vandalised Gurdwara Dashmesh Pita at Karte Parwan, Kabul, according to a report from Kabul.

“They intimidated the community present there, and abused the sanctity of the holy place,” said Puneet Singh Chandhok, president of Indian World Forum. According to Chandhok, the Taliban soldiers also razed the home of a former Sikh MP. “They’re not only raiding the gurdwara but also the entire premises of community school attached next to it. The private security guards of the gurdwara initially prevented them from entering but they were also threatened and also manhandled,” he added.

While there was no official response from India, sources said the government was trying to verify the reports.

Following the vandalisation of a gurdwara in Kabul last week, the government had said such attacks raised concerns not just for India but for the world and that the international community must continue to insist on fulfilling goals outlined in the August 30 UN Security Council resolution that was adopted under India’s presidency. The UNSC 2593 resolution reaffirmed the importance of upholding human rights, including those of women, children and minorities, and encouraged all parties to seek an inclusive, negotiated political settlement. It also called upon the Taliban to ensure that the Afghan soil is not used by terrorist groups.

Global Bengal Heritage said, ‘We are watching with extreme anguish and sadness the attack on Durga Idols in Bangladesh- even more disheartening to see a section of the Indian society almost trying to justify them by comparing with atrocities on Muslims in India - two wrongs never make a right so the logic is hollow. The silver lining, however, is the Haseena govt has swung into action to nab the culprits but the protests must continue till the guilty is booked."

UK stands with those working for religious harmony Robert Dickson, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh said, "My condolences to victims of recent violence affecting Durga Puja celebrations. UK stands with those working for religious tolerance and harmony, in and around the world."

No encouragement to divide humanity Lord Rami Ranger CBE tweeted: "Religious leaders must condemn such barbaric attacks on the worshipers. No British politicians encourage people to use religion to divide humanity."

March outside Bangladesh Embassy in the

UK ISKON UK is holding a collective march at the Bangladesh Embassy in the UK in protest against the continued persecution of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh, petitioning the Government and High Commissioner of Bangladesh to take action. The march will take place on Saturday 23rd October outside the Bangladesh Embassy in Central London.

Ensure the safety of all Hindus Hindu Council UK said in a statement: HCUK condemn violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh continues unabated. Govt is either unwilling or unable to protect the minority but we urge the Bangladesh govt to immediately take action, ensure the safety of all Hindus and bring the perpetrators to justice Alpesh Patel OBE said, “Bangladesh’s strength will come from being liberal and plural, not a fanatic. We #hindus are not the children of a lesser God. We hope the British High Commission on Dhaka will take up a cause of concern to global democratic values and British people.”

Trupti Patel - Hindu Forum of Britain We can not and must not tolerate violence against Hindus. Fake narratives are spread to legitimise violence against Hindus. We are devastated to receive this atrocious news from Bangladesh.

Killings of minorities is not knew in both Bangladesh and Pakistan. In Bangladesh, Hindu community is now less than 10% ; massive reduction from 23% in 1970s.

Pak airline suspends flights from Kabul citing Taliban's interference ISLAMABAD: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced the suspension of flights from Kabul, accusing the Taliban of “heavyhanded” interference, according to news agencies.

The Taliban government had ordered Pakistan’s national flag carrier to cut prices to the levels when it was operating during the Western-backed Afghan government.

PIA accused the Sunni Pashtun group, which announced an interim government last month, of arbitrary rule changes and intimidation of staff.

"We are suspending our flight operations to Kabul from today because of the heavy-handedness of the authorities," a news agency quoted PIA spokesperson as saying. PIA was the only international commercial airline operating on a regular basis out of Kabul. The airline had initially said that it would only operate chartered flights following requests from some international institutions

in brief PAK MAN KILLS 2 DAUGHTERS, 4 GRANDCHILDREN A Pakistani man is suspected of killing his two daughters and their four children by setting their house on fire because one of the women married against his wishes, police said. Cops have launched a hunt for Manzoor Hussain after he allegedly set fire to the home that sisters Fauzia Bibi and Khurshid Mai shared in a village in the Muzaffargargh district of central Pakistan. Mai’s husband also died in the blaze.

Bibi had married Mehboob Ahmad about 18 months ago against her father’s will in a socalled love marriage, according to the official, as opposed to an arranged marriage. The incident is believed to be the outcome of the rivalry between the two families over the love marriage. Hundreds of women in Pakistan are killed by relatives every year for marrying without consent, or against their family’s wishes

NEW TEAM TO STUDY ORIGINS OF CORONAVIRUS The WHO said its newly formed advisory group on dangerous pathogens may be “our last chance” to determine the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and called for cooperation from China. The WHO named the 26 proposed members of its Scientific Advisory Group on the Origins of Novel Pathogens. The group includes Chinese animal health expert Yang Yungui, who took part in the joint investigation in Wuhan. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on Covid, voiced hope that there would be further WHO-led international missions to China which would engage the country’s cooperation. She said “over three dozen recommended studies” still needed to be carried out to determine how the virus crossed from the animal species to humans. Reported Chinese tests for antibodies present in Wuhan residents in 2019 will be “absolutely critical” to understanding the virus's origins, she said.

UK ISSUES UGANDA TERROR ALERT The United Kingdom has warned that terrorists could carry out an attack in Uganda, but police say there is no need to elevate the threat levels. In a statement, the UK government called on their nationals to be extremely vigilant about their security “especially in crowded and public places like hotels, transport hubs, restaurants and bars, and during major gatherings like sporting or religious events”. “Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack,” the statement reads. Uganda Police spokesman Fred Enanga confirmed the presence of sleeper cells in the country, adding that efforts to dismantle them are ongoing.

“Despite the emerging sleeper cells our terror alert levels are not elevated yet,” Enanga said.

FULLY VACCINATED FOREIGNERS CAN ENTER US FROM NOV 8 and missions.

"Honestly, there will be some way for the evacuees to fly back before regular flights are resumed. At best, ours would be charter operations, operating on behest of certain customer demands who want to get their people out of Kabul," PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan was quoted as saying.

Days after PIA's denial of resuming commercial flights to Kabul, the airline landed the first commercial international flight at Hamid Karzai International Airport since the Taliban retook power in Afghanistan.

International travelers fully vaccinated against the coronavirus who have been barred from entering the US during the pandemic will be able to enter the country on November 8, according to a White House official, marking an end to restrictions that had walled off tourists and relatives seeking to visit their families. The specific date for when the Biden administration would lift travel restrictions for those traveling by air or hoping to cross the land border was previously unclear. The administration last month said it would be implementing a new system in which fully vaccinated foreigners who show proof of a negative coronavirus test would be able to fly to the US in early November. The travel restrictions kept millions of visitors out of the US from China, Canada, Mexico, India, Brazil, much of Europe and elsewhere.

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in brief MICROSOFT TO SHUT DOWN LINKEDIN IN CHINA Microsoft Corp is pulling the plug on LinkedIn in China nearly seven years after its launch and will replace it with a stripped-down version of the platform that would focus only on jobs. LinkedIn had long been the only major American social network that operated in China. Twitter and Facebook have been blocked in the country. But to do business in China, LinkedIn censored the posts made by its millions of Chinese users in accordance with Chinese laws, something that other American companies were often reluctant or unable to do. “We’re also facing a significantly more challenging operating environment and greater compliance requirements in China,” LinkedIn said in a blog post, adding it did not find the same level of success in the more social aspects of sharing and staying informed like it has globally. LinkedIn said it would replace the Chinese service, which restricts posting of certain content due to regulatory requirements, with a new portal called InJobs.

HUSBAND OF SLAIN KENYAN RUNNER AGNES ARRESTED Police in Kenya have arrested the husband of record-breaking runner Agnes Tirop after she was stabbed to death, in a case that has shocked the country and the world of athletics. The 25-year-old two-time world champion bronze medalist was found lying on a bed at her home in the town of Iten, with stab wounds in the neck and abdomen. The National Police Service said that her husband, Ibrahim Kipkemoi Rotich, was arrested in the coastal city of Mombasa. The police had been hunting for Rotich after his family reported that he had called in crying and asking for God’s forgiveness for something he had done.

The police said Rotich was arrested after he “slammed his gateway vehicle into a lorry along Mombasa road, as he desperately escaped [our] dragnet”.

MOB BEATS KENYAN CHILD SERIAL KILLER TO DEATH A mob in western Kenya has killed a selfconfessed serial killer who escaped from custody two days ago, police say. Masten Wanjala, 20, was traced by villagers to a house in Bungoma town and beat him to death, they say. Authorities had launched a massive manhunt for the fugitive who admitted to killing more than 10 young boys during a fiveyear period. He also confessed to drugging them and in some cases drinking their blood.

He reportedly returned to the home of his parents - who have disowned him - and was subsequently strangled by neighbours who found out he was there. He tried to stave off suspicious locals by moving to a nearby house, police said. It is thought his family identified the body, although a police spokesperson said they are still doing "basic verification" to make sure the deceased is indeed Wanjala.

SONYLIV LAUNCHED IN CANADA Indian streaming service SonyLIV will be launched in Canada with the web show “Tabbar.” According to Variety, the streamer had revealed wide roll-out plans from October, backed by a 40-strong new originals slate.

Available at launch in Canada will be eightepisode series “Tabbar,” directed by Ajitpal Singh, whose debut feature 'Fire in the Mountains' had its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. Set in and around Jalandhar, Punjab, “Tabbar” tells the journey of the Singh family and how their life takes a 360-degree turn after an unfortunate incident. The cast includes Pavan Malhotra, Supriya Pathak, Gagan Arora, Paramvir Singh Cheema, Kanwaljeet Singh and Ranvir Shorey. "I am always attracted to stories that provide me (with) possibilities and freedom to explore subtext and themes.

“Tabbar” is one such story," Singh tells Variety.

Lanka seeks $500mn loan from India for fuel purchase COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has sought a $500 million credit line from India to pay for its crude oil purchases amid a severe foreign exchange crisis in the island. The move came just a few days after energy minister Udaya Gammanpila warned that the current availability of fuel in the country can be guaranteed only till January.

The state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) owes nearly $3.3 billion to the two main government banks Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank. The state oil distributors imports crude from West Asia and refined products from other

areas, including Singapore. “We are currently engaged with the Indian high commission in Colombo to obtain the facility ($500 million credit line) under the India-Sri Lanka economic partnership arrangement,” CPC chairman Sumith Wijesinghe was quoted as saying by local news website. He said the facility would be utilised for purchasing petrol and diesel requirements. The energy secretaries of both India and Sri Lanka are expected to sign a deal for the loan soon, the report quoted finance secretary S R Attygalle as saying.

The government has put on

hold the expected retail price hike of fuel despite last week’s increase in cooking gas. The price hike in the global oil prices has forced Sri Lanka to spend more on oil imports this year.

The country’s oil bill has jumped 41.5% to $2 billion in the first seven months of this year, compared to last year.

Sri Lanka is facing a foreign exchange crisis after the pandemic hit the nation’s earnings from tourism and remittances,

finance minister Basil Rajapaksa had said last month. The country’s GDP contracted by a record 3.6% in 2020 and its foreign exchange reserves plunged by over a half in one year through July to $2.8 billion.

South African military veterans arrested for holding ministers hostage PRETORIA: South African police have arrested at least 56 military veterans for allegedly holding hostage two ministers and a deputy. The Minister of Defence Thandie Modise, her deputy Thabang Makwetla and the Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele were rescued by an elite task force at St George's Hotel and Conference Centre in Irene, Pretoria where they had been held after a meeting with the Liberation Struggle War Veterans (LSWV) hit a stalemate.

The disgruntled ex-combatants were presenting their demands including antiapartheid fighting compensation of $272,000 each, among

other benefits. “After attempts to negotiate with the hostagetakers to release the hostages had failed, police resorted to a tactical approach and successfully rescued the hostages. We have since arrested 56 people including seven women,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo.

“There were no shots fired during the rescue but while processing the suspects, we have taken three of them for medical treatment because they were complaining of pains while one was complaining of injury. We are not yet sure how the injury was sustained.”

Stun grenades were also said to have been used by the special

forces to immobilise the hostage-takers and gain entry into the hotel to rescue the ministers.

Deputy President David Mabuza is reported to have had promised to attend the meeting but he did now show up in what is said to have angered the military veterans.

Minister Gungubele slammed the hostage as “unacceptable” as he narrated how they were blocked from leaving the hotel.

“We found ourselves in a situation which we consider legally unacceptable where we thought we were in a meeting whose intention was to attend to the problems that affect military veterans,” Gungubele said.

“We could not agree on how the meeting should take place.

We reached a point where I thought we should adjourn. As we were leaving the meeting, proceeding to the doors, they closed the doors.

“It is at that point we realised we were being held hostage. It is a situation that was averted by the security forces very effectively and successfully.

“We want to thank Minister Bheki Cele and all other security forces and whatever branch was involved for prompt and timely intervention and success in the manner it seems to have been.

We expect the law to follow its course in dealing with the behaviour of this nature.”

Biden offers additional 17 mn 27 Ugandans detained in Covid vaccine to African Union China over expired visas WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden met his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta at the Oval Office and pledged the US will donate 17 million additional doses of Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine to the African Union.

