AV 24th July 2021

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE Spyware used to snoop on ministers, opposition leaders, journalists and businessmen: Report SEE PAGE - 23 PM Modi opens multiple development projects in Gujarat

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inside

Let noble thoughts come to us from every side

24 - 30 JULY 2021 - VOL 50 ISSUE 12

‘Pingdemic’ leaves very little guidance for businesses

What is the future of Space Tourism?

A proud moment for Gujarati athletes to represent India at Tokyo

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24 - 30 July 2021

with Keith Vaz

Mum-to-be bleeding in agony in quarantine hotel loses baby as paramedics ban her from hospital

Vishal Baria Vishal Baria was born in 1989. He has finished his studies in India in science and technology. After that, he joined the merchant navy from 2007 to 2015 after that he had joined the BJP party in India.

He likes helping people with their problems. He came to the UK from Daman and Diu in November 2017. He started his small business helping and supporting the Diu and Daman community in Leicester.

Which place or city or country do And the worst? you most feel at home in?

I am from india and I have got most The worst aspect of my current of my family and my work in the UK so role is someone misbehaves with me I feel my home is in the UK. then I am in a bad mood.

What are your proudest What are your long term goals? achievements?

My achievement is to set my busiMy long term goal is to take buy ness, my work and just go ahead with business to a higher level and to help it. more and more people in their life.

What inspires you?

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

My work inspires me most because If I were Prime Minister, then I of work I am punctual in my life. would choose I e thing that would What has been the biggest obstacle make people happy. I think it’s imporin your career? tant that everyone has a good educaThe biggest obstacle in my career tion. Education is a key to a good life. I was that I could not finish my studies want education to free from birth to on time. after you finish a university degree.

Who has been the biggest influence The country would be better off. on your career to date?

If you were marooned on a My family is the biggest influence desert island, which historical in my career. I was most influenced by figure would you like to spend your my wife she supported me most and time with and why? she forced me to archive my goal which If I were on a marooned desert she knows I can do it and I have done it. island at least I should have 3 persons What is the best aspect of your with me I could spend some time all current role? together and find some way to survive The best aspect of my current role each other. At the moment I am not is that I am my own boss. When I am sure who I would take with me, but asked to do anything for my clients, I one person would definitively be a want it to be done quickly.

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Nick Jonas wishes Priyanka, ‘Today and every day. I love you’ Priyanka Chopra Jonas celebrated her 39th birthday in London and shared a photo album on Instagram showing glimpses of the celebration with a large HBD PCJ (Happy Birthday Priyanka Chopra Jonas) sign at the poolside where she flaunted a bikini.

The icing on the cake on her birthday was a warm birthday wish from her husband Nick Jonas who shared two photographs of Priyanka, one from her childhood and one wearing a similar coloured saree from the recent past. He wrote: “Happy birthday my love. You deserve all the happiness in the world.

Today and every day. I love you.”

Priyanka has been spending quite a lot of time in London of late due to her work commitments.

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Amna Bibi, was 34 weeks pregnant with her daughter Hafsa when she was quarantined at London's O2 Intercontinental hotel in Greenwich. Bibi, said she was suffering from swelling, pain and breathlessness throughout her stay at the hotel, going backwards and forwards to the hospital for check-ups.

But paramedics, employed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), stopped her from attending hospital for a vital ultrasound scan, and later after a fall in her hotel room because she

had already been too many times.

She began to feel painful contractions and was sweating heavily. She later blacked out in her husband's arms before she started bleeding. 'I got so scared,' she said.

Bibi had to wait 45 minutes for the hotel staff to provide her with a wheelchair to take her to the hospital. 'I was in such a state, I was crying and I asked them if my husband could come with me - they said, "No, sorry, your partner cannot go with you". The hotel security went with me.'

When she got to the hospital, the doctors searched for the baby's heartbeat but couldn't find it. 'They said to me that they were very sorry but I had lost the baby,' she added.

In response, a DHSC spokesperson said,” We recognise the impact restrictions have had on many people,' it added. 'The quarantine measures we have in place are minimising the risk of variants coming into the UK and in turn, safeguarding the hard-won progress of our vaccination programme.”

Campaigning Muslim council leader Arooj Shah’s car fire bombed The first Muslim woman to lead Oldham council has had her car “deliberately” firebombed in an arson attack.

Arooj Shah, who was elected earlier this year, had her car set alight in the early hours of last Tuesday last week. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said that its officers, along with teams from the fire and rescue service, attended the blaze in Oldham.

Shah became the first Muslim woman to lead a coun-

cil in the north of England when she was elected in May,

replacing her predecessor Sean Fielding, who lost his seat. Shah has been a strong voice on misogyny, racism and online abuse. As deputy leader, she told a council meeting how online abusers had claimed that she “slept her way” to the top and is “likely to have STDs”.

The personal attacks against her were “textbook misogyny”, she said. Shah has lived in the Glodwick ward of Oldham all her life and has been a councillor since 2012.

DWP policy of cold-calling disabled people over benefit claims to end The government has admitted it put disabled benefit claimants under pressure to accept lower welfare support than they were legally entitled to.

Staff from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had been cold calling disabled people who had appealed benefits decisions to encourage them to abandon their appeal and accept inadequate offers, evidence gathered by lawyers showed.

The disability benefits claimant who brought the challenge, a woman known only as K, has spent more than a year trying to persuade the DWP to change what she and her lawyers argued was an unlawful practice.

K, who suffers from a

K said the DWP told her she had an hour to consider the offer and that “tribunals are not very nice to go to”, which dissuaded her from going through with the appeal, so she accepted the offer.

“The DWP called me back before I could speak to my mum, so I just accepted the offer as I didn’t know what else to do. I felt like I had been pressured into making the wrong decision. I was paranoid that I was being targeted by the DWP, and again I tried to take my own life.”

K later saw a newspaper article reporting that other disabled people had experienced the same thing. She resolved to take action and instructed the Public Law Project (PLP) to help her challenge the practice.

The hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, but the DWP conceded on Monday and agreed to rewrite its policies and guidance and retrain its Service has authorised officials working in this West Midlands Police area. to charge Laura Heath Following the DWP’s with one count of decision to concede, K manslaughter and four said: “The practice of counts of cruelty to a phoning people in this child. way just isn’t right. It’s not ‘The CPS autho- just about the cold-callrised charges following ing; it’s the whole way careful consideration of all they treat you on the call.” the evidence presented to us Three-quarters of PIP by the police as a result of claimants who appeal their investigation. decisions from the DWP ‘The alleged offences are successful, according occurred between 12 April to government figures.

2017 and 26 November 2017.’

severe form of bipolar disorder, made a claim for personal independence payment (PIP) and was initially refused in 2017.

She applied again in 2019 and was awarded only a small amount.

Following an unsuccessful internal review, K began a tribunal appeal because she was told by her GP and support workers that she was entitled to the highest levels of PIP. After her appeal process had started, the DWP called without warning from a withheld number and pressured her into accepting a bit more than they had offered before, but not the full entitlement.

They did not call K’s mother despite her being named as her representative on the DWP paperwork.

Mum charged with manslaughter after son freezes to death Hakeem Hussain was found by paramedics outside a house in Nechells, Birmingham, on November 26, 2017. Emergency services discovered the young boy in Cook Street but he had suffered a cardiac arrest and could not be saved.

His mother Laura Heath, 39, has now been charged with manslaughter and four counts of cruelty to a child.

She will appear before Birmingham Magistrates.

Head of the Crown

Prosecution Service’s Complex Casework Unit, Mark Paul, said: ‘Following the death of seven-year-old Hakeem Hussain in Birmingham in November 2017, the Crown Prosecution

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24 - 30 July 2021

Time for a calm, decisive and unifying leadership Yet another gamble. Prime Minister Boris Johnson rushes to open the country up on 19 July, with cases almost 50,000. To Mr Johnson’s pride is of course a hugely vaccinated adult population, but what are the chances when Britain’s youngsters remain hesitant towards vaccination. In June, some 14% of 16to-17-year-olds were found hesitant to get vaccinated, the Office for National Statistics said. That’s 10 points higher than the rate for adults. It was the first time the ONS looked at the younger population in its monthly research on vaccine hesitancy.

But as the Prime Minister defied all risks to open the country up to a so-called normalcy, his own Health Secretary, tested positive on Saturday. Though Sajid Javid said he thought the symptoms were mild, doctors across social media speculated things could go worse as the disease progressed.

Social media also erupted with memes when Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak refused to self-isolate, soon taking a U-turn on the decision to lead by examples.

As Dominic Cummins talk about the blunders of the government he tried to stop, he particularly highlights how the Prime Minister has been clueless throughout the pandemic, regarding his duties. It is perhaps not as simple.

The Tory party has never been so divided in the past. There are two genres of members now. The woke and the un-woke ones. Voting for public is also no longer believing in what just manifestos say. It is about the issues citizens feel passionate about, and who could keep up with the everchanging fad. Rishi Sunak could be the next Justin Trudeau, as his appeals captivate a certain decisive audience, but the problem lies in the way his

peers look at him. Since his crowning as the Chancellor, people have believed Mr Sunak could be the next British Prime Minister, especially with his perfect mixed ‘pedigree’, but now it looks increasingly difficult.

But there is another problem. As the Politico pointed out, 80-strong majority is a dream of most politicians. But with such a large electoral base, the Conservatives are finding it hard to please all their supporters all the time. For Mr Jonhson, the first two years as the Prime Minister have been anything but normal.

Though his focus was always Brexit, in many cases the strong hold majority came to his rescue. But it has also posed rigorous challenges along the way. Brexit as well as Covid were a powerful unifying force and transformational for the party, but when you represent 363 constituencies from top to bottom in a country of 65 million, it’s hard to attend everyone’s needs.

Old school Tories, and those out of touch with reality are too wary of the large bills that keep the economy running during the coronavirus crisis. But as Mr Sunak often becomes the last man standing, Mr Johnson’s lobbying with Mr Javid for a “yes man” may only break the party further.

The coming few months need a unifying force, a calm and decisive leadership, with the ability to convince his ministers, party and public about Britain’s standing. With growing risks of terrorism on Britain’s soil, as troops leave Afghanistan, the hurdles are many. There is also an imminent need to forge a convincing relation with India, as China and Russia’s behaviour grow further erratic. With a borrowing of almost £3 trillion, Boris government has much to investigate before they take selfcentred differences to public.

Climate change: Do bickering nations realise what’s at stake?

COP26 is around the corner. Glasgow is getting ready to discuss the future of climate strategy around the world as UK Government itself faces questions about its own use of fossil fuel.

A decision is expected within weeks which could open up drilling in a vast oil and gas field west of Shetland. More than 100 developing countries have reportedly set out their key negotiating demands ahead of the COP26 in November asking for more funding for poorer nations to fight and adapt to climate change and compensation for the impacts they will be subjected to.

Years the developing nations have been used as the dumping grounds for the West, creating a greenhouse effect, that has increased the world’s temperature by a few degrees. The aftermath has been faced in Britain and Europe as floods wreak havoc. In US, South America and Australia, fires have torn apart the country, with smokes killing animals. In India, whether it is Maharashtra or Orissa, or Uttarakhand, floods and cyclones have changed the entire landscape. Here, Isles of Scilly, 30 miles from Britain’s Lands End, is also uniquely vulnerable to rising sea levels.

Those backing the plan of funding for poorer nations representing more than half of the world's nations say that COP26 will be worthless and will end in failure.

On Tuesday, BBC reported that, US Climate envoy John Kerry in his speech at Kew Gardens asked China to increase the speed and depth of efforts to cut carbon, ahead of his meeting in Italy later this week.

Referring to the gathering in Glasgow, the former Secretary of State said that "in little more than 100 days we can save the next 100 years". China has promised to peak emissions by 2030 -

but the US diplomat said that was not good enough.

Climate change has also become gender specific as a recent study in Sweden has said men’s spending on goods causes 16% more climate-heating emissions than women’s, despite the sum of money being very similar. The scientists reportedly also found that swapping meat and dairy for plant-based foods and switching to train-based holidays, rather than using planes or cars, can cut people’s emissions by 40%.

A report called ‘Building on our Strengths’ published jointly by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS) on Tuesday has said that climate change targets won’t be delivered unless the home improvements market is overhauled. The report calls on the Government to work with builders, their supply chains and other groups to transform the £29bn per year home improvements market so that energy retrofit, the means to cut a building’s energy consumption, is integrated into every appropriate project.

Prince Charles spends much of his time trying to push the issue of climate change in the political agenda. He even spoke about it when the leaders of the G7 nations met at the summit in Cornwall in June. Perhaps the only hopes left are our millennials and Generation Z? While bickering nations try to convince each other about the ‘possibilities’ of a greener world, there is an entire generation of young people inspired by Greta Thunberg, who believe they can do anything to achieve it. They are determined and focussed.

They are optimistic, open to changes and ready to compromise.

Afterall they are the future- and this world is indeed their oyster.

Credibly investigate snooping allegations Pegasus is in the news a couple of years after the surveillance application first hit headlines. The scale is much bigger this time. And India seems to be again on the list of this spyware network. Whether or not Pegasus was bought and used by government agencies should be determined via a thorough inquiry. At stake is a vital question: Were journalists, activists and others being officially spied on? Allegations on this front will continue till a convincing answer is available. Just because governments are not on the Pegasus list did not mean that their hands are clean. Many technologically advanced countries are, in fact, at the heart of snooping, using cutting edge software tools. Last year, a US court of appeals held that the mass domestic surveillance of phone calls by the country’s National Security Agency may have been unconstitutional.

However, the protection against such abuse of civil liberties is only possible in a democracy. This is why all democracies, including India, need to take the lead. A collective decision banning the use of private spyware will be a step forward. This in no way compromises lawful security needs. It only safeguards against potential abuse of power. There are other push backs against privately manufactured spyware. In October 2019, WhatsApp successfully prosecuted a legal suit in the US against NSO Group, which owns Pegasus, in relation to breaches of its encrypted messaging app. In India, a personal data protection (PDP) law will have to provide a legal shield from illegal intrusions.

The data protection bill introduced in the Parliament in December 2019 is still under consideration. However, the original has two basic flaws that need to be corrected. Spyware is today easily available even to individuals. The bill does not empower the victim. It says that in the event of a data breach, a

service provider has to inform the proposed regulator. It’s the regulator who will decide if the victim needs to be informed after considering the severity of potential harm. Separately, the bill proposes to exempt government agencies under a national security clause. It’s far too loosely worded. But government of India's first priority is to get to the bottom of the claims about Pegasus.

Nobody, including the government, can infringe upon the personal liberty of individuals. It also means the government should take appropriate measures to safeguard your rights by making laws to protect you and, in some circumstances, by taking steps to protect you if your life is at risk. Public authorities should also consider your right to life when making decisions that might put you in danger or that affect your life expectancy.

The state is also required to investigate if any law infringes upon your personal freedom. Spying on individual's rights is also criminal, especially by private agency to gain information on your activities. Some of the rights can never be interfered with even by the state. So the government has an obligation to thoroughly investigate the snooping charges. If the state has nothing to hide, then it should investigate the allegations and remove the doubts from the minds of the public. NSO Group says that this spyware is sold only to governments and not to any individuals and terrorist groups. However, the lists of targets in India seems to be far removed from any such potential national security investigations. The governments response doesn't give any direct answers. Furthermore, there was a non-committal response to the question whether the government had purchased Pegasus and used it. The best the government has to institute an independent public inquiry to credibly investigate these allegations, and therefore repair public trust.

“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh

Alpesh Patel

Are We Being Left Behind?

I write best when angry and this week I am angry.

I received two messages on whatsapp in particular which made me furious.

One was about the targeting of Indians specifically in the looting in South Africa. And secondly the other from Rashmi that she effectively has won her case regarding bullying and harassment by an Oxford University employee.

On the Oxford issue, what makes me angry is why it took the University so damn long? Justice delayed is denied. And when it is not transparent then it is also not justice either. Oxford’s finding is confidential. How convenient.

The University is of course frightened of protests and is run the way anyone working the civil service would be proud – ie stifle criticism is the goal.

So, is it that their employee’s contract is up and by dragging it till end of July, when students are away, there is no danger of protests and the employee can’t sue for dismissal as his contract is over? This is the speculation you get when you make things secret.

Rashmi was bullied for being Hindu. There are people who hate Hindus. Those people who hate Hindus not only have no place as Oxford University employees, they have no place on planet Earth.

That Oxford chose to defend its reputation by taking the delay tactic and ‘make the problem go away’ route, rather than debate, openness, speed, transparency, means they have chosen the worst of all worlds.

It’s a common tactical error in an age when many cannot understand how social media may react and are in fear of it. Fearful of making their case, the only case to be made is one of silence it is thought.

The University is wrong on this. They should have dismissed the hate filled employee.

Oxford’s students have a tradition of boldness and fearlessness. Rashmi exemplified that more than the University did.

Let’s turn to South Africa. Indian success has never sat easy in Africa. It’s tolerated often. That some academics in South Africa also decided to portray Gandhi as racist, also reveals the mire the country is in intellectually and economically.

Indians must not make the mistake of complacency. There are many who hate their success and their religion(s). We must ensure we both stand up for ourselves and each other.

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Kanti Nagda MBE receives recognition from HRH Princess Ann It was a big day for Kanti Nagda, MBE when his name was announced, as the recipient for services to charities in the UK for which he was being decorated and be congratulated at an Investiture by HRH Princess Ann at the ST. James’s Palace in the presence of Lord Chamberlain, The Right Honourable The Lord Parker of Minsmere, GCVO, KCB. Prior to being summoned for the investiture, Nagda witnessed live music played by The Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra, conducted by Captain

Kanti Nagda, MBE

Sarah Marinescu. Her Royal Highness invested 35 recipients and gave Insignia reflecting the class to which they were appointed.

Princess Ann’s first question during the conversation with Nagda was, “Have you been back to Uganda since you arrived to the UK in 1972?”

Kanti Nagda, founder of Sangat Centre in Harrow came to settle in the UK when he was forced to leave Uganda in 1972 by the then ruler, Idi Amin, who expelled around 26000 Asians.

Nagda was recognised in Her Majesty’s New Year Honours list for 2020. The investiture was delayed until last week due to

Covid-19. Nagda who has been doing a significant amount of charity work in the UK said, “When I initially arrived in 1972, I focused on helping people, like myself, who had emigrated to this country but since I have set my sight on helping everyone in the community.”

Speaking about the event he said, “ I was amazed and found it incredible at the background information remembered by the Royals”, and added,” it was an event of joy and proud to be remembered forever.”

MPs support the new immigration bill MPs are backing the new immigration bill that will prevent illegal entry into the UK. The bill that will make knowingly arriving in the UK without permission a criminal offence has passed its latest parliamentary hurdle.

“The bill, which passed its second reading in the Commons on Tuesday evening by 366 votes to 265, will give Border Force officers the powers to turn back migrant boats attempting to cross the Channel from France and

use "reasonable force, if necessary",” Sky reported.

There’ll be prison sentences for those who enter the country without permission for four years and a maximum of life imprisonment for convicted people smugglers will be introduced under the legislation.

And, for the first time, the way an individual arrives in the UK - legally or illegally will have a bearing on whether their asylum application is accepted.

Priti Patel said, "The British people have had

National cancer survival rates are up to 15 years behind MPs have stated that the reluctance among patients to bother GPs is one of the reasons national cancer survival rates are up to 15 years behind comparable countries. Earlier diagnosis and better treatment were needed for the UK to improve.

The Times quoted Professor Sir Mike Richards, former national cancer director, who said: “I remember we presented this to the other countries and they just raised their eyebrows at that and said, ‘Isn’t that what it’s all about?’ ” GPs in the UK are less likely to refer patients to hospital services with suspected cancer, he added, while diagnostic services

were under strain and needed more equipment and staff.

Jon Emery, professor of primary care cancer research at the University of Melbourne, went on record to say that the NHS funding system in which GPs were paid per patient, rather than for services carried out, may play a role.

It has been previously reported in the press that the NHS cancer leaders had earlier said that they were cautiously optimistic they would meet a target to diagnose 75 per cent of cancers at stage one or two by 2028, compared with 55 per cent now. The NHS announced a £20 million push to speed up cancer diagnosis.

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enough of open borders and uncontrolled migration.

"Enough of a failed asylum system that costs the taxpayer over a billion pounds a year, enough of dinghies arriving illegally on our shores, directed by organised crime gangs, enough of people drowning on these dangerous, illegal, and unnecessary journeys.

"Enough of people being trafficked and sold

into modern slavery, of economic enough migrants pretending to be genuine refugees, enough of adults pretending to be children to claim asylum.

"Enough of people trying to gain entry illegally, ahead of those who play by the rules, enough of foreign criminals - including murderers and rapists - who abuse our laws and then game the system so we can't remove them.”

Parents urged to shop early for Christmas 2021 The alert comes from the owner of The Entertainer surrounding the issue of children's Christmas presents.

Founder and Executive Chairman of The Entertainer, Gary Grant said: “There are lots of brands that we’re excited about for Christmas 2021, including PAW Patrol, fol-

lowing the movie this summer, and Coco Melon, Super Mario, L.O.L. Surprise!, Barbie and Bluey!

"The shipping crisis in China is causing uncertainty as to what will be available and when. So above all, we urge our customers to shop early for Christmas this year to avoid disappointment.”

Young people are more likely to use social media for financial advice With the last year throwing many people into financial turmoil, the importance of having a firm grip on your personal finances was highlighted more than ever.

However, many Brits do not feel confident when it comes to their personal finances.

Research from debt management company Lowell has found that just a third of people (34%) claim to feel “very confident” when handling their finances. This then falls to just 19% of young people (aged 16-25).

Young people in particular seem to be strug-

gling when it comes to understanding their personal finances. A huge 44% are not confident with their finances, and one in 10 (11%) claim to have no confidence at all in their own understanding of personal finance.

Just a fifth (20%) of those aged 16-24 knew what an overdraft was, and only 5% claimed to know the meaning of the term ‘arrears’.

As well as this, young people are more likely to use social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to access financial advice than go to a bank (19% Vs 17%).

Understanding 1962: India’s China War Last week, Avtar Singh Bhasin, Former Director, Historical Division, Ministry of External Affairs was in conversation with Vijay Rana in the event titled Understanding 1962: India’s China War. Avtar Singh Bhasin’s latest book ‘Nehru, Tibet and China’ was widely discussed at the event. It is published by Penguin Publications House.

In the introduction to his book, Bhasin writes, “On 1 October 1949, the People’s Republic of China came into being and changed forever the course of Asian history. Power moved from the hands of

Bhasin explained how Indian Ambassador KM Panikkar didn’t address the issue of Tibet when he went to China because Nehru had asked him not to mention it because it’d further create confusion between India and China showing that India didn’t wasn’t entirely sure about its borders with Tibet. Later, Nehru regretted this with his “dreamy idealistic temperament.” On several occasions, Indian ambassadors or bureaucrats who met Mao Zedong poorly assess his intentions towards India with rosetinted glasses.

Mao was described as

the nationalist Kuomintang government to the Communist Party of China headed by Mao Tse Tung.

All of a sudden, it was not only an assertive China that India had to deal with but also an increasingly complex situation in Tibet which was reeling under pressure from China.

“Clearly, newly independent India, with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at its helm, was navigating very choppy waters. Its relations with China progressively deteriorated, eventually leading to the IndoChina war in 1962. Today, more than six decades after the war, we are still plagued by border disputes with China that seem to routinely grab the headlines. It leads one to question what exactly went on during those initial years of the emergence of a new China.

“And, more importantly, why have we repeatedly failed to arrive at a solution? Based on years of meticulous archival research, this book in fascinating detail analyses the events from 1949 to the Indo-China war in 1962 and its aftermath to explore the answers to these burning questions.”

The webinar covered various aspects of the IndoChina relationship, its history and its consequences.

Over a two-hour-long virtual event that was broadcast on Zoom and Facebook, Avtar Singh Bhasin explained with dozens of examples and instances how India completely mistook China for its ally, and how Nehru’s approach towards the SinoIndian relationship cost India to lose its land and suffer border disputes.

someone with a “pleasant and benevolent” face and the “look in his eyes was kindly, there is no cruelty or hardness either in his eyes or in the expression of his mouth.”

Bhasin reiterated that India had not quite weighed in the threat that China was during those days which led to the India-China war in 1962, where Nehru’s illusion towards China should have been wiped out by Sardar Patel’s warnings about Tibet to Pandit Nehru.

Virendra Sharma MP, who was one of the attendees at the webinar said that he was a little older than Vijay Rana in 1962 and as a politician, he does have his own views on China.

He said, “I don't recall fully or understood the situation. But listening to Mr Bhasin, the way Pandit Nehru, and at that time that diplomacy, which I will use the term, they were losing interest and it certainly raises a huge question mark on the whole political position at that time. I was very impressed listening to Mr Bhasin about the research he has done and the information he has brought out.”

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Prayers in the park return this Eid after almost two years

What's your hobby?

Rohit Vadhwana

On Eid alAdha, Asian Voice sends its good wishes to all those who celebrate!

Prayers held in local parks to mark the Islamic festival of Eid will take place in Leicester after nearly two years of cancelled celebrations. Public prayer services, usually held twice a year at separate events in Spinney Hill Park and Victoria Park, were cancelled for Eid Ul Fitr in May this year.

Ebrahim Sabat, an organiser of the Spinney Hill Park service said: "It will be special because we will be able to see people that we haven't been able to in a long time. I think people will be happy to be back and from the feedback, we have had so far, we're going to have a tremendous turnout."

Organisers of the Eid Festival in Victoria Park also

confirmed the event would go ahead this week. The festival will start at 9 am with the prayer and will lead into the day’s celebrations with a funfair, retail market and food.

NHS England Lead for Staff Vaccinations Comments on Importance of the Vaccine this Eid NHS England Lead for Staff Vaccinations, Dr Na’eem Ahmed, said: “This Eid, NHS teams will be continuing to vaccinate at masaajid and community centres across the country – it will not only benefit you but your loved ones and your local community. So, if you haven’t already had the first jab, please do come forward and get it.”

RMT threatens Tube strikes for August The Rail, Maritime and Transport workers’ union (RMT) announced that it had instructed Tube drivers not to work for 24 hours on August 3, 5, 25 and 26.

It comes following a decision from London Underground Limited to abolish the grade of Night Tube train driver which RMT says will threaten 200 jobs and “destroy the worklife balance of 3,000 Tube drivers”.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch called the deci-

sion a “blatant attempt” to push through a “savage programme of cuts”, though he

insisted that “the union remains available for talks.

London Underground’s

proposals to rip-up an agreement that protects 3,000 Tube drivers worklife balance has caused uproar in the depots amongst drivers”.

The Night Tube was suspended in March last year ahead of the first national lockdown, with many staff moved to help run services during the day.

TfL commissioner Andy Byford confirmed earlier this year that 24-hour Tube services would not return until 2022 at the earliest.

Around 75,000 people in England wait six months for social care assessment At least 75,000 people in England are languishing on adult social care “waiting lists” for up to six months, at risk of physical deterioration, abuse or neglect while they wait to be assessed by social workers, council care leaders have revealed. And an estimated 159,000 people already getting care are facing long delays for their annual care review, which checks on recipients’ physi-

cal and mental state.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) described the emergence of what were, in effect, waiting lists for care assessments as unacceptable and a reflection of the parlous financial situation facing councils after a decade of cuts and a pandemic that had created staff 24 hour helpline e

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shortages in care services.

Stephen Chandler, the Adass president, said: “I don’t think a waiting list is acceptable in the NHS, and I certainly don’t think it is acceptable in adult social care.”

All but those with the most urgent cases, in contact with councils and asking for help, wait weeks to be assessed. About 7,000 waited for more than six months.

The total number waiting was likely to be an underestimate, said Chandler. All callers were triaged, usually by a social worker, and placed on a waiting list, which was reviewed weekly or fortnightly.

NHS failing half of young people with mental health issues Data published by NHS Digital shows that in 2019-20 – the most recent figures available – 23% of the 547,590 under-18s referred to NHS mental health, learning disability and autism services had no contact from health workers to deliver care, nor meetings between health workers to support their care.

Another 26% – 144,384 people – had their referrals closed without receiving treatment. Some were told they needed social care instead, or passed on to charities, with others simply

refused care as local services lacked sufficient capacity.

The pandemic has seen a rise in demand for young people’s mental health services. It was revealed last week that referrals rose by a third in 2020-21 compared to 201920.

Mental health minister Nadine Dorries recently tweeted that “we lead the world in the delivery of mental health services” and “we are not in the middle of a MH crisis” after a deluge of parents described their negative experiences of CAMHS.

You don't have a hobby?If you ask this question to anyone: 'What's your hobby?'

There is more than fifty percent chance that he will fumble. 'Well, I don't have any hobby,' or 'my work is my hobby,' or 'I don't have time for a hobby,' kind of answers are very common. Many people do not have a specific hobby, even in their mid-age.

It is difficult to differentiate for many between their work and hobby. For example, some people, who work in the finance sector, think that reading Financial Times is their hobby. There are many who think developing or having a hobby is a waste of time. It is also true that many parents discourage children from spending time on their hobbies, feeling it will rob their study time. Making a successful career, getting accomplishment in life is more important than developing a hobby - is very common advice given to anyone. People also mistake that hobby has got no better use in their lives, except for time pass.

This is a big mistake when we undervalue a hobby. It is not time-pass, it is not entertainment. It is not only to deviate yourself from work. Hobby, in fact, is an activity that builds your personality and character. A hobby is a serious pursuit, not only a spare time activity. It is something that not only gives you a good time but also demands your full attention. One needs to be serious in pursuing hobbies, diligently following up rituals. It has to be a regular and devoted affair, scheduled in one's routine. Someone playing golf as a hobby spends money, time, and energy chasing it. One reading crime thriller as a hobby follows authors of choice and keeps track of book series he likes.

