AV 24th June 2023

“LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER”

Parents urge that students form a support group, looking after each other- a safety net away from home Critics ask what is Police doing to safeguard the young population?

The recent surge in violent i n c i d e n t s h a s d e e p l y affected the British Indian c o m m u n i t y a n d u n d e rscored the urgent need for c o l l a b o r a t i v e e f f o r t s between the government, law enforcement, and the community to address the issue of knife crime in the UK. It is a time for collect i v e a c t i o n a n d f i n d i n g effective solutions to tackle this growing problem

Chariots of god wend their way in different parts of India

SE E PAGE - 25

Yoga asanas to combat a sedentary lifestyle

SEE PAGE - 27

More than 40 British Indians recognised in

the

King’s Birthday Honours 2023

T h e U K g o v e r n m e n t h a s u n v e i l e d t h e Birthday Honours List on behalf of King C h a r l e s I I I , w h i c h a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e exceptional achievements of more than 40 individuals of Indian origin among 67 South Asians across various fields This year’s list comprises a total of 1,171 hono r e e s , w i t h 5 2 p e r c e n t r e c o g n i s e d f o r their remarkable work within their communities, either in a voluntary or paid capacity and 11 per cent representing ethnic minority backgrounds.

Continued on page 16

Hina Solanki Narinder Sagoo

Tejaswini Reddy Kontham

Grace Kumar

Shefali Saxena

with Keith Vaz

K E T NA PAT E L

Ke tna Pa te l is a high ly prolif ic British-Indian mu ltime dia ar tist Born in East Af rica, edu ca te d in UK , and based in S outh Ea st Asia + Ind ia for the la st twenty-f iv e yea rs, sh e u se s her tra ining in De sign a nd Arch ite cture to ma p o bse rv ations gle ane d from he r compulsive tra ve ls onto a n e xist entia list, yet to be de f ined new globa l a nth ropol ogy th at is f ast e mer ging

Having recently transplanted her studio from Singapore to two 'travelling studios' in the UK and India, she describes herself as being deeply tri-cultural; grounded in an evolving human identity beyond the rapidly evaporating boundaries of culture, nationality, and geography She believes that for most artists, there is no divide between their ‘private’ life and their ‘professional’ output All realizations and insights gleaned from inter-personal relationships, travels, media etc can be transmuted into a heightened awareness / expression of where human society is at today, and possibly where it may be heading towards

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

For me, feeling at home is a state of mind The ‘ no mind’ state is easy to summon when the mobile phone and ‘to do’ lists are far away Often, travelling is the most relaxing, as it opens me up to the newness of what I am experiencing, and there is no room for other interruptions to hack into the relaxed head space!

2) What are your proudest achievements?

My proudest achievement is that I have somehow managed to always tune into my inner voice, and not be afraid of being considered unconventional That inner guidance has continuously taken me beyond my comfort zone and into the unknown Looking back, I’d say that those are absolute pre-requisites for creativity and conf idence

3) What inspires you?

Small, random acts of creativity or kindness which come about as an act of love to the self or the community at large without the need to f it in, impress anyone or fulf il expectations It could be as ordinar y as taking the time out to paint a birthday card or wear a flower in one ’ s hair

4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?

Societal conditioning, and the compromising that comes from wanting to keep ever yone happy The older I get, the more I realize how important and healthy ‘detachment’ is If we can see our lives as theatre, and ourselves as actors in that theatre, then the sheer witnessing of reality prevents us from becoming over whelmed and embroiled in the minutiae of life

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

My parents and my paternal grand-

Diverse school shortlisted for World’s Best School prize

m o t h e r. T h e y a l l g re w u p i n v e r y adverse circumstances, but their inner determination, resilience, values and down to earthiness were huge motivations for me They allowed me to fail, whilst assuring me of their emotional safety net always That sort of security is priceless!

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

Multi-cultural Life experience, independence, and the self conf idence that comes with forging my own path Our stories shape us and the way we think, so the less conditioned we are, the more original our perception of reality

7) And the worst? We live in a privileged world of unprecedented access to information, so whilst I am so grateful for this amazing living librar y, I sometimes struggle with feeling over whelmed The rich, complex tapestr y of geographies, time zones, cultures and people I seem to have woven myself into make the art of ‘simplicity’ itself challenging

8) What are your long-term goals?

In whatever little way I can, my wish is to unite people of the world There is more that unites us than divides us, so through Art and culture, I’d like to encourage the cross pollination of cultural curiosity and creativity

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

I’d look at the long-term prospects of this countr y, far beyond my elected term This would mean stepping out of my elite bubble and travelling up and down this countr y, really listening hard to the people Only after I have a good understanding of the bigger picture, including our place in the world, would I then work backwards and make it happen

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

I’d like to spend time with ‘Osho’, the most radical thinker of the 20th centur y His acute, dead pan over view of the truth o f w h e r e t h e h u m a n s p e c i e s i s a t , a n d h i s unique deliver y with no frills or embroider y, and loads of mischief and unwoke humour would be such a treat that I’d forget I w a s s t r a n d e d o n a n island!

A s c h o ol lo c ate d i n Wem b ley, w h ere s tu d e nts comm unicate in 31 different lang uages, has mad e it to the f inal round for a prestig iou s Wo rld's Bes t Sch oo l aw a rd w o rth $ 50 , 0 0 0 (£ 39,50 0) Barham Primar y School has been recognized as one of the top ten contenders in the "community collaborat i o n" c a t e g o r y T h i s acknowledgment highlights t h e s c h o o l 's r e m a r k a b l e e f fo r t s i n b u i l d i n g s t r o n g c o n n e c t io n s w i t h p a re nt s , d e s p i t e t h e d i v e r s e b a c kg r o u n d s o f i t s s t u d e n t s Among the numerous nomin a t i o n s w o r l d w i d e , f i v e schools will ultimately be declared winners across f ive categories: community coll a b o r a t i o n , e n v i r o n m e n t a l a c t i o n , i n n o v a t i o n , o v e rcoming adversity, and supporting healthy lives Each of the victorious schools will receive a portion of the prize pool amounting to $250,000 (£197,500)

A c c o r d i n g t o a spokesperson for the prizes, B a r h a m P r i m a r y S c h o o l , with its student population of 930, signif icantly surpass-

i n g t h e n a t i o n a l a v e r a g e , faces unique challenges The s c h o o l e m b r a c e s d i v e r s i t y with 31 different languages spoken among its students, alongside a range of religious beliefs Located in an a r e a w i t h s o c i a l h o u s i n g e s t a t e s a n d i n t e r s e c t i n g community groups, the students are exposed to various s o c i e t a l i s s u e s i n c l u d i n g gangs, grooming, radicalizat i o n , d r u g s , p o v e r t y, a n d hunger

In an effort to enhance student success, the school assists parents in learning E n g l i s h A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e school actively collaborates w i t h c o m m u n i t y g r o u p s

t h a t r e p r e s e n t i m m i g r a n t populations, aiming to combat marginalization and fost e r a s e n s e o f b e l o n g i n g among students and their families

The prizes were establ i s h e d l a s t y e a r b y T 4 E d u c a t i o n i n p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h A c c e nt u re , A m e r ic a n Express, Yayasan Hasanah, a n d t h e L e m a n n Foundation Their objective is to promote the sharing of b e s t p r a c t i c e s f r o m t o p s c h o o l s a n d t o r e c o g n i z e and celebrate the achievements of schools, particularly in light of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic

Older Brits continue to receive free prescriptions, plans to make more people pay scrapped

T he British government has abandoned plans to extend p r es c ri p ti o n ch ar ge s t o older citizens, ensu ring th at millio ns of older Brits will continue to receive free pres c ri p t i o ns I ni t i al ly, th er e were discussio ns about raising th e eligibi lity age fro m 60 to 66 to align it with th e state p ension age and gene ra te r ev en u e fo r th e Na ti o n al He al th S er v i c e (NHS ) However, du e to th e o ngo ing co st-o f-living cris i s , t h e go v er nm en t h as anno unced a freeze o n this p olicy He a l t h M i n i s t e r Ne i l O'Brien explained that the government is aware of the

f inancial pressures caused b y R u s s i a's i n v a s i o n o f Ukraine and, as a result, has d e c i d e d t o m a i n t a i n t h e current prescription exemption age The government further conf irmed that individuals under the age of 16, as well as those aged 17 and 18 who are in full-time education, will also continue to benef it from free prescriptions

The proposal to extend prescription charges, which w o u l d h a v e i m p a c t e d a p p rox i m a t e ly 2 4 m i l l io n individuals and potentially provided the NHS with up to £300 million by 2026-27, h a d g e n e r a t e d s i g n i f i c a n t

c o n t r o v e r s y Ho w e v e r, i n response to a consultation initiated by the Department of Health and Social Care in 2021, the government has decided against implementing the age-upping policy Charities expressed concerns about the potential consequences of the policy, w a r n i n g t h a t i n d i v i d u a l s with chronic illnesses might face hospitalization if they were unable to afford their essential medications The prevailing cost-of-living crisis has further exacerbated t h e s e c o n c e r n s , a s m a n y p e o p l e w o u l d s t r u g g l e t o cover the costs of their vital medicines

P ro-Khalistani activist passe s away in the UK

Avtar Sing h Purba, al s o k no w n as K h an d a, a w e llk no w n p roK hali stani activ is t, p a ss ed aw ay at a h o s p i tal in Bi rm in g h am , U K , on Thursd ay m orning, acco rding to a s tat em e nt b y th e S i kh Fed e rat io n U K Av t ar Si n g h h ad bee n b attl in g blood cancer and w as on life supp ort for the past few d ays Si n g h w a s w a n t e d i n connection with a conspirac y t o a s s a s s i n a t e Su k h b i r

Singh Badal, the president of India's Shiromani Akali DalB, as well as former Punjab

Avtar Singh Khanda

d i r e c t o r g e n e r a l o f p o l i c e

Su m e d h Si n g h S a i n i a n d s e n i o r a d v o c a t e R a j w i n d e r

Singh Bains He was believed to be involved in terrorist activities in the UK, associate d w i t h t h e b a n n e d

K h a l i s t a n L i b e r a t io n Fo rc e

( K L F ) r e m n a n t s a c t i v e i n

B r i t a i n a n d o t h e r countries I n i t i a l l y a r r i ving in the UK on a study visa in 2007, Av t a r Si n g h l a t e r s o u g h t a s y l u m i n 2 0 1 2 a n d d i d n o t return to India He w a s a c c u s e d o f e n g a g i n g i n a n t iI n d i a a c t i v i t i e s , including an attack on the tricolor at t h e H i g h C o m m i s s i o n o f India in London earlier this y e a r, a l t h o u g h h e d e n i e d t h e s e a l l e g a t i o n s Av t a r Singh's family continues to reside in the Purana area of Mo g a d i s t r i c t i n P u n j a b , India

Thought for the week

Love could be an answer, but Police need to up their game

On Monday the CII organised a business conference at the Taj Delegation travelled all the way from India, met with the High Commissioner in India House before participating in a panel discussion at Taj Among topics of discussion were the ongoing UK-India FTA, upcoming B20 (as part of G20 summit agenda) recalibrating important policies specifically in sustainability, aerospace, cybersecurity, energy enhancement, food security, procedural agriculture, AI etc between UK and India

It also made a special mention of the India meets Britain Tracker 2023, that the Grant Thornton published in association with CII recently The Tracker identified the top fastest-growing Indian companies in the UK as measured by percentage revenue growth year-on-year

The Tracker also included Indian-owned corporates with operations headquartered or with a significant base in the UK, with turnover of more than £5 million, year-on-year revenue growth of at least 10% and a minimum two-year track record in the UK, based on the latest published accounts filed as of 31 March 2023, where available Turnover figures have been annualised where periods of less or more than 12 months have been reported

The report also highlights the top Indian employers – who through their UK subsidiaries employ more than 1,000 people in the UK

From 13-17 June, the new Secretary General of FICCI, Shailesh Pathak was also in London, Warwick and Birmingham, as part of the India-UK Forum of Parliamentarians 2023 The delegation comprised of Indian MPs and key FICCI delegates

Climate and technology investments were among key topics for an G20 meet last week as UK International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell held high-level discussions in India, including with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar

The UK-India relationship has many factors to celebrate at this point The diaspora, famously known as the living bridge, won many accolades at the recent King Charles’ Birthday Honours List More than 40 Indian origin people have been honured by the King, as well as Bob Blackman MP, who stands as a voice of the Hindus in London

But certain immigration rules and lack of safety measures towards migrants have hurt the very core of the UK-India partnership With Suella Braverman banning family members joining international students is posing a doubt on the intention to re-build a relationship based on trust At the same time Indianorigin youngsters knifed on the streets and at flatshares, questions a first world country’s ability to keep its own people safe (see P1)

More than 200 young people in West Yorkshire were the victims of knife crime in the space of two years The figures were released by West Yorkshire Police through a Freedom of Information request, the Telegraph and Argus reported In 2021, 104 victims were under the age of 18; 80 in 2022, and 32 by the end of March this year These were offences that involved the use of a "sharp implement" and where it was specifically stated the victim was stabbed or cut and injured

The government cuts have affected the Police staffing and street patrolling, but also what affects the force is the lack of awareness due to absence of community representation and diversity in their organisation

Murdered Grace Kumar’s mum at a vigil said “look after each other, be kind to each other and don’t have hate in your hearts ” The world will be so much better with no violence and only love, but as the reality is, youngsters can form their safety networks supporting each other, but the State apparatus responsible for their safety cannot repeatedly fail them

Timely action helps Gujarat face cyclone Biparjoy bravely

Early warnings, accurate identification of vulnerable areas and timely evacuations helped Gujarat avert major casualties from cyclone Biparjoy, which battered the Gujarat coast last week Biparjoy, which means 'calamity' in the Bengali language, hit the Gujarat coasts with wind speeds of up to 125 kmp, blowing roofs off houses and uprooting trees and electricity poles In 1998, a major storm in Gujarat caused around 4,000 deaths, according to reports, while in 2001 close to 100 people died when an extremely severe cyclone named Tauktae hit the state

Despite the severe storm originating in the Arabian Sea and making landfall in the coastal districts of Kutch and Saurashtra, Gujarat’s advanced planning and proactive measures ensured minimal damage and, most importantly, zero loss of life The state government exhibited a steadfast commitment to proactive disaster planning, leaving no room for negligence or shortcomings Every department, agency, district guardian minister, and chief minister Bhupendra Patel himself worked in unison, dedicating their full efforts to combat the storm

Following a meeting called by CM, a remarkable evacuation effort took place, relocating over 108,000 individuals residing in high-risk areas During the evacuation process, special attention was given to the well-being of pregnant women, ensuring they faced no hardships Additionally, in cases where people became trapped despite evacuation, they were promptly rescued through airlift operations To effectively address the storm’s impact, a total of 19 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were deployed across nine coastal districts, n a m e l y K u t c h , D e v b h o o m i D w a r k a , J a m n a g a r , M o r b i , P o r b a n d a r , G i r S o m n a t h , J u n a g a d h , R a j k o t , a n d V a l s a d

Furthermore, 12 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were assigned to seven coastal districts Before the cyclone

struck, a comprehensive medical infrastructure was established in the potentially affected regions, with a total of 1,005 medical teams actively operating Additionally, to ensure adequate healthcare facilities, a substantial number of 3,851 critical beds were arranged in the areas at risk Furthermore, a total of 197 DG sets were assigned to these regions, enabling the provision of an uninterrupted power supply

To address the significant impact on the power supply caused by the cyclone, the energy department proactively took action A total of 1,127 teams were deployed across 3,751 villages in 8 districts, with an additional 889 teams on standby, ready to a d d r e s s a n y p o w e r - r e l a t e d i s s u e s t h a t m a y a r i s e

Simultaneously, the forest department efficiently responded to fallen trees in the affected districts, deploying a comprehensive fleet of 237 teams for their removal Furthermore, comprehensive measures were taken not only to ensure the safety of the people but also to safeguard the well-being of wildlife, including the lions and other animals in sanctuary areas

Recognizing the importance of infrastructure restoration, the roads and constructions department had readied 132 teams, equipped with essential machinery and equipment Prime M i n i s t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i h e l d a m e e t i n g a n d p e r s o n a l l y engaged with Chief Minister to gather updates on the preparedness as the storm approached the coast Immediately after the cyclone’s intensity diminished, the restoration efforts commenced with full force Within a few hours, a significant number of roads were reopened, and electricity was reinstated in numerous villages where the power supply had been disrupted Despite the challenging weather conditions, repair work persisted, ensuring Gujarat swiftly resumed its normal functioning

Modi- Biden bonhomie will strengthen India-US relationships

Having similar goals and interests, India and the United States' growing relationship is also influenced by the close bonhomie between their leaders President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are perfect examples of this phenomenon, since their cordial relationship strengthens the strategic alliance between the two countries America needs India's friendship to assert itself in Asia and to take on China's aggression India being one of the fastest-growing economies of the world as its GDP is expected to overtake Japan’s and Germany’s by 2028, India has the best soft power in the world, because of its diaspora The bosses of Alphabet, IBM and Microsoft are of Indian origin, as are the heads of three of America’s five top business schools In a testament to the success of Indian Americans, 70% of the wider American public view India favourably, compared with 15% for China

As India's population grows, more people will leave the country in search of lucrative jobs and to escape its ferocious heat Immigration laws in the wealthy world screen for graduates who can work in fields like medical and information technology, where there is a greater need for workers In 2022, 73% of America’s H1B visas, which are granted to professionals in "specialty occupations" like computer scientists, were captured by Indians Despite India's reluctance to adopt a more assertive posture regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the US is attempting to elevate the partnership in terms of trade and security ties Political changes in either country have undoubtedly had no impact on a 25-year effort to forge relationships India is a member of the Quad, a security

alliance that also consists of America, Australia, and Japan

A m e r i c a i s p r o m o t i n g a n u m b e r o f d e f e n c e t r e a t i e s t o s t r e n g t h e n m i l i t a r y - t e c h n o l o g y c o o p e r a t i o n i n o r d e r t o increase India's hard power, some of which may be signed in Washington during PM Modi's visit The Biden administration believes that this would be the biggest turning point in the two countries' ties since a civil nuclear cooperation deal was signed in 2005

President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden have invited PM Modi to make his first state visit to the US in June Both Modi and Biden need each other's support as the election season in both India and the United States draws closer in order to increase their popularity and win the polls

During his visit, PM Modi will also address a joint session of the US Congress for the second time, and it is indeed historic He will be one of the few foreign leaders, along with Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Volodymyr Zelensky, to address a joint session of Congress more than once He will meet CEOs and professionals to discuss business partnerships and opportunities, and also address the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Center, Washington DC The US president and the First Lady will also host Modi at a state dinner on June 22 Several thousand Indian Americans are expected to attend the welcome ceremony on the South Lawns of the White House

Meanwhile, leaders of India's leading opposition parties are meeting in Bihar capital Patna to develop a strategy for mounting a collective campaign against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general elections

The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s what you’re made of.

Not the circumstances Unknown

Political Sketchbook

Alpesh Patel

It’s Kissinger Why India Does Not Rebuke Russia Over Ukraine

This past week He nry Kiss inge r pr ovided advic e to the US on rel ations wit h China But what would Kis singer a dvise on India-China relations? Of cours e there is little l ove l os t be twe en Ind ia an d Hen ry K is s ing er He s t ood be hind Pak is tan’s atroc ities in Banglades h and against India’s drive for dem oc racy The US Am bass ador, Blood, was rec alle d for pointing this out The NSA advised the US to send an a ircraf t carrier to thr eaten India over E Pakist an, but the USSR neutr alised the Americ an threat

Kissinger’s actions made the world more and more bipolar India would be closer and closer to USSR and US would be Pakistan’s funder in general and hand-maiden It was Kissinger who wrongly assessed that Indira Gandhi ‘suckered’ the Americans, but all the while it was Pakistan which for decades sucker the Americans which their subsequent NSAs and Presidents would admit

So what would the old man advise now on India and China relations all these years later? Given his pretty poor track record, you may not bother reading on

D r a w i n g u p o n t h e d i p l o m a t i c s t r a t e g i e s o f H e n r y Kissinger, it is likely that he would first acknowledge the deep-seated historical tensions and territorial disputes that underpin the relationship between India and China The two nations have clashed over their Himalayan border for decades, notably in the 1962 Sino-Indian War, and tensions have periodically flared up since then

Kissinger, who is known for his realist approach to international relations, would likely identify the strategic considerations for both India and China For India, balancing China's growing economic and military power in the region is a major strategic priority India also seeks to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty, especially in disputed areas like Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin

For China, its strategic interests lie in consolidating its regional influence, maintaining stability along its western border, and ensuring that India does not become a counterweight to its power in the region by aligning too closely with other major powers like the United States or Japan

Kissinger might then turn to the economic interdependencies between the two countries China is India's 2nd largest trading partner, and there is considerable potential for deeper economic integration Given Kissinger's instrumental role in normalizing U S -China relations through "ping-pong diplomacy," he might suggest similar cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts between India and China as a way of easing tensions and fostering mutual understanding

He would also likely advocate for increased engagement in regional multilateral organizations Both India and China are members of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Active participation in such forums provides opportunities for dialogue, builds trust, and can help manage disputes

Kissinger's policy of détente, which aimed at easing geopolitical tensions during the Cold War, might inform his advice on how to deal with the military and security concerns between India and China He could suggest confidence-building measures, such as maintaining regular communication between military commanders, establishing protocols to prevent border skirmishes, and seeking ways to limit the arms race in the region

Lastly, Kissinger's strategy of "triangular diplomacy" might come into play He might advise both countries to leverage their relationships with other major powers to create a balance that discourages aggression For instance, India could strengthen its partnerships with the U S and Japan, while China could do the same with Russia and Pakistan

In conclusion, the Kissinger-esque approach to improving India-China relations would likely involve a delicate balancing act: recognizing and managing strategic competition, harnessing economic interdependencies, promoting cultural exchanges, enhancing multilateral engagement, implementing confidence-building measures, and strategically using relationships with other major powers It's a complex and challenging task, but one that is essential for regional and global stability

The bottom line is, India’s current Foreign Secretary is far more masterful than Kissinger at doing all this and more

Extra income barely making any difference for NHS

T h e N HS h as b ec o m e a sou rce of widespread concern among the p ublic, leading to stories emerging from v arious focus groups These a cc o u nt s h ig h li g h t t h e strug gles faced by indiv iduals, such as teenagers end uri n g l eng th y w ai ts f o r appo intments, eld erly relatives left on the floor while w aiting for ambulances, and surgeries being cancelled

T h e s e i n c i d e n t s h a v e contributed to the prevaili n g p e r c e p t i o n t h a t t h e healthcare system is failing I r r e s p e c t i v e o f l o c a t i o n , w h e t h e r i t b e m i dB e d f o r d s h i r e o r N o r t h Y o r k s h i r e , t h e s t a t e o f h e a l t h c a r e i s r e g a r d e d a s both a top priority and a major source of apprehension H o w e v e r , a m i d s t t h i s

u n d e r s t a n d a b l e d i s t r e s s , a perplexing question arises: " W h a t h a p p e n e d t o t h e promised £350 million per week from Brexit?" The reality is even more disheartening – it did not simply vanish

The fact remains that in the past few years, the NHS has received more than £350 million per week in additional funds, in real terms, excluding the extra expendit u r e s n e c e s s i t a t e d b y t h e COVID-19 pandemic A sign i f i c a n t p o r t i o n o f t h e s e funds has been allocated to b o l s t e r i n g t h e h e a l t h c a r e w o r k f o r c e B e t w e e n D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 9 a n d December 2022, there was a notable increase of 16 4 percent in full-time equivalent ( F T E ) j u n i o r d o c t o r s a n d 10 9 percent in nurses and

health visitors

A significant portion of these additional healthcare p r o f e s s i o n a l s h a v e b e e n directed towards hospitals, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n a r e a s t h a t have been making headlines d u e t o t h e i r c h a l l e n g e s D e s p i t e t h e t r e m e n d o u s dedication and hard work of N H S s t a f f , t h e h e a l t h c a r e system is still grappling with a crisis Additionally, regardless of which political party e m e r g e s v i c t o r i o u s i n t h e n e x t e l e c t i o n , i n c r e a s e d spending on the NHS may not be at the top of their priority list P r e s e n t l y , t h e N H S i s deeply invested in the pursuit of greater integration, aiming to connect different facets of the healthcare system, including social care While this goal is commend-

able, there is a concern that the current organizational structure is overly complex, impeding progress in both enhancing hospital activities and achieving effective integ r a t i o n M e r e l y p u r s u i n g i n t e g r a t i o n w i l l n o t s o l v e the issues we have identified Given that satisfaction levels with the NHS are at u n p r e c e d e n t e d l o w s a n d with an impending election on the horizon, politicians must confront critical quest i o n s r e g a r d i n g h o w t o address the hospital crisis If they genuinely value public opinion, their primary focus should be directed towards i m p r o v i n g N H S p e r f o rmance, rather than concerning themselves solely with h o n o u r s l i s t s a n d s i m i l a r matters

Professional nurse embraces mermaid persona in spare time

Y asmin Awan leads a fascinating double life, balancing h er wo rk as a junior do cto r with her unique ro le as a p ro f e ss i o n al me rm ai d Wh ile h er days are spent at A i nt re e H o s p i ta l i n Liverpo ol, p rimarily in th e major trau ma u nit, Yasmi n disco vered her p assio n fo r being a mermaid six years ago When she's not saving l i v e s , t h e 2 8 - y e a r - o l d e m b r a c e s h e r a l t e r e g o ,

going by the name Athena Storm, and performs as a mermaid at various events s u c h a s k i d s ' p a r t i e s a n d weddings This allows her to share her enchanting mermaid persona and bring joy to those she entertains Y a s m i n n o t o n l y embraces her mermaid pers o n a b u t h a s a l s o e s t a blished a side business called Aquatic Mermaids in partnership with her best friend Together, they venture into

a q u a r i u m w a t e r s , e v e n swimming alongside sharks using a monofin Becoming a professional mermaid required Yasmin to master the art of holding her breath underwater for extended periods She has h o n e d t h i s s k i l l , e n a b l i n g her to stay submerged for up to four minutes at a time Her ultimate aspiration is to utilize these abilities to visit the Maldives and swim with whale sharks

NHS photography competition shortlist announced

To co mmemor ate th e 75th anniv er sary o f t he h ealth se r v i ce , a p h o t o g r ap h y competition h as revealed the names of 75 NHS staff and vo lunteer s who have made it to th e sho rt list Th e collection of cap tivating im ag es incl udes a portrait o f Beryl Car r, the oldest volu nteer in Br itain at 102 year s old

The national competit i o n , o r g a n i z e d b y N H S England in collaboration with Fujifilm UK, attracted numerous entries from h e a l t h c a r e p r o f e s s i o n a l s a n d v o l u n t e e r s f r o m a l l

c o r n e r s o f t h e c o u n t r y These entries showcased their personal stories and experiences related to the significance of the NHS Out of the many subm i s s i o n s , 7 5 e x c e p t i o n a l p h o t o g r a p h s h a v e b e e n selected and will be showcased at an exhibition held at the Fujifilm House of P h o t o g r a p h y i n C o v e n t G a r d e n , L o n d o n T h e exhibition will be open to the public starting from July 5th, 2023, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the NHS

Zaheer A hm ed, a dedic at ed ca b d ri v er fr o m W at fo rd , h as b een p roud ly pu t forward fo r a p restigio us Taxi Aw ard by Watfo rd's M P, Dean R u ss e ll T h i s an nu al e v ent, h eld w i th in the e s tee m ed w a ll s o f P arliament, aims to hono ur the unwavering dedication and o utstanding serv ice p rov ided by taxi d ri v er s th r o u g h o u t th e cou ntry

Zaheer, who serves as a t a x i d r i v e r a n d h o l d s t h e

position of Chairman in t h e W a t f o r d H a c k n e y

C a r r i a g e D r i v e r s

A s s o c i a t i o n , h a s p a ssionately advocated for his colleagues and the wider community during a campaign to preserve the Pryzm nightclub in Watford

D e a n R u s s e l l M P expressed his delight in nominating Mr Ahmed for this well-deserved recognition at the Taxi Awards,

H a i l i n g f r o m N e s t o n , Wirral, the 28-year-old doctor shared that her journey i n t o m e r m a i d l i f e b e g a n during her time studying for her MA While procrastinati n g o n l i n e , s h e s t u m b l e d u p o n a n a d v e r t i s e m e n t offering mermaid training, prompting her to attend a weekend course Since then, b e i n g a m e r m a i d h a s become an integral part of her life

British man fears family missing among migrant boat sink

A British man named Aftab K h an, re si d i n g i n Wolv erham p to n, is deep ly concerned that h is relatives

to side Tragically, the vessel e v e n t u a l l y c a p s i z e d a n d sank at approximately 2 am on Wednesday

Parm iter's School in Watford expressed pride in its Year 7 p u p i ls M a ya, He ig h lee , Em ily, A sh leana, and Heer (the team's reserve) for their outstand ing ach iev em ent in th e N ati o n al R ead in g C h a m p i o ns Qu i z T h e school's team secured third place in the final co mpeti-

tio n, wh ic h to ok p lace o n June 6 at Goldsm iths' Hall in Lo nd on T h e N a t i o n a l R e a d i n g Champions Quiz is a prestig i o u s e v e n t t h a t i n v o l v e s s c h o o l s f r o m a l l o v e r t h e country It showcases students' reading abilities, comprehension skills, and gener-

a l k n o w l e d g e P a r m i t e r ' s School celebrated the success o f i t s s t u d e n t s a n d t h e i r commendable performance in the national competition

T h e q u i z s a w i n t e n s e competition from nearly 500 UK teams across 22 heats in M a r c h T h e t e a m f r o m

Parmiter's School achieved an impressive third place out of the 2,000 students who participated in the quiz As a result of their accomplishm e n t , e a c h t e a m m e m b e r received book tokens and a certificate to recognize their achievement

In addition to the prizes, all the finalists were provided w i t h a s e l e c t i o n o f f r e e books At the venue, a bookstall was set up, offering a diverse range of titles for the

a c k n o w l e d g i n g h i s e x c e ptional service as a taxi driver and the significant impact h e h a s m a d e a s t h e C h a i r m a n o f t h e a s s o c i ation " I b e l i e v e h e t r u l y embodies the values that the Taxi Awards aim to celebrate", said Russell T h e a w a r d s c e r e m o n y w i l l g a t h e r M P s , g o v e r nment officials, and community leaders, adding to the prestige of the occasion

could be among the num ero u s i nd i v i d u a ls w h o a re missing following the trag ic si n ki ng o f a n o v er lo a d ed fi s h i ng bo a t c arr yi ng m ig rants of f th e c oas t o f Greece

A devastating incident occurred in the early hours o f W e d n e s d a y m o r n i n g , resulting in the loss of at least 78 lives, while 104 indiv i d u a l s w e r e f o r t u n a t e enough to be rescued after the fishing vessel capsized a p p r o x i m a t e l y 5 0 m i l e s from the southern coastal town of Pylos

Alarm Phone, a charity organization, received distress calls from some of the individuals aboard the vessel and estimates that up to 750 people may have been on board at the time A larges c a l e s e a r c h a n d r e s c u e o p e r a t i o n i s c u r r e n t l y underway in an attempt to find survivors

A e r i a l p h o t o g r a p h s released by the Greek coastg u a r d d e p i c t e d t h e b o a t , measuring between 20 to 30 meters in length, prior to the sinking Numerous individuals on both the upper and lower decks were visible, some with their arms outstretched, in the images captured

s t u d e n t s t o c h o o s e f r o m

This initiative aimed to foster their love for reading and allowed them to select books that aligned with their personal interests and passions

The successful execution of the event was made possible by funding support from the Authors' Licensing and C o l l e c t i n g S o c i e t y ( A L C S ) , f u r t h e r e m p h a s i z i n g t h e importance of promoting literacy and encouraging young readers

Addressing the media in K a l a m a t a , t h e p o r t c i t y w h e r e t h e s u r v i v o r s h a v e been brought, the speaker e x p r e s s e d t h e c u r r e n t uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts of the remaining individuals Efforts are being made to gather information and locate them

According to Greek offic i a l s , t h e f i s h i n g b o a t encountered trouble when i t s e n g i n e m a l f u n c t i o n e d , causing it to sway from side

Witnesses have reported that a significant number of women and children were located in the hold of the f i s h i n g b o a t , e m p h a s i z i n g the potentially dire situat i o n I n r e s p o n s e t o t h e tragic incident, the Greek g o v e r n m e n t h a s d e c l a r e d t h r e e d a y s o f n a t i o n a l mourning T h e c h a r i t y o r g a n i z ation involved in the rescue efforts has accused Greek and other European authorities of neglecting to initiate a rescue operation prior to the boat's sinking, despite h a v i n g k n o w l e d g e o f t h e v e s s e l ' s o v e r c r o w d e d a n d unseaworthy conditions

According to the coastguard, nine survivors have been detained under suspicion of involvement in the smuggling network responsible for organizing the illfated journey The investig a t i o n i n t o t h e i n c i d e n t c o n t i n u e s a s a u t h o r i t i e s work to gather more inform a t i o n a n d h o l d t h o s e responsible accountable

Taxi

Watford MP Dean Russell and Mr Zaheer Ahmed

Bright Little Stars Nursery Shines at NDNA Awards

Br ight Little Stars Nur ser y achieved ou tstanding success at t he prestigiou s

N DN A (National Day N urseries Asso ciation) Awards Ceremo ny 2023

On Fr iday, 9th Ju ne 2023, the nu rser y's St anm or e branch was cro wned "N ur sery of the Y ear" fo r S out h England, while t he Harro w br anch secured a place am ong the to p three in t he UK fo r the co veted "Heal th and Wel lbeing Award" category

The prestigious "Nursery of the Year" accolade bestowed upon the Stanmore Nursery acknowledges its unwavering commitment to delivering top-tier childcare and early-years education and recognizes the nursery's dynamic curriculum and its ability to create an enriching environment that fosters the interests, skills, and talents of children, thus laying strong foundations for future learning

Furthermore, the Harrow Nursery's recognition among the top three for the "Health and Wellbeing Award" highlights their exceptional

dedication to holistic child health and wellbeing

"We are tremendously proud of our teams and the exceptional care they provide Being recognized by the NDNA, a distinguished national charity that plays a leading role in shaping decisions within the education and early years sector, is a true honor," expressed Amol Devani, CEO of Bright Little Stars Nursery "We firmly believe in creating a happy, secure, and stimulating environment that nurtures our little stars, allowing them to grow

UK is the fifth-best LGBTQ+ travel destination in the world

To raise aw areness of global attitud es for L GBTQ Prid e M onth, the d ating reviews website M yDatingAd viser co m released a repo rt o n ‘T he Best Countries for LGBT Q+ Trav el in 20 23 ’

into confident, successful, and lifelong learners "

“We have been working extremely hard to ensure each of our settings offer a diverse range of activities and training for our 800 children and families, from health and well-being, Oral Hygiene, providing high-level Parent Educational Workshops to working alongside speech and language therapists, pediatricians, schools, and more Our achievements at the NDNA are a shining moment for our Bright Little Stars family and we couldn’t be happier !”

The UK has been named the No 5 best country for LGBTQ+ travel, according to MyDatingAdviser com The UK has been given an LGBTQ+ travel index score of 95 7 (out of a possible 100 points) If you ’ re part of the LGBTQ+ community, some countries might be better than others for your next adventure There have been significant changes in laws and norms surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage and the rights of LGBT people around the world However, public opinion on accepting homosexuality in society remains divided by country, region, and economic development

To determine the most gay-friendly travel destinations, MyDatingAdviser compared 34 countries across eight key indicators of LGBTQ+-friendliness

The data set focuses on the following categories: society's acceptance of homosexuality, sexual activ-

ity rights, civil union rights, marriage rights, adoption rights, military service rights, anti-discrimination laws, and gender identity laws

The 20 Best Countries for LGBTQ+ Trav el in 20 23

1 Sweden

2 Netherlands

3 Spain

4 France

5 United Kingdom

6 Germany

7 Canada

8 Australia

9 Brazil

10 Argentina

11 South Africa

12 Italy

13 Israel

14 United States

15 Czech Republic

16 Mexico

17 Greece

18 Poland

19 Slovakia

20 Philippines

What makes the UK o ne of th e m ost gay-friendly cou ntries?