Speaking to reporters alongside Kenyatta Uhuru Kenyatta and Joe Biden shortly before their meeting was to begin, Biden said the planned to address the "elephant in the two would also discuss "transparency" room" with Kenyatta and senior in international and domestic financial Kenyan officials in private, according systems. to a senior administration official who was not authorized to publicly discuss The East African leader finds himthe matter and spoke on the condition self facing scrutiny over revelations of anonymity. that he and his family stashed millions For his part, Kenyatta thanked of dollars in hidden offshore accounts.

Biden for the additional doses of the Kenyatta is one of more than 330 curCovid vaccine, noting that as a contirent and former politicians identified nent, Africa is "lagging well behind the as beneficiaries of secret accounts rest of the world in terms of being able revealed in recent reports known as the to vaccinate" its population. Only nine Pandora Papers.

African countries met the World He and his relatives have some $30 Health Organization's goal of vaccinatmillion in offshore holdings, according ing at least 10% of the population by to reporting by The International the end of September.

Consortium of Investigative The new donations, expected to be Journalists. The consortium obtained delivered in the coming weeks, are in millions of leaked documents that addition to the 50 million doses already detail the hidden wealth of prominent donated to the African Union by the world leaders, politicians, corporate US. A vaccine acquisition group backed executives and celebrities. Kenyatta has by the African Union has already prodenied wrongdoing. cured 400 million J&J doses. The Biden did not directly address the African leader also said he looked forPandora Papers revelations in the brief ward to discussing joint efforts on appearance with Kenyatta at the start fighting terrorism and climate change. of the Oval Office meeting. But Biden

BEIJING: Some 27 Ugandans are stuck in detention facilities in China after they were arrested for illegal stay in the Asian country following the expiry of their visas. Sources close to Uganda’s embassy in Beijing, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said those detained include students, who completed their studies and were set to come back but because of lockdown restrictions they could not travel.

“Majority of these are detained in Hebei and Beijing on cases related to overstay of their visas and illegal employment,” a letter from the embassy to the Chinese government says. “While the embassy appreciates that these are illegal cases which must be treated within the confines of the laws of the People’s Republic of China, the Covid19 travel challenges have severely affected the repatriation/deportation processes leading to their lengthy stay in detention of up to four months,” it adds.

The embassy says it is ready to work with its Chinese counterparts to ensure that the affected Ugandans are released and repatriated. In Kampala, the Foreign Affairs ministry has reportedly instructed the embassy in Beijing to ensure that the detained Ugandans are released and repatriated.

Efforts to reach Henry Oryem Okello, the State Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of international relations, for a comment were futile as he did not respond to repeated calls.

However, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Vincent Bagire, confirmed the developments and said the embassy in Beijing was following up on the matter. He, however, said the decision of whether to release the Ugandans or not entirely lies with the Chinese government. “Our mission in China is following up. It’s a process that we don’t control,” he said.

Officials in the Foreign Affairs ministry in Kampala did not reveal how many Ugandans are in China and how many could face the wrath of the law because of the expiry of their visas.

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Corporate Achievement Awards for two Indian Americans WASHINGTON: OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates will honor T-Mobile and seven outstanding individuals, including two Indian Americans, at its 30th annual Corporate Achievement Awards for their dedication to serving Asian American communities.

The Corporate Achievement Awards, established in 1991 by OCA’s Business Advisory Council, is the first of its kind to celebrate Asian American excellence and achievement in the corporate sector, said a press release. Over the course of three

decades, roughly 250 corporate leaders and over a dozen corporate partners have received honors.

Arun Mukherjee, senior manager and associate director for RIS International Sourcing at Raytheon; and Sonali Batra, director of Digital Strategy and Brand Engagement at Walmart, Inc. were named 2021 Corporate Achievement awardees. The others are: Sean Wang, director, Certification Programs, CTIA; Bao Hoang, vice president, branch manager, Wells Fargo; David Lin, vice president of

Public Affairs and Advocacy, IW Group, Inc.; and Erwin Tan, director of Thought Leadership – Health, AARP. The honorees were nominated by their respective employers and selected to receive by an awards Arun Mukherjee and Sonali Batra independent panel of judges. to improving the social, political, OCA – Asian Pacific and economic well-being of American Advocates is a national Asian Americans and Pacific social justice organization of Islanders. community advocates dedicated

Bill Clinton under care of Indian American doctor NEW YORK: Former president Bill Clinton arrived at his home in New York to continue recovering from an infection that left him in treatment for six days at a Southern California hospital, officials said. The former president left the University of California Irvine Medical Center with Hillary Clinton on his arm.

Bill Clinton’s “fever and white blood cell count are normalized, and he will return home to New York to finish

Bill Clinton

his course of antibiotics,” said Dr. Alpesh N. Amin. According to a report, Amin, who had

Indian origin among 2 killed in California plane crash

CALIFORNIA: A twin-engine plane owned by an Indian-origin cardiologist has crashed near Californian suburb of Santee, killing two people, including the physician, and causing a fire that engulfed nearby homes.

Dr Sugata Das, who worked as an Interventional Cardiologist at Yuma Regional Medical Centre (YRMC) in Arizona, owned the small plane. However, there’s no confirmation whether Das was the pilot at the time of the crash, a CBS/NBC-affiliated TV station, reported.

The plane was heading in to land at Montgomery-Gibbs executive airport in San Diego when it crashed. Shortly before, when the plane was about a half-mile from the runway, an air traffic controller alerted the pilot that the aircraft was too low. The controller repeatedly urges the plane to climb to 5,000 feet. According to a video from a viewer shows that the plane arcing in the sky and then plunging into the neighbourhood in a burst of flames.

The crash near Santana high school in Santee burned at least two homes, damaged five others and several vehicles, but responding firefighters were able to put out the blaze before it spread to other houses.

Another person who died was a UPS worker who was on the ground. According to the FAA, the plane was a twin-engine Cessna C340. “We do not yet know how many people were on board,” it said. The Cessna C340 is usually used for business and is pressurized. The plane has the capacity to seat six passengers. Born in a Bengali family, Das grew up in Pune. Das, a licensed pilot, lived in San Diego and commuted back and forth to Yuma. He leaves two sons.

been overseeing his care at the hospital, said that Clinton would finish his course of antibiotics at home in New York.

We “will continue to monitor his progress,” the Indian American doctor added in the statement.

Amin, executive director of hospital medicine at UC Irvine Health, said in a statement: "On behalf

of everyone at UC Irvine Medical Center, we were honored to have treated him and will continue to monitor his progress.”

Clinton, 75, was admitted to the hospital southeast of Los Angeles with an infection unrelated to Covid-19. He arrived at his home in Chappaqua, New York, to continue his recovery. Hillary Clinton had been with her husband at the hospital and was accompanied by daughter Chelsea.

Business leader Jessica Lall seeks Los Angeles mayoral seat Los Angeles: Indian American business leader Jessica Lall formally announced her candidacy to run for mayor of Los Angeles.

Lall said, “This is a defining time for Los Angeles, and I have thought long and hard about the role that I can play, and the leadership and solutions I can put forward as mayor of Los Angeles. I believe that I can help LA turn a corner and recover into a city that we are all proud of.”

The candidate hopes to win the seat currently held by Eric Garcetti, who was chosen as the person President Joe Biden wants as the US ambassador to India.

Garcetti remains in the mayoral seat as his nomination awaits confirmation. Lall, in her campaign website, claims that she is an “outsider with insider experience.”

Her platform aims to address some of the city’s hot-button issues, notably homelessness. There is no larger crisis than homelessness facing the city, the business leader says. And it is clear that even despite good intentions, our government institutions have failed to adequately address the housing and humanitarian crises plaguing Los Angeles, she adds.

“Despite unprecedented investments by voters taxing themselves twice, the problem has only deepened,” the campaign site notes.

“I have worked inside City Hall, and led outside City Hall working on our city’s issues day in and day out over the last decade. That

IRAN’S EX-CENTRAL BANK CHIEF, OFFICIALS JAILED The former governor and several former officials in Iran’s central bank have been sentenced to prison for illegal practices in managing the country’s tumultuous foreign currency market under United States sanctions. Valiollah Seif, who led the troubled central bank for almost five years until his sacking in July 2018, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, judiciary spokesman Zabihollah Khodaeian said. Seif, who was appointed as a top banking adviser to thenPresident Hassan Rouhani immediately after leaving the central bank amid corruption allegations, was found guilty of “participation in disrupting the country’s financial system through illegal smuggling of foreign currency”.

METEORITE LANDS ON WOMAN’S BED Ruth Hamilton was fast asleep in her home in British Columbia when she awoke to the sound of her dog barking, followed by “an explosion.” She jumped up and turned on the light, only to see a hole in the ceiling.

Her clock said 11.35pm (local time). At first, Hamilton thought that a tree had fallen on her house. But, no, all the trees were there.

She called 911 and, while on the phone with an operator, noticed a large charcoal gray object between her two floral pillows. “Oh, my gosh,” she recalled telling the operator, “there’s a rock in my bed.” A meteorite, she later learned. The 2.8-pound rock the size of a large man’s fist had barely missed Hamilton’s head, leaving “drywall debris all over my face,” she said. Her close encounter on the night of October 3 left her rattled, but it captivated the internet and handed scientists an unusual chance to study a space rock that had crashed to Earth.

TAIWAN BUILDING FIRE KILLS 46

Jessica Lall

is the experience I bring to bear, and why I will be uniquely prepared to tackle homelessness from Day 1.” Lall, 37, has a decade of experience leading organizations, spending the last five years as CEO of Central City Association, a major advocacy organization with over 300 members that is focused on critical issues facing Los Angeles from child care to jobs to homelessness.

“I know what it means to rally people behind a vision and then be held accountable for outcomes. I know how to build a team, manage limited resources and make tough decisions. I’m not afraid to make changes and be bold,” the working mother said.

Lall grew up in Texas and England, the daughter of an Indian immigrant father and mother of a military family from Oklahoma.

She first came to Los Angeles when she was in high school and attended Taft in Tarzana for one year.

India re-elected to UN Human Rights Council for 3-year term UNITED NATIONS: India was re-elected to the Human Rights Council for another threeyear term, starting next year, with a pledge to "to bring its pluralistic, moderate and balanced perspective to straddle various divides or differences in the Council.” India received 184 of the 193 votes cast in the election.

India's manifesto for the election emphasized that the promotion and protection of human rights were best served by "dialogue, cooperation and constructive and collaborative engagement." A total of 18 seats were up for election this year under the system of rotating membership with three-

in brief

year terms on the 47-member Council.

The Asia group of countries unanimously endorsed India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates for the five seats for the region that were up for election this year ensuring their unopposed election.

Despite the unanimity, two spoiler votes were cast – one each for Fiji and the Maldives.

The other regional ballots were five for Africa, three each for the two groups, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western and other Countries, and two for Eastern Europe. They were also non-competitive as the various groups had endorsed only as many countries as there were vacancies.

A fire tore through the 13-storey building in Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s main port city, killing at least 46 people and injuring dozens. The blaze, Taiwan’s deadliest in decades, underscored concerns about the island’s lax safety standards. At least 41 people were being treated for injuries, local fire officials said. The cause of the fire was under investigation, said Lee Chinghsiu, the city’s fire chief. The fire appeared to have started on the ground floor, Taiwanese media said.

The United Daily News said that investigators were focusing on a first-floor tea shop whose owner reportedly fought with his girlfriend earlier. They had not ruled out arson, the newspaper said.

Surveillance footage from a neighbouring building showed a flash of light on the first floor, and soon the entire floor was engulfed in flames, according to local news reports.

SIX ARRESTED IN RWANDA FOR SPREADING RUMOURS Rwandan authorities have arrested six people including a journalist and members of an opposition party accused of publishing rumours allegedly intended to start an uprising, the investigation bureau said.

Theoneste Nsengimana, who runs Umubavu TV – an online Youtube channel that often airs content critical of the government, was among those arrested, said Rwanda Investigation Bureau spokesperson Thierry Murangira. “They are accused of publication of rumours intended to cause uprising or unrest among the population,” he said.

“They have commonality, they are an organised group with the intention to spread rumours intended to cause uprising or unrest among the population using different social media platforms.”

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At G20, PM Modi cautions on terror from Afghanistan Addressing the G 20 Leaders’ Summit on Afghanistan, PM Narendra Modi yet again underlined the need to ensure Afghan territory did not become a source of radicalisation and terrorism, regionally or globally, and also reiterated India’s call for an inclusive government that has women and minorities.

The Prime Minister also called for the immediate and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan as the country battles food and health crises. Modi participated virtually in the summit that was convened by Italy, which currently holds the G 20 presidency. The meeting focused on issues related to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, terrorism and human rights. According to a statement issued by the Indian government, Modi emphasised the need to enhance the joint fight against the “nexus of radicalisation, terrorism and the smuggling of drugs and arms in the region”.

In order to preserve the socio-economic gains of the

Narendra Modi

last 20 years and to restrict the spread of radical ideology, the PM called for an inclusive administration in Afghanistan, which includes women and minorities.

Modi called on the international community to forge a unified international response without which, he said, it will be difficult to bring about the desired change in Afghanistan’s situation.