A hobby is a constructive activity that develops one's cognitive faculty and intelligence. No matter what the hobby is, one learns many positive things from it. A hobby should be something that takes effort and energy, not something that makes one lazy. Therefore, remember, watching TV, binging on YouTube, spending hours onscreen without control or volition cannot be termed as a hobby. Because that is not an activity you are doing deliberately, with effort. A person should look forward to spending time and energy in the activity that he calls a hobby, otherwise, it is not a serious one. Once developed, that hobby becomes heaven on the earth. Every minute spent on that interesting activity is pleasurable. It gives positive energy and develops good thoughts in our minds.

One’s devotion to that interest may also result in making him more successful in his career, irrespective of the connection between the two. When one starts enjoying, he performs better in every aspect of his life. This has a direct impact on one’s family relationships, professional achievements and social affairs.

Additionally, in the current lifestyle, full of stress and tension, a hobby works as a soothing exercise, as a stress buster. By spending time on that hobby, one gets a muchrequired escape from a tedious routine and demanding job. It develops one’s skills to manage tricky situations in a better manner, by applying lessons learned from it. It makes life better, satisfied and happy. In turn, it results in optimism and develops a creative ability. It helps one to sleep better, dream better and look forward to tomorrow – to pursue a hobby. Like a ray of optimism in a time of despair – a hobby can be a good therapy also. Even children who are less social can develop skills to mix up with people if their hobbies are common. A shy person will happily interact with another person having a common hobby. Two enemies can become good friends if they are connected by the same hobby. There is hardly anything negative in having a good hobby in life, but those who have none miss many of its benefits.

If you don’t have a hobby, better to develop one today.

(Expressed opinions are personal)

Liver diseases increased by a fifth during Covid-19 As people started turning to liquid courage to beat the lockdown woes, deaths from alcoholic liver disease have increased by a fifth during the pandemic. A report from Public Health England shows that alcoholic liver deaths rose by 21 per cent between 2019 and 2020, compared with a rise of 3 per cent between 2018 and 2019. Deaths from mental and behavioural problems due to alcohol increased by 11 per cent between 2019 and 2020, compared with a 1.1 per cent increase in the previous year.

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New report shows 'devastating scale and breadth' of discrimination against ethnic minority doctors According to a report titled ‘Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard (MWRES), BME doctors reported a worse experience at work compared to white doctors.

This trend is seen across the whole career path from medical school to the consultant level. Furthermore, even when BME doctors become consultants, they report greater levels of discrimination and harassment and lower levels of feeling ‘involved’ at work.

It also mentions that the consequences of racism are likely to have a toll on the staff affected, but also the wider workforce and patient outcomes. 41.9% (53,157) of the medical and dental workforce in NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England are from a BME background compared to 14% BME in the population.

The report highlights that the shortlisting and interview process discriminates against BME applicants for consultant appointments.

BME doctors reported a worse experience than their white colleagues when it comes to harassment, bullying, abuse and discrimination from staff. BME doctors have a worse experience when it comes to examinations (medical school and postgraduation examinations) and regulation (revalidation, referrals/complaints to GMC, Annual Review of Competence

Prerana Issar

Dr Chaand Nagpaul

Progression).

Responding to the report, BMA council chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: “It has also shone a light on the devastating scale and breadth at which ethnic minority doctors are being unfairly disadvantaged throughout their career, from training to appointment to representation in senior roles and higher incidences of bullying and harassment. There is clearly a need for systemic, widescale change across the entire NHS as the Government should be embarrassed and spurred to action by this report. There can be no excuse for not tackling this issue; the evidence is clear and resounding.”

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens who commissioned this report said: "The NHS's medical workforce is one of the most diverse in the country, and increasingly so. So it's all the more critical

that the profession, local employers and the wider NHS nationally all now act on these important and wide-ranging findings."

Prerana Issar, Chief People Officer for the NHS said: “While it is pleasing that ever-increasing numbers of people from a BME background are choosing to become doctors and join our NHS, there is much more the NHS and other health bodies can do to improve representation and experiences for BME people.

“As part of our People Plan we have committed to support NHS organisations to make workplaces even more inclusive and compassionate, while it is also important that our partners in medical schools, Royal Colleges and other organisations take the steps required to improve the experience of staff from a BME background.”

Covid-19: Freedom or no freedom?

England is free of the majority of Covid-19 restrictions since July 19, freedom day brought freedom for many yet fear for some. In an unexpected turn of events, the Prime Minister and Chancellor Sunak were critiqued last week because they both came in close contact with Health Secretary Sajid Javid who contracted Covid after a visit to a care home.

Covid vaccine certificates will be required from the end of September to attend nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather in England. Only those who can prove they have been double-jabbed will be allowed into venues, even proof of a negative test would not be acceptable, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday.

This comes as a catalyst to persuade more youngsters aged between 18 and 25 to take the vaccine because they have the lowest take up of jabs. Earlier Dominic Cummings had claimed that Johnson dismissed Covid-19 lockdown as only the elderly would die.

UK chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance also mentioned that “around 60% of those admitted to hospital with Covid are unvaccinated.” He told the briefing: “That’s not surprising because the vaccines are not 100% effective.”

Frontline NHS staff and other key workers will now not need to

self-isolate if pinged by the Test and Trace app, as long as they have received two coronavirus vaccine doses. The medical fraternity had mixed reactions to this news because this makes them vulnerable to the virus again.

Face coverings will no longer be required by law, but the government said it "expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport". Some industries and businesses have revealed what their rules will be on requiring face masks, but they will differ across the country.

Ambiguity persisted as the government said that no legal action will be taken if one doesn’t wear a face mask on public transport, however, some public transport operators and mayors have said they will continue to require them. Since the government guidance says masks should be worn "in crowded areas", it would include supermarkets.

“UK Hospitality, which represents the hospitality sector, said businesses will decide what works for them but most have "invested heavily to make their venues Covid-safe so they'll be wellplaced to know what measures - if any - are necessary to reduce risk",” Sky reported.

Offices and places where people work are real grey areas under the government guidance, unions have said.

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Continued from page 1 “I was inspired to become a doctor because of my own suffering in a refugee camp. I had tuberculosis. I found my second home in the UK. Without the safety, I wouldn't have been able to pursue my dream. It's not just about highlighting my resilience as much as highlighting major issues both ways in society as well as how people grow in the society helping the environment can play.

“Because of compassion and safety in the UK, I was able to make use of the amazing world-class opportunities such as a health care and education system. I got five As in my A levels, which enabled me to get into Cambridge University, studying medicine, and I completed my studies at Harvard University.

“I ultimately became a doctor in 2010, because I was given the opportunity to find my feet, find safety in the UK. This is important because it's up to many other people.

I've started making friends from PTSD and post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.

So, it wasn't just a smooth journey. I was working hard, but I was suffering from social isolation.

“I think many people resonate with some people with mental health issues, even if they don't suffer from PTSD and depression being away from home. But ultimately, it was bringing the two sides together. Now I feel like a proud, Afghan British.

“I haven't lost my values and I feel it (triumphing over atrocities) is possible. Britain is home, and whenever I go to Afghanistan, it is back home for me as well,” an ex-refugee from Afghanistan, now popularly known and respected as Dr Waheed Arian, NHS Emergency Doctor and author of “In The Wars” told Asian Voice.

While Dr Arian’s incredibly inspiring story gives a tremendous amount of hope to more refugees and sufferers from developing Dr Waheed Arian countries, it is unfortunate that so many years later, it is difficult to say that our children are safe.

Taliban demands a list of young girls and widows Today, while the world grapples with the pandemic deaths, Covid widows, Covid orphans, it has been reported by The Sun that the Taliban, fighting with Afghanistan forces to take control of a large part of the war-torn country, has issued a statement ordering local religious leaders to give them a list of girls over 15 years of age and widows under 45, reports have said. This comes right after Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui

SAVE OUR CHILDREN was allegedly killed by the Taliban while on his deputation in Afghanistan. According to reports, the Taliban has promised for them to be married to their fighters and taken to Pakistan's Waziristan, where they will be converted to Islam and reintegrated.

Save young children and girls As children in Britain will remain home for the next few months until schools reopen in September, it is vital to advocate their protection and wellbeing because many British youngsters, especially children of immigrants may be taken to their roots in countries like Pakistan, only never to return.

Many of these children might be at risk of being forced to marry or be enslaved and become victims of honour killing.

Speaking to Asian Voice, Shaista Gohir OBE, Co-Chair Muslim Women’s Network UK said, “Every summer holidays we always need awareness-raising of elevated risks of forced marriages and honour-based abuse associated Shaista Gohir with trips abroad to particular countries.

Of course, covid restrictions means that risks are further increased as victims could be stuck abroad for a long time especially because of the costs of quarantine hotels.

“So, I urge the government’s Foreign Office to ensure that any victims that are supported to return to the UK are exempt from paying the hotel fees. Muslim Women’s Network UK campaigned successfully previously so that forced marriage victims no longer had to cover repatriation costs for under 18s which was subsequently upgrades to also include adult victims as well.”

“The police are very alert to the seasonal possibilities,” said Commissioner Cressida Dick in an exclusive interview when asked what the police are doing to safeguard British Asian youngsters during summer holidays- at risk of being taken to foreign lands for forced marriages, often culminating into honour killings after resistance. 34% of such victims taken to Pakistan from the UK in 2019 were under 18.

“We're always trying to improve. I do think we are at the forefront of the work with the UK Government and other police services in protecting people as far as we reasonably can,” Dame Dick added.

Sharon Bryan – Head of Partnerships & Development of Domestic Abuse Services – National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) told us, “As Covid-19 restrictions,

including travel restrictions, start to lift we all need to be extra vigilant.

Young people are at risk more than ever of forced marriage, female genital muti- Sharon Bryan lation and ultimately, honour killing.

“We need to all look for the signs – an unexpected holiday during the school summer holidays, children not coming back to school in September? Telling a friend, they may be getting married soon! The Forced Marriage Unit gave advice and guidance in 759 cases, in 2020, which were related to possible forced marriage and/or possible FGM. This number represents a decrease of 44% on the average number of cases referred annually between 2011 and 2019.

“This is thought to be because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions on overseas travel. Forced marriage can happen to both young women and young men and is not a problem confined to just one country.

“The top five countries with the highest number of cases (excluding the UK), in 2020 were Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan and Somalia. These are the countries where the forced marriage or FGM is due to take place, where it has taken place or where the ‘spouse’ is residing.

“We need to raise more awareness of this breach of human rights by being more aware, by training schools, both staff and pupils, to spot the signs and by reporting it.

Even if you are not sure. If there is any doubt at all, report it. You may just save someone’s life!”

In a recent historic move, virginity tests will be criminalised in England and Wales as charities have warned that the abusive procedure is leaving women and girls at risk of so-called honour killings.

Last year, Karma Nirvana, a charity campaigning to end honour-based abuse in the UK, shared data with The Times revealing a 75 per cent increase in calls about virginity testing and hymenoplasty to its national helpline. Most people who reached out were aged between 17 and 35 and included rape victims who were being forced into hymen repair by their families. Others were being coerced into having a test to prove that they were a virgin before getting married.

Strategy to tackle violence against women and girls launched As fears of forced marriages and honour killings increase, following the tragic case of Sarah Everard in March and the subsequent

public conversation on the safety of women and girls, the Home Secretary has reopened the Government’s Call for Evidence on tackling crimes that disproportionately affect women.

The Home Office received an unprecedented 160,000 further responses over two weeks, taking the total to over 180,000 responses which have helped shape the new strategy.

On July 21, Home Secretary Priti Patel published the Government’s new strategy to ensure women and girls are safe everywhere - at home, online and on the streets. 20,000 more police officers will be recruited to make streets safer.

In a statement, Home Secretary Priti Patel said, “The safety of women and girls across the country, wherever they are, is an absolute priority for me. It is unacceptable that women and girls are still subject to harassment, abuse, and violence, and I do not accept that violence against women and girls is inevitable. I am determined to give the police the powers they need to crack down on perpetrators and carry out their duties to protect the public whilst providing victims with the care and support they deserve. This strategy, shaped by the responses of those who bravely came forward and shared their stories and experiences, will deliver real and lasting change.”

The strategy sets out a clear ambition to increase support for victims and survivors, increase the number of perpetrators brought to justice and reduce the prevalence of violence against women and girls in the long term. To tackle violence against women and girls, the Department for Education will work with the Office for Students to tackle sexual harassment and abuse in higher education (including universities) and will review options to limit the use of NonDisclosure Agreements in cases of sexual harassment in higher education.

The Government has also promised that it will continue to listen to the brave voices of victims, survivors, and the public to hear their views and opinions on tackling these crimes, including through the creation of a new online tool ‘StreetSafe’.

This platform will build on the Safer Streets Fund and provide women and girls with a way to anonymously and quickly pinpoint areas where they have felt unsafe and say why – be it from a lack of lighting or CCTV or because of the people around them via a simple online platform. This information will further build local intelligence and be used by Police and Crime Commissioners to work with local authorities and other stakeholders to improve community safety and take more strategic action, including designing out crime. If a crime is being committed people should dial 101 or 999.

Home-grown ‘young’ radicals terrorising Britain Continued from page 1 In an interview with Asian Voice, organised through Foreign Press Association, she spoke candidly about the increasing risk of terrorism in the UK and what the police are doing to counter it, as possible Taliban victory in Afghanistan inspires home-grown extremists.

It has been well documented how many people from the West, especially youngsters, left for Syria and Iraq to fight for the Islamic State before it collapsed in 2019. Many Britons were radicalised by brainwashing through social media, especially the vulnerable ones and there are similar fears with the Taliban.

Isis bride Shamima Begum is living proof of how a bright yet vulnerable Asian youngster, was conditioned to leave the UK at the age of 15 to join the Caliphate. She is now 21 and pleading to the Home Office to be allowed back in the UK, a country she practically denounced in 2015.

Speaking about the growing terrorism threats at this point, Dame Dick told the Asian Voice, “The threat has always changed in counterterrorism. We have been dealing with terrorism in one form or another and

continue to do so. So we are not in any way reducing our international work and improving our abilities of working with our trusted overseas partners.

“We are improving even further our integration and co-working with the local services. For example, many more young people are getting involved (in terrorism). So, this means that our family courts must understand about radicalisation. This means that our officers must be able to work with the local children's services and social services should be able to protect children. This also means that we must increase awareness in schools and that means much better working with local public services, through our counterterrorism operations centre along with intelligence and government colleagues.

“For example, my officers in Peckham in South London can find out a piece of information, perhaps from a contact in a school or from a family member and that information can come through to the Metropolitan Police, then go through to the agencies and out to, let's say, for example, Pakistan or Peshawar, or vice versa, just like that. We are pretty good at it but we're trying to do more and more.”

With the nature of contacts between the

Dame Cressida Dick (left) with Dr Merul Patel presenting the 17th Asian Achievers Awards for Uniformed and Civil Services to Kulbir Pasricha

extremist groups and young people now, the police are required to be internet savvy and vigilant online. “We've been running a number of campaigns such as our Act Early campaign. We had the original counterterrorism internet referral unit in 2010, a model which many other countries have adopted, where we set out to try to tackle the online threat.

We also work with internet companies to remove harmful contents.”

The Commissioner explained that since 2017, the Met has prevented 29 lethal attacks, 18 of those had “so-called Islam as motivation” and 10 were “what we call extreme right-wing.”

“Right now, the police and the security

services, the intelligence agencies are working on a very high level of live investigations - more than 800, and of those, we're seeing an increasing proportion, being of what we call extreme right-wing terrorism,” said the Commissioner.

The current threat level, as it is described in this country by the independent Joint Terrorism Assessment Centre is substantial which means that an attack is still likely. In the year to March 2021, the police saw around 166 terrorism arrests, but that's down a third compared to the previous year, and the lowest annual total since 2011- an effect of the pandemic when travelling between countries were restricted.

Director-General of MI5, Ken McCallum in a recent report said that Britain was seeing 13-year-olds drawn into extremists, often online. Some were race-fuelled and mostly without the help of international criminals.

MI5 has concentrated on Islamist-linked terrorism since 9/11. At one point, the Taliban also threatened to destabilise Pakistan. One of the most renowned and internationally condemned attacks took place in 2012, when (now) activist Malala Yousafzai was shot on her way home from her exam in Pakistan’s Swat Valley.

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‘Pingdemic’ leaves very little guidance for businesses Shefali Saxena Freedom Day may have brought much-anticipated relief for Britons at many levels, but one cannot rule out the possibility of rising infections and the agony of the ongoing economic crisis in the business sector. Boris Johnson’s government will make the use of Covid “passports” mandatory for all nightclubs in England if venues owners do not use certification voluntarily, No 10 has said.

“We encourage nightclubs to use the Covid pass – many of them having been using it in pilots,” said the prime minister’s official spokesperson on Monday. “We will certainly consider mandation if necessary.”

The No 10 spokesman added: “We encourage [venues] to use certification. We are reserving the right to mandate certification in certain venues – may be at a later date if necessary, and we will keep that under review.”

Asian Voice reached out to business owners in the Asian community to get a sense of what lies ahead for Asian businesses, especially when it comes to the caution among people taking public transportation to travel and starting to accept the new normal accompanied by Test and Trace’s “pingdemic”.

Staff shortage Speaking to Asian Voice about the economy of Asian busiAnjum nesses, Khan, Director of ABCC (Asian Business Chamber of Commerce) said, “Asian businesses will be, like other firms, exposed to Anjum Khan staff shortages, if their staff are required to isolate after being exposed to Covid and contacted by Test and Trace. Lots of Asian firms operate in the hospitality, retail and wedding industries, sectors that heavily rely on in-person staffing. If

a business operating in this sector has a number of staff isolating at once, this could result in more closures, postponement of events and cash losses for these businesses, which have already been hit extremely hard during this health crisis. Businesses are critical to helping to stem the number of Covid cases, and their adherence to government guidelines and policy on isolation rules are essential. But, the government must make the Test and Trace system more efficient, and we would urge policymakers to explore the possibility of moving forward the date, currently 16 August, whereby people that have been fully vaccinated do not have to self-isolate if they are identified as a close contact of someone who has contracted Covid. Otherwise, we will, unfortunately, continue to see firms suffer, due to staff being required to take time off to isolate.”

Consumer habits set to shift again Ami Rabheru of The Retail Business Hub said, “I am a retail Business mentor helping SME’s specifically and this could have a huge negative effect on their recovery going into the most Ami Rabheru important ‘half’ of their business. With the consumer habits set to shift again with the relaxation in the lockdown, they are desperate to get out to the shops and experience physical retail again so business owners have to be ready if they are going to succeed. If the staff of small businesses are being asked to isolate by NHS they may simply have to shut down their bricks and mortar shops for that period of time which will inevitably hurt their recovery for what is the biggest half for most retail businesses.”

Very little guidance Commenting on the situation, Giovanna

Hussain of Gigi’s Hoxton told us, “Although we are extremely happy to have the restrictions lifted after what seemed like an eternity for venues like ourselves that heavily promote live music, live DJs, drag shows and many more.

We are faced with very little guidance as to what measures will be looked at favourably by the councils. So we have decided to not ask for the vaccine passports at this stage. We will take temperature checks upon entry and encourage the use of sanitiser throughout our venues. Our Qr code for the NHS Test and Trace will be mandatory and those who do not have will sign our in-house signing sheets. I am encouraging my staff to wear masks where possible and a bi-weekly rapid test is mandatory for the staff.”

If a chef tests positive, the whole kitchen goes down Sachin Parmar, Creative Director at Evokeu and MSDUK member told the newsweekly, “In our business, we work with many sectors. It's a scary time, particularly for hospitality clients we work with, which will be severely impacted.

If a chef tests positive, the whole Sachin Parmar kitchen goes down, it's just not sustainable. This week, I've seen first-hand getting the tube in London this week that many commuters have totally relaxed the rules despite the government guidance to wear masks. But for me, it's about protecting myself, my family and my employees. I will still be testing as required and wearing masks for the foreseeable future. And, my advice to businesses is to reach out to organisations who have provided invaluable guidance for our business throughout the pandemic."

React quickly for survival “As things open up, the test and trace system will continue to impact our business, as it did from the beginning. As a business that is operating in the food, hospitality and ecommerce area, I think one thing we've learned throughout the pandemic is that we need to be extra proactive and agile. One real positive of being a smaller business is that we have learned to react quickly for survival and to pivot to push another area of our business. It's also about looking for organisations that can support your business, open up new opportunities for you, and help your business reach more clients in this new and unfamiliar hybrid workplace,” Surinder Hothi-Bellamy, Co-Director at Pure Punjabi Ltd and MSDUK member told Asian Voice.

Inbound tourism is practically dead According to reports published in national media, foreign visitors are shunning the UK this summer to Surinder Hothi-Bellamy avoid the quarantine rules, leaving businesses that rely on them bracing for “no real income” this year.

“The inbound tourism industry, usually one of the UK’s most valuable exports, is “practically dead”, leaders have warned, with Visit Britain predicting tourists will spend just £6.2bn in the UK this year – a dramatic decline from the £28.4bn spent in 2019,” iNews reported. Apparently, the tourism sector faced mass cancellations due to travel restrictions in one day.

Kurt Janson, director of the Tourism Alliance was quoted as saying, “So inbound tourism is practically dead, highlighting the plight of hotels in Manchester and attractions such as theatres in London’s West End, Madame Tussauds, the Tower of London and Edinburgh Castle.

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WE WANT YOUR SUPPORT

Modi’s new team

Mr Gandhi isn’t the only one who suffered such fate with businesses trying to reap off the elderly or those believed to have less knowledge, as easy targets. Even being pressured or misleading you into buying something is an offense you can report.

The Age UK in a report said: scams are a major threat to older people’s financial security and overall health and wellbeing. Scams, or frauds against individuals, take many forms. As well as scams carried out on people’s doorsteps, the opportunities for fraud have massively expanded in recent years. Anyone can become a victim of scams, including people of all ages and those who are financially sophisticated and confident. But within this diversity of victims, older people may be particularly targeted, often because it is assumed that they have more money than younger people.

If you have a story to share about a financial scam you have suffered recently, write to shefali.saxena@abplgroup. com.

We would urge local MPs, organisations to come forward to join us in this campaign to save the vulnerable from being targeted.

“Modi’s new team has to perform to improve the image of government” in AV dated 17-23 July 2021 shows the vision of the PM. He would like to have a government that can help in transforming his vision and dream into reality. Mr Modi wants the benefits to percolate down the line and help those who really need it.

The selection of Ashwini Vaishnaw clearly shows he wants hard-working administrators who are educated and experienced plus realistic in their approach. He has been given IT, telecom and railways which are very important from a strategic point of view. IT is the future of the country where we have very high stakes worldwide through big names like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL just to name a few.

Indian Railways is the backbone of Indian transportation.

Fast movement of perishable goods is very vital for a geographically big country like India.

From the selection of his team, the message is clear, good governance, high performance and transparency. Mr Modi wants votes by giving tangible benefits to people not just by petty politics. He has kept in mind state and national elections in coming years where stakes are very high.

I think, he should give full freedom to select teams to his ministers so non-performing officers/staff can be given appropriate non-influential positions if they cannot be removed and high performing people can be promoted. The voters want results, not reasons. Voters know that issues cannot be resolved overnight but if they know the team is working in the right direction, they will be prepared to wait and vote for Mr Modi again and again.

Dilip Kumar, a great actor but poor patriot?

Dilip Kumar is one of the greatest actors in the history of Bollywood that no one can deny. He was born in Peshawar in1922, the heartland for many Bollywood actors, beside Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor’s father Prithviraj Kapoor was also born there who all moved to Bombay before the partition.

Dilip Kumar was known as the king of tragedy as well as swashbuckling hero, the role he played with ease in the film Azad with Meena Kumari as the sweet, innocent village girl.

Nineteen forties until the turn of the Century were Bollywood golden years with actors like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Ashok Kumar, Dev Anand, Kishore Kumar, Rajesh Khanna whose film Anand, with Amitabh Bachchan, was the best tragedy that would bring tears to the most heartless people.

There were equally famous actresses, beautiful, charming and accomplished in traditional Indian dancing, the names that readily come to my mind are Vijayantimala, Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Wahida Rehman, Asha Parekh and many more.

Dilip Kumar’s first film was Jwaar Bhata in 1944 but he came to fame in his film Andaz in1949 with Raj Kapoor and Nargis in leading roles. His other successful films, among 66 films he acted in were, Naya Daur, Moghul e Azam, Ganga Jamuna, Madhumati and many more.

It was Raj Kapoor, an intelligent, mischievous, romantic all round actor, producer, director and story, dialogue writer whose studio R. K. Films produced some of the most memorable films beginning with Barsat but include such names like Shri 420, Anari, Sangam and all-time great hit Awara which gained international recognition with beautiful music, songs, dance and suburb story-line, an in-house production with Prithviraj Kapoor, Nargis and younger brother Shashi Kapoor all gave a memorial performance. Raj Kapoor was eternally associated with melody king Mukesh, Music Director Shankar Jaikeshan and his leading lady Nargis.

Although Dilip Kumar made his fortune and fame in India, with Indian public giving him unparalleled accolades, many pundits felt his loyalty was with Pakistan. He collected millions of rupees in India for Cancer hospital Imran Khan was building in memory of his mother who died of cancer.

He was awarded Pakistan’s highest civilian Honour he willingly accepted. Indian government allowed him to go to Pakistan, although he was given numerous Indian film awards and State funeral only secular, progressive, democratic country like India could manage!

Hitesh Hingu London

Why blame the police always?

I read an article about Met Police failing to maintain law and order in Wembley Stadium. The Times Op-Ed criticises Met Police and blames them for the failure of law and order during Euro2020! I think it is an unfair criticism. The New Scotland Yard is perhaps the most famous of all, featuring in so many films and series. The police with all their faults work very hard.

In recent years, ever since the Tories came to power, they have cut down on funds and the police force have suffered.

Neither they have numbers, nor they have the money with reducing number of new recruits. So, blaming police for not being able to fight a sea of hooligans in Wembley, while the whole city was turned upside down by crazy supporters, is definitely unfair.

Of course, they have issues, and I am not saying the police are perfect, but why blame police when you can’t be a good citizen? Those people in Wembley were not even criminals! How do you fight against hundreds of teenagers ransacking shops at the same time stop rioters somewhere else?

Where is the funds and strength to mobilise so many policemen? People need to take up responsibility for their own actions and stop blaming police always.

Abhinav Mitra London

Mixed messages not appreciated

Eid-ul-Azha, also known as Bakraid (or Bakrid), is a sacred festival of the Muslims. It is celebrated for three days starting from the tenth to the twelfth day in the last month of the Islamic calendar all over the world. On this day, Muslims gather in large numbers inside mosques or in an open ground and offer namaz (prayers).

Eid-ul-Adha is the largest and the most important Islamic holiday which commemorates the great sacrifices of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham in Christianity).

Millions of animals like camels, cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep are slaughtered worldwide during this festival, the meat of which is distributed to the poor and the needy.

Through Eid, God instils the virtue of sacrifice, social equity, and animal rights.

The Holy Quran states, “Their flesh reaches not God, nor does their blood, but it is your righteousness that reaches Him. Thus, He subjected them to you, that you may glorify God for His guiding you. So, give glad tidings to those who do good” (22:38).

Mixed messages by the government are creating confusions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson first said that Monday July 19 is the Freedom Day. Then he let youngsters head to clubs on Sunday night, as cases rise to almost 47,000. Then he changed his mind about youngsters going to clubs without vaccines. Deaths have already reached 100.

The other day I received an email from the taxi service I use often that I must wear masks while on board. In London I heard that Tfl is promoting face masks too. But the government is saying exactly opposite of what the scientists said before.

My daughter is asked to go back to work. Rightfully so.

But she cannot tell others to wear a mask in the office, if they don’t wish to wear it. It’s not government guidance. She travels by tubes. If someone says they would not wear a mask, what can anyone do in that situation?

The UK government and local councils need to be on the same page. Sajid Javid is isolating. But Boris and Rishi initially refused to do so. Why are rules different for different people?

Vaccination is slowing down and at this rate, we will be back to where we were in 2020. Not able to hug or meet our parents. When will the government realise our sacrifices can’t be written off like this?

Let’s talk about schools. There are no guarantees that youngsters will go back to schools in September. Many people working in big supermarkets are not wearing masks.

Why should they? The government isn’t forcing them to do so, company policy can differ. I came across reinfection in people, and it is making me worried for what lies ahead.

This country has more than 3 trillion pounds in debt. I don't know what we will leave behind for the future generation.

Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai, India

Suman Mehta Wolverhampton

Bhupendra M. Gandhi

Eid-ul-Azha

KHICHADI Kapil’s

Follow me on Twitter: @kk_OEG

So Who Fills Our Jails?

Kapil Dudakia I have often been in debates on social media and in person with people who have differing perceptions of who actually ends up in our jails. Of course, there is always the debate about proportion of men to women, then there is the debate about proportions based on ethnicity and finally, the proportion based on the declared religion of the prisoner.

One must be cautious about of all such data. Namely because what is collected and how it is presented can often paint a varied picture. I have attempted to look at this based on data that is reasonably solid, and the metric used has a higher level of integrity.

Let me first give you one figure which is fact. The cost per prisoner is approximately £44000 per year. On average there are about 82000 prisoners in our jails and on average some 95% are men. You can do the mathematics of the cost to all of us of these criminals who have destroyed many lives and continue to be a burden on society.

One interesting topic of discussion was about the religion of prisoners. This can at the best of times be very controversial. The cancel culture that we live under now will want to hide the truth at any cost. Fortunately Kapil’s Khichadi does not care for the cowardice of the cancel culture. Below you see a table that shows the number and percentage of prisoners from different religious groups (or none) as recorded in 2020.

The table raises some important questions and unless we face them together as a nation, how can we even begin to address the underlying causes?

The headline that hits you is that there are 13, 563 Muslim prisoners in our jails. That represents 16% of the prisoner population. Whilst we await the Census 2021 data to come out, what we do know is that the Muslim population in the country is about 4%. Going by the figures alone, there are four times more Muslims in our jails than there are in the general population, and 98% of them are men.