Public accept ance towa rds homosexua lit y: 86% of the UK public accepts homosexuality, according to a ‘Global Attitudes & Trends’ survey by Pew Research Sexua l activ it y for same -se x couples: It has always been legal for women Men got this right in 1967, in Scotland since 1981, and in Northern Ireland since 1982 C ivil union r ights: Civil partnerships have been legal since 2005 Mar riage rights: Legal in England, Wales, and Scotland since 2014 and in Northern Ireland since 2020 Adopt ion right s: Legal in England and Wales since 2005, Scotland since 2009, and Northern Ireland since 2013 M ilita ry ser vice right s: Legal since 2000 and includes transgender people An ti-discr imin at ion la ws: Bans all anti-gay discrimination G en der ide nt ity la ws: Under the Gender Recognition Act 2004

“LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER”

Most international students who visit the UK rely on the internet or the primary guida n c e p r o v i d e d b y t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e u n i v e r s i t y w e bsites pointing to the kind of type of accommodation they can choose to procure on t h e i r a r r i v a l o r s o m e t i m e s before Some international students who cannot afford e x p e n s i v e a c c o m m o d a t i o n on the campus, choose to stay in flatshare and studio apartments

It’s all a leap of faith as long as the rent doesn’t burn the pocket In the hustle of l o c k i n g a r o o f o v e r t h e i r head, students naively do not necessarily vet the property o r t h e f l a t m a t e s ’ b a c kg r o u n d s a n d c r i m i n a l records This raises the question and concern for international students who have little knowledge of the country and its whereabouts to rely on fate while the police try to combat multiple crimes in this surge of knife attacks in the UK

R e s o n a t i n g w i t h w h a t Grace Kumar’s (Nottingham knife attack victim) parents said at the vigil organised in the memory of their daughter, loving and befriending people in such times holds m o r e i m p o r t a n c e t h a n w e b e l i e v e I n a w o r l d w h e r e every individual, family and c o m m u n i t y h a s i t s o w n issues to cope with, perhaps t h e f e e l i n g o f s i s t e r h o o d , community living and initiat i v e s w i t h i n c o m m u n i t i e s might bring more help and relief from such traumatic incidents while police cont i n u e s t o h o l d c i t i z e n s a c c o u n t a b l e f o r t h e i r o w n s a f e t y i n s u c h u n f o r e s e e n moments This is where univ e r s i t i e s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s that can otherwise not do much to assure a person ’ s safety can help in communit y b u i l d i n g a n d i n i t i a t i v e s that might prepare and alert students and young people to brace themselves for such mishaps and come out alive R e a c t i n g t o t h e r e c e n t c r i m i n a l i n c i d e n t s , N IS A U U K C h ai rp e rs o n S a nam A rora told the newsweekly, “It is extremely important, and especially more so considering the recent horrifying cases of crime against Indian students to be extra cautious and safe Finding safe accommodation can be a difficult task and must only be done through safe means

In the first instance please rely only on authorised contacts provided by your university or approved organisations that specialise in prov i d i n g q u a l i t y a n d s a f e a c c o m m o d a t i o n S t u d e n t s a r e i n v i t e d t o j o i n o u r

A S K N I S A U s e s s i o n o n 2 5 June at 2 pm UK time where current students, alumni and experts from the accommod a t i o n p r o v i d e r U n i v e r s i t y Living will discuss this topic in detail ”

W h e n A s i a n V o i c e reached out for comment in light of the recent criminal

Massage parlour manager jailed for raping women

o f f e n c e s t o t h e Na ti o na l P o li c e C h i ef’ s C o u nc i l ( NP C C ), t h e p r e s s o f f i c e expressed that this is “Quite a large topic and not something that would be solely for police to comment on ” but the police does provide safety advice in terms of helping people avoid falling victim to c r i m e a n d p o i n t e d u s towards Met Police’s website that has enough literature and guides for personal safety They also encourage citiz e n s t o v i s i t t h e w w w p o l i c e u k w e b s i t e which also has plenty of safety advice from a policing perspective Advice for international students is also availa b l e i f t h e y c o n t a c t U K C o u n c i l f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l Student Affairs

Indian-o rigin doctor’ s d aug hter killed in Notting ham knife attack

Grace O'Malley Kumar, a 1 9 - y e a r - o l d I n d i a n - o r i g i n medical student, was identified as one of the three victims in a series of shocking knife attacks that took place i n N o t t i n g h a m , U K T h e i n c i d e n t o c c u r r e d i n t h e e a r l y h o u r s o f T u e s d a y , where Grace and her friend Barnaby Webber, both students at the University of N o t t i n g h a m , w e r e f a t a l l y stabbed by an unidentified assailant Tributes have been pouring in for Grace, with her family describing her as a w o n d e r f u l a n d b e a u t i f u l y o u n g l a d y w h o b r o u g h t immense joy to their lives Prime Minister Rishi Sunak e x p r e s s e d c o n d o l e n c e s f o r the victims and praised the emergency services' response to the incident

A talented athlete who played hockey at the underage level for England, Kumar belonged to a family of doctors – her father, Londonbased Dr Sanjoy Kumar, has been a General Practitioner for over 20 years He is being dubbed a “hero” doctor who s a v e d t h e l i v e s o f s o m e teenage stab victims in his local surgery back in 2009 He was made a member of t h e O r d e r o f t h e B r i t i s h Empire (MBE) for his selfless work in saving three lives

O n h e r m o t h e r ’ s s i d e , t o o , G r a c e b e l o n g e d t o a high-profile family of doct o r s H e r m o t h e r S i n e a d

O’Malley is a London-based a n a e s t h e t i s t , w h i l e h e r grandfather was the former head of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)

“Grace was an adored daughter and sister; she was a truly wonderful and beautif u l y o u n g l a d y , ” K u m a r ’ s family said in a statement

“Grace was not just a sist e r t o J a m e s b u t h i s b e s t f r i e n d H e i s c o m p l e t e l y h e a r t b r o k e n A s p a r e n t s , w o r d s c a n n o t e x p l a i n o u r complete and utter devastation She will be so dearly missed We were so incredibly proud of Grace’s achievements and what a truly lovely p e r s o n s h e w a s S h e w a s resilient and wise beyond her years, ” they said

Speaking at a vigil held in honour of the victims, Dr Sanjoy Kumar said: “Grace a n d h e r f r i e n d , t h e y f e l l together You just need to be friends with everyone and you need to love everyone Everyone who is here, I really thank you for being here and taking the time She loved all of you, she really did You all touched her lives and ours ” Wembley stabbing victim w as g oing to get m arried this year

W h i l e t h e c o m m u n i t y w a s p r o c e s s i n g t h i s g r i e f , T e j a s w i n i R e d d y , a y o u n g Indian woman tragically lost her life in a stabbing incident in North London The 27year-old was pursuing her Master's degree in computer s c i e n c e a t G r e e n w i c h University in the UK She resided in Neeld Crescent, W e m b l e y , w h e r e s h e w a s fatally stabbed by a Brazilian man Tejaswini had shared her excitement with her parents about her plans to marry this year after returning to I n d i a f r o m t h e U K

According to her parents, she had even resigned from her temporary job, intending to r e t u r n t o I n d i a w i t h i n a m o n t h a f t e r f i n a l i s i n g t h e m a t c h T h e M e t r o p o l i t a n Police have confirmed the arrest of two men, including a 2 3 - y e a r - o l d B r a z i l i a n n a t i o n a l n a m e d K e v i n A n t o n i o L o u r e n c o D e M o r a i s T e j a s w i n i ' s f r i e n d Akhila was also injured in the incident but is reported to be i n s t a b l e c o n d i t i o n a f t e r receiving medical attention T e j a s w i n i ' s u n c l e h a s appealed to the government to make necessary arrangements for repatriating her b o d y f r o m t h e U K t o H y d e r a b a d , a l l o w i n g h e r family to bid a final farewell Kerala man stabbed to death in Londo n In another unfortunate

incident involving the stabbing of an Indian individual in the UK, a man from Kerala w a s t r a g i c a l l y k i l l e d i n Camberwell, London, by a f e l l o w c o u n t r y m a n i n t h e early hours of Friday This marked the third incident of a p e r s o n o f I n d i a n o r i g i n b e i n g f a t a l l y s t a b b e d i n B r i t a i n w i t h i n t h e s a m e week According to reports, Metropolitan Police arrested 2 5 - y e a r - o l d S a l m a n S a l i m , a l s o f r o m K e r a l a , o n Saturday in connection with t h e a l l e g e d m u r d e r o f 3 7year-old Aravind Sasikumar Both individuals were flatmates residing in a shared house on Southampton Way i n C a m b e r w e l l S a l m a n Salim, the 25-year-old suspect, was brought before the Croydon Magistrates' Court on Saturday and subsequently remanded in custody His n e x t c o u r t a p p e a r a n c e i s scheduled for June 20

The incident took place on Friday when Sasikumar, a native of Panampilly Nagar i n K e r a l a , w a s d i s c o v e r e d with stab wounds outside a r e s i d e n t i a l a d d r e s s o n S o u t h a m p t o n W a y I t i s reported that the stabbing occurred following a dispute between Sasikumar and his roommate at the house they shared with three others in P e c k h a m , S o u t h e a s t L o n d o n T h e p o l i c e w e r e notified and arrived at 1:30 a m , b u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y , Sasikumar succumbed to his injuries at the scene A postm o r t e m e x a m i n a t i o n revealed that the cause of death was stab wounds to the chest

Friends of India Soc Intl UK tweeted, “It's devastating to learn about a third incident of a stabbing targeting a n I n d i a n - o r i g i n p e r s o n Such tragic incidents are a grim reminder of the violence plaguing our society here & that needs to be dealt w i t h - t h o u g h t s & c o n d olences with the victim's family ”

In seeking justice for the d e a d , a n d p r o v i d i n g m o r e security measures for the citizens, as crime continues to unfold in front of our eyes a n d g r i m i n s t a n c e s , t h e r e surely needs to be a solid plan of action that must arise from the judicial system Or e l s e w e ’ l l k e e p l o s i n g o u r people R e m e m b e r , G r a c e Kumar, was described as a talented hockey and cricket player She had aspirations of becoming a doctor like her father and had represented E n g l a n d i n t h e u n d e r - 1 8 s h o c k e y t e a m W e m b l e ybased Tejwasni was going to g e t m a r r i e d t h i s y e a r A l l gone and it wasn’t their fault

A 50 -y ear - ol d i nd i v i d u a l, Rag h u S i ng am ane ni , h a s been sentenced to 1 8 years in p ri s o n fo r u si ng fa ls e pro mises of employment at h is m as sa g e p arl o u rs to co m m it rap e a nd s ex u al as sa u lt a g ai n st y o u ng women across v arious locations in Lo nd on Follow ing a t ri al at Wo o d G re en Crown C ourt, Singamaneni w as u n ani m o u s ly f o u nd guilty of the charg es involving four victim s Th e sentencing was carried out on Frid ay, June 1 6

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e M e t r o p o l i t a n P o l i c e , t h e court proceedings revealed that Singamaneni operated two massage parlors, one on Holloway Road in Islington and another on High Road in Wood Green, both locate d i n n o r t h L o n d o n H e used a jobs application platform to advertise vacancies at his establishments, luring women into appointments under false pretenses before subjecting them to sexual assaults

The first victim, a 17year-old girl, reported the incident to the police after

a r r a n g i n g a m e e t i n g w i t h Singamaneni for a job interv i e w , f o l l o w i n g w h i c h h e was arrested and released under investigation, pending further inquiries Other three offenses involved a 19year-old, a 23-year-old and another 17-year-old female Based on the evidence gathered from the victims, Singamaneni was arrested and subsequently convicted of three counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault, and one count of attempted rape involving four women

Taxi driver rapes woman after gaining entry into her home

Jakir Hussain, a taxi driver, ag e d 3 9 , ex p lo i ted a woman's trust and v iolated her The woman h ad been p ic k ed u p by Hu s s ai n i n Card iff city centre, and he drove h er to h er resid ence Ho wever, upon arrival, he deceived h er by requ esting to u se the restroom, ev entually leading to him gaining entry to her hom e

O n c e i n s i d e , H u s s a i n forcibly entered the victim s bedroom, where he subjected her to a heinous assault

The presence of the defendant's DNA discovered at the crime scene served as crucial evidence linking him to the abhorrent act These distressing details were pres e n t e d a t M e r t h y r T y d f i l Crown Court Hussain was apprehended and initially denied any engagement in sexual misconduct However, during the course of the trial, he a l t e r e d h i s s t a t e m e n t , asserting that the encounter h a d b e e n c o n s e n s u a l Nevertheless, he was ultimately found guilty of rape

During the court proc e e d i n g s , t h e v i c t i m r e a d out a poignant statement, e x p r e s s i n g t h e p r o f o u n d impact the incident had on her life She revealed that t h e t r a u m a t i c e v e n t r e ndered her unable to remain in her own home due to dist r e s s i n g f l a s h b a c k s

Furthermore, she disclosed that she had attempted to

take her own life as a direct consequence of the ordeal

In Hussain's defense, it was stated that he had previo u s l y m a i n t a i n e d a g o o d character and had resided in t h e U K f o r e i g h t y e a r s A d d i t i o n a l l y , i t w a s m e ntioned that he provided supp o r t f o r h i s f a m i l y b o t h d o m e s t i c a l l y a n d i n t e r n ationally

During the sentencing, Recorder Eugene Egan conv e y e d t h e g r a v i t y o f t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s a c t i o n s , a d d r e s s i n g J a k i r H u s s a i n d i r e c t l y I n l i g h t o f t h e s e v e r i t y o f h i s a c t i o n s , Hussain received a prison sentence of 11 years, with a requirement to serve twothirds of that term behind bars Additionally, he was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be required to comply with s e x o f f e n d e r n o t i f i c a t i o n requirements for life

Furthermore, the court issued a restraining order, p r o h i b i t i n g H u s s a i n f r o m c o n t a c t i n g t h e v i c t i m I n addition, he was indefinitely barred from working as a taxi driver

Raghu Singamaneni

Continued

from page

Pictures of 45 accused in Indian High Commission attack released

On Wednesday, t he Nation al Investigation A genc y (NIA) released phot ographs of 45 individual s all egedl y invol ved in t he at tack on t he Indian High C ommission in London on

after the Delhi Police's Special Cell registered an FIR relating to the protest staged by "proKhalistani activists " The incident involved the removal of the Indian national flag from

Pakistani business tycoon, with strong links to the UK missing in Titanic tourist submarine

A larg e-s cale searc h and res cu e operation is currently in progress in th e mid -Atlantic region fo llowing the disappearance of a tourist submarine d uring a d iv e to th e wreck of th e T itanic on S und ay

A p p ro x im ate ly a n h o u r a nd 4 5 m in ute s afte r th e inc i d ent, th e C an ad i an res ea rc h ic eb re ake r Polar Prince, serving as the support vessel, lost contact with the su bmarine, accord ing to au thorities

Bri ti s h b il li o na ir e, H am is h Hard ing , is one of the indiv iduals aboard the su bm arine

The private plane firm Action

A v i a t i o n h a s c o n f i r m e d t h a t Harding, its chairman, is one of the m i s s i o n s p e c i a l i s t s a b o a r d t h e

March 1 9 The att ack w as carried out b y purported Khalist an i support ers

It obtained the images from CCTV footage and has appealed to the public for assistance in identifying the suspects It had previously released five videos showing the attack on the Indian High Commission, where the accused can be seen gathering outside the embassy and subsequently launching the assault The attackers were carrying religious flags and chanting slogans

Following instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the NIA took over the case

Source: twitter

the premises The FIR was filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and an investigation has been launched

In response to the incident, the Indian government summoned the British Deputy High Commissioner to seek an explanation for the lack of security during the protest The British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, condemned the incident as "disgraceful" and "totally unacceptable "

OceanGate Expeditions vessel that was reported overdue on Sunday evening, approximately 435 miles south of St John s, Newfoundland Following the news of the missing submersible on Monday, his stepson, Brian Szasz, confirmed that his stepfather was indeed on board

the vessel when it went missing

T w o o t h e r i n d i v i d u a l s o n board are, Shahzada Dawood, aged 48, a board member of the Prince's Trust charity based in the UK, and his son Sulaiman, aged 19

S h a h z a d a s e r v e s a s t h e v i c e chairman of Engro Corporation, a prominent company involved in the production of fertilizers, food, a n d e n e r g y A d d i t i o n a l l y , h e i s affiliated with Dawood Hercules Corporation, a chemical manufact u r i n g c o m p a n y T h e f a m i l y ,

known to be among the wealthiest in Pakistan, maintains strong ties to the United Kingdom Shahzada, along with his wife Christine, who works as a life coach, and their children Sulaiman and Alina, are believed to reside in a lavish mansion in Surrey

P a u l - H e n r i N a r g e o l e t , a r e n o w n e d F r e n c h d i v e r a n d S t o c k t o n R u s h , t h e f o u n d e r o f OceanGate Expeditions are among those on board the missing submarine

Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

Yoga lovers from around London have gathered at the historic Trafalgar Square to celebrate the International Day of Yoga at an event organised by the High Commission of India

Shahzada Dawood with son Sulaiman

Hamish Harding

Where are the British Asian voices in theatre?

B ri ti s h p la yw ri g h t T an ik a

Gupta’ s play ‘The Empress’ is all set to make a co meback after ten years

T h e p l a y s e t i n 1 8 8 7 d u r i n g Q u e e n V i c t o r i a ' s

G o l d e n J u b i l e e r e v o l v e s a r o u n d t h e s t o r y o f R a n i Das, a sixteen-year-old ayah (nursemaid) to an English f a m i l y , w h o a r r i v e s a t Tilbury docks after a long voyage from India, to start a new life in Britain Later this y e a r , h e r a d a p t a t i o n o f C h a r l e s D i c k e n s ’ ‘ G r e a t Expectations’ will be on the stage as well

Asian Voice reached out t o T a n i k a t o d i s c u s s h e r u p c o m i n g p l a y s a n d h e r j o u r n e y i n t h e w o r l d o f theatre so far

A bo ut ‘T he Em press ’ and how it is different from ten years ago ‘ T h e E m p r e s s ’ f i r s t p r e m i e r e d i n t h e S w a n T h e a t r e i n 2 0 1 3 a n d w a s d i r e c t e d b y E m m a R i c e D i s c u s s i n g t h e development, the play has gone through in ten years, Tanika said, “Ten years ago, it was a big deal to get ‘The Empress’ on the stage It was a wonderful production but it had a very short run of a b o u t f o u r w e e k s i n S t r a t f o r d - u p o n - A v o n a n d not enough people got to see it Over the last ten years, a lot has changed in t e r m s o f p o l i t i c s a n d m y own writing ”

“The play got chosen to be on the GCSE curriculum which is a big deal, and the R o y a l S h a k e s p e a r e Company (RSC) decided to put it back in the theatres I rewrote the play a little bit to make it better and it feels more political than it did t e n y e a r s a g o T h e t i m e s h a v e c h a n g e d a n d p e o p l e are quite hungry for these stories”, she further added

Th e roots of th e play and the conceptu alization

The play finds its roots i n ‘ A y a h s , L a s c a r s a n d

Princes’ by Rozina Visram, a book that Tanika read in her early twenties The book is about the early settlers from the Indian sub-continent, in Britain “I loved the book a n d t h e r e w a s o n e photograph in particular, of the ayahs’ home where all t h e a y a h s w e r e s i t t i n g a r o u n d a t a b l e a n d m y curiosity about them grew ” , she shares

W h e n T a n i k a s t a r t e d delving into the stories of the ayahs, she came across the lascars and the Indian politicians and decided to make them a part of her story as well She also wrote a b o u t t h e c a m a r a d e r i e between Abdul Kareem and Queen Victoria

T he striking contrast between Queen V ictoria’s friend ship with Abdu l and th e treatment of Indians by Britain Tanika talks about her i d e a o f d e a l i n g w i t h t h i s c o n t r a s t i n h e r p l a y ‘

s t o r y o f

Anusha Singh

Author Vaseem Khan on the art of writing crime fiction

Vaseem Khan is an accomp li sh ed au t h o r, w h o h as gained recog ni tio n for his remarkable crim e series set in Ind ia His literary works enc o m p a ss t w o d i s ti nc t se ri es : th e B ab y Ga nes h A g en cy s eri e s, w h ic h unfolds in mo dern Mum bai, and th e M alabar House h istorical crime novels, which take place in 1950s Bombay

Queen Victoria and Abdul

K a r e e m i s t h a t o f a v e r y close friendship that goes beyond race Obviously, it is v e r y c o m p l i c a t e d b e c a u s e while she has a friendship with him, Britain is going o u t i n h e r n a m e a n d m u r d e r i n g p e o p l e a n d colonizing them “

“

I n a n u t s h e l l , colonialism is bad, people are treated badly and it is all done through the head of t h e s t a t e , w h i c h i s t h e queen But in order to make t h e p l a y m o r e i n t e r e s t i n g and entertaining, you need to dig deeper than that”, she explained Making her mark as a South Asian wo man

The journey so far has been difficult for Tanika but she believes that if one is extremely focused on what one wants to do, the result can be great If you ’ re good, then people will recognize your talent

She expresses, “It would be unfair of me to say that I had a terrible time because I h a d s o m a n y p l a y s produced Having said that, I still don’t see other British Asians around me Like the National Theatre, once they p u t o n A n u p a m a C h a n d r a s e k h a r ’ s ‘ F a t h e r and the Assassin’, no other British Asian play went on t h e r e A n d A n u p a m a i s a brilliant writer, but she is from India Where are the B r i t i s h A s i a n v o i c e s i n Britain?”

A bout h er adaptation o f

‘Great Expectations’

Tanika’s adaptation of ‘ G r e a t E x p e c t a t i o n s ’ w a s written over 13 years ago and is also an old play that has been rewritten

“The play is set in Bengal and is all about Pip, now Pipli, going to Kolkata to b e c o m e a n E n g l i s h gentleman Miss Havisham, Herbert Pocket, and Jaggers a r e a l l s t i l l E n g l i s h P i p ’ s f a m i l y i s a l l I n d i a n A b e l M a g w i t c h , o n t h e o t h e r hand is an African convict f r o m t h e S i n d h i community So, the play is not just an Asian version, it’s a real mixture, making it a lot more fun, helping the audience see something of themselves”, she explains

“ I h a v e s e t t h e p l a y d u r i n g t h e f i r s t B e n g a l partition in 1905 to give it m o r e c o n t e x t M i s s , H a v i s h a m , f o r e x a m p l e , becomes a representative of t h e B r i t i s h i n I n d i a I t s essentially the same story and still all about rags to riches and rags again ”

C

simple question – can postcolonial societies treat their f o r m e r c o l o n i s e r s j u s t l y ?

J a m e s W h i t b y i s a n Englishman born in India during the Raj, convicted, post-Independence, of murdering a prominent Indian lawyer He claims he is innocent, the victim of a form of ‘ reverse racism’

Vaseem’s dedication to the craft of writing was validated in 2021, as his novel " M i d n i g h t a t M a l a b a r H o u s e " s e c u r e d t h e e s t e e m e d C r i m e W r i t e r s A s s o c i a t i o n H i s t o r i c a l Dagger, widely regarded as the premier accolade for historical crime fiction worldwide Now, he has made history by being elected as the n e w c h a i r o f t h e C r i m e W r i t e r s ' A s s o c i a t i o n I n a s i g n i f i c a n t m i l e s t o n e f o r d i v e r s i t y a n d r e p r e s e n t ation, Khan becomes the first person of colour to assume this role in the association's 70-year history He succeeds M a x i m J a k u b o w s k i , a notable author, editor, publisher, and critic, as the chair of the organisation

In a conversation with A s i a n V o i c e , V a s e e m d i sc u s s e s t h e a r t o f w r i t i n g crime and the representation of the diaspora in the industry

Whenwere you introduced to crime novels and how did you end up writing these intricate books? Is there a crimefiction writer who served as an inspiration?

My first introduction to crime fiction was via Agatha Christie’s Poirot books and my novels are written in a golden age-Christie style I e v e n h a d t h e h o n o u r o f being invited as a Guest of Honour at the International Agatha Christie Festival in her hometown of Torquay, last year The first book in m y h i s t o r i c a l s e r i e s , Midnight at Malabar House, was compared to Christie by a national UK newspaper In the book, I introduce India’s first female police Inspector – P e r s i s W a d i a – w h o i s posted to Bombay’s smallest p o l i c e s t a t i o n - M a l a b a r House - where all the rejects and undesirables are sent This is 1950, just three years after Indian independence, the assassination of Gandhi, and the horrors of Partition Alot of your work is based in the city of Bombay, now Mumbai. Do you have a special connection with the city? Also, what is the backstory behind the character of the baby elephant, Ganesh?

Although I was born in t h e U K , I h a v e l i v e d i n Mumbai for ten years in my t w e n t i e s M y f i r s t s e r i e s

(known as the Baby Ganesh

A g e n c y n o v e l s ) i s s e t i n modern Mumbai and began w i t h T h e U n e x p e c t e d I n h e r i t a n c e o f I n s p e c t o r C h o p r a , a b o u t a m i d d l eaged policeman who retires a n d s o l v e s m u r d e r s w h i l e having to look after a baby e l e p h a n t T h o s e b o o k s s h o w c a s e m y i n c r e d i b l e memories of India, both the amazing changes that have transformed the country in the past two decades, but also the legacy issues that continue to linger, such as the slums that are part and p a r c e l o f c i t i e s s u c h a s Mumbai

D u r i n g m y t i m e i n M u m b a i , I c a m e a c r o s s a retired circus elephant living close to my apartment in Andheri East That memory stayed with me, and so I decided to include a baby elephant in my first crime novel when I returned to the UK That elephant is both a s y m b o l o f I n d i a a n d a l s o allows me to humanise my detective, Chopra, who is a grim and serious man, but one who cares deeply about the changing Indian society around him

In the last eight years, you’ve written ten crime novels, which require so much more research and attention to the tiniest of details What is your writing process like and what do you do when hit by writer’s block?

M y n o v e l s a r e t i g h t l y plotted, with plenty of cryptic clues and a gentle note of humour Many of the things I write about are based on real facts The latest book in The Malabar House series, Death of a Lesser God, asks a

As far as writer’s block is concerned, I think if you plot thoroughly before you start writing you won’t suffer very often And plotting still allows you to change things as the story develops I discover this with every book I write!

As the first non-white person helming the chair of the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA), what do you hope to achieve while holding this prominent position?

T h e s e v e n t y - y e a r - o l d U K C r i m e W r i t e r s ’ Association (the CWA) is the oldest and largest associat i o n o f c r i m e w r i t e r s i n Europe It exists to promote c r i m e w r i t i n g a n d c r i m e writers I will be following in t h e f o o t s t e p s o f w o r l dfamous crime writers such a s I a n R a n k i n a n d D i c k Francis My main responsibility is simply to spread the gospel, to tell writers of all backgrounds and from all countries that crime writing is an open field

What does your election as the premier of the CWA mean for the South Asian community? What advice do you have for the diaspora youth who want to follow in your footsteps?

My parents – and others of their generation – did not believe that the creative arts were a ‘ proper ’ occupation They were obsessed with the holy trinity of lawyer-doct o r - a c c o u n t a n t T h e r e ’ s nothing wrong with encoura g i n g y o u n g e r p e o p l e t o look for stable careers But not everyone is cut out for that sort of study and nor is it everyone ’ s dream to be a doctor So, my advice is not

just for diaspora youth but a l s o f o r d i a s p o r a p a r e n t s L i s t e n t o e a c h o t h e r C o m m u n i c a t e B e c a u s e , although financial stability i s i m p o r t a n t ( I s t u d i e d a c c o u n t s a t t h e L o n d o n S c h o o l o f E c o n o m i c s a n d w o r k e d a s a m a n a g e m e n t consultant for many years), so is living a fulfilling life I f t h e c r e a t i v e a r t s inspire you, you should be free to pursue that I could not have imagined that after twenty years of trying to get published, I would finally see a book in print at age 40 And now, as I approach 50, I hope I can act as an inspirat i o n f o r o t h e r s f r o m t h e S o u t h A s i a n c o m m u n i t y who have the same dream that I had

Howfar, according to you, can fictional writing take the responsibility of representing diaspora voices? Can it help make diaspora struggles more relatable for a greater mass of people?

The purpose of good fiction is to critically examine the world around us In both my series I try to depict the reality of life on the subcont i n e n t f o r m y r e a d e r s around the world, both diaspora and white readers – I t h i n k t h i s h e l p s t h e t w o communities better unders t a n d e a c h o t h e r I n m y Malabar House novels, I slip in details to correct omiss i o n s a n d m i s c o n c e p t i o n s f r o m t h e B r i t i s h t i m e i n I n d i a T h e L o s t M a n o f B o m b a y , t h e t h i r d i n t h e series, tells the story of a white man found murdered in the Himalayan foothills with only a notebook in his p o c k e t c o n t a i n i n g c r y p t i c clues In the book, I mention t h a t M o u n t E v e r e s t w a s named after a Welsh surveyor who worked in India But George Everest never went n e a r t h e m o u n t a i n , n o r determined that it was the w o r l d ’ s h i g h e s t p e a k A n I n d i a n n a m e d R a d h a n a t h Sikdar did that Alas, you won’t find Sikdar’s name on any map!

Philharmonia Orchestra welcomes

Soumik Datta as Artist in Residence

Th e Philharm onia Orchestra h as anno u nced t od ay th at Sou mik Datta w ill serv e as its A rtist in Residence for th e u p co m i ng 20 2 3 / 24 S e as on Building on the success of p re v i o u s r es id enc i es w i th H o u se o f A bs o lu te ( 2 1 / 22 ) and L ove S seg a (22/23 ), th e A rtist in Resid ence initiativ e continues to th rive

Over the course of the next 12 months, Soumik will collaborate closely with the Philharmonia and its talented musicians This residency w i l l c u l m i n a t e i n a g r a n d performance at the season's end, featuring an enchanting fusion of Western classical and South Asian music, musicians, and

i n s t r u m e n t s S o u m i k ' s e x p l o r a t i o n w i l l r e v o l v e around compelling themes such as refugees and asylum seekers, diaspora, and issues of social and racial inequality Through a captivating blend of Indian music, cont e m p o r a r y c o m p o s i t i o n , a n d s t o r y t e l l i n g , h e w i l l employ various art forms to convey his message

By welcoming Soumik

D a t t a a s i t s A r t i s t i n R e s i d e n c e , t h e

P h i l h a r m o n i a O r c h e s t r a embraces the opportunity to engage in meaningful artistic dialogue and create profound connections between diverse cultures and musical traditions

Tanika Gupta

Vaseem Khan

Soumik Datta

Award-winning playwright Tanika Gupta speaks to Asian Voice EXCLUSIVELY

SPA UK celebrates Seniors Sneh

Milan in Birmingham

S hree Prajapati Association

U K h osted the 10 th Seniors

S neh Milan (conference for elderly) on Sunday 21 May

2 0 23 i n Bi rmi ng h am Th e m ain th em e of th e event was p r es en tat io n s and d i sc u ss i o ns o n p r e- ret ir em e nt p l an ni ng , p o st re ti rem e nt activ ities and aw areness of the threats of cybercrime for the elderly

H e l d a t t h e R a d h a S w a m i R a s i l a S a t s a n g Centre in Birmingham, the

doing garba sitting on the chairs, to gradually incorpor a t i n g d i f f e r e n t e x e r c i s e s t h a t c o u l d b e d o n e b o t h whilst sitting and standing

The crowd joyfully joined in w i t h b e a m i n g s m i l e s o n their faces

Saints have kept our Indian traditions and cultures alive: Sahebji

Started in 1973, com memorating 50 years of unparalleled journey of A no opam

M i s s io n ’ s g l o ba l

M a h ath i r th a Y a tra , S an t Samagam, S atsang and serv ices, fo und er Param Pujya Sahebji, graced th e celebrato r y ev e nt o n S u nd ay 1 8 June 20 23

A d d r e s s i n g t h e d e v o t e e s , present to mark the occasion, Sahebji said, “Loyalty and devotion are both By the grace of Yogiji, Global Mahatirtha Yatra has set a new benchmark The true c e l e b r a t i o n i s t h a t o f t h e Satsang Sabha, that have run for 50 years Gurudev Yogiji

dren to Indian culture and share the importance of our saints and gurus ” H i m m a t S w a m i ,

V i n o d b h a i N a k a r j a ,

Sneh Milan was a sell-out w i t h n e a r l y 6 5 0 o f o u r respected elders participating from 14 different cities and towns across the UK s u p p o r t e d b y a n o t h e r 7 0 v o l u n t e e r s f r o m S h r e e

Prajapati Association (SPA)

Birmingham

T h e m o r n i n g s e s s i o n started with an Aarti, foll o w e d b y s i n g i n g o f t h e H a n u m a n C h a l i s a l e d b y M a n u b h a i M i s t r y ( T a m e s i d e ) a n d H a n s a b e n (Luton) This was followed by a warm welcome speech by the Senior’s Committee C h a i r p e r s o n , B a l w a n t b h a i M i s t r y ( L o n d o n ) Balwantbhai praised everyo n e f o r h a v i n g m a d e t h e effort to attend in person and the help to create the r i g h t a t m o s p h e r e f o r t h e event The SPA Birmingham B r a n c h S e n i o r s w e l c o m e d the audience with a swagat geet (welcome song) beautif u l l y s u n g b y R a s i k b h a i Patel, Ambalalbhai Mistry, N a y n a b e n M i s t r y , S u s h i l a b e n M i s t r y a n d Jamnaben Mistry S u k i B i n n i n g , S e r v i c e Manager from Age UK, and

S a d a f A z i m , H e a d o f Operations from Age UK, gave a very informative presentation on pre-retirement and post retirement planning in English and Hindi T h e p r e s e n t a t i o n c o v e r e d key aspects of how to tackle loneliness, isolation, povert y , h o u s i n g m a i n t e n a n c e , decline in health, including mental health, and embracing digital SPA UK presented a cheque of £250 to Age UK as a donation towards the charity

The samelan also hono u r e d 2 r e s p e c t e d “ C e n t u r i o n s ” f r o m t h e P r a j a p a t i S a m a j w h o h a d r e c e n t l y t u r n e d 1 0 0 y e a r s o l d M a n i b e n N a r a n b h a i Hari (Walsall) turned 100 on 1 1 t h O c t o b e r 2 0 2 2 a n d Naranbhai Purshottambhai Mistry (London) turned 100 o n 1 9 t h N o v e m b e r 2 0 2 2 Both centurions were honoured with a token gift from SPA UK, and these presentation videos were played to the audience at the Samelan

Just before lunch, a few ladies from SPA Leicester b r a n c h e n t e r t a i n e d t h e crowd with “Chalo Garba Fit Karva” which started with

F o l l o w i n g o n f r o m l u n c h , P u s h p a b e n M i s t r y (Luton) led a discussion on t h e v a r i e t y o f h o b b i e s s e n i o r s h a d d e v e l o p e d t o keep themselves occupied A r a n g e o f e x a m p l e s w e r e s h a r e d b y t h e a u d i e n c e i n c l u d i n g p l a y i n g s u d o k u and doing cross words to keep the mind sharp, gard e n i n g , v o l u n t e e r i n g , a n d e v e n d o i n g p a i n t i n g a n d c o l o u r i n g i n c h i l d r e n ’ s colouring books

There was also an elect i o n f o r t h e n e w S e n i o r s C o m m i t t e e , a n d A n i l b h a i Mistry (Luton) was elected as Chairperson, Manharbhai Mistry (Leicester) as secret a r y , a n d K a l a b e n M i s t r y a n d R a n j a n b e n G o s a i ( L e i c e s t e r ) a s a s s i s t a n t s

Following the election there w a s a c o m e d y s k e t c h “Nivruti Baad Pravruti” pres e n t e d b y t h e L o n d o n branch

This was followed by a t a l k o n c y b e r c r i m e a n d advice on how to remain safe whilst using computers, m o b i l e p h o n e s a n d t h e i n t e r n e t p r o v i d e d b y P i y u s h b h a i M i s t r y ( B i r m i n g h a m ) F o l l o w i n g the talk there were some “Ramuji Bhajans” presented b y B r a d f o r d b r a n c h , f o llowed by classic bhajans and o l d g h a z a l s b y S h r i D h a n s u k h b h a i M i s t r y (Birmingham)

SJSUK organises grand Ratha Yatra on Sunday 25 June

S hree Jag annath a S ociety U K (SJS UK) will celebrate Ratha Yatra in a sym bolic manner at V illiers High Sch ool, Southall on Sunday 25 Ju ne to ensure maxim um devotees can jo in them They org anised a smaller event on T u e sd ay 2 0 J u ne a t S h r i Ra m M and ir , S outh all, to mark the occasion on the actual d ay of celebration

Jagannath Rath Yatra has a great significance in Hindu religion This festival is dedicated to worship Lord Jagannath (avatar of Lord Vishnu) along with his elder brother Balbhadra and younger sister Subhadra The Rath Yatra highlights the rich traditions and cultural heritage of Odisha and every year thousands visit Puri to mark the occasion Cities across India and the world also celebrate the same on the day or at a later convenient opportunity

SJSUK is expecting over 500 guests from across London and other parts of UK to join

t h e c e l e b r a t i o n s o n S u n d a y , w h i c h w i l l promises to include pulling of a chariotremodelled and decorated for the event

SJSUK ladies have formed a group called ‘Bhoga Group’ to prepare Chappan Bhoga (56 food items) to serve the deities on the day

BAPS Swaminarayan Temple Neasden runs a volunteer group for cooking food which will help to prepare main Prasada on Sunday to be distributed to devotees

Please register at https://rb gy/nyg7p if you wish to attend

M a h a r a j i n s p i r e d t o s t a r t Satsangs He was the first amongst the Swaminarayan s a i n t s t o v i s i t L o n d o n i n 1970 ” He further added, “The main quality of a saint is his servile devotion Saints have kept the Indian traditions and culture alive Keeping away from bad company and adapting Satsang, is how the society has progressed Any work conducted under the guidance of saints or gurus are more fruitful than any p i l g r i m a g e R e l i g i o n , t e mple, Satsang are the keys for t h e w e l l b e i n g o f h u m a n race Children are the real a s s e t o f a n y f a m i l y W e should introduce our chil-

Hiteshbhai, Truptiben Patel, S a t i s h C h a t w a n i r e c a l l e d t h e i r m e m o r i e s w i t h

Anoopam Mission of past 5 decades

Bhavisha Tailor moderated the event

H a r r o w M a y o r R a m j i

Chauhan, CB Patel, Deepak

J a t a n i a , P r a v i n A m i n , P r a m o d T h a k k a r , V i n o d

T h a k r a r w e r e a l s o w e lcomed and honoured at the event

50 years of asso ciatio n with

Guj arat Sam achar

Congratulating Gujarat

S a m a c h a r o n i t s 5 1 s t

a n n i v e r s a r y , S a h e b j i s a i d ,

“Anoopam Mission is associated with Gujarat Samachar for 50 years I am happy to

see the growth and reach of Gujarat Samachar CB Patel took over Gujarat Samachar from Kusumben and is runn i n g s u c c e s s f u l l y e v e n today Their efforts for the wellbeing of our society and f o r k e e p i n g o u r c u l t u r e intact are exemplary ”

C B P a t e l , p a y i n g h i s r e s p e c t a n d t h a n k i n g S a h e b j i , s a i d “ T h e H i n d u diaspora is the largest and m o s t i n f l u e n t i a l i n t h e w o r l d S a i n t s a n d G u r u s occupy a prominent place in our culture and tradition

From early days to today’s Anoopam Mission, beautiful work has been done under the leadership and guidance of Pujya Sahebji There is an urgent need to document such good efforts, so that even our third generation k n o w s a b o u t t h e g o o d work ”

Param Pujya Sahebji

Appeal for generous donation for construction of Leicester’s

Shital Sai Baba and Shaktimata Temple

Pl ans a re underway to buil d a Shit al Sa i Bab a t empl e a t t he Shak timat a te mpl e a t B elgra ve in Le icester The t r u st e e - ow n e r s o f t h e Shakt imat a Man dir , which has b een oper ating in the UK for 48 year s, are prep a r e d t o s e l l S ha k t i m a t a Ma n dir fo r t he con st ruct i on of S h it a l S a i B a b a s te mpl e The proposa l ma de b y t he Sai Baba organ isat ion was to mainta in t he c ur r e n t S ha k t i m a t a Temple 's rituals, such as the aa rti and puja path, whil e b uil din g a new Shita l Sai B aba te mpl e Raj Kamela, an Shital Sai Baba trustee, stated that there are issues with the current Sai Baba temple in L e i c e s t e r A d d i t i o n a l amenities cannot be constructed because the property is designated and protected as a historical site So, in the beginning of 2017, the search for new properties began The Shaktimata Mandir is located in a large area of 4 8 acres, where two new temples, Mataji's and Babaji s, are planned in two sections of the great hall In addition to this, there are plans to construct a community centre and a club for the welfare of the aged A plan to build social services buildings in the future is also being considered

According to Rajbhai,

the cost of purchasing the Shaktimata temple property is 1 35 million pounds, while the total cost of the project, including existing facilities, is estimated to be 1 53 million

D e v o t e e s c a n c o ntribute to the building of t h e t e m p l e t h r o u g h t h e " D o n a t e a B r i c k " p r ogramme, which has five different types The first type is a red brick worth £101 that will go to an anonym o u s d o n o r ; t h e r e a r e 4 , 0 0 1 b r i c k s i n t o t a l Another is a bronze brick worth 251 pounds with an availability of 3001 bricks There is a silver brick worth 1 , 0 0 1 p o u n d s ( 1 5 1 b r i c k s a v a i l a b l e ) , a g o l d b r i c k w o r t h 1 0 , 0 0 1 p o u n d s ( 5 1 bricks available), and a platinum brick worth 100,001 pounds (2 bricks available) Additionally, one can also

Is Britain turning into the Wild West of Europe?