Modi also conveyed support for the important role of the UN in Afghanistan and called for renewed support of the G 20 for the message contained in UN Security Council Resolution

2593 on Afghanistan. India sees the August 30 resolution passed under its presidency as a template for international action in Afghanistan.

The resolution, among other things, calls upon the Taliban to not allow Afghanistan territory to be used against others. In his remarks, the Prime Minister welcomed the initiative of the Italian G 20 presidency in convening the meeting to take stock of the current situation in Afghanistan. He emphasised the centuries old people-to-people ties between India and Afghanistan.

Minister's son denied bail in Kheri violence case The chief judicial magistrate (CJM) of Lakhimpur Kheri denied bail to Union minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish, accused of murdering four farmers and a journalist during a farmers’ protest on October 3. The special investigation team (SIT) probing the violence made two more arrests - Ashish’s friend Ankit Das, who owns the black Fortuner in the three-car convoy that allegedly ran farmers over that day, and a man identified as Lateef, who was reportedly part of the convoy and fired shots in the air.

Ashish Mishra and his aide Ashish Pandey, who were arrested last week, had moved the CJM seeking bail. "We opposed their applications. They were denied bail by chief judicial magistrate Chinta Ram," special prosecution officer S P Yadav said. SIT officials said they are "gathering evidence and arresting people on the basis of what comes up". They questioned Ashish over the day but he was not taken to the site of the killings. At one point, he was questioned along with Das, who had moved a surrender application before the CJM but turned himself in to the SIT. The SIT had said it was "looking for" Das, a Lucknow-based contractor who is former Congress MP Akhilesh Das’s nephew and said to be working closely with BJP now. Arrested with Das was Lateef, a resident of Sardhan in

Kheri, who had also filed a surrender plea.

"Das and Lateef were arrested and produced before the court. They were sent to14day judicial custody. The judge heard our application seeking their remand and granted three days," Yadav said. The SIT also produced Shekhar Bharti, the other suspect the investigating team had said it was "on the trail of", and got a three-day remand custody of him as well.

BJP man snatched from cops, killed: MoS Junior Union home minister Ajay Mishra at a prayer meeting in Singha Khurd village for three BJP workers who had died during the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that “the death of the three men is unfortunate and the way the incident took place in the presence of officials shows the negligence of both police and the administration”.

Mishra, who is himself an accused in an FIR registered by farmers, added, “Farmers were allowed to take over a road and then the route was not barricaded by police. Shyam Sundar Nishad, one of the workers, was alive with police and had reached an ambulance but was dragged out and killed. The guilty cops will not be spared and the government will conduct a probe against them. The government has given a free hand to the investigating agency”.

‘Eco Oscars’ for Indian agricultural waste recycling project A Delhi-based entrepreneur's agricultural waste recycling project was named among the winners of Prince William's inaugural Earthshot Prize, dubbed the “Eco Oscars”, at a ceremony in London last week.

Vidyut Mohan led Takachar was named the winner of the GBP 1 million prize for its cheap technology innovation to convert crop residues into bio-products in the “clean our air” category. It was among five worldwide winners of the prize, created by William, the Duke of Cambridge, to reward people trying to save the planet.

“Time is running out. A decade doesn't seem long enough, but humankind has an outstanding record of being able to solve the

unsolvable,” William said in a recorded message played at the ceremony.

Takachar was named a winner for its technology which reduces smoke emissions by up to 98 per cent, aimed at helping improve the air quality that affected people's life expectancy by up to five years.

It could cut a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and described it as “a win for India's farmers fight against climate change”.

“Takachar has developed a cheap, smallscale, portable technology that attaches to tractors in remote farms. The machine converts crop residues into sellable bio-products like fuel and fertilizer,” the Earthshot Prize notes said.

India ready to send wheat, medical aid to Afghanistan With Afghanistan’s food crisis driving millions on the brink of starvation, India is considering options to transport 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat and medical aid to the country.

The government needs to circumvent what it has described as the challenge of efficient logistics to be able to despatch any food aid to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan though. India wants unhindered and direct access for those handling humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and believes only the UN is equipped to monitor, as foreign minister S Jaishankar said last month in a UN address, a non-discriminatory distribution of humanitarian assistance across all sections of Afghan society. Indian aid will depend on whether or not this “enabling environment” is created.

The UN World Food Programme had said earlier this month that it was in touch with Indian authori-

ties for procurement of wheat from India for Afghanistan. India had last year delivered 75,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan but that was through the long and circuitous Chabahar port route.

One of the options being considered is to transport wheat to Afghanistan by road via the Attari-Wagah border with Pakistan but that will be a complicated exercise given that Pakistan doesn’t allow two-way trade for India and Afghanistan through that border. It only allows Afghanistan to export

goods to India. India is learnt to be in touch with Pakistan on this issue. For any such proposal to materialise, UN will have an important role to play in the logistics.

In his G20 address last week, PM Narendra Modi had also called for unhindered and urgent humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people. India has also said that, irrespective of India’s relations with the Taliban, its traditionally friendly ties with the Afghan people will continue to guide its approach to Afghanistan.

OBITUARY

Rameshbhai Patel ‘Premormi’ leaves for a better world Rameshbhai Patel, owner of “Mandeer”, a restaurant in London passed away on 15 October 2021 in his hometown Karamsad, India. Rameshbhai was born on 18 September 1936 in Rangoon, Myanmar (Burma). Due to Second World War, Rameshbhai along with his father Bhailalbhai and her mother Kamlaben left Rangoon overnight and moved to India.

As Rameshbhai had to get admission to a school, he went to Nasik with his younger brother, Ghanshyam and their mother. His maternal grandfather was a businessman in Nasik.

Rameshbhai got admission to a Gujarati medium school, from there his love for poems flourished. He was awarded by a well-known writer, Jyotindra Dave at his school.

Later on, he composed thousands of poems and songs, amongst which one is "Hridayaganga" – a melodious collection of poems in eight languages.

Perhaps, He even started learning to draw beautiful pictures. After completing his studies in 1954, his father told him to return to Burma as he can help his father in their business. His father was living in Prome and had a jewellery business.

Rameshbhai had to go to Rangoon to buy gold and return to Prome which was a risky and responsible task. Rameshbhai met a person who loved sports activities and played a Kabbadi game in Nasik. They started a cricket club in Burma.

Amongst his new friends, Vallabhbhai's uncle lived in London. Vallabhbhai decided to move to London from Burma and Rameshbhai also agreed to the same. Rameshbhai’s father denied allowing him but after much effort, he was convinced.

After reaching London, he started working hard. He was residing in Birmingham and worked at a mill. He came to the UK in 1957 and after a short stay in Birmingham settled in London. He started the India Coffee House in London which soon became a place where newly arrived Gujarati, Marwadi, and Jain community students from India could easily get Indian vegetarian food.

In 1964 Rameshbhai married Ushaben Patel from Uttarsanda of India. The couple married according to the Hindu rituals, which was quite surprising and reported by many publications. Someone has invited Swami Vallabhdas and his disciple Swami Haridas who were experts in classical music. Rameshbhai was passing by and all of a sudden heard a piece of Indian music. He was then introduced to the Swami who came there for some funding for his organization and tried to help Rameshbhai in all possible manners.

Rameshbhai later started the famous Indian Emporium shop just off the Tottenham Court Road and an organization named Navkala.

Navkala promotes Indian dance, music, and plays. Under the banner of Navkala, a popular drama “Kona Baapni Diwali” received a huge applaud. They also performed the Gujarati dance (Garba) at the European Dance Festival and received a prize. The organisation, Navkala also started a school to teach classical dances.

In 1973, Rameshbhai started the famous Mandeer Restaurant which also had a special hall for social functions and named it Pandit Ravishankar Hall. The restaurant soon became a hub of celebrities and a centre of culture.

In 2002, they had to close the “Mandeer” and went back to India for medical treatment of his wife Ushaben. In 2003, Ushaben passed away and Rameshbhai decided to settle in Vadodara, Gujarat. There he established a huge Tana Ri Ri Hall and organized many cultural events. In 2015, he settled in his hometown Karamsad, Gujarat.

In August 2021, he was diagnosed with vein blockage and he was operated on. He leaves behind his son Kalpesh and a lot of friends. His life is a legacy that we would emulate and safeguard our Dharma for generations to come.

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SOUTH INDIA

Sasikala unveils plaque naming her as AIADMK 'general secretary' CHENNAI: The year long (202122) golden jubilee celebrations of the AIADMK's founding began on Sunday, and it was marked by a renewed and an open attempt

by VK Sasikala, confidante of late party supremo J Jayalalithaa, to get back control of the party by harping on ''unity'' mantra.

Sasikala's strong pitch for joining forces for the sake of the ''party and people'' was, however, rejected by the AIADMK, which reiterated that there is no place for her in the party.

She unfurled the AIADMK flag at the T Nagar memorial of party founder and late Chief Minister MG Ramachandran in Chennai and a plaque unveiled on the occasion addressed her as party ''general secretary,'' which was strongly opposed by the main opposition party.

Recalling a didactic Tamil film song ''Kanpona Pokkiley'' in a MGR flick, which cautions against choosing a path based on whims and fancies rather than wisdom and reason, Sasikala

said, "you decide to whom this is applicable today."

Apparently, the message was to the AIADMK brass, steered by O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami, both former Chief Ministers. Addressing supporters at MGR's Ramapuram Garden residence, Sasikala said had the party been in power in the golden jubilee year, it would have been a proud moment, in honour of both MGR and ''Amma.'' Ahead of the start of

her prison term in 2017, she ensured that the AIADMK was in the saddle of power in Tamil Nadu, she said. Recalling her announcement of staying away from politics ahead of the Assembly poll in April this year, she said she took that stand as she wanted the party to be not affected in any manner whatsoever.

"It is the responsibility of all of us to guard the party. The need of the hour is unity," she

said adding the divisions among them facilitated ''our enemies,'' seen as a pointer to arch rival DMK, which captured power in Tamil Nadu after a gap of 10 years.

Sasikala said that if attention was not paid to the welfare of the people, the party and cadres, "we will be thrown away, whatever top positions one may hold and all of us should realise this truth."

"For the sake of the party, the people and workers, this is the time to stand together."

Reacting to Sasikala's overtures, AIADMK senior leader D Jayakumar said she would not be taken back into the party. "No one can touch the AIADMK," he asserted. Mocking at Sasikala, Jayakumar, referring to her supporters hailing her as ''revolutionary mother'' wanted to know the kind of revolution she ushered in. "What revolution has she done?" he asked adding all that she did was only for the sake of her family.

PUNJAB

Sidhu seeks to meet Sonia on his 13-point agenda CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has sought a meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi, flagging in his letter issues which the government "must deliver upon" and saying it is the poll-bound state's "last chance for resurrection and redemption". In the letter to the Congress president on October 15, a day after he had meetings with senior party leaders in Delhi, Sidhu pitched for a "Punjab Model with a 13-point agenda to be part of the Congress manifesto for the 2022 assembly elections".

Days after resigning as Punjab Congress chief, Sidhu had on October 15 said his concerns have been resolved and the party asserted that he will continue as the head of the state

Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sonia Gandhi

unit. On Sunday he made public the letter he has written to Sonia Gandhi. In the letter Sidhu talked mainly about justice in sacrilege cases, state’s drug menace, agricultural issues, employment opportunities and sand mining.

All matters will be resolved: Channi All matters will be resolved and the party’s agenda implemented, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said, a day after Sidhu made public his letter to Sonia Gandhi.

Channi had a meeting with Sidhu on Sunday. Interacting with reporters, Channi said, “Be it 13-point, 18-point, 21-point or 24-point, whatever the agenda is will be implemented. No point will be left out.”

“It’s alright he (Sidhu) raised the issues... We have to implement the party’s ideology.

The party is supreme. All issues will be resolved,” he replied when asked about Sidhu’s letter.

In the letter, Sidhu reminded Sonia Gandhi of the party’s 18point agenda “given to the last chief minister” of Punjab and said that those were “equally relevant today”. Sidhu’s letter had indicated that he was still not satisfied with the Channi-led government over its handling of key issues which he has been raising in the recent past.

WEST BENGAL

TMC MLA threatens to chop off wrists of land-sharks KOLKATA: A ruling Trinamool Congress MLA has threatened to chop off the wrists of alleged land-sharks attempting to grab a playground in his assembly constituency in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district.

Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra, however, later apologised for the comment. The former state sports minister claimed that some people owing allegiance to his party were trying to construct an apartment complex on Meghnad Math in Belgharia area.

"Some criminals are trying to do illegal construction on the playground, which I, along with local MP Saugata Roy, was planning to beautify. KMC’s environment department stepped in to stop land sharks from filling up a pond in the Mukundapur locality. Civic officials who rushed to the spot after getting an anonymous tip-

off lodged an FIR with Purba Jadavpur police and also put up a notice, warning stern action against the land grabbers.

The names of three people are recurringly cropping up.

They are under my surveillance.

I will lodge an FIR, and if the police don't take action, I will launch a people's movement to save the ground.