The term Asian is often used to hide the truth.

However, this data explodes the truth since when we compare the relative number we find that ONLY 352 Hindus are in our jails. That as a percentage is so small that it is officially recorded as 0%. Hindus make up about 2% of the general population, which means that Hindus in the UK are the most law abiding citizens. Yet in todays woke extremist culture, Hindus have become the target for racial abuse by not just a white racists, but also some prejudiced people from the BAME community.

The same graphic shows us that the Buddhist prisoners population is twice that of their number in the general population. I have to put my hands up and say, I have not quite managed to get to the bottom of why that should be the case.

There is significant overrepresentation in our prisons of Muslims, and of people from the Black community. Society, and in particular our politicians, have often run away from discussing these sensitive issues. People refuse to acknowledge the rampant rise of black-on-black crime. They don’t want to accept that Hindus, Sikhs and Jains are often the target of attacks by both white and black criminals who see them as soft targets.

In my view, I don’t care what colour you are, what religion or community you come from, if you break the law and commit crimes – then you do the time as well.?

Harry and Meghan’s title There is a growing outcry about Harry and Meghan with people asking the Queen to remove Harry’s title. While outside the country, people feel sympathetic towards Meghan and her racism claims, it seems the British people feel strongly about the Crown’s reputation.

A YouGov poll found that 44% people in Britain thought the Royal couple should be stripped of their titles, while 20% said they should keep them but not use them.

It was largely split across age groups. 59% of over-65s saying they should lose their titles, compared to 20% of those aged 18-24.

The younger age groups reportedly had the highest per centage of people saying things should stay as they are now.

With Harry’s book coming out soon and Meghan wishing to baptise their daughter Lilibet in Windsor, there is another uproar brewing about the popularity of the couple. I wonder what your other letter writers think about this topic?

Bela Sethna

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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Violence in South Africa

Ruchi Ghanashyam Mrs. Ruchi Ghanashyam is the former High Commissioner of India to the UK. With a career in Indian Foreign Service for over 38 years, she has been posted in many countries including South Africa, Ghana, before arriving in the UK. She was only the second woman High Commissioner to the UK since India’s independence and during her tenure, she witnessed a number of significant developments in the UK-India relations.

South Africa was plunged into violence earlier this month after former President Jacob Zuma turned himself in for a 15-month jail term for contempt of court for refusing to give evidence at an inquiry into corruption during his nine years in office. He then lost a court bid to overturn his arrest for contempt of court. The presiding judge at Pietermaritzburg High Court dismissed the application on the grounds that his concerns about his health were not supported by evidence.

Following the arrest, the two most pop-

ulous provinces of South Africa witnessed a tsunami of looting and arson in the midst of a record wave of Covid-19 infections.

Durban city in the province of KwaZuluNatal and the commercial capital, Johannesburg in Gauteng province were badly affected, but the violence spread to some other provinces too. Pretoria, the political capital, only around 45 minutes from Johannesburg in Gauteng province, was shaken by the worst violence in South Africa since the end of Apartheid. Images of shopping malls, factories and warehouses being looted and burnt, filled the TV screens in our homes and videos of these crimes repeatedly found their way into our social media. Given the scale and intensity of violence, the army had to be called in to assist the overwhelmed police and other law enforcement agencies. With less than 3 percent of South Africans fully vaccinated, the violence forced some of the vaccination centres to be closed.

As in the past, much of the destruction was in already poor areas, but the violence and looting was not restricted to these areas alone. Residents in several areas formed vigilante groups to secure their lives and properties. As shops and departmental stores were looted, warehouses emptied of their contents and trucks attacked, residents feared shortages of food and essential commodities, especially in Durban and parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The government spoke of it being an orchestrated attack, “deliberate, coordinated and well planned”. The arrest of former President Zuma triggered the violence, but analysts are of the opinion that deeper underlying factors lay behind the violence.

South Africa is the country most affected by the coronavirus pandemic in Africa. It is in the middle of a third wave of Covid-19 infections which are continuing to cause sickness and death. The government had to impose strict lockdowns to stem the transmission of the virus. These restrictions pushed the

New multi-million-pound landmark strategy to improve the lives of autistic people Improving the lives of autistic people is the focus of a new multi-million-pound strategy that has been launched by the government.

Backed by nearly £75 million in the first year, it aims to speed up diagnosis and improve support and care for autistic people. The funding includes £40 million through the NHS Long Term Plan to improve capacity in crisis services and support children with complex needs in inpatient care.

Autistic people face multiple disadvantages throughout their lives, with too many struggling to get the support that is tailored to their needs at an early enough stage and facing stigma and misunderstanding, often leaving them lonely or isolated. Through this new strategy, steps will be taken to improve diagnosis, which is crucial to help people get the support they need and improve society’s understanding of autism.

The five-year strategy was developed following engagement with autistic people, their family and carers. It will support autistic children and adults through better access to education, more help to get into work, preventing avoidable admis-

sions to healthcare settings, and training for prison staff to better support prisoners with complex needs.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid said: “Improving the lives of autistic people is a priority and this new strategy, backed by almost £75 million in the first year, will help us create a society that truly understands and includes autistic people in all aspects of life. It will reduce diagnosis waiting times for children and adults and improve community support for autistic people. This is crucial in reducing the health inequalities they face, and the unacceptable life expectancy gap that exists today.”

Early identification can play an important role in enabling children and young people to get timely support, which is crucial in preventing the escalation of

needs. While autism is not a learning disability, around 4 in 10 autistic people have a learning disability.

Some autistic people will need very little or no support in their everyday lives while others may need high levels of care, such as 24-hour support in residential care. This strategy will align with wider government work through the National Disability Strategy and the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) review. The government will ensure issues relevant to autistic people are considered as part of these programmes of work.

This strategy’s accompanying implementation plan will lay the foundations in the first year, for what the government aims to achieve over the course of the next five years. It will be refreshed in subsequent years, in line with future Spending Reviews.

economy into its deepest recorded recession last year, leading to increased hunger and poverty. With a contraction of 7 per cent in the economy last year, the country witnessed its sharpest decline in annual GDP since 1946. Recovery has been hard due to the lockdown and restrictions on businesses. The downturn in the economy caused record-high unemployment levels of close to 33 percent in early 2021. A survey reported earlier this year that more than 10 million people, nearly a sixth of the population, had experienced hunger in the preceding seven days.

South Africa has always faced an enormous battle with inequality, as the vast black majority has not seen the commensurate economic upliftment that the end of Apartheid was supposed to bring. The gap between the rich and the poor widened further during the pandemic, as the poor fell further and further behind. Already facing an uphill recovery path following the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the job has been made tougher by the violence as the malls, factories, warehouses and smaller businesses targeted in the riots are major employers, especially for poorer and lowerskilled South Africans. The impact on

investor confidence is yet to emerge.

President Ramaphosa brought with him a promise of streamlining the government’s work and a clean up of the government and the ruling African National Congress.

Infighting within the party between loyalists of former President Zuma and those in power under the new president has dogged the ANC. The former president has strong links with those who were part of the liberation struggle. As president, his rustic and down to earth persona earned him the affection of the masses despite the allegations of wrongdoing that followed him over the years. There is also an underlying feeling of exclusion amongst the Zulus, the dominant and an assertive tribe, which is poorly represented in the power structure at present. These political undercurrents may have remained manageable in the absence of severe economic distress, which is the outcome of the current pandemic.

However, the simmering discontent boiled over with all these factors coming together.

The full cost of this pandemic is yet to emerge. It is, therefore, vital that we remain faithful in following Covid protocols.

Governments across the world have been trying to balance the protection of lives and livelihoods. As governments relax lockdown measures and open up economic activities, citizens must support by increasing personal vigilance and efforts to keep the pandemic away. Every effort that we can make to help those less fortunate than ourselves, would help in giving hope to those facing desperate times. The lessons of violence in South Africa are relevant elsewhere too.

12 MEDIA WATCH

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SCRUTATOR’S When an MP is flown by another MP DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran in a tweet narrated how he ran into his parliamentary colleague and BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy and why he thought it was an interesting meet. The DMK leader titled the thread "A Flight to Remember." Maran had boarded an IndiGo flight to go from Delhi to Chennai, after attending a meeting of the parliamentary committee. Soon, someone came to speak with him.

"So you are traveling in this flight as well!” said a person dressed in the Captain's uniform. I could not recognise him with his mask on, although his voice sounded familiar. I nodded my head, still wondering who it could be. He looked at me and his eyes gave away the smile behind the mask. "I realised then that it was none other than my colleague, senior Member of Parliament and former Union Minister - my very good friend Thiru @RajivPratapRudy Just two hours ago, he and I were part of intense discussions at the Estimates Committee and now I couldn't believe my eyes, seeing his transformation from a politician to a pilot," Maran tweeted. "How often does a sitting Member of Parliament captain a commercial flight? I'm sure I will be talking about this for a long time. Thank you Captain @RajivPratapRudy MP for flying us safely from Delhi to Chennai!" the DMK leader tweeted. (Agency) There are no illegitimate children, says HC

are approximately 300 such words in the handbook. Among the notable ones are 'Pappu', 'feku ‘murkh, chor, nalayak and bewakoof’. Interestingly, ‘jhooth’ (lie) is also considered unparliamentary. Officials said it took three months to come up with the list and prepare the handbook.

(Agency) A green option to plastic

“No child is born in this world without a father and a mother. A child has no role to play in his/her birth. Hence, law should recognise...there may be illegitimate parents, but no illegitimate children,” the Karnataka high court has observed on a plea from a son, seeking compassionate appointment following the death of his father, a lineman with Karnataka power transmission company. The court quashed a circular issued by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL), which said under no circumstances would the second wife or her children be eligible for appointment on compassionate grounds, if the marriage has taken place during the subsistence of the first marriage. Allowing the writ appeal filed by K Santhosha, a division bench headed by Justice BV Nagarathna directed the authorities to consider his application for compassionate appointment in two months’ time. The bench also noted that the provisions of Special Marriage Act, 1954 is a piece of legislation bringing about uniformity in the law relating to marriages and an example of legislation which is driven towards Uniform Civil Code as envisaged under Article 44 of the Constitution of India. Referring to Supreme Court’s judgment in VR Tripathi case, the court said it is necessary to protect rights of all such children in all religions, vis-a-vis compassionate appointment. (Agency) A handbook on ‘unparliamentary’ words The handbook has been prepared in Madhya Pradesh to remind the MLAs of the words they have to avoid while attending the assembly session. Within a fortnight, MLAs will undergo two days of mandatory training on avoiding unparliamentary language in the House, Speaker Girish Gautam said. The handbook is ready and will be given to legislators soon. The monsoon session begins on August 9. “Often, MLAs use unparliamentary words in the House, which have to be expunged from their address. The purpose of this exercise is to inform members of the words they must not use in assembly,” Gautam said. There

Scientists at the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) have found an environment friendly option to plastic that’s used in packaging of food, cosmetics and other products. The bio-polymer developed by scientists was made from seaweed, which already has scientifically proven uses as nutrition-packed human food and industrial applications. Rajkot alone uses 40 tonnes of plastic to pack snacks and the use of the bio-degradable option will benefit the nature immensely.

After four years of research,the scientists at Veraval-based institute developed the biodegradable plastic film extracted from seaweed. This film, they say, will be a game changer as a substitute for plastic used in food packaging. CIFT is set to handover the technology to industries for commercial production. It is not only biodegradable but antimicrobial agents, anti-fungal compounds and nano silver particles that have anti-bacterial property can also be added do it, explained Ashish Kumar Jha, one of the scientists who worked on the project. The plastic wrappers once dumped wrecks havoc with earth's ecosystem as it takes hundreds of years for the plastic to get destroyed. (The Times of India) Woman forced to carry hubby as punishment for eloping A 23-year-old married woman was humiliated publicly by a mob at a village in Dahod district of Gujarat for her extramarital affair. She was not only shorn off her clothes by her husband’s relatives, but was also thrashed and forced to carry her husband on her shoulders. The woman had eloped with a man with whom she had an affair. The woman’s husband and his family came to know of the incident and brought the woman back to the village. According to the complaint filed

by the woman, after being brought to the village, she was pushed around and beaten up. The accused used sticks to beat her and also tore and removed her clothes. She was abused and threatened by the villagers. The video of the incident went viral and police began an investigation and filed a case against 19 persons. Eleven of the accused have been held and the medical examination of the woman was held. (The Times of India) 3 sisters crack RAS exam together Three sisters from Rajasthan's Hanumangarh have cracked the state's administrative examination, joining their two other sisters who were already officers. All five sisters are now Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officers.

Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan shared the news on Twitter. He also shared a photo of the sisters. "Such a good news. Anshu, Reetu and Suman are three sisters from Hanumangarh, Rajasthan. Today all three got selected in RAS together. Making father & family proud. They are five sisters. Other two Roma and Manju were already RAS. All five daughters of farmer Shri Sahdev Saharan are now RAS officers," Kaswan tweeted. The tweet has garnered over 5,000 likes and many have congratulated the sisters in the comments. The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) declared the final result of the RAS 2018 last week. Jhunjhunu's Mukta Rao topped the exam while Tonk's Manmohan Sharma and Jaipur's Shivakshi Khandal came in second and third. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot congratulated the toppers with a tweet.

(Agency) Bride wears crown and garland made of golgappa

Young Indian woman and their love for golgapps is well known and it’s just difficult to resist them. Often we see, people, lining up in queues to eat golgappas. In a recent event, a bride has proved the world that she is the biggest golgappa lover by wearing a crown that is made up of nothing but golgappa. In a video going viral on social media, a South Indian bride, dressed in bridal jewellery

and wedding attire, is seen surrounded by golgappas on her wedding day. Even her plate was full of golgappas. As she sits there, a member of her house comes and puts a Golgappa crown on her head.

After wearing the crown, the bride named Akshara starts smiling happily.

The video has gone viral, and people are loving this adorable video. A user wondered why girls like golgappas so much, while another one commented that this trend of a golgappa-style weddings is much in vogue these days.

Others poured heart emojis and congratulated the bride. The video has received more than 100,000 likes on Instagram. Not only this, netizens are tagging their friends and relatives and saying that they have plans to do the same in their marriage. (Agency) Mumbai cop saves father-daughter amid heavy rain

Heavy rain lashed Mumbai and adjoining areas over the weekend, leading to inundated roads, suspension of local trains and damage to property.

With red alert being sounded in parts of the city, people have been advised not to move out in the open. But for those who have been left stranded by the rain, it is Mumbai police to the rescue. The department shared a video in which a police officer can be seen guiding a man and his daughter through an inundated road as heavy rain continues to lash.

Police said that the man was injured and was with his daughter on the heavily flooded road at the Kandivali traffic chowk when Police Naik Rajendra Shegar came to their aid. The video was shared on the official accounts of the police department. The caption accompanying the video read, “You Can Count On Us! Police Naik Rajendra Shegar, deployed at Kandivali Traffic Chowki, helping an injured dad and his daughter reach to safety.” Reacting to the video on Instagram, one user said, “Salute to Mumbai police.” Another wrote, “Risking their lives for public service! What a great police force! An example for all of mankind since their establishment.”

(Agency)

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24 - 30 July 2021

in brief COUNCIL OFFICER GETS THE INAUGURAL AWARD FOR SUSTAINABLE FLOODING WORK

A Bradford Council officer has won a national flooding design award in recognition of her commitment to creating a more sustainable, climate-ready district. Saira Ali, Team Leader in Bradford Council’s Landscape, Design and Conservation Team, received a Rising Star of the SuDS World award at a virtual ceremony last week, run by susdrain - the independent and authoritative platform for those involved in delivering sustainable drainage. She said: “I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me and also those who have helped me in all the projects we work on. I really have the privilege of working with some amazingly talented people, my team, our partners and our community who push us to be more ambitious, innovative and helped us to deliver some good work in Bradford”.

MAN ON WAY TO A FIRST DATE HAS CAR SEIZED

BY POLICE A man on his way to a first date has got himself a court date instead - after police in Leicestershire caught him driving whilst disqualified last night. The officers pulled the hopeless romantic over and seized his vehicle. The police response team for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland posted a picture of the incident on Twitter. The tweet read: "This driver was looking forward to his first date however he'll now be looking forward to his court date! "Drive whilst disqualified. Don't do it!

Vehicle seized."Earlier on Friday, officers seized a moped after its rider mounted pavements. And a BMW 3 Series, which was being driven without insurance, was also seized in a separate incident.

Covid-19: Your questions about pregnancy, fertility and women’s health answered by medical experts The Covid-19 vaccines are now being offered to everyone aged 18 and over, including pregnant women. Whatever stage you’re at in your pregnancy, if you’re breastfeeding or plan to have children in the future, you can get vaccinated and help protect yourself from serious illness.

It’s a particularly important time to consider getting the vaccine as observing some of the strictest Covid-19 safety measures – such as wearing a mask and social distancing – are no longer legally enforced and people will be able to choose whether or not to continue taking these precautions.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has advised that unvaccinated or partially vaccinated pregnant women should take steps to avoid Covid-19 infection by continuing to practice social distancing, particularly in their third trimester.

If you haven’t got your jab yet, you may have some questions about if the vaccine could affect your pregnancy or your baby.

Here, six medical experts answer some of the most common questions about Covid vaccination, pregnancy, fertility and women’s health.

Is it safe to have the Covid vaccine while breastfeeding?

Yes, it is safe to have the vaccine if you're breastfeeding. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have recommended the Covid vaccines can be taken while breastfeeding. Like everyone aged 18 or over, breastfeeding women can now book their Covid vaccination.

When during my pregnancy should I have the Covid vaccine?

You can have your vaccine at any stage of your pregnancy. There's no reason to delay getting the jab because you're pregnant.

- Dr Kiran Rahim

What are the benefits of getting the Covid vaccine during pregnancy?

The vaccine will help to protect you and your baby from Covid-19 infection. While it’s very rare for pregnant women to become seriously ill if they get Covid-19, it may be more likely later in pregnancy. If this happens, there’s a small chance your baby may be born prematurely, which can affect their long-term health.

- Dr Henna Anwar Why did the advice change on whether pregnant women should have the Covid vaccines?

Robust real-world data from the United States shows that around 120,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated mainly with mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, and no safety concerns have been raised. As a result, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has updated its guidance.

- Dr Chintal Patel Which Covid vaccine should I get if I’m pregnant?

If you’re pregnant, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised it’s preferable for you to be offered a choice of two vaccines – Pfizer and Moderna. This guidance is based on the data from the United States that shows around 120,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated mainly with mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, and no safety concerns have been raised.

- Dr Koyes Ahmed How long should I wait in between getting the Covid vaccine and other vaccinations during pregnancy e.g. the flu vaccine?

To protect you and your baby, it is important you receive all of the vaccines you need during pregnancy, which includes whooping cough and, in winter, the flu vaccine. These vaccines can safely be given alongside Covid-19 vaccines, but you may wish to separate the jabs by at least 7 days to

avoid confusion over any of the common side effects.

- Dr Nighat Arif Could the Covid vaccine side effects impact my baby’s development or health?

The Covid vaccines do not contain any ingredients known to be harmful to pregnant women or babies. None of the Covid vaccines being administered in the UK are live vaccines so they cannot infect you or your baby with the virus and are considered safe to receive during pregnancy.

- Dr Koyes Ahmed Could the Covid vaccine affect my fertility?

Claims that Covid vaccination could affect fertility are not supported by any data.

During the clinical trials a number of women became pregnant by accident – a similar number in the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. There is evidence from other vaccines – such as the flu vaccine, which is a non-live vaccine like the Covid vaccine - that they are perfectly safe and do not affect fertility. The theory that immunity to the spike protein could lead to fertility problems is not supported by evidence. Most people who contract Covid-19 will develop antibody to the spike and there is no evidence of fertility problems after Covid-19 disease.

- Dr Nighat Arif Can I have the Covid vaccine if I’m undergoing IVF treatment?

Yes, you can. The British Fertility Society says that as some people may experience minor side effects in the few days after vaccination, you may want to leave a few days between your Covid vaccination and some fertility treatment procedures (e.g. egg collection and embryo transfer in IVF) so that any symptoms may be attributed correctly to the vaccine or the treatment procedure.

You can speak to your medical team for tailored advice.

- Dr Pavan Minhas

If you have more questions about Covid-19 vaccination, speak to your GP, midwife or health worker.

For more information and to book your vaccination, visit nhs.uk/Covidvaccine

Charity links up with Blackburn high school after £550 green donation Green-fingered pupils from a Blackburn high school pitched in with hospital gardeners to plant £550 worth of blooms donated to hospitals charity ELHT&Me. Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School made the floraltastic donation to brighten up a garden used by patients, visitors and staff to reflect and remember loved ones.

Six pupils from year seven paid a visit to the Garden of Memories at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital to see how their donation had been spent and help bed in the plants.

The visit came less than a week before Eid Al-Adha, the Muslim festival of sacrifice, which celebrates the Islamic values of duty and self-sacrifice and sees Muslims carry out charitable acts by helping others and being selfless.

The girls worked with gardeners from East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust armed with spades, gloves and trowels to plant lobelia, fuchsia and phlox as well as other blooms designed to offer a splash of colour to the quiet area.

The garden, opened virtually in October 2020, was funded by the Trust’s charity, ELHT & Me, and includes benches, a winding pathway and pergola, as well as landscaped areas and bright ornamental butterflies.

Eddie McMahon, gardening team leader, showed pupils Zubaydah Limbada, Sanaa Ibrahim and Arissa Patel how to plant lobelia in an area cut out to spell ‘NHS’. In another part of the outdoor area, Fatimah Patel, Aamina Sethi and Maya Khalid assisted gardener Steven Lloyd to brighten up a large flower bed with an array of plants.

They were also given some plants to take back to the school by Eddie and Steven to enable them to plant a piece of the garden back at Tauheedul, furthering the links between the two organisations.

Hospital Imam Fazal Hassan, a foundation trustee of Star Academies, the trust that operates multiple schools including its flagship Tauheedul Islam Girls High School, suggested the donation could benefit the garden after seeing the impact of the quiet space has had since it was introduced.

Popular cinema chain fined £750,000 for a man’s death Vue cinema has been levied with a fine of £750,000 because a 24-year-old father, Ateeq Rafiq got trapped under a reclining chair and die. Times quoted Judge Heidi Kubic QC who has said that the cinema had exposed film-goers to a serious risk of harm by failing to risk assess their “fatal crush hazard” seats. This incident crushed his neck at Star City, Birmingham, in March 2018 when Rafiq and his wife Ayesha Sardar went to the cinema. While searching for his keys and phone Rafeeq got trapped under a footrest. To rescue him, the staff spent 15 minutes trying to release him before paramedics took him to Heartlands Hospital.

Reports suggest that during a week-long inquest he had been told that the seat was missing a bar that would have allowed him to be released by hand and that staff could not get the buttons that operated the footrest to work.

“Birmingham city council, which brought the prosecution, said their investigation revealed that 15 of the 141 powered reclining seats at the cinema had the wrong type of actuators fitted,” Times reported.

14 WOMEN’S VOICE

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in brief

Less is more:

“HISTORICAL RACISM” IMPACTS THE EXPERIENCES OF PREGNANCY AND CONTRACEPTION

Asian brides are moving away from harsh contour Shefali Saxena

those trying to De Mariée: Eloquent eyes, airbrushed Avant-Garde: Visually striking, high plan weddings skin and a rosy glow finish is a signafashion looks. An assemblage of edgy London based Sumayyah Khan’s brand because I’m sure ture for brides. This collection is all smokey eyes, bright colours and delivers a seamless hair, makeup and styling it’s been just as about defining and enhancing real unconventional accents. experience for brides, commercial clientele chaotic for them beauty for your big day. and all those that want to look and feel (if not worse!) beautiful. Asian Voice reached out to Khan Another key brows, solid matte lips and super bold looks to explore what brides in thing has been taking extra to sultry, soft glam. I’ve been adorning faces the community want measures to keep myself with dewy, ‘glass’ skin, soft blusher, glossy during their pandemic and my clients safe, which lips and natural brows. It’s been refreshing weddings. What has includes wearing masks to see the new “less is more” trend enhancchanged? during bookings, sanitising ing natural beauty,” Sumayyah said.

Sumayyah Khan all my brushes and makeup When asked how the pandemic has said, “A lot has changed beyond normal, and taking affected her business, Khan told the during the pandemic, regular lateral flow tests newsweekly, “As hard as it has been, and and there’s no doubt before bookings.” though artists have lost out financially for a many have suffered – The unpredictability of long period, I haven’t raised my prices at all, including brides having the weather, a massive because I know lots of my brides have also to postpone their big panic and consciousness of suffered. The pandemic has meant I’ve had days and waiting for exposure to the virus may to fill up my schedule more this bridal seaofficial announcements. have turned around the son, and have been super busy, but I’m sure Soirée: A selection of glitter eyes, chisFor makeup artists, one lens with which brides saw like all other artists I’m just glad I’m back to elled cheekbones and bold lips. Perfect of the main things I and their hair and make-up glamming beautiful clients.” for cocktail nights or event guests, this many have had to do is procedures ahead of the Khan’s charges depend on whether look is all about an eye-catching glow. accommodate changes weddings. Khan told us clients choose a hair and/or makeup service, in booking dates and what the current set of how many people and travel but as an esticontinually shuffling my diary, because of brides are demanding her to do for them. mate it is averaging around £300-400 for the uncertainty and it’s been out of anyone’s “Lately, I think everything has been bridal bookings. “I’m fairly new to the about minimalism, simplicity and small, control. industry, so at the moment I’m trying to intimate weddings. It seems Asian brides are “Whilst it’s been hectic for hair and establish myself, enjoy my passion and make moving away from harsh contour, defined makeup artists, I have a lot of sympathy for a mark on the industry,” she added.

Observatory supports calls for urgent research on NICE proposals for inducing ethnic minority women The NHS Race and Health Observatory is urging for more detailed research to be undertaken on any new proposals to induce births in ethnic minority women. The NICE draft guidelines, updated from 2008, recommend that women with uncomplicated single pregnancies should be offered induction at 41 weeks, earlier guidelines advised induction between 41 and 42 weeks.

However, following the closure of a NICE consultation last week, under proposed guidelines, ethnic minority women could be considered for inducement at just 39 weeks. A number of concerns have been raised by the independent race and health body on the development, implications and scope of the consultation which closed on 6 July.

Black women are up to four times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth, with

Asian women up to twice as likely, in comparison to white women. Director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, Dr Habib Naqvi, said: “Addressing ethnic health inequalities in maternal outcomes is a key priority of the Observatory. It is paramount that we have diversity represented in feedback on this crucial matter from stakeholders and women most affected have their voices heard.

“Maternal health, or the lack of it, remains one of the starkest examples of ethnic health inequalities in the UK. Any final guidance needs to ensure interventions are evidence-based and designed to reduce, rather than widen, the maternal mortality gap.”

The NHS Race and Health Observatory has an established maternal health working group to look at research and evidence-based

Lib Dem Cllr Rabina Khan shortlisted for National Diversity Awards Cllr Rabina Khan has been shortlisted for the Positive Role Model Award for Gender at the National Diversity Awards 2021 in association with ITV news.

10 years on from the inaugural National Diversity Awards, organisers prepare for their grandest celebration yet as the official 2021 shortlist is announced. An astonishing 52,000 people nominated this year alone and the results are finally in, with 124 nominees being recognised for their various achievements nationwide.

Community organisations and role models

from across the UK will head to the breathtaking Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on 4th February 2022 to witness the countries 2021 winners being crowned the best of British diversity.

recommendations to help reduce ethnic inequalities in maternity care.

Consultant Obstetrician and deputy chair of the NHS Race and Health Observatory’s maternal working group, Dr Daghni Rajasingam, said: “We need more research which looks into reproduction outcomes for black, Asian and minority ethnic women. Any call for potential inducement has to be factored on a case by case clinical basis and not be proposed for all women without reasoned rationale. The new guidance must explore and act on the systemic issues that lead to black, Asian and minority ethnic women experiencing poorer outcomes in maternal care which places them at higher risk of complications and maternal mortality.”

Final guidelines are expected to be published on 14 October 2021.

Disabled women were as much as 91 per cent more likely to die of Covid Over the next month, the Women’s Equality Party will be protesting for a total of 91 hours to protest the fact that Disabled women were as much as #91Percent more likely to die of Covid.

In a note on their official website, WEP said, “One of the Government’s first acts, when the Covid crisis hit, was to roll back councils’ duties to support Disabled and older people. Then the plan to support those shielding was created as an afterthought, in under 48 hours; blanket Do Not Attempt Resuscitation orders were issued to people in care homes without consultation, and many of

us were initially left off the vaccine priority list despite being at far higher risks of death. Now, it has been revealed that even after adjusting for socio-economic background, poor health and housing, Disabled women with higher support needs are still 91% more likely to die from Covid-19.

Giving a reason why they’re protesting, in a statement, WEP said, “We cannot let this injustice be ignored. We must raise awareness and hold politicians to account. Over the next month, we will be protesting outside Parliament for a total of ninetyone hours to show politicians that we cannot be ignored.”

A reproductive health expert has warned that “historical racism” impacts the experiences of pregnancy and contraception health services for black and south Asian women.

Dr Rebecca French, Associate Professor of Sexual and Reproductive Health Research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, has said the issue is partly due to “mistrust in and exclusion from health services” for some ethic minority groups. A report released last year by MBRRACE-UK had found that black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than white women, while Asian women are twice as likely. Another UK study by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) found that 55 per cent of pregnant women admitted to hospital with Covid-19 were from a black, Asian, or minority ethnic background. The recent Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report said that “historic experience of racism still haunts the present”, hindering people from ethnic minority backgrounds from engaging in government services, including healthcare. A recent British Pregnant Advisory Service (BPAS) report into the provision of longacting reversible contraception found that particular groups, including black women and women of colour, felt pressure to use coils, implants and injections.extraordinary women throughout history.”