Looking at the map, one may wonder is it justified to call o u r b e l o v e d c o u n t r y W i l d W e s t o f E u r o p e ( W W E )

Geographically it is correct, as Britain is just offshore of Europe; the nearest mainland country is France, not always our ally

So why some of our friends calling us Wild West, comparing us to the lawless West during the colonization of the continent of North America; mainly inhabited by so called Red Indians, the name given by explorer when they thought they had landed on the shores of India!

Britain was once the most law-abiding nation in the world, with lowest prison population Then we used to send our criminals to Australia, once a penal colony, now one of the most advanced nations in the world, everyone wants to exploit our easy-going lifestyle where work-shy can live on generous benefits, from birth to death, without putting in a day’s work!

This has divided the nation into two categories, one the hard working, well-educated, law-abiding people who generate most wealth while the other half lives mainly on benefits who are mostly uneducated, economic migrants and refugees who may not be fluent in English But in a way they help the nation, as most are willing to do manual jobs that most of us are unwilling to do Prime example is our need for farm workers, especially at harvest time

When there is so much imparity, disparity, there is bound to be jealousy, anger and sense of deprivation that may encourage dishonesty and put many on the path of crimes they feel they will get away with Murders, with the use of knives, firearms and even vans are on the increase, so is the domestic violence where women are mostly victims, especially those who live sheltered lives and do not speak English Street crimes are also on the rise; again, women are the soft, easy targets I was really shocked at the cold-blooded murder of a 19-year-old, sweet, innocent and beautiful girl who was a medical student She would have contributed so much to the community and her family Such a waste of talent! It is high time for government to act; failing will cost them dearly at the poll next year

Bhupend ra M Gand hi

give 501 pounds per

square foot of land

T h i s r e q u i r e s 8 , 1 7 2

square feet of empty

l a n d A c c o r d i n g t o Rajbhai, “ we shouldn ' t l o s e S h a k t i m a t a temple because it is a

H i n d u t e m p l e I n

o r d e r t o p r e s e r v e

I n d i a n c u l t u r e a n d religious beliefs, it is the duty of Hindus to ensure that every village and city has an e v e r l a s t i n g H i n d u temple This is doable if we maintain our unity Given that the cost of this project exceeds the organis a t i o n ' s b u d g e t , w e h o p e and expect substantial contributions from our Hindu community ”

Rajbhai said, “With the goal of constructing a Sai Baba temple, the organisation "SHITAL" (Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Association of London) was founded in 2009 At 2010, construct i o n b e g a n o n t h e f i r s t t e m p l e a t E a l i n g R o a dWembley After that, Shital Sai Baba temple was inaugurated in Leicester in 2013 and land was obtained for a t e m p l e t o b e b u i l t i n M i l t o n K e y n e s i n 2 0 1 7

During July 2023, Milton Keynes temple is expected receive approval from the planning committee during July 2023, ” he said

AI – Tomorrow’s God?

Kapil D udakia

This wee k I had the good for tune to ca tch up wit h a nothe r d harm ic wa rr ior , Shr i Ra jiv Malhotr a a t the House of C ommons He cam e to t hese sun ny shor es to laun ch his n ew book , ‘Sn ake s in t he Ga nga ’

The book exposes how India is under attack from known and unknown forces How the seemingly new age mass mind-mapping tools are beginning to come together with the potential to create the perfect storm of our own destruction

Marxism today has become the new Critical Race Theory that has infected the very essence of US academia Now that same madness is being used to map caste as equivalent to race and it is being connected to undermine Hindus

If you think the term madness is over the top, think about this Their theory now equates the marginalised communities of India as blacks, and wait for it, the Brahmins as the whites of India I bet they never saw that coming

Harvard University has become the global epicentre for these social theories, and most astonishingly, developed with help from Indian scholars, activists, journalists, and artists This represents a danger to India's sovereignty and national security And nations like China and the USA are exploiting this opportunity to undermine India

So what has all this to do with Artificial Intelligence (AI) you might ask Well it turns out Rajivji has also written a book called, ‘Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Power’ It brings together some very interesting facts about AI and how its development worryingly is in the hands of a very few elite entities and governments

Artificial Intelligence is like the air we breathe to sustain life It is beginning to get into every space of our humanity It’s only partially visible, but its tentacles cover the world It has the power to do great good, but if this air is infected it can and will damage us all

As Rajivji would say, whether you are a social media fanatic, a diehard AI aficionado, or a paranoid sceptic, it is impossible to escape the ubiquitous impact of AI Artificial Intelligence is the brains bringing together quantum computing, nanotechnology, medical technology, brain-machine interface, robotics, aerospace, 5G, Internet of Things, and more

Unlike previous empires that depended on sheer brutality and the use of powerful weapons, AI is a silent assassin It shames even viruses when it comes to its inherent power to infect every digital network on this planet at lightning speed And currently we have no known cure for it, but for our own vigilance This AI-driven revolution will have an unequal impact on different segments of humanity With these new emerging winners and losers, don’t be too surprised if wealth and power is concentrated in the hands of the few

When we bring these two books together, we begin to see that those who control the AI algorithms and also use the new age mind-mapping methodologies, can create for themselves a global superhighway to not only promote wokeism, but to infiltrate every decision-making body and its methodology to guarantee predetermined outcomes

Currently the USA and China are at the forefront (or should I say, some of their private enterprises and companies) Europe is subservient currently, whilst India is a slave that exports the brains that are used to undermine India itself

AI is more powerful than the sum of every empire that has ever existed on this planet The message for India is loud and clear For once in your national interest, it’s time to ditch the enslaved mindset and become the very beacon of humanity and lead the world in the correct use of this new technology Can you imagine if AI was driven by the very rudiments of dharma? It’s the most powerful decision-making engine built for truth and justice It can save humanity from itself But this can only happen if India enters this sphere and owns it

We have witnessed 20 centuries of Christian and Islamic empire building madness, let’s not allow them to make AI their new God and continue the exploitation For the sake of our common humanity, let’s hope dharma wins today to save our tomorrow

Partygate investigation

When the entire world was under the threat of Covid-19, many restrictions were placed by the government on public gathering, partying, marriage ceremonies and even at crematorium Those who were found guilty of breaking the law were fined heavily

10 Downing Street in London is the home and office of the Prime Minister of the UK In 2019-2020, the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson had organised a party with his employees The details of that party were revealed, and the reactions were so severe that he had to resign

A committee was set up to investigate about this party, in which Boris Johnson was found guilty He also resigned as an MP, blaming the committee for providing false information This is seriously going to damage the Conservative Party’s reputation in the next election

Last week a few Conservative Party MPs have also resigned In the current situation, there will be a by-election and if the Conservative Party loses these seats, then it is certain that during next general election, they will lose or form a Coalition

When the entire world is struggling under the extreme pressure of economic crisis, the Conservative Party needs to unite to fight the challenges

Bha rat Sacha ni a

Yoga- Made in India

Yoga is a way of life for many, is ‘Made in India’ and has spread its wings across the globe But, sadly, it is still incorrectly linked with religion It is a science of well-being, integrating the body, mind and soul It is said that a gymnasium is the hardware, for the body, and yoga is the software, for the mind

Today’s youth need to arise, awake, harness and experience the power of yoga rather than be addicted to the ‘smartphone yoga mudra’ and where they seem to be using only their index finger all the time!

Yoga for all

Yoga can mean different things to different people, but the definition of Yoga comes from its ancient Sanskrit root word 'yuj', which means, 'to yoke' or 'to join'

Yoga is the best medicine a doctor can prescribe to a patient It plays an important role in our lives, and it keeps us fit and healthy It is an invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition It embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action, restraint and fulfilment, harmony between man and nature and a holistic approach to health and wellbeing

Yoga can be more beneficial for some ailments than medication and help keep both mind and body healthy The best time to practise yoga is early in the morning The physical benefits of yoga include improved flexibility and mobility It strengthens and builds muscles, increases stamina, improves digestion, among other benefits Additionally, yoga helps with concentration and reduces stress All of us must consider incorporating yoga into our lives

Through yoga, one can explore profoundly the very mechanics of life It is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline and is beneficial if it is practiced daily

Jubel D'Cruz

AI versus humans, who wins?

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked discussions and debates about its potential to replace creative individuals in various fields Many wonder if AI can truly emulate the imagination, intuition, and unique perspectives that creative people bring to the table

While AI has made significant advancements in tasks like generating music, writing articles, and creating visual art, the question remains: will AI ever fully replace creative individuals? Human creativity is a result of imagination, intuition, and the ability to connect seemingly unrelated concepts These aspects of creativity are deeply rooted in human consciousness, making it challenging for AI to fully replicate them

In conclusion, while AI has shown remarkable capabilities in creative tasks, it is unlikely to replace creative individuals entirely

Kap

Indian-origin father-son pair’s great success at the Hertsmere Borough Council election

I n di a n - o ri g i n f at he r- s o n duo , Prabhakar and Aaditya K az a , ha ve s u c c e ss f u l ly b e en el ec t ed t o the H ertsmere borou gh counci l l o c a te d i n s o u the rn E ng la n d Pr a bh ak ar K a za s ecu red his p o si tio n a s a L ab o u r a nd Co o p e ra ti ve c andidate rep resenting the B orehamwo o d K enilwo rth ward i n the May 4 electio n H is son, Aaditya, a member o f t he La bo u r P ar ty , emerged victoriou s in the

Brand- new exhibition at Lord’s marks the inauguration of the Community Gallery

A b r a n d - n e w e x h ib i t io n titl ed "Cricket a nd the Jewish C om mu n it y " ha s r e c e n t l y op e n e d a t t he MC C Muse um, locat ed at Lor d's Crick et Gr ound in London, which hold s the dist in ction of b e in g Eu r o pe ' s ol de st sport in g muse um

The exhibition marks the i n a u g u r a t i o n o f t h e Community Gallery, formerl y k n o w n a s t h e B r i a n Johnston Film Theatre This d e d i c a t e d s p a c e w i l l n o w s h o w c a s e r o t a t i n g d i s p l a y s highlighting the connections between different communities and the sport of cricket

focused on key issues such a s p r o t e c t i n g t h e G r e e n Belt, combating crime, and reducing instances of flytipping

B o r e ham wo o d H i l ls i de s eat P r a b h a k a r K a z a , w h o p r e v i o u s l y w o r k e d a s a b a n k e r i n t h e U K , h a s s e r v e d a s a n E l s t r e e & Borehamwood town counc i l l o r s i n c e 2 0 1 9 I n t h e recent election, he secured a resounding victory with 1056 votes, the second highest among all candidates in t h e e n t i r e b o r o u g h , s u rpassed only by Nik Oakley Prabhakar's primary goals i n c l u d e m a i n t a i n i n g t h e cleanliness of the borough, reducing traffic incidents, and attracting more investments to generate new job opportunities

D i s c u s s i n g t h e r e a s o n b e h i n d p o l i t i c s b e c o m i n g his next career move foll o w i n g b a n k i n g , h e s a i d , “ A f t e r r e t i r i n g f r o m f u l ltime employment at the age of 65, I thought it was time I d e v o t e d m y s e l f t o g i v i n g back to society more energetically It has been a satisfying journey so far and I would be happy to go on!”

A a d i t y a , w h o p u r s u e d journalism at Westminster University, also achieved remarkable success in the election He garnered 770 votes, making him the second-highest vote-getter in the Borehamwood Hillside ward, trailing only Alpha C o l l i n s A a d i t y a ' s v i c t o r y holds special significance as h e m a n a g e d t o w i n i n a ward that had been dominated by the Tories for the p a s t 2 4 y e a r s , m a k i n g i t seem unwinnable for the Labour Party His campaign

T h r o u g h o u t r e c e n t years, Aaditya has demonstrated a strong interest in politics and actively contributed to the activities of t h e L a b o u r P a r t y “ A s a younger Asian, I was always more interested in politics and current affairs I have always voted since I was 18, a n d h a v e b e e n p o l i t i c a l l y active mostly campaigning for others when needed like Mr Virendra Sharma M P whom I interned for almost a d e c a d e b a c k f o r a f e w weeks ” , he said In 2019, when Aaditya’s father and other candidates w e r e c o n t e s t i n g f o r Borough and Town councils, he was their unofficial campaign manager Local party officials saw the hard work undertaken then and his name was suggested as a c a n d i d a t e f r o m Borehamwood Hillside this y e a r , a s t a u n c h l y C o n s e r v a t i v e s t r o n g h o l d for decades

W i t h r e g a r d t o h i s councillorship, he said, “I joined and stood in local politics to bring a change to the wider community from within as sitting on the outside one can do only so much I am not someone to m a k e 5 - y e a r p l a n s h e n c e my focus is to do a good e n o u g h j o b f o r t h e r e s id e n t s o f B o r e h a m w o o d H i l l s i d e , d e l i v e r o n t h e p r o m i s e s m a d e , a n d a d d r e s s o t h e r c o n c e r n s which will come up My councillorship is until 2027, a l l t h i n g s c o n s i d e r e d , I would likely be standing for re-election ”

T h e f a t h e r - s o n a t t r i b u t e t h e i r e l e c t o r a l success to the importance of door-to-door campaigning where they knocked on doors for 3 months almost e v e r y d a y , w i t h n o d o o r spared, be it Conservative, Labour, Lib Dem, or any other political persuasion

Curated in collaboration b y t w o J e w i s h M C C Members, Zaki Cooper and D a n i e l L i g h t m a n K C , r e n o w n e d a u t h o r s o f t h e book "Cricket Grounds from t h e A i r , " a n d t h e M C C H e r i t a g e & C o l l e c t i o n s Department, the exhibition delves into the captivating narrative of the Jewish comm u n i t y ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h cricket

The exhibition encompasses the stories of notable international and first-class c r i c k e t e r s h a i l i n g f r o m Australia, England, Ireland, South Africa, and the West Indies It also sheds light on c r i c k e t ' s g r a s s r o o t s l e v e l involvement in Israel and the Maccabiah Games Through the use of cricket apparel,

British Indian professor delighted to invest in AI research

King's College London has received a £5 million grant from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as p a r t o f a £ 3 1 m i l l i o n r e s e a r c h i n v e s t m e n t i n universities The funding a i m s t o d e v e l o p s e c u r e and trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions t h a t c a n a d d r e s s g l o b a l c h a l l e n g e s D r K a t e D e v l i n , a l o n g w i t h D r C a i t l i n B e n t l e y a n d P r o f e s s o r S a n a K h a r e g h a n i f r o m t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f Informatics, and Professor Prokar Dasgupta from the D e p a r t m e n t o f I m m un o b i o l o g y a n d t h e Department of Surgical & I n t e r v e n t i o n a l E n g i n eering, are leading the project Dasgupta, Professor o f S u r g e r y , a t K i n g ' s H e a l t h P a r t n e r s a n d Healthcare Lead for the U K R I R e s p o n s i b l e Artificial Intelligence UK ( R A I U K ) , s a i d : " I a m delighted by the UKRI's d e c i s i o n t o i n v e s t i n r e s p o n s i b l e A I r e s e a r c h a n d i n n o v a t i o n , w h i c h will benefit all aspects of society " (Read the King's Birthday Honours List 2023 where Dr Dasgupta features on P16-17)

equipment, artwork, books, v i d e o s , a n d o t h e r r e l e v a n t m a t e r i a l s , t h e e x h i b i t i o n vividly portrays the significant contributions made by the Jewish community to the s p o r t o f c r i c k e t I t a l s o e x p l o r e s t h e p r e s e n c e o f anti-Semitism within cricket a n d i t s i m p a c t o n J e w i s h cricketers

The introductory text for t h e e x h i b i t i o n e l o q u e n t l y h i g h l i g h t s t h e s i g n i f i c a n t contributions made by Jews within the realm of cricket, spanning various roles both on and off the field It reads as follows:

“Jews have contributed at all levels of cricket, both on and off the field of play Jewish male cricketers have p l a y e d T e s t c r i c k e t f o r Australia and South Africa, and perhaps more remarka b l y f o r t h e W e s t I n d i e s Jewish batters have scored

centuries for the West Indies

for Test Match Special ” Zaki Cooper and Daniel

L i g h t m a n , w h o c o - c u r a t e d t h e e x h i b i t i o n w i t h M C C , said: “The exhibition is about Jews and cricket and hopef u l l y b r i n g s t o l i f e h o w a small minority fell in love with the great game and used it to build community and to frame their sense of identity It is a story not only about recurring prejudice and the f r u s t r a t i o n a n d e l a t i o n o f sport but also of integration and belonging We hope that

as well as for Ireland and

S c o t l a n d F e m a l e J e w i s h players have been capped by E n g l a n d , A u s t r a l i a a n d I r e l a n d J e w s h a v e b e e n u m p i r e s , a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , journalists, patrons and have helped to develop the comm e r c i a l s i d e o f t h e g a m e They have captained their countries, been Presidents of MCC and even baked cakes

people who come to see it enjoy it and it leads to other c o m m u n i t i e s t e l l i n g t h e i r cricketing stories ” T h e e x h i b i t i o n , w h i c h will run until 2025, covers t h e f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n s : J e w i s h C r i c k e t e r s a n d I n f l u e n c e r s , C r i c k e t , A n t iS e m i t i s m a n d I d e n t i t y , N o t a b l e C h a r a c t e r s , G r a s s r o o t s , M a c c a b i a h Games and Israel

Aaditya Kaza at his first meeting as a Councillor

Prabhakar Kaza

Zaki Cooper and Daniel Lightman

Grassroots Cricket, Maccabiah Games and Israel

Children in England’s asylums suffering from malnutrition

H e al t h c a r e e xp er t s h a ve e xp res sed co nce rns abo ut a d is t r e s s in g ri s e in c a s e s o f m alnutrition among c hildren r e s id in g i n a s y l u m s e e ke r h o t el a c c o m m o da t io n s , a c c o r di ng to i nf o rm a t io n o btained by The Gu ardian Instances of malnutrition h a v e b e e n d o c u m e n t e d a m o n g b o t h c h i l d r e n a n d a d u l t s i n v a r i o u s p a r t s o f E n g l a n d , i n c l u d i n g h o t e l s

located in London and the s o u t h - w e s t r e g i o n I n r e s p o n s e , h e a l t h c a r e professionals in certain areas have initiated the practice of r e g u l a r l y w e i g h i n g c h i l d r e n s t a y i n g a t t h e s e h o t e l s , a s t h e i r w e i g h t h a s r e a c h e d d a n g e r o u s l y l o w l e v e l s , n e c e s s i t a t i n g c l o s e monitoring R e p o r t s f r o m t h o s e a s s i s t i n g f a m i l i e s l o d g e d i n

h o t e l s i n d i c a t e t h a t s o m e p a r e n t s h a v e r e s o r t e d t o s e a r c h i n g t h r o u g h b i n s i n s e a r c h o f f o o d f o r t h e i r children Additionally, adults have experienced significant weight loss, ranging from 10 t o 1 5 k i l o g r a m s ( 2 2 t o 3 3 pounds)

Steve Smith, the CEO of Care4Calais, a refugee charity, h a s e m p h a s i z e d t h e g r a v e c o n c e r n s u r r o u n d i n g t h e

Is it essential to be happy always?

Rohit Vadhwana

situation He has stated that a system that prioritizes private contractors profit over the well-being of human beings, including vulnerable children who are experiencing weight loss due to inadequate access t o n u t r i t i o u s f o o d , i s f u n d a m e n t a l l y f l a w e d T h i s represents a significant public health issue, and it demands i m m e d i a t e a t t e n t i o n a n d action from the government

Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Kingsbury welcomes Acharya Shree Jitendriyapriyadasji Swamiji Maharaj

H D H A c ha r y a S hr e e J i t e n d r i y a p r i y a d a s j i S wa m i ji M a h ar a j , a gl obal s piritual le ader of S hr e e Swa m i n a ra y a n Gadi Sans than, arr ived at S hr e e Swa m i n a ra y a n M a nd ir K in g s b ur y on

Saturday 3 June 2 023 His

a rrival m arked the s tart of his t our of the UK an d North Am erica

Presented with the title of ‘Gnan Mahodadhi’ in October 2 0 2 2 m e a n i n g O c e a n o f

K n o w l e d g e , A c h a r y a S h r e e J i t e n d r i y a p r i y a d a s j i S w a m i j i

M a h a r a j a l o n g w i t h e l e v e n Sants were warmly welcomed by the world renowned Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe

Band

T h o u s a n d s g a t h e r e d o n t h e M a n d i r g r o u n d s w i t h some having travelled many m i l e s t o w e l c o m e H i s Holiness

T h e M a n d i r i n Kingsbury has been given the prestigious accolade as t h e w o r l d ’ s f i r s t ‘ E c oT e m p l e ’ f o r i t s e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y f r i e n d l y g r e e n c r e d e n t i a l s a n d modern technologies, and a m o n g s t s e v e r a l o t h e r a w a r d s , t h e M a n d i r w a s a c c l a i m e d t h e w o r l d ’ s f i r s t Hindu Temple to be a Covid1 9 v a c c i n a t i o n c e n t r e a n d v a c c i n a t e d o v e r 4 0 , 0 0 0 people

Sadguru Shree Madhavpriyadasji Swami asks Hindus to unite for faith

S a d g u ru S h r ee M a d h a v p r i y a d a s j i S w am i i n a Hi nd u lifestyle sem inar at the a t S K L P C , No rt h o lt, h i g h l i g h te d th a t th e H i nd u co m m u ni ty m u st a ct li ke h o n ey bee s , a lw ay s ready to p rod uce and p rotect honey

“Omkar is built up with t h e s c i e n c e o f s o u n d I t c o n s i s t s o f a ‘ b i n d u ’ ( d o t ) w h i c h i s a s y m b o l o f t h e

Universe Our Rishi Darshan says that not one, two or h u n d r e d s b u t i n f i n i t e u n i v e r s e s a r e t h e r e O n l y one bindu is sufficient to tell t h e d e p t h o f I n d i a n philosophy “ H i n d u i s m p r o v i d e s s o many choices that cannot be found in any of the religions o f t h e w o r l d T h e r e i s uniqueness in this diversity, a n d w e l o v e i t O u r scriptures tell us to be happy

This happiness is not only for humans but for all living o r g a n i s m s W e h a v e t o u t i l i s e t h e ‘ N a s h v a n t ’ ( p e r i s h a b l e ) a n d l o v e t h e

‘Shashvat’ (pternal) To do good for all is Dharma (duty) and no one can go above the Constitution,” said Sadguru S h r e e M a d h a v p r i y a d a s j i Swami H e f u r t h e r a d d e d ,

“India’s growing strength is n o t a c c e p t a b l e t o s o m e p e o p l e T h e r e i s a s t r o n g need to be united Whatever Panth (way) you follow, be one in the name of Sanatan D h a r m a L e t ’ s t a l k a b o u t who we are and roar about the Sanatan Dharma ” Thro ugh h is p apers, C B is strengthening Indian culture on UK’ s soil

Speaking about the work of Gujarat Samachar under CB’s efforts, Swamiji said, “Gujarat Samachar UK is the p r i d e o f t h e w h o l e o f Gujarat CB has crafted and c r e a t e d i t f r o m z e r o t o infinity In India when you g o t o B a d r i n a t h , R u d r a p r a y a g c o m e s T w o D h a r a s o f G a n g a j iM a n d a k i n i a n d A l a k n a n d a m e e t t h e r e A l a k n a n d a appears from the Lotus feet o f B h a g a v a n N a r a y a n a n d Mandakini appears from the L o t u s f e e t o f S h i v j i S o , Rudraprayag is the Sangam o f b o t h h o l y r i v e r s C B ’ s h o m e i s t h e S a n g a m l i k e

Rudraprayag His wife is a follower of Swaminarayan, and he is the Bhakt of Shivji Shivji is a form of knowledge and Swaminarayan Bhagwan i s b h a k t i S w a r o o p T h a t ’ s why your home is like our h o m e N o t o n l y G u j a r a t , Gujaratis but you are serving t h e w h o l e I n d i a n community CB established a d i f f e r e n t i d e n t i t y f o r

Indians He nurtured many w r i t e r s a n d j o u r n a l i s t s

Through Gujarat Samachar, C B i s c o n t i n u o u s l y s t r e n g t h e n i n g I n d i a n culture I pray to God for the w h o l e G u j a r a t S a m a c h a r family ”

“K utchi Samaj’s biggest strength is the Dh arm Bhavna, dedication, and d ev otio n ”

CB Patel, Publisher and E d i t o r - i n - C h i e f o f A s i a n Voice and Gujarat Samachar was especially honoured by Shree Madhavpriyadas Ji at the start of the Katha CB said, “I have a more than 50y e a r - o l d r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h i s S a n s t h a a n d K u t c h samaj Today Kutchi Samaj is

l e a d i n g i n Business, Industry, E d u c a t i o n a n d e v e r y p r o g r e s s i v e f i e l d K u t c h i S a m a j ’ s b i g g e s t s t r e n g t h i s t h e D h a r m B h a v n a , d e d i c a t i o n a n d devotion The way Santos are working for the u p l i f t m e n t o f t h e community, our next three generations are secured in this country " S w a m i S h r i i s o n a spiritual tour in the UK from 29 May to 30 July 2023

Everyone is running after an upward c ur ve d s m i l i e , di s p l ay i n g ha pp i n es s B e i n g h a pp y i s th e ulti mate goal of everyone aroun d 'Be happy,' 'Why are you not happy?' 'What else than happiness are we living for?' and many such pieces of advice are floating aroun d in the ai r Succes s gurus prompt you to leave everything for the attainment of happiness for yourself and your loved ones B ut is being happy so essential?

T h i s q u e s t i o n - i s i t e s s e n t i a l t o b e h a p p y ?germinates from the thought that what other states of mind can we be in? Is the absence of happiness always unhappiness? Or to reverse it, does the absence of unhappiness means the existence of happiness? Why do we presume that if we are not in exuberance, we are in misery? If you are not in any trouble, then are you necessarily happy? You can look at this aspect from different angles Just like we are not always angry, we cannot be consistently cheerful As we are not perenially in despair, we are not supposed to be all the time enthused This is true of happiness as well

V e r y o f t e n p e o p l e w i t h s e r i o u s d i s p o s i t i o n a r e mistaken as sad No, they are not They too may be jubilant as well They may be at peace too They don't need to show it with a smile revealing their teeth It may not suit everyone Happiness is not necessarily attached to certain stereotypical displays of physical reactions Some people, when angry, don't shout, don't quarrel - but go silent Similar might be the way of expression for many people in case happiness Epictetus said, 'There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will,' which also m e a n s t h a t w o r r y i n g a b o u t h a p p i n e s s i s a l s o n o t advisable!