"If they think they can threaten or buy me, they are wrong. This is my last warning to them. If they dare even lay a finger on the ground, I will sever their wrists from their hands. If needed, I will go to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and tell her how some people are misusing the party's name," Mitra said in a Facebook post.

Naihati TMC MLA Partha Bhowmick supported Mitra, saying that being a "mass leader", the former minister was pained at attempts to take away

in brief DMK, ALLIES SWEEP TN LOCAL BODIES POLLS The DMK-led alliance has cornered a lion’s share of posts in the nine districts where rural local body elections were held last week. After results for almost all posts were declared, the Dravidian major is set to capture all the nine district panchayats and a major chunk of panchayat unions.

Significantly, this is the party’s fourth victory under the stewardship of party president and Chief Minister MK Stalin, the others being the Lok Sabha elections and rural local body polls in 2019, and the State Assembly elections held earlier this year. The results are an endorsement of the first five months in office, said Stalin, adding the DMK’s popularity increased in such a short time as the government has performed well.

MORE TROUBLE FOR FORMER CM BSY The sensational findings of the Income Tax Department during the recent raids in Bengaluru and other places on former CM BS Yediyurappa’s close aide BR Umesh and others is a setback for the BJP veteran, party sources said. During the search operations, undisclosed income of about £75 million was found. Out of this, an amount of £48.7 million has been admitted by the respective group entities as their undisclosed income. Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy has made serious allegations that the IT raids have been conducted on the close aides of Yediyurappa only with an intention of giving him a ‘checkmate’. Yediyurappa, despite being asked to step down from the top post, continues to be a mass leader and has a good hold on BJP legislators.

8,600 DENGUE CASES IN PUNJAB Dengue cases in the state are heading towards an unprecedented spike this year, as 8,600 cases have been reported so far, which is almost three times the figure reported in the corresponding period last year. Only 3,200 cases surfaced till mid-October last year. The situation this time is alarming because the number of cases is doubling in just one week. According to data compiled by the Health Department, the state has reported 8,597 cases, while 12 persons have died due to the vector-borne disease. The Health Department, with the help of the Abohar Municipal Corporation, launched a door-to-door campaign to check mosquito breeding in houses. The disease control teams have been increased from 25 to 33. In all, four districts have reported more than 1,000 cases. Bathinda tops the chart with 1,414 cases, followed by Mohali (1,264), Hoshiarpur (1,099) and Amritsar (1,019).

Pathankot has reported 955 cases.

BENGAL BID TO INCREASE COVID VACCINATION

Madan Mitra

the rights of children to the playground.

"However, he shouldn't have used words as severing someone's wrist from hand," Bhowmick told reporters.

Responding to Bhowmick, Mitra, in another Facebook post, apologised for the words but not

for the intent. "I withdraw such words as I understand that we are the ruling party and we should show some restraint but such people only understand such language. The land-sharks in Belgharia are more dangerous than those in Bhowmick's constituency.”

The state health department has directed all 23 districts to increase Covid-19 vaccination to the maximum possible extent from Monday, with a daily target of 10,00,000 jabs, to try and complete vaccinating all eligible people in Bengal with at least one dose within this month. “We have set a preliminary target to complete at least the first dose of vaccination for all eligible people in the state within October 31. It might take a few more days, but the deadline was set as many districts are far from that goal. Calcutta is the only district where cent per cent first dose vaccination for eligible people has been achieved,” said a senior health department official. Bengal administered over 66.5 million doses, which means 18.3 per cent of the state’s population is now fully vaccinated.

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27 killed as torrential rain batters Kerala The death toll in flash floods and landslides in Kerala rose to 27, with the recovery of 13 bodies in Kottayam district and nine in Idukki over the weekend. The rainfall was subdued on Sunday after a day of havoc on Saturday.

The India meteorological department (IMD) has forecast rainfall for three-four days since Monday but said there could be some relief as the low pressure area over southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Kerala on Saturday had become less marked. "Under its influence, while isolated heavy rainfall is very likely over coastal Karnataka, Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, but there would be significant reduction in rainfall activity," the IMD bulletin

said.

Bodies of six people who went missing in a major landslide at Kokkayar in Idukki, including four children, were recovered on Sunday. Officials said nine persons, including five children, were

missing in landslides and flash floods at Poovanchi in Kokkayar and Peruvanthanam villages. A 44-year old man died in Peruvanthanam village.

Revenue minister K Rajan, water resources minister Roshy

Augustine, Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, district development commissioner Arjun Pandiyan and Peermade MLA Vazhoor Soman are leading the operations.

Rescue teams have recovered more bodies from landslide-hit Koottikkal and Plappally in Kottayam too.

Palakkad too witnessed heavy rain over the past two days, with landslides damaging roads and properties. Heavy rain is reported in Nelliyampathy, Parambikulam and Attapadi forest areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday discussed the situation with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "I pray for everyone's safety and well-being," Modi tweeted. "It is saddening that

some people have lost their lives due to heavy rains and landslides in Kerala. Condolences to the bereaved families," he added.

Indian army, navy and air force are assisting in rescue and relief operations. The National Disaster Response Force has deployed 11 teams across south and central parts of Kerala.

Thousands of people have been evacuated to more than 150 relief camps across the state. Union home minister Amit Shah tweeted that the government was closely monitoring the situation in Kerala and it would provide all assistance to the state. Earlier in the day, chief minister Vijayan urged people to exercise extreme caution.

China objects to Vice-President Modi and Johnson to launch global solar power grid Naidu’s Arunachal visit India and China were involved in another verbal slugfest with the former slamming Beijing for opposing Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh and underlining that the state is an integral and inalienable part of India.

Rejecting remarks by the Chinese foreign ministry on Naidu’s visit, the Indian ministry of external affairs said Indian leaders routinely travelled to Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state of India.

“Objecting to the visit of Indian leaders to a state of India does not stand to reason and understanding of the Indian people,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

The strong and quick rebuttal also had India recalling that the current situation along the Line of

Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of the IndiaChina border areas had been caused by unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter the status quo in violation of bilateral agreements.

“Therefore, we expect the Chinese side to work towards early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and proto-

cols rather than trying to link unrelated issues,” said the Indian official.

Talks between the two countries to resolve the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh seemed to have collapsed earlier this week with both sides blaming each other for the impasse.

Claiming Arunachal as a part of south Tibet, China has in the past too objected to visits by Indian leaders there.

India and the United Kingdom will jointly launch the Green Grids InitiativeOne Sun One World One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG) - a trans-national grid to transport solar power to different countries – during world leaders’ summit at the beginning of the 26th session of the UN climate change conference (COP26) in Glasgow, UK in the first week of November. The initiative, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi three years ago, will be endorsed in the form of a political declaration by the fourth general assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) during October 18-21.

Sources said Modi would attend the world leaders’ summit on November 1-2 at COP26 and launch it with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in presence of other heads of state/government.

Boris Johnson and Narendra Modi

An official confirmation to this effect would be conveyed to the UK soon, they added.

US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and other leaders will also attend the summit during the first half of the COP26 which would see countries finalise rules of carbon market mechanism (Article 6) under the Paris Agreement. The Article 6 rules are the last piece of the Agreement which are yet to be finalised.

Implementation of the

OSOWOG will revolve around the concept that the ‘Sun Never Sets’ and is, therefore, a constant at some geographical location, globally, at any given point of time. The ISA, which was jointly launched by India and France on the side-lines of the COP21 in Paris in 2015, will be the implementing body of the global grid.

The assembly will deliberate on the strategic plan of the ISA for the next five years. It will cover different issues including strategy for private sector engagement.

Rahul getting ready to take over Cong reins from Sonia

India watchful as China, Bhutan ink border talks MoU

Around two and half years after he quit the party leadership over the 2019 Lok Sabha election debacle, Rahul Gandhi appears to be getting ready to retake the reins of Congress, though only around AugustSeptember 2022, ruling out dissident G-23 call for early internal polls.

The assumption of the party chief’s position is expected to potentially place Rahul Gandhi in a position to lead the party into the 2024 parliamentary elections. For now, Sonia Gandhi will continue to be party chief.

Sonia rebuffed the dissident criticism that the party lacks a “full-time” leadership, saying she is very much “hands-on” and has taken on the government and worked with like-minded opposition parties.“So let us all have a free and honest discussion.

But what should get communicated outside the four walls of this room is the col-

China signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bhutan for a “three-step roadmap” to expedite boundary negotiations that have been on for nearly the past four decades.

India, which closely follows all such engagements between the two countries as Chinese claims over disputed territories have serious security implications for New Delhi, reacted cautiously.

“We have noted the signing of the MoU between Bhutan and China. You are aware that Bhutan and China have been holding boundary negotiations since 1984. Similarly, India has been holding boundary negotiations with China,” said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, when asked whether Bhutan had kept India informed about the MoU. Thimpu said the roadmap will provide fresh impetus to the boundary

Rahul Gandhi

lective decision of the CWC,” Sonia told a meeting of the party’s top body – the Congress Working Committee- on Saturday.

After a prolonged debate over organisational election, an issue that has been espoused by the dissident bloc, G-23, Congress on Saturday announced the poll schedule, which will culminate with the election of the party president by September 20, 2022. It means the new president will get elected on schedule as the five-year term of the earlier election ends then.

Congress general secre-

tary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the internal electoral process would be set in motion from November 1 this year, with enrolment of primary membership. Elections to the block, district and state level Congress committees will be held between April and September next year, which will culminate in the election of the AICC president between August 21 and September 20, 2022. The next CWC, Venugopal said, will subsequently be constituted at the Congress plenary, the date of which will be announced later.

talks and that it expects its implementation “in a spirit of goodwill, understanding and accommodation” will bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion that is acceptable to both sides.

Bhutan is the only country apart from India to have a land boundary dispute with China.

While 24 rounds of talks have been held since 1984, the last negotiations took place in 2016.

Bhutan has so far not accepted the Chinese 1996 ‘package deal’ that had offered to exchange territory in central Bhutan for

Doklam, located dangerously close to India’s Siliguri Corridor.

The text of the MoU, which was signed during a virtual ceremony, has not yet been made public. In an announcement, Bhutan said during the 10th expert group meeting with China in April this year, the sides had agreed on the roadmap that will apparently build on the 1988 Guiding Principles for the settlement of the boundary and expedite negotiations. It had been reported at the time that a ‘three-step roadmap’ was discussed.

26 INDIA

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Rising toll triggers exodus of Bihar labourers from Kashmir Hundreds of labourers who came to Kashmir to find work started fleeing the region, taking the first bus or train from Srinagar to Banihal for the onward journey to other states. They are driven by fear after hearing of non-locals being targeted by terrorists, the latest attack being on three labourers from Bihar in Kulgam, south Kashmir, on Sunday evening.

Two terrorists had killed two Bihari labourers and injured a third in their rented accommodation in Kulgam, an atrocity claimed by the United Liberation Front, a front for the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Mukesh Sah, who returned to Bihar’s Banka district with the body of Arvind Kumar Sah on Sunday, claimed the militants fired at Bihari workers in Kashmir after asking for their Aadhar cards to ensure that they were non-Kashmiris.

Over 200 migrant workers from Narpatganj, Raniganj, Forbesganj and Jokihat Palasi blocks in Bihar's Araria district alone are set to leave for home due to pressure from family members to return. Many are learnt to have

already boarded trains for their hometowns. Mohammed Akram, a migrant labourer from Bihar, was waiting near the tourist reception centre in Srinagar to take the morning bus to Jammu because he was feeling insecure. The heavy overnight rain had not deterred him.

Attacks part of ISI strategy to foment trouble?

Intelligence agencies say Pakistan has revived its strategy of attacking members of Kashmir’s

minority community and migrant workers to create a fear psychosis.

This serves a two-fold purpose for the ISI: attracting the Kashmiri population towards terrorism and driving out migrants and residual minority community members from the Valley, a top intelligence officer said. Targeted violence of this nature would also affect Kashmir’s tourism industry.

“The law and order and incident-free situation after abrogation of special status was

alarmed the ISI and they tried various means to create trouble,” the officer said.

J&K administration must act swiftly: Nitish In Patna, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that the J&K administration must act swiftly and “also provide necessary protection in the areas where workers from other states reside”.

He said they must take the steps necessary "to ensure that such targeted attacks on non-locals do not recur in the Kashmir valley”.

Nitish said he had expressed his concern at the “targeted killings" to J&K to L-G Manoj Sinha over the phone. “I told Sinha that the people of Bihar are concerned about the recurrent killings of our people.

Sinha assured me that he was looking into the matter,” Nitish said. "But it is a fact that something wrong is happening in the valley.

Some people are deliberately attacking those who had gone there for work. The way two labourers from Bihar were selectively killed after entering their house… We have alerted the

J&K administration," he said, adding, "We are deeply hurt by the killings.”

Killings nothing but genocide: BJP The terror attack drew strong condemnation from political parties across the spectrum. “There are no words strong enough to condemn the repeated barbaric attacks on innocent civilians. My heart goes out to their families because they leave the comforts of their homes to earn a dignified livelihood. Terribly sad,” PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted.

BJP state spokesman Altaf Thakur said the killings were “nothing but pure genocide”. “The gruesome murder of non-locals is nothing but inhuman and shows the frustration of militants,” he said.