PROFESSOR MEENA UPADHYAYA NAMED AMONG TRAILBLAZING BUSINESS WOMEN IN WALES

Professor Meena Upadhyaya moved to the UK, from India, when she was 19 years old.

She has since developed pioneering tests to aid in the diagnosis of more than 20 genetic diseases, and in 2016, received an OBE for her services to medical genetics and the Welsh Asian community. Prof Upadhyaya is an internationally renowned medical geneticist and the first female British Indian professor in medical genetics in the UK. Alongside her research career, Prof Upadhyaya is also an avid advocate for women of ethnic minorities and is the founder of the Welsh Asian Women Achievement Awards (WAWAA) and Ethnic Minority Women in Welsh Healthcare (EMWWH). Speaking of WAWAA, Prof Upadhyaya was quoted by Business Live, saying: “I was given opportunities to develop myself in my work, so it’s my privilege to give back. Our aim is to empower Black and Minority Ethnic women, identify role models for them and facilitate community cohesion and integration.”

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'Nothing beats the relationships you develop with your students as a teacher'

Gurdeep Jandu: Life of Wellness Sunetra Senior Professionalism meets spirit with Gurdeep’s entrepreneurial mantra: Life of Wellness. The full-time osteopath started her own business while practicing at Stanmore Health Clinic, wanting to hold people through to their epochal health. “My mission is to bring wellness to as many people as possible,” she told us; not just locally but globally.” The physician offers very structural osteopathy which helps patients from different walks of life with many types and varying degrees of pain: “You feel physically worked on when you leave; I’ll work with manipulation a lot, really stretching you out.” Patients include little babies, sportslovers, pregnant women and the elderly.

times fails. For me, osteopathy is often a step in helping people let go of the burdens of life. This means being able to address people’s individual stories as well as employing the technical know-how to pragmatically soothe.”

In short, creating a soulful connection is what fundamentally boosts. “The highlight of the job is being able to help patients realise their own power; helping them get back to the everyday and give them hope again that it is possible to carry on by oneself, gives me so much happiness.” Here, Gurdeep also shared the origin of osteopathy as an alternative inherently gentler medicine: “Osteopathy is hundreds of years old. It was invented by a medicine–

33-year-old Thahmina Begum heads Forest Gate community school. Sharing a day in her life with Guardian, she explained that interacting with students is the highlight of her day. She starts her day at 5:30 am and checks emails while finishing breakfast.

The school is a 20minute drive from her home. She prefers in personal education method and cannot wait for schools to reopen without any restrictions and meet her students again. “It’s been a challeng-

ing start to 2021 but I can’t wait to get back to the school gate, saying good morning as the kids arrive, chatting to them in the corridors, and focusing on leading the school in the best way I can,” she told Guardian. “Nothing beats the relationships you develop with your students as a teacher – it’s why we enter the profession. It also helps me appreciate the challenges teachers face, which can be difficult for leaders who haven’t taught for a long time,” she added.

NHS stars or Tik Tok stars?

However, Gurdeep uniquely seeks to incorporate mindfulness which she believes is just as important as robust physical health: “I want to build on current experience, developing my creative approach; I’ll look to eliminate the general accumulation of toxic waste through correcting and mobilising the joints as well as through deep-tissue massage. I have always been interested in the relationship between body & mind, looking at how the mind affects different parts of the body. Wellness as a concept is deep and there is a wide base to cover.” Indeed, the young doctor is in the process of expanding her business, recruiting experts from the selected salubrious fields to help patients achieve holistic vibrance. In order to be truly healthy, there is a range of areas that need nourishment.

Gurdeep explained them: “Exercise, diet, sleep and emotional well-being are equally important. If every facet is worked on, you can reach a wonderful personal height.

Conversely, if any one of these is neglected, it could lead to severe health issues. Mental health has needed increasing attention through the time of the pandemic. I’ve certainly noticed people needing to talk more as they’ve not been able to share with others properly for a long time. Sometimes simply discussing problems can heal.

Like everyone else, and, of course, the medical world, I’ve found myself wanting to give a variety of solutions to fix, but letting someone vent is important in of itself. It’s good to listen. Interestingly, mechanical or hands-on treatment can alleviate or prevent pain but some-

Osteopathy is often a step in helping people let go of the burdens of life. This means being able to address people’s individual stories as well as employing the technical knowhow to pragmatically soothe

doctor who saw that patients were dying and nothing was working in traditional medicine, including surgery. He suggested that such invasive methods might not be needed and that the pain might be caringly managed. Chiropractors were born of osteopathy as the two are closely related. There are 8 main principles in Osteopathy including looking at blood flow and the structures of the body: you must know each and every bit of ligament and bone that makes up the body. Also, you cannot treat the patient unless you know exactly what you’re doing and have a duty to explain to them too. People seem to enjoy hearing and want

dialogue.”

Not only then does Gurdeep epitomise the remedial autonomy of her profession, but also enhances it for the modernday. Going beyond the basic domain of physiology, she finally emphasises the ultimate system: the relationship one has with themselves. “Everyone’s unique and that’s wonderful – I want to be able to harness the calm grounding energy of foundational osteopathy and take people to the next level; to create moments of wellness, whatever that means for them today.”

She aptly concluded with comment on recovering from the physical coma that has universally been lockdown: “It’s about instilling confidence. When emerging from the pandemic, remember to do things simply for you – take time out for yourself to just breathe. Go for walks out in the open in the fresh air. Absorb the Vitamin D from the sun, which chemically changes you. Do what makes you smile – dancing, painting, cooking. Tap into that higher place because it transforms.”

Tik Tok is brimming with hundreds of thousands of online fans with videos from NHS staff that deliver information on a range of health topics.

From women’s health, sleep and anxiety to urging people to get the Covid vaccine, they’re using music and dance to liven up the social media videos.

Nyrah Saleem, a pharmacist aged 24, has accrued more than 65,000 followers in two months. She sees the videos as a way to help more people than she can reach face to face at Mount Chambers Surgery in Braintree, Essex.

“My aim was always to connect with the community and make a change through being fun — not just reeling off textbook

lines. It’s a good way to get young people listening,” she told the Sunday Mirror. She helps people understand why they get dark kneecaps and also provides advice on how to reduce bloating and treat acne.

Nighat Arif, a GP who appears on daytime TV, has nearly 145,000 TikTok followers. Some four million TikTok users watch the NHS surgeon Karan Rajan give medical tips on a range of topics including how to treat sunburn or sleep better at night.

The BMA public health medicine committee has said that such TikTok videos could “help reduce the health inequalities which have widened in the last decade”.

Sainsbury’s urgent recall of vegan lasagne as it contains pork, beef and milk The supermarket chain put out an “allergen alert” to warn that the Butternut Squash & Lentil Lasagne of the Love Your Veg readymeal range has milk in it. The warning says: “This product also contains pork and beef”.

The company said that the product was made with the wrong filling.

Instead of a veganfriendly tomato and lentil ragu, it was packaged with the filling for the supermarket’s Bolognese Melt, which is a ragu made from beef and pork.

The product is considered to be a possible health risk for anyone with milk sensitivity, according to the

Food Standards Agency Customers who bought the lasagne with the SKU code 7978371 are being asked to return the item to

the supermarket to get their money back.

The supermarket has said in a statement that “no other Sainsbury’s products have been affected by this issue” and that it “would like to apologise for the inconvenience this may cause”.

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‘This has all gone on for far too long’ Murals vandalised, racist slurs hurled at players of colour, social media trolling and insensitive remarks against footballers during Euro 2020, Britain saw a demoralising finale to the most prestigious game held in the country in recent times. Wellwishers came out in support of the lions - Marcus Rashford, Jordan Sancho and Bukayo Saka.

Asian Voice carried the sentiment of British Asians in the community who expressed solidarity with team England and condemned racial abuse. The matter remains “under investigation as enquiries continue” under MetPolice’s able hands.

Speaking exclusively to the newsweekly, Jonathan Metliss, Chairman of Action Against

Jonathan Metliss

Discrimination (AAD) said, “Action Against Discrimination (AAD) abhors the latest online racist abuse towards black players – Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho – following England’s defeat in the Euro 2020 final, behaviour which is despicable in every respect.

Likewise, the anti-Semitic abuse directed at actor and writer Jolyon Rubinstein at Wembley Stadium, as he took off his coat to reveal a shirt with his name on the back, is no less reprehensible.

AAD has consistently campaigned for serious action to be taken by the Government, the police, the clubs, the Football Association (FA) and the social media outlets to prevent and eradicate this behaviour. The fact that it continues unabated is an indication of their failure.

“The rioting and violence were predictable and nothing has changed since Charleroi in the European Championships in 2000 when English fans likewise ran amok. The finger has to be pointed at the FA who have sin-

gularly failed to adopt measures to warn against and prevent this behaviour at England games.

And we must not forget the laser aimed at Kasper beam Schmeichel at the England v Denmark game as Harry Kane was about to take his penalty.

The Government of the day is also culpable in not taking appropriate action. Many of the thugs who perpetrated these acts are also the authors of the online abuse. The FA has failed to condemn the recent waving of Palestinian flags by players which was an incitement to racial hatred. These problems will not go away until there is unified preventative action by all those mentioned above. This has all gone on for far too long.”

Dominic Raab blames Chinese-linked groups for Microsoft Exchange sabotage attacks Dominic Raab has accused China of 'systematic cyber sabotage' today as Western allies took aim at Beijing over a string of attacks on Microsoft Exchange servers. The onslaught took place in early 2021, affecting more than a quarter of a million servers worldwide.

Joe Biden's White House directly accused China of being behind it today, accusing it of acting for financial gain.

The EU Australia, Canada,

New Zealand, Japan, and NATO also joined in the condemnation of Beijing as cyber hacks surge around the world.

Mr Raab said: 'The cyberattack on Microsoft Exchange Server by Chinese state-backed groups was a reckless but familiar pattern of behaviour. The Chinese Government must end this systematic cyber sabotage and can expect to be held to account if it does not.'

Warnings were issued by

authorities in the US and Europe in March about weaknesses found in Microsoft's Exchange

software, and the tech giant issued a patch to close the vulnerability.

Microsoft's corporate vice president Tom Burt said: 'Attributions like these will help the international community ensure those behind indiscriminate attacks are held accountable. Governments involved in this attribution have taken an important and positive step that will contribute to our collective security.

Police bill risks criminalising homeless people, warn UK charities Leading homelessness charities have made an unprecedented joint plea to UK ministers to reconsider the police and crime bill, warning it could in effect criminalise large numbers of people simply for being homeless.

In a letter to Robert Jenrick, the housing and communities secretary, seen by the Guardian, 13 charities and housing groups said urgent changes were needed to the bill to avoid the risk of people being arrested and imprisoned for sleeping rough.

It said: “As currently drafted, the legislation risks putting any person who resorts to living in a car, van or other vehicle – or indeed has a vehicle parked near where they may be sleeping rough – at risk of arrest and imprisonment if they have been asked to leave by the landowner or police.

“While this could apply in rural areas it could also apply in city-centre car parks, a public road or private driveway. Many people experiencing homelessness sleep in cars, or in tents

India's Foreign Secretary visits the UK India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was on a two-day visit to the UK between 23rd 24th July.

In the past Shringla has urged the UK to align its policies with India on Indo-Pacific policy. Rafael deal and India's vaccine policy also remain critical points for dialogue between the two countries to strengthen the India-UK Partnership.

During his previous Harshavardhan Shringla visit, the Foreign businesspersons, academics, Secretary reviewed bilateral intellectuals, and media perrelations and discussed matsons. He also discussed ters of mutual interest, and international cooperation in shared Indian perspectives dealing with the ongoing with his counterparts and pandemic and its consewith other key interlocuquences in November 2020. tors. He interacted with

with their vehicle nearby, such as people who have work vehicles, eg for delivery driving.

“We recognise that the government has said it does not intend for these people to be caught by the offence but ask for clarification to the bill to ensure this.”

The letter also calls for further details on the meaning of the bill of “residing” in terms of allowing police to take action if this is done without the permission of the landowner.

“Case law concerning resi-

dential tenancies suggests that a person can only be considered to ‘reside’ if they have settled or intend to settle in a place, not if they were compelled to stay there on an emergency or shortterm basis,” the organisations said. “People who are street homeless have to sleep somewhere.”

They told Jenrick: “We are pleased to be working with you on your commitment to end rough sleeping for good and are concerned this legislation would make that goal harder.”

in brief in brief DOUBLE-JABBED TRAVELLERS ARRIVING FROM AMBER LIST DESTINATIONS SHOULD 'LIE' Last week, Heathrow T5 E-gates appeared unable to process the new rules for fully vaccinated travellers, forcing them into 2.5-hour immigration queues. Telegraph’s Travel correspondent John Arlidge, who was in the queue, was advised by an immigration officer that travellers should 'lie' on their PLF, stating that they will self-isolate, even though the legal requirement to do so has now ended. 'There is currently no button on the UK's Passenger Locator Form (PFL) to declare that you are exempt from self-isolation because you are fully double vaccinated and coming from an amber country,' Arlidge wrote.

'If you tell the truth on the locator form and say you are exempt and tick the ‘Government / Assembly Approved’ reason – which is the only option that makes any sense – you cannot use the E-gates.' A Government spokesperson responded: "Our utmost priority is protecting the safety and health of the public. That means, occasionally, passengers will need to accept an increase in the time taken to cross the border."

MORE ARRESTS IN USMAN PATEL MURDER CASE A 17-year-old male and a 24-year-old man have been arrested in connection with the murder of 32-year-old Usman Patel. The police have arrested three men and a woman overnight from residential addresses in North Evington and they all remain in police custody.

Usman was stabbed in Green Lane Road at about 2.20 am on Sunday morning and, despite the efforts of paramedics to save him, he was pronounced dead at the scene, Leicester Mercury reported.

Leicestershire Police said their enquiries are continuing in what is "a fast moving and complex investigation" and detectives said they are "keeping an open mind as to the motive for the murder".

Virendra Sharma MP hosts Politics Summer School for local students Virendra Sharma MP hosted the virtual 4-Day Politics Summer School last week with a wide range of speakers including the Mayor of Ealing, local Councillors, Litter Action Group for Ealing Residents, Ealing Save our NHS, the national student-led campaign group Fill In the Blanks, the Social Mobility Foundation, Prospect Us and the UK Civil Service careers.

The Ealing Southall MP’s summer school was aimed at Year 11 students of his constituency. The programme was cross-party and non-partisan, explaining the role of politicians and government and what MPs and Councillors do. The four days covered introduction to politics, local government and change, national movements, campaigning, developing skills and pursuing a career in British politics. The students took part in a range of activities such as writing a Maiden speech,

designing their own local and national campaign, drafting Oral Questions, presenting elevator pitches and CV writing.

Opening the Summer School, Virendra Sharma MP said: “I am a Labour MP and have been a party member for many years, but this isn’t about political parties, this week is a cross-party summer school where we discuss history, ideas and how to change the future.

You have the power to shape and address society to respond to the issues that matter most to you.”

Justin Placide from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Co-Chair of the FAME Network and the Civil Service Race Forum said: “I would like to thank Mr

Sharma MP for hosting this year’s Politics Summer School, not only did he make it fun for the audience, he also had a great inclusive style of making the speakers feel welcomed. I would encourage all Year 11 GCSE students who would like to know more about our parliamentarians, routes into the Civil Service and are passionate about making a positive difference, to book a place for next year.”

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Horizon IT Scandal: “Freedom Day” for more sub-postmasters A former sub-postmaster named Sami Sabet who received a 12-month suspended prison sentence in 2009 after being wrongly accused of stealing £50,000 from the Post Office has said that he feels "incredible" after his conviction for false accounting was overturned at the Court of Appeal.

Sky reported that Sabet ended up with £100,000 of debt trying to pay the money back despite having repeatedly tried to tell the Post Office that he was not to blame and that it was the fault of Horizon. He was one of 12 sub-postmasters to have their names cleared by three judges at the court in

London on Monday. He used credit cards and loans to pay the money back for Post Office's Horizon IT system’s glitch.

"I cannot believe that this day has come. You couldn't imagine the anguish I have suffered.

There's not a single minute of a single day that I didn't go over this,” he told Sky News.

Hasmukh Shingadia is one more name who was of false convicted

accounting. "It's absolutely wonderful not only for me but for my wife and two daughters who went through the same hell as I did. It's Freedom Day for a lot of us really. I want to go back to my family and relax,” he told Sky. The other names whose convictions were quashed on Monday were Robert Ambrose, John Armstrong, Jerry Hosi, Gurdeep Singh Dhale, John Dickson, Omotoso, Abiodun Malcolm Watkins, Carina Price and Rizwan Manjra. 19 more cases will be considered in November, but there are already more convictions being investigated.

Five people drown while trying to beat the heat Five people have been declared dead in drowning incidents in the UK so far. In an attempt to beat the heatwave, the fifth man to die was in Sheffield. He drowned in a lake. It has been reported that emergency services were called to a man coming into breathing difficulties at an unused quarry in Crookes Valley Park, Sheffield, on Sunday evening and pulled the man's body out of the lake.

So far, three teenagers have died out of five people who lost their lives. One of the teenagers, 16-year-old Mohammad Abdul Hamid, drowned in the River Eden in Cumbria. Cumbria Police began searching for the teenager after he was reported missing after entering the river near Stoney Holme in Carlisle on Saturday evening.

The other one died in Salford Quays in Manchester. Police have

confirmed that the 19year-old had died after struggling in the water.

Greater Manchester Police tweeted: "Our thoughts are with this young man's family and friends, and the people who witnessed the tragic events."

After finding the body of a man in his 50s, North Yorkshire Police said:

"While formal identification is yet to take place, we believe we know the identity of the deceased but are awaiting confirmation.”

In remembrance Asian Voice readers who company secretary to the work in pharmacies or use NPA’s charity, the Heath their services will be sad to Education Foundation. She learn that Janet Misson calmly and efficiently died peacefully on 6 managed the July 2021. Janet operations of the touched many NPA board and people’s lives during advised numerous her long period of past chairs, service with the Janet Misson including Umesh National Pharmacy Patel MBE, who said Association. that the NPA’s headquarters in St Albans will feel “empty For over twenty years in her absence.” We extend she was the personal our sympathy to Janet’s assistant to the chief family and loved ones. executive and also served as

Prince Harry to pen a memoir but “not as a prince” Prince Harry is all set to publish a literary memoir next year, which he described he’ll write "not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become".

“The book, currently untitled, will cover his lifetime in the public eye, including his period in the military, along with marriage and fatherhood,” IT reported.

Harry said: “I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become.

“I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story — the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than

we think.

“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a first hand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”

Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, said: “All of us at Penguin Random House are thrilled to publish Prince Harry’s literary memoir and have him join the world-

renowned leaders, icons, and change-makers we have been privileged to publish over the years. “Prince Harry has harnessed his extraordinary life experience as a prince, a soldier, and a knowledgeable advocate for social issues, establishing himself as a global leader recognized for his courage and openness.

“It is for that reason we’re excited to publish his honest and moving story.”

The book is expected to be released in late 2022 and published by the Random House in the US and in Canada by Random House Canada, in the UK

by Transworld. Harry will be donating the proceeds to charity.

What is the future of Space Tourism?

What does this mean for the current world economic market?

The rapid development of the space tourism industry sends positive vibes for the world’s economic situation, which is under great stress recently for a number of reasons, including the Covid19 pandemic.

The Space Industry was valued at US$ 360 billion in 2018 and is projected to grow to over US$ 550 billion by 2026.

Most of the space tourism jobs are expected to be highly paid when compared to traditional airline and tourism industries.

Shefali Saxena Dr Maharaj Vijay Reddy works for Coventry University’s Research Centre for Business in Society (CBiS). His research indicates that space tourism would attract travellers who are interested in doing something new and unusual from the adventure tourism sphere as well as the established space-related interests such as viewing the earth from space and experiencing weightlessness rather than for scientific purposes. In an exclusive interview with Asian Voice, he spoke about “Space Tourism”.

When and how did the idea of space tourism emerge?

The fascinating interest to travel to outer space existed for centuries and we have seen these in many movies. For instance, Dara Singh from Bollywood acted as an astronaut and travelled to the moon in a blockbuster space movie, Chand Par Chadayee, which was released in 1967 - two years before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. The space market including manufacturing and launching of earth observation satellites, communication satellites and transportation of crew and cargo has existed since the 1970s.

However, the idea of commercial space travel or space tourism became a reality when Dennis Tito, an American engineer and entrepreneur, travelled first in 2001.

Russia first gave the opportunity for Dennis Tito on its Soyuz rocket and created the beginning of orbital space tourism. By paying some US$ 20 million, Dennis visited the International Space Station (ISS), which is orbiting 400 kilometres above the earth, moving at a speed of 700 kilometres per second. Dennis spent nearly eight days in the ISS. Exactly 20 years after Dennis Tito’s space tip, the Russian Soyuz and Chinese Shenzhou spacecrafts are regarded as suitable for human travel although several entrepreneurs are involved in the manufacture and testing of commercial spacecrafts for sub-orbital commercial trips, including Richard Branson Virgin Galactic (horizontal launch) and Jeff Bezos Blue Origin (vertical launch). Virgin Galactic has quoted a price of US$250,000. Elon Musk's SpaceX company is also into the space tourism competition, but its plans involve journeys that are far longer and the costs are also predicted to be around US$50 million.

What is the potential market for space tourists/customers?

Because of successful Indian and Chinese satellite operations and space explorations, potential millionaire tourists tend to be aware of space tourism opportunities. Internationally, the demand for space tourism is high in fast-developing countries such as China and India. In addition, the United Arab Emirates also have made big investments to develop space tourism. The space tourism market is expected to follow a growth similar to products that offer a new capability; for example, air travel, mobile phones and personal computers. Some of us envisage four phases of space tourism development from 2001 to 2040 and beyond. Our research findings from the UK (South West England) and India (Mumbai) indicate that the risk involved and safety of private spacecrafts represent the core part of the space travel participants’ concerns as of now and are perhaps the most challenging issue faced by the global space tourism industry.

Dr Maharaj Vijay Reddy

For instance, bringing Virgin Galactic from the United States to Britain could create up to 2000 highly paid jobs. When the space travel cost becomes affordable for the masses, the global business potential and growth of commercial space tourism is expected to be super-fast than the traditional space industry and its projected growth.

Internationally, the United States, Russia, UK, European Union, China, India, UAE, Japan and South Korea are expected to utilise the early economic opportunities.

How will space tourism change or affect markets and relationships among countries like the UK, India and China?

The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Treaty, developed in the 1960s, determined that outer space was to remain outside of existing political borders, free from sovereign claims, and open to use by all countries.

Recently, the commercial space industry is growing rapidly and project significant strategic and economic benefits. This potential coupled with the steady militarization of space by major powers such as the US, EU, Russia, China, Japan and India will likely result in a situation in which those who can reap the benefits of space (public and private) are much more likely to develop a lead in space tourism competition, associated infrastructure and nurture entrepreneurs.

Even though it is too early to predict, the developments in space pose significant questions and will influence the markets and relationships of countries that engage in the commercial space travel operations and the future opportunities this might sector will bring that includes moon and mars settlements.

What is the future of space travel?

Space tourism is expected to revolutionise the lifestyle, travel patterns and future settlements of humanity in other planets though it may presently look simply like the mere opening of space for adventure and recreation.

In a research article published, the researchers based at the Azabu University in Japan argue that if space tourism started 50 years before, there might be 5 million travellers per year will be travelling to outer space at present. With daily scheduled lunar flights, this situation might have increased the orbital population to 70,000 with 60 coorbital hotels and 20 equatorial orbit sports centres.

Scientists such as the late Professor Stephen Hawking of the University of Cambridge believed that human settlements on Moon and Mars will take place by the end of this century, arguing that human beings need to have a ‘Plan B’ if anything happens to earth as a result of the growing pressure on limited natural resources and the needs of the growing population.

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Dear Financial Voice Reader, Alpesh Patel Financial Literacy Is A Magic Bullet to Social Justice As a community, we pride ourselves on financial literacy. British Indians are of course one of the wealthiest communities. But, many are not doing as well as they could, and others are being left behind. Some are too busy to ask, others don’t know who to ask.

The data shows that women and ethnic minorities are paid less, are broadly less well off financially, and are also less financially literate. Relative financial illiteracy compounds social and structural biases and historical hardships. This implies financial literacy is even more important than we may have realised for social justice and social mobility.

How Covid Affected Personal Finances These realities were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, with disproportionate outcomes for minorities and women. People who were struggling on the margins already have felt the pain of further exclusion. As the world grapples with complex issues surrounding social injustice, it's clear that we need to find new, more creative solutions to these longstanding issues.

As many families and businesses were plunged into further debt and uncertainty during the pandemic, financial literacy needs to be made a priority. In some US states, this is becoming a reality.

Can Schools Help?

Twenty four state legislatures are considering bills on financial literacy. There are several factors at play here, with social justice just one. Student debt is another concern, with many in the workforce struggling to obtain homeownership due to mountains of debt.

In 2020, high school students across 21 states were obliged to take a course in personal finance as part of their studies. Indeed, programs like this have gained favour over recent years, with 65% of American's believing that schools should provide financial education. Teaching the next generation about saving, investing, and financial security could close the wide margins of inequality throughout the West.

Indeed, the same study by the Charles Schwab Corporation suggests that almost 9 in 10 Americans indicate that a lack of financial literacy skills contributes to wealth inequality. With the average millennial having a credit card debt of $4000, it's clear that this problem extends beyond the classroom.

Dismantling the Common Misconceptions About Financial Education These figures counter the common misconception that financial literacy is only required for children. While education for kids will bear fruit in the long run, there are problems here and now that can be addressed. Starting financial education early is great, but the learning doesn't end at school.

Regardless of race, sex, or educational background, all adults need to learn about money management. Being responsible, independent adults means that we can budget, save, and even learn to invest. And it's never too early to start — just out of college, when you're starting a family, or even when you are preparing for retirement.

As mentioned earlier, this need is even more acute for those who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and historical injustices. For women and minorities, getting access to financial literacy programs can transform their lives in the short and long term. Savings can help start a business, support a family, and increase career options in several ways. These benefits can then contribute to economic mobility and shrink the wealth gaps present in our societies.

The Limits of Financial Literacy For some, however, education is just the start. Writing in the Washington Post, Helaine Olen suggests that people's finances were not in distress because they lacked financial knowledge, but also because of a lack of money.

She cites the pre-pandemic savings rates of 7-8% and postpandemic rates of 27% as proof that people know how to manage their income — if they have enough.

In addition to savings going up, credit card and overdraft debt went down. Olen's thesis is that government stimulus packages helped people act as they might if they had more disposable income and government assistance.

Of course, while the pandemic was an opportunity for some to slow down, reduce their spending and pay off some debt, it still furthered the wealth gap between the rich and the poor. While financial literacy won't solve all our problems, neither will indiscriminate public spending.

While government programs can help, parents have a responsibility too. As Jason Young, co-founder of MindBlown Labs suggests, giving children a small allowance and encouraging them to save for toys teaches delayed gratification.

Conclusion Social problems and inequality are complex issues with many facets. But the one thing that we do know is that women and ethnic minorities are struggling to close the wealth gap in many cases. Even in difficult social situations, financial management is a vital tool in the battle against inequality and the goal towards financial independence.

This is a campaigning paper and I hope my own campaign to teach a million people about investing (free) will help. It’s at www.campaignforamillion.com

Sunak faces additional £10bn bill as inflation surges Chancellor Rishi Sunak faces an extra £10bn bill over the next two years as inflation surges drive up interest bills on government debts.

Approximately a quarter of the government's £460bn debt is tied to the retail price index (RPI) measure of inflation, so the Treasury must pay out more money to savers and investors when prices rise.

The Office for Budget Responsibility in March predicted RPI inflation would peak at 3.1 per cent in the second quarter of this year.

Prices in June were up 3.9 per cent on the year, and the index appears to be rising steeply. UK economists,

Rishi Sunak

meanwhile, predict the RPI rate of inflation will rise to 4 per cent or even more.

Senior economic advisor to the EY Item Club, Martin Beck was quoted in a Telegraph report as saying, “What had been a brighter outlook for the public finances now faces a threat from rising inflation and the

risk that interest rates might rise than sooner expected.

That said, the economic rebound should boost wages and profits, resulting in more money for the Government from taxes on workers and companies.

And the jump in inflation, if it persists, would mean the Chancellor’s decision to freeze income tax thresholds in March’s Budget raises more money than expected.”

Jack Leslie, economist at the Resolution Foundation, meanwhile said it could

have painful effects in the long-term as investors demand higher interest rates on bonds not linked to RPI. He said, “If inflation is higher in the longer term, that shifts up expectations of what nominal rates need to be when it comes to refinancing non-index linked bonds.”

A Treasury spokesperson said, “Inflation is one of a number of risks to the public finances that we closely monitor, and that’s why at the Budget in March the government set out the actions we are taking to ensure the public finances return to a sustainable footing.”

Principle India appoints Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia as Chairman as it sets sights on explosive growth Principle Global, the International Brand Implementation Consulting Firm, has announced the appointment of Indian entrepreneur Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia as Non-Executive Chairman of its Indian business.

An internationally recognised name, Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia previously founded UK-based Euro Car Parts, which he grew from a single store to become the largest distributor of light vehicle parts in Europe.

Today the business has a turnover of above £1 billion The appointment of the high-profile entrepreneur

the market.

Alongside wanting to contribute to the growth of Principle, one of the rationales behind Ahluwalia taking this appointment was to build up his business Sukhpal Singh Ahluwalia Indian interests in line with signals Principle’s ambitions his long-term plan to reloto build on its rich heritage cate to India in the coming in India and grow explosiveyears. ly in the country where it Sukhpal Singh already enjoys a position as Ahluwalia, Non-Executive the region’s go-to brand Chairman of Principle India, implementation partner for said: “I’m delighted to be large corporates who have joining the Board of business interests in India Principle India. I have and those wishing to enter always admired Richard and

Lyca Group relaunches international remittance service, Lycaremit The Lyca Group, owner of the world largest MVNO, Lycamobile, has entered the global digital remittance market with the relaunch of its international money transfer service, Lycaremit. The launch is a key part of the Lyca Group’s strategy to develop its full-service digital business, to meet the evolving needs of its growing customer base.