We have given over importance to the word happiness in today's life, perhaps because of the existence of stress in society We have come to a conclusion that to remove stress, we need to make everyone happy No, it is not possible People become happy off and on, often, but they cannot always remain happy When not happy, they might be simply calm, at peace, satisfied, resting or anything else which is not unhappy! We need to be okay when we have no reason to be happy as well as no reason to be unhappy It is an absence of unhappiness that should be celebrated Seeking happiness is like keeping multiple balls floating in the air at the same time, which is not required, always They can be put in the drawer too If you agree with this, you might also agree that it is not essential to be happy always You may be in any or many other states of mind, which is not precisely happiness but also not sad or unhappy Respect those emotions as well because they give different flavours of life, rather than making it monotonous

(Expressed opinions are personal)

Wembley restaurant keeps license despite serious charges

Fo l lo w i n g a se arc h co nd ucted by Ho me Office of f ic i al s, th e o w n er o f S ara sw a th y B h av a n, a vegetarian Indian restaurant lo c ate d i n We m b ley , h as been issued a hefty fine of £60 ,00 0 Despite operating und er w o rk ing co nd iti ons that displayed clear sig ns of exp l o i tati o n an d m o d er n slavery, the restaurant has been granted p ermission to retain its license

T h e s e a r c h r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e r e s t a u r a n t e m p l o y e d f i v e i n d i v i d u a l s i n t h e kitchen who were working illegally, with one person even found sleeping on the kitchen floor Anil Verma, the p r o p r i e t o r o f t h e r e s t a u r a n t , w a s f o u n d g u i l t y o f e m p l o y i n g t h e s e individuals in the back of the house It was discovered that the workers were being paid in cash and were receiving wages below the national minimum wage of £9 50 per hour, which had

been established since April 2022

T h e a l c o h o l a n d e n t e r t a i n m e n t l i c e n s i n g s u b - c o m m i t t e e o f B r e n t C o u n c i l s e r i o u s l y d e l i b e r a t e d t h e option of revoking the restaurant's l i c e n s e ; h o w e v e r , t h e y u l t i m a t e l y d e e m e d i t t o b e d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e

Instead, they opted to suspend the license for a period of three months

F o l l o w i n g a b r i e f p e r i o d o f consideration, the committee decided

a g a i n s t r e v o k i n g t h e restaurant's license, opting instead to suspend it for a duration of three months

Additionally, they imposed several conditions as part of the suspension

During the Home Office raid conducted in March of t h i s y e a r , o n e w o r k e r disclosed that they worked ten hours a day, six days a week, and were paid a mere £30 or £40 per day by Mr V e r m a , e q u a t i n g t o a n hourly wage of £4 Another worker admitted to being employed at t h e r e s t a u r a n t f o r t h e p a s t t h r e e m o n t h s , r e c e i v i n g a m o n t h l y c a s h p a y m e n t o f £ 9 0 0 , i n a d d i t i o n t o r e c e i v i n g m e a l s f r o m t h e establishment

They informed officials that their employer was fully aware of their lack of right to work in the UK and had never requested any documentation prior to their employment

Acharya Shree Jitendriyapriyadasji Swamiji Maharaj and Sants Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band

Swamiji honouring CB Patel

Boris Johnson faces ethics breach over new columnist job

Boris Johnson, the form er Brit ish pr ime min ist er , ha s faced new alle gat ions of bre aching et hics r ul e s by t a k i n g u p a c o lu m n i st jo b w it h a n e w sp a p e r w it ho u t u n d e r g o i n g t h e n e c e ss a r y v e t t i n g p r o c e ss T h i s d e v e l o pm e n t h a s r eign ited concer ns about J o h n s on 's e t hi c a l co nd uct , cr ea ting div isions withi n t h e g ov e r n i n g C onser vat iv e Pa rty reg ard ing wh ethe r to acce pt the findin gs of a pa rliamen ta ry comm it te e The committee, comprising mostly Conservative lawm a k e r s , c o n c l u d e d t h a t Johnson deliberately misled parliament regarding Covid lockdown parties and suggested that he should have

Source: Flickr

faced suspension if he had not resigned as a Member of Parliament Johnson, in his resignation statement, vehemently denied the accusat i o n s a n d c r i t i c i z e d P r i m e M i n i s t e r R i s h i S u n a k Despite the controversy surrounding his ethics record, o n F r i d a y , J o h n s o n w a s announced as a columnist for t h e D a i l y M a i l n e w s p a p e r , marking his return to journalism after being dismissed

Care provider ordered to pay distress compensation despite closure of home

by a previous publication for fabricating a quote

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e established protocol, former ministers and civil servants are obligated to seek guidance from the Advisory Committee on B u s i n e s s A p p o i n t m e n t s (ACOBA), an ethics body, b e f o r e a c c e p t i n g n e w employment opportunities ACOBA has stated that B o r i s J o h n s o n b r e a c h e d these rules by not providing sufficient notice regarding his new columnist position While ACOBA lacks the authority to enforce its recommendations, a repeated violation of ethical guidelines could potentially pose challenges for Johnson if he intends to make a political comeback in the future

BoJo in trouble over ‘Partygate’

T he Co nserv ati v e Party i s c urrently co nfro nted w ith t h e " P ar tyg ate " s ca nd a l Recently uncovered footag e r ev e als p re v i o u sl y u ns ee n s c ene s o f s taf f m em b er s c o ns u m in g a lc oh o l , d an cing, and disreg arding lockd own reg ulatio ns during the peak of the C ovid p andemic

In the video, officials can be seen making light-hearte d c o m m e n t s a b o u t t h e i r C h r i s t m a s c e l e b r a t i o n , which involved bending the rules set during the lockd o w n , h e l d a t t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e C a m p a i g n Headquarters in London

The gathering in question involved a minimum of 2 4 a t t e n d e e s , w i t h t h e alarming revelation that two i n d i v i d u a l s p r e s e n t w e r e s p e c i f i c a l l y m e n t i o n e d o n former Prime Minister Boris Johnson s contentious resignation honours list

This visual evidence is l i k e l y t o i n c e n s e f a m i l i e s who have suffered the loss of loved ones due to Covid-

19, while also reigniting criticism of Johnson The recent b a c k l a s h a g a i n s t h i m f o r m i s l e a d i n g M e m b e r s o f Parliament regarding parties at 10 Downing Street has only intensified in the past few days

Now, a privileges committee report, which came out later in the week, recommended that automatic access to parliament should be denied to Boris Johnson T h e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n stemmed from allegations that he intentionally misled lawmakers regarding ruleb r e a k i n g C o v i d l o c k d o w n p a r t i e s J o h n s o n , i n r e s p o n s e , d i s m i s s e d t h e f i n d i n g s a s " r u b b i s h " a n d a c c u s e d c o m m i t t e e m e mbers of pursuing a personal vendetta against him

The party was organised by the campaign team of then London Mayor candid a t e S h a u n B a i l e y – n o w L o r d B a i l e y a f t e r M r Johnson made him a peer in his honours list Bailey had

l e f t t h e p a r t y b e f o r e t h e video was taken

It features Ben Mallet –a w a r d e d a n O B E i n Johnson’s list Mallet, filmed holding a glass of red wine and wearing festive braces, w a s t h e T o r i e s ’ c a m p a i g n d i r e c t o r f o r t h e 2 0 2 1 L o n d o n m a y o r a l e l e c t i o n

He now runs the campaign of Moz Hossain, who wants to stand in next year ’ s mayoral race

It is for the first time t h a t t h e f o o t a g e h a s emerged of one of the ruleb r e a k i n g p a r t i e s i n Westminster In the video, w h i c h s h o w s a k a r a o k e m a c h i n e w i t h f l a s h i n g lights, partygoers joke about how they are breaking the rules

PM Sunak’s leadership under scrutiny with two upcoming by-elections

On July 20, Rishi Suna k will face a crucial l eader ship t est in two by-el ection s triggere d b y t he re signat ions of Boris Johnson a nd on e of his all ies

Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister, chose to step down from his Uxbridge a n d S o u t h R u i s l i p c o nstituency to evade the scrutiny of the privileges committ e e T h e c r o s s - p a r t y p a n e l subsequently advised a 90d a y s u s p e n s i o n f o r M r J o h n s o n f o r i n t e n t i o n a l l y providing misleading inform a t i o n t o M e m b e r s o f P a r l i a m e n t r e g a r d i n g t h e Partygate scandal, as well as f o r h i s c o n f r o n t a t i o n a l behaviour towards the committee

In addition to the aforem e n t i o n e d b y - e l e c t i o n s , a n o t h e r c o n t e s t w i l l t a k e p l a c e i n S e l b y a n d A i n s t y constituencies This by-election was triggered by Nigel

Adams, who resigned as a Conservative MP after being d e n i e d a p e e r a g e i n B o r i s Johnson's resignation honours list

The Conservative Party h a s a n n o u n c e d S t e v e Tuckwell as their candidate for the Selby and Ainsty seat

In Nigel Adams former constituency, he secured 60 percent of the vote and enjoyed a s u b s t a n t i a l m a j o r i t y o f

20,137 votes in 2019 Labour came in second place with 25 percent of the vote, trailing the Tories by a margin of 35 p e r c e n t a g e p o i n t s T h e C o n s e r v a t i v e P a r t y h a s a n n o u n c e d t h a t M i c h a e l

Naughton has been selected as their candidate to contest and defend the seat in the u p c o m i n g b y - e l e c t i o n Naughton will represent the T o r i e s i n t h e i r e f f o r t s t o retain the constituency

T h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r i s

Mano j Mapara, a lo cal care p ro vider, has attempted to evade paying co mp ensation to a family fo r th e distress

c a u s ed a t h i s n o w- c l o s ed care h ome Desp ite claiming a lack o f fu nds due to the c l o s u re o f t h e h o me h e owned, Manoj Map ara was o r de re d by t h e L o c al Government and So cial Care Ombudsman to pay £500 to the unnamed family

T h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n c o nducted by the government revealed that the family had experienced significant distress during their son's time at St Bennetts Care Home, l o c a t e d o n L e i c e s t e r ' s

London Road, which ceased operations at the end of the previous year

The investigation by the

L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t a n d

S o c i a l C a r e O m b u d s m a n

r e v e a l e d t h a t M a p a r a h a d engaged in behaviours that made it challenging for the father to maintain contact

w i t h h i s s o n , p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r i n g t h e p a n d e m i c a n d failed to respond to certain c o m p l a i n t s m a d e b y t h e father F u r t h e r m o r e , w i t h o u t o b t a i n i n g p e r m i s s i o n , Mapara disposed of the son's b e l o n g i n g s , s p e c i f i c a l l y a l a m p T h e s e a c t i o n s w e r e

deemed inappropriate by the Ombudsman, highlighting a lack of proper communicat i o n , d i s r e g a r d f o r c o mp l a i n t s , a n d u n a u t h o r i z e d disposal of personal belongings The Local Government a n d S o c i a l C a r e O m b u d s m a n h a s e m p h asized that the closure of the care home does not justify the provider's failure to pay t h e c o m p e n s a t i o n t o t h e affected family In response to the provider's reluctance to fulfil the prescribed remed y , t h e O m b u d s m a n h a s issued an Adverse Findings Notice

Individuals appear before court on VAT fraud charges

scheduled to proceed t o N o r t h a m p t o n C r o w n C o u r t , w h e r e the accused will appear on 31 July for further proceedings

Rishi Sunak

also facing the possibility of another by-election due to t h e r e s i g n a t i o n o f N a d i n e

D o r r i e s f r o m h e r M i d Bedfordshire seat However, the scheduling of this contest has been postponed as D o r r i e s h a s d e c i d e d t o remain in her position for the time being She intends t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e c i r c u ms t a n c e s s u r r o u n d i n g h e r unexpected denial of a peerage in Boris Johnson's resignation honours list before making any further decisions about her political future

i n s t them involve four counts of allegedly making false VAT returns during the period from January to September 2 0 1 4 T h e c a s e h a s b e e n

A d d i t i o n a l l y , o n e count alleges that during the quarter spanning December 2013 to February 2014, a false amount was provided f o r t h e V A T o w e d b y 1 s t Land Ltd

The charges are in violation of Section 72(3)(A) and (4) of the Value Added Tax Act 1994

A li a A m i r, a R es ear ch

A ss o c i ate a t S OA S U niv ersity of London and an

A ss o c i ate P r o fe ss o r i n E n g li s h L i ng u is ti c s at H al m s tad U n iv ers i ty F o r h er recent talk at th e SOAS S outh A sia institute (SSA I) entitled ‘P erceptions on the w id er re p res e nta ti o n o f P akistani and Kashm iri culinary land scapes: An exploration of langu ag e, id entity, and visual images’ , she used the findings of a stud y in w h ic h sh e c o m p ar ed th e S outh Asian restaurants in S tockholm and London

Here, Dr Amir discusses the evolving culinary practices and how the diaspora adapts it all

What are the changes that Pakistani and Kashmiri cuisine has seen in the past few decades? Has the transformation led to the loss of the original taste and flavours?

Food and language practices are socio-cultural practices with a history in a specific country Culinary practices bind together to create an identity in the diaspora as you see in the names of r e s t a u r a n t s A l l l a n g u a g e s a r e d y n a m i c a n d e v e rc h a n g i n g , e v e r - e v o l v i n gthe same is true for culinary p r a c t i c e s P a k i s t a n i a n d Kashmiri cuisine has developed in many places including in Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir, and in many of its diasporas

The exchanges between t h e v a r i o u s d i a s p o r a i n Europe, North America, the M i d d l e E a s t a n d v a r i o u s s o c i o - l i n g u i s t i c c o m m u n ities in Pakistan have inextricably blended and changed t h e p a l a t e o n o n e h a n d , while retaining the authent i c h o m e s t y l e t r a d i t i o n a l recipes at the same time For e x a m p l e , t h e a d v e n t o f cheese in Pakistan in recent decades has led to a change in its palate when it comes to cheese-based dishes like c h e e s e n a a n S i m i l a r l y , while chocolate might not have traditionally been used in Pakistani and Kashmiri

Starting over at 60: A new chapter for Veena Torchia

dishes, fusion food and crea t i v i t y h a v e l e d t o m a n y innovative dishes, for example, Nutella naan Similarly, with the advent of cooking shows, cable TV channels, i n t e r n e t , t e c h n o l o g y , M a s t e r C h e f c o m p e t i t i o n s a n d s o c i a l m e d i a o u t l e t s , there seems to be a wider acceptance for experimenti n g a n d c r e a t i n g n e w recipes Even prior to the internet, we have, for examp l e , s e e n t h a t w h e n n e w communities settle in new countries, commercially crea t e d f o o d i s c r e a t e d t o attract both its community members and to adjust to the tastes of the host country In this regard, who can e v e n f o r g e t t h e m a d e - i n -

Britain dish - Chicken Tikka Masala - which you can now find in desi restaurants all across Europe and beyond M a n g o l a s s i i s a n o t h e r example that has been popu l a r i s e d i n t h e U n i t e d K i n g d o m , w h e r e a s i n P a k i s t a n , y o u w o u l d n o t have found it until recently

T o a n s w e r y o u r q u e stion, traditional home-style cooking changes slowly but c o m m e r c i a l r e s t a u r a n t s bring about different kinds of changes There are some P a k i s t a n i d i s h e s / r e c i p e s which people want to eat in a t r a d i t i o n a l w a y , l i k e shorbas, pulao, and biryanibut at the same time, some of the traditional dishes are being made with new ingredients as the communities settle in newer parts of the globe

Having lived in different places with different cultures and languages, how did you adapt? What is your opinion on the cultural and linguistic transformation that the diaspora goes through when they move to foreign countries?

G r o w i n g u p , I w a s exposed to several languages i n s i d e a n d o u t s i d e o f m y home/s In any one communicative setting, there were several languages used with interlocutors who might be using other languages So,

my brain was socialised into a c c e p t i n g m i x i n g o f l a nguages and use of parallel l a n g u a g e s W i t h t r i p l e migrations in three generations of my family, we have v e r y m u c h b e e n a b l e t o retain many aspects of our c u l t u r e , b u t h a v e b e e n adjusting and assimilating to foreign countries

As for diaspora, depending on if there is contact with the country of origin a n d a n c e s t o r s , a n d h o w much linguistic and cultural aspects are maintained at home, it is easy to transfer from one generation, but as the next generation grows up, some aspects of culture are bound to be lost, and s o m e a s p e c t s o f t h e n e w c o u n t r y b e a d a p t e d i n t o their own new traditions

How has the South Asian diaspora in the UK adapted and transformed traditional cuisines over the years?

C u i s i n e s e v o l v e a n d change, but at a slow pace

As for the South Asian diaspora in the UK, it came from many different regions and parts of South Asia bringing with them their unique culinary traditions While commercially sold food changes and evolves due to various factors, home-cooked food d i f f e r s i n m a n y r e s p e c t s from what is commercially sold in restaurants South

A s i a n d i a s p o r a i s n o t a homogeneous group - it is varied in its culinary traditions, and thus, this group w i t h i n i t s e l f h a s h a d t h e opportunities to learn from p e o p l e o f d i f f e r e n t S o u t h

A s i a n r e g i o n s a s w e l l a s global cuisines available in the UK and now through the internet

Starting over is on e of the m os t d a un ti ng ta s ks on e ca n take on an d yet, Veena Torchia , a woma n in her 60s took on thi s di ffic ult mi ss ion when s he s hifted b a s e s f r om t he U K to P us hk a r i n R a j a s t h a n , In dia Ve ena and her husb a n d M a u re l i o h a d f on d me mories of the c ity and when the opportunity pres ent ed i tse lf for th em t o start over in I ndia, they did not hes itate

Here, Veena discusses her experiences and life in Pushkar with Asian Voice

‘The Arty Vegan’ We were d o i n g r e a l l y w e l l d e s p i t e the pandemic and managed t o o p e n t w o s h o p s B u t then our landlord decided to make our rent impossible and we couldn’t continue All of it just fast-tracked our move to India

2.How has your experience of starting over in Pushkar been? What are some experiences you’ve had in Pushkar which you think wouldn’t have been a possibility in the UK?

easily The best part, however, is that none of it costs an arm and a leg Honestly, t h e r e i s n o c o m p e t i t i o n between the two countries, India is doing great

4.How has it been operating your café in Pushkar?

1.The stories about Indians moving abroad for better life prospects are ones we commonly hear What led you to shift bases back from Britain, back to Pushkar?

I am of Indian origin and my great-great-grandparents were born in India and I’ve always had a connection with India Apart f r o m t h a t , m y h u s b a n d Maurelio had been visiting India since the age of 17, he is actually a reincarnated Indian and we had mutually decided very early on in our lives that, at some point in life, we’d like to live in India

There were quite a few c a t a l y s t s t h a t m a d e u s c o m e t o t h i s d e c i s i o n , mainly Covid I was working for a homeless charity called Crisis and basically m a n a g i n g t h e e d u c a t i o n d e p a r t m e n t W i t h m o r e and more charities getting heavily dependent on management, there is no work at the grassroots level and I was not happy with that. I left my job at Crisis, and was helping my daughter and husband, who started

Pushkar is a beautiful city with a diverse mix of p e o p l e I n i t i a l l y , t h e p r o s p e c t o f o p e n i n g a vegan café was daunting to me as dairy is an important part of the culture here, but what struck me is the openmindedness and the freespiritedness of the people

C r e d tA b e K e n m a n

Honestly, I love that I can play a part in creating awareness about veganism in Pushkar as it is still a new concept around here We are the first vegan café in Rajasthan I don’t think this is something I would have experienced anywhere else Moreover, I get to meet a lot of different people

3.Moving to India, you’ve had to transition from the NHS How has that transition been for you?

I ’ v e h a d n o p r o b l e m t r a n s i t i o n i n g f r o m t h e N H S I s i m p l y v i s i t t h e local hospitals for all my medical needs and manage to get the same medication I did in the UK It is an a d d i t i o n a l r e l i e f t h a t I don’t have to wait on my prescription for 24 hours I can also get herbal supplem e n t s l i k e a s h w a g a n d h a

I get to spend a lot of time with my customers and get to interact with p e o p l e f r o m d i f f e r e n t walks of life We spend our t i m e t a l k i n g , d i s c u s s i n g , and debating on various topics On the food end, w e a r e m i n d f u l o f t h e i n g r e d i e n t s w e u s e a n d stick to local and seasonal ingredients For example, we had Turmeric Soy Latte on our menu during the w i n t e r a n d P a n B u b b l e Shake, which was interesting for the locals

We use ingredients like millet and singhara which are the staple of Rajasthan A l s o , w e h a v e a w e e k l y m e n u w h e r e w e t r y t o bring the global flavours of t h e w o r l d , t o o u r c u stomer’s plates

We also work with an a n i m a l c h a r i t y c a l l e d TOLFA and give away the akara (soy husk) produced at the café for feeding the animals

5.What are some of the things you look forward to as you commit to a life in India?

I look forward to worki n g w i t h w o m e n a n d young girls to help them e x p r e s s t h e m s e l v e s c r eatively Honestly, there is so much creativity to harness, if these women are shown the right direction I also want to organize various workshops for children and introduce to the c i t y , t h e c o n c e p t o f a human library

Apart from all of this, I want to collaborate with the local community on various aspects and conduct a workshop on how t o m a k e b r e a d o u t o f o k a r a I w o u l d l o v e t o w o r k o n s o m e p r o j e c t s related to zero- wastage a n d c l i m a t e c h a n g e a s well

Muscle strength is a ‘building block’ for healthy aging women

Re c o gn i s i ng t h e n at u ra l decline in strength as peop l e ag e, i t i s c ru c i a l to engage i n regular exercise to maintain it Surprisingly, half o f women aged 45 and abo ve do no t p articipate in an y c o n s i st en t s tr e ng th training acti vities

To bridge this gap and cater to the specific exerc i s e n e e d s o f w o m e n i n midlife, Sheffield Hallam's

A d v a n c e d W e l l b e i n g Research Centre, in collabo r a t i o n w i t h W e s t f i e l d H e a l t h , i s u n d e r t a k i n g a

project The aim is to develop an inclusive and userfriendly app that democratizes the health benefits of strength training

This initiative seeks to address the lack of compreh e n s i v e w e l l - b e i n g p r ograms for women in the workplace by co-designing an app that simplifies the process of improving overall well-being through pers o n a l i z e d e x e r c i s e p r og r a m s B y i n c o r p o r a t i n g p r i n c i p l e s o f b e h a v i o u r c h a n g e a n d e x e r c i s e s c i -

ence, the app will tackle m a j o r o b s t a c l e s a n d e m p o w e r w o m e n t o approach later life with bett e r h e a l t h a n d i n c r e a s e d physical resilience

Dr Anna Lowe, project l e a d a t S h e f f i e l d H a l l a m

University, said: “Working women in midlife face a u n i q u e s e t o f c h a l l e n g e s i n c l u d i n g s t r e s s , b u r n o u t and musculoskeletal problems, all of which can be c o m p o u n d e d b y p e r imenopause Work becomes challenging in midlife and

evidence suggest that many w o m e n c o n s i d e r l e a v i n g work at this time because o f h e a l t h - r e l a t e d i s s u e s Exercise is a powerful way to manage symptoms and improve well-being, but it i s o f t e n o v e r l o o k e d a n d

under-used ”

K a t e P l a t t s , H e a d o f Research and Innovation at Westfield Health, said: “We are ambitious and determ i n e d i n o u r d e s i r e t o bring impactful, evidencebased health and wellbeing

s o l u t i o n s i n t o t h e w o r k -

p l a c e T a r g e t e d s o l u t i o n s for women in the workplace, especially those in m i d l i f e , a r e n o t a l w a y s readily available to those who need and want them An app that provides simple, yet powerful instruct i o n s r e l a t e d t o s t r e n g t h t r a i n i n g f o r w o m e n i s much needed ”

Additionally, the occurrence of falls among older individuals poses a signific a n t t h r e a t t o h e a l t h y a g i n g , o f t e n r e s u l t i n g i n pain, injury, and a loss of

i n d e p e n d e n c e R e s e a r c h i n d i c a t e s t h a t w o m e n e x p r e s s a g r e a t e r f e a r o f falling than men and are m o r e s u s c e p t i b l e t o h i p f r a c t u r e s r e s u l t i n g f r o m f a l l s H o w e v e r , e x i s t i n g approaches primarily target older individuals who have already experienced a fall or are deemed at risk

To address this pressing concern, funding has been g r a n t e d b y U K R e s e a r c h and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the Healthy Ageing Challenge

“As the next generation grows up, some aspects of culture are bound to be lost”- Dr Alia Amir

Dr Alia Amir

Veena Torchia

For a safer and prosperous London, vote for Susan Hall the only candidate that has the experience needed to beat Sadiq Khan

Lord Dolar Popat, Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Uganda, Rwanda and DRC

London Tech Week 2023

“We are an island of innovation”, says PM Sunak

Londo

ners are faced with an important d ecision at the upcom ing m ayoral election, more of th e sam e d isast ro u s le ad e rs h ip w e h av e seen und er S ad iq Khan or a conservativ e mayor th at w ill t ac kle th e i ss u es t h at are i m p o r tan t t o L o n d o ne rs such as crim e, housing and U LEZ expansion In only a f ew w e ek s, C o n s erv a ti v e P arty members w ill v ote for w ho they th ink sh ould be the candid ate to take o n Sad iq Khan We need a candid ate that h as th e strength, experience, and v isio n to take on the ch alleng es London faces whilst also hav ing a track record of going head -to-head with S ad iq Khan, there is only one cand idate that ticks all these boxes and th at is S usan Hall

Hall has a positive vision that will bring about the positive change London needs and help Londoners live there best life London is a place full of diverse communities and Hall’s longstanding support for the British Indian community, especially here in Harrow is testament to her commitment to representing everyone in London regardless of their background

As the leader of the London Assembly, Hall has consistently fought against Sadiq Khan's misguided policies and exposed the true nature of his leadership She possesses the necessary experience to take on Khan head-on and emerge victorious With Susan Hall as the mayoral candidate, Londoners can be confident in having a leader who will stand up to Khan's failed agenda and offer them a future they want to vote for

Hall has outlined a comprehensive plan to address the pressing issues that plague London today Her commitment to public safety is unwavering She recognizes that criminals are running rampant, instilling fear in our communities and stop people from living their full lives This is a key priority for Hall, and she is proposing to create a specialised team within the Metropolitan Police, equipped with advanced training and techniques, to effectively apprehend burglars, muggers, and thieves By hunting down these criminals and bringing them to justice, she will restore safety and security to our streets

Over the last few years, Londoners have sadly seen the risk of knife crime Hall is determined to tackle the scourge of knife crime that continues to afflict our city Her plan includes leveraging the latest artificial intelligence and facial recognition technology to modernize the police force, dismantle gangs, and eradicate organised crime networks that ruin countless lives With her steadfast commitment, London can regain its reputation as a safe and welcoming city

We all want to live in a greener city but that has to be balanced with the cost it imposes on residence, the expansion of ULEZ by Sadiq Khan has caused frustration and concern by millions of Londoners On day one of her term as mayor, Hall vows to put an end to this disastrous policy, ensuring that Londoners are not burdened with unnecessary restrictions Hall recognizes the importance of balancing environmental concerns with the practical needs and well-being of the city's residents

Millions of people call London home and one of the biggest issues they face is housing The shortage of a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g h a s r e a c h e d a c r i t i c a l p o i n t i n London, and Susan Hall is dedicated to finding practical solutions Recognizing that the key to tackling the housing crisis lies in building more homes in the right places, she promises to prioritize this issue By taking proactive measures to increase housing availability, Hall aims to provide Londoners with the security and stability they deserve

In this pivotal moment for London, Susan Hall emerges as the candidate who possesses the vision, determination, and conservative values required to mend the damage caused by Sadiq Khan's tenure Her strong support for the British Indian community, particularly in Harrow, is a testament to her commitment to inclusivity and unity By electing Susan Hall as the next London Mayor, we can trust that she will create a safer, healthier, and more prosperous city for all Londoners With your support, together we can defeat Sadiq Khan and usher in a brighter future for London

P M R is h i S u n ak rec en tly made a d istinctive gesture to co m m em o r ate L o nd on T ec h W eek H e to o k to Twitter and sh ared a photo of him self standing next to th e i co n i c d o o r o f 1 0 Downing Street

What made the photo unique was the binary code d i s p l a y e d o n t h e d o o r instead of the usual address d i g i t s T h e s e q u e n c e o f n u m b e r s , " 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 , 01010100, 01010111," translated to "LTW," representi n g L o n d o n T e c h W e e k This creative approach garnered significant attention and engagement on social media platforms

L o n d o n T e c h W e e k , held from June 14-16, has e m e r g e d a s a p r o m i n e n t event on the global tech calendar, attracting founders, investors, policymakers, and t h o u g h t l e a d e r s t o d e l v e into the future of technology Sunak's active participat i o n i n t h e e v e n t u n d e rs c o r e d t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s r e c o g n i t i o n o f i t s s i g n i f ic a n c e a n d d e m o n s t r a t e d their commitment to fostering innovation and technological advancement

The theme for this year's London Tech Week, "The F u t u r e o f T e c h , " a p t l y reflected the rapidly evolvi n g d i g i t a l l a n d s c a p e , encompassing the growth of A I - p o w e r e d t e c h n o l o g i e s and the increasing urgency f o r r o b u s t c y b e r s e c u r i t y measures Panel discussions c o v e r i n g a r t i f i c i a l i n t e l l ig e n c e , c y b e r s e c u r i t y , blockchain, and sustainability provided a platform for experts to exchange ideas, s h a r e e x p e r i e n c e s , a n d a d d r e s s t h e c r i t i c a l c h a llenges faced by the industry T h e e v e n t ' s e m p h a s i s o n these topics showcased its dedication to addressing the pressing issues that shape

the future of technology

In his opening speech at t h e L o n d o n T e c h W e e k 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasised that in a moment like this, when the tectonic plates of technology are shifting - not just in AI, but in quantum, synthetic biology, semiconductors, and much more - we cannot afford to rest, satisfied with where they stand According to him, it is imperative to act q u i c k l y a n d d e c i s i v e l y becomes paramount if we want not only to retain our p o s i t i o n a s o n e o f t h e world's tech capitals but to surpass it, making UK the c o u n t r y t h e b e s t i n t h e world to start, grow, and i n v e s t i n t e c h b u s i n e s s e s This ambitious goal drives their sense of urgency and r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , e s p e c i a l l y considering that economic growth is one of the UK’s top priorities

Starting from a position of strength

S u n a k f i r m l y b e l i e v e s that innovation is a powerful force capable of transforming people's lives, and h e p e r c e i v e s a n u n p r e c ed e n t e d o p p o r t u n i t y f o r human progress that could even surpass the industrial revolution in terms of speed a n d i m p a c t T h e U n i t e d Kingdom, starting from a position of strength, highlights achievements in the

tech sector, including the creation of 134 unicorns in t h e p a s t d e c a d e , r a n k i n g third globally behind only the US and China The PM also emphasised the highly d i g i t a l l y l i t e r a t e s o c i e t y , with a higher percentage of STEM graduates than in the U S a n d f o u r u n i v e r s i t i e s ranked among the top 10 in the world

Why innovato rs should ch oose their country, and their answer is leadership

T h e U K g o v e r n m e n t recognises the significance of fintech, cyber and creative industries, as well as engineering biology, where they push the boundaries of what is possible in healthc a r e t h r o u g h i n s t i t u t i o n s l i k e t h e C r i c k a n d t h e B i o b a n k , a s w e l l a s D e e p M i n d ' s A l p h a f o l d Moreover, the UK boasts an advantageous environment f o r r a i s i n g c a p i t a l , w i t h m o r e t e c h i n v e s t m e n t s made there than in France a n d G e r m a n y c o m b i n e d However, the key question they aim to address is why i n n o v a t o r s s h o u l d c h o o s e t h e i r c o u n t r y , a n d t h e i r answer is leadership

“As Chancellor, I doubled the number of AI scholarships because even back then I recognised the potential of AI as a general-purpose technology Now, with most things in life, the more you learn about them, the less magical they appear but t h e m o r e w e l e a r n a b o u t frontier technologies like AI, the more they widen our horizons Already we ’ ve seen A I h e l p t h e p a r a l y s e d t o walk And discover superbug-killing antibiotics And that’s just the beginning,” Sunak said S trateg y for safe AI He further added, “So, we ’ re building a new partn e r s h i p b e t w e e n o u r

vibrant academia, brilliant AI companies, and a government that gets it And we’ll do that in three ways First – we ’ re going to do c u t t i n g - e d g e s a f e t y research here in the UK With £100 million for our e x p e r t t a s k f o r c e , w e ’ r e dedicating more funding to AI safety than any other government We’re working with the frontier labsGoogle DeepMind, OpenAI a n d A n t h r o p i c A n d I ’ m p l e a s e d t o a n n o u n c e they’ve committed to giving early or priority access to models for research and s a f e t y p u r p o s e s t o h e l p b u i l d b e t t e r e v a l u a t i o n s and help us better unders t a n d t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s and risks of these systems “ S e c o n d – A I d o e s n ’ t respect traditional national borders So we need global c o o p e r a t i o n b e t w e e n nations and labs Just as we unite through COP to tackle climate change so the UK w i l l h o s t t h e f i r s t e v e r Summit on global AI Safety later this year I want to make the UK not just the intellectual home but the g e o g r a p h i c a l h o m e , o f global AI safety regulation

“And third, we ’ re going to seize the extraordinary potential of AI to improve people’s lives That’s why w e ’ r e a l r e a d y i n v e s t i n g record sums in our capability including £900 million in compute technology and £ 2 5 b i l l i o n i n q u a n t u m And we ’ re harnessing AI to transform our public services from saving teachers hundreds of hours of time s p e n t l e s s o n p l a n n i n g t o helping NHS patients get q u i c k e r d i a g n o s e s a n d more accurate tests AI can help us achieve the holy g r a i l o f p u b l i c s e r v i c e reform: better, more efficient services ”

300 signatories sign Open Letter by FPA to remove charges for journalists covering Tory Party Conference

Th e F or ei g n P re s s A ss o c ia t i o n ( FP A ) h a s published an Open Let ter as k in g t h e C o ns e rv at iv e Pa rt y Pr es s O f fi c e t o remove charges for journalists covering t he Tory Pa rt y C o n fe r en c e in Aut umn Al most 300 signatories, among the most important news organisation s in the world, have signed it

In the open letter, the FPA wrote, “The Foreign P r e s s A s s o c i a t i o n i n L o n d o n , r e p r e s e n t i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o r r e s p o ndents in print, online, and broadcast media from all over the world, is fiercely opposed to the charging of journalists to attend the T o r y P a r t y C o n f e r e n c e this Autumn ”

The FPA stated that it believes that a fundament a l t e n e t o f a f r e e a n d d e m o c r a t i c s o c i e t y i s a l l o w i n g j o u r n a l i s t s –

from all over the worldto freely report on matters of public interest We have not found any comparable charges in any other country in the world, let alone in any other democracy

“It is a shame that the U K , p a r t o f t h e M e d i a F r e e d o m C o a l i t i o n , c oorganiser of the very first M e d i a F r e e d o m Conference in the world, a country with a proud tradition of press independence, should be the first to effectively tax journalists for doing their job As observers of this country we feel the need to speak out,” the letter read

T h e F P A f u r t h e r added, “In fact, this decis i o n s e t s a d a n g e r o u s precedent for countries all over the world who will use this decision to justify financial and other barriers to media scrutiny of the political process ”

To protect press freedom, the FPA is therefore c a l l i n g u p o n t h e T o r y party conference organisers to scrap or refund the charges and allow fair and free reporting for all

Some of the Indian sign a t o r i e s i n c l u d e p r e s t ig i o u s p u b l i c a t i o n s a n d a g e n c i e s l i k e , A n a n d a Bazar Patrika, Bartaman, The Hindu, India Today and Press Trust of India

£135m fund for Londoners to get into well-paid jobs

Ma yor of London, Sadi q Kh an , r e c on f i rm e d h i s commitment to adult educ a ti on b y an n ou nc i n g £135m more in funding to he l p L on d on e rs a c c e s s learning and get into good jobs This essential funding will support more than 100,000 Londoners as they retrain, learn or upskill and help them get into work in key sectors that will help Lo n do n g e t b a c k o n i t s feet The new data from the f i r s t L o n d o n L e a r n e r

Survey which has shown how successful the Mayor’s A d u l t E d u c a t i o n B u d g e t (AEB) has been in helping L o n d o n e r s p r o g r e s s i n t o learning or move into new or better-paid work A n a d d i t i o n a l £ 1 2 m investment in community outreach activity will help t o r e a c h L o n d o n e r s l e s s likely to engage in adult education and those who could benefit from increasing their numeracy skills t h r o u g h t h e L o n d o n

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the London Tech Week 2023

Susan Hall

The King's Birthday Honours List 2023 LIST OF ASIA

More than 40 British Indians recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours 2023

Continued from page 1

Among the notable recipients is Dr Parvinder Kaur Aley, D i r e c t o r o f G l o b a l O p e r a t i o n s a t t h e O x f o r d Vaccine Group, University of O x f o r d , w h o h a s b e e n bestowed the Officer of the Order of the British Empire ( O B E ) f o r h e r o u t s t a n d i n g contributions in the field of v a c c i n a t i o n d u r i n g t h e C o v i d - 1 9 p a n d e m i c Professor Prokar Dasgupta, F o u n d a t i o n P r o f e s s o r o f S u r g e r y a t K i n g ’ s H e a l t h P a r t n e r s a n d C h a i r i n R o b o t i c S u r g e r y a n d U r o l o g i c a l I n n o v a t i o n a t King’s College London, has been honoured with an OBE for his remarkable contributions to surgery and scientific advancements

T h e l i s t a l s o f e a t u r e s p r o m i n e n t B r i t i s h I n d i a n b u s i n e s s l e a d e r s A n u j Chande, Partner and Head of t h e S o u t h A s i a B u s i n e s s Group at Grant Thornton UK L L P h a s b e e n a w a r d e d a n OBE for his exceptional services in international trade a n d i n v e s t m e n t H i n a Solanki, the founder of Sol C o s m e d i c s , h a s b e e n acknowledged as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her notable c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o b u s i n e s s and charitable endeavours

C o n s u l t a n t o b s t e t r i c i a n a n d g y n a e c o l o g i s t A n j u Kumar has received an OBE for her invaluable services to women's health and welfare i n W a l e s S u n a n d P r a s a d , C h a i r o f t h e U K G r e e n Buildings Council, has been a c k n o w l e d g e d f o r h i s remarkable contributions to regeneration

Sikhs and people of Sikh heritage are amongst many being honoured in the King’s

B i r t h d a y H o n o u r s L i s t A m o n g s t t h e r e c i p i e n t s i s N a r i n d e r S a g o o , S e n i o r Partner at Foster + Partners

Another recipient is Sardarni N a v l e e n K a u r w h o h a s w o r k e d i n h u m a n i t a r i a n d e v e l o p m e n t p r o j e c t s i n P u n j a b , w h e r e s h e a l s o trained at Panjabi University

Patiala under the guidance of the Gurmat Studies faculty

Varinder Hayre is a District

C r o w n P r o s e c u t o r a n d London North Hate Crime l e a d w i t h t h e C r o w n P r o s e c u t i o n S e r v i c e S h e receives an OBE for services t o l a w a n d o r d e r A m a r j i t

Raju has received OBE for s e r v i n g t h e c o m m u n i t y i n Derby and beyond for over t h r e e d e c a d e s A s C E O o f D i s a b i l i t y D i r e c t , h e h a s transformed the organisation into a prominent advocate

for disabled individuals and their caregivers

Several individuals have been awarded MBE honours, i n c l u d i n g p h y s i o t h e r a p i s t and specialist hand therapist Roma Bhopal for her notable s e r v i c e s i n p h y s i o t h e r a p y , Bawa Singh Dhallu for his political and voluntary work, violinist Jyotsna Srikanth for her contributions to music, a n d R i t u K h u r a n a f o r h e r outstanding services to music

Com mand er of the Order of the British Em pire

Zahra Shiv a Bah rololoumi

Northampton, Northamptonshire

Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce UKI For services to the Information Technology

Sector

P r of es s o r P al i ark ara ka d u A s se n

M uhamm ed Basheer FREng

Leeds, West Yorkshire

Chair in Structural Engineering, University of Leeds For services to Civil Engineering

Officer of the Order o f the British Em pire

Dr K hursh id Alam

London, Greater London

Chair, Academy for Advanced Studies and Training UK International For services to

B A M E H e a l t h c a r e a n d t h e P r o f e s s i o n a l

Development of BAME Doctors

Dr P arvinder Kaur A ley

Oxford, Oxfordshire

D i r e c t o r o f G l o b a l O p e r a t i o n s , O x f o r d

Vaccine Group, University of Oxford For services to Vaccination during Covid-19

A nuj Jayantilal Chande

London, Greater London

Partner, Grant Thornton For services to International Trade and Investment

Professor Arav inthan Co omarasam y Birmingham, West Midlands P

London, Greater London

V i c e - C h a n c e l l o r , C a n t e r b u r y C h r i s t

Church University, Canterbury, Kent For services to Higher Education

Mohamm ad Amj id Wazir

Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Member and Deputy Leader, Stoke-onTrent City Council For Political Service and to the community in Stoke-on-Trent