CPM leader M Y Tarigami said killing innocent labourers who have come here to earn their livelihood is a heinous crime. “This is aimed at targeting the interests of people of Kashmir and this is happening at a time when the harvesting season is at its peak,” he said.

Order on Aryan’s bail plea reserved After day-long hearing of the bail application of Aryan Khan, 23, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, the special trial judge reserved the order and is likely to pass his order on October 20. Khan will be lodged in Arthur Road jail. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) special counsel, ASG Anil Singh, invoked Mahatma Gandhi and freedom fighters to argue that the drug menace cannot be allowed in the land whose freedom they fought for.

Senior counsel Amit Desai for Aryan Khan countered, saying that as part of the freedom struggle, what was fought for was also liberty, fundamental rights, and the doctrine of the rule of law and the need for compliance with the law and Constitutional principles. “We cannot pick up young children who are at the bottom of the food chain as consumers and put them in jails,” said Desai. The hearing was before a packed courtroom of special NDPS judge V V Patil.

The judge called for the case papers. The court has also reserved the order in two other

bail applications - those of Khan’s friend Arbaaz Merchant, 26, and Munmun Dhamecha, 28, a model from MP. Singh, who concluded his submissions, said the bail plea was misconceived at this stage as investigations are still on and the agency is seeking help of the Ministry of External Affairs to probe Khan’s alleged foreign contact and chats to probe an alleged international connection. He also said that since there is a commercial quantity of drugs recovered from other accused, the fetters on bail would apply under Section 37 of the Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The section makes it difficult for bail to be granted when an offence involves commercial quantity. The ASG also denied Khan’s submissions of no possession, as he said that since Merchant was found with charas and both admitted to wanting to smoke it, it became his “conscious possession.” Desai said not only was no drug found on Khan, the alleged statements, both of which have been retracted, at best speak of

Nirav Modi sister’s trust offers its Swiss account funds to Indian govt The Deposit Trust whose details were revealed in the Pandora Papers investigation and in which Purvi Modi, sister of fugitive diamond jeweller Nirav Modi, is a settlor, has offered to remit about £ 27.5 million lying in its Swiss bank account to the Indian Government, sources said.

A settlor is an individual or party who establishes the trust by placing a particular asset. Purvi Modi’s offer, furnished as part of her full disclosure requirement as a condition for her pardon, is being considered by the Government, sources said.

According to Pandora Papers, a month before Nirav Modi fled India in January 2018, Purvi Modi set up Brookton Management Ltd in the British Virgin Islands to act as a corporate protector of The Deposit Trust formed through the Trident Trust Company, Singapore. Purvi, in the incorporation form for BVI companies, declared that the source of funds to be infused into Brookton were salary and her personal earnings as the creative director of Firestar, the firm accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank (PNB) through fraudulent letters of undertaking (LOUs).

However, Purvi Modi’s lawyer, Mishra had denied the allegations and declined comment saying that the money laundering case is sub-judice. Sources said Purvi Modi is said to have given a no-objection letter for

Nirav Modi and Purvi Modi

remitting about £27.5 million lying in the bank account of The Deposit Trust.

The remittance by Purvi is being done as she was allowed the tender of pardon on conditions of making full and true disclosure to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that is probing a money laundering case against Nirav Modi. According to sources, the Indian government is considering Purvi Modi’s application and is in talks with the Swiss authorities for repatriation of funds.

Emails to Purvi Modi’s lawyer on this offer did not elicit any response. On January 4, a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court passed an order on applications made by Purvi Modi and her husband Maiank Mehta allowing grant of tender of pardon under Sections 306 and 307 of Cr.P.C., on condition of making full and true disclosure.

future consumption of small quantities of charas, a drug legal in many countries for small quantities. Desai added, “Abdul Shaikh (from whom commercial quantity was allegedly recovered) was named by another accused who Khan and Merchant have no connection with, and they cannot be dragged into or made part of such conspiracy now

when their arrest did not involve any abetment or conspiracy allegation.” Singh said NCB can invoke Section 29 of the NDPS Act (conspiracy) at any stage during investigation. Desai denied the allegations and said, “It is false to say that he (Khan) is involved in any drug trafficking or drug chain and it is an inherently absurd allegation.”

OBITUARY Sad demise of Cllr Vinaben Mithani On 7 October 2021, Harrow’s Conservative Councillor Vinaben Vipinbhai Mithani passed away at the age of 65 after a long battle with Cancer. Vina Mithani, born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1956 came to the UK at the age of 14 to complete her education.

She completed her qualification in microbiology and genetics. She contributed in the research of various key global health issues such as anthrax, food toxins and related diseases, and more recently, she played a fundamental role in ensuring appropriate standards for labs that test for the corona virus. She passed her knowledge on and gave various lectures at notable and respected educational institutions, and supported in capacity building programmes by providing hands on training to those entering her field April 14th 1956 - October 7th 2021 of expertise.

Serving the interests of the community and the people around her gave her the drive and motivation to do more. She joined public life in 2002 and got elected as a Councillor for Kenton West at the London Borough of Harrow. She turned a traditional Labour voting area to vote for the Conservatives. Since then she has kept on being re-elected as a Conservative Councillor for Kenton West. Many residents and work colleagues remember her to be a warm and kind person, who was helpful, hardworking and well respected. As an elected representative she served on various committees at the Cabinet Level, for example she was the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, worked on issues like home evictions, schools admissions, and the list goes on to be exhaustive.

She also served as a Governor for 2 school boards located in Harrow, Priestmead Primary School and Nursery and Glebe Primary School.

She supported and showed her solidarity to the Indian and the Ethiopian communities, and has had the privilege to address large gatherings, including one at Trafalgar Square where she addressed 10,000 Ethiopians for their New Year celebrations.

She also enormously contributed to the Navnat Vanik Samaj and Jain Network.

As a young Indian girl who arrived all alone at the tender age of 14, and who worked her way up in the professional and social ladder through service, she has inspired many young Asian women to find their place in male dominated societies.

She undertook her family responsibilities with a lot of love, affection and care. She was a good daughter to her parents, Shri Suryakant Chhotalal Kothari (nicknamed as Mohan) and Shrimati Naliniben Kothari. She is a sister to Shobhna Mehta, Harish Kothari and Mayur Kothari. She has been a loving wife and a pillar of strength to her husband, Vipin Mithani. She also nurtured and looked after her children-like niece and nephews, Heeral Kothari, Ronak Kothari and Harsh Kothari.

She will be deeply missed by her family members, friends and the community. A large number of people attended the virtual prayer meet which was held on 14 October to pay tribute to Late Vinaben.

On behalf of Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar, we convey our sincere condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the departed soul.

Om Shanti Shanti

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Psychosis cases rise in England after pandemic The psychosis cases in England are soaring as an increasing number of people experience hallucinations and delusional amid the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a 75% increase in the number of people referred to mental health services between April 2019 and April 2021, NHS data shows.

The rise continued throughout the summer, with 12,655 referred in July 2021, up 53% from 8,252 in July 2019. Much of the increase has been seen over the last year, after the first national lockdown, according to data analysed by the charity Rethink Mental Illness. More than 13,000 referrals were made in May 2021, a 70% rise on the May before when there were 7,813 referrals.

The charity is urging

the government to invest more in early intervention for psychosis to prevent further deterioration in people’s mental health from which it could take them years to recover. It says the statistics provide some of the first concrete evidence to indicate the significant levels of distress experienced across the population during the pandemic.

A study earlier this month found that anxiety and depression around the world increased dramatically in 2020, with an estimated 76 mn extra cases of anxiety and 53mn extra cases of major depressive disorder than would have been expected had Covid not struck. Women and young people were disproportionately affected, the researchers said.

Psychosis can involve

seeing or hearing things that other people do not (hallucinations) and developing beliefs that are not based on reality (delusions), which can be highly distressing. It can be a symptom of mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or severe depression, but psychosis can also be a one-off, potentially triggered by a traumatic experience, extreme stress or drug and alcohol misuse.

Despite the continued pressure on mental health services, the charity is highlighting the importance of rapid access to treatment to prevent further episodes of psychosis and reduce people’s risk of developing severe mental illness. New

guidelines for people experiencing a suspected first episode of psychosis state they should receive an assessment within two weeks. However, the charity fears that if the increase in referrals is sustained, more people will have to wait longer for vital treatment.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “It is vital everyone can get the right

support when they need it and we are delivering the fastest expansion in mental health services in NHS history, backed by an additional £2.3 bn a year by 2023/24, benefiting hundreds of thousands more people.

Uncontrolled stress is very harmful Stress can be very harmful to the body in many ways. A human body is a complex structure and chronic stress if left untreated can lead to numerous issues. You may be aware of stress affecting different organs in different ways, internally. But do you know it can have a negative impact on your skin as well?

A dermatologist says that stress could be anything that's making you overthink, anxious, or unhappy.

The effect on your skin The doctor explained that stress can cause hyperpigmentation, early aging, patchy and uneven skin tone, dry skin, acne, and dark circles, especially when you don't sleep well. You

may experience itching and different allergic reactions, she said. Sometimes "nerve endings in the skin release mediators that cause itching when you are stressed".

She said stress sends signals to the hypothalamus, a

small region present in the brain. "Hypothalamus will then release the Corticotropin-releasing hormone. This hormone will send signals to the pituitary gland located in the brain to release another hor-

mone called Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)," she said.

"These will then go down to the kidneys to the adrenal glands and these adrenal glands will release cortisol hormone," the doctor said.

She said that cortisol hormone, when created in excess, can send signals to your kidneys and even ovaries. This could give rise to the increase of male hormones in women. Some hormones can also lead to a lot of inflammation, causing the skin to get dry and flaky.

Stress can also lead to the release of hormones that can lead to dark patches on the skin and hyperpigmentation

Health benefits of black seed oil There was a time when olive oil and canola oil were the only two oils stocked in the typical pantry. These days, coconut, walnut, avocado and more have made our pantries that much more diverse. A “new” oil that is strutting its stuff on many pantry shelves, is black seed oil. It’s also making appearances in medicine cabinets as a supplement or as an ingredient in your latest beauty find.

Black seed oil, also known as black cumin, comes from the Nigella sativa (N. sativa) L. (Ranunculaceae) plant and has been used in plant medicine for thousands of years. The oil is made by extracting it from the seeds of the plant. Black seed oil is known to be beneficial for a multitude of ailments, and has been used anecdotally, for everything from headaches to toothaches to

parasites. It’s nutrient profile (which includes calcium, iron, zinc and more) and long history of being a cureall, make this herb an interesting study to researchers looking for treatments of varying conditions and diseases.

What are the health benefits?

Black seed oil is high in antioxidants, specifically thymoquinone. As a refresher, antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are the “bad guy” atoms that can damage cells. Since free radicals exist throughout the

body, fighting them off with antioxidants can have wide-ranging effects that impact multiple systems.

Think lower risk of chronic diseases, slowing the aging process, and more. A metaanalysis of five studies using 293 human subjects suggests that black cumin supplementation may have a beneficial role as an antioxidant.

This may be why it’s no surprise that black seed oil is used frequently in the Mediterranean region for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties, allthough more research is needed to fully understand the protective functions of black cumin.

Aside from the antioxidant compounds, black seed oil also contains sterols, compounds in plants that

may help the body reduce blood cholesterol. The presence of significant levels of sterols may make black cumin a capable natural agent in lowering blood cholesterol and thus, helping to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Other research has looked at the possibility of black seed oil helping to control blood glucose levels and improve lipid profiles. A small meta-analysis where subjects supplemented with black seed oil significantly improved fasting blood sugar.

If you’re looking for a little brain boost, black seed oil may have neuroprotective potential due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The ability to reduce inflammation specifically in the brain may help prevent conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Breast cancer is reported even in younger women

Kelsey Summers was getting dressed when she felt a lump in her breast. She was 26, an age when most women wouldn’t think about the possibility of breast cancer, but her mother was diagnosed with the disease at 28, so Summers had already been eager to get a mammogram before that day.

“I totally did not take it seriously at the beginning because I had had lumps that came and went with my menstrual cycle. So I was just thinking that's what this is - it's nothing,” Summers, who lives in Atlanta, said.

“It was something I could really feel, but it was not painful whatsoever. … I think in your 20s you have this kind of arrogance that nothing bad could happen to you.”

She mentioned the lump to her brother and a friend, who both encouraged her to get it checked out. When the friend’s mother found out, she immediately booked her an appointment with a doctor. A biopsy revealed stage 1 HER2-positive breast cancer.

It was October 2020 and with the availability of Covid-19 vaccines still months away, Summers was facing medical treatment in the midst of a pandemic. She’d have to undergo chemotherapy, surgery and more regular intravenous infusions afterwards to make sure the disease was completely gone.

“It was a little bit scary because they do really (emphasize) the fact that your immune system is suppressed,” she recalled. Summers stayed at home most of the time, venturing out only for doctor’s appointments and relying on others to do grocery shopping. Like many cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, she struggled with losing her hair, which was a big part of her identity, she said.

Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older, but 9% of cases are reported in women under 45, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Risk factors for this younger group include having a close relative who was diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 45, having mutations in breast cancer genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, and having Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.