Lycaremit customers will be able to send money to over 50 countries around the world. To celebrate the relaunch, new customers will be able to make their first transaction absolutely free and will receive £10 account credit for doing so. In addition, when customers refer their friends, both earn £10 when the referred customer makes their first transfer.

The relaunch follows partnerships forged with Wari and Thunes, which saw Lycaremit’s services extend across the globe. “We’ve built our business over the past decade by providing vital services to local communities around the world, from mobile to healthcare, entertainment to travel bookings. As our customers become increasingly digitally native, we see an opportunity to meet their demands for easy to use, cost-effective remittance. By relaunching Lycaremit we can provide a highly competitive service that all of our customers,” said Subaskaran Allirajah, Lyca Group’s Founder and

Chairman.

Navanit Narayan, Group CEO said: “Lyca Group is on a journey to develop and deploy a unified, digitally enabled business that meets the evolving demands of an increasingly connected customer base. The relaunch of Lycaremit is the next step in this strategy, as we roll out value-added services that make it easier for our customers to stay connected with their friends and family, no matter where they are or their circumstances.”

With the remittance market estimated to reach $930.44 billion by 2026, the Lyca Group is confident that now is the right time to deliver a cross-platform, cost-effective solution for international money transfers. Lycaremit is one of the latest business that Lyca Financial Services arm has launched. Earlier this year, the company expanded its Lycainsurance product range to provide a broader spread of coverage for its customers, including home and life insurance.

Principle Global.

“I know from personal experience of having worked with colleagues across India that more corporates are desperately struggling with the difficult challenge of how to implement their brands across their stores, headquarters, and other real estate assets.

“I look forward to spending more time on the ground with the team, and I'm equally looking forward to becoming even more active in Indian businesses over the coming years, in line with my long-established plan to relocate to India.”

Cameron slammed for lack of judgment over Greensill lobbing An inquiry by the treasury committee showed that David Cameron showed "significant lack of judgement" in the way he lobbied the government on behalf of Greensill Capital. The committee also questioned the former prime minister's judgment on the financial health of the now-collapsed lending firm. The report comes after Cameron was found to have lobbied for Greensill by sending texts to the chancellor.

Cameron said he acted in good faith but there were "lessons to be learnt." The committee said that while Cameron did not break the rules over lobbying by former ministers, there was a "good case for strengthening them", with the current ones offering "insufficient strength". The committee concluded Cameron's "less formal means" to lobby the government to help Greensill, where he was an advisor, were "aided by his previous position of prime minister".

They added had he "taken a broader and more enquiring assessment of the business", there were "signals available" which might have led him to take a "more restrained approach" when asking the government to help the firm. Mel Stride, chair of the Treasury committee, said the Treasury "should have encouraged" Cameron into "more formal lines of communication as soon as it had identified his personal financial incentives".

He added: "However, the Treasury took the right decision to reject the objectives of his lobbying, and the committee found that Treasury ministers and officials behaved with complete and absolute integrity."

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Paytm plans to raise £1.66 bn in biggest Indian IPO After months of hectic activities, digital payments major Paytm finally set the ball rolling to get listed through a £1.66 billion IPO that would be the biggest such offer in Indian stock market history.

The Softbank-backed One97 Communications, the parent of digital payments startup Paytm, filed the draft prospectus with markets regulator Sebi that showed the total planned mobilisation through the offer will be shared equally by the existing shareholders who are selling through the offer (£830 million) and the company, which will issue new shares (£830 million).

Till now, the £1.55 billion IPO for government run coal mining major Coal India, which closed in October 2010, is the biggest IPO in Indian history. Of the top five Indian IPOs ever, three Coal India, GIC (£1.12 billion

in 2017) and New India Assurance (£960 million in were the 2017) government’s offer for divestment. The other two are Reliance Power (£1.17 billion in 2008) and SBI Cards (£1.04 billion) in 2020.

The biggest fund raising by an Indian company through the stock market route was a rights offer: In June 2020, Reliance Industries had successfully closed its £5.31 billion rights offer.

According to the draft prospectus, Noidaheadquartered Paytm, which was last valued at $16 billion, will use £430 million of IPO proceeds to acquire

consumers and merchants to strengthen its ecosystem. It will use another £200 million to invest in new business initiates and acquisitions.

The startup, which counts China’s Ant Group and Alibaba, Japan’s Softbank, Elevation Capital (formerly SAIF Partners) and Warren Buffet-led Berkshire Hathaway among its backers, will also see most of these early investors selling parts of their stakes in the company. Ratan Tata, chairman emeritus of the Tata Group, too, is expected to sell his stake, which accounts for less than 0.5% of the company, while founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma will dilute his holding as well.

Paytm’s largest shareholder, Ant Group, along with its parent Alibaba group holds around 37%.

The two entities together are

expected to bring down their stake to less than 25% to enable Paytm to become a “professionally managed company” under Sebi guidelines.

Sharma, who holds around 14% stake in Paytm, has also transferred 5% of his stake to VSS Holding, a company that he fully owns.

The holding entity has received a nod to borrow a £49.2 million loan from One97 Communications.

The funds will be put into Paytm Insuretech, an associate company of One97 Communications, which will in turn use them to acquire Raheja QBE General Insurance.

Paytm had entered into an agreement in July 2020 to buy Raheja QBE General Insurance. The proposed deal is awaiting regulatory approvals. Paytm, however, clarified that there is no certainty whether the transaction will go ahead.

Zomato IPO oversubscribed by 38 times Zomato's mega initial public offering (IPO) ended with a bumper 38 times oversubscription on Friday as institutional investors poured money to get a pie of the hottest online food delivery platform. Zomato got bids for 2.75 billion shares against 719.2 million shares on offer, stock exchange data showed. The IPO is India's biggest since March 2020.

Institutional investors, who shied away in the first two days of the IPO, bid several times over the number of shares reserved for them. While qualified institutional buyers or QIBs bid almost 52 times the quota reserved for them, non-institutional investors sought 6.4 billion shares against their quota of 194.3 million shares.

Retail investors bid 7.45 times against the 129.6 million shares reserved for

them. The only category that wasn't fully subscribed by the shares reserved for company employees, who sought just 62 per cent of the 6500,000 shares reserved for them.

The IPO opened for subscription on July 14 in a price band of Rs 72-76 per share. It closed on Friday.

Zomato has already mobilised £419.65 million from 186 anchor investors on July 13, a day before the issue opened. The IPO size has been reduced to £517.85 million from £937.5 million earlier.

The company, backed by Jack Ma's Ant Group Co, is the first from a long list of Indian unicorn startups to launch an IPO. It is also the first among Indian online food aggregators.

The IPO, which will give Zomato a valuation of £6.44 billion, is being touted as the second-biggest since SBI

Cards and Payment Services' £1.03 billion issue in March 2020. It will surpass Indian Railway Finance Corp offering in January.

Post-IPO, the valuation of Zomato will be more than the combined market capitalisation of five listed fast food and restaurant companies Jubilant FoodWorks (the master franchisee for Domino's Pizza in India), Burger King India, fast food restaurant holding company Westlife Development Ltd, Barbeque-Nation Hospitality and Speciality Restaurants.

At Friday's closing price, the combined market capitalisation of the five companies was £5.98 billion.

The Zomato IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth £900 million and an offer-for-sale (OFS) worth

£37.5 million by existing investor Info Edge (India), which is the parent company of Naukri.com, according to the information provided in the draft red herring prospectus.

Zomato has said it will utilise the net proceeds from the fresh issue for funding organic and inorganic growth initiatives (£675 million) and general corporate purposes.

Incorporated in 2008, Zomato is present in 525 cities in India, with 3,89,932 active restaurant listings along with a presence in 23 countries outside India.

RBI bars Mastercard from issuing new cards from July 22 The Reserve Bank of India barred Mastercard from onboarding any new domestic customer from July 22. The directive bars the US-based network from issuing either prepaid, credit or debit cards to new customers under its network in India.

Mastercard is the second largest credit card issuer (after Visa) in India and the central bank’s tough stance could have implications on foreign relations. The RBI has been pushing all regulated entities to store data relating to Indian customers on Indian soil since April 2018.

Disappointed: Mastercard Notwithstanding lapse of considerable time and adequate opportunities being given, the entity has

been found to be noncompliant with the directions on storage of payment system data,” the RBI said in a statement.

While it is banks and finance companies that issue cards, they partner either Mastercard, Visa or RuPay for network usage.

Whenever a card is swiped, the processing takes place on the payment network cloud. Mastercard has been directed to advise all cardissuing banks and nonbanks to conform to these directions. The RBI said the

order will not impact existing customers of Mastercard.

“Mastercard is fully committed to our legal and regulatory obligations in the markets we operate in. Since the issuance of the RBI directive requiring on-soil storage of domestic payment transaction data in 2018, we have provided consistent updates and reports regarding our activities and compliance with the required stipulations. While we are disappointed with the stance taken by the RBI in their communication dated July 14, we will continue to work with them to provide any additional details required to resolve their concerns,” the company said.

In terms of the number of employees, India ranks second among all markets for Mastercard.

The company has invested $1bn in India and has announced plans to invest $1bn more.

“Building on our considerable and continued investments in India, we remain committed to working with our customers and partners in advancing on the government’s Digital India vision,” the statement added. Mastercard is the third US company to face an RBI ban after American Express and Diners Club, which faced similar restrictions in April. Amex has said that while it is not accepting fresh applications, it is committed to complying with all regulations.

The Art of Extraction

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

I have a client who has an appetite for investment, primarily in commercial property with a view to change the usage class.

However, the equity he wishes to deploy is tied up in his current residential investments.

Though there is a slice of equity available in each one he is constrained by the fact they are all on fixed rates.

The first place to start with a scenario like this is to explore with the current lender whether they would consider doing a further advance. This allows one to keep the existing product, and add a further increment on top of the existing level of borrowing. This has several benefits, one is if you’re on a favourable rate you do not want this situation disturbed, ideally. Another, is there are no expensive legal fees; often there are not one but two rounds of fees, one for your lawyer and the other for the lender’s.

At times I wonder at the expenses when essentially much of the time it’s simply glorified administration. There generally will not be a physical valuation, lenders will often go by a desktop valuation. This of course depends on the property and the value. If it’s homogenous and below £500K there is little point in doing a valuation.

This point, however, should just be explored in the first instance and not drawn down, as at times when we approach a secondary lender they may insist on having a charge across the whole portfolio.

Therefore, drawing down on one may prevent you from getting funds from across the whole portfolio.

There are lenders who will lend on a second charge basis, this is without disturbing the existing borrowing.

The rates for this type of borrowing used to be extortionate, however, as the market for lending has become more competitive and fluid, the rates have come down substantially.

Recently we were able to complete a second charge mortgage for the acquisition of a business for only 0.6% per month. This is extremely cheap, considering it’s a second charge and it was for the purchase of a business. The client had quotes from elsewhere, one at a level of 15% per annum! Another lender even insisted on obtaining a first charge on one of his properties, thereby doubling the amount of borrowing.

Through a trusted lender we were able to extract just the required amount on his residential property, without disturbing the first charge which was at a competitive rate of 1.64%. This allowed him to be in a position to purchase the business.

Reliance Retail to buy Just Dial for £571 mn Reliance Retail Ventures, an arm of RIL, is buying Just Dial in a cash deal worth £571 million, as India’s largest and most profitable player enters the local search services space. The company is acquiring the local search engine, which boasts more than 30 million listings of enterprises across web, app and voice platforms.

The acquisition is one of Reliance’s significant M&As, dwarfing its purchase of online pharma retailer Netmeds and British toy maker Hamleys for over £62 million each. Under the contours of the deal, Reliance is acquiring 40.95% in Just Dial by subscribing to preferential shares and buying shares from its main promoter V S S Mani and his family for £349.7 million. Further, it will make an open offer to acquire an additional 26% from Just Dial’s public shareholders entailing about £222.2 million. Reliance will make the open offer to Just Dial’s non-promoter shareholders at about Rs 1,022 apiece.

If Reliance gets the entire 26% through the open offer, its stake in Just Dial will go up to 66.95%. The transaction will see the local search engine maintained as a separate entity, with founder Mani continuing as its CEO to “lead Just Dial through the next phase of growth”. The Just Dial board approved Mani’s reappointment as CEO for another five years.

In its regulatory filing, Just Dial said while the company will be under the sole control of Reliance, Mani, who is currently a promoter, will exercise his voting rights under the instructions of the retailer. Mani’s brother V Krishnan, however, will step down from his role as a director of the company on expiration of his term on July 31, Just Dial said.

The deal will help Reliance get access to Just Dial’s massive database,“further boosting the digital ecosystem for millions of our partner merchants, micro, small and medium enterprises”, according to Reliance Retail director Isha Ambani. The capital infused via preferential shares will help the expansion of Just Dial into a comprehensive local listing and commerce platform, the Reliance statement said.

Besides Netmeds and Hamleys, Reliance has bought online furniture seller Urban Ladder and lingerie retailer Zivame in the last two years.

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Foreign missions in Kabul urge Taliban to halt military offensive KABUL: Fifteen diplomatic missions and the NATO representative in Kabul have joined hands to urge the Taliban to halt military offensives across Afghanistan, just hours after a peace meeting in Doha failed to agree on a ceasefire. A senior delegation of Afghan leaders met the Taliban’s political leadership in the Qatari capital over the last two days, but a Taliban statement made no mention of a halt to Afghanistan’s rising violence.

The joint statement was supported by Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the European Union delegation, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Britain and the United States and NATO’s senior civilian representative. “The Taliban’s offensive is in direct contradiction to their claim to support a negotiated settlement,” said the joint statement.

The statement by the 15 missions also condemned rights violations, such as efforts to shut schools and media outfits reported by media in areas recently captured by the Taliban, which has previously denied such assertions. Meetings between Afghan leaders and the Taliban in Doha discussed ways to reach a political settlement to end the conflict, the chairman of Afghanistan’s high council for peace, Abdullah Abdullah, who was a part of the talks, said. “We agreed to continue the talks, seek a political settlement to the current crisis, avoid civilian casualties, facilitate humanitarian assistance & medical supplies to tackle Covid-19 pandemic,” Abdullah said on Twitter.

Bid to check Taliban surge A Taliban forces took control of key border posts, opened up fresh sources of revenue and rattled many of Afghanistan’s neighbours. In the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, a two-day regional meeting that was originally

supposed to deal with “connectivity” in South and Central Asia morphed into a highlevel gathering of senior US, Russian and EU officials that most certainly will be consumed with Afghanistan and the impact of the rapidly advancing Taliban.

In recent weeks, the Taliban have gained control of key border posts with neighbours Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The Tashkent meeting will have representatives of US homeland security as well as Washington’s special Afghan peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad. Also attending are Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, as well as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Pakistan PM Minister Imran Khan. The goals of the gathering are now unclear. The fear is not only over Taliban gains; without a peace deal, Afghanistan’s many warlords may turn to a new, destructive civil war among themselves to seek power or preserve their interests. “We call on countries of the region and the broader international community to play a constructive role in support of the Afghan peace process,” Borrell said, adding he will make a personal plea at the Tashkent conference.

Af, Pakistan faceoff Pakistan rejected allegations of Afghan

President Ashraf Ghani and first vice-president Amrollah Saleh blaming Islamabad for its negative role in the “Afghan peace process” and openly supporting the Taliban against the Kabul government. The Afghan president had accused networks and organisations in Pakistan of supporting the Taliban while addressing an international conference on ‘Central and South Asia Regional Connectivity: Challenges and Opportunities’ in Uzbekistan. Ghani claimed that the destruction of the assets and capabilities of the Afghan people are openly celebrated in Pakistan. It was an indirect reference to rallies that were recently held in the cities of Peshawar in the northwest and Quetta in the southwest by the Pakistani sympathisers of the Taliban in support of the insurgent group. Ghani, quoting intelligence estimates, said that around 10,000 jihadi fighters had entered into Afghanistan from Pakistan and other places in the past one month apart from the support of their affiliates in the transnational terrorist organizations.

Taliban claim control of key areas Taliban fighters said they had taken control of one of the main border crossings with Pakistan. A Pakistani official said fighters had taken down the Afghan government flag from atop the Friendship Gate at the border crossing between the Pakistani town of Chaman and the Afghan town of Wesh. The crossing, south of Afghanistan’s main southern city Kandahar, is the landlocked country’s second busiest entry point and the main link between its vast southwest and Pakistani ports. Afghan government data show it is used by 900 trucks a day. The takeover forced Pakistan to seal parts of its border with Afghanistan after heavy fighting between Taliban and Afghan forces around Wesh.

Pak vows to hunt abductors of Afghan envoy’s daughter ISLAMABAD: Vowing to solve the conspiracy behind the abduction and torture of Afghan ambassador Najibullah Alikhil’s daughter at the earliest, Pakistan’s interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said that investigators were on the trail of the culprits after interrogating three taxi drivers who drove the victim to different places on Friday before she was briefly taken captive and assaulted. “I want to inform the international media that the police are investigating the case pertaining to the Afghan ambassador’s daughter. The government registered an FIR on the kidnapping, as per PM Imran Khan’s directives,” Ahmed said at a presser in Islamabad.

He said the Afghan envoy’s daughter Selsela Alikhil had left home on foot and arrived at a market, from where she hailed a taxi to another destination. “From the market, she took a taxi to Khadda Market for shopping.” According to the minister, security officials confirmed the route by examining footage from “safe-city cameras” installed in Islamabad. From Khadda Market, the minister said, the ambassador’s daughter took

another taxi to Rawalpindi, a garrison city next to Islamabad. “We also have footage of her getting out of a taxi at a Rawalpindi shopping mall,” he said, adding that a third driver drove her from Daman-e-Koh (a hilltop garden in Islamabad) to a park in Islamabad’s sector F-9. Ahmed said CCTV footage of her trip from Rawalpindi to Daman-e-Koh was missing and the matter was under investigation. “Statements of the three taxi drivers have been recorded,” he said.

He said the Afghan embassy was in touch with the government and cooperating in the investigation. In a written statement, Selsela said she was returning home by taxi after visiting Islamabad’s Blue Area when the driver picked up another man. The latter allegedly hurled abuses and then assaulted her. She was dumped unconscious by the roadside. “She lost consciousness and can’t recall anything after that,” the Afghan embassy said.

According to the statement, she regained consciousness at around 5 or 6 pm and, on enquiry, a passerby told her that she was in F7 sector. “It was some road with no shopping

or residential area nearby. She took a cab for the F-9 park as she knew that landmark,” the statement read.

From F-9 park she called a person named Hikmat, who Najibullah Alikhil picked her up in an official vehicle. “The dupatta (shawl) she had had a tissue paper and a Rs 50 currency note with a message, ‘Your turn is next’ and ‘communist’,” the statement said, adding that her shoes, and mobile phone were missing when she recovered her senses. “She was wearing a male’s shoes,” it stated. After being released, Alikhel has been receiving medical care at a local hospital.

Strongly condemning the attack, Afghanistan’s foreign affairs ministry expressed deep concern about the safety and security of its diplomats, their families, and the staff of the Afghan political and consular missions in Pakistan.

Nine Chinese nationals among 12 killed in Pak bus blast ISLAMABAD: At least 12 people, nine of them Chinese nationals and two Pakistani soldiers, were killed and several others injured in a blast on a bus carrying 41 workers to a hydroelectric project on the Indus in a remote Kohistan region of northern Pakistan last week. Beijing said it was a bomb attack but Islamabad said the blast was due to vehicle failure. The explosion occurred when Chinese workers and accompanying Pakistani staff were headed to their work place for an ongoing hydroelectric project in Dasu area of Kohistan district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

China’s embassy in Pakistan confirmed that nine of its nationals died. It termed the explosion a bomb attack but did not give

more details. An embassy statement said: “Recently, personnel of a project of our company in Pakistan have been attacked... The Chinese embassy in Pakistan urgently reminds Chinese citizens, enterprises and projects in Pakistan to pay close attention to the local security situation, strengthen the safety of project personnel, take strict precautions, and do not go out unless necessary.” Condemning the attack, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian urged Pakistan to “severely punish the perpetrators” and “earnestly protect the safety of Chinese nationals, organisations and projects” in the country.

Initially, there were conflicting reports with some officials saying that the bomb was

planted in the bus while others describing it as a roadside explosion. However, the Pakistan foreign office contradicted reports of an attack, saying that the bus “plunged into a ravine after a mechanical failure resulting in leakage of gas that caused a blast”. The FO put the death toll at 12, including nine Chinese nationals.

The Dasu hydroelectric project is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

“This is clearly an act of terrorism that has been carefully planned and was supported by information,” said an editorial in Global Times, a Chinese tabloid run by the ruling Communist Party’s official People’s Daily, calling it the most serious attack on Chinese nationals in recent years.

in brief INDIAN FILMMAKER WINS OEIL D'OR AWARD Mumbai-based filmmaker Payal Kapadia has won the Oeil d'or (Golden Eye) award for Best Documentary for her film, "A Night of Knowing Nothing," at the Cannes Film Festival. "A Night of Knowing Nothing" has emerged the winner from a list of 28 documentaries submitted from around the world. The five-member jury was headed by American documentary producer Ezra Edelman. Other names in the jury were French filmmaker Julie Bertuccelli, French actor Deborah Francois, FrancoAmerican film critic Iris Brey and Orwa Nyrabia, artistic director of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. "A Night of Knowing Nothing" is a story of a college student who writes letters to her lover when he is away.

AMRITA SHER-GIL'S PAINTING SOLD FOR £3.78 MN Amrita Sher-Gil's 1938 painting titled, "In the Ladies Enclosure," sold for £3.78 million at an auction by the Mumbai-based auction house Saffronart, setting a world record for the highest value achieved by the artist in auction. It is also the second-most expensive work of Indian art sold globally after V S Gaitonde's "Untitled, 1961, " which was sold for £3.99 million in March this year.

Sher-Gil (1913-1941) was a Hungarian Indian painter and has been called one of the greatest avant-garde women artists of the early 20th century. The National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi also houses a large collection of her art. According to Dinesh Vazirani, Saffronart CEO and co-founder, "The record-breaking sale is a clear indication of her artistic merit and is a testament to her skill and talent."

EMMY NOMINATION FOR 'TOP CHEF' AND 'INDIAN MATCHMAKING' Indian American Padma Lakshmi's TV show, “Top Chef,” and 'Indian Matchmaking' which was released on Netflix in July last year, were nominated for 2021 Emmy Awards. The New York Times best-selling author and “Top Chef” host has been nominated for Outstanding Host for a Reality-Competition Program award alongside longtime judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. “Top Chef” also earned nominations for Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program, Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program, and Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program. 'Indian Matchmaking' has been nominated under the Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program category. The executive producers of the show are Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, JC Begley and Smriti Mundhra. The show, headlined by Sima Taparia, dropped on Netflix on 16 July. It soon became a talked-about topic on social media with people pointing out the good, bad, and the ugly. Sima Taparia is a matchmaker from Mumbai who, even on the show, tried to find matches for Indian families.

INDIAN-ORIGIN PASTOR WINS MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA Indian-origin Justin Narayan has clinched the MasterChef Australia 2021, marking the end of Season 13. The 27-year-old first generation Australian with Fijian and Indian ancestry is a pastor by profession and the second Indian-origin chef to claim the trophy after Sashi Cheliah won in 2018. He emerged a winner after defeating two other finalists Kishwar Choudhury and Pete Campbell. After cooking two of Australian chef Peter Gilmore’s dishes - shaved southern squid with koji butter and shiitake custard and a golden crackle, with a perfect 40/40 score, Justin took home $250,000 prize money. He was also popular for his amazing sense of humour and adorable friendship with the runner-up Pete Campbell.

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in brief INDIAN AMERICAN NOMINATED TO TOP USAID POST President Joe Biden has appointed renowned physician Atul Gawande as Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Global Health, United States Agency for International Development. According to a report, Gawande’s role at USAID will focus on efforts to prevent child and maternal deaths, control the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and combat infectious diseases.

Gawande is a professor of surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and at Harvard Medical School. The Indian American physician previously served as a senior advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services during the Clinton Administration.

PAK BLACKLISTS BOOK FOR MALALA PICTURE BESIDES WAR HERO The textbook board of Pakistan’s Punjab province has confiscated the entire unsold stock of a Grade 7 social studies book published by Oxford University Press for featuring a picture of Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousufzai alongside Maj Aziz Bhatti, considered a 1965 War hero, reports Omer Farooq Khan. It has raised the hackles of the establishment because, unlike in the West, Malala isn’t quite everyone’s favourite in her native country. Last year, the board had banned 100 books that were deemed to be “against” the twonation theory, or “unethical”.

NEPAL’S NEW PM DEUBA WINS TRUST VOTE Nepal’s new Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Sunday comfortably won a vote of confidence in the reinstated lower House of Parliament.

Deuba, the 75-year-old chief of the Nepali Congress, secured 165 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives, the Himalayan Times reported. As many as 249 lawmakers participated in the voting process and 83 of them voted against Deuba while one lawmaker remained neutral, it said. A total of 136 votes were required for Deuba to win Parliament’s confidence. Deuba took the oath of office and secrecy on July 13 for a record fifth time, a day after a five-member Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana reinstated the dissolved House of Representatives for the second time in five months.

ANOTHER BID BY BANGLADESHI AMERICAN FOR NY STATE ASSEMBLY Bangladeshi American Mary Jobaida announced her second bid for the New York state Assembly, pledging to run on a platform that addresses climate change, inequities in housing and income, and racial justice, based on her work with underserved populations. “I am a first generation immigrant, public school parent, public transit commuter, community advocate and healthcare worker. I am also a tired resident who has seen the struggles of the residents with poor quality of life and massive displacement of low and working class people in this district,” said the candidate in her Ballotpedia statement. “I am tired of the lack of democratic representation and I am running for office to bring back democracy and true representation back. I will work to create an inclusive state that will value racial justice, equity and inclusion,” she said.

CHINA SEES 1ST DEATH DUE TO MONKEY B VIRUS A Beijing-based veterinarian who was confirmed as China’s first human infection case with Monkey B virus (BV) has died, the media reported. The 53-year-old man, who worked for an institution researching on primates, showed early-onset symptoms of nausea and vomiting, a month after he dissected two dead monkeys in early March, the Global Times reported, citing Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. He died on May 27. The report said there were no fatal or even clinically evident BV infections in China before, thus the vet’s case is the first human infection case.

Indians and their businesses attacked during South Africa violence PRETORIA: The ongoing unrest in South Africa has severely affected the Indians and Indian origin South Africans in the country, even as the government has deployed additional troops.

According to reports, thousands of businesses and establishments owned by Indians have been looted and vandalised by proZuma rioters amid the unrest.

More than 117 people were killed in the violence that ensued after the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma.

As per accounts, the reason Indians are being targeted has to do with an influential Gupta brothers, who were close to Zuma and allegedly influenced various aspects of his regime, culminating in allegations of corruption against the Zuma dispensation. The riots are purportedly an attempt to absolve Zuma and pin the blame on the Guptas, who have fled South Africa for Dubai.

Violence against Indians in Durban Reports added that Durban, which is home to over a million Indians and Indian origin South Africans, is witnessing a surge in

the attacks on establishments owned by them. Apart from that, Indian women have also been issued rape threats by some proZuma rioters, an Indian origin woman said. "They have looted everything and have made statements that they are going to rape the Indian women," she added.

As per reports, the riots have also led to widespread looting and burning of warehouses.

Businesses like technology and retail stores, motor dealerships, pharmacies and supermarkets owned by Indians have been attacked. Major losses amounting to millions have been reported due to South Africa's civil unrest. The rioters have reportedly stolen fridges, television sets and groceries among other things. Apart from the lootings, the country is also witnessing a surge in racial violence between

the native South Africans and Indians.

Gujarati bizmen worried Gujarati businessman Abdul Patel told his relatives in Limbayat, Surat, that he hasn’t witnessed such lawlessness in South Africa. It’s been more than two decades since Abdul shifted to Johannesburg from Limbayat. Many Gujarati businessmen settled in that country, especially those hailing from the southern part of Gujarat, have suffered heavy losses after rioters targeted their establishments. As riots spread across cities like Johannesburg, Durban and Phoenix, the Gujarati expatriate bore the most brunt of it. In Durban, which has a population of over 10,00,000 people of Indian origin, several business establishments owned

by Gujaratis have been targeted by the rioters.

More than 20,000 troops deployed authorities begun The deploying more than 20,000 troops to assist police in quelling week-long unrest, as the death toll soared to 117 people in the rioting and looting. In one of the

largest deployments of soldiers since the end of white minority rule in 1994, the government said 10,000 soldiers were on the streets and the South African National Defence Force has also called up all of its reserve force of 12,000 troops. In a show of force, a convoy of more than a dozen armoured personnel carriers brought soldiers into Gauteng province, South Africa’s most populous, which includes the largest city, Johannesburg, and the executive capital, Pretoria.

Buses, trucks, aeroplanes and helicopters were also being used to move the large deployment of troops to trouble spots in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal province that have seen a week of violence in mainly poor areas.

More than 2,200 people have been arrested, the acting minister in the presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said, adding that Johannesburg was now “relatively calm”. But in KwaZulu-Natal province, the epicentre of the violence, the minister said the “situation remains volatile, but much improved and moving towards stability”.

Europe flood toll over 180 as rescuers dig deeper BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel surveyed what she called a "surreal, ghostly" scene in a devastated village on Sunday, pledging quick financial aid and a redoubled political focus on curbing climate change as the death toll from floods in Western Europe climbed above 180.