M em ber o f the Order of th e British Empire Darnish A mraz

Birmingham, West Midlands

Youth Worker, Birmingham City Youth

S e r v i c e F o r s e r v i c e s t o Y o u n g P e o p l e i n Birmingham

Rom a Bhop al Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh

P h y s i o t h e r a p i s t a n d S p e c i a l i s t H a n d Therapist For services to Physiotherapy

Vanita Brookes

Bolton, Greater Manchester

Fellow, Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England For services to the Oral Health of People with Disabilities

Nizamud din Noordin Damani

Portadown, County Armagh

C o n s u l t a n t M i c r o b i o l o g i s t , S o u t h e r n Health and Social Care Trust For services to Infection Prevention and Control in Northern Ireland and to the World Health Organisation

Bawa Sing h Dhallu

Smethwick, West Midlands

and broadcasting as a disc jockey and broadcaster T h e l i s t a l s o i n c l u d e s t h o s e w h o h a v e b e e n bestowed the British Empire Medal (BEM) Among them is Balvir Mohan Bhalla, founder of the Super Cool Friends Charity, who has been recognised for his exceptional services to the community in Ilford, London Borough of Redbridge, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic Pianist and composer Rekesh Chauhan has been honoured f o r h i s c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o music, charity, and mental health in the British Asian c o m m u n i t y , w h i l e K a i l a s h Malhotra has been acknowledged for his services to kidn e y o r g a n d o n a t i o n f o r minority ethnic groups as a Peer Educator Volunteer at Kidney Research UK

Sikhs recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours 2023

S ikhs and people of Sikh heritag e are am ong st m any being h o n o u red i n th e K i ng ’ s B i rth d ay H on o u rs L i s t o f 20 23, w hich are the first set o f birthd ay h ono urs to be granted by His Majesty th e King, C harles III

Amongst the recipients is N a r i n d e r S a g o o , S e n i o r Partner at Foster + Partners He is an acclaimed architect and designer known for his innovative approach to urban p l a n n i n g a n d s u s t a i n a b l e design Another recipient is Sardarni Navleen Kaur She is a c o n s u l t a n t & c o m m u n i t y e d u c a t o r b a s e d i n L o n d o n Her volunteering work has b e e n w i t h i n t h e f a i t h a n d i n t e r f a i t h s e c t o r s , a n d through her dynamic leader-

ship, she has dedicated herself to empowering South Asian women and breaking societal barriers She is the founder of Sahara Sisterhood, a project t h a t p r o v i d e s a s a f e a n d secure space to assist women i n r e l e a s i n g , r e l a x i n g a n d r e c u p e r a t i n g f r o m t r a u m a and violence She receives an MBE for services to Women and to Interfaith Relations

Amarjit Raju has served the community in Derby and b e y o n d f o r o v e r t h r e e decades As CEO of Disability Direct, he has transformed t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n i n t o a prominent advocate for disa b l e d i n d i v i d u a l s a n d t h e i r caregivers Overcoming personal challenges as a disabled p e r s o n , h e r a i s e d o v e r £ 2 5

million for the disabled community His leadership during t h e p a n d e m i c e a r n e d h i m national recognition, and he is a respected figure in the voluntary sector and in disability care He receives an OBE

Harvinder Singh Rai is the P r e s i d e n t o f t h e N a t i o n a l Police Sikh Association UK H e j o i n e d W e s t M i d l a n d s Police in 1993 where he currently serves as a Sergeant, and he has a wealth of experience in operational policing across several departments He is an ardent proponent of t h e P e e l i a n p r i n c i p l e s o f policing and their relevance to Sikh values He receives an MBE for services to Policing and to the Sikh Community

c t i v e M e d i c i n e , U n i v e r s i t y o f

Birmingham For services to Maternal Health

Professor Pro kar Dasgupta

London, Greater London

Foundation Professor of Surgery, King s

Health Partners and Chair in Robotic Surgery

a n d U r o l o g i c a l I n n o v a t i o n , K i n g ' s C o l l e g e

London For services to Surgery and Science

Varinder Hayre

London, Greater London

D i s t r i c t C r o w n P r o s e c u t o r , C r o w n

Prosecution Service, London For services to Law and Order

Ishtiaq Hussain

London, Greater London

A s s i s t a n t D i r e c t o r , D e p a r t m e n t f o r

Levelling Up, Housing and Communities For Public Service

Dr K av itha Kishen

St Albans, Hertfordshire

Deputy Director, Security, Resilience and Strategy, Government Office for Science For services to National Resilience and Diversity in Government Science and Engineering

A nju Ku mar

Cardiff, South Glamorgan

C o n s u l t a n t O b s t e t r i c i a n a n d

G y n a e c o l o g i s t F o r s e r v i c e s t o W o m e n ' s Health and Welfare in Wales

A mar Latif

Leeds, West Yorkshire

F o u n d e r a n d C h i e f E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e r ,

T r a v e l e y e s F o r s e r v i c e s t o t h e V i s u a l l y

Impaired and to Entrepreneurship

Dr Navaratnam Parth eeban

Battlesbridge, Essex

Co-Founder, British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society For services to Inclusion

Su nand Prasad MBE

London, Greater London

Chair, UK Green Building Council For services to Regeneration

Dr A marjit Raju

Derby, Derbyshire

Chief Executive, Disability Direct For services to People with Disabilities, to Carers and to Mental Health

P r of es s o r Ram a S h a nk ara n T hiru namach andran DL

Lately Councillor and Mayor, Sandwell M e t r o p o l i t a n B o r o u g h C o u n c i l , W e s t Midlands For Political and Voluntary Service

Sandeep Dwesar

London, Greater London

Chief Operating and Financial Officer, Barbican Centre For Public Service in the City of London Mohamm ed Fah im Walsall, West Midlands

For services to the community in Walsall, West Midlands, particularly during Covid-19 Aqil Faro oq Gloucestershire

P o l i c e S e r g e a n t a n d C h a i r , S t a f f Association, Avon and Somerset Police For s e r v i c e s t o P o l i c i n g a n d t o D i v e r s i t y a n d

Inclusion

Kap aljit Singh Jhuti

London, Greater London

Head of Services, Transport and Passenger Logistics, Heathrow Airport, London For services to the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Sardarni Navleen Kau r

London, Greater London

Founder, Sahara Sisterhood For services to Women and to Interfaith Relations

Ritu Khurana

London, Greater London

Disc Jockey and Broadcaster For services to Music and to Broadcasting

Dr Nih ara So nali Krau se

London, Greater London

Founder and Chief Executive, Stem4 For services to the Mental Health of Young People Rizwana Mahm ood-A hmed

Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

Headteacher, Carlton Junior and Infants School, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire For services to Education

Rizwan Wali Mo ham med

Glasgow, City of Glasgow

For services to the community in Glasgow

Pro fessor Raja Anindya Sekh ar Mukherjee

Horsham, West Sussex

C o n s u l t a n t P s y c h i a t r i s t , S u r r e y a n d Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust F o r s e r v i c e s t o P e o p l e w i t h F e t a l A l c o h o l

Professor Prokar Dasgupta

Roma Bhopal

The King's Birthday Honours List 2023

AN WINNERS

Spectrum Disorders

S hiva Chandra Niraula

Aldershot, Hampshire

Pandit, Brigade of Gurkhas, Ministry of

D e f e n c e F o r p a s t o r a l s e r v i c e s t o M i l i t a r y

Personnel

A sitha Pand itharatna

London, Greater London

D i r e c t o r o f E m p l o y m e n t S e r v i c e s , T h e F o r w a r d T r u s t F o r s e r v i c e s t o F u r t h e r

Education and Skills

A nita P armar

London, Greater London

Head, Lessons from Auschwitz Project, Holocaust Educational Trust For services to Holocaust Education and Remembrance

P rofesso r Kanw al John Pasi

London, Greater London

L a t e l y C e n t r e D i r e c t o r , R o y a l L o n d o n

Haemophilia Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust

For services to the NHS

Jay Prakash Patel

Crewe, Cheshire

Qualified Person Assessor, AstraZeneca

For services to Public Health during Covid-19

Jeeta Patel

London, Greater London

L a t e l y S e n i o r P o l i c y A d v i s e r , C a b i n e t

Office For Public Service

Dr Shubha Platt (Sh ubh a Sath yend ranath )

Plymouth, Devon

Merit Scientist, Remote Sensing, Plymouth

M a r i n e L a b o r a t o r y F o r s e r v i c e s t o

Oceanography

Dr Sandrasekeram P remachandran

Camberley, Surrey

Adviser, Care Quality Commission and E m e r g e n c y M e d i c i n e C o n s u l t a n t , F r i m l e y

Health NHS Foundation Trust For services to Health and Care

A ftabur Rahm an Birmingham, West Midlands

C h i e f E x e c u t i v e O f f i c e r , L e g a c y W e s t Midlands For services to Heritage and to the community in Birmingham

Nimisha Raja

Sittingbourne, Kent

Founder, Nim's Fruit Crisps For services to Small and Medium Enterprises

A dil Rashid

Bradford, West Yorkshire

For services to Cricket

Narinder Singh Sago o London, Greater London

For services to Charity

Bilal Bin Saqib

London, Greater London

Co-Founder, One Million Meals For services to the NHS and to the community in Stanmore, London Borough of Harrow

P rod am an Kumar S arwal

London, Greater London

L a t e l y T r u s t e e , C h a t h a m H i s t o r i c D o c k y a r d T r u s t a n d C h a i r , M a s t e r

Ropemakers Ltd For services to Heritage and to the Charitable Sector

Dr Farrukh Tasnim Shah

London, Greater London

Consultant Haematologist, Whittington

H e a l t h N H S T r u s t F o r s e r v i c e s t o

Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Patients

Dr Ind erjit Singh

Glasgow, City of Glasgow

For voluntary and charitable services to the community in Scotland

Harv ind er Sing h Rai

Walsall, West Midlands

Sergeant, West Midlands Police For services to Policing and to the Sikh Community

Hina So lanki

London, Greater London

Founder, Sol Cosmedics For services to Business and to Charity

Jyotsna Srikanth

London, Greater London

Violinist For services to Music

Dr Sh ivani A nika Walia

London, Greater London

Founder, Anika Food Charity For services to the Alleviation of Food Poverty

Rahim a Do Nascimento Aziz

London, Greater London

Trustee, Aziz Foundation For services to Young People

Perm ind erjeet Kaur Banw ait

Wakefield, West Yorkshire

Founder and Managing Director, Banwait Group Holdings For services to Social Care

Balvir Mohan Bhalla

London, Greater London

Founder, Super Cool Friends Charity For services to the community in Ilford, London

B o r o u g h o f R e d b r i d g e , p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r i n g

Covid-19

Nig hat Bhola

London, Greater London

Director, Humdum UK For services to Food Provision and to the community in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, particularly during Covid-19

Rekesh C hauhan

Birmingham, West Midlands

P i a n i s t a n d C o m p o s e r F o r s e r v i c e s t o

Music, to Charity and to Mental Health in the British Asian Community, particularly during Covid-19

Ehsan Sh ahid Cho udhry

London, Greater London

Co-Founder, MH The Open Kitchen For services to the community in the London Borough of Hounslow

Balbir Dhillon

Warrington, Cheshire

Postmaster For services to the community in Birchwood, Cheshire

Kuldeep S ing h Dhillon

Warrington, Cheshire

Postmaster For services to the community in Birchwood, Cheshire

Krish na Gh osh

London, Greater London

For services to Education and to the community in London

Dr Priya Kum ar

Virginia Water, Surrey

G e n e r a l P r a c t i t i o n e r , K u m a r M e d i c a l

C e n t r e , S l o u g h F o r s e r v i c e s t o H e a l t h

Improvement in South East England

Kailash Malh otra

Glasgow, City of Glasgow

Peer Educator Volunteer, Kidney Research

UK For services to Kidney Organ Donation for Minority Ethnic Groups

Moh am mad Mirza

Stalybridge, Greater Manchester

Caseworker, HM Revenue and Customs

For services to Mental Health

Hetalban Mayank Patel

Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear

Compliance and Investigation Officer, HM

R e v e n u e a n d C u s t o m s F o r s e r v i c e s t o

Homeless People in Newcastle upon Tyne

Virendra Mahend raku mar Patel

Southampton, Hampshire

Technical Support Partner, John Lewis and Partners For services to the community in Hampshire

Yasm in Sid hwa

Oxford, Oxfordshire

Founder and Director, Mandala Theatre

Company For services to Drama

Joysy Joh n

London, Greater London A

Anuj Chande, Head of South Asia Business Group, Grant Thornton UK LLP - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

“I’m thrilled to receiv e this ho nour in recognition of m y c o nt ri bu ti o n to s u p p o rt in g i nt ern ati o n al tr ad e an d investm ent in the India/UK corrid or W h e n I f o u n d e d t h e f i r m ’ s S o u t h A s i a B u s i n e s s G r o u p b a c k i n 1 9 9 1 , t h e potential of the corridor was s t i l l r e l a t i v e l y n e w a n d w e were one of the first firms to lead the way and start focusing on this area I’m delighted to see how much has pro-

gressed since then, with nearl y 1 0 0 0 I n d i a n c o m p a n i e s now operating in the UK and a F r e e T r a d e A g r e e m e n t between India and the UK e x p e c t e d t o b e a n n o u n c e d this year It’s an exciting time in the relationship between the two countries and I want to express my gratitude to Grant Thornton’s leadership, b o t h p a s t a n d p r e s e n t , f o r providing me with the platform to work in this corridor ”

Rekesh Chauhan - Medallists Order of the British Empire for services to music

" It is a great privileg e to be r ec o g ni s ed i n T h e K i n g 's Birthd ay Honours List Music is a lifeline for so m any, I am so grateful to be able to co nnect w ith our com munities thro ugh m usic for causes that d eserv e attention

I w o u l d l i k e t o t h a n k everyone who has supported me so generously over the years It is indeed a great privilege to work with so many

c h a r i t i e s a n d o r g a n i s a t i o n s who do such wonderful work

t o c r e a t e p o s i t i v e i m p a c t through music "

Adil Rashid awarded MBE for services to cricket

Yorkshire and Eng land star

Ad il Rashid has been award ed an M BE i n th e K i n g ’ s Birth day Honours L ist

Adil Usman Rashid was born in Bradford on February 17, 1988 and has gone on to be one of the world’s best spin bowlers, winning trophies at d o m e s t i c a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l level R e f l e c t i n g o n r e c e i v i n g the accolade Rashid, aged 35, s a i d : “ I t i s a v e r y s p e c i a l moment “I never would have thought that I would have met the King in my lifetime To go down to meet the King, it will be exciting “It’s obviously nice to get recognised for things you do

on and off the pitch, not just for myself but for my family a n d t h e p e o p l e w h o h a v e helped contribute

“I’m humbled how well things have gone for me The most important thing is to work hard, train hard, believe in yourself You can achieve anything regardless of where you come from and whatever

RAF Wing Commander

Princejit Singh receives OBE

“ I am h u m b le d a nd d eeply grateful to receive this honour

T h i s r e c o g n i t i o n i s not solely mine; it is a testament to the unwavering support, encouragement, and guidance of my r e m a r k a b l e f a m i l y , f r i e n d s , a n d c e l e b r a t e d colleagues, notably on the 47 Squadron and the Air Mobility Force; reflecting our collective efforts, the c o u n t l e s s h o u r s s p e n t w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r , a n d the shared vision that has driven us forward I am indebted to your generosity and trust Sans Peur ”

your background ” Rashid helped play a big part in both World Cup winsi n c l u d i n g a c r u c i a l r o l e i n helping England win the ICC

T 2 0 W o r l d C u p l a s t November following a nailbiting five-wicket win over P a k i s t a n a t M e l b o u r n e Alongside his career in cricket, he runs the Adil Rashid Cricket Academy in Bradford w i t h h i s b r o t h e r t o h e l p inspire more children to get into the sport He is also an ambassador for the Overseas Plastic Surgery Appeal (OPSA) charity, which provides free facial surgery for poor child r e n a n d y o u n g a d u l t s i n Pakistan

Bob Blackman MP, who represents Harrow East, a constituency with a majority of the diaspora has received CBE in King s Birthday Honours List

Anuj Chande

Rekesh Chauhan

Adil Rashid

Princejit Singh

Dear Financia

Voice Reader Alpesh Patel OBE

In my daily inte ractions , I am inundated with a deluge of em a il s f r om ind ivid ual s ex pr es s in g c onc e rn ov er the ir underperform ing pension port folios Their f rustrations are not unf ounded, as their returns f requently f ail to keep pace with e ve n bas ic index trac kers l ike the NASDAQ, whic h has seen a remark able ris e of 40% year to date The root of the pr obl em, however, can often be tr aced back to se ve ral key fac tors

F i r s t l y , t h e i s s u e m a y l i e i n t h e f a c t t h a t y o u r Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) or Fiduciary is spreading your investments too thin They might be putting your money in a vast multitude of stocks through various investment funds, each of which themselves own up to a hundred different stocks This approach dilutes the impact of individual stocks on your overall portfolio, potentially limiting your gains

Secondly, you may have specified certain stocks, such as Microsoft or Apple, for a certain percentage of your portfolio Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, for example, have over 30% of their portfolios invested in these companies However, if your IFA/Fiduciary has allocated less than your desired percentage, this underinvestment could cost you significantly in terms of lost potential gains

Thirdly, it's important to understand that you can buy directly into these companies for your pension There is a common misconception that having a fund manager do it for you somehow makes the company safer This is not necessarily the case

In addition, it's crucial to have access to, and understanding of, relevant data Without this, you may not know how to choose the right stocks or make informed investment decisions As pointed out in "The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham, a lack of knowledge can be detrimental to your financial health

Moreover, many people would rather pay a hefty fee (as high as 10% every five years, as stated in the small print) to a fund manager than take the time to learn the ropes themselves This mindset, often fueled by a feeling of being cashrich but time-poor, can lead to a reluctance to spend even an hour a year managing one's own investments

The issue of 'currency risk' also often serves as a deterrent for some investors However, this fear can be misplaced, as shown by the stable GBPUSD rate over the past five years It should not be a reason to avoid investment in potentially lucrative global companies

Furthermore, a lack of understanding about how pensions work can be damaging Some investors erroneously believe that their pension is not invested in stocks and that their retirement income will be magically provided by a nebulous entity, reminiscent of a Ponzi scheme

Eugene Fama's Nobel Prize-winning research has shown that fund managers often underperform the index, let alone cherry-picked stocks from the Index This is echoed by the seminal work "A Random Walk Down Wall Street" by Burton Malkiel, which highlights the inability of most fund managers to consistently outperform the market

Lastly, some people fear that they'll be gambling without a comprehensive database of companies and their respective financial health indicators However, this shouldn't prevent you from learning and investing on your own The idea that you need a PhD to understand investing is a myth perpetuated by the financial industry to keep you dependent on their services

I have launched a campaign, Campaign for a Million, to educate a million people on becoming better investors for a secure retirement You can find free resources at [Link] and reviews at www alpeshpatelreviews com Remember, investing is not an insurmountable task; it just requires understanding, patience, and a willingness to learn

London taxpayers to face financial lose over Breathe collapse

L ond on taxpayers are po tentially facing significant financial losses as Breath e, an electric vehicle comp any supp orted by L ond on m ayor Sad iq Kh an has g one into ad ministration Breathe supplies electric v eh icles to comp anies, includ ing T esla, to private-hire d riv ers, received an injection of ov er £3 m illion from th e M ayor of London s Energ y Efficiency Fund ( MEEF), as per inform ation The collapse of Breath e has raised concerns about th e potential financial imp act on taxp ayers in Lo nd on

A spokesperson for the mayor said that the MEEF stands as the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom With its substantial reach, the fund has already made investments in 17 projects throughout London, mobilizing an impressive sum of over £380 million in total investment These initiatives are anticipated to result in significant environmental benefits, with an estimated reduction of over 38,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and a saving of nearly 40 million kilowatthours of energy The original investment of £3 2 million made by MEEF in Breathe accounts for less than 1% of the overall funding until now

Mortgage repayments costing more than 20% of borrowers' income

Ho m e o w n er s in U K a r e currently allo cating a larger po rtion of th eir inco me to mortgage rep aym ents th an at an y p o int s in c e t h e 2 0 08 f in an c ia l c r is i s , as int e r es t ra t es s t ea di l y i nc r e as e towards 6 per c ent Acco rding to U K F i na n c e, m o r t ga g e rep ayments acc ounted fo r an average o f 20 4 per cent of borrowers ' incomes between January and April This figure is higher than

the under 17 per cent recorded in 2020 and represents the h i g h e s t p e r c e n t a g e s i n c e November 2008

T h e i m p a c t o f s i g n i f i c a n t l y h i g h e r m o r t g a g e r a t e s i s e x p e c t e d t o b e particularly pronounced i n L o n d o n a n d t h e s o u t h e a s t , w h e r e b o r r o w e r s h a v e t a k e n o n l a r g e r l o a n s I n c e r t a i n a r e a s o f t h e southeast, over 60 per cent of mortgages obtained two y e a r s a g o e x c e e d e d f o u r t i m e s t h e b o r r o w e r s '

income, as reported by the

F i n a n c i a l C o n d u c t

A u t h o r i t y T h e n a t i o n a l average for the mortgaget o - i n c o m e r a t i o w a s approximately 3 4 times

While the Government c a n s t e p i n t o s u p p o r t m o r t g a g e b o r r o w e r s w i t h measures such as monthly payment policy, tax relief on m o r t g a g e a n d m o r t g a g e p r o t e c t i o n f u n d , i t h a s rejected any suggestion

Brexit blamed for high inflation in Britain

Mar k Car ney, th e fo rmer gov er no r of the Bank of E ng l an d, h as at t r ib u t ed st ubbor nly h ig h inf lation in Britain to Br exit , stating t h at h e h ad p r e v io u sl y warned th e pu bl ic abou t the po tent ial dam ag e l eaving t he E ur op ean Union wo uld h av e o n th e economy Carney claim s that h is p r ed ic t io ns , in c l u di ng h ig h er p r i ce s, a w ea ke r pou nd, and slower gro wt h, have been v indicated Carney had repeatedly e m p h a s i z e d t h e n e g a t i v e economic consequences of Brexit He had warned that

u n e m p l o y m e n t w o u l d increase unless there was a c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Brussels after Brexit

In an interview, Carney acknowledged that there is no satisfaction in saying "We told you so" because people are now having to face the reality of those predictions He also pointed to a series of negative s u p p l y s h o c k s , i n c l u d i n g the largest energy shock since the 1970s, a shrinki n g w o r k f o r c e , a n d t h e i m p a c t o f B r e x i t , w h i c h have disrupted the economy and resulted in unex-

Interest rate hikes only way to prevent inflation, says Hunt

Chancellor J erem y Hunt has asserted that raising interest rat es i s th e o n ly v i abl e option for th e co untry to co mbat inflatio n A s h ouseholds p repare for the Bank of E ng la nd to i m p lem e nt furth er increases in borrowing costs, th e chancellor has expressed u nwavering support for the central bank's efforts to add ress th e high inflation and the resulting co st of liv ing crisis

T h e B a n k o f E n g l a n d has already executed a series of interest rate hikes, marking one of the most aggressive moves in decades Since December 2021, borrowing costs have risen from 0 1% to 4 5% Financial markets anticipate another increase of at least a quarter-point during the upcoming policy m e e t i n g o n J u n e 2 2 P r o j e c t i o n s s u g g e s t t h a t r a t e s c o u l d s u r p a s s 5 5 % before the end of the year

As inflation reaches its highest level since the early 1980s, an increasing number of households are feeling the strain of elevated m o r t g a g e a n d l o a n c o s t s The Resolution Foundation t h i n k t a n k p r e d i c t s t h a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 6 m i l l i o n mortgage holders will face t h e e x p i r a t i o n o f m o r e affordable fixed-rate deals t h i s y e a r , r e s u l t i n g i n a n average annual repayment increase of around £2,300 for borrowers

In response to the higher interest rate outlook in the UK, banks and building societies have been removing home loan options from the market and raising the c o s t s o f t h e i r f i x e d - r a t e m o r t g a g e s T h e s e l e n d e r s a r e w o r k i n g s w i f t l y t o a d j u s t t h e i r o f f e r i n g s t o a l i g n w i t h t h e c o u n t r y ' s i n c r e a s e d i n t e r e s t r a t e expectations

pected cost increases He described the adjustments in the UK as "unique" and suggested that they may take years to unravel

T h i s w e e k , C a r n e y made a prediction that the U K a n d o t h e r a d v a n c e d economies would experie n c e y e a r s o f e l e v a t e d interest rates due to significant changes in the global e c o n o m y , l e a d i n g t o a reassessment of globalizat i o n T h e s e " t e c t o n i c shifts" have prompted a ree v a l u a t i o n o f e c o n o m i c dynamics and policies

P o l i c y m a k e r s h a v e

Mark Carney

acknowledged that bringing inflation under control is unlikely to occur until

2 0 2 5 , i n d i c a t i n g a p r olonged period of elevated inflationary pressures

Government held responsible for the lack of energy support

Accor ding t o a r epor t by t he cross-pa rt y Public Accounts Committ ee, la ck of gove rnm ent "band wid th" ha s re sulted in million s of indiv idua ls e xpe rie ncin g pr olo nge d d elay s in rece iv ing en er gy support

According to the report, a significant number of households, estimated to be as high as 900,000, only became eligible for the £400-off energy bills support scheme in late February This occurred nearly five months after consumers in the main scheme had already started receiving discounts These households primarily consisted of those without a direct relationship with an electricity supplier, such as residents living in park homes or on boats

Additionally, the report highlights that 836,000 residences in Northern Ireland began receiving their £400 off energy bills in January 2023 This timing was three months later than the rest of the United Kingdom

The delayed eligibility for these households and the discrepancy in Northern Ireland's timeline underscore the challenges and inconsistencies in implementing the energy bills support scheme, potentially leading to financial burdens and inequalities for affected individuals and regions

According to the report, there were approximately two million households in Great Britain still in possession of vouchers for their £400 payment in February but had not yet redeemed them These households were primarily using prepayment meters The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), responsible for administering the payments, admitted to the committee that it lacked the capacity and resources to ensure timely support reached all eligible groups

Vodafone and Three’s potential merger to create UK's largest mobile firm

Voda fone an d t he Three UK have rea ched an agree me nt to merg e their oper ations, for ming the la rgest mob il e phon e oper ator in the UK

The merger would bring together approximately 27 million customers, surpassi n g t h e m a r k e t s h a r e o f

Media O2 However, the deal still needs to be approved by regulators, who w i l l a s s e s s i t s p o t e n t i a

The companies have asserted that customers will benefit from a better network e x p e r i e n c e w i t h e n h a n c e d coverage and reliability at no additional cost They have also committed to investing £11 billion in 5G technology i n t h e U K o v e r t h e n e x t decade

V o d a f o n e a n d T h r e e have suggested the possibili-

ty of further job cuts within a five-year timeframe if their m e r g e r i s a p p r o v e d T h e y anticipate streamlining various aspects of their operations, including IT, marketing, sales, distribution, and l o g i s t i c s H o w e v e r , t h e Unite union has criticized the deal, labeling it as "reckl e s s a n d e x p r e s s i n g c o nc e r n s a b o u t p o t e n t i a l b i l l increases and job losses

India well placed to emerge as green hydrogen hub, says minister Puri

Pe troleum minist er H ardeep Singh Pur i state d tha t India i s i d e a l l y p o si t io n e d t o b e co me a ce n t r e fo r t h e p r o du ct i o n of g r e e n h y d r o ge n gl ob a l l y a n d i s r e a dy t o r e a l is e it s fu l l pote ntial to estab lish a gr een hy drogen ecosystem b y 2030

A d d r e s s i n g t h e G 2 0 dialogue on ‘India’s role in the future of energy ’ , Puri said several estimates show I n d i a w i l l a c c o u n t f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 5 % o f t h e g l o b a l e n e r g y d e m a n d

Different strokes for different folks

between 2020 and 2024 “So, the demand is here And I think the response to that d e m a n d a l s o h a s t o b e anchored in sustainability,” he said

I n d i a ’ s G 2 0 s h e r p a Amitabh Kant said India is s e e k i n g t o p r o m o t e sustainable production and c o n s u m p t i o n t h r o u g h b u i l d i n g c o n s e n s u s o n L i f e S t y l e f o r E n v i r o n m e n t ( L i F E ) a n d o n c i r c u l a r economy “Realising the need t o d e c a r b o n i s e i n d u s t r i a l

Freeze Choksi’s a/cs, Sebi tells banks, MFs

T he m arket reg ulato r Sebi h a s o r d ere d al l ba nks to f re ez e th e ac c o u nts o f w ant ed d i am o n d t rad e r M eh u l C h o ks i s a ft er h is f ai l u re to p ay a fi ne o f £ 500,0 00 in a case involving t h e m an ip ul at io n o f t h e stock price of his comp any G i tan j ali Ge m s S e bi als o o rdered freezing of all his d em a t a cc o u nt s f o r t h e s a m e r eas o n an d as k ed m utu al funds not to red eem any of his units

I n O c t o b e r 2 0 2 2 , S e b i had passed an order after its i n v e s t i g a t i o n s f o u n d t h a t Choksi, between July 2011 a n d J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2 , h a d manipulated the stock price of Gitanjali Gems It was f o u n d t h a t 2 0 e n t i t i e s related to Choksi were used t o m a n i p u l a t e t h e s t o c k price Subsequently, Choksi

was fined £500,000 Since he failed to pay the penalty a m o u n t , S e b i h a s n o w m o v e d t o r e c o v e r t h e penalty and an additional Rs 35,00,000 as the interest on the penalty from Choksi’s bank and demat accounts

G i t a n j a l i G e m s ' c h a i r m a n a n d m a n a g i n g director, Choksi, was also a m e m b e r o f t h e p r o m o t e r group He is Nirav Modi's m a t e r n a l u n c l e , a businessman who is also on the run and is thought to have scammed the Punjab National Bank of roughly £ 1 4 b i l l i o n B o t h C h o k s i a n d M o d i h a d f l e d I n d i a a f t e r t h e P N B s c a m w a s e x p o s e d i n 2 0 1 8 a n d a r e currently among the most w a n t e d p e o p l e f o r t h e c o u n t r y ’ s i n v e s t i g a t i n g agencies

sectors and long distance t r a n s p o r t , w e a r e b u i l d i n g c o n s e n s u s o n s t a n d a r d s f o r g r e e n hydrogen, along with a f o c u s o n b i o f u e l s & bioenergy,” said Kant Stating that finance will be a crucial element t o f u n d t h e t r a n s i t i o n t o renewable energy, Kant said developed countries need to i n c e n t i v i s e e m e r g i n g economies for the transition “ W e m u s t r e c o g n i s e t h e nations most vulnerable to

Hardeep Singh Puri

climate change are not the cause of it,” he said, adding m u l t i l a t e r a l d e v e l o p m e n t banks (MDBs) are best placed t o p l a y e n a b l i n g r o l e “Reformed MDBs are crucial to our goals,” said Kant

India's wholesale inflation shrinks 3.5% in May, lowest in 8 years

Wh ole sa le pr ice i nf la ti on i n In d i a m a i n t a i n e d i t s d e c l i ni ng t r e nd a nd dropp ed to its lowe st poi nt si nce Ma y 2015 be ca use of lo we r i ng f oo d , f ue l, a nd commod ity cost s I n f l a t i o n , a s m e a s u r e d by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), decreased by 3 5% in May, a steeper decrease than the 0 9% decrease seen in A p r i l , a c c o r d i n g t o d a t a i s s u e d b y t h e m i n i s t r y o f trade and industry

Data released earlier this week showed retail inflation eased to a 25-month low in M a y o n t h e b a c k o f a favourable base effect and moderating food prices

“Food prices rose 1 5% YoY in May, down from 3 5%

in April Sequentially, WPI primary food prices declined 0 2% MoM in May (+1 5% in A p r i l ) , d r i v e n b y p r i c e s falling in cereals, vegetables, and fruits,” Barclays said in a n o t e A c c o r d i n g t o e c o n o m i s t s , t h e R B I w i l l h o l d i n t e r e s t r a t e s a s i t evaluates the effects of the recent rate increases The e f f e c t s o f t h e E l N i n o weather phenomena on the a g r i c u l t u r a l i n d u s t r y a n d monsoon rains also need to be kept an eye on

RBI chief named 'Governor Of The Year' at Central Banking Awards 2023

R es er v e Ban k of I nd ia

Go vernor S haktikanta Das re cei v ed th e 'G ov ern or of the Year' award at L ond on's C ent ral Ba nk in g A w a rd s

20 23

The winners of the 2023

C e n t r a l B a n k i n g A w a r d s were revealed in late March o f t h i s y e a r D a s w o n Governor of the Year, while t h e N a t i o n a l B a n k o f Ukraine won Central Bank

of the Year for 2023 D a s h a s r e c e i v e d r e c o g n i t i o n f o r h i s contributions to the Covid19 crisis, the Russia-Ukraine c o n f l i c t , a n d t h e e n s u i n g b a t t l e a g a i n s t i n f l a t i o n India is at the top of the list o f n a t i o n s w i t h s t a b l e i n f l a t i o n a n d p r o m i s i n g growth prospects

RBI Governor who was in London participated and

Adani in talks for debt refinancing

A dani Group is in d iscu ssions with lend ers, i n cl u d i ng i n ter nat i on al ba nk s, abo u t refinancing up to $3 8 billio n o f a loan facility i t too k to buy A m buj a C ements last year, a cc o rd in g to p er so n s f am i l ia r w i th th e situation

The ports-to-power company founded by Indian tycoon Gautam Adani is considering whether to convert the initial loan into debt with a longer maturity period and has begun speaking with banks individually about that proposal, sources said

The effort is a significant test of whether global credit lines will open up to the company again after US shortseller Hindenburg accused t h e A d a n i G r o u p o f w i d e s p r e a d c o r p o r a t e malfeasance in January Adani has denied the allegations Adani is expecting to conclude the process within three to four months and most o f t h e e x i s t i n g l e n d e r s a r e e x p e c t e d t o participate, sources said

a d d r e s s e d t h e o p e n i n g plenary session of Summer M e e t i n g s o r g a n i s e d b y Central Banking, London

"The RBI governor has cemented critical reforms, o v e r s e e n w o r l d - l e a d i n g p a y m e n t s i n n o v a t i o n a n d s t e e r e d I n d i a t h r o u g h difficult times with a steady hand and well-crafted turn of phrase," Central Banking said in March

Das, a retired IAS officer and former secretary in the department of revenue and d e p a r t m e n t o f e c o n o m i c affairs under the ministry of finance, assumed charge as the 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on December 12, 2018 Prior to becoming RBI head, he was acting as a member, of the 1 5 t h F i n a n c e C o m m i s s i o n and G20 Sherpa of India

India's exports decline in May, trade deficit at 5-month high

Due to a s lo w global econo my, India's exports fell for th e fourth co nsecu tiv e m onth in May, falling by 1 0 3 % from $39 billion in the sa m e m o n th l as t ye ar T h i s increased the trade imbalance to a fiv e-m onth hig h of $22 1 billion

However, a five-month streak of falling imports to $57 1 billion in May (down from $61 1 billion in May of last year) stopped the t r a d e i m b a l a n c e f r o m r a p i d l y widening

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e d a t a r e l e a s e d , o n t h e e x p o r t s s i d e , commodities that saw an increase in April-May 2023 over the same m o n t h s l a s t y e a r i n c l u d e d e l e c t r o n i c g o o d s , r i c e , p h a r m a a n d s p i c e s , w h i l e p e t r o l e u m

r o d u c t s , g e m s & j e w e l l e r y , engineering goods, and chemicals

saw a decline in exports in this period Smartphone exports have s e e n a s h a r p r i s e , m o r e t h a n doubling from $498 million last April to $1,068 million this April O n t h e i m p o r t s i d e , machinery, electronic goods, iron & steel and pulses saw an increase in April-May 2023 over the same period last year

C o m m e r c e s e c r e t a r y , S u n i l Barthwal said, “India is hoping for a rapid economic recovery in t h e s l o w i n g d e v e l o p e d w o r l d w h i c h a r e i t s m a j o r e x p o r t markets “The DPIIT, commerce ministry, Invest India and Indian m i s s i o n s a b r o a d w i l l w o r k t o g e t h e r t o f o c u s o n 4 0 k e y countries (including the US and the EU) as they account for 85% of our total exports

Suresh Vagjiani, Sow & Reap Properties Ltd

W e hav e a situa tion whe re t he va lue r has chosen t o value a buildin g which we are purchasing chea ply , or pe rhaps we a re un der t he illusion of buying chea ply !