While lumps in the breast are a more common sign of cancer, there are other symptoms to be aware of: dents or dimples in the breast, red or flaky rash, swelling, nipple discharge or an inverted nipple.

US task force against daily intake of aspirin The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released new draft recommendations that no longer advise using aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke for some groups. Many people take a daily low-dose pill to help prevent heart attack or stroke. But new evidence has found that taking a daily aspirin can raise the risk of certain complications.

The task force also concluded that starting aspirin use to prevent CVD events in adults aged 60 or older has no benefit at all. Some groups are still advised to take daily aspirin.

“These recommendations do not apply to people who have had a heart attack or stroke, or have a stent in an artery,” Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, volunteer president for the American Heart Association (AHA), said in a statement.

“Those patients should remain on aspirin as prescribed by their doctor,” he continued. “But in adults without known cardiovascular disease, we continue to urge clinicians to be very selective when prescribing aspirin.” Not recommended for people with increased bleeding risk “Bleeding is a major concern in patients 60 and older who are at risk for heart disease if they are newly placed on a daily baby aspirin regimen,” Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital said. Glatter noted that a significant concern for older patients on long-term baby aspirin regimens is the risk of bleeding in the brain from head trauma experienced in falls.

To Our Readers

We are publishing these reports in good faith. Before you try any of these remedies, please consult the doctor. We are not responsible for any adverse effects.- Editor

28

ART & CULTURE

AsianVoiceNews

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23 - 29 October 2021

Shefali Saxena

‘The Kashmir conflict is not a war of religions’ Q

Sumantra Bose is one of the world’s foremost experts on the Kashmir conflict.

He is the author of eight books including Contested Lands: Israel-Palestine, Kashmir, Bosnia, Cyprus and Sri Lanka and the Secular States, Religious Politics: India, Turkey, and the Future of Secularism. His mother Late Mrs Krishna Bose was the niece-in-law of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Bose’s latest book titled ‘Kashmir at the Crossroads Inside a 21st-Century Conflict’ releases in November 2021.

In an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, he spoke about the tale of Kashmir.

- Do you think the beauty of Kashmir and its culture has faded amid its conflictridden and terrorised state?

Mostly, no. The Kashmir Valley in particular has a very distinctive cultural heritage and identity that evolved over many centuries. A centuries-old heritage is not easily erased by conflict and repression, even if protracted. As a way of life, it has survived amid all the trauma and tragedy. In the 21st century, that resilient heritage has even given birth to new, contemporary forms of ‘resistance’ music, art and literature. The Kashmiri culture and way of life have been under siege since 1990, and even more so since August 2019. But it has not been degraded and continues to thrive.

- Do you think the Kashmir conflict must be subjected to interpretation in cinema?

Since Roja (1992) and Mission Kashmir (2000), Indian cinema and especially

Q

Q

- What's the best way to Bollywood have consistently done a singular disservice to accurate and educate people about the nuanced understanding in India of Kashmir conflict? Could you the conflict in Kashmir. The recommend some literature or conflict has been portrayed through books? a crude propagandist lens, even by Well, you can certainly read filmmakers of talent and stature my new book Kashmir at the who should have done better, much Crossroads: Inside a 21stbetter. The formulaic Bollywood Century Conflict, out in early movie on Kashmir has two standard November from Yale University elements: Pakistan-bashing, and Press. It is a comprehensive Sumantra Bose gross stereotyping of Kashmiri account of the Kashmir conflict militants fighting Indian authority as from 1947 to 2021, with the pre-1947 bearded fanatics. The trend has simply got historical background filled worse and worse over time. Indian cinema in. The book draws on my on Kashmir awaits the kind of Hollywood field experience in Jammu & movies made on the Vietnam War, told from Kashmir over the past three the perspective of American soldiers, as decades (1994-2020) and is Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now written in an accessible (1979) and Oliver Stone’s Platoon (1986). rather than a dense academic - If you were to describe the life of a style. For Kashmiri voices, I regular Kashmiri to a person outside the can recommend Basharat state, what would it be like?

Peer’s Curfewed Night (2008) The current reality of everyday existence and Agha Shahid Ali’s book of in the Kashmir Valley, since August 2019, poetry, The Country Without resembles life in a giant concentration camp. a Post Office, published in This is, I am sad to say, not a hyperbolic the second half of the 1990s. exaggeration of the reality. Just a few days In popular cinema, I can ago, I received a message from an recommend Vishal acquaintance who described her everyday Bhardwaj’s film Haider life in the Valley as akin to being in ‘a slow(2014), which is an exception boiling gas chamber’. Everyday life in the to the abysmal Bollywood other two regions—Jammu and Ladakh—is productions with a Kashmir comparatively freer and more relaxed, but theme. This movie’s climax I found hardly ‘normal’ as people not condemned to somewhat ‘over the top’, but the movie does live in a permanent war-zone would capture the complex realities of Kashmir understand that term. since 1990. Shahid Kapoor, Tabu and Kay Kay Menon are all outstanding in their roles and Irrfan Khan is excellent too, as is Shraddha Kapoor.

- Is the Kashmir conflict a religious battle? What is your opinion?

The Kashmir conflict is not a war of religions, unlike the religious wars in medieval and early modern Europe. But it is overlain with religion-laden rhetoric, symbols and ideologies. This has three reasons. First, Pakistan, an expressly and avowedly Muslim state, is one of the parties to the Kashmir dispute and its claim is essentially based on the demographic of grief, mental health and how different Muslim majority in Jammu & Kashmir. generations find ways to connect. Artist Second, the aspiration of the Valley’s Aidan Moesby features new works in a Kashmiri Muslims to ‘self-determination’ group exhibition at Midlands Arts Centre: has always—for decades before 1990—been our lives have been altered in the face of the pandemic, accelerating fundamental change to our social, cultural and working experience.

Britain might support the Black Lives Sabra Khan Bedlam Festival Director Matter movement on social media and in said, “It has been proven that performing person at some instances, but a report has arts have a great impact on people’s mental found that there is blatant racism in the health combatting depression, overcoming British music industry, especially towards anxiety and helping with emotional release. people of colour. Roger Wilson of the Black So, after what has been an incredibly tough Lives in Music initiative told the BBC that 18 months for all of us we are delighted that there is prejudice and there’s nothing we can present the 5th edition of the stealthy about it.

Bedlam Arts And Mental Health Festival The report has found that six in 10 black and look forward to welcoming audiences music creators have experienced racism, to an exciting ten days of events and while 86% say they have faced barriers to performances in the city.” their career because of their race. They also earn £299 less per month, on average, than their white colleagues. The report was compiled from the biggest-ever survey of black musicians and music industry

Q

Bedlam Arts and Mental Health Festival 2021 Birmingham’s acclaimed Bedlam Arts And Mental Health Festival, which aims to raise awareness of mental health and well-being through the importance of the arts, returns for its 5th edition running over ten days from Friday 12th November – Sunday 21st November 2021.

The festival, performed in venues and spaces across the city, presents a diverse programme of world premieres, visual art and film, as well as powerful live performance through theatre, spoken word, dance, and music. The festival is organised by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Midlands Arts Centre, Red Earth Collective and Sampad South Asian Arts & Heritage in consultation with practitioners and those with lived experience of mental health problems.

Highlights include the brand new commission The Walls Between Us produced by Sampad South Asian Arts and Heritage and written by Farrah Chaudhry (15th - 21st Nov touring to communities) brings to the stage researched, personal experiences of Covid-19, looking at issues

Q

Q

Racism in the British music industry

London NYE Fireworks cancelled London Mayor Sadiq Khan has recently said that this year, the NYE fireworks in London will not take place due to Covid ’uncertainty’. The event that witnesses a mass gathering of thousands of people in the City of London is always a landmark day that everyone looks forward to.

Reacting to this decision, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'Obviously that's a decision for the Mayor, but from my point of view, I can't understand why that can't happen. I mean, I think there's a perfectly safe way that that can take place, so I really don't understand that decision, but as I say, that's not a decision for the government. It's the Mayor's firework display, so I hope he can reconsider it.'

A spokesperson for Mr Khan said, 'This year, as always, London will be welcoming the new year in a spectacular way.

‘Due to the uncertainty caused by the

expressed in faith-suffused idioms and terminology. That’s because their modern political consciousness was shaped by their status as oppressed Muslim subjects of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (18461947), which had an overtly Hindu orthodox character, and the Valley’s Sufi Islamic traditions constituted both a refuge and an inspiration to resistance. Third, the official Indian position on Kashmir has moved more and more explicitly since 1990—and decisively since August 2019—in the direction of asserting Hindu nationalist supremacy over an insubordinate Muslim population.

- Very little is spoken of about Kashmiri Royals. Could you give us a sense of what they were like during the British Raj? Where are they now?

The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (1846-1947) was a selfcentred despotism in which the Muslim subjects—three-fourths of the population of four million in 1947—were treated as sub-human.

There were repeated famines in the late nineteenth century, and until 1920 a death sentence was mandatory for cow slaughter.

Like other princely rulers, the so-called ‘royal’ family of Jammu and Kashmir operated as loyal sub-contractors of the British Raj and came to own numerous palatial residences in the process. The last ruler, Hari Singh, faded into political oblivion after October 1947. He remained sadr-e-riyasat (titular head of state) until 1952 when he was succeeded in that role by his son Karan Singh, born in 1931 in a hotel in the town of Cannes on the French Riviera. Karan Singh held this ceremonial title until 1965 and has dabbled in Indian politics since then as a member of the Congress party, though he has also had links going back decades with Hindu nationalist groups. His two sons have also sporadically dabbled in Jammu & Kashmir politics as members of the Congress party, as marginal politicians.

professionals in the UK. In total, 1,718 people responded, describing a range of discriminatory acts and "sometimes hostile working environments".

The report found 31% of black music creators believed their mental wellbeing had worsened since starting their music career, rising to 42% of black women. Four in 10 said they had been pigeon-holed into a genre "which is not true to me", A similar number reported pressure to change their name or their appearance to meet the record label's expectations. Just 8% of black creators reported feeling satisfied with the support they received. Three-quarters reported otherwise. The findings come despite increasing diversity in the music industry.

Lolita Chakrabarti's ‘Life Of Pi’ scheduled for November Covid-19 pandemic, our world-famous New Year's Eve display will not be held on the banks of the Thames this year.'

'Last year's successful show took place in a slightly different way due to the pandemic, and this year a number of exciting new options are being considered as part of our New Year's Eve celebrations in London.’

'Further details of this year's celebration will be announced in due course,’ the spokesman said.

Lolita Chakrabarti OBE is an award-winning playwright and actress.

Her writing credits include: Red Velvet which opened at the Tricycle Theatre in London in 2012, returning in 2014 before transferring to New York and the West End; Red Velvet was nominated for nine major awards including two Olivier Awards.

Rehearsals began last week for her highly anticipated West End premiere of Life of Pi,

which is a stage adaptation of Yann Martel’s award-winning book.

It will begin performances at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London on Monday 15 November 2021, with a Press Night on Thursday 2 December at 7:00 pm. For the first time ever, the historic Wyndham’s Theatre will be transformed to fully accommodate the magnificent elements of the production that left audiences mesmerised.

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Vicky Kaushal: “Films in theatres are never going to die” Shefali Saxena Vicky Kaushal is receiving rave reviews for his latest release 'Sardar Udham' (directed by Shoojit Sircar). Critics have even let go of the minor issues they may have had with the film, all thanks to Kaushal’s brilliant performance.

History has it that Vicky is one of the rare artists in Bollywood who has impressed both critics and audiences. In an exclusive chat with Asian Voice, Vicky reacted if this achievement puts him under any kind of pressure. Vicky said, “Does it pressurise me? No. My focus is too much on just doing my job. That's what I tend to do. But it feels good that you are saying that."

Amid the reopening of theatres with full capacity in Mumbai after 18 months of the pandemic, most A-list actors like Vicky have been extensively sharing the promo of Rohit Shetty’s 'Sooryvanshi', which stars Ranveer Singh, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar along with Katrina Kaif.

Speaking about it, Vicky said, “I feel the romance of theatre is not going to die anytime. You know we're also living in a time where people are craving for a sense of normalcy to come back into their lives. Of course, now the propositions have changed a lot because the spending power of people might have changed or many other economical things to look at, which are very subjective things. But I feel, it's a great thing that theatres are going to be resuming and everybody is going to come back to the theatres.

“What’s great that has happened is that people have really developed this friendship with OTT where they've understood the importance of getting to watch something according to their own convenience at their home with their family and friends alone. So I think we have exciting times ahead where the films in theatres are never going to die and it is always going to be there but along with that, there is

another significant medium that is there for us where it's completely of you know, our choice to choose our mode of entertainment.”

Vicky’s film 'Sardar Udham' is based on the life of Sardar Udham Singh a revolutionary freedom fighter best known for assassinating Michael O'Dwyer in London to take revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar. Speaking to the newsweekly, Vicky explained a scene where he screams “Koi Zinda Hai?” (Is somebody alive?) which is coincidentally synonymous to a point in the pandemic, when almost everyone lost at least one significant person from their life to Covid.

Vicky said, “When we were shooting the film and this scene was being shot, it was more related to the Jallianwala Bagh episode. It just shows you or makes you feel that it was like a bloodbath, It was a horrific incident where it boiled down to just people wanting to know if there's anybody alive.”