Merkel toured Schuld, a village on a tight curve of the Ahr River in western Germany where many buildings were damaged or destroyed by rapidly rising floodwaters last week.

Although the mayor of Schuld said no one was killed or injured there, many other places weren't so lucky. The death toll in the Ahrweiler area, where Schuld is located, stood at 112. Authorities said people are still missing and they fear the toll may still rise.

In neighboring North RhineWestphalia state, Germany's most populous, 46 people were killed, including four firefight-

ers. Belgium confirmed 31 deaths. Merkel said she came away from Schuld, still partly strewn with rubble and mud in bright sunshine, with "a real picture of, I must say, the surreal, ghostly situation."

"It is shocking - I would almost say that the German language barely has words for the devastation that has been wreaked," she said at a news conference in a nearby town.

Merkel said authorities will work to "set the world right again in this beautiful region, step by step," and her Cabinet will approve an immediate and medium-term financial aid program.

Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said that more than 300 million euros ($354 million) will be needed immediately. And he said officials must set up a longer-term rebuilding program which, from experience with previous flooding, will be in the

billions of euros.

"Thankfully, Germany is a country that can manage this financially," said Merkel, who is stepping down as chancellor following an election in September. "Germany is a strong country and we will stand up to this force of nature in the short term - but also in the medium and long term, through policy that pays more regard to nature and the climate than we did in recent years. That will be necessary too."

Climate scientists say the link between extreme weather and global warming is unmistakable and the urgency to tackle climate change undeniable.

"One flood isn't the example of climate change, but if we look at the loss events of recent years, decades, then they are simply more frequent than they were previously - so we must make a great effort," Merkel said.

"This flood will leave scars on the people of Schuld - scars that you don't forget, that can't be overcome, because our lives changed from one day to the next," Mayor Helmut Lussi said, breaking into sobs as he spoke.

Although the rain has stopped in the worst-affected areas of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, storms and downpours have persisted elsewhere in western and central Europe. There was flooding in the German-Czech border area, in Germany's southeastern corner, and over the border in Austria.

Indian American is top legal adviser to dept of labour WASHINGTON: The US Senate has confirmed Indian American Seema Nanda to the US Department of Labor as the solicitor. The former chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and deputy solicitor at the US Department of Labor in the Obama administration was confirmed to the post in a 53-to-46 vote. The Indian American was also the chief executive officer of the Democratic National Committee during the Trump administration.

Biden's nomination of Nanda irked some Republicans, who cited inflammatory tweets she had posted during her twoyear stint at the DNC in saying she was too partisan to serve as the Department of Labor's top legal adviser, according to a

report said.

"Tweets can happen very quickly and sometimes they might not be exactly what we'd say if we had a little more deliberative time," Nanda said at the hearing. Biden's choice of Nanda has been praised Seema Nanda by Democrats who have pointed to her ample report. At a confirmation heargovernment experience and ing in April, Nanda apologized track record of advocating for for the tweets and disavowed workers' rights. ones that said then-Senate Nanda will serve as the third majority leader Mitch in command at the DOL behind McConnell was undermining former Boston mayor Marty democracy by confirming Walsh, who was confirmed as Trump-appointed judges and secretary of labor in March, and that Senator Susan Collins of California labor secretary Julie Maine was unsympathetic to Su, whose nomination for victims of sexual assault, the deputy secretary was approved

by the Senate on July 12. The solicitor of labor is DOL's chief legal officer and oversees a staff of about 500 lawyers across the country. The solicitor's office files lawsuits against employers for violating various federal laws, represents DOL in appeals courts, and provides advice on policymaking, the report said.

Before joining the Obamaera DOL, Nanda led the US Department of Justice's Office of Immigrant and Employee Rights Section, served as a supervisor attorney at the National Labor Relations Board and worked as an associate in private practice in Seattle. She also was a visiting fellow at Harvard Law School's Labor and Worklife Program, her bio notes.

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You are cordially invited (or not) to our socially distanced wedding Kunjal Zala Weddings in India showcase a mixed-pot of culture, traditions, and heritage that comes from its various regions. It’s not just about two individuals coming together but it’s also an emotional family affair. Hence, the grandiose of the various processions make up for a giant profitable industry. With more than 10 million weddings per year, the Indian wedding industry is one of the biggest industries across the globe.

According to a report by KPMG, the current valuation of the wedding industry is more than $50 billion in India.

As the lockdown restrictions start lifting slowly, weddings too have resumed. The news end anxious days for many couples who are planning their weddings in the coming few months.

Yashaswi and Uday are getting married in December 2021. Speaking to Asian Voice, Yashaswi said, “Organising a wedding in itself is such a huge responsibility. Throw in Covid-19 confusion to that mix and it becomes a nightmare for every couple. For instance, things like shopping, meeting up with make-up artists and other vendors, which would have ordinarily been the most exciting parts leading up to a wedding have now lost its charm as we are now resorting to virtual shopping and meetings.”

One of the biggest challenges experienced by most soon-to-marry couples is the guest list and the booking policies of venues. Speaking about the same Yashaswi said, “We always wanted a close intimate wedding with immediate family and close

Praerit and Garesa

friends.

So that per se has not affected my plans. As we have planned a destination wedding with one of the most trusted brands named Taj Hotels in Jodhpur, it adds a security blanket as they have a refund/postpone policies in case restrictions come into play during that period. Mostly, all hotels require the full payment to be done at least two months before the wedding. We have paid the initial instalments and are keeping our fingers crossed.”

Ever since the pandemic hit us, sanitizers, masks, infrared thermometers and RT-PCR tests have become essentials at

wedding celebrations. And now there’s a new addition as soon-to -be-wed couples want vaccinated guests only and are sending out invites asking friends and relatives to timely plan inoculation.

Yashaswi said, “We understand that some guests may not be able to secure their second dose due to government policies. In any event, we will be asking everyone for a negative RT-PCR test at least 48 hours before taking part in the wedding festivities.

This would help all the attendees feel secure and at ease and they can thoroughly enjoy the functions.”

Praerit and Garesa who are getting married in November this year, told the newsweekly, “In these uncertain times, it’s obvious that normalcy is hard to achieve, especially during weddings or any social gatherings.

Taking into consideration the health, restrictions, mindset, people’s fear- a lot has changed. One of the other challenging tasks is to decide Yashaswi and Uday who to invite, as we want everyone to be present in our happy times.”

Rajesh Ravani, founder of Zion Unlimited, said, “The extension of

Webinar on post Covid-19 pandemic effects in the UK On 17 July 2021, a webinar and interaction session was organized by Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry - NRG Center, Ahmedabad on "post-Covid-19 pandemic effects in the UK". The webinar aimed to focus on providing information about the situation in the UK for those residing in the country after Covid19 and the people who want to move to the UK. The guests included CB Patel, Publisher-Editor, Gujarat Samachar & Asian Voice - UK, Rohit Wadhwana, IFS, First Secretary (Economic), High Commission of India - London and Kanti Nagda, prominent British Indian.

The event started with a welcome speech by Digant Sompura, Chairman, NRG Center-Ahmedabad.

While addressing audience, CB Patel mentioned that there are about 2 million Indians living in Britain, out of which 800,000 are Gujarati origin and among them 52% have migrated from Africa. Despite the outcomes of pandemic, the Gujarati community throughout the UK showed up together with strength and affection towards each other. Rohit Wadhwana thanked Natubhai Patel and the committee members and said that vaccination has been done on a large scale in Britain. There are a lot of opportunities for higher education in the UK. A dedicated counseling cell has also been started by the

university.

In an interaction session with renowned business consultant Sunil Parekh, he said that significant initiatives have taken place between both the countries in past 70 years. In the month of May, an agreement on information and startups was signed at a virtual summit between the Prime Ministers of India and the UK, developing the bilateral relations.

British Indian Krishna Pujara said illegal immigrants living in Britain had also been vaccinated without any interrogation. Talking about the economic relations between both the countries, she added that even after Covid-19 and Brexit, there were no major issues in doing business in Britain. According to a report, in 2019, there were 840 Indian companies operating in the UK, which created 1,05,000 jobs.

Additionally, during lockdown, 850 companies were registered which provided jobs to 1,010 people.

Kanti Nagda said that amid the Covid period, due to closure of voluntary organizations in Britain, the government took them under its wing and helped with business loans, visa fee waivers and food to the needy. The fruitful interaction session was organized with a mass participation. Digant Sompura concluded the webinar by expressing thanks to all.

Rajesh Ravani

lockdown in dates from April to June-July and then indefinitely has resulted in a loss of business especially in the Gujarat based venues.

Thankfully, the Gujarat Government has now permitted 150 guests at weddings. We are trying to manage a few things for our venues now. Of course, we cannot go against the Government guidelines, but we have convinced people to host a day time wedding instead of the night, so that we can adhere to the night Though there is a growing trend of destination weddings outside India, currently people are preferring domestic destinations.

“From traditional locations like Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Jaipur which never go out of style to interest in unexplored venues like Mussoorie, Jim Corbett National Park, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Kerala, India is at the peak of intra-national weddings,” Mr Ravani added

If social media was around then I would have been torn to pieces: Kass Naidoo Kass Naidoo was 14 when she decided what she wanted to do when she grew up. After hearing the great West Indian commentator Donna Simmons on the radio, Naidoo knew that she wanted to be the first female cricket commentator in South Africa. As a young woman of colour, that was not going to be an easy career path, and certainly one which, her mother warned, may lead to her getting her heart broken. But a determined young Naidoo was not to be swayed and in 2003 she made her debut on South African national television, hosting coverage of the ICC World Cup. Almost 20 years later, Naidoo is helping to lead Sky’s coverage of the Hundred, the latest cricket innovation. “I was 14 years when I first heard a woman commentate,” Naidoo says. “It was the great Donna Kass Naidoo Simmons, she had come out to South Africa. I wasn’t a cricket fan at the time. In fact, if you’d ask me to watch I would have said, ‘Are you crazy?’ We were very much a football and horse racing family. “But when I heard her commentate, I just listened to this voice and I heard what she had to say and I felt so included. And I started feeling flutters in my heart and feeling like I was falling in love with a sport I had never heard of before. And I sat for hours waiting for her to come back on. I ran into the kitchen and said to my mum, ‘That’s it, I know what I want to be when I grow up. I am going to be the first female cricket commentator in South Africa.’ She just said, ‘That’s crazy.’

Diversity was nothing to even talk about back then. Commentary was white males, commentating on white players, and my mum said, ‘I don’t want your heart to be broken, why not try something more conventional?’

But my heart was set. “I spent 11 years absorbing and obsessing over the game. In 2003 SABC’s [the South African Broadcasting Corporation] regular cricket presenter resigned and I made my debut at the 2003 ICC World Cup. “I remember walking in on my first day and thinking, ‘This is what it feels like to realise a dream.’ It was the change I don’t think cricket was ready for. I think if social media had been around at the time I would have been torn to pieces. They grew to love me because I respect the game, the traditional side of it.”

Naidoo, 43, now has a broad range of experience commentating on men’s and women’s cricket, in South Africa and at ICC global events and T20 franchise tournaments. She believes that cricket is for everyone. As a woman of colour and a mother of three, her presence in covering the Hundred, she says, will help to overcome cricket’s representation issue.

“Cricket is for anyone and everyone - even mums,” she says.

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Spyware used to snoop on ministers, opposition leaders, journalists and businessmen: Report Spyware Pegasus, which is sold by the NSO Group of Israel, may have been used to conduct surveillance on about 300 Indians, including two serving Cabinet ministers at the Centre, three opposition leaders, a Constitutional authority, government officials, scientists and about 40 journalists, according to French media nonprofit, Forbidden Stories, and Amnesty International.

The list also included activists, businessmen and those from the legal fraternity. A number registered in the name of a sitting Supreme Court judge was also on the database, although it was unclear if the judge was still using it for Whatsapp and other messaging services, The Wire, a web portal which was part of the global media project involving16 other outlets, said. The leaked database of around 50,000 phone numbers globally has the names of several Indian journalists.

The leaked database was accessed by Paris-based media nonprofit Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International and shared with The Guardian, The Washington Post, Le Monde, The

This is the second time that Pegasus has been linked to phone surveillance. In 2019, some WhatsApp users in India, including journalists Rahul Gandhi Ashwini Vaishnaw and activists, were informed that their phones had been compromised. This time, among those named, by their own acknowledgment, are The Wire’s S i d d h a r t h Vardharajan and Prashant Kishor Prahlad Patel Rohini Singh, The Hindu’s Vijaita Wire, among others, as part of a Singh and independent journalists collaborative investigation called Prem Shankar Jha and Swati the ‘Pegasus Project’. India was Chaturvedi. among the 10 countries where the Names also include that of fornumbers were concentrated with mer Congress president Rahul Mexico topping the list with 15,000 Gandhi, two ministers in the numbers. A large share of the numNarendra Modi Council of bers was also from West Asian Ministers, and political strategist countries such as UAE, Bahrain Prashant Kishor surfaced on and Saudi Arabia, with Pakistan, Monday. The list includes: Rahul France and Hungary being the Gandhi, former Congress presiother prominent countries on the dent, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union list.

Minister for Railways, IT and

Communications and his wife, Prahlad Singh Patel, Union MoS Jal Shakti. (List also includes his wife, 15 of his close associates including private secretaries, political and office associates, his cook and gardener), Prashant Kishor, election strategist, Ashok Lavasa, former election commissioner, Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MP and national general secretary of the party, Gagandeep Kang, top scientist and virologist, Hari Menon, India head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Jagdeep Chokhar, head of Association of Democratic Reforms, Alankar Sawai, close aide of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sachin Rao, member of Congress Working Committee, Pradeep Awasthi, personal secretary to former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje (when she was the CM), Sanjay Kachru, Union minister Smriti Irani’s OSD during 2014-15, Pravin Togadia, former international working president of VHP. Govt dismisses allegation The government dismissed allegations of tapping phones of prominent individuals including ministers, opposition leaders, jour-

nalists, businessmen and others.

"The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with its whatsoever, an official statement released by the government said.

It said that the questionnaire sent to the Government of India indicates that the story being created is "not only bereft of facts" but also "founded in pre-conceived conclusions". "It seems you are trying to play the role of an investigator, prosecutor as well as jury," the government said in its response.

Government of India's response to a Right to Information application about the use of Pegasus has been prominently reported by media and is in itself sufficient to counter any malicious claims about the alleged association between the government and Pegasus," it further said.

The government said that similar claims were made in the past regarding the use of Pegasus on WhatsApp by India. Those reports, it said, had no factual basis and were categorically denied by all parties, including WhatsApp in the Supreme Court.

Banks get £79.2 mn from sale Photojournalist Danish Siddiqui of Mallya’s shares laid to rest in Delhi The State Bank of India-led consortium that lent loans to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya received £79.21 million after some shares in the Kingfisher Airlines, earlier attached under the antimoney laundering law, were sold, the Enforcement Directorate said.

These shares were handed over by the ED to the consortium,” the agency said in a statement. These shares were earlier attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by the ED as part of its probe into the case. Last month too, the consortium had realised more than £718.1 million after a similar sale of

Vijay Mallya

attached shares. Mallya, who fled to the UK, is being probed by the ED and the CBI in connection with an alleged £900 million bank fraud linked to the operations of his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines.

The 65-year-old liquor

baron has lost his case against extradition to India and as he has been denied permission to file appeal in the UK Supreme Court, his extradition to India has become final, the ED had earlier said. Over £2.2 billion bank funds is stated to have been “defrauded” in these two cases. “As on date, assets worth 58% of total loss to the banks have been handed over to the banks or have been confiscated to be deposited in the accounts of the government of India,” the ED said.

The body of photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, who was killed while covering a clash between Aghfan security forces and Taliban, laid to rest at Jamia Millia Islamia graveyard in New Delhi on Sunday. Gaffar Manzil, Gali Number 5, the lane where Danish grew up, was lined with people clad in white on Sunday evening.

The news that his body had reached Delhi Airport filled the lane by 6 pm.

Those present outside his house - fellow journalists, Jamia Millia Islamia batchmates, or people from the neighbourhood - everyone had his name on their lips, and a personal anec-

Danish Siddiqui

dote to share. “Down the road there’s a peepal tree, where we often met for tea,” recalled one journalist.

Many young students and journalists said Danish, the

Raj Kundra arrested in case UP cancels kanwar yatra after SC snub related to creation of porn films Kanwar associations in Uttar Pradesh Narendra Modi's statement that "we canA magistrate court in Mumbai sent Raj Kundra, businessman and actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband, to police custody till July 23 for allegedly producing and circulating pornographic videos through social media.

The Mumbai police said, “Through investigation it is clear that Kundra is involved in making nude and vulgar videos, uploads Raj Kundra them on social media and earns money.” He was arrested by the Property Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch on July 19 in connection with the pornography racket busted in February.

When the police raided a bungalow at Madh village in Malad on February 4, 2021, some young boys and girls were found filming and recording nude and vulgar videos and uploading them on various online platforms. Investigation revealed that these videos were going to be uploaded on a website and mobile app.

Actor Umesh Kamat confessed that Kundra is involved in broadcasting such videos on apps and has also made WhatsApp groups to stay in contact with the app. A witness told the police that Kundra and his close aide Saurabh Kushwah established Arms Prime Media Private Limited on February 5, 2019, and the said company sold the app to a company named Kenrin Limited for $25,000. On December 11, 2019, Kundra resigned from the company. The police said, “Through investigation it is clear that Kundra is involved in making nude and vulgar videos, uploads them on social media and earns money by establishing Arms Prime Media Private Limited which took over the app.”

decided to call off this year’s kanwar yatra in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and experts’ warning about a third wave in the coming months. The move came after talks with state government representatives, sources said.

Additional chief secretary (information) Navneet Sehgal confirmed that the Kanwar yatra was called off for the second consecutive year after an appeal by the UP government. Undertaken annually by devotees of Lord Shiva to bring water from sacred rivers - mainly the Ganga in Haridwar - to offer it to the deity in the month of Shravan, the yatra was cancelled last year by both UP and Uttarakhand due to the pandemic.

This year, too, Uttarakhand cancelled it after drawing flak over holding Kumbh early this year. However, UP wanted to organise it in accordance with Covid protocols. The Supreme Court then took suo motu cognizance of the issue and served a notice to the UP government.

SC takes objection Earlier, noting Prime Minister

not compromise even a bit" on Covid pandemic as the third wave is lurking, the Supreme Court said it was a “little disturbed” as it took suo motu cognisance of news reports that the Uttar Pradesh government was going to allow kanwar yatra from July 25 and sought responses from the state and Centre.

Taking into account contradictory voices, including the Uttarakhand government’s decision to call off the yatra, the bench of Justices R F Nariman and B R Gavai directed the UP and Uttarakhand governments to file their response within two days. "The headline just above this headline speaks about the Prime Minister’s statement when he met the northeastern chief ministers that when people ask about the third wave of the Covid-19 virus striking the citizenry of India, it’s up to us to stop it and we cannot compromise ‘even a bit’. Given the disparate political voices, all speaking at the same time, it is important that the relevant secretary, Union of India, respond to this news report," the order said.

Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist who was killed in a Taliban attack in Afghanistan, had been an inspiration and an everhelpful senior.

As the cloudy skies took on a violet hue, more people gathered in the park right opposite his house.

Bilal Zaidi, who grew up in the same lane and knew Danish since he was five, said, “For the last few years, we had been following each other’s work. He was a very soft-spoken and an empathetic person and his empathetic nature was reflected in his work. That is what I think is so brilliant about the Danish Siddique story” As the number of people increased, so did the security and police deployment. A few police vans arrived just before his body reached home in a hearse van. At 8.17 pm, the hearse van reached the house, after which the body was taken into the house, via the back gate.

After completing the rituals, the body was taken in the van to Jamia, his alma mater. Hundreds of people followed on foot, some in their vehicles. People took a minute to perform namaze-janaza, the Islamic funeral prayer, around 10 pm, after which he was buried at the graveyard of Jamia Millia Islamia, near Azeem Dairy.

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SOUTH INDIA

Lockdown extended in TN amid more relaxation CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has extended the coronavirus lockdown in the state till July 31 while easing more curbs. The graded relaxations come amid a dip in the daily Covid-19 cases.

Schools and colleges will remain closed, however, industrial schools, ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) and type-writing schools have been permitted to function with 50 per capacity on a rotational basis, as per the new guidelines.

Teachers have also been allowed in schools for admission process and books distribution.

The ongoing lockdown in Tamil Nadu was going to end on July 19. Only 50 people will be allowed for weddings and 20 for funerals, said an official statement by Chief Minister MK Stalin.

He also appealed to people not come out of homes unnecessarily and gather in

crowds, amid fears about the third wave of the pandemic.

Inter-state buses, except to and from Puducherry, will continue to be prohibited.

Theatres, bars, swimming polls, zoos, political or community meetings with public participation, entertainment and cultural events will remain banned.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Kerala and Maharashtra to discuss the Covid-19 situation in the states.

In the virtual meet, MK Stalin, flagged comparatively less allocation of Covid-19 vaccine doses to Tamil Nadu and said the Centre should provide 10 million doses as a special case.

Tamil Nadu reported 2,312 new Covid-19 cases, pushing the caseload to 25,31,118. The

number of fatalities mounted to 33,652 with 46 deaths due to the virus in the last 24 hours.

No end to Kerala’s woes Kerala on Saturday last logged 16,148 new Covid19 cases, the highest in a month, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “The high volume of cases is a big concern and it emphasised the need for more vigil and surveillance,” Vijayan said during a press meeting. In the last 24 hours, the country reported 38,079 cases of Covid-19 and the state’s contribution was around 40 per cent of the total national caseload. The state’s test positivity remained 10.76 per cent while the national average is below 3 per cent. The state’s weekly average was above 14,000 cases with 10 per cent TPR. Since June 15, Kerala, the country’s first state to report a virus case in January 2020,

topped in new cases and active caseload.

Two districts, Malappuram and Kozhikode, reported more than 2,000 cases but the CM reiterated that there is no need for panic. “High caseload is due to increased tests.

We have set a high testing target and moving towards this. Even at the peak of the second wave, the state did not use 70 per cent of its hospital infrastructure. No oxygen shortage is reported here,” he said, adding that it was due to proper planning and execution of pandemic prevention activities.

PUNJAB

Sedition case against 100 farmers for allegedly attacking BJP leader's car CHANDIGARH: Police in Haryana have charged over 100 farmers with sedition after they allegedly attacked and damaged the official vehicle of Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa during a protest against members of the state's ruling BJP-Jannayak Janata Party alliance and the controversial new farm laws.

The incident took place in Haryana's Sirsa district on July 11. The FIR was filed on the same day.

Apart from sedition, the FIR also charges farmers with 'attempt to murder'. Two leaders of the farmers' movement - Harcharan Singh and Prahlad Singh - were among those named in the FIR. In a statement, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (one of the protesting groups) slammed the charges, calling them "false, frivolous and cooked up" and vowing to

contest them in court.

"Farmer leaders Harcharan Singh and Prahlad Singh and around 100 farmers have been booked under false cases... with grave charge of sedition... merely because they were protesting against Haryana Deputy Speaker in Sirsa," the statement said. "SKM strongly condemns false, frivolous and cooked-up sedition charges, and indeed all other charges, against farmers and farmer leaders under instructions of the antifarmer BJP government of Haryana," it added.

News of the sedition charges comes hours after the Supreme Court described the law "colonial", and asked the government if it is "still necessary after 75 years of Independence". The law is a threat to the functioning of institutions and holds

"enormous power" for misuse with no accountability for the executive, the court said, asking the centre why it "is not looking into this law".

"If a police officer wants to fix anybody in a village for something, he can use Section 124 A... People are scared," a top court bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana said. The court also agreed to hear a fresh challenge to the controversial law - one mounted by a former Army officer. Major-General SG Vombatkere (retd) has challenged the constitutional validity of the law on grounds it causes a "chilling effect" on freedom of speech and expression.

Protesting farmers in Haryana have made their displeasure clear over the past few days, with demonstrations in Fatehabad, Jhajjar, Hisar and

Yamunanagar leading to clashes with the police. Farmers protesting the centre's laws clashed with police in Haryana last week. The farmers have stressed that they will not allow members of Haryana's ruling BJP-Jannayak Janata Party alliance to address any public events while their demands go unmet.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar struck an ominous note last month as he warned farmers "it won't be good for anyone to cross their limit". "We have maintained patience but they keep threatening us... that Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister can't visit villages. Those running the government have a responsibility to meet people... we are keeping our calm... but it won't be good for anyone to cross their limit," he said.

WEST BENGAL

NHRC seeks CBI probe into Bengal post-poll violence KOLKATA: A National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) committee tasked with probing allegations of post-poll violence in West Bengal has recommended a CBI investigation into “grievous offences like murder and rape”, saying the situation in the state was a “manifestation of the law of ruler instead of rule of law”.

In its report tabled before the Calcutta high court, the panel formed by the NHRC chairman on directions of the court, also suggested trial of cases related to the violence be held outside the state.

The NHRC committee noted that a very large number of complaints had been received, close to 2,000, from 23 districts.

Around 35% of the complaints

related to murder or homicide and 4% to rape. The percentage of those arrested or in those still in custody is "abysmally low".

Less than 3% of the accused are in jail. There were several instance of physical intimidation of women, who were on occasion stripped and humiliated.

"Analysis of statements recorded of the victims/complainants, supporting documents, data and other related information collected from the spot enquiries, including camp sittings, registered cases, etc., revealed that a large number of criminals, who enjoy state patronage and support, were responsible for abetting, planning, organising and even committing offences in a systematic and widespread

manner," the report states.

While the report drew West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s ire over the NHRC allegedly pursuing “vendetta politics” of BJP and “leaking” findings to the media, NHRC countered the allegations as “absolutely baseless and factually incorrect”. The commission said the committee submitted its report to the HC on July13. “On the further directions of the Hon'ble Court, the Committee provided a copy of the said report to its Advocate in Calcutta, who shared with the Advocates of all the concerned parties in the related multiple writ petitions."

The committee referred to “spatio-temporal expanse of violent incidents in the state of West Bengal reflects the

in brief CHRISTIAN BIZMAN BUILDS GANESHA TEMPLE A 78-year-old Christian businessman, who spent his working years in Mumbai and attributes his success to Siddhivinayak, has built a temple for the deity in his hometown near Udupi, Karnataka. Gabriel F Nazereth said he built the temple on his ancestral land in the memory of his parents. “Gabriel is thrilled about his wish being fulfilled,” said his friend Pundalika Marathe, adding, “Gabriel went to Mumbai in search of a job after completing Class 10. After doing odd jobs for a few years, he set up a factory manufacturing blocks and moulds. He lived in Mumbai for nearly 55 years and became a Ganesha devotee. “He remains a Christian but also believes in Lord Siddhivinayak, who is the most revered in Mumbai.”

KARNATAK CM DISMISSES RUMOURS ABOUT RESIGNATION Amid rumours of his resignation, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said there was no change of guard in the state. Yediyurappa met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief J P Nadda, home minster Amit Shah and defence minister Rajnath minister during his Delhi visit.

His Delhi visit is reportedly at the instance of the PM. Following the meeting, an official statement released by the Chief Minister’s Office said, “During the meeting, the CM requested that the Upper Bhadra Project be declared a national project and also sought financial assistance for the Bengaluru Peripheral Ring Road project. The Mekedatu project and establishing a US Consulate were also discussed.” A close associate of Yediyurappa, who had accompanied him to the national capital, also denied the rumours of his resignation. Sources close Yediyurappa said that the Chief Minister will be back in Delhi next month to meet the Prime Minister with proposals for the state’s development.

BADAL HITS OUT AT AMARINDER OVER POWER CRISES Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal slammed the Punjab government over the power crisis in the state and said industries are suffering huge losses amid the electricity crisis. Badal said, "Punjab is under a huge electricity crisis. I have been receiving calls from various industrialists saying save us.

They said our orders are getting cancelled as our factories are not working due to no electricity. Industries are suffering huge losses."

Badal said, "in the last 4.5 years, Amarinder Singh has not added a single thermal/solar plant. He even closed Bathinda & Ropar thermal plants. I appeal to Captain to buy electricity from wherever you get then only industries will survive." Amarinder earlier said that his government would soon announce its legal strategy to counter the Power purchase agreement (PPA), signed by the former SADBJP government, which had put an "atrociously unnecessary financial" burden on the state.

HC NOTICE TO SUVENDU ON MAMATA’S PLEA

appalling apathy of the state government towards plight of victims.” It noted that “The committee has recommended that grievous offences like murder, rape, etc should be handed over to the CBI for investigation and these cases should be tried outside the state."

The committee also referred to the post-poll violence as “retributive violence by supporters of the ruling party against supporters of the main opposition party.”

The Calcutta high court issued a notice to leader of the opposition in Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari on an election petition filed

by Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee challenging the Nandigram assembly poll result. Justice Shampa Sarkar admitted Banerjee’s petition.

The court will hear the case on August12. The court also issued notices to the Election Commission, the state electoral officer and the returning officer with a direction to keep all election-related records intact till the case was heard. Justice Sarkar passed the order after Banerjee’s counsel requested the court to pass an interim order for preservation of records as election authorities were otherwise required to preserve these for only six months after polls.

The CM in her petition had urged a courtmonitored recount of votes in Nandigram seat where BJP candidate Adhikari was declared elected by a margin of around 2,000 votes.

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Sidhu named Punjab Congress chief amid escalating tension with Amarinder Amid the escalating tension within the Punjab Congress and putting days of speculation to rest, former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was appointed the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief on Sunday. Congress also appointed four working presidents for the Punjab unit - Sangat Singh Gilzian, Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Pawan Goel and Kuljit Singh Nagra.

Earlier, Sidhu arrived in Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s home constituency, Patiala, to meet party MLAs and garner support for his elevation. Sidhu met Shutrana MLA Nirmal Singh Shutrana and later went to Ghanaur MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur’s house along with several MLAs. Cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was already present at Jalalpur’s house.