Does this mean we are mistaken? After all, we are d e a l i n g w i t h a R I C S c e r t i f i e d , p r o f e s s i o n a l l y i n s u r e d valuer

And therein lies the problem As the economy looks increasingly shaky, and the property market is wobbling, valuers will be looking to protect themselves In regards to lending, technically the valuer works on behalf of the lender, though you pay them Realistically, the first priority is to protect their own behinds in the guise of protecting the lender or client This is also human nature Same goes for lawyers, some are worse than others, in the name of protecting the clients they actually are protecting themselves There are very few who can look at a deal and actually quantify the risk commercially

A while back we purchased a property on behalf of a client in Cromwell Place in Kensington A freehold building next to the French school We purchased the building for £5 2M, Knight Frank in all their wisdom valued the building at £3 1M We sold the building for £5 8M, a few months after completion Luckily, the lender took a pragmatic view of the deal, and agreed to lend regardless of the valuation, they had enough acumen to know this was way off for a building with this kind of stature The valuer charged us about £20K for this privilege, and handed us an impressive looking booklet justifying their final number

There is a reason why some become professionals and others deal makers The latter have a different skill set to t h e f o r m e r , a n d s o m e t i m e s t h e y d o n o t c o r r e l a t e Therefore, the deal maker cannot be dependent on the final word of the professional Guidance should of course be taken, but the final decision is a commercial one

We had a similar situation where the lawyers advised us not to go for a building in Kilburn due to some title issue which apparently had arisen We were in a contract race Our client took the decision to exchange, and this deal paid off for us and the client

In short, we will of course examine the valuation carefully, but in this situation, we will be proceeding with the deal Although it seems we will now have to seek another lender or buy in cash

The valuation report is now a good card for us to play with the agent and the vendor in reducing the agreed price even further As this is now on record, and should another buyer come in the danger is they will need to traverse down the same road This is therefore good leverage to reduce the price even further

As time goes on I suspect this will be occurring with even more frequency; valuers will cover themselves and lenders will therefore be forced to pull out of the deal Interesting times ahead

IndiGo places record order for 500 Airbus A320 aircraft

Indian car rier Ind iG o ha s mad e a r ecord orde r for 500 Airbus A320 air cr aft - the la rgest sin gle purchase a gre emen t by an y airline in commer cia l a viat ion hist ory The dea l, a nn oun ced on th e fir st da y of the Paris Airshow, is wort h roughly $55bn (£43bn) before a ny bulk -or der discount s

IndiGo now has an order book of 1,330 aircraft with Airbus It is expected to mean a stream of deliveries between 2030 and 2035 The new deliveries will help budget carrier IndiGo lower its operating costs and improve fuel efficiency, the company says India is a burgeoning aviation market, with some analysts saying it is on track to replace China as the aerospace industry's next growth frontier

The country is expected to be the fastest-growing G20 economy over the next few years and has seen a significant i n c r e a s e i n t h e n u m b e r o f f i r s t - t i m e f l y e r s s i n c e t h e pandemic And there's still a large runway for growth Under 5% of the country's 1 4 billion people are estimated to have ever taken a flight and air traffic in India has been growing hugely as disposable incomes rise

In February, Air India, IndiGo's rival, made headlines by placing its own order for 470 aircraft from both Airbus and Boeing This latest deal shows that confidence is returning to the airline industry in the wake of the pandemic - and this order from the low-cost carrier is a statement of ambition from one of the fastest-growing airlines in the world

Ryanair and Saudi start-up Riyadh Air have also recently made large aircraft orders But while airlines now seem keen to invest in new aircraft, manufacturers are struggling to build them quickly enough, because supply chains remain disrupted by the after-effects of the Covid shutdowns

While this may be by far the most dramatic order seen so far at the Paris Airshow, it is unlikely to be the last

Pakistan blames geopolitics for stalled IMF bailout

IS L AM AB A D : Ca sh-str a pp ed

P a ki st a n h a s a t t r i b u t e d t h e IMF's relucta nce to restar t a del aye d r escue prog ramme to g e o p o l i t i cs , cl a i m i n g t h a t i nt e r na t i o na l o r g a ni sa t i o ns wa nte d th e nati on to de fau lt on its sove rei gn de bt, li ke Sri L a n ka , a n d t h e n e n g a g e i n ne goti at ions with the glo ba l lende r

Ishaq Darsad, the finance minister of Pakistan, said the IMF's demand for a $6 billion g u a r a n t e e o n e x t e r n a l r e s o u r c e s w a s u n w a r r a n t e d and that the IMF's delay plan

appeared to reflect a political agenda “Geopolitics is behind a halted loan programme so that Pakistan defaults Foreign h o s t i l e e l e m e n t s w a n t Pakistan to turn into another Sri Lanka and then the IMF n e g o t i a t e s w i t h I s l a m a b a d , ” Dar said R e s p o n d i n g t o t h e I M F objection to the tax exempt i o n s g i v e n i n t h e r e c e n t l y unveiled budget, the minister said Pakistan is a sovereign c o u n t r y a n d c a n n o t a c c e p t everything from the IMF “The IMF wants us not to give tax

c o n c e s s i o n s i n a n y sector,” he added He s a i d n o r e a s o n h a d been given by the IMF for the “ unnecessary

d e l a y ” b e h i n d t h e n i n t h ( c u r r e n t ) r e v i e w , w h i c h h a s b e e n p e n d i n g s i n c e l a s t November “IMF or no IMF, Pakistan will not default,” he added T h e b u d g e t p r e s e n t e d earlier this month was the last chance for the incumbent government to establish g r o u n d s f o r r e v i v a l o f t h e

in brief

INDIAN WORKER FOUND DEAD IN SINGAPORE

IMF programme and reimbursement of a $1 2 billion instalment, part of the $6 7billion bailout package, as the I M F ' s E F F ( e x t e n d e d f u n d facility) for Pakistan was set to expire on June 30 It didn't take the IMF long to voice significant concerns

Chinese-origin man convicted for kicking, abusing Indian woman in Singapore

S IN GAP O RE : A man o f Ch inese descent in Si ngapore was fo und guilty of verbally abusing and striking an Indian woman in th e ch est fo r not wearing the mask p ro p er ly d u ri n g c o ro n av i ru s p an de mi c wh i l e s h e " br i s kwalked" to her emp lo yment

W o n g X i n g F o n g , 3 2 , attacked Madam Hindocha Nita V i s h n u b h a i , 5 7 , n e a r t h e N o r t h v a l e c o n d o m i n i u m i n Choa Chu Kang in May 2021

A c c o r d i n g t o N i t a , s h e w a s

brisk-walking to Choa Chu Kang stadium, where she worked at a fast-food restaurant, with her m a s k d o w n w h e n s h e h e a r d someone shouting She turned and saw Wong and his fiancee,

C h u a Y u n H a n S h e d i d n o t know the couple who told her to “mask up ”

People were exempted from wearing a mask if they were ‘ b r i s k - w a l k i n g ’ a m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s S h e e x p l a i n e d t o t h e c o u p l e t h a t s h e w a s b r i s k -

China inks deal with Pakistan to set up nuclear power plant

IS LAM AB AD : China inked

a n a g re e m en t w or th a whoppin g USD 4 8 billion with c as h- strapped Pakistan to s et up a 1,2 00-megawatt n u c le a r po we r p la n t a s a s ign of increasing strategic c oop er a ti o n b et w ee n t he two all-weather allies

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif witnessed the signing of the deal under which Beijing would build a 1,200-megawatt C h a s h m a - V n u c l e a r p l a n t a t C h a s h m a i n t h e M i a n w a l i d i s t r i c t o f P u n j a b I n h i s a d d r e s s , S h a r i f t e r m e d t h e nuclear power plant agreement signing as a token of increasing economic cooperation between Pakistan and China and vowed to complete the project without any delay

He said under a difficult e c o n o m i c s i t u a t i o n , P a k i s t a n was getting an investment of USD 4 8 billion from China in this project, which “sends the message that Pakistan is a place

where Chinese companies and i n v e s t o r s c o n t i n u e t o s h o w their trust and faith”

S h a r i f s a i d t h e C h i n e s e c o m p a n i e s g a v e s p e c i a l concessions which would save b i l l i o n s o f r u p e e s i n t h i s project

H e e x p r e s s e d c o n f i d e n c e that Pakistan would come out o f t h e c u r r e n t e c o n o m i c d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h t h e h e l p o f

C h i n a a n d o t h e r f r i e n d l y countries Sharif said Pakistan w a s a l s o e n g a g e d w i t h t h e International Monetary Fund to finalise the 9th Review and met all conditions required by t h e W a s h i n g t o n - b a s e d g l o b a l lender

walking and gestured to show s h e w a s e x e r c i s i n g a n d sweating, the prosecution told the court “ T h e a c c u s e d s c o l d e d t h e c o m p l a i n a n t ( a n d v e r b a l l y insulted her) To de-escalate the matter, the complainant said, ‘ G o d b l e s s y o u ’ , ” t h e p r o s e c u t i o n a d d e d H o w e v e r , t h e y s a i d t h a t t h e a c c u s e d kicked the complainant in the chest before jogging off (with h i s f i a n c e e ) A n e y e w i t n e s s

h e l p e d h e r t o h e r f e e t a n d tended to the wound on her left forearm, Nita said, adding that she filed a police report that evening Wong defended himself by a l l e g i n g t h a t s h e w a s r u d e , combative, and shouted insults at him He further asserted that he only reacted by shoving her away after she spat at him and his fiancée He acknowledged using crude language, but he insisted they were not racial

World's biggest ever stone removed from the kidney of veteran Lankan soldier

C O L O M B O : A S r i L a nka n m a n h a s br o ke n t h e w o r l d r ecord f or hav ing the bi gge st e ver ki dney stone

The enormous, onion-like lump that belonged to retired soldier Canistus Coonghe was e v e n b i g g e r t h a n h i s a c t u a l k i d n e y G u i n n e s s W o r l d Records claimed it was 5 26 inches (913 37 cm) long and 4 15 inches (10 55 cm) wide

I n a d d i t i o n , t h e k i d n e y s t o n e i n t h e 6 2 - y e a r - o l d weighed 800 gm (1 76lb) This is comparable to a large box of c e r e a l o r a l o a f o f b r e a d C o o n g h e ' s m a s s i s n o w t h e b i g g e s t a n d h e a v i e s t e v e r r e c o r d e d D r K u g a d a s Sutharshan, the surgeon who removed it during an operat i o n o n J u n e 1 a t A r m y Hospital, Colombo, said that despite it being lodged in his r i g h t k i d n e y , h i s o r g a n s worked fine

If it caused him any agony, the surgeons did not tell Even

minor ones, though, can be e x c r u c i a t i n g K i d n e y s t o n e s often pass through your urine a n d a r e l i t t l e l a r g e r t h a n a small pebble They are composed of minerals like calcium Roughly one in ten people get kidney stones at some point in their lifetime Pain is felt when they pass down the ureters from the kidneys to the bladder Without t r e a t m e n t , t h e y c a n c a u s e i n f e c t i o n s a n d d a m a g e t h e organ

O n e o p t i o n f o r d e a l i n g with them is so-called ‘ conserv a t i v e ’ t r e a t m e n t , w h e r e nature is left to take its course Patients are given painkillers but otherwise told to grin and bear it Other methods include s u r g i c a l r e m o v a l o r b l a s t i n g t h e m w i t h h i g h - f r e q u e n c y shock waves, to shatter them i n t o t i n y f r a g m e n t s T h e method chosen often depends on how big the stones are and where they are positioned

Egypt has applied to join BRICS, says Russian envoy

CAIR O: Egypt has submitted a formal application to join t he five-nat ion BRICS alliance of developing countr ies , acc or ding to Geor gy Borisenko, the Russ ian am bass ador to Cairo

Egypt has applied to join the BRICS group, because one of the initiatives that BRICS is currently engaged in is the maximum transfer of trade to alternative currencies, whether national or the creation of some kind of joint currency Egypt is very interested in this," Borisenko was quoted as saying

BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa The senior diplomats from 12 additional nations, including Egypt,

I r a n , S a u d i A r a b i a , a n d t h e U n i t e d A r a b Emirates, attended a meeting of the BRICS foreign ministers in June in Cape Town

The BRICS has been working to increase the size of its membership because many analysts believe the group will control the global economy by 2050 The Russian envoy further said that Egypt has been looking to boost trade and economic cooperation with Russia

"New payment mechanisms are being created for trade transactions," Borisenko added

The BRICS countries make up almost a third of the world's economies and 40% of the w o r l d ' s p o p u l a t i o n R e c e n t l y , t h e g r o u p ' s

members have grown and their economies faster than the G7 T h e d e v e l o p m e n t c o m e s a f t e r E g y p t joined the BRICS bank, the New Development Bank (NDB) The Egyptian lawmakers had welcomed the agreement in January, saying it could help the crisis-hit country to reduce demand on US dollars

The call to ditch the dollar in settling overseas trade has been getting louder with more countries joining the league Egypt has become the latest entrant to shed the US currency in trade with several member states of the BRICS economic bloc

A 20-year-old Indian worker was killed when a concrete slab collapsed on him during the demolition of a building in Singapore's Central Business District officials said The Fuji Xerox Towers skyscraper in Tanjong Pagar partially fell during demolition work and the Indian worker - an employee of Aik Sun Demolition and Engineering - was discovered dead beneath the debris After more than six hours of search and rescue efforts, rescuers discovered the worker s body According to the media, his body was buried under 2 metres of trash The rescue workers had to cut, break and dig through the rubble but the weight of the concrete slab complicated efforts

AUSTRALIA NAMES PHILIP GREEN AS NEW ENVOY TO INDIA

Australia named career diplomat Philip Green as the country’s next high commissioner to India, with foreign minister Penny Wong describing the two countries as close partners working for a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region Green a senior officer with the department of foreign affairs and trade served recently as Australia’s ambassador to Germany He has also served the high commissioner to Singapore South Africa and Kenya Green will replace Barry O Farrell who has played a crucial role in shaping and guiding Australia s defence, security and trade relations with India over the past three years

NIGERIAN BREAKS INDIAN’S WORLD RECORD

A Nigerian chef has clinched the Guinness World Record for the longest solo cooking session after a marathon 93 hours and 11 minutes cooking nonstop on her feet, the organisation confirmed Hilda Baci, 26, who trained at the gym to stay on her feet for the four days, had said her May 11-15 bid was meant to help “put Nigerian cuisine on the map” Guinness said she broke the previous record of 87 hours, 45 minutes set by an Indian chef in 2019

IMRAN, HIS SISTER SUMMONED IN LAND GRAFT PROBE

Pakistan s former PM Imran Khan has been summoned in a corruption case related to the purchase of over 5,000 kanals (625 acres) of land at throwaway prices through fraud in the country’s Punjab province The AntiCorruption Establishment (ACE) in Punjab has sent summons to Khan, his sister Uzma Khan and her husband Ahad Majeed in the Layyah land corruption case, a spokesperson of the ACE said The 70-year-old PTI chief has been asked to appear at the ACE headquarters, while Uzma and her husband have been asked to be present themselves before the ACE DG Khan Khan was booked in the Layyah land corruption case

PAK TO TRY BLASPHEMY SUSPECTS UNDER TERRORISM CHARGES

Succumbing to the demands of a radical Islamist party the Pakistan government has agreed to try blasphemy suspects under terrorism charges in addition to the other sections of the country s penal code The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan ended its 25-day-long march protest at Sarai Alamgir, Gujrat district, after signing a pact with the PML-N-led government Interior minister Rana Sanaullah said the government has accepted “all legitimate” demands of TLP, especially on blasphemy laws In a 12-point deal with TLP, the government agreed to book those accused of committing blasphemy and charged with Section 295-C (use of derogatory remarks, etc in respect of Prophet Muhammad) of Pakistan penal code under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 too

Ishaq Darsad

INTEL TO BUILD $25 BN CHIP FACTORY IN ISRAEL

in brief Khalistan Tiger Force chief Nijjar shot dead in Canada

Intel is to spend $25 billion building a new computer chip factory in Israel the latest in a string of recent investments that have shone a light on the UK s more limited microchip ambitions Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, confirmed the deal and described it as the largest ever international investment in the country “[It is] a tremendous achievement for the Israeli economy: 90 billion shekels [$25 billion],” he said The factory, in Kiryat Gat, is due to open in 2027 and is expected to employ thousands of workers Intel has had a presence in Israel for almost 50 years and now claims to be the country’s largest private employer and exporter

AUSTRALIA SENATOR TOLD TO RESIGN

Australia’s main opposition Liberal Party leader asked Senator David Van to resign following allegations of sexual misconduct against him by female senators which he has denied Independent senator Lidia Thorpe accused Van of sexually assaulting her during the previous parliamentary term -which Van denied

Following Thorpe s comments former Liberal senator Amanda Stoker said in a statement that Van inappropriately touched her at a party in 2020 by squeezing her bottom twice A third allegation has also emerged against Van opposition Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton told the media, without giving details

OVERLOADED BOAT CAPSIZES IN NIGERIA, TOLL 103

The death toll from an overloaded boat that capsized in a remote part of Nigeria s north central region has risen to more than 100 police and officials said, in one of the worst such disasters in recent years The wooden boat was ferrying people to Kwara state across a river from neighbouring Niger state after a wedding ceremony when it capsized Kwara state police spokesperson said that 103 people had been confirmed dead It was not immediately clear how many people were in the boat, but some residents put the figure at more than 200 Fearing abductions by armed gangs on the roads, many Nigerians use boats to travel Overcrowding and poor maintenance are responsible for most boat accidents on Nigerian waterway

ARMY TRAINEE KILLS TWO AT FIRING RANGE

An 18-year-old army trainee shot three fellow soldiers at a firing range on a Japanese army base, killing two of them, officials said The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder at the scene in Gifu prefecture in central Japan police said The suspect fired a rifle at the soldiers during a shooting drill at the Hino Kihon firing range police said The Ground Self Defence Force Japan’s army confirmed that two of those wounded were later pronounced dead at a hospital Army chief of staff Gen Yasunori Morishita said the suspect joined the military in April and the three soldiers were assisting him as instructors Morishita said he has ordered a temporary suspension of exercises involving shooting and explosives across the country while the army probes the incident

NIGERIAN BREAKS INDIAN’S WORLD RECORD

A Nigerian chef has clinched the Guinness World Record for the longest solo cooking session after a marathon 93 hours and 11 minutes cooking nonstop on her feet the organisation confirmed Hilda Baci, 26, who trained at the gym to stay on her feet for the four days, had said her May 11-15 bid was meant to help “put Nigerian cuisine on the map” Guinness said she broke the previous record of 87 hours 45 minutes set by an Indian chef in

N E W D E L H I / A M R I T S A R :

De s ig n at ed te rro ri s t H ard eep Singh Nijjar, a kno wn anti-India

fa ce w h o w as h ead o f p r oKhalistan outfits Kh alistan Tig er Force and th e Canad ian arm of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ ), was shot dead by unknown assailants at a parki ng lo t o f a g u rd wara in Surrey, C anada, on M onday

A c c o r d i n g t o r e p o r t s reaching here, two unidentified gunmen shot 46-year-old Nijjar, who was the president of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a H e h a d f o r c i b l y t a k e n c o n t r o l o f t h e s h r i n e a n d t u r n e d i t i n t o a prominent centre of Khalistani activities It was reported that Surrey Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), responding to a call, found an adult male inside a vehicle suffering from apparent

gunshot wounds They provided m e d i c a l a s s i s t a n c e u n t i l e m e r g e n c y h e a l t h s e r v i c e s a r r i v e d , b u t h e c o u l d n o t b e saved Nijjar is the second associate of SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannu and the third Khalistani terrorist to have died in the last 45 days The killing of Nijjar, who was listed as “most wanted” by the NIA and the Punjab police

but led a double life as president of the Surrey gurdwara, came days after the sudden death of SFJ’s UK arm chief Avtar Singh Khanda in a London hospital

s p a w n e d m a n y c o n s p i r a c y theories

Originally from Bhar Singh

Pura village in Jalandhar, and a permanent resident of Canada for the past several years, Nijjar w a s a n a c c u s e d o r c h a r g e s h e e t e d a c c u s e d i n multiple terror cases including ones relating to SFJ’s 2020 Sikh R e f e r e n d u m c a m p a i g n i n Punjab; conspiracy to carry out targeted killings, including at RSS gatherings, a Hindu priest and temple staff in Punjab; and f u n d i n g t h e p r o c u r e m e n t o f a r m s a n d a m m u n i t i o n a n d t r a i n i n g S i k h y o u t h s t o g i v e shape to terrorist activities in

India

Open letter sent to S unak on the targeting o f Sikh activists

O v e r 3 5 0 g u r d w a r a s a n d Sikh organisations recently sent a follow-up open letter to UK P r i m e M i n i s t e r R i s h i S u n a k i n q u i r i n g a b o u t t h e U K government's position on the e x t r e m e r i g h t - w i n g I n d i a n a u t h o r i t i e s ' t a r g e t i n g o f S i k h activists abroad in the wake of the murder of Nijjar

The leaders of Gurdwaras a n d S i k h o r g a n i s a t i o n s m a d e a r g u m e n t s i n t h e l e t t e r c o n c e r n i n g t h e m o u n t i n g e v i d e n c e t h a t B r i t i s h S i k h a c t i v i s t s , m e m b e r s o f o t h e r minorities, UK politicians, and others who oppose the radical H i n d u t v a i d e o l o g y a r e b e i n g routinely attacked and targeted in the UK

Indian-origin doctor in US barred from practising medicine

C A L I F O R N I A : I n di a n or i g in do ct or Dh a rm es h A P at e l ha s b e e n b a r r e d f r om p r a ct i si n g medicine as he is facing multiple at t e mpt ed mur de r ch ar g es for driving his family off a cl iff in Ca lifor nia Pa te l , a r ad iol ogist, was charg ed with three counts of mu r d e r i n J a n ua r y a ft e r he all egedl y dr ov e his wife, two kids, and a Tesla down a cl iff on purpose A c c o r d i n g t o r e p o r t s , S a n

Mateo County Superior Court

J u d g e R a c h e l H o l t g r a n t e d a motion by the Medical Board of California to prevent Patel from practising medicine The regulators termed the move necessary while arguing in court filings this week, as Patel represented “ an alarming danger to the public” in light of an “impairment of cognit i v e a b i l i t i e s n e e d e d t o s a f e l y practice medicine," the newspaper reported

“Public protection, therefore, requires that the defendant be p r o h i b i t e d f r o m p r a c t i s i n g medicine throughout the pendency” of his criminal case, the m e d i c a l b o a r d ’ s m o t i o n s a i d Regulators also cited comments made by Patel’s wife after her resc u e S h e t o l d a n e m e r g e n c y worker that Patel “did it on purpose, ” adding later that “he drove off,” the report said “He’s depressed,” said Patel’s

Democrats nervous about Biden's re-election bid

WA S HI NGT ON: Th e first significant political ev ent for th e US p res id ent since h e declared his candid ature for re-election in April saw Joe Biden retu rn to the cam paig n ro ad for a rally with u nio n members in Philad elphia, Pennsylv ania

B i d e n , w h o g r e w u p i n S c r a n t o n , P e n n s y l v a n i a , r e c e i v e d a w a r m w e l c o m e from the crowd But there are fears among Democrats that there is a lack of enthusiasm for the 80-year-old president’s bid for a second term There are no credible opponents for Biden to win his party s candidature in 2024 Only two Democrats have run primary challenges to him thus far: self-help author Marianne Williamson and environmental lawyer Robert F Kennedy Jr , both of whom l a c k a r e a l i s t i c c h a n c e o f w i n n i n g t h e Democratic nomination

Yet national opinion polls show that, combined, the two candidates command the support of more than 20 per cent of the Democratic electorate, while Biden battles persistently low approval ratings According to the FiveThirtyEight website’s average of national opinion polls, 40 6 per cent of

Americans approve of the job Biden is doing, while 54 9 per cent disapprove

“There is weakness there for Biden, no doubt,” said Kyle Kondik of the nonpartisan University of Virginia Center for Politics, who pointed to several recent surveys showing a majority of Democratic voters would prefer someone other than Biden as the party’s nominee in 2024

Biden allies argue that having defeated Donald Trump once already, he is best positioned to take on his predecessor in 2024 But several recent opinion polls show Biden and Trump in a statistical tie in a hypothetical head-to-head contest

wife, according to court documents “He’s a doctor He said he was going to drive off the cliff He purposely drove off,” she said P a t e l , a r e s i d e n t o f P a s a d e n a , C a l i f o r n i a , r e m a i n s i n p r i s o n without bail in the San Mateo County jail since his arrest I n v e s t i g a t o r s t h i n k P a t e l drove his family off a cliff close to Devil's Slide on Highway 1, sending the vehicle tumbling 250 feet into a rocky beach

First woman to serve as NYC top cop quits job

N E W Y O R K : N e w Y o r k ci t y p ol i ce c o mmi s s i on e r K e e ch a n t S e w e l l i s r esi gnin g from her post af ter seri vin g 18 months , Sw ell is the fi rst woman to le ad th e na tion’s larges t police depa rtmen t She g ave no re ason for steppi ng down The s u rp r i s e d e p a r t u r e w a s a n n o un ce d b y Se well, 5 1, to her colleague s in a letter, pos ted on line by local televis ion stati on W A B C - T V , i n w h i c h s h e p r a i s e d t h e “ compas si on, he roics and s elfles sn ess ” of m e mb e r s of t h e Ne w Y o r k P ol i ce De partme nt (NYPD)

“You are an extraordinary collective of hard working public servants dedicated to the safety of this city,” she wrote “You and your predecessors are the reason that the NYPD is known as the gold standard of law e n f o r c e m e n t ” S e w e l l b e c a m e t h e f i r s t woman and third African American, to head the NYPD, overseeing some 35,000 u n i f o r m e d o f f i c e s a n d 1 8 , 0 0 0 c i v i l i a n employees

Xi, Blinken agree to stabilise US-China relations

BEIJIN G: C hina and the United States agreed on Monday to try and stabil ise their intense rivalry to avoid veering into c onflict, but did not announce any major breakthro ughs during a rare visit to Beijing by U S Secretary of State Antony Bl inken

C h i n e s e P r e s i d e n t X i J i n p i n g h a i l e d “ progress ” after shaking hands with Blinken at the Great Hall of the People, a grand venue usually reserved for greeting heads of state Blinken, the first holder of his post to meet the Chinese leader since 2018, told reporters he had raised contentious issues such as Taiwan, the democratic island Beijing claims as its own

And while he said the two sides had not moved forward on establishing regular mili-

tary-to-military communications – a major concern for the wider world – he expected more senior US officials would visit China in coming weeks It had been hoped their roughly 30-minute meeting could help facilitate a summit between Xi and US President Joe Biden later in the year Biden and Xi last met on the sidelines of t h e G 2 0 s u m m i t i n B a l i , I n d o n e s i a i n November, pledging more frequent communication, although ties since then have deteriorated over Taiwan, espionage accusations and other concerns

“The two sides have also made progress and reached the agreement on some specific issues This is very good,” Xi told Blinken

across a long table bedecked with pink lotus flowers B l i n k e n r e s p o n d e d b y s a y i n g t h e t w o countries “have an obligation and responsibility” to manage their relationship and that the United States was “committed to doing that”

His meetings in Beijing, including talks with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and foreign minister Qin Gang, had been “candid and constructive,” he added It was not immediately clear from Xi’s remarks what progress he was referring to, although he told Blinken that China “hopes to see a sound and steady ChinaUS relationship” and believes that the two countries “ can overcome various difficulties”, according to Chinese readout of the talks

Hardeep Singh Nijjar

Joe Biden

Biparjoy exits, rain-battered Kutch struggles to stand on its feet

K utch in Gujarat is no strang er to a d v e rs it i es , be i t t h e 2 0 0 1 d ev astating earth qu ake or acu te w ater crisis But the horro r that u nfolded last week w hen C yclone Biparjo y pu mmelled the reg ion has left ev en th e otherw ise resilient p opulation p alpitating

I f t h e s t o r m b r o u g h t b a c k memories of the killer 1998 Kandla C y c l o n e f o r t h e e l d e r l y , G e n Z t r e m b l e d t o s e e t h e s t o r m u n l e a s h i n g d e s t r u c t i o n i n t h e l a r g e l y r u r a l r e g i o n E v e n a s Biparjoy exited the state to enter R a j a s t h a n , t h e d e v a s t a t i o n i t inflicted gradually started coming to the fore but the despondency on the faces of thousands in shelter homes could only take solace in the fact that they were still alive to start their lives from scratch

Even as various agencies like t h e N D R F , S D R F , p o l i c e , a n d others mounted gruelling efforts t o r e s c u e p e o p l e , t h e r a v a g i n g winds and incessant downpours made this Herculean task tough

Massive swathes of land in Kutch, as well as Saurashtra, were flooded with rain waters that gushed into h o u s e s , s e n d i n g p e o p l e ’ s

b e l o n g i n g s f l o a t i n g w i t h s c a n t chances of recovery Roads were barely visible as thousands of uprooted trees lay c o l l a p s e d , t h a t c h e d h o u s e s

f l a t t e n e d , f a r m s m a r o o n e d a n d most areas plunged into darkness due to lack of electricity A large number of roads in the village was unapproachable due to sludge and

it may take a few more days before the rain stops and the situation normalizes

In Kutch alone, nearly 80,000 e l e c t r i c i t y p o l e s c o l l a p s e d w h i l e nearly 33,000 hectares of farmland have been affected The height was when even the diesel generators s t o p p e d w o r k i n g o w i n g t o technical faults amid the severe c y c l o n i c c o n d i t i o n B i p a r j o y ' s severity was lowered from "very severe" to "severe" now U n i o n h o m e m i n i s t e r A m i t

3 killed in landslides, floods in Assam and Meghalaya

T hree people were killed in l an d s li d es and o ne w a s sw ept away by floodw aters and is feared d ead in A ssam and Meghalaya even as the num ber of peo ple affected b y th e d e lu g e i n A s s am crossed 37,50 0 last w eek T w o s i b l i n g s , C a f i n i a Nongsiej (15) and Maianylla Nongsiej (10), were buried a l i v e i n a l a n d s l i d e a t D o m m a w l e i n u n d e r Pyndengrei village in West K h a s i H i l l s d i s t r i c t o f M e g h a l a y a I n G u w a h a t i , one daily wager, Mukhtar Ali (34), lost his life when the g u a r d w a l l o f h i s r e n t e d h o u s e c o l l a p s e d d u e t o l o o s e n i n g o f s o i l a f t e r incessant rain and fell on his room Rescuers had to dig out his body from inside the debris In the meanwhile, a boy w a s s w e p t a w a y b y f l o o d w a t e r s i n A s s a m ’ s T e z p u r , w h e r e t h e t r i b u t a r i e s o f t h e B r a h m a p u t r a h a v e i n u n d a t e d m a n y v i l l a g e s T h e b o y w a s s t i l l u n t r a c e a b l e I n A s s a m , 1 3

d i s t r i c t s a n d s u b d i v i s i o n s have been affected by the first wave of floods this year, t h e A s s a m S t a t e D i s a s t e r

M a n a g e m e n t A u t h o r i t y ( A S D M A ) s a i d O f t h e 1 3 d i s t r i c t s , C a c h a r , K a m r u p ( M e t r o ) a n d N a l b a r i a r e reeling from urban flooding A b o u t 3 4 , 0 0 0 p e o p l e were affected by floods in the state The IMD has again issued an ‘ orange warning’ w h e n h e a v y t o e x t r e m e l y heavy rain is likely across t h e n o r t h e a s t A s p e r Central Water Commission data, the Brahmaputra and its tributaries Puthimari and Kopili were flowing above

the danger mark at some places Cherrapunji, one of the wettest places on earth, and N o n g s t o i n , b o t h i n M e g h a l a y a , r e c e i v e d e x t r e m e l y h e a v y r a i n f a l l

The ASDMA bulletin said 3 7 , 5 3 5 p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g 1 6 , 3 1 3 w o m e n a n d 3 , 8 6 8 children, were affected by f l o o d s i n A s s a m T h e highest, 25,275 people, have been hit in upper Assam’s L a k h i m p u r d i s t r i c t , f o l l o w e d b y 3 , 8 5 7 i n D i b r u g a r h a n d 3 , 6 3 1 i n B i s w a n a t h s u b d i v i s i o n i n northern Assam’s Sonitpur district

Berlin court grants full custody of Indian child to German state

A lo c a l c o u r t in Be rl i n granted custody of a twoyear- old Indian girl to th e German state due to th e child's repeated and severe p h y s ic a l a bu s e b y e i th e r p ar en t o r bo th , wh i c h resulted in a s ku ll fracture wh en th e child was th ree mo n th s o l d an d a p enetr ativ e i nj u ry t o th e genital area wh en sh e was se ve n m o nt h s o ld T h e child was cau gh t in a legal dis p u te b etwe en Germ an ch i ld we lf a re au t h o r i ti e s and her parents Her parents, who have b e e n s e e k i n g t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f I n d i a n a u t h o r i t i e s f o r h e r repatriation to India, now

plan to appeal against the o r d e r i n G e r m a n y T h e Pankow local court states i n i t s o r d e r t h a t “ i t i s c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e b e s t interests of the child are at risk” and has rejected the parents’ contentions filed i n d e t a i l a b o u t t h e s e q u e n c e o f e v e n t s claiming that both injuries c a u s e d i n t h e A p r i l a n d S e p t e m b e r o f 2 0 2 1 w e r e accidental

A s t h i n g s s t a n d , t h e c o u r t h a s g r a n t e d t h e temporary guardianship of the child to Youth Welfare O f f i c e i n B e r l i n T h e p a r e n t s h a v e b e e n

“deprived of their right to parental care of the child to

avert to existing danger to t h e c h i l d ” a n d t h e applications of the mother a n d f a t h e r f o r t h e surrender of the child and transfer to a third party in India have been rejected H o w e v e r , t h e c o u r t h a s c u r r e n t l y g r a n t e d t h e biological parents two oneh o u r v i s i t s e v e r y m o n t h T h e p a r e n t s , a n I n d i a n c o u p l e w h o h a v e b e e n r e s i d i n g i n B e r l i n s i n c e 2018, were in Delhi trying t o g e t g o v e r n m e n t authorities to step in once more, they claimed They c l a i m e d t o h a v e v i s i t e d w i t h o f f i c i a l s f r o m t h e ministry of external affairs and asked them to do so

S h a h p r a i s e d t h e G u j a r a t g o v e r n m e n t f o r i t s n o t e w o r t h y success in preventing any fatalities amid the catastrophic effects of cyclone Biparjoy, which hit the Kutch shore with a strong wind speed of 140 kmph During his visit t o B h u j , t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e headquarters of the Kutch district, Shah assured that the restoration of electricity in the affected areas would be completed by June 20 23 injured

At least 23 people were injured during incessant rains as trees and e l e c t r i c i t y p o l e s w e r e u p r o o t e d , a n d s e a w a t e r e n t e r e d v i l l a g e s located in low-lying areas, officials s a i d H e a v y r a i n s l a s h e d K u t c h d i s t r i c t a s t h e c y c l o n e s t a r t e d making a landfall near Jakhau Port, officials said

5 killed in Rajasthan

Five people died in Rajasthan in rain-related tragedies inflicted by cyclone as flood-like conditions continued to lash Barmer, Jalore a n d S i r o h i B a r m e r h a d s o m e

respite amid the tyrannical tides as rain ebbed after smashing records i n t h e p a s t t w o d a y s i n t h e otherwise arid zone However, at least 6000 people were still living in camps put up by the district a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a s t h e i r v i l l a g e s were still inundated Three of the five deaths occurred in Barmer, including two kids who drowned in a pond and a 45-year-old man who perished in a similar way In Salumber, a man was electrocuted w h i l e t r y i n g t o s w i t c h o f f h i s water-logged flour mill Another child drowned in Jaisalmer Karachi, Pakistan's largest city h a s c l o s e d i t s s h o p s a n d m a l l s along the coastline The National D i s a s t e r M a n a g e m e n t A u t h o r i t y has warned fishermen to stay away f r o m t h e s e a , a n d e m e r g e n c y p r o f e s s i o n a l s w e r e p r e s e n t i n hospitals It comes less than one year after record monsoon rain and m e l t i n g g l a c i e r s d e v a s t a t e d swathes of Pakistan, claiming the lives of nearly 1,600 people