Correlating that scene to the present times, he said, “The first wave and then the second wave was absolutely shattering for everyone. I think everybody knew with a onedegree separation of somebody who was going through a loss or a really terrible time. So I'm glad that we are kind of in some way over that wave and we're kind of heading towards normalcy but in terms of the context now that you said, I also never thought of relating it to the times that we're living in.”

Lastly, he spoke about the responsibility that comes with working on a film based on history, that too with little research material to pursue. Vicky said, “You have to be absolutely sincere. Whatever liberty you're taking, whatever imagination is at play, has to be that dire. You can't go beyond that. So of course, there's a responsibility and that responsibility makes it more challenging.”

'Gadar 2': Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel and Anil Sharma reunite One of the biggest blockbusters of Indian cinema is all set to come up with its sequel. 'Gadar 2', a period drama is now prepped to go on floors soon. Helmed by Anil Sharma the movie will feature superstar Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel back on screen following 20 years. The movie will also star Utkarsh Sharma in the lead role alongside Deol.

Romantic period drama 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' was one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of 2001. The theme of the Hindu Muslim partition created quite a stir and won awards for music, acting, and direction. In 'Gadar', Tara Singh had gone all the way to Pakistan to bring back the love of

his life and dear wife Sakeena.

'Gadar 2' will be produced by Zee Studios and Anil Sharma Productions, directed by Anil Sharma, and written by Shaktimaan.

The film casts Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel, and Utkarsh Sharma. music Composed by Mithoon. The movie will go on floors soon.

Hrithik commences filming for 'Vikram Vedha' On the occasion of Dussehra, actor Hrithik Roshan has started shooting for his new film 'Vikram Vedha'. Taking to Instagram, Hrithik put up two posts in which he let his fans know about his new beginnings.

"Sharing my love with all beginning a new 1st day today...," he wrote alongside a clip in which he gave us a glimpse of a beautiful sunrise. Have a look:The upcoming project is the Hindi remake of the 2017 Tamil film 'Vikram Vedha'. The movie is being directed by the makers of the original film, Pushkar-Gayathri, and produced by Neeraj Pandey under his company Friday Filmworks in association with Reliance Entertainment and Y Not Studios.

Film's shooting announcement has also been shared on the official Instagram handle of Y Not Studios. "It begins! #VikramVedha," a post read on Y Not Studios' social media page. Actor Saif Ali Khan is also a part of the movie. The two have earlier shared screen space in the film 'Naa Turn Jaano Na Hum' (2002).

Meanwhile, Hrithik recently was seen

supporting Shah Rukh’s son Aryan Khan, who is currently in judicial custody. Hrithik penned a lengthy note and gave important life advice to the star kid. A part of his note read, “My dear Aryan . Life is a strange ride .

It’s great because it’s uncertain. It’s great cause it throws you curve balls, but god is kind. He gives only the toughest ones the toughest balls to play. You know you are chosen when amidst the chaos you can feel the pressure to hold your own. And I know you must feel it now. The anger, the confusion, the helplessness. Aaah , the very ingredients that are needed to burn the hero out from inside you.”

Jacqueline starts shooting for a new project in Dubai Jacqueline Fernandez is one of the most sought after actresses in the Hindi film industry. The 'Housefull' actress already has a lot of films in her kitty. And now, we have learned that she has signed another project. And this features one of the hottest international actors who featured in 2020's erotic romantic drama '365 Days'. You would have guessed it by now. It is none other than Italian actor Michele Morrone. A source said that Jacky has already started shooting for the movie.

According to the source, "Jacqueline left for Dubai 5 days ago from the city, as she had to attend some event. Post that the actress started the prep for her next project immediately as there

was no gap and the shoot was scheduled for the next day.

Jacqueline will be joined by Michele Morrone for this project. He became an overnight sensation for the Indian audience after '365 Days' and these two, when they will come together will set the screen on fire."

Talking about Michele, it was reported that the hot Italian actor was approached by Hindi filmmaker Karan Johar for a Bollywood movie. It is said that Michele's team was reached out for projects in Bollywood after he shot to fame with '365 Days'.

He is indeed planning to expand his work network by featuring in Bollywood films it seems.

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Parineeti plays football on the sets of 'Uunchai' in Nepal Parineeti Chopra recently jetted off to Nepal for the shooting of her upcoming film, 'Uunchai' and the actress informed her fans about the same through her social media post. Now, the actress has shared a video from the sets where she can be seen playing a friendly match of football with her team. The post was captioned as, ''Playing football with little girls, in the middle of the street, at 11,000 ft above sea level. To me, life is simply a collection of such heartwarming moments …''

Pari shared candid pictures with filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya. She wrote, ''Thrilled and honoured to be a part of the iconic cinematic universe of Sooraj Barjatya sir Sooraj sir

has defined, and is the torchbearer of India’s family entertainers and I can’t wait to work under his tutelage; alongside this stellar and incredible cast. Mr. Bachchan, happy birthday sir! This is a special day, and a special moment. @amitabhbachchan. Especially excited to be working once again with Anupam sir @anupampkher , Boman sir @boman_irani , and Neena mam @neena_gupta . And for the first time with Sarika ma’am and Danny sir. Let this magical journey begin. #Uunchai #SoorajBarjatya''.

A source close to the unit said, “Sooraj has begun shooting with Anupam Kher, Parineeti and Boman Irani. Amitabh Bachchan will be joining later.”

Akshay Kumar to collaborate with Aanand L Rai for 'Gorkha' Akshay Kumar will be seen collaborating again with director Aanand L Rai. The Khiladi Kumar of Bollywood has worked with the filmmaker in 'Atrangi Re' and 'Raksha Bandhan.' The filming of the two Bollywood movies have been wrapped up and are awaiting release. And amidst this, Akshay Kumar has signed another film with the filmmaker titled 'Gorkha.' The film is based on the life of the legendary office of the Gorkha regiment of the Indian army. Akshay will be seen essaying the role of Major General Ian Cardozo. This time, Aanand will be producing the film unlike the 'Atrangi Re' and 'Raksha Bandhan.'

Talking about 'Gorkha', the film will be helmed by national award-winning filmmaker Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan. Major Cardoza had fought in the 1962, 1965 and especially 1971s India-Pakistan war. Talking about the 1971 war, Major Cardozo was attending a course at the Defense Services Staff College in Wellington. His battalion was already deployed for the war. When the second in command was

martyred in the war, he was ordered to replace. Major Cardozo was popularly known as Cartoos Sahib. Cardozo stepped on a landmine during the war and due to the unavailability of proper medic, he amputated his own leg using a Khukri.

Akshay Kumar is known to essay patriotic characters really well on screen. In a statement, Aanand L Rai said, "We are honoured to bring to you the story of a great war hero, Major General Ian Cardozo, whose name is recorded in history for his immense courage in the IndoPakistani War of 1971. I am also looking forward to working with Akshay sir again for the third time."

Major General Cardozo, AVSM SM said, "I am honoured to share this story on the 50th anniversary of the 1971 war.

It is a reminder of the courage and sacrifice of the armed forces of India. I am looking forward to working with Aanand and Akshay as they bring it live. This story reflects the values and spirit of every officer of the Indian Army."

'Hindutva' is all about love and friendship: Karan Razdan

When Aishwarya revealed she was replaced in many movies by SRK Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan had once formed quite a hit pair on screen courtesy movies like 'Devdas', 'Josh' and 'Mohabbatein'. However, things turned sour on the sets of 'Chalte Chalte', where Aishwarya was the first choice, only to be later replaced by Rani Mukerji. As per reports, Salman Khan frequently began creating a ruckus on sets of 'Chalte Chalte' as his relationship with his 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' costar had hit extremely choppy waters. Word is that, Salman getting physical with Aishwarya was the last straw, leaving Shah Rukh with little choice but to replace Aish with Rani Mukerji, which left the former quite miffed.

Apparently though, it wasn't just 'Chalte Chalte', but a total five movies that SRK is said to have replaced Aishwarya from opposite him, one of which is said to be 'Veer-Zaara', with Preity Zinta later stepping in. While all the movies aren't known, Aish did open up about it to Simi Garewal on her chat show, Rendezvous with Simi

Garewal, where she had said, “Yes at that time there were discussions about some such films that we were going to do together but then suddenly something happened that I was thrown out of those films. I don't even know why this happened? At that time you do not even have any answer. For a while you just keep wondering why this happened. If someone feels that he should answer, then he answers, if he does not want to answer then it is clear that he never wanted it. I don't even go to ask anyone why I did this, it is not in me. By the grace of God others don't tell me what I am.”

Years later though, at Karan Johar’s birthday party in 2009, Shah Rukh was said to have apologized to Aishwarya for not having helped her during her crisis and she gracefully forgave him, after which both of them, along with their spouses, Gauri Khan and Abhishek Bachchan, headed back to Mannat (King Khan's and Gauri’s palatial dream home) and partied till the wee hours of the morning.

Filmmaker and writer Karan Razdan's film 'Hindutva' is complete and will release soon. Razdan, who has written for films like 'Dilwale', 'Trimurti', 'Dushmani', 'Diljale' and directed films like 'Girlfriend' and 'Hawas', feels that people should not speculate much about his forthcoming film.

He said, "Just because my film Girlfriend got into a controversy, it does not mean Hindutva should also be controversial. The film is all about love, sacrifice and friendship. It has a social message and I am hoping people will connect with it."

Razdan has also directed TV shows like 'Rajani' and 'Tehkikaat'. He said, "After so many years of experience, I have directed a film that will nurture friendship and explain the importance of a family. The film has a message of considering the entire country as one family. I am sure people will love watching the film." Razdan added, "The film has actors like Sonarika Bhadoria, Ashish Sharma, Ankit Raaj, Anup Jalota and Dipika Chikhlia. They are all talented television actors and have done a great job in the film. We shot the film mostly in Uttarakhand." The final shoot of the film was recently shot at Film City Studios in Mumbai.

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The gorgeous Aditi Rao Hydari who mesmerised the fans with her soothing voice and her delicate acting skill in the films 'Kaatru Veliyidai', 'Chekka Chivantha Vaanam', 'Psycho' and many more has recently opened up about her dream role.

Aditi who is currently starring in the Telugu film ' 'Maha Samudram' alongside Sharwanand and Siddharth revealed some interesting things during her media interaction while promoting the film.

Aditi who seems to be confident about Maha Samudram's success revealed that she would love to play the legendary singer's biopic if given a chance.

She expressed her desire to play MS Subbalakshmi, while she was being quizzed about her upcoming movie projects.

During her interaction, she also expressed that she had a great time working for 'Maha Samudram.'

When quizzed about her experience working with Sharwananda and Siddarth, the actress was all in their praise. "Siddharth is a man with full of knowledge. He used to closely monitor things happening in each and every department. Such an actor who has an eye for detailing," she said.

Apart from 'Maha Samudran', Aditi also has 'Hey Sinamika' in Tamil written by Madhan Karky and directed by Brinda Master. Produced by Jio Studios and Global One Studios, the film stars Dulquer Salmaan, Aditi and Kajal Aggarwal.

Aditi Rao Hydari opens up about her dream role

Nayanthara gets featured in a prestigious magazine Lady superstar Nayanthara has crossed many hurdles and failures in her life to get to where she is today and she never disappointed her fans when it comes to acting. She is praised by the people in the film fraternity for her dedication and hard work.

She is now an inspiration for many actresses in the Kollywood film industry. In 2018 Nayanthara became the only South Indian heroine to feature in the 2018 Forbes India Celebrity 100 list has come out with their annual list of top 100 richest Indian celebrities.

Now Nayan has featured on the cover of the first-ever South Indian edition of the prestigious Forbes. The cover story decoded the enduring superstardom and longevity of actor-producer Nayanthara across the male-dominated Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam film industries. The second and third articles included actors Dulquer Salmaan and Yash.

Nayanthara's fiance Vignesh Shivan who is now the support system of Nayan posted the cover photo on his Instagram stories and shared a heartfelt note. He wrote, "Proud??

Heartwarming??memorale and happy to see his #Thangamaey."

On the professional front, Nayan is currently busy shooting her Bollywood debut film directed by Atlee alongside Shah Rukh Khan. She is also waiting for the release of 'Annaatthe' with Superstar Rajinikanth and 'Kaathu Vaakula Rendu Kaadhal' alongside Vijay Sethupathi directed by Vignesh Shivan.

TV Listing * Schedule is subject to change

MON 18 OCT FRI 22 OCT 2021 6.00 Dharti No Chhedo Ghar 13.00 Narsinh Mehta (Re-run) 14.00 RASOI SHOW 18.30 ABHILASHA - EK ASTITVANI 19.00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR 19.30 MARU MAN MOHI GAYU 20.00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI 20.30 MANASA 21.00 PREM NI BHAVAI

New poster of Dhanush's 'Naane Varuven' released The first look poster of Dhanush – Selvaraghavan's 'Naane Varuven' has dropped a few months ago and since then the film has gained much attention from fans as it marks Dhanush’s reunion with director Selvaraghavan after a gap of more than a decade. Producer Kalaippuli S Thanu of V Creations released the first look poster of the film and also mentioned that the filming has started.