Jalalpur, who is considered close to Patiala MP and Amarinder’s wife Preneet Kaur, hosted Sidhu along with his workers. Jalalpur told the media, “I got a call from Randhawa that Sidhu would be visiting me. I have organised tea for him.” Sidhu’s camp also released his pictures with at least 30 MLAs whom he had met on Saturday. “The number is growing,” said an aide of Sidhu.

Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi call on Amarinder at his residence,” tweeted the CM’s media advisor while sharing a photograph of leaders sitting these together. Congress MP Manish Tewari retweeted the photo and said it was good to see Bajwa and Amarinder together and Navjot Singh Sidhu noted that the Rajya Sabha MP and the chief minister Meanwhile, 11 MLAs on Sunday would make a good team ahead. came out in support of Amarinder On Saturday, Congress general whom they called the “tallest leader secretary in-charge of Punjab of masses” and appealed to the affairs Harish Rawat had met party high command not to let him Amarinder in Chandigarh. After down. Bajwa, a strident critic of the the meeting, Rawat told the media chief minister, called on Amarinder that the CM reiterated his earlier at his residence on a day when stand that he will abide by the deciSidhu held a series of meetings sion of the Congress president. with Punjab Congress president “The CM reiterated his earlier Sunil Jakhar and several MLAs, stand that he will go with Congress including the CM’s loyalists.

President’s decision. This is a huge Besides Rajya Sabha member thing in Congress,” said Rawat. But Bajwa, Punjab Assembly Speaker Rawat was only partially successful Rana K P Singh and Sports Minister as he could not make the Chief Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi also met Minister and Sidhu meet for the the chief minister. token “all-is-well” photograph.

“Punjab Speaker Rana K P Rawat urged Amarinder to meet Singh, Rajya Sabha MP and former Sidhu, but the Chief Minister Punjab Congress president Partap refused, saying he will meet him Singh Bajwa and cabinet minister only after he apologises.

In a string of tweets in May, Sidhu had hit out at the CM, mincing few words. On May 1, he shared a 2016 video clip in which Amarinder is heard “promising to act against the Badals” in the 2015 police firing incident at Faridkot if voted to power. Sidhu said, “Big Boast, Small Roast. Big Outcry, No Outcome.”

When early indications came in that Siddhu will be appointed the Punjab Congress chief, sources close to Amarinder had said he was unhappy, and had conveyed to the high command that he would not go into the Assembly elections with Sidhu as PCC chief. Later, clarifications and denials were issued by both Rawat and the CM. The seeds of discord between Amarinder and Sidhu were sown back in 2017, when the latter joined the Congress and the CM saw him as an upstart imposed on the state unit by the Delhi high command.

With tension escalating between the duo, CM stripped Siddhu of his portfolio in June 2019 following a downward spiral that saw the latter openly attack a fellow minister over an alleged scam. After laying low for a while, Sidhu mounted a fresh attack on the Captain on April 13

this year when he said the government was seen as being soft on the Badals, in cases relating to the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in 2015 under the Akalis. The statement marked only the beginning of renewed conflict between the duo, which has kept the political pot boiling in Punjab ahead of Assembly polls next year.

Sidhu had earlier met AICC chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi. Rahul Gandhi and Rawat were also present during the meeting. Even before Sidhu-Sonia meet, Rawat had made an attempt to pacify Amarinder by calling and telling him that he had not said anything about making Sidhu the PCC chief. Sources said that the CM had made it known that he was not happy with the arrangement suggested by the party high command and a few leaders expressed their fear that the state unit could split. Sidhu had reportedly garnered support from at least five Cabinet ministers and 10-15 MLAs. Sidhu’s appointment as the state unit chief means there are now two Jat Sikhs on key posts the other being Amarinder Singh.

Sunil Jakhar, the previous PCC president, is a Hindu.

Why keep colonial sedition law India, China to hold commanders meet used against Gandhi, Tilak, asks SC The Supreme Court last week sought the Centre's views on whether the British-era sedition provision Section124A in the Indian Penal Code, used to punish freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak to quell dissent and protest, should be retained even when there is continued evidence of its misuse by police without any accountability right till current times.

Importantly, the Centre appeared to be on the same page with the SC when attorney general K K Venugopal said the court can lay down guidelines restricting the use of Section 124A in addition to the broad parameters provided by the court in a fivedecade-old judgment in the Kedar Nath case as to what constituted "sedition".

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, “The court will find that most of its apprehensions are addressed when the Centre files its response to the PIL.” A bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy said it was of the opinion that the sedition law should be used only for protection of the nation, its security and institutions of importance in a democracy.

However, the sedition law, enacted by the British to subjugate the people of India, had been grossly misused since Independence for the last 75 years, much in a similar way to quell dissent.

Don’t use anti-terror law to quell dissent

Underlining the role of the Supreme Court as a “counter-majoritarian institution” to protect the socioeconomic rights of people, particularly minorities, Justice D Y Chandrachud has said that criminal laws should not be misused to silence dissent and harass citizens. The Supreme Court judge also justified the court’s intervention in the Covid vaccination policy. He said the court prima facie found fault in the policy of the Centre for being discriminatory and it could not stand as a “silent spectator” in a humanitarian crisis. He said the court adopted a “bounded deliberative approach” and the policy was changed for the betterment for the citizens.

"The criminal law, including anti-terror legislation, should not be misused for quelling dissent or for harassment of citizens.

As I noted in Arnab Goswami v State of Maharashtra and others, our courts must ensure they continue to remain the first line of defence against the deprivation of liberty of citizens,” the Supreme Court judge said.

“Deprivation of liberty even for a single day is one too many. We must always be mindful of the deeper systemic implications of our decisions,” Justice

Chandrachud said while speaking at the Indo-US Joint Summer Conference on legal ties.

Justice Chandrachud, who has passed various judgments to protect personal liberty and freedom, referred to orders by the apex court to protect the rights of the poor and marginalised sections during the Covid pandemic and how the SC's intervention led to change in vaccination policy of the Centre.

Indian and Chinese foreign ministers agreed to convene an early meeting of military commanders to “seek a mutually acceptable solution” to the outstanding issues on the LAC in the western sector while refraining from any unilateral action that could escalate the military stand-off.

During the meeting last week, India's foreign minister S Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that troops should complete the disengagement at the LAC “at the earliest” and that the unsettled situation

Piyush Goyal to be Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Union minister for commerce, consumer affairs and food and textiles Piyush Goyal will replace Thaawar Chand Gehlot as the leader of House in Rajya Sabha, signalling the induction of a younger leader for the role usually handled by veterans. Goyal was the deputy leader when Gehlot, who has been appointed as governor of Karnataka, was the leader of the House. Prior to becoming a minister in 2014, Goyal was BJP treasurer, a post held by his father VP Goyal. He was also engaged in poll management activities and for managing logistics during the elections. He has been deputed to various states, including Uttar Pradesh in the 2017 assembly polls.

As deputy leader of the House of Elders, Goyal has been an effective floor manager and played a role in passage of key legislations including the contentious ones for which support of other parties was required. Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP functionaries greeted Goyal. “Hearty congratulations to Goyal on being appointed as the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha. I am sure that Piyush bhai will become the strong voice of BJP in Rajya Sabha with his dedication, strength and energy and he will give more strength to PM Modi Ji’s resolve for welfare of the poor,” Shah tweeted.

Earlier, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said, “Congratulations to Piyush Goyal on being appointed the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha. He has been entrusted

by PM Narendra Modi with key responsibility. Wishing him continued vigour in the service to the nation.” Joshi tweeted soon after reports came in that the parliamentary affairs ministry has sent its recommendation in this regard to the Rajya Sabha secretariat.

BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh said Goyal’s energy, connect and depth makes “Rajya Sabha a more loveable place for exchange of ideas for national good”.

has cast a negative light on the entire bilateral relationship.

After an hour-long meeting between Jaishankar and Wang Yi in Dushanbe on the sidelines of an SCO meeting on Afghanistan, the Indian minister tweeted, “Highlighted that unilateral change of status quo is not acceptable. Full restoration and maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is essential for development of our ties.” The reiteration of the Indian position, despite the Chinese reluctance to complete disengagement in Ladakh, was reaffirmed by an official statement by the MEA which said, “there was also an understanding that both sides will continue to ensure stability on the ground and neither side will take any unilateral action that could increase tension.”

The situation remains tense in several areas in eastern Ladakh, particularly Gogra-Hot Springs also known as Patrol Points 15 and 17a. There is also the “legacy” issue of the Depsang plains where Indian troops have been prevented from patrolling on points 10 to 13. After an agreement on disengagement at Pangong Tso, there has been no further progress. The last round of military commanders’ talks on June 25 too did not break the deadlock. “It was expected that the Chinese side

would work with us towards this objective. EAM noted, however, that the situation in remaining areas is still unresolved,” the MEA statement said.

It was believed then that the issue would have to be resolved at the political level, which resulted in Wednesday’s meeting of the foreign ministers.

A Jaishankar-Wang meeting in Moscow last year in September, soon after an Indian manoeuvre to gain control of the heights on the south bank of Pangong Tso surprised the Chinese, had led to a five point consensus to ease border tensions. A mutual disengagement at Pangong Tso took place in February this year.

In his meeting, Jaishankar said the border situation was “visibly impacting the relationship in a negative manner.”

China’s attempts to “change the status quo” in the border areas last year “disregarded commitments under the 1993 and 1996 agreements have inevitably affected ties.” “He emphasised that it was, therefore, in mutual interest that the two sides work towards early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols,” MEA said.

Following the meeting between Jaishankar and Wang Yi, China said it's ready to seek a "mutually acceptable solution" to the issues that required "urgent treatment" but added its troops were not responsible for the current impasse and that the two countries needed to keep the border issue at the "appropriate place".

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PM Modi opens multiple development projects in Gujarat The needs of 21st century India won't be fulfilled with the ways of the 20th century, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, stressing the need for reforms in the railways, as he inaugurated multiple development projects in Gujarat, including the redeveloped Gandhinagar railway station.

The PM Modi also inaugurated the newly-built five-star hotel atop the redeveloped Gandhinagar railway station and later inaugurated three new attractions at the Science City in Ahmedabad.

During the virtual event, Modi also flagged the off GandhinagarVaranasi weekly superfast train and Gandhinagar-Varetha train.

He also inaugurated the redeveloped Vadnagar railway station. The PM said that many memories were associated with Vadnagar station.

“Today, Vadnagar is also associated with the railway expansion work. Many memories are associated with Vadnagar station. It looks very attractive now,” the PM commented on the railway station of his hometown, where he once helped his father, who had a tea stall there, to sell tea.

“We have worked to develop the railways not only as a service but as an asset, the result of which can be seen today,” Modi said, adding that there is a need to develop the railways vertically as much as there is a need to spread its reach horizontally. Stating that

he was eager to visit Gujarat at the earliest opportunity to view the projects he inaugurated virtually, the PM said that better public spaces are a necessity. “Earlier, urban planners considered quality

forget the condition of the Sabarmati river earlier. Today, it has a riverfront, parks, a seaplane and many other amenities attached to it,” he remarked.

The PM also inaugurated the Aquatics and Robotics Gallery and Nature Park in Gujarat Science City via video conferencing.

Speaking on the occasion, the PM said, “Science City project is a mix of recreation and creativity. The aquatics gallery is even more interesting. The sight of marine biodiversity from all over the world in one place is a wonderful experience in itself.”

Functions held at railway stations ensure greater To

public spaces to be a luxury, and people in our cities were denied quality public spaces. Nobody can

participation in the events, the state government had directed holding of parallel events at all

Narendra Modi

stations through which the Gandhinagar Capital -Varanasi and Gandhinagar Capital–Varetha trains were to pass. At the Ahmedabad station, minister of state for home, Pradipsinh Jadeja, was present on Platform-1. A programme was held even as the train was flagged off from Gandhinagar. The parallel events were organized at Anand, Chhayapuri, and Godhra from where the Ahmedabad-Varanasi train was to pass.

Two new trains from Gandhinagar The Western Railway will be introducing new superfast train services between Gandhinagar and Varanasi stations and Memu services between Gandhinagar and Varetha stations. The Gandhinagar Capital–Varanasi

Superfast Special Express will leave Gandhinagar every Thursday at 11.15 pm to reach Varanasi at 11.30 pm the next day.

Varanasi–Gandhinagar The Capital Superfast Special Express will leave Varanasi every Wednesday at 3.15 pm to reach Gandhinagar at 3.20 pm the next day. The train will halt at Ahmedabad, Anand, Chhayapuri, Godhra, Ratlam, Ujjain, Bina, Jhansi, and Prayagraj stations in both directions. The Gandhinagar Capital–Varetha Unreserved Memu will leave Gandhinagar every day except Saturday at 6.00 pm to reach Varetha at 9.25 pm.

Varetha–Gandhinagar The Capital will leave Varetha every day except Sunday at 6.40 am to reach Gandhinagar Capital at 10am.

Rain fury claims 32 lives in Mumbai Sharad Pawar meets PM Modi Torrential rains wreaked havoc in Mumbai on Sunday leaving 32 dead and six others injured in five separate incidents of landslides, electrocutions and a house collapse. The downpour began in the early hours of Sunday and continued through the day.

A landslide in Mahul’s Bharat Nagar claimed the most lives with19 people reported. In Vikhroli’s Surya Nagar, 10 hutment dwellers were killed as five shanties collapsed after a landslide.

Both the Centre and state announced relief for the families of those killed in landslides in Mahul and Vikhroli.

One person was reported dead after a house collapse in Bhandup (W). A 26-year old man was electrocuted at an Andheri shop in the morning and another 21-year old man was electrocuted at Kandivli (E) after he came into contact with a submerged electric box. He was trying to move his belongings to a safer place during the downpour.

Meanwhile in Nalasopra, a four-year-old boy is feared to have fallen into a manhole that was left open to drain out rainwater.

“Saddened by the loss of lives due to wall collapses in Chembur and Vikhroli in Mumbai,” PM Narendra Modi announced Rs 200,000 from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to the next of kin of those who died in the landslides and Rs 50,000 to those who were

in Delhi for nearly an hour

injured. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced Rs 500,000 ex gratia each to the families of the deceased and free treatment for the injured.

He asked authorities to ensure that medical facilities continue unhampered at jumbo Covid centres.

The Mumbai airport was shut for close to five hours early on Sunday morning and some flights were

diverted to other cities.

Road and rail traffic was also hit. Power outages were reported in several areas for as long as eight hours. Parts of the city were waterlogged with water entering homes in both the eastern and western suburbs. Some parts of the city did not receive drinking water after floodwater entered the Bhandup water purification complex and operations were shut down.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital for nearly an hour on Saturday fuelling speculations about the political situation in Maharashtra.

Prime Minister's Office or PMO tweeted a photo of their meeting, which also took place after speculation a few days ago that Sharad Pawar could be the presidential candidate. However, the NCP chief rubbished these speculations.

On Friday, the newlyappointed leader of Rajya Sabha and Union minister Piyush Goyal held consultations with Pawar along with former prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma ahead of the

monsoon session, government officials said.

NCP & BJP can never be allies The speculations generated by the meeting was serious enough for NCP spokesman Nawab Malik to call a press conference in Mumbai and debunk reports that the Pawar-Modi meet had implications for the state government. Malik said NCP and BJP were like

Government ready for a ‘constructive’ debate on all issues: PM Modi PM Narendra Modi on Sunday assured political parties ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament that the government is ready to discuss all issues even as the opposition objected to a proposal that the PM would address all MPs on the Covid pandemic at the Parliament Annexe, insisting that he should speak in the two Houses or the Central Hall.

Opposition parties said it will be “highly irregular” for the PM to speak to MPs at the Annexe at a time when Parliament is in session. At the all-party meeting on Sunday, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said Modi will address MPs of Rajya Sabha and

Lok Sabha on July 20 on the pandemic.

“What is the need to go outside Parliament? Any address should be on the floor of the House. This is another idea to bypass Parliament. Stop making a mockery of Parliament,” Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien said.

After the meeting of parties, the PM tweeted, “Took part in the all-party meeting before the start of Parliament’s monsoon session. We look forward to a productive session where all issues can be debated as well as discussed in a constructive manner.” Joshi said that at the meeting, attended by 40 representatives from 33 political parties, Modi said suggestions made by

the MPs are invaluable as they are directly linked to people.

At a separate meeting, LS Speaker Om Birla assured that parties will be given adequate opportunities for discussion on issues of public interest and appealed to leaders to cooperate with smooth conduct of the House. He said he had requested leaders of parties in LS to respect the sanctity and dignity of the House.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the party's position has always been that when Parliament is in session, whatever the government has to say, it can do so on the floor of the House.

two ends of a river, which can never meet because they are ideologically opposite.

He also said that Pawar had informed CM Thackeray as well as Congress leaders about the proposed meeting a few days ago.

“It was a scheduled meeting. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and AICC general secretary H K Patil were also aware about the meeting. Prima facie, Pawar knocked at the doors of the PM to express concern over the amendments to the banking regulation act and creation of the ministry of cooperation led by Amit Shah. Pawar has written a comprehensive letter to the PM,” Malik said.

“First Pawar spoke to the PM on the anti-bank amendments, but then PM felt that it will be better if there is personal discussion.

Accordingly, Pawar met Modi,’’ Malik added. Later, Pawar tweeted a letter he wrote to the PM about the amendment in the Banking Act.

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HEALTH

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Add whole grains to your diet to lower heart disease risk A new research published in The Journal of Nutrition has linked the consumption of whole grains to lower increases in weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar, especially for middle-aged and older adults who ate a minimum of three servings a day. A team of researchers used data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort to assess risk factors. They conducted the study to determine just how whole grain versus refined grain consumption would affect various risk factors for heart disease, including waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol.

Out of the 3,121 people who participated in the study, most were white, with an average age in the mid-50s. The researchers

looked at their health outcomes for a median of 18 years to determine what effect whole, and refined grains had. They compared the changes that occurred at four-year intervals, and found that waist size increased less among those who ingested more whole grains. Also, blood sugar and systolic blood pressure increases were greater in those who ate fewer servings of whole grains.

Mary-Jon Ludy, Ph.D.,

chair of the Department of Public and Allied Health and associate professor, Food & Nutrition at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, believes whole grains are better for us as they include all edible parts of the grain kernel.

“Fiber helps to maintain steady blood sugar levels, can lower cholesterol, and promote healthy digestion.

The combination of fiber with B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin), vitamin

E, minerals (iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc) provides a host of disease prevention benefits, including lower levels of inflammation and reduced rates of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and obesity,” she said.

National spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Colleen Tewksbury, Ph.D., said the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends at least three servings of whole grains a day. “A good place to start is to look at what foods you are already eating that are refined grains and see if you can replace them with the whole grain version. Eating pasta? Maybe try out replacing it with whole-grain pasta. Same for breads or other bread products.”

Antidepressants may benefit people with depression, diabetes A new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggests that people with diabetes and depression who take antidepressants may face a lower risk of serious diabetes complications and death. People suffering from diabetes face a higher risk of depression, making them more susceptible to developing complications including heart and kidney disease, stroke, eye, and foot problems.

Study author Shi-Heng Wang, Ph.D., of the China

Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan, said, “People with depression and diabetes have poorer health outcomes than those with diabetes alone, and regular antidepressant treatment could lower their risk of complications.” Chi-Shin Wu, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan, said, “People who adhere to their antidepressants have better diabetes outcomes and quality of life than those with poor adherence.”

Researchers of the study conducted a nationwide ret-

rospective cohort study of 36,276 patients with depression and diabetes to determine if antidepressants could improve diabetes out-

comes. They found the regular antidepressant treatment was associated with a lower risk of death and heart disease.

Different factors impact anxiety disorders in women and men An animal study led by researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine examined how separate factors affect anxiety disorders in men and women. The team conducted a study on male and female rodent models to better understand sex difference in biological responses related to anxiety. They published their findings in the journal Psychopharmacology. The study examined how biological factors impact anxiety disorders, specifically in females, and found that anxiety intensifies in females when there's a specific, liferelevant condition.

Thatiane De Oliveira Sergio, Ph.D., led the team to study rodent models to better understand sex differences in biological responses related to anxiety. They said anxiety disorders occur twice as often in women than men, and social and cultural factors likely play an

important role in the development of anxiety in females. They added that the roles for many women have amplified during the pandemic, working remotely, teaching children in virtual school, everyday tasks, errands. These factors could have increased their anxiety.

De Oliviera said, “This work is giving us a foundation to start and explore anxiety behaviours that are very important and even more relevant now.

Biological factors play an important role in these types of mood disorders, but it can be hard to untangle the mechanisms that drive anxiety in humans. This rodent work is important to do to help develop more effective and personalized treatments.”

The researchers, in behavioural tasks, gave the rodents pellets of food to grab from a brightly lit centre of a big arena. Rats aren't

compatible with light, so this creates an anxious conflict.

Female rats took longer to touch the food and ate less food as compared to the males. The researchers also gave the rodents diazepama drug used to treat anxiety and it greatly reduced anxiety in females, but it had little effect in males when

interacting with food.

“Knowing that anxiety can manifest from different concerns in males and females, with females particularly attuned to the most life-relevant conditions, is a valuable step towards seeking better treatments based on sex differences,” De Oliveira said.

How to Stay Present and Grounded During a Conflict Psychologist Mamta Saha Let’s admit it is challenging to stay calm and engaged during tough conversations. Difficult conversations can feel intense and make our minds perceive them as a threat. A lot of times we later regret what we say, get stuck trying to prove our point, ultimately losing the goal and outcome of the conversation. We have all been there. Maybe you might have crossed a boundary with your friend or partner, maybe you have damaged trust in a relationship with your client or vendor. At times like this you might wish you could hit that reset button and have a do-over. With so much at stake, how do you keep a heated conversation constructive?

Here are a few ways on how to keep the flood of emotions at bay during difficult conversations so you can show up as your best self.

1. Bring empathy to the conversation. Empathy is not about agreement or giving in, rather a way to gain a more objective viewpoint of the other person’s side. This also creates a safe space for mindful listening. By listening, you also gain access to other important facts, assumptions, and constraints at play – all critical information for bridging the gap between you and the other person.

2. Listening and asking questions gives you the chance to gather more information while also providing room for you to pause, breathe, and collect yourself so you can respond diplomatically.

3. Another way to healthily navigate through conflict is to be mindful about your speech. When we bring a dedicated attention to how we speak to the other person, we find not only synchronization, but also genuine respect and consideration for the person and ourselves.

4. Mindfulness—the practice of non-judgmental awareness—can help us communicate in more meaningful and healthy ways with our loved ones. It can positively affect how we speak and listen to one another. Employing a mindful practice can help reduce reactivity, increase compassion, and flexibility, especially during conflict.

5. When we realise that we have made a mistake it is best to own it, rather than getting defensive, be direct. Say things like: “I owe you an apology for the lapse in communication. I’m only realizing now, based on what you are sharing, the level of confusion this created for you and your team.”

All the above steps have been derived from the leadership awareness model (slide 8). This model is an integration of self, people and future. According to this model, when we are able to identify our external and internal triggers, we can better understand why we behave the way we do. When we ask ourselves “why did that make me angry or upset?” we are able to assess and identify our values and priorities such as kindness, honesty. When we are aware of our inner world and are connected to ourselves, we are able to show up as our best selves and navigate through the conflict healthily.

Becoming emotional during a difficult conversation is a normal stress response. But a crucial part of emotional intelligence is emotion regulation, or the skill of being able to adjust how you internally modulate and externally express your emotions in a way that’s rooted in integrity and makes you feel proud. While we cannot change what’s already happened, we do always have the choice to reach out, connect with others, and demonstrate a more constructive and committed. For my free eBook head over to www.mamtasaha.com. To learn more about the Emotionally Stronger Masterclass go to the link in my Instagram: saha_mamta. Stay peaceful, happy and safe.

Good luck x

Mindfulness training to help at-risk children sleep better A study has found that at-risk children gained more than an hour of sleep per night after participating in a mindfulness curriculum at their elementary schools.

The study, led by the Stanford University School of Medicine, was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

This is the first time polysomnography techniques were used to measure brain activity to assess how schoolbased mindfulness training changes children's sleep. The curriculum taught children how to relax and manage stress by focusing their attention on the present, but it did not instruct them on how to get more sleep.

Senior author, Ruth O'Hara, Ph.D.,

a sleep expert and professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Stanford, said, “The children who received the curriculum slept, on average, 74 minutes per night more than they had before the intervention.

That's a huge change.”

Children who learned the techniques also saw a lengthening in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. “They gained almost a half an hour of REM sleep. That's really quite striking. There is theoretical, animal and human evidence to suggest it's a very important phase of sleep for neuronal development and for the development of cognitive and emotional function.”

The curriculum consisted of training in bringing one's attention to the present. Exercises included slow, deep breathing, and yoga-based movement.

Yoga instructors and the children's class teachers taught the curriculum twice a week, for two years, in all elementary and middle schools in the community that received the intervention. The children were taught about stress, and encouraged to use techniques to help them rest and relax.

The curriculum in question was the Pure Power Curriculum, developed by a nonprofit called PureEdge. It is available to schools for free in both Spanish and English.

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Pixar gets lauded for detailing a Sikh character, the community feels ‘we shouldn't be content with morsels’

Shefali Saxena An image of a Sikh character from Disney’s upcoming movie ‘Turning Red’ has gone viral for all the right reasons. The image shows a Sikh police officer whose character has some intricate detailing in terms of representation which has made members of the Sikh community quite excited.

A Twitter user pointed out: “Pixar has a Sikh character in its new feature film "Turning Red". Look how much detail they've put into him, he even has his own "Kara". Beautiful! He's a guard of the school.”

Asian Voice tried to get a sense of what members of the community in the UK feel about this representation.

Sharing his thoughts on this, Hardeep Singh - Deputy-Director, Network of Sikh Organisations told us, “Pixar's depiction of a turban-wearing Sikh in the forthcoming animation Turning Red, is indeed a welcome development. Any character that shows the reality of the positive contributions Sikhs make to the communities and societies that they live and work in, is important when it comes to the matter of representation. Much more progress needs to be made in this regard, however, this is a brilliant start.”

Speaking about this character, Jasvir Singh, CoJasvir Singh Founder of South Asian Heritage Month said, “Representation matters, and seeing Pixar having a Sikh character is a fantastic start.

However, Pixar and indeed Disney as a whole are yet to make any animated feature film involving South Asian leads, and the steps that are taken have to be much better than mere tokenism.

Many Sikhs have been impressed by the inclusion of the Sikh security guard with a kara and a pagh, but Hardeep Singh I wonder whether this continues to relegate Sikh identity to the periphery. We shouldn't be content with morsels. We need something with much more substance. Until then, we will be left wanting for more."

The Rapids by Yogesh Patel Yogesh Patel’s writing has appeared in many major literary journals, including PN Review, The London Magazine, Asia Literary Review, Under the Radar, Shearsman, IOTA, Envoi, Understanding, Orbis, The Book Review, and Confluence. He has also appeared on BBC TV and Radio, and in newspapers and magazines. Patel’s work also features in The National Curriculum anthology, MacMillan, Sahitya Akademi, and numerous other anthologies across the world. He is currently a Poetry Editor at Ars Notoria and writes regular columns for iGlobal and Confluence.

His recent book ‘The Rapids’ has garnered praise from eminent personalities.

Brian D’Arcy is a prize-winning poet with Irish heritage and music. His latest collection is Ghost Horses Dancing published by Sixties Press. In his review of Patel’s book, he writes,

“This volume of poetry by Yogesh Patel is deserving of your attention, not merely for its wide-ranging and unprejudiced approached to the essence of poetry, but especially for its introduction to a new and refreshing poetry genre in the form of a Rapid. The birthright of this genre rests entirely with Yogesh and with it he opens a door to a wordsworthy challenge to all those whose poetic claims would encompass its short, sharp and profoundly discordant clarity.

Under his guidance, from its early conception and somewhat formally defined profile it has quite rapidly evolved into its current dynamically adaptive format, as revealed in the ninety-plus pages

and profusion of Rapids among the fifty-plus poems included. I suspect it is not by accident that the opening poem in this collection provides an introduction to the basic concept that underlies the Rapid.

Debjani Chatterjee MBE, FRSL, writes: ‘The Rapid is much more than the sum of its structure and layout. Its subject matter and revelation are important. Its teasing, its insight and its surprise element, the enjoyment in the ghazal-coupletlike individuality and connectivity – all these are part and parcel of the challenging new form of poetry.”

Two new graffiti murals from Mohammed Ali put Shakespeare in the heart of Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath ‘To tell My Story’ Artist and Curator Mohammed Ali – Soul City Arts has created two new graffiti murals in the heart of Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath as part of the ‘Everything to Everybody’ Project.

Created through a five-week project with pupils from Montgomery Primary Academy, Sparkbrook and Percy Shurmer Academy, Balsall Heath, with a permanent mural appearing at each school, the project has encouraged these young people to ‘Tell Your OWN Story,’ remaking Birmingham’s uniquely democratic Shakespeare heritage in the process and exploring video, poetry, manga and mural painting in a series Artist Mohammad Ali and Prof Ewan Fernie at Percy Shurmer Primary of dynamic workshops.

The new murals tell Academy. Photo Jas Sansi

the stories of the vibrant and diverse, communities of Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath featuring their unique narratives and local industrial history and allowing them to claim “a place in the story” (Antony & Cleopatra) of Birmingham’s pioneering

Shakespeare heritage.

Mohammed Ali, Artist and Curator and founder of Soul City Arts said: “We are aiming to empower children to boldly express themselves and their stories in an increasingly polarised society. Let’s face it, our society isn’t one where ‘everything is for everybody’ and we need to make a head start with young children to confront the inequality we see around us today.”