Ahmedabad man among 4 held for 'con call centre' racket

A man f rom A hm edabad was am ong four people arrested by the Special C ell of Delhi Police for defrauding US ci tizens out of more than $2 0 m illion through a ‘ con call ce ntre ’ rack et Vatsal Mehta, 28, was detained by Delhi p o l i c e a f t e r r e p o r t e d l y s e r v i n g a s t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ' s b o s s a n d o v e r s e e i n g t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e c o n t a c t c e n t r e r i n g i n Uganda Mehta and 21 other people were apprehended by authorities in August 2018 in the Lasudia neighbourhood of Indore, MP, for defrauding Americans via a call centre “Delhi police in coordination with the FBI legal attache and Interpol have arrested four men for allegedly cheating US citizens out of more than $20 million by running scam call centres,” officials said Apart from M e h t a , t h e o t h e r a c c u s e d w e r e P a r t h A r m a r k a r ( 2 8 ) , D e e p a k A r o r a ( 4 5 ) a n d

Prashant Kumar (45)

Police said the accused operated call centres in Uganda and several parts of India, including Delhi

H S Dhaliwal, the special commissioner of police (special cell), claimed that his t e a m l e a r n e d o f t h e o p e r a t i o n o f c a l l c e n t r e s r u n b y i n t e r n a t i o n a l c y b e r c r i m i n a l s b a s e d i n I n d i a , t h e U S , a n d U g a n d a t h a t d e f r a u d e d U S c i t i z e n s b y impersonating as representatives of the I n t e r n a l R e v e n u e S e r v i c e , t h e S o c i a l S e c u r i t y A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , t h e D r u g Enforcement Administration, and other US a g e n c i e s t h r o u g h c o n f i d e n t i a l s o u r c e s including the FBI and Interpol

One of the accused, Armarkar, he said, i m p e r s o n a t e d U t t a m D h i l l o n , w h o h a d served as the acting administrator of the US Drug Enforcement Administration and as the director of Interpol Washington

Collective action must for global food security, PM Modi tells G20 nations

P r i m e M in i s t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i e n c o ur a g e d G 20 a g r ic ul t u r e m i n i st e r s t o c on si d e r h ow t o t a k e c ol la b or a t i v e a c t i o n t o a chie ve globa l food securit y, cla iming that th e a gricult ure i n d u st r y is n o w f a ci n g a n u m be r o f i ss ue s d ue t o su pply cha in in t e rr up ti on s br o u gh t o n by p a n d e m ic s a nd "ge opolit ica l te nsions"

P i t ch i n g I n d i a ’ s p o li c y o f fusin g ‘back to basics’ a nd ‘ ma rch t o future ’ , Mod i said, a d o p t i n g b ot h t r a d i t i on a l a n d t e c h n o lo g y - e n a b le d a p p r o a c h e s c ou ld b e a n a nswer to m any pr oblems in t he fa rm sector U n d e r l i n i n g t h e c h a l l e n g e s , h e s a i d , " W e m u s t f i n d w a y s t o b u i l d s u s t a i n a b l e a n d i n c l u s i v e f o o d s y s t e m s , f o c u s e d o n marginal farmers We must f i n d w a y s t o s t r e n g t h e n g l o b a l f e r t i l i s e r s u p p l y c h a i n s A t t h e s a m e t i m e , adopt agricultural practices for better soil health, crop health and yield Traditional p r a c t i c e s f r o m d i f f e r e n t p a r t s o f t h e w o r l d m a y i n s p i r e u s t o d e v e l o p

alternatives for regenerative agriculture "

Speaking about the need t o e m p o w e r f a r m e r s w i t h i n n o v a t i o n a n d d i g i t a l t e c h n o l o g y , t h e P M M o d i said, "We must also make s o l u t i o n s a f f o r d a b l e f o r small and marginal farmers in the Global South There is a l s o a n u r g e n t n e e d t o reduce agricultural and food waste, and instead, invest in creating wealth from waste " H e e m p h a s i s e d I n d i a ' s p o l i c y o f c o m b i n i n g a "march to the future" with a back to basics approach, s h e d d i n g l i g h t o n I n d i a s c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l i n d u s t r y , a n d

c l a i m e d t h a t I n d i a i s e n c o u r a g i n g b o t h n a t u r a l farming and farming that is supported by technology "I believe this 'fusion approach' is the best way to address several issues in agriculture," said the Prime Minister This being the International Year of Millets, the PM also spoke about the importance of the “ s u p e r f o o d ” a n d u r g e d dignitaries to embrace "Shri Anna" as the food of choice "These superfoods are not o n l y h e a l t h y t o c o n s u m e , but they also help raise the incomes of our farmers by using less water, needing less f e r t i l i s e r , a n d b e i n g m o r e pest-resistant," he said

Emergency was the 'dark period' in India's history: PM Modi

P r i m e M i n is t e r N a r e n d r a M o d i cla im e d t h a t t h e E m e r g e n cy w a s a " c r im e " t ha t pu t t h e n a t i on ' s f r e e d o m i n j e o pa r d y a n d t h at t h ose wh o su pp or t ed d emocra cy durin g tha t time w e re su bj e cte d t o t or t ur e H e ad d e d t ha t t h e y ou ng g e n e r a t io n c a n o n ly c o m pr e h e n d d e m o cr a cy ' s sign ifican ce a nd me anin g by st ud ying this "da rk period" in In dia's histor y

In his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' radio broadcast, Modi stated India is the mother of democracy and “ we consider o u r d e m o c r a t i c i d e a l s a s p a r a m o u n t a n d o u r C o n s t i t u t i o n s u p r e m e T h e r e f o r e , w e c a n n e v e r forget June 25th This is the

v e r y d a y w h e n a n Emergency was imposed on our country It was a dark p e r i o d i n t h e h i s t o r y o f India,” the Prime Minister said

"

M i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e opposed the emergency with full might The supporters of democracy were tortured so much during that time, that even today thinking about it, m a k e s u s s h u d d e r ” , h e added

“Many books have been written on these atrocities and punishments meted out b y t h e p o l i c e a n d a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d I h a d also written a book named “Sangharsh Mein Gujarat” at that time,” the PM said Modi said, “A few days

Gandhi peace prize for Gorakhpur's Gita Press

ago, I came across another b o o k w r i t t e n o n t h e e m e r g e n c y –“ T o r t u r e o f Political Prisoners in India” This book, published during t h e e m e r g e n c y , d e s c r i b e s h o w , a t t h a t t i m e , t h e g o v e r n m e n t w a s t r e a t i n g the guardians of democracy most cruelly,” Stating that there are many case studies i n t h i s b o o k , P M s a i d , “ I wish that, today, when we are celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, we must also take a glance at such crimes which endanger the f r e e d o m o f t h e c o u n t r y This will make it easier for today's young generation to u n d e r s t a n d t h e m e a n i n g a n d s i g n i f i c a n c e o f democracy ”

India may see exodus of 6,500 millionaires this year

H e nl e y Pr i v a t e We a l t h M i gr a t i o n R e p or t 20 2 3, w h ic h t r a c k s w e a l t h a n d inv est me nt migration tr ends worl dwide, sta ted that In dia i s e x p e ct e d t o wi t n e ss a n e xodus of 6,500 mill ion aires in 2023

In terms of millionaires leaving the country this year, China has come in top place It is expected to lose 13,500 h i g h - n e t - w o r t h i n d i v i d u a l s (HNWIs) and India, which has clinched second place, w i l l f o l l o w N e v e r t h e l e s s , I n d i a ' s s t a n d i n g i s s e t t o improve from previous year, when its outflow of millionaires was 7,500, despite having the second-highest exit n u m b e r s i n t h e s u r v e y A n d r e w A m o i l s , H e a d o f

R e s e a r c h a t N e w W o r l d W e a l t h p o i n t s o u t , " t h e s e outflows are not particularly c o n c e r n i n g a s I n d i a p r oduces far more new millionaires than it loses to migration " According to Henley and P a r t n e r s , m i l l i o n a i r e s o r H N W I s a r e p e o p l e w i t h investable wealth of $1 mill i o n o r m o r e T h e l a t e s t report states that Henley and P a r t n e r s h a s r e c o r d e d t h e highest number of enquiries f o r i n v e s t m e n t m i g r a t i o n schemes in the first quarter of this year with significant d e m a n d s c o m i n g f r o m Indians and Americans In terms of millionaires leaving the country this year, China has come in top place It is

e x p e c t e d t o l o s e 1 3 , 5 0 0 H N W I s , a n d I n d i a , w h i c h has clinched second place, w i l l f o l l o w N e v e r t h e l e s s , I n d i a ' s s t a n d i n g i s s e t t o improve from previous year, when its outflow of millionaires was 7,500, despite having the second-highest exit numbers in the survey

D u b a i a n d S i n g a p o r e r e m a i n p r e f e r r e d d e s t i n at i o n s f o r w e a l t h y I n d i a n families The former, also known as the "5th City of India", is particularly attract i v e f o r i t s g o v e r n m e n ta d m i n i s t e r e d g l o b a l investor "Golden Visa" programme, favorable tax envir o n m e n t , r o b u s t b u s i n e s s ecosystem, and safe, peaceful environment

Law panel seeks stakeholders’ views on Uniform Civil Code

With the Lok Sabha elections i n 2024 just around t h e c o rn er , th e L aw Commission has asked for feedback on a Uniform Civil Code from the general peop le , p o l i ti c al p a rti e s , an d o thers o ver th e co urse o f the next 30 days

In September 2018, the p r e v i o u s ( 2 1 s t ) L a w C o m m i s s i o n , a f t e r w i d e consultations and reviewing 75,000 responses over two years, had produced a ‘ consultation paper ’ observing that UCC was “neither necessary nor desirable at this stage” It had, however, sugg e s t e d c h a n g e s i n f a m i l y and personal laws The previous commission had said i t s c o n s u l t a t i o n s l a c k e d c o n s e n s u s a m o n g s t a k eholders

Referring to the previo u s p a n e l ’ s c o n s u l t a t i o n paper - ‘Reforms of Family L a w ’ - t h e 2 2 n d L a w C o m m i s s i o n , h e a d e d b y J u s t i c e R i t u R a j A w a s t h i , f o r m e r c h i e f j u s t i c e o f Karnataka high court, said, “ S i n c e m o r e t h a n t h r e e

years have lapsed from the date of issuance of the said consultation paper, bearing in mind the relevance and importance of the subject and also the various court orders on the subject, the c o m m i s s i o n c o n s i d e r e d i t e x p e d i e n t t o d e l i b e r a t e afresh over the subject ”

A l l s t a k e h o l d e r s w e r e given a month to submit t h e i r r e s p o n s e s , b u t t h e commission also stated that it would be available for inperson dialogue with any person or organisation

One of the BJP's defining concerns has continued to take centre stage, with BJP-run states announcing their plans to pass laws to ensure that all communities

Th e Gand hi Peace P rize for 20 21 w ill be conferred o n Gita P ress, Gorakhpu r, the culture ministry announced Th e decision w as taken by a jury h eaded by P M Narendra Mo di

Recalling the contribution of Gita Press in promoting the Gandhian ideals of peace and social harmony, PM Modi said the conferment of Gandhi Peace Prize on Gita Press, on completion of 100 years of its establishment, is a recognition of the work done by the institution in community service

“

I c o n g r a t u l a t e G i t a Press, Gorakhpur on being conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 They have done c o m m e n d a b l e w o r k o v e r the last 100 years towards furthering social and cult u r a l t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s among the people,” he said

T h e p r i z e r e c o g n i s e s G i t a P r e s s ’ “ o u t s t a n d i n g c o n t r i b u t i o n t o w a r d s social, economic and political transformation through

n o n - v i o l e n t a n d o t h e r

G a n d h i a n m e t h o d s ” T h e prize, instituted by the government of India in 1995 to m a r k t h e 1 2 5 t h b i r t h

a n n i v e r s a r y o f M a h a t m a Gandhi as a tribute to the ideals espoused by him, carr i e s a n a m o u n t o f £ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 , a c i t a t i o n , a p l a q u e a n d a t r a d i t i o n a l h a n d i c r a f t o b j e c t G i t a P r e s s m a n a g e r L a l M a n i Tiwari, said the publishing house follows the tradition of not accepting any awards a n d s a i d h e w i s h e d t h a t

Gita Press continues to follow the right path “Our

founders never wanted any award/reward for the press T h e T r u s t h a s t a k e n a unanimous decision to follow our tradition and not to accept any award,” he said “We pray to God our printing press keeps getting recognition and we keep moving ahead in the right direction,” he added

Established in 1923, Gita Press is the world’s largest p u b l i s h e r o f H i n d u r e l igious texts, with 417 million books – 162 million of them copies of the Bhagvad Gita - published in 14 languages, to its credit

are covered by the same rules regarding m a r r i a g e , s u c c e ss i o n , i n h e r i t a n c e , adoption, and other r e l a t e d m a t t e r s G u j a r a t a n d Uttarakhand formed c o m m i t t e e s a s a r e s u l t , a n d t h e Gujarat committee's work on it is nearly complete Defined by the framers of the Constitution as a goal for the country to pursue and part of the Directive Principles, the enactment of U C C n e v e r g o t o f f t h e ground initially because of o p p o s i t i o n f r o m t h e Muslim community which insisted on retention of its personal laws In later years, opposition parties as well as sections of intellectuals and activists who had supported the idea joined the resistance for a variety of reasons - chiefly, fear of loss of M u s l i m s u p p o r t , a n d t h e b e l i e f t h a t B J P a n d R S S would use it to target the minority community

He at wave dea ths in the past four da ys crossed t he 100mark t o 117 in Uttar Pra desh an d Bihar as the scorcher in nort he rn India le d to se para te heatstroke wards in hospital s and jolt ed the authorit i e s i nt o ot h e r p r e v e n t iv e emer gency me asure s Ballia continued bearing t h e b r u n t i n U P , w i t h 1 4 more patients succumbing at the district hospital to heatrelated ailments in the past 24 hours, taking the overall toll to 68 since June 15 A committee appointed by the government visited villages in the Bansdih and Garwar b l o c k s , f r o m w h e r e m o s t c a s u a l t i e s w e r e r e p o r t e d C h i e f m i n i s t e r Y o g i Adityanath directed officials

to provide immediate medical help to people falling ill a n d e n s u r e u n i n t e r r u p t e d supply of drinking water and electricity

In Bihar, seven persons perished in Bhojpur district i n t h e p a s t t w o d a y s I n Bihar, where 15 districts were i n t h e g r i p o f h e a t w a v e , including 10 reeling under severe heatwave, 42 deaths w e r e r e p o r t e d i n t h e p a s t t w o d a y s , a c c o r d i n g t o a report Among the fatalities, 35 occurred at two hospitals i n P a t n a , w h e r e o v e r 2 0 0 patients suffering from diarr h o e a a n d v o m i t i n g w e r e being treated

A u t h o r i t i e s w a r n e d e l d e r l y p e o p l e a n d o t h e r s with various medical issues

t o s t a y i n s i d e d u r i n g t h e afternoon as a result of the deaths in UP “As per hospital records, 54 deaths (23 on June 15, 20 on June 16 and 11 on June 17) were reported Broadly, 60% of the deaths w e r e l i n k e d t o o t h e r d i seases, while fever was the cause of admission in 40%,” said UP infectious diseases director Dr A K Singh

M o s t p a t i e n t s w e r e a d m i t t e d w i t h c h e s t p a i n , breathlessness and fever, he said Earlier, the government removed the chief medical superintendent of Ballia dist r i c t h o s p i t a l , D r D i w a k a r S i n g h , f o r m a k i n g “ g e n e ra l i s e d a n d c a r e l e s s ” s t a t ements that led to panic in the region

Cross-border operations expert Ravi Sinha is new RAW chief

Rav i Sinh a, a 198 8-batch IPS

o f fi c er, w il l t ake o v er as Re sea rch & A n alys i s W in g c h i ef T h e 59 - ye ar- o l d C hhattisg arh cadre officer’s na m e w a s cl ear ed b y th e A ppointm ent Co mmittee of the C abinet led by P M Mod i, and he w ill be at the h elm of India’s external intelligence agency fo r 2 years

S i n h a , w h o i s c r e d i t e d with infusing modern technology in the field of intelligence collection and is known to have a grip on cross-border operations He will replace Samant Goel, who ends his term on June 30

Sinha is currently serving as the special secretary at the cabinet secretariat and was the second-in-command at the agency An alumnus of St Stephen’s College, Delhi, Sinha belongs to Bhojpur in Bihar He has been on central deputation since 2002, most of which has been spent with the agencies

He has been the head of operational divi-

sion in R&AW for the last seven years, closely supervising key actions abroad, sources said I n c i d e n t a l l y , S i n h a ’ s b a t c h m a t e , T a p a n

Deka, who was the head of operations in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for considerable number of years, is now heading the IB “With the two appointments, the Modi government has made it evident that operation capability of the intelligence agencies was of paramount significance for this regime,” a senior government official said

Heat wave toll in UP, Bihar jumps to 117 in 4 days

Ravi Sinha

ED arrests TN minister amid high drama

C H E N N A I / N E W D E L H I : Th e E n f or c e m e n t D i r e c t or a t e a r r es te d Tami l N adu mi nister V Sen thi l B alaji last week , settin g off a dramatic c hain of events whic h s aw the k ey membe r of CM MK Stalin’s team c om plai ning of che st pain and be ing ad mitted to a government hospital DMK a ccused BJP of poli ti cal in ti midation a nd the la tter hit bac k, wi th the remi nder that the CM had a ls o onc e demanded B alaji’ s a r re s t f o r t h e v e r y s a m e c ha r g e of corrupti on

Balaji was being questioned at his residence by ED in connection with a c a s h - f o r - j o b s c a m w h e n h e w a s transport minister during the previous AIADMK regime At 2 30 am, Balaji d e v e l o p e d c h e s t p a i n a f t e r b e i n g informed that he had been arrested Visuals of the minister crying out in pain, holding his chest with a hand and covering his face with the other inside a car began to trend on social media as the day broke

Doctors at the hospital performed a coronary angiogram on Balaji and the results revealed triple vessel disease A medical bulletin said Balaji has been “advised to undergo a coronary artery bypass graft (bypass surgery) at the

Karnataka government to junk BJP’s anti-conversion law

BE NGA L U RU : The Karnataka cabinet has decid ed to repeal the Karnataka Pro tectio n o f Rig ht to Freed om of Religio n A ct, po pularly known as the anti-conversion law, broug ht in by the p revious BJ P gov ernm ent in 2021

in brief

TN BJP SECY HELD FOR TWEET ON CPM MP

earliest”

ED officials then approached the principal sessions court to get Balaji remanded Chennai principal district j u d g e S A l l i v i s i t e d t h e h o s p i t a l t o inquire about his health The judge then remanded the minister in judicial custody till June 28 but allowed him to remain in the hospital for treatment until further orders

Stalin w arns B JP

Meanwhile, Stalin warned the BJP not to “provoke” the DMK, saying it will not be able to “bear the consequences ” and that his party also knows “all types of politics”, escalating his attack on the saffron party after the arrest of Balaji S t a l i n a l s o a l l e g e d t h a t t h e B J P l e a d e r s h i p w a n t s t o d o i t s “ p o l i t i c s through the ED ”

The government will introduce a bill in this regard in the upcoming legislature session, which begins July 3 “With this, the state government will r e s t o r e t h e f r e e d o m g i v e n t o p e o p l e b y t h e Constitution to profess the religion they wish, which was taken away by the BJP government under the guise of stopping forceful conversions,” state law and parliamentary affairs minister H K Patil said B J P r e a c t e d s h a r p l y t o t h e C o n g r e s s government’s decision and dubbed the party as the “ new Muslim League”

BJP national general secretary C T Ravi called Congress the new Muslim League and said it would go to any extent to hurt Hindus The previous BJP government, led by Basavaraj Bommai, had enacted the law through an ordinance in 2021, claiming forcible conversions had become rampant in the state and needed to be curbed

The legislation enacted by the previous BJP government proposed imprisonment of three to five years with a fine of Rs 25,000, while for violations of provisions with respect to minors, w o m e n , a n d S C / S T , o f f e n d e r s w o u l d f a c e imprisonment of three to 10 years

Punjab nod to gurdwara act change for Gurbani telecast

C HA ND IG A RH : T h e P u nj a b c abinet o n M ond ay c leared a p r o p o sa l to am end t h e S i kh Gurdwaras Act, 1 925 to ensure “ free-to -air and free-of-cost” liv e transm ission o f Gu rbani from the Golden Temple C urrently, the PTC ch annel, which belongs to SA D’ s first fam ily, the Bad als, t el ec as ts Gu r ban i li v e f ro m D arbar Sah ib i n the m o rning a nd i n t h e ev e ni ng P T C ’ s agreement with top Sikh bod y S GPC for the telecast is expiring in th e near future

Speaking to reporters after t h e c a b i n e t m e e t i n g , C M Bhagwant Mann said the AAP g o v e r n m e n t w i l l b r i n g a n

amendment bill in the assembly and added that the objective is t o p u t a n e n d t o commercialisation of Gurbani and undue control of “vested interests” over the telecast of the sacred chant He said Section 125-A will be inserted in the Act, t h e r e b y m a k i n g S G P C d u t y bound to ensure free-to-air live

BJP worker killed in Bengal poll violence

JA L PA IG U R I: A 28-ye ar -ol d BJP worke r wa s found hacked to death a t Dinhat a in Cooch Behar distr ict of West Ben gal on Sunday , l eading t o a w a r of wo r d s b e t w e e n Trina mool Con gress and t he saffron par ty While BJP b lamed Trinamool f or Sa mb h u D a s ’ s mu r de r , TMC c l a i m e d it wa s t h e r e s ul t of a “ per sonal feud”

The murder comes a day after t h e d e a t h o f T r i n a m o o l w o r k e r M o s t a f a S h e i k h ( 6 2 ) i n M a l d a ’ s Sujapur Angry TMC workers had blocked NH-12 in protest Sambhu’s s i s t e r - i n - l a w B i s a k h a i s B J P ’ s panchayat poll candidate and he had b e e n h e r p r o p o s e r d u r i n g t h e n o m i n a t i o n p r o c e s s S a m b h u ’ s family alleged that he had gone out of his house to relieve himself when he wa sattacked by armed men He fled the area and was found hacked t o d e a t h i n a j u t e f i e l d n e a r b y Sambhu’s relatives alleged that he w a s g e t t i n g c a l l s t o w i t h d r a w

Bisakha’s nomination

and

telecast of Gurbani Responding t o c r i t i c i s m b y S G P C a n d opposition parties that it is only P a r l i a m e n t w h i c h c a n a m e n d the Act, Mann insisted that his g o v e r n m e n t i s c o m p e t e n t t o make the changes as SC had given a ruling in 2014 that the s a i d A c t i s n o t a n i n t e r s t a t e legislation He read out excerpts from the order pertaining to the c a s e f o r a s e p a r a t e g u r d w a r a committee in Haryana Mann alleged that for a long t i m e , a s i n g l e f a m i l y h a d dominated the affairs of SGPC d u e t o w h i c h a n i r r e p a r a b l e damage had been made to the Sikh panth Referring to Badals,

h e s a i d : “ T h e f a m i l y t h a t controls the SGPC launched a TV channel and the rights of b r o a d c a s t i n g G u r b a n i w e r e bought in 2012 for a period of 11 years They wanted to cash in on religious sentiments associated with Gurbani and the viewers had no option but to subscribe to their channel ”

“The (proposed change in) Act is not any attack on the panth, but it is just a humble e f f o r t t o e n s u r e f r e e - t o - a i r telecast of sacred Gurbani across the globe,” he said, adding that there is no mention of the word ‘broadcast’ or ‘live telecast’ in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925

Madurai city cyber crime police arrested BJP state secretary S G Suryah over his recent tweet castigating CPM s Madurai MP Su Venkatesan for remaining silent after his party s councillor allegedly forced a worker to undertake manual scavenging, leading to his death CPM has called Suryah s claim a misinformation campaign, saing no such thing had happened Suryah’s tweet on June 7 claimed that a conservancy worker was forced by Madurai Pennadam town panchayat 12th ward councillor Viswanathan to work in sewage water mixed with faecal matter The worker got infected and died Questioning Su Venkatesan’s ‘silence’ over the incident, he said, “The hypocritical politics of the MP stinks more than a manhole ” On June 12 CPM’s urban district secretary M Ganesan and party workers submitted a petition to Madurai city police saying that Suryah has undertaken a campaign to malign Venkatesan’s image Suryah was booked under sections of the IPC and IT Act including for acting in a manner likely to promote enmity between groups

TN TOP COP CONVICTED FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Tamil Nadu ex-Special Director General of Police Rajesh Das who was charged with sexually harassing a woman IPS officer in 2021 was convicted and sentenced to three years Rigorous Imprisonment by a local court in Villupuram In addition, the Chief Judicial Magistra te Court of Villupuram has also imposed a fine of ₹20,500 The court also found guilty the then Chengalpattu Superintendent of Police Kannan who was also named in the FIR, according to Amjath Ali, one of the lawyers who was representing the prosecution Earlier in 2021, the Tamil Nadu Home Department under the AIADMK government had suspended Das and constituted a six-member inquiry committee after the woman IPS officer alleged sexual harassment by Das who was the Special DirectorGeneral of Police (DGP) of Law and Order then

25 SIKH PILGRIMS INJURED IN UTTARAKHAND ROAD ACCIDENT

Cooch

MP

Pramanik s a i d : “ P e o p l e a r e b e i n g t o r t u r e d across the state and democracy is being trampled here It is the same feature each election - opposition candidates are forced to withdraw t h e i r n o m i n a t i o n s ” H e a c c u s e d

Trinamool of trying to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation

3 others killed

Earlier, 3 persons were shot dead and several others were injured as v i o l e n c e a n d a r s o n m a r k e d t h e conclusion of nomination filing for t h e t h r e e - t i e r W e s t B e n g a l panchayat polls slated next month

T w o p e r s o n s w e r e k i l l e d a t

B h a n g o r e i n S o u t h 2 4 P a r g a n a s

district, around 30 km from Kolkata, while another youth was gunned down by miscreants at Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district, around 50 Km from Siliguri, in the northern part of the state, police said Several incidents of clashes were reported from different parts of the state as

t h e p o l i c e h a d a h a r r o w i n g t i m e

controlling the situation

Bengal govt, SEC move SC over central forces in panchayat polls

K O LK AT A: The West B engal government and the State Election Commi ssi on ( SEC) have filed four s pec ial leave petitions (SLP) separately i n the Supreme Court challengi ng a Calcutta HC divi sion bench order directin g the poll panel to req ui sition c entral f orce s for all dis tri cts for the July 8 panc hay at polls

The state and the SEC will mention the SLPs in the Supreme Court and plead for an urgent hearing Petitioners Suvendu Adhikari of BJP and Adhir Chowdhury of Congress, who had moved the Calcutta HC seeking deployment of central paramilitary forces in the state, will contest the plea as respondents

The state and the SEC have argued in their petitions that the HC passed its order on the basis of media reports and t h a t t h e p o l l p a n e l h a d d e c l a r e d c e r t a i n d i s t r i c t s a s “sensitive” based on its assessment of specific polling booths The SEC has also pointed out that there is no provision under the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 2023 to identify s e n s i t i v e d i s t r i c t s a n d t h a t t h e l a w p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e identification of sensitive booths be made by the SEC in consultation with the state

An HC division bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya had on June 13 directed the SEC to requisition central forces to work in tandem with the state police, particularly in districts that the poll panel had declared “sensitive” For all other areas, the court had left it to the SEC to make suitable deployment plans

Twenty five pilgrims belonging to Ropar and Mohali districts were injured seven of them seriously in a road accident while returning from Gurdwara Reetha Sahib in Uttarakhand on Sunday night The injured were taken to Champawat Government Hospital from where seven seriously injured were referred to Sushila Tiwari Government Hospital at Haldwani Amarjit Singh, an organiser of the pilgrimage and former sarpanch of nearby Hirdapur village said, the bus, carrying more than 50 pilgrims from several villages left for different gurdwaras on June 16 On Sunday, when the bus was returning from Gurdwara Reetha Sahib in Uttarakhand, it fell due to a technical snag on the Champawat-Tanakpur road A majority of them were discharged from the hospital he said

DIDI'S WARNING TO CONGRESS

Ahead of the June 23 opposition meet in Patna, West Bengal CM Mama ta Banerjee said Congress should not expect any help in the Lok Sabha polls in her state as long as it allied with CPM Addressing a public meeting in Kakdwip, she said: “Congress which has governed many states, is CPM s biggest ally (in Bengal) They are bigger allies of BJP And they seek our help in Parliament We will still do it to oppose BJP But remember in Bengal if you are at home with CPM do not come to seek our help (in Lok Sabha polls) ” Both Banerjee and senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are expected to meet a week later, along with opposition CMs and leaders, to work out an anti-BJP alliance ahead of 2024

Behar

Nisith

V Senthil Balaji

Bhagwant Mann

Indian community gives grand welcome for PM Modi in New York

P r i m e M i ni s ter N are nd r a M o d i arrived in New York o n Tuesday o n the first leg of his maiden state v isit to the US during w hich he will lead the Internatio nal Yo ga Day ev ent a t th e U n i ted Na ti o ns H eadqu arters and h old b ilateral talks with P resident Joe Biden He w as welcom ed by a group of Indian com munity members in America, w ith national flag in their hands, o utside th e airpo rt V i s u a l s s h o w e d t h e P r i m e Minister shaking hands with a few of the members as they chanted 'Modi, Modi' slogans

Some of the community members were also seen waiting outside h i s h o t e l t o g r e e t h i m S m i t a Mickey Patel, one of the members of the Indian community said, "I think his visit will make a great impact on the US as he is doing a really great job globally as well He is helping out the whole world with his pure heart and is making

India proud "

Though PM Modi has made s e v e r a l p r e v i o u s v i s i t s t o t h e United States, this will be his first with the full diplomatic status of an official state visit, just the third of Biden's presidency and third by any Indian leader

It s a milestone in our relationship It is a very significant visit, very important visit," India's F o r e i g n S e c r e t a r y V i n a y K w a t r a

told reporters on Monday A key achievement expected to be showcased is in the area of defence c o o p e r a t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y b e t w e e n m i l i t a r y i n d u s t r i e s o f t h e t w o countries, Kwatra said, as India seeks to produce more weapons and equipment at home for itself and also for export

During the three-day visit, PM Modi will be hosted by Biden for a state dinner and a private family

Chariots of god wend their way in different parts of India

The Jagannath Rath Y atra, w h i c h c o mm e n c e d o n Tuesday, attracted devotees from all over the country who gathered to the temple town of Puri to ob serve the g r an d ev e nt S i m i la r proc es sions were also held i n various other parts of the c ountry I n A h m e d a b a d , t h e 146th Rath Yatra marked a new beginning for the procession with new chariots b e i n g r o l l e d o u t f o r t h e deities after more than five d e c a d e s T h e y h a v e b e e n made taller and wider and costed Rs 85,00,000 so that t h e d e v o t e e s c a n t a k e a g o o d l o o k a t L o r d J a g a n n a t h , B a l r a m a n d S u b h a d r a f r o m a f a r T h e t r u s t e e o f t h e t e m p l e , Mahendra Jha, stated that the design and the colour scheme of the chariots are inspired by the Puri procession

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel along with ministers

Rushikesh Patel and Jagdish V i s h w a k a r m a p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e e v e n i n g a a r t i A s t h o u s a n d s o f d e v o t e e s crowded the route of the yatra to catch a glance of the deity, members of the M u s l i m c o m m u n i t y a l s o welcomed the yatra in the city U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e Yatra was overshadowed by a s e r i e s o f i l l - f a t e d i n c idents In Puri, a stampedel i k e s i t u a t i o n o c c u r r e d , leading to the hospitalisation of 14 people Another i n c i d e n t t o o k p l a c e i n

A h m e d a b a d , w h e r e o n e person lost his life and five o t h e r s s u s t a i n e d i n j u r i e s when a crowded balcony of a h o u s e c o l l a p s e d d u r i n g t h e Y a t r a p r o c e s s i o n I n a d d i t i o n , i n J h a r k h a n d ' s H a z a r i b a g h , t w o p e r s o n s died and seven others were injured as lightning strike the chariots while returning from procession Manipur skipped the annual Yatra because of the current ethn i c v i o l e n c e w h i c h h a s claimed more than 100 lives and left thousands of people internally displaced

dinner, attend lunch with ViceP r e s i d e n t K a m a l a H a r r i s a n d Secretary of State Antony Blinken, a n d a d d r e s s a j o i n t s e s s i o n o f Congress for the second time in nine years He will address an invitationonly gathering of diaspora leaders from across the country at the R o n a l d R e a g a n B u i l d i n g a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l T r a d e C e n t e r i n Washington on June 23 PM Modi

will also meet American CEOs and lead an International Yoga Day event at the UN headquarters

In Egypt, Mod i to v isit mo sque

Bohras

During his state visit to Egypt, on his way back from the US, PM M o d i w i l l v i s i t t h e A l - H a k i m mosque in old Cairo which was recently restored by the Dawoodi B o h r a c o m m u n i t y , t h e g o v e r nment said Modi will arrive in Cairo on June 24 for what will be the first bilateral visit by any Indian PM to Egypt since 1997

The 11th century Shia mosque reopened this February after renovation work over six years, which was co-funded by the Bohra comm u n i t y t h a t i s c o n c e n t r a t e d i n I n d i a E g y p t i a n P r e s i d e n t A b d e l F a t t a h E l - S i s i h a s i n t h e p a s t received leaders of the Dawoodi Bohra sect from India in Cairo and hailed their openness to other sects and religions

Shaktisinh Gohil takes over as new Cong chief in Gujarat

S h ak ti si nh Go h i l, a Ra jy a S abh a member and prominent Congress leader, too k o v er as th e n ew G u j a ra t P r ad es h Co n gr es s Co mm itte e ( GP CC ) p res ident He succ eeds current p resident Jagdish T hakor i n the new po st After bowing down to Mahatma Gandhi and se ekin g Ba pu ’ s bles si n gs , G o h il t o o k o u t a n i m p re s si v e p a dy at ra f ro m S a bar mat i As h ra m to t h e R aj i v G a nd h i Bh av an i n P aldi which is the Guj arat C o ng re s s h e ad qu ar te rs Goh il h ad been a minister wh en th e s ta te h ad a Co ngress go vernment H e h a s a ls o se rv ed a s th e Congress in-charge for vario u s s tat es as w ell as t h e p arty’ s national sp okesp erson

A f t e r t h e C o n g r e s s d e b a c l e i n t h e D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 2 a s s e m b l y e l e c t i o n s , when the party registered its lowest tally of seats, the Congress was looking for

Ajit Doval - 'The James Bond of India'

A j it Do v al, t h e N ati o na l S ecu rity A d vi so r (NS A ) to P r i m e M in i st er N ar end ra M o d i i s a r eti re d I nd ia n P olice Serv ices (IPS ) officer o f the Kerala cad re and a fo rmer I nd ian i ntellig ence and law enforcem ent officer He has earned th e nickname "T he James Bond o f India "

Doval joined the Indian Police Service in 1968 and w a s a c t i v e l y i n v o l v e d i n anti-insurgency operations in Mizoram and Punjab He was one of the three negot i a t o r s w h o w e r e i n s t r um e n t a l i n s e c u r i n g t h e r e l e a s e o f t h e p a s s e n g e r s

from the hijacked IC-814 in Kandahar in 1999 He successfully negotiated at least 15 hijackings of Indian airlines aircraft between 1971 and 1999

He spent a major part of his career as an active field intelligence officer with the

I n t e l l i g e n c e B u r e a u ( I B ) W i t h a p l e t h o r a o f w e l lknown awards, honours and records to his credit, Doval has built a reputation for taking a strict stance against militancy and terrorism

After his retirement in 2 0 0 9 , D o v a l b e c a m e t h e f o u n d e r d i r e c t o r o f V i v e k a n a n d a I n t e r n a t i o n a l Foundation He supervised

the 2014 rescue of 46 Indian nurses who were trapped in a hospital in Tikrit, Iraq On June 25, 2014, he took off on a top-secret mission and t r a v e l l e d t o I r a q t o learn more about the s i t u a t i o n t h e r e a n d e s t a b l i s h h i g h - l e v e l contacts with the Iraqi administration Doval managed the e x e c u t i o n o f I n d i a s s u r g i c a l o p e r a t i o n i n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 6 a n d airstrikes on Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019