Looks like the team is planning to complete this film without any break and the shooting is likely to be completed in a few months.

In this new poster, Dhanush was seen donning the hunter looks. The actor sported a cowboy hat and letter jacket as a sharp object rested on his shoulder. He also wore a serious look of a 21.30 BOLO KETLA TAKA SATURDAY 16 OCT 6.00 Raj Ratan 13.00 Narsinh Mehta (Re-run) 14.00 RASOI SHOW 18.30 ABHILASHA - EK ASTITVANI 19.00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR 19.30 MARU MAN MOHI GAYU 20.00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI 20.30 MANASA 21.00 PREM NI BHAVAI 21.30 BOLO KETLA TAKA SUNDAY 17 OCT 12.00 Sachu Sukh Gujrat Ma 15.00 Mijaaj 18.00 MANASA 19.00 SHU CHALE CHE 19.30 ABHILASHA - EK ASTITVANI 22.00 SHU CHALE CHE

man, who is all set to hunt without any hesitation.

Besides 'Naane Varuven', the duo has at least two projects on the cards.

Selvaraghavan is doing the pre-production work on his sequel to the 2010 fantasy drama 'Ayirathil Oruvan'.

The film is slated for release in 2024.

* Schedule is subject to change

Prabhas wishes Pooja Hegde on her birthday with 'Radhe Shyam' poster

Pan India star Pooja Hegde is celebrating her 31st birthday and her 'Radhe Shyam' co-star Prabhas wished her by sharing a new and chic poster of her from this much-awaited film. Pooja looked dreamy as always in the poster.

Pooja and Prabhas wrapped up the shooting of the film recently. Prabhas shared a new poster of the film on her birthday. In the poster, the actress looked beautiful in a white gown. It reads, "Happy Birthday Prerana" on the poster. Sharing the poster, Prabhas wrote, "Happy Birthday @hegdepooja" Recently, speculations were doing the rounds that Prabhas is upset with Pooja's high-handed behaviour on the sets of 'Radhe Shyam' which caused a rift between the two stars. Though an official statement declining the speculations was released by the production house, Prabhas' post on her birthday has kept a full stop to all the rumours.

Apart from Prabhas and Pooja 'Radhe Shyam' features Murli Sharma, Sachin Khedekar, Priyadarshi, Sasha Chettri, Kunaal Roy Kapur and Sathyan.

Directed by Radha Krishna Kumar and produced by UV Creations, 'Radhe Shyam' will release in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam. The film is slated to release on January 14, 2022, on the occasion of Sankranti .

MON 18 OCT FRI 12 OCT 2021 8.30 BHARADWAJ BAHUEIN 14.00 BIGG BOSS 15-WEEKEND KA VAAR 16.30 RASOI SHOW-DESI FLAVOURS 17.30 CHHUTA CHHEDA 18.00 TUM KAUN PIYA 18.30 DIL KA RISHTA 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 19.30 EK SHRINGAAR SWABHIMAAN 20.00 BALIKA VADHU 2 20.30 BARRISTER BABU 21.00 THAPKI PYAR KI 2 21.30 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2 22.30 DIL SE DIL TAK

SATURDAY 16 OCT 14.00 BIGG BOSS 15 16.30 RASOI SHOW-DESI FLAVOURS 17.30 DESI BEAT (SEASON 3) 18.00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 19.30 EK SHRINGAAR SWABHIMAAN 20.00 DESI BEAT RESET 20.30 FEET UP WITH THE STARS (SEASON 2) 21.00 THAPKI PYAR KI 2 21.30 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2 SUNDAY 17 OCT 14.00 BIGG BOSS 15-WEEKEND KA VAAR 16.30 RASOI SHOW-DESI FLAVOURS 17.30 DESI BEAT (SEASON 3) 18.00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 19.30 EK SHRINGAAR SWABHIMAAN 20.00 DESI BEAT RESET 20.30 BFFS WITH VOGUE (S-1)

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Chennai Super Kings win 4th IPL title Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the final of IPL 2021 at the Dubai International Stadium on Friday.

With this win, Chennai have now clinched their fourth IPL title. It completes a remarkable comeback for Chennai, who were placed seventh last season and won their fourth IPL trophy in a campaign which started with a loss.

Chasing 193, the way KKR openers Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer started the chase, it looked like the target would not be that difficult. But once they were out, Kolkata’s chase fell through as they lost wickets at regular intervals to end up with 165/9 in their 20 overs.

Gill pulled the first ball of the innings over mid-on off Deepak Chahar. Iyer, dropped at zero, swatted Josh Hazlewood over

backward square leg for a powerful six. The run-fest continued as Gill and Iyer crunched seven fours between themselves to give Kolkata a great start.

Iyer tore into Ravindra Jadeja with two sixes before reaching his

half-century in 31 balls. Gill, who survived a caught dismissal as the ball touched the Spidercam wire, hammered Jadeja for back-toback boundaries. The 91-run opening partnership was ended by Shardul Thakur in the 11th over as Iyer holed out to long-on. From

120/6 in 15 overs, the result was a foregone conclusion. Shivam Mavi and Lockie Ferguson struck well-timed boundaries but at the end, it was too little too late for Kolkata. Brief scores: Chennai Super Kings 192/3 in 20 overs; Kolkata Knight Riders 165/9 in 20 overs.

KKR survive scare Earlier, riding on a brilliant 50

by Venkatesh Iyer, Kolkata Knight Riders overcome a dramatic collapse to beat Delhi Capitals by 3 wickets in a low scoring Qualifier 2 of the IPL 2021 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Chasing 136 runs for victory, openers Iyer and Shubman Gill gave Kolkata a solid start. The duo mixed caution with aggression and took KKR to 51/0 after 6 overs. Even after the powerplay, both the openers continued in the same vein, taking KKR to 76/0 in 10 overs.

Kagiso Rabada, finally gave Capitals a breakthrough as he dismissed Iyer. The youngster played a quickfire knock of 55 runs in 41 balls and stitched a 96run opening stand with Gill. After Iyer’s wicket, Nitish Rana joined Shubman Gill in the middle. But Rana couldn’t do much and got out to Anrich Nortje after scoring 13 runs. In the next over, Gill also got out and things took a dramatic turn as KKR collapsed from 125 for 2 to 130 for 7. But Rahul Tripathi held his nerve to hit a sixer and finish the game for KKR when six runs were required off 2 balls in the final over. Earlier in the day, openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan gave Delhi Capitals a solid start, scoring 32/0 after 4 overs. However, Kolkata bounced back with the wicket of Shaw (18), who was dismissed by Varun.

New data shows ethnic community India hammer England in T20 WC warmup game taking up cycling more than ever Transport for London (TfL) has published new data showing that long-term trends in who cycles have changed, with participation much more representative of Londoners in 2020/21 than previous years.

Londoners from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities were not significantly less likely to have cycled over the past 12 months than white Londoners.

27 per cent as a whole had cycled over the past 12 months, compared to 24 per cent of Black people, 25 per cent of Asian people and 31 per cent of people from mixed backgrounds. This data comes from independent research for TfL based on a representative sample of 3,500 Londoners.

Life during the coronavirus pandemic boosted cycling levels overall, from 21 per cent of Londoners in 2019/20 to 27 per cent in 2020/21 but also widened participation, particularly among people from minority ethnic communities.

The research also found that half of Black and Asian non-cyclists (49 per cent and 46 per cent respectively) are open to starting to cycle, though significant barriers to encouraging more people to cycle remain. Across all backgrounds, there were major concerns around safety on the road and cycle theft, with 82 per cent of non-cyclists worried about road safety and collisions. Personal safety was a bigger concern for women, Asian and mixed ethnicity Londoners, with 73 per cent of women citing it as a concern.

The research found that that protected cycle routes on busy streets, less traffic on minor streets, and more secure cycle parking could help address barriers to cycling faced by people from diverse backgrounds.

The research also found particular concerns from disabled Londoners who want to cycle more, including lack of fitness and a lack of relevant role models. 42 per cent of disabled non-cyclists said they didn’t see anybody like them cycling, while 75 per cent had concerns that they weren’t fit enough.

UK’s first City Academy hubs for youngsters TfL and British Cycling recently brought together key cycling, diversity and equalities stakeholders for a summit to identify what actions need to be taken to diversify cycling. The results of these discussions are being used to shape a new joint approach to including more people in cycling London that can be delivered by a wide range of organisations, funders, campaigners, authorities and community groups.

At the UK level 17 per cent of cyclists come from diverse ethnic communities yet are represented in just 5 per cent of British Cycling’s membership. To help widen this demographic, British Cycling is using TfL’s data to identify areas in London with the most potential for enabling and encouraging diversity in cycling.

Based on this data, Hackney and Newham were identified as boroughs with significant potential and have since been selected as home to the UK’s first City

Academy hubs, a new initiative delivered by British Cycling and supported by the Rapha Foundation to improve diversity in cycling for young people.

Launching this autumn, City Academy hubs across the capital, will each have a coach from the local community, who will lead fun, skills-based sessions, and act as role models for other riders.

These activity sessions which will be aimed at young people aged 10-14 years will take place in local open spaces, such as parks and commons, to increase the visibility of cycling. The programme also seeks to support progression into professional cycling, with an ambition to improve diversity in competitive cycling events through City Academy clubs and talent centres.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It’s really encouraging to see that many more Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners are now cycling, and that 20 percent of non-cyclists also looking to take it up.

But we are not complacent – the report shows concerns from groups including disabled Londoners that are preventing them from cycling, and we will continue to work with communities to break down these barriers and help ensure everyone feels confident to travel around the city by bike.”

KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan hammered scintillating fifties after Mohammed Shami’s three-wicket burst as India registered a sevenwicket win over England in their first warm-up match of the ICC T20 World Cup at Dubai on Monday. Kishan smashed an unbeaten 46-ball 70 before retiring, while KL Rahul (51 off 24) and Rishabh Pant (29 off 14) also chipped in as India chased down 188 runs with six balls to spare.

India got off to an excellent start as Rahul and Kishan put on 59 runs inside the first six overs. Rahul continued with his form and he brought up his half-century in the 9th over of the innings. However, Rahul (51) lost his wicket to Mark Wood immediately after reaching the landmark and this brought an end to the 82-run opening stand.

Rahul’s wicket did not slow the run-rate down as Kishan kept on going on his merry way and he brought up his 50 off just 36 balls in the 12th over of the innings.

Earlier, Shami hit the straps with a fast and accurate spell that fetched him three wickets while Ravichandran Ashwin and Rahul Chahar were locked in an engaging contest for third spinner’s slot as England scored 188 for 5.The England batters also threw their willows around to get some quality time in the middle on a good surface at the ICC Academy ground after being put in to bat.

Veteran Shami (3 for 40) bowled the fuller lengths and also mixed it with clever variations as he got the wickets of openers Jason Roy (17 off 13 balls), Jos Buttler (18 off 13 balls) and Liam Livingstone (30 off 20 balls).

Jasprit Bumrah (1/26 in 4 overs) even in a warm-up game, bowled an unplayable yorker to prevent Jonny Bairstow (49 off 36 balls) from getting a half-century. He was easily India’s best bowler on view while Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0/54 in 4 overs) clearly struggled as he missed the length time and again. Moeen Ali (43 not out off 20 balls), fresh from his IPL exploits, beefed up England’s score in the final over.

BRIEF SCORES: England 188/5 in 20 overs (Bairstow 49, Moeen 43 n.o.; Shami 3/40, Bumrah 1/26). India 192/3 in 19 overs (Kishan 70 retd, Rahul 51).

Dravid likely to be next India coach The BCCI office-bearers are reaching out to Rahul Dravid to take over as coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. Dravid has always politely declined, expressing a preference to work with talented youngsters instead. However, this time BCCI was unwilling to take “no” for an answer.

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah had a marathon meeting with Dravid last week.

The ball is in Dravid’s court and BCCI is confident he will be the next head coach of the Indian team. “When the meeting ended, Dravid seemed content with the offer. While leaving, he informally said that he was seriously interested in the job. He will be stepping down as head of the NCA

soon,” a top BCCI official said.

If all goes according to plan, Dravid will take over after the forthcoming T20 World Cup. He is likely to be offered a two-year contract, which will run till the ODI World Cup in India in 2023, at an annual salary of £1 million.

However, there will still be a formal appointment process to go through.

The Supreme Courta-pproved Lodha committee had recommended that the board float an advertisement before the candidates are interviewed by a cricket advisory committee (CAC).

And the board also needs to revisit the composition of the incumbent CAC which has Madan Lal, R P Singh and Sulakshana Naik.

But should Dravid choose to apply,

it is extremely unlikely that the BCCI will look beyond him. “There’s very little time to carry out the entire process. Even when Dravid had reapplied for the NCA head post, he was the only applicant. A contract is being drafted at the moment and a formal advertisement will be out in a day or two. Anyway, he is already a BCCI employee. He is just being elevated.

The process should be complete in a fortnight,” a BCCI official said.

For now, BCCI has refrained from formally announcing anything on the appointment even as it has got to work on the modalities. Interestingly, unlike in the past, no input seems to have been sought from the players this time.