Mohammed attended Montgomery Primary Academy himself. He went back to school with ‘Everything to Everybody’ to explore questions around exclusion and inequality as well as to raise awareness of Birmingham’s unique Shakespeare heritage and open it for all, including the children at these schools.

in brief SOUTH ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH 2021 The South Asian Heritage Month 2021 official calendar is now available online at www.southasianheritage.org.uk/events. With over 100 official events covering a diverse range of topics, the Month runs from Sunday 18th July to Tuesday 17th August. There are over 100 planned events between Sunday 18th July to Tuesday 17th August. Calendar highlights for South Asian Heritage Month 2021 include: Events marking the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence, including looking at how Brick Lane became the centre of British Bangladeshi identity, Literature-based events each day curated by South Asian Writers, ranging from interviews with award-winning writer Nikesh Shukla and TV presenter Anita Rani, UK Punjab Heritage Association’s bookclub, with Varinder Kalra recalling when the renowned singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan came to Slough, LGBTQ+ specific events, including a discussion organised by the Ozanne Foundation with Naz & Matt Foundation looking at conversion therapy in the South Asian communities and the UK premiere of the groundbreaking film Sab Rab De Bande followed by a panel discussion on LGBTQ+ Sikhs. There are several events for South Asian women’s health and wellbeing as well.

WATFORD’S THE STAGE IN THE PARK ANNOUNCES FINAL FULL LINEUP AND GUEST APPEARANCES The Stage in the Park has now announced the full programme for the open-air performances in Watford’s Cassiobury Park this July.

The programme mixes musical theatre, comedy, live music, and in conversation events from some of the biggest stage stars in the UK today, to ensure there is something for all the family.

Bring The Laughter on 1 August will come to Watford with some of the UK's favourite and hottest new comedy acts for an evening of laughter. Hosted by radio DJ and comic Tommy Sandhu, Acts on the night include: Sukh Ojla and Kane Brown, With Britians, got talent finalist and recent celebrity master chef contestant, comedian Nabil Abdulrashid headlining.

TANIKA GUPTA’S PLAY TO HELP DECOLONISE GCSE SYLLABUS “One of the main exam boards is adding four new plays to its GCSE drama curriculum to make it more inclusive and help decolonise the syllabus,” The Times has reported.

From September, pupils will be able to study works by Bola Agbaje, In-Sook Chappell, Tanika Gupta and Roy Williams as part of the Pearson qualification, meaning a third of its set texts will be by ethnic minority playwrights. Gupta’s A Doll’s House is an Indian-based adaption of Ibsen’s classic play that reflects on British colonialism.

The report further stated that Antigone by Williams is a modern update of the Greek tragedy focusing on gang-related killings.

Agbaje’s play Gone Too Far! explores the themes of racial identity and youth culture while The Free9 by Chappell is a North Korean-based drama.

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Deepika announces initiative for mental well-being of frontline workers Deepika Padukone has announced an initiative titled 'Frontline Assist', which provides financial support towards the mental health of frontline workers in the country. The actor posted on Instagram that her mental health organisation 'The Live Love Laugh Foundation' will direct sale proceeds from the 'Deepika Padukone Closet' to NGO Sangath's dedicated Covid-19 well-being centre.

Deepika wrote, “Frontline workers have been the backbone of our country as we weather this pandemic. Having had a lived experience with mental illness, I understand the importance of emotional well being, and as a mental health foundation, we are grateful to be able to contribute to the mental health of our country's frontline

workers with 'Frontline Assist'. We are proud to direct proceeds from The Deepika Padukone Closet towards mental health support of our country' real heroes through our partnership with Sangath.”

The actress had earlier shared verified mental health helpline numbers on Instagram. Posted during the second wave of coronavirus in India, Deepika had written, “As millions of us (me and my family included) strive to stay afloat, let us not forget that our emotional well-being in this current crisis, is equally important! Remember You Are Not Alone.

We are in this Together. And most importantly, there is Hope!”

On the work front, Deepika has 'The Intern' remake, Shakun Batra's yet-untitled film, 'Pathan' and 'Fighter' in the pipeline.

Amitabh posts throwback from 1969 movie look test Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan recently posted a throwback photo of himself from the look test of his film 'Reshma Aur Shera', revealing the picture was clicked in 1969. Sharing the photo, he wrote, “my look test for the film “Reshma aur Shera” .. 1969 .. I actually got selected !” The photo received multiple comments from his fans and friends.

'Reshma Aur Shera' was a crime drama released in 1971. Bachchan played a supporting role of 'Chhotu' while his co-star Vinod Khanna played Vijay. The movie had Waheeda Rehman and Sunil Dutt in the titular roles. It went on to receive high critical acclaim from domestic and international critics, and was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 22nd Berlin International Film Festival. It was also selected as the Indian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 44th Academy

Salman responds to troll comment about his house Arbaaz Khan recently shared the promo for his talk show 'Pinch', featuring Salman Khan, Ananya Panday, Anil Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Rajkummar Rao, Ayushmann Khurrana, Farah Khan and others. The video begins with Arbaaz reading out a comment about Salman, “Janta ka bhagwan mat bano (Don’t try to play god for the audience).” Salman replied, “Sahi baat hai, ek hi bhagwan hai, aur woh main nahi hoon (Absolutely.

There is only one God and it is not me).”

Salman then replied to a troll who commented saying his home is aiyyashi ka adda (den of vice), “Inhone mere post ke andar aisa kya dekh liya, jo ki humara ghar hai, unko aiyashi ka adda kaise lag raha hai (What did they see in my post that my house looks like a den of vice to them)?” he asked.

The video also showed Ananya reading a comment saying she should be named 'fake' Panday, Kiara receiving unflattering comments about her acting, and Farah Khan talking about nepotism. In the

promo, Farah says, “Aap bolte ho nepotism and all that but dekhni toh aapko Shah Rukh Khan ke daughter ki photo hai. Ya Kareena ke bete ki photo (You complain about nepotism but you want to see only

Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter’s photos or Kareena Kapoor’s son’s picture),” she said.

She added that she is terrified of even saying hello on social media, as people start abusing her.

The second season of the show, touted to be “bigger and bolder” is set to premiere on July 21.

Awards. 'Reshma Aur Sheru' won three National Awards. Waheeda received the National Award for Best Actor in the film.

Bachchan, in a subsequent blog post, thanked his fans for their support.

He wrote, “. the smile of acceptance of my Ef .. when you accepted me , that was the day of reckoning for me .. you made me what I am today .. you spoke , you applauded, you confessed, you corrected me, you guided me on paths when I went wrong, you got annoyed with me, you scolded me, you complained to me, you showered me with endless love

and affection. You did everything. And what did I do? I just sat back every night and at times early mornings to push a few tabs .. thats it … and all that you gave never ever compared with what I could give. you often said ..’what a wonderful family I have created’. no ..

I created nothing .. you .. all of you .. designed and created this family .. gave it strength and presence and prayer and blessings and I live and survive with all that I have received.”

On the work front, Bachchan will be seen in 'Goodbye', a Vikas Bahl directorial, which will also star Rashmika Mandanna.

Suniel Shetty says daughter Athiya, boyfriend Rahul look 'brilliant' together Actress Athiya Shetty and Indian cricketer KL Rahul are yet to make their relationship official, despite dropping photos and messages on Instagram about each other. While

the pair chooses to remain mum, Athiya's father Suniel Shetty has been more forthcoming. The pair are rumoured to be in London together, and while they seem to be doing their best to not share a picture together, eagle-eyed fans have noticed more than meets the eye. Reports also suggest that Rahul listed Athiya as his partner when the

Indian cricket team left for the World Test Championship Final in England last month.

Meanwhile, Suniel, in a recent interview accepted that Athiya is indeed in London, but with her brother Ahan Shetty. He said, “Yes, she is in England, but she is with Ahan.

The brother-sister duo has gone there for a holiday. Rest you may check with them.” When asked about Rahul and Athiya, who also appear in an eyewear brand endorsement, he said, “I think it is best you speak to them. As far as the ad goes... I mean it is an international brand and they chose to take the two of them as the ambassadors.”

He added, “I think they look brilliant together. They are a good-looking couple, na? So, it totally works from a brand perspective. And I must say, they look good together, well, in the ad.”

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Kareena reveals advice from MIL Sharmila Tagore Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan recently shared her pregnancy journey after the birth of sons Taimur and Jeh Ali Khan in her new book 'Kareena Kapoor's Pregnancy Bible'.

The book includes anecdotes, advice and how her family and friends were her allies throughout her pregnancies.

Introduction of the book, written by Kareena has been released. It talks about her trying to balance her work and motherhood.

She also thanks all the help she gets from her own mother Babita, and her domestic staff. Bebo wrote about the role of her mother-in-law yesteryear actress Sharmila Tagore, and detailed her role in pushing her back to work as soon as she can.

In the excerpt, Kareena has written, “My mother-in-law was also among the first to tell me that I had to keep working. Her advice was to do whatever I wanted but with confidence. She did some great work in the

movies after her marriage and kids and was a real inspiration. My mother is also a strong role model for me, and she and my father both told me I must keep at it. So I thought what the heck! I plunged headlong into not one but two pregnancies and I now have these two tots in my life who make every day feel a little crazy, a little special, a little exhausting, and a little rewarding.”

She also wrote about how she has been successfully managing her work-life balance. She wrote, “And so here I am – writing these words, working, being a mommy, being active, being real. You know, my life often feels like the tree pose – where you're balancing on one leg. I think women do that beautifully.”

Bebo credited husband and actor Saif Ali Khan for being a strong support in her life.

She shares, “But Saif told me I could do it all.

He and I have worked hard to build a strong foundation for our relationship, and I truly believe my kids will always have that to stand on. And, hopefully, Jeh will be as confident as Taimur, because of his parents.”

Anushka obliged 'fan' Virat for a picture Anushka Sharma left her fans in splits as she shared a series of pictures, with a few featuring her 'fan' , Virat Kohli. The actor took to Instagram and revealed she was “casually prancing around town” when she spotted the Indian cricketer. The couple is currently in the UK. Anushka is seen exploring the streets when Kohli photobombed the pictures. She is dressed casually in a pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, and an olive cardigan over it.

Sharing the pictures, Anushka said, “Was just casually prancing around town. Running a hand through my hair. A fan spotted me. I obliged for a picture. He seemed happy . Anything for my fans !” The picture received heart-shaped emojis and laughing emojis from fans in the comments section.

Anushka accompanied Virat and the Indian cricket team as they prepared to face England for a fivematch Test series starting in August.

The actor was seen by Virat's side

when the Indian cricket team was facing New Zealand for the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals.

The couple is accompanied by their daughter Vamika as well.

Virat and Anushka recently celebrated Vamika's six-month birthday with a picnic in the park.

Farhan plays Ajju Bhai (Aziz Ali), a boxer in his second collaboration with Mehra. Farhan's friends from Bollywood praised the movie. Katrina Kaif wrote, "Loved the film, Congratulations Team!"

Karan Johar wrote, "Powerful performances by the superb @faroutakhtar The absolutely lovely @mrunalthakur @pareshrawal1955! #Toofan packs a solid punch!

Congratulations to team @excelmovies @ritesh_sid and @romppictures watch it asap on @primevideoin".

passes away at 75 A force of nature, veteran Bollywood actor Surekha Sikri passed away from a cardiac arrest recently at the age of 75.

A three time National Award winner, she had been ill for some time, and had two strokes in the past four years. The actor was known for films like 'Badhaai Ho', TV shows like 'Balika Vadhu', and Hindi theatre productions.

Bollywood celebrities shared their condolences.

Filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who worked with Sikri in 'Mammo', said, “She was such a brilliant actor that whatever role you gave her she would own it. She played both sympathetic and non-sympathetic roles with elan. She was a top-class, highly competent actor.”

Sikri, who was born in New Delhi, won her National Film Awards for 'Tamas', 'Mammo' and 'Badhaai Ho.' Neena Gupta, who played the daughter-in-law of Sikri's character in 2018's 'Badhaai Ho', said the actress was one of her heroes. "I remember when I was a student in the National School of Drama and how we would sneak in and watch her act," she said on Instagram. "I [thought] I want to become an actress like her."

Actor Manoj Bajpayee, her 'Zubeidaa' co-star, said she was "a treat to watch on stage" and "a graceful person".

Actor and producer Pooja Bhatt described Sikri as "a force of nature if ever there was one". "Hence I won't say rest in peace but rage in peace Surekhaji," she tweeted. "As you did, during your time on earth!" "She was surrounded by family and her caregivers. The family asks for privacy at this time."

Taapsee announces new production venture, Outsiders Films

Farhan shares pics of his 3 looks in 'Toofaan' Farhan Akhtar has shared pictures as proof of just how tough it was to achieve the right look for his latest movie, 'Toofaan'.

In the Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra movie, Farhan plays a street thug who wishes to be a professional boxer. Sharing transformation pictures, Farhan showed his fans how he moved from 69 kgs to 85 kgs to back to 77 kgs. He has toned abs in the two pictures but a large paunch in the other one.

Sharing the photos, Farhan wrote, "The many shapes and sizes of Ajju aka Aziz aka Toofaan. What a ride.

Eighteen months of relentless work but worth every drop of sweat, every sore muscle and every pound gained and lost.

Farhan's fans showered him with praises for his dedication. "You were amazing simply loved it national award film for sure," wrote one.

"Outstanding," wrote another. A fan commented, "You're the perfect example of Hard Work pays off loved Toofan."

Surekha Sikri

Vaani Kapoor also shared, "What an amazing watch Beautiful film.. Beautiful performances".

Vidyut Jammwal, known for his frivolous action sequences in films, also addressed 'Toofaan' as a 'punching tutorial for all the action aficionados'. He tweeted, "#Toofaan is a Punching Tutorial for all the action aficionados with a strong emotional cord @RakeyshOmMehra @FarOutAkhtar @mrunal0801 and all the stars of this fabulous film."

Earlier, Shah Rukh Khan also praised the film on Twitter and wrote, "Wish my friends @FarOutAkhtar @RakeyshOmMehra the best for their labour of love. I had the privilege to see it a few days back. Extremely fine performances by @SirPareshRawal (wow!) @mohanagashe @mrunal0801@hussainthelal My review: we shld all try & make more films like Toofaan".

Bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu has launched her own production house, Outsiders Films after over a decade of working in the Indian film industry. She took to her social media platforms to make the big announcement, along with the first film she will be producing.

Pannu wrote, “I am thrilled to embark upon this new journey and diversify my love for cinema with my production house 'Outsiders Films'.

Having my business ventures, management comes naturally to me. Hence, I always thought of setting my own production house.”

She added, “The audience and the industry have given me a lot of support and love over the 11 years of my career.

With Outsiders Films, I aim to give back to the industry and empower talent who are looking for a breakthrough and come with no background like me. Pranjal and I together look forward to opening doors for new and fresh talents, both in front and behind the camera.” Taapsee also shared the name of her first film as a producer, 'Blurr'.

She wrote, “And here's the first one of the slate The chill to match the thrill ! #BLURR! @zeestudiosofficial, #OutsidersFilms & @echelonproduction come together for an edge of the seat thriller. Directed by #AjayBahl , starring @taapsee.”

Taapsee has partnered with content creator and producer Pranjal for the venture. He is known for his involvement in movies like 'Super 30', '83', 'Soorma', 'Piku', 'Mubarakan', 'Azhar' and is currently producing Taapseestarrer 'Rashmi Rocket'.

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24 - 30 July 2021

Nivetha Pethuraj completes first level of formula racing Actor Nivetha Pethuraj's keen interest in formula racing is not exactly a secret. She has been pursuing her passion these days, and recently shared a couple of videos and photos of herself doing a lap. She captioned a recently shared video, “A vision to visual.

Metaphorically speaking, when you hit the limiter, hold the clutch, upshift and throttle the f* on.” Another clip was captioned “Raw lap.”

According to a media

report, Nivetha has already completed the first level of formula race car training program conducted by Momentum School of Advance Racing.

Expressing her passion for race cars, she said, “My interest towards cars started during my school days when I was studying in 8th grade. My aunt in my neighbourhood purchased a sports car. It ignited my curiosity towards sports cars, and it kept brewing in me for years.

In 2015, I purchased a Dodge Challenger sports car, and I was the second girl in UAE to get it. In fact, my father wasn't happy as he was concerned with the V6 Engine, which has a fast racing power. Nonetheless, I was confident driving it and felt so cool.”

Opening up about the possibility of entering championships in future, she said, “It's a costly sport as every race will cost around Rs 15,00,000. So, I will be getting on with it only if I am too keen about it. For now, my interest and desire are all about completing different levels.”

Allu Arjun's daughter Kamal Haasan on 'Vikram' shoot: Felt Allu Arha to make silver like a high school reunion screen debut

all echelons back to work at RKFI. Especially Mr.Lokesh and his enthusiastic team and my talented brothers, Mr.Vijay Sethupathi and Mr.Fahadh Faasil. (2/2) @RKFI @Dir_Lokesh @VijaySethuOffl.”

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the movie brings together three acting powerhouses, Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi, and Fahadh Faasil.

'Vikam' is being bankrolled by Kamal Haasan's production company Raaj Kamal Films, and also stars Antony Varghese, Narain, and Arjun Das.

Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan shared a video from the first day of the shooting of his much-awaited upcoming film 'Vikram'. Cast and crew of the movie can be seen on the set talking to each other in the video. Kamal captioned the video, “Day one of VIKRAM. Felt like a High school reunion. In the past 50 years, this is the longest I have been away from film shootings.

Many filmmakers have not seen action for nearly a year.”

He added in a follow-up tweet, “welcome all my comrades from

SS Rajamouli rejoices over 'Roar of RRR' video response Actor Allu Arjun's daughter Allu Arha is all set to make her silver screen debut with mythological drama 'Shaakuntalam', and will play Prince Bharata in the movie helmed by Guna Sekhar.

Production House Guna Teamworks shared a photo of Arha and Guna on Twitter, along with a caption that read, “Welcome on board #AlluArha. The valiant and little wonder, Prince Bharata in #Shaakuntalam. From whom our proud nation derives its name as Bharath.”

Expressing his happiness about Allu Arha’s acting debut, Allu Arjun tweeted, “A proud moment

for the Allu family to announce that the fourth generation, #AlluArha will be making her debut with #Shakuntalam movie. I want to thank @Gunasekhar1 garu & @neelima_guna garu for giving my daughter this beautiful movie as her debut.”

He added, “I had an altogether different journey with @Samanthaprabhu2 and am happy to watch Arha debut with her movie. My best wishes to the entire Cast & Crew of #Shakuntalam.”

The movie also features actress Samantha Akkineni. Shoot of the film is currently underway in Hyderabad.

TV Listing * Schedule is subject to change

MON 26 JUL FRI 30 JUL 2021 6.00 RAAJ RATTAN 13.00 MAHAVIR HANUMAN 14.00 RASOI SHOW 15.30 JAI SHRI KRISHNA 16.00 SAU DAHDA SASUNA 18.00 ABHILASHA - EK ASTITVANI 19.00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR 19.30 MANMILAP.COM 20.00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI 20.30 SHANI

The making video of SS Rajamouli's magnum-opus 'Rise Roar Revolt' has received a magnificent response after it came out last week.

Film enthusiasts and fans have been complimenting the cast and crew for the impression left by the clip titled 'Roar of RRR'. Rajamouli took to social media over the weekend, and thanked people for making the first look at 'RRR' a success. He wrote, “Thank you all for the wonderful reception for the Making Video of #RRRMovie.. It is almost as if we released the trailer itself…”

He added, “Lot of appreciation for me but actually I was occupied with shooting and post production. Two months of hard work was put in by @ssk1122 and @vamsi2087 @trulypradeep of @WallsAndTrends. The accolades belong to them.”

Produced by DVV Danayya of DVV

21.00 PREM NI BHAVAI SATURDAY 24 JUL 6.00 MANGU SAYBA JANMO JANAM NO SATH 13.00 MAHAVIR HANUMAN 14.00 RASOI SHOW 15.30 JAI SHRI KRISHNA 16.00 SAU DAHDA SASUNA 18.30 ABHILASHA - EK ASTITVANI 19.00 BHAKT GORA KUMBHAR 19.30 MANMILAP.COM 20.00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI 20.30 SHANI 21.00 PREM NI BHAVAI SUNDAY 25 JUL 15.00 Nal Damyanti 18.00 RASOI SHOW 19.00 Rachna No Dabbo 22.00 RASHI RIKSHAWALI

* Schedule is subject to change

Entertainments, RRR stars Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, and Alison Doody in the lead characters. The movie is scheduled to be released on October 13.

MON 26 JUL FRI 30 JUL 2021 8.30 BHARADWAJ BAHUEIN 16.00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 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 20.00 DIL SE DIL TAK 20.30 BARRISTER BABU 21.00 EK SHRINGAAR SWABHIMAAN 21.30 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2 22.00 ISHQ MEIN MARJAWAN 3

SATURDAY 24 JUL 15.00 RAMAYAN 16.00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16.30 RASOI SHOW-DESI FLAVOURS 17.30 CHHUTA CHHEDA 18.00 KHATRA KHATRA KHATRA 19.00 BHAGYA KA LIKHA 20.00 DIL SE DIL TAK 20.30 DESI BEAT RESET 21.00 EK SHRINGAAR SWABHIMAAN 21.30 SASURAL SIMAR KA 2 SUNDAY 25 JUL 16.00 SILSILA BADALTE RISHTON KA 16.30 RASOI SHOW-DESI FLAVOURS 17.30 DESI BEAT (SEASON 3) 18.00 BOLLYWOOD KI SHAAM BLOCKBUSTER KE NAAM HERI PHERI 21.30 DESI BEAT RESET 22.00 DIL SE DIL TAK

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AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE IN THE UK

India register 3-wicket win over Lanka, clinch series India registered a seriesclinching three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second One-day International on Tuesday.

Chasing 276 for a win, the Indian top-order failed to fire, but a middle and lower order resurrection saw the visitors cross the finishing line, reaching 277 for 7 in 49.1 overs.

After Suryakumar Yadav’s 44-ball 53, Deepak Chahar remained not out on 69 off 82 balls while Krunal Pandya

chipped in with 35. For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga was the most successful bowler as he took three wickets for 37 runs with his leg spin. Earlier, Sri Lanka scored 275 for nine after opting to bat.

Opener Avishka Fernando made 50 off 71 balls, while Charith Asalanka top-scored with 65 off 68 deliveries. For India, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal returned figures of 3/50 in 10 overs, while Bhuvneswar

Kumar got 3/54). India had defeated the hosts by seven wickets in the the opening game of the three-match series.

In the first ODI, Ishan Kishan celebrated his 23rd birthday with a dazzling halfcentury on debut while captain Shikhar Dhawan anchored India

A proud moment for Gujarati athletes to represent India at Tokyo Kunjal Zala It was a proud moment for Gujaratis, when six athletes from the state qualified to represent India at the 2020 Olympics and para Olympics in Tokyo. Interestingly, all the six participants are females, which shows that women's participation in the sports is on the rise in the state. In an interview with Asian Voice, Maana Patel, a swimmer, and Ankita Raina, table tennis player, talked about their preparations and expectations.

AV: How many years has it taken for you to make it to Olympics?

Maana: When I was 13, I became the youngest and fastest female backstroker in India so that’s when I realized that I can do much better and had a dream of representing India at the Olympics. Sadly I missed the Rio Olympics but finally the dream is coming true after 8 long years.

AV- You’ve survived a major shoulder injury. What did it take to heal and start again?

Maana: In 2017, I was discovered with a labrum tear in my left shoulder which kept me out of the water for almost 8 months. And even after that getting back to swimming was very difficult because I lacked power and strength. My shoulders became very week and I wasn’t able to swim like before.

I couldn’t accept this condition and hence I was depressed for quite some time. I had lost a lot of weight and was really scared to go to pool or even begin my day. I had given up hopes of coming back. But my team which includes my parents, my coach and my physio believed in me more than I did and they kept pushing me and motivating me. Deep down I knew I couldn’t stay away from swimming and I needed one good race to bring my confidence back. In 2018 I broke my senior nationals record and got back in the groove.

AV: What are your hopes and expectations from the Olympics?

Maana: Olympics are going to be very different this year of the Covid because restrictions. But this being my debut will set the bar for me. I’m very excited and am looking forward to my race there and am confident to perform my best.

AV: How did Covid impact your training?

Maana: Covid had disturbed my training and I think swimming was the most affected sport. In other sports you can somewhat train sitting at home but for swimmers there was nothing more that we could do away from the pool. So I just focused on eating clean and maintaining my fitness at home.

Once the pools reopened, with proper planning I got back to training.

AV: What would your message to readers whose kids may want to become like you one day?

Maana: I just want to say that if I can do it, you all can do it too. It’s important that you focus on mental strength and I believe that’s what gives you an edge. If you align your body with your mind then you can do wonders. Because in the end it’s all in your head, and whatever work you do you have to give your 100% or else don’t do it.

Ankita Raina: AV: How many years has it taken for you to make it to the Olympics? Could you briefly explain the process of getting there?

Ankita: The journey to the Olympics has been a long one and in tennis it’s even more difficult; as there’s no one event which you can participate and win to qualify like in some other sports. First you have to be top 80-90 to qualify for the singles event, top 60-70 combined ranking in doubles event, and even then just 4 players from each country can participate even if you are within that ranking. With hard work and the support of family, coaches, team and sponsors I could get here. I've had good

to a seven-wicket victory.

Batting first, Lankans made 262 for nine. India achieved the target in just 36.4 overs with Prithvi Shaw butchering the Lanka pacers during his brief stay by hammering 9 boundaries in a 24-ball 43. Dhawan scored an unbeaten 86 off 95 balls.

Sports league start-up UKFL is uniting fans, players and coaches to launch an elite American Football league in the UK - one of the few countries in Europe without a professional league. Based out in the North East of England, UKFL was created by a senior team made up of UK American football coaches, players and fans.

UKFL’s first season is set to launch in May 2023, with 8 fully professional teams based in cities across the UK and the goal of delivering an authentic American gameday experience to UK fans, from exciting gameplay featuring home-grown and import players to traditional American food and drink and authentic gameday entertainment like cheerleading and tailgating.

After a soft launch in February, the UKFL has generated high levels of interest amongst UK American Football fans, with thousands signing up for social media and newsletter updates. Now, UKFL’s senior team is in discussion with investors and corporate sponsors to secure funding for the project and is also calling on fans to offer their support via a crowdfunding campaign set to launch in September. UKFL CEO Mick Tyler explains that fan experience is core to the league’s vision. “Right from the start we’ve committed to building the UKFL with fans at its heart.

We’re committed to building something that gives our fan base real ownership and control.” The popularity of American Football has grown rapidly in the UK in recent years, with over 4 million UK fans tuning in to the 2020 Super Bowl. In spite of this, the UK remains one of the only European countries without a professional league.

performances in the main draw and in doubles. Also playing and winning along Maana Patel and Ankita Raina with Sania Mirza Sindhu, and so many others in Fed cup matches has given that are winning us laurels at me lots of experience and the highest level. That surely confidence. So this time when helps alleviate some of the the team was finally concerns parents have at an announced, I was finding it early age. Parents need to be tough to believe as it was comfortable letting their supposed to take place last year daughters actively play sport, and it was pushed. There was and support them throughout no certainty that Olympics their journey. Together we can would be held during the ensure that more girls take up pandemic. I have to keep sport, and be the next shining pinching myself to see if this is star of the nation. actually happening.

Representing the country at the Olympics is the dream of every athlete and that dream now will turn into a reality for me. I know I’m going to have to play Crowds returning? Some of the best international my best tennis ever, and that’s and domestic cricketers in the world? All televised what I’m focusing on. across the BBC and Sky? The Hundred is coming AV: How do you cope with and I’m ready to give my all for Oval Invincibles. the pressure of winning all the The Hundred is a brand new 100-ball cricket time? competition which began on the 21 July with a Ankita: I think this pressure women’s game as Manchester Originals play Oval is actually a privilege. It’s Invincibles at the Kia Oval. It’s really cool that the natural to have nerves. Of women will kick things off and we’ll be following course it's my debut at the them the following day as we take on the men’s Olympics so I want to be able to Manchester Originals team. give my best and have been There is a lot to be excited about with this preparing for it. But for me my competition, not only is the standard of cricket best will come when I play for going to be unreal, but the visibility and access to the country, pressure is what we Saqib Mahmood the sport has never been better either. We have a play for, and as I said, it’s a real opportunity to reach out and inspire a new privilege! generation of players and fans this summer, especially in terms of engaging AV: This year spectators with South Asian communities. aren’t allowed, what impact will Despite Covid-19 travel restrictions and busy international schedules, there it have on your performance? is still going to be a strong overseas presence throughout the competition.

Ankita: I will miss the crowd Players like Mohammad Nabi who is the top T20I All-Rounder in the world but I have played matches right now will be joining London Spirit, and I can’t wait to see him in action. At without them and I feel once the Oval Invincibles we have Sunil Narine and Trent Rockets will see Rashid I’m on court, I only see the ball.

Khan join their side, two great cricketers from West Indies and Afghanistan.

Spectators are the heart of the Southern Brave welcome Quinton de Kock and Devon Conway while Faf du Olympics, so I will miss Plessis will captain Northern Superchargers. It’ll be great to test ourselves cheering and the atmosphere. against some of these players and it’s bound to make the games special.

The Indian fans are absolutely Being able to go down and watch some of the big names you’re used to incredible, no matter where in watching on TV is such a great opportunity, especially after the past year-andthe world you go, and I’m a-half that we’ve had. In England you won’t usually get three overseas players always extremely thankful to in one side but now you’re going to be able to watch them play every week and have them in our corner! you’ve got the likes of Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali playing as well.

AV: What do you think is My personal hope is that we’ll inspire anyone and everyone to pick up a bat lacking in terms of promoting and ball. If you come down and watch the games and enjoy it, get to your local women’s sport today? club or park it give it a go. It’s exactly how I started. Whether you play in your Ankita: I think women’s back garden, in the park or wherever, you never know how good you are until sport today, especially in India, you try. has come a long way. We have For more information on The Hundred or for tickets head to idols like Sania, Mary Kom, PV www.thehundred.com.

The Hundred kicks off