He also made a contribution t o t h e r e s o l u t i o n o f t h e

Doklam standoff and took forceful action to quell the Northeast insurgency

Recently Doval met his U S c o u n t e r p a r t , J a k e S u l l i v a n , a n d d i s c u s s e d wide-ranging issues, including a restricted discussion on regional and global issues

of mutual interest The two presented an ambitious proposal for Indo-US cooperation in seven distinct hightechnology fields, including semiconductors, next-generation telephony, artificial i n t e l l i g e n c e , a n d m i l i t a r y , during the meeting In the p a s t a l s o , t h e t w o h a v e engaged regularly in extensive discussions on various bilateral, regional and global a g e n d a s T h e t w o a r e expected to continue their h i g h - l e v e l i n t e r a c t i o n i n future also R e c e n t l y , D o v a l s a i d

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had the audacity to fearlessly challenge the British and India would not have been partitioned if he was there at that time, while delivering speech at the first Netaji S u b h a s C h a n d r a B o s e memorial lecture organised b y t h e i n d u s t r y c h a m b e r

new leadership in the state

A p a r t y s t a t e m e n t s a i d Gohil has been relieved of duties as AICC in-charge of H a r y a n a a n d D e l h i w i t h s e n i o r G u j a r a t l e a d e r

Deepak Babariya appointed in his place

Gohil, 63, served as a minister in the cabinet from 1992 to 1995 while serving as an MLA for Gujarat for four t e r m s H e a l s o s e r v e d a s chief whip of the Congress l e g i s l a t u r e p a r t y b e t w e e n 1995 and 1998 and the leade r o f o p p o s i t i o n i n t h e Gujarat assembly from 2008

to 2012

He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in June 2020

The BJP romped to a win in the 2022 assembly elections with a massive 156 seats out of the total of 182, while the Congress won just 17, AAP got five and others won four seats In the previous two Lok Sabha elections, the party failed to gain a single seat in Gujarat, hence Gohil confronts a monumental challenge to turn around the party's fortunes before the general election in 2024

Sitharaman's daughter gets married in a simple ceremony

Fi nance Minis ter Ni rmala Sith araman held her daughter' s weddi ng at h ome, avoi di ng the trend of a big fat d es ti nati on weddi ng It was a simple ceremo ny held i n Bengal uru wi th family and fri ends No pol itical heavyweights were in attend ance Parakala Vangamayi, a daughter of Sitharaman, married Prateek in accordance with Brahmin custom, and the couple was blessed by seers from the Udupi Adamaru Mutt

As per media reports, Sitharaman's daughter Vangmayi works as a feature writer for Mint Lounge's Books and Culture section Her son-in-law Pratik Doshi hails from Gujarat and works as an officer on special duty at the PMO He was promoted to the position of joint secretary in June 2019 As per media reports, he looks after the research and strategy wing of the PMO

Assocham

Ajit Doval

Stray dogs sterilised after ex-mayor's shoes go missing

The Aurangabad civic body in Maharashtra captured and sterilised four stray dogs after former mayor Nandkumar Ghodele complained that some canines had entered into the compound of his house and taken away his s h o e s f r o m t h e p r e m i s e s i n N a k s h a t r a w a d i . " O n M o n d a y , t h e g a t e t o Ghodele's home was left unlocked The same night, his shoes went missing from near the main door of the house and it later came to light that a stray dog had entered the premises and taken away the footwear," a civic official said. The next day, a dog-catching team of the civic body was called in and an operation to catch the stray dogs was launched, he said The team t r a p p e d f o u r s t r a y d o g s i n t h e a r e a w h e r e G h o d e l e r e s i d e s . L a t e r , a vasectomy procedure was conducted on these dogs," he added (Agency)

Doctor-couple drowns during photoshoot in Bali

D u r i n g t h e i r h o n e y m o o n i n B a l i , a newly-wed doctor couple from Chennai's P o o n a m a l l e e n e i g h b o u r h o o d d r o w n e d while using a water bike for a photo shoot On June 1, Lokeshwaran and Vibushnia were married The pair had planned a speed boat trip, which turned disastrous when the boat capsized and dragged them into the sea, according to preliminary findings The p r e c i s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s t h a t c a u s e d t h e catastrophe were yet unknown Vibushnia’s f a t h e r S e l v a m a n d o t h e r r e l a t i v e s w e r e informed about the accident who then t r a v e l l e d t o I n d o n e s i a T h e f a m i l y i s a r r a n g i n g t o b r i n g t h e b o d i e s b a c k t o Chennai and sought assistance from the Tamil Nadu government and the central government, requesting support through the Indian embassy in Indonesia (Agency)

Physiotherapist kills mom, takes body to cops

After one of their many arguments, a 35year-old physiotherapist in Bengaluru gave her 71-year-old widowed mother "30 BP tablets" to take and strangled her as she lay unconscious in their apartment Later she packed the 40 kg body of her mother into a bag and brought it to the police station in an autorickshaw and said: “I have killed my mother the body is in the suitcase ” The chilling confession of Sonali Sen - herself the mother of a seven-year-old son - drew gasps of disbelief among the cops for whom murder probes are routine assignments “ O u r s t a f f ( c o p s ) t o o k s o m e t i m e t o understand what she was saying and gather facts,” said M Chandrasekhar, additional c o m m i s s i o n e r o f p o l i c e ( e a s t ) S u binspector Sanjeev Kumar of Mico Layout police station, whom Sonali approached first, was one of the many who “struggled to make sense of it We watched anxiously as the suitcase was opened Inside was the body of an old lady,” another cop said While all this was happening, Sonali calmly stood and watched the scene unfolding (Agency)

Two of a family shot after row over pet dog barking

A v i o l e n t a l t e r c a t i o n b e t w e e n t w o families over the barking of a pet dog resulted in the killing of two persons and injury to another Gunshots were fired a m i d a f i g h t b e t w e e n t h e G o d a r a a n d Dedadh families in Gola Guthan hamlet (100 km from Indore), according to Dewas

M a n j i t S i n g h “ R a j e s h G o d a r a h a d taken his pet dog for a walk in the morning

When they were returning home, the dog barked at a member of the Dedadh family This sparked an altercation between the two families, which ended in the death of two persons and injury to another from the Godara family” said the ASP While Rajesh died on the spot, Kailash Godara died on the way to hospital, said Singh, adding that the third victim has been referred to a h o s p i t a l i n I n d o r e P o l i c e h a v e b e e n deployed in the village to maintain law and order, he said (Agency)

Model killed as lighting truss falls on her

people involved in the rescue effort with finding the children (Agency) Hotel chain seeks damages from boy who licked soy bottle

13-year-old empty family's savings on mobile games

A 24-year-old model was killed and her colleague injured when a section of the lighting truss fell on them while they were walking the ramp during a fashion show at a studio in Film City recently Vanshika Chopra, a resided in Noida Extension, had already passed away when she was wheeled into Kailash Hospital's emergency room, according to doctors Agra resident Bobby Raj, who was posing for the judges after his walk on the stage, suffered head injuries and underwent a minor surgery for a deep wound The manager of Lakshmi Studios, w h e r e t h e e v e n t w a s b e i n g h e l d , t h e organisers and the private contractor who had set up the lighting truss were detained for questioning, police said Agency)

Four kids found alive 40 days after plane crash in Amazon forest

The youngster who licked a soy sauce bottle at one of Sushiro's outlet is the target of a 67 million yen (US $480,000) lawsuit, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e J a p a n e s e r e s t a u r a n t c o m p a n y S o u t h C h i n a M o r n i n g P o s t reports that the restaurant chain's owner, Akindo Sushiro, filed the complaint at the Osaka District Court on March 22 and that the specifics were made public this month T h e i n c i d e n t t o o k p l a c e i n t h e G i f u prefecture in January this year when the boy visited the restaurant with a friend According to the complaint filed in the court, the boy was filmed licking an open soy sauce bottle and an unused teacup, and then touched a passing plate of sushi with a finger covered in his saliva The company claimed that after the video was uploaded o n s o c i a l m e d i a o n J a n u a r y 2 9 , i t s restaurants saw a sharp fall in customer n u m b e r T h e s u i t a l s o a l l e g e s t h a t t h e footage caused its parent company's market capitalisation to fall by more than 16 billion yen (Agency)

India to host next Miss World pageant in 2023

Gaming addiction is a serious problem and it can become dangerous when it gets out of control A 13-year-old Chinese girl w h o s p e n t 4 4 9 , 5 0 0 y u a n ( a b o u t R s 52,19,809) on online gaming in four months c o m p l e t e l y d e p l e t e d h e r f a m i l y ' s f u n d s The incident was discovered when the girl's t e a c h e r n o t e d h e r e x c e s s i v e p h o n e u s e while at school and believed she might be addicted to pay-to-play games, according to South China Morning Post The mother of t h e g i r l w a s a l e r t e d b y t h e t e a c h e r ' s concern, and when she decided to check the girl's bank account, she was astounded by what she found The girl's mother, named Wang, found that her bank account balance was merely 0 5 yuan (around Rs 5) She became distraught and tearfully showed pages of bank statements in a viral video, revealing numerous payments made for mobile games (Agency)

Elderly farmer poses as student, web traps 70 minors

A senior citizen in Gujarat has come under scrutiny allegedly for orchestrating an elaborate scheme, faking the identities of over 70 school students to engage in explicit conversations with boys and girls Exploiting social media platforms, the 63y e a r - o l d i s s u s p e c t e d o f i n i t i a t i n g f a l s e i n t r o d u c t i o n s o n s o c i a l m e d i a u s i n g borrowed names and images and making romantic overtures, coaxing minors into sharing compromising pictures as supposed proof of their budding relationships Law e n f o r c e m e n t o f f i c i a l s i n S a u r a s h t r a revealed that the individual in question created fictitious profiles and amassed nude or compromising photographs of 45 girls and 25 boys The police are preparing a comprehensive cyber complaint against the accused - a wealthy farmer from Jamnagar district who also holds extensive interests in agri-business (The Times of India)

Elephant tries to revive its dead calf

Four youngsters who were thought to have been lost in the Colombian Amazon rainforest for more than a month were discovered to be alive and were airlifted to the country's capital Bogota The kids who had survived a tiny plane crash in the jungle were flown to a military airstrip by an army medical plane Originally from the Huitoto Indigenous group, the children aged 13, nine, four and one had been wandering alone in the jungle since May 1, after the Cessna 206 in which they were travelling crashed Huitoto children learn hunting, f i s h i n g a n d g a t h e r i n g a n d t h e k i d s ’ grandfather, Fidencio Valencia, said that the children are well acquainted with the jungle General Pedro Sanchez, who led the s e a r c h o p e r a t i o n , c r e d i t e d I n d i g e n o u s

India will host the 71st Miss World pageant in 2023, 27 years after it did so in 1996 Participants in talent competitions, sporting events, and philanthropic projects w i l l c o m e f r o m r o u g h l y 1 3 0 d i f f e r e n t

n a t i o n s T h e r e w i l l b e s e v e r a l r o u n d s leading up to the final, which is anticipated to take place in November or December of this year “We cannot wait to share your u n i q u e a n d d i v e r s e c u l t u r e , w o r l d - c l a s s attractions and breathtaking locations with the rest of the world,” said Julia Morley, c h a i r p e r s o n a n d C E O , M i s s W o r l d O r g a n i z a t i o n , a d d i n g t h a t t h e “achievements of 130 national champions” would be “showcased in their one-month j o u r n e y a c r o s s i n c r e d i b l e I n d i a ” F r o m

Aishwarya Rai to Priyanka Chopra, India has won the Miss World contest six times so far (Agency)

A mother's love for her child knows no bounds This is not only true in the cases of humans but animals too Recently, a video of an elephant trying to revive its dead calf has appeared on social media The heartbreaking video from Assam has amassed the attention of many social media users

T h e s h o r t c l i p h a s b e e n s h a r e d b y s e v e r a l u s e r s , i n c l u d i n g I n d i a n F o r e s t

Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda The n e w b o r n e l e p h a n t h a d w a n d e r e d a w a y from the herd and died three days ago However, the mother did not abandon her calf Instead, the mother elephant carried the baby for up to two km and attempted to resuscitate it by placing it in a river stream In the short clip, the elephant, along with a n o t h e r m e m b e r o f t h e h e r d , i s s e e n making various attempts by nudging the baby, using their trunk to wake the calf up However, all efforts go in vain A Twitter user wrote, "Animals are more sensitive t h a n h u m a n s , e s p e c i a l l y e l e p h a n t s heartbreaking " (Agency)

Yoga asanas to combat a sedentary lifestyle

In today's m odern w orld, sed ent ary li fe sty les h a v e b ec o m e th e norm for many p eop le L ong hou rs s i tt in g at d e sk s , h u n c h ed o v er c o m p u ters , o r g lu ed to sc re ens h av e led to vario us health issues

H o w ev er, i n co r p o rat in g yo g a asanas into your daily routine can h elp counteract the adverse effects o f a sed entary lifestyle Th ese g entle exerci ses p rom o te flexibi lity, s tr en g th , and m i nd fu ln es s , enabling you to maintain a healthy bo dy and mind Here are s ome asanas th at can effectiv ely redu ce the impacts of a sedentary lifestyle

M ountain Pose (Tad asana): Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart R e l a x y o u r s h o u l d e r s , l e n g t h e n your spine, and engage your core This pose helps to improve post u r e , s t r e n g t h e n s t h e l e g s a n d a n k l e s , a n d p r o m o t e s b e t t e r breathing

C at -C o w P o s e ( M a rj ar yas a na-

Bitilasana): Start on all fours with your hands beneath your shoulders and knees beneath your hips As you inhale, arch your back and lift your chest, allowing your belly to sink towards the floor (Cow Pose)

On the exhale, round your spine upward, tucking your chin to your chest (Cat Pose) This asana helps to relieve tension in the spine and improve spinal flexibility

Do w n w ar d - F ac in g D o g ( A d h o Mukha Sv anasana): Begin on all fours, then lift your hips up and back, straightening your legs and a r m s , f o r m i n g a n i n v e r t e d " V " shape Press your palms into the floor and lengthen your spine This p o s e s t r e t c h e s t h e h a m s t r i n g s , s h o u l d e r s , a n d c a l v e s w h i l e improving blood circulation to the brain

S eat ed F o r w ard Ben d

( Pas ch im o ttanasan a): Sit on the floor with your legs extended As you exhale, fold forward from the hips, reaching towards your feet or ankles Keep your spine long and avoid rounding your back This pose stretches the entire back of t h e b o d y , i n c l u d i n g t h e h a mstrings, calves, and spine

Brid ge P ose (Setu Bandh asana): Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor Press your feet into the ground, lift your hips, and interlace your fingers beneath your lower back This pose strengthens the back, glutes, and legs and also helps to relieve lower back pain

Remember to breathe deeply a n d m i n d f u l l y t h r o u g h o u t e a c h asana Additionally, incorporating other physical activities, such as walking or jogging, into your routine can further enhance the bene-

Nurture your kidneys naturally with Ayurveda

T he kid neys p lay a cru cial role in our well-being by filtering w aste products and t o xi ns fr om o u r b lo o d M aintaining healthy kid ney is essential for the op timal functioning of the body In

A yu rv eda, there are several h olistic ap proaches to supp ort kid ney h ealth and p rev ent ki d n ey -r el ate d ai lm ents By incorporating its p rinciples into your lifestyle, you can enh ance yo ur kidn ey h ea lt h na tu ra ll y a nd p rom ote lo ng ev ity H er e ar e s o m e A yu rv ed i c p rac tic es that can benef it your kid neys:

Stay hydrated: Adequate hydration is vital for kidney health In Ayurveda, it is recommended to drink warm water throughout the day to s u p p o r t p r o p e r h y d r a t i o n and facilitate the elimination of toxins from the body Avoid excessive caffeinated or sugary beverages, as they can burden the kidneys

Follow a kidney-friendly diet: A wholesome and balanced diet is essential for o p t i m a l k i d n e y h e a l t h Include fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean proteins Reduce t h e i n t a k e o f p r o c e s s e d f o o d s , s a l t y s n a c k s , a n d refined sugars, as they can

s t r a i n t h e k i d n e y s A y u r v e d i c h e r b s l i k e Punarnava, Gokshura, and Varuna are known for their k i d n e y - s u p p o r t i v e p r o p e rties They can be beneficial when included in your diet o r t a k e n a s s u p p l e m e n t s under the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner

Practice yoga and medit a t i o n : S t r e s s c a n h a v e a detrimental effect on kidney h e a l t h S t r e s s - r e d u c i n g practices like yoga and medi t a t i o n c a n h e l p p r o m o t e r e l a x a t i o n a n d b a l a n c e Specific yoga asanas, such as twists and forward bends, can stimulate the kidneys and improve their functioni n g I n c o r p o r a t i n g d e e p b r e a t h i n g e x e r c i s e s i n t o your daily routine can also s u p p o r t k i d n e y h e a l t h b y enhancing oxygenation and circulation

A y u r v e d i c t h e r a p i e s : A y u r v e d a o f f e r s v a r i o u s therapeutic treatments that

c a n s u p p o r t k i d n e y health Panchakarma, a d e t o x i f i c a t i o n a n d rejuvenation therapy, c a n h e l p e l i m i n a t e a c c u m u l a t e d t o x i n s and balance the body's d o s h a s ( e n e r g e t i c f o r c e s ) A d d i t i o n a l l y ,

A b h y a n g a ( A y u r v e d i c o i l m a s s a g e ) a n d Swedana (herbal steam therapy) can improve circulation a n d e n h a n c e t h e o v e r a l l functioning of the kidneys

M a i n t a i n i n g a h e a l t h y lifestyle: A balanced lifestyle is crucial for kidney health G e t r e g u l a r e x e r c i s e , a s p h y s i c a l a c t i v i t y i m p r o v e s blood circulation and supp o r t s k i d n e y f u n c t i o n Prioritize quality sleep, as during rest, the body repairs a n d r e j u v e n a t e s i t s e l f Minimize exposure to environmental toxins and pollutants, as they can impact kidney health

It s essential to consult with a qualified Ayurvedic p r a c t i t i o n e r b e f o r e i m p l ementing any practices, especially if you have pre-existing kidney conditions or are t a k i n g m e d i c a t i o n s T h e y c a n p r o v i d e p e r s o n a l i z e d recommendations based on y o u r u n i q u e c o n s t i t u t i o n and health needs

fits of these asanas An inactive lifestyle can have detrimental effects on our physical and mental well-being However, r e g u l a r l y p r a c t i c i n g t h e s e y o g a asanas can reduce the impact of

prolonged sitting and promote a healthier lifestyle Embrace these gentle exercises, bring awareness to your body, and enjoy the numerous benefits that yoga can bring to your life

Women with multiple sclerosis get better with pregnancy: Study

R es e ar c h e r s h av e d i sc o v e r e d natu ral c hanges in th e immu ne s ys t e m d u r i ng pr e g na n c y a s beneficial to wo men wi th mult iple scler osis (MS) Th e stu dy was pu blish ed in t he J our nal o f N e u r o i nf la mm a t io n T h e i mmu ne syst em defends o ur b o d y a ga i ns t fo r e i gn s u bstance s Ho wever, it do es not re ject a fetus’ genet ic mate rial A moth er ’ s immu ne sy st em is adapt ed t o be come mo re to lerant dur ing pregnancy MS impairs nerve function by attacking the fat that acts as an insulating sheath a r o u n d n e r v e f i b r e s N e r v e i n f l a m m a t i o n c a n r e s u l t i n nerve damage Despite new and more effective treatment o p t i o n s , m o s t M S p a t i e n t s d e t e r i o r a t e o v e r t i m e Researchers in a recent study b e l i e v e t h a t t h e t e m p o r a r y suppression of the immune r e s p o n s e m a y e x p l a i n w h y p r e g n a n t w o m e n w i t h M S i m p r o v e S y m p t o m s , o r relapses, are reduced by 70 per cent during the last third of pregnancy Other autoimm u n e d i s e a s e s , s u c h a s r h e u m a t o i d a r t h r i t i s , a l s o temporarily improve during pregnancy

T h e r e s e a r c h e r s c o mpared 11 women with MS to 7 h e a l t h y w o m e n w h o h a d blood drawn before, during,

a n d a f t e r p r e g n a n c y T h e r e s e a r c h e r s i d e n t i f i e d t h e genes used in T cells at various points during pregnancy t o u n d e r s t a n d b e t t e r w h a t h a p p e n s i n i m m u n e c e l l s They also looked into changes that control how genes are turned on and off, known as e p i g e n e t i c c h a n g e s T h e r e s e a r c h e r s f o c u s e d t h e i r investigation on one such regulation mechanism known as DNA methylation "What was possibly most striking is that we couldn't f i n d a n y r e a l d i f f e r e n c e s between the groups during pregnancy, as it seems that the immune system of a pregnant woman with MS looks roughly like that of a healthy p r e g n a n t w o m a n , " s a i d S a n d r a H e l l b e r g , a s s i s t a n t professor at the Department o f B i o m e d i c a l a n d C l i n i c a l S c i e n c e s a t L i n k o p i n g

U n i v e r s i t y a n d o n e o f t h e researchers behind the study

T h e r e s e a r c h e r s f o u n d networks of interacting genes that are affected during pregnancy Their study found that these genes are, to a large extent, linked to the disease and to important processes in the immune system

W e c a n s e e t h a t t h e changes in the T cells mirror the amelioration in relapse f r e q u e n c y T h e b i g g e s t changes happen in the last third of pregnancy, and this is w h e r e w o m e n w i t h M S i m p r o v e t h e m o s t T h e s e c h a n g e s a r e t h e n r e v e r s e d after pregnancy at the point in time when there is a temp o r a r y i n c r e a s e i n d i s e a s e a c t i v i t y I t i s i m p o r t a n t t o s t r e s s t h a t d i s e a s e a c t i v i t y thereafter goes back to what it was prior to the pregnancy," said Hellberg

Social isolation related to lower bone quality in males

A s per an industry-su pported s tu d y at E ND O 2 0 2 3 , t h e E n d o c ri ne S o c i ety ’ s an nu a l conference in C hicag o, people w ith obesity may be less p rod uctiv e at w ork owing to an i n cr eas ed ri s k o f s ic k nes s Em ployees w ho are overweigh t o r at risk o f obesity are more likely to develop weig ht-related comorbidities such as type 2 d iabetes, h yp ertensi on, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, a nd can ce r, c o nt ri bu ti ng to lower w ork productivity

Clare J Lee, M D , of Eli L i l l y & C o m p a n y i n Indianapolis, said, “Employees with overweight and obesity may have a higher loss of work

productivity as measured by absenteeism, short and longterm disability, and worker’s c o m p e n s a t i o n c o m p a r e d t o e m p l o y e e s w i t h n o r m a l weight ” C o - a u t h o r S h r a d d h a Shinde added, “Given the substantial burden of overweight a n d o b e s i t y o n e m p l o y e e health and function that was demonstrated by this study, e m p l o y e r s s h o u l d f o c u s o n building tailored interventions t h a t c o u l d b e b e n e f i c i a l i n improving the health of these individuals ”

The researchers evaluated 719,482 employees with and w i t h o u t o b e s i t y i n t h e

M a r k e t S c a n d a t a b a s e s T h e y determined the percentage of employees with work loss, the n u m b e r o f h o u r s / d a y s l o s t from work, and costs associated with productivity loss were h i g h e r a m o n g p e o p l e w i t h overweight or obesity The loss o f w o r k p r o d u c t i v i t y w a s greater with each higher Body Mass Index (BMI) category

T h e r e s e a r c h e r s f o u n d costs associated with absenteeism, short and long-term disability, and worker s compensation were $891, $623, $41, a n d $ 1 1 2 h i g h e r p e r y e a r (respectively) for people with o b e s i t y c o m p a r e d t o t h o s e with normal weight

A study cond ucted on m ouse th at w as presented at ENDO 20 23, the Endocrine

So ci ety's annu al m eetin g in Ch i cag o , su ggested that social isolation may be bad for bones

"Social isolation is a potent form of psychosocial stress and is a growing public health concern, particularly among o l d e r a d u l t s , " s a i d l e a d r e s e a r c h e r

R e b e c c a M o u n t a i n , P h D , o f

MaineHealth Institute for Research in Scarborough, Maine "Even prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has significantly increased the preval e n c e o f i s o l a t i o n a n d l o n e l i n e s s , researchers have been concerned about a rising 'epidemic of loneliness ” According to Mountain, social isolation raises one's chance for developing a

variety of illnesses, such as mental health issues, as well as their total mortality and sickness rates "Previous clinical research h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t p s y c h o s o c i a l stressors, and subsequent mental health d i s o r d e r s , a r e m a j o r r i s k f a c t o r s f o r osteoporosis and fracture, which disp r o p o r t i o n a l l y a f f e c t o l d e r a d u l t s , "

Mountain said "The effects of social isolation on bone, however, have not been thoroughly investigated "

In the latest investigation, experts subjected adult mice to four weeks of either social isolation (one mouse per cage) or grouped housing (four mice per cage) They discovered that male mice, but not female mice, experienced significant declines in bone quality, including decreased bone mineral density

Overweight employees may be less productive at work

Taapsee Pannu says camps exist in Bollywood

As she completes a decade in the film industry, Taapsee Pannu recently opened up about the existence of “camps” in Bollywood, and how she prepared herself for the “unfair games” that she knew she’d have to face in the film industry. Sharing her views on how actors end up getting work based on the circle they are a part of, she said, “Bollywood camps isn’t something that people don’t know about. It’s been there since forever ”

Bollywood actor Kiara Advani

has joined the cast of the sequel of the blockbuster action film ‘War ’ She will share screen space with Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR in the movie which will be directed by Ayan Mukerji

The film is expected to go on floors by the end of this year

A trade source confirmed the news saying, “Kiara Advani fits the bill to the T as far as YRF Spy Universe and War 2 is concerned Kiara is right now at the top of the heap and Adi (Aditya Chopra) taking her for War 2 loudly signifies that ”

The source added, “Aditya Chopra is going all out to make this film the slickest and the coolest action entertainer that this country has ever seen It will be really exciting to see Kiara in this universe and how Ayan and Adi present her in War 2 All the heroines of the Spy Universe have left an unforgettable mark on Indian cinema Now, it is Kiara’s turn and we all know she can make a huge impact on screen with War 2 ”

Kiara Advani joins Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR in ‘War 2’

‘War 2 ’ is a part of YRF’s ambitious spy universe, which kicked off with Shah Rukh Khan’s global hit ‘Pathaan ’ The next film in the line is ‘Tiger 3, ’ headlined by Salman Khan After ‘War 2, ’ the production house will present the audience with the Tiger vs Pathaan film, which would feature the epic clash between Salman’s Tiger and Shah Rukh’s Pathaan

Kartik Aaryan says he is 'unlucky in love'

Kartik Aaryan has revealed he is ready to get married, and all he needs is a bride. The statement came in response to a fan who wanted to know about the actor’s marriage plans in an Ask Me Anything session on Twitter. When asked if he is open to love or arranged marriage, he said he was available for an arranged marriage

Another fan asked Kartik about true love, and the actor said he was “unlucky in love ” A fan asked, “Would you go for arranged marriage or a love marriage? Mala aunty ke pass rishte to bahut aata honge lol (Your mom must be receiving several p r o p o s a l s f o r y o u r m a r r i a g e ) ” T o t h i s , K a r t i k replied, “A marriage arranged by love!!! Rishte toh aate hai (Yes, proposals do come our way) daily ” Another fan asked, “When are you getting married?”

To this, the superstar replied, “Ghodi Venue Menu sab ready hai Par Dulhan toh mil jaye (The horse, menu are all ready but we need to find a bride first ”

Later, Kartik posted a picture from a dubbing

studio after wrapping up the AMA session He wrote, "Time to go @sameervidwans sir is shouting at me Sattu needs to dub Jald milte hain (We'll meet soon) #AskKartik "

On the work front, Kartik is gearing up for the release of the romantic drama 'Satyaprem Ki Katha ’

Directed by Sameer Vidhwans, the movie features Kiara Advani in the female lead The film marks the actor’s second collaboration after the blockbuster ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 ’ which released in 2022 The movie is set to release in theatres on June 29

The actor has Kabir Khan s next untitled film H e w i l l a l s o f e a t u r e i n H a n s a l M e h t a ' s n e x t , 'Captain India ’

She added, “It can be basis an actor’s friend circle, a certain agency or group that they’re a part of and people’s loyalties differ based on that ” The ‘Blurr’ actor said that even while certain people in the industry are biased, she doesn’t hold grudges against anybody “Everybody should have the right to choose whosoever they want to work with, or have in their films I can’t blame them for thinking about their own careers ”

The actor also said that, as an outsider who faces more biases in Bollywood, she remains positive and has not turned into a “bitter person ” as she was aware of the way t h a t t h e i n d u s t r y f u n c t i o n s , a n d h a d prepared herself to deal with its unfair nature “I never came with a point of view that it’s going to be all fair in the film industry I always knew it’s going to be biased So why crib about it now?” she asked, and added, “For me, rule of the game is that it’s going to be unfair The tide is going to be against you most of the time And if after all that, you still decide to be a part of this industry, then it’s your choice and you can’t complain about it later ”

Taapsee said, “To become a part of this industry, you first get a foot in the door, and if you manage to do so, there is a struggle to be able to make your presence felt You have to struggle to prove yourself with every film It’s not like you have one successful film and the next 10 years are sorted for you It does not happen like that with people who come to this industry with no background We have to consistently keep doing good work to be able to have a standing of our own ”

Onir calls out Bollywood for being homophobic

Filmmaker

Onir made an appearance at the Kashish International Queer Film Festival, where he was left disappointed to see that no one from the industry came to show support He said, “None of the OTT programmers, or a studi head nobody from that world really came to watch the films with the community.”

He added, “Who a r e t h e y t o s i t i n those creative spaces a n d d e c i d e w h a t stories about us need t b e t o l d , i f t h e y c a s u p p o r t u s w h e n n e e d e d They are all from same gendermen or women and some closeted people - writing this from a very heteronormative view ”

O n i r p o i n t s t h a t m o s t

B o l l y w o o d n a r r a t i v e s t e l l L G B T stories about “accepting us, and they forget that queer people’s life is not just about acceptance or shortcomings ” Citing his recent c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h a n a c t o r , h e said, “I recently called up an actor f o r a r o l e a n d h i s i m m e d i a t e response was, ‘I have already done a gay character ’ Would he say the

same about straight characters? Of c o u r s e n o t ” W h i c h i s w h y , h e o p i n e s a l l t h e s e t a l k s b y t h e industry about inclusivity are “only a w a y f o r t h e h e t e r o n o r m a t i v e world to pat themselves are doing the bare minimum In reality t h ’ r e f i g h t i n g w i t h

e i r h o m o p h o b i c thoughts ” “ W h e n t h e i r f i l m s a r e h a p p e n i n g a n d when they need t h e c o m m u n i t y to cheer them and

c e l e b r a t e t h e m , a t ’ s w h e n t h e y e m b e r u s

Otherwise, we are forgotten

There’s no one talking about a film made by a queer director or casting d o n e b y a q u e e r a c t o r , ” h e continues, “When there’s an event w h e r e t h e c o m m u n i t y n e e d s support, there’s total silence from these people They don’t talk about marriage equality or pride month These are people from industry who are so-called flag-bearers of c h a n g e , t r y i n g t o r e w r i t e t h e narrative of the LGBTQIA+ world a n d m a k i n g e f f o r t s f o r o u r acceptance ”

Film 'Adipurush's’ dialogue to be changed after protest

Mythological film 'Adipurush's' producers responded to the film's harsh criticism after its premiere by announcing that they will change some of the dialogue and release fresh versions of the movie.

Om Raut’s adaptation of the Ramayana stars Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, Saif Ali Khan, Sunny Singh and Devdutta Nage

'

A d i p u r u s h ' h a s r e c e i v e d t r o l l i n g o n social media for Manoj Muntashir Shukla's gangster film-style dialogue, the overuse of visual effects, and it’s casting decisions even

Twinkle Khanna pens emotional Father’s Day note for

husband Akshay

Actor and author Twinkle

Khanna shared a picture with her husband and actor

though the Hindi production and its dubbed versions have posted impressive box office numbers

In a statement, producer T-Series and Retrophiles stated: “Adipurush is garnering an overwhelming response across the world and is conquering hearts of audiences across a l l a g e s M a k i n g t h i s v i s u a l s p e c t a c l e a memorable cinematic experience, the team decides to make alterations to the film’s dialogues – valuing the input of the public and the audience The makers are revisiting the said dialogues, ensuring to resonate with core essence of the film and the same will reflect in the theatres in the next few days This decision is a testament that in spite of unstoppable collections at the box office, t h e t e a m i s c o m m i t t e d a n d n o t h i n g i s

beyond the sentiments of their audiences and harmony at large ”

Nepal bans Hindi films

A s a r e s u l t o f c o n t r o v e r s y o v e r t h e dialogue in "Adipurush," which referred to Sita as "India's daughter," Nepal prohibited t h e s c r e e n i n g o f a l l H i n d i f i l m s I n Kathmandu, police were stationed in 17 venues to make sure that no Hindi films were shown Last week, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah said no Hindi film will be allowed to run in Kathmandu Metropolitan City until the dialogue "Janaki is a daughter of India" in "Adipurush" is removed not just in Nepal but also in India Sita, also referred to as Janaki, is believed by many to have been born in Janakpur in southeast Nepal

watching him deal with his family, the other was the hope that my future children inherit some of his fine genes And looking at him in his fifties, I would say that his children are lucky if they have

a r t m e n t f o r ks, I trust you with the intellect in our kids Make them read loads of books ” The photo features the couple smiling for the camera in the picture Twinkle wore a colourful top and paired it with specs while Akshay was seen shirtless Akshay and Twinkle tied the knot on January 17, 2001 They are p a r e n t s t o a s o n A a r a v a n d daughter Nitara

Kangana Talks about marriage plans, having her ' own family'

ActorKangana Ranaut has opened up about her plans for marriage and having a family In an interview, she said she is ready to tie the knot but it will happen “at the right time ” She said, “There’s a time for everything and if that time has to come in my life then it will come I do want to get married and have my own family but, at the right time it will happen ”

In an interview last year, when asked if she is ‘dhakad’ (tomboyish) in real life, she said, “That’s not how it is, come on Who will I beat up in real life? I am unable to get married because of people like you spreading these rumours ” In 2021, she had said, “I definitely want to be married and have babies I see myself as a mother five years down the line and as a wife There is no such place in love but yes, kind of Let’s move on You will know Very soon ”

On the work front, Kangana is busy promoting her upcoming production, ‘Tiku Weds Sheru ’ The movie stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Avneet Kaur in the lead roles and is all set to stream on Prime Video from June 23 She will portray the role of late prime minister Indira Gandhi in the upcoming period film ‘Emergency ’ The film casts Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhry, Vishal Nair, and Shreyas Talpade in prominent roles

Kangana will also be seen in ‘Chandramukhi 2, ’ helmed by P Vasu She will portray the role of a dancer in the king’s court, known for her beauty and dance skills The film is the sequel to the blockbuster hit Tamil horror comedy ‘Chandramukhi’ which starred Rajinikanth and Jyothika in the lead roles

Gerard Butler and Ali Fazal-starrer Hollywood action-spy thriller movie ‘Kandahar’ boasts of multiple action sequences featuring a lot of elaborate stunt work. Ali plays the character of the villainous Pakistani agent and Taliban ally Kahil Nasil in the movie. He shot several high-paced scenes, one of which involved a very difficult stunt Surprisingly, the scene was his opening shot Explaining the shooting of the stunt, he said in an interview, "So w h i l e s h o o t i n g K a n d a h a r I remember shooting one of the most difficult scenes and I suppose the most iconic shot for me was my entry A very cool chopper flying over a seabed And just before it lands I open the door and I have to jump out, get into a running van And we scoot off And then the van goes into the valley, I get on a bike The van stops and the back door is opened and the bike is there and then I have to ride off on the bike But the declining railing, I had to get off while taking a turn on off a moving bike on the sand and then

rush off in the opposite direction ” H e a d d e d , " A n d t h a t w a s probably one of the hardest shots I'd been part of in the film Because it was all so back to back, keeping a straight path on a moving bike on sand was the toughest because I was constantly trying to maneuver, but trying to keep my balance and keep the bike steady because the sand is like in waves So these things were really cool On the big screen it just looks beautiful and I'm happy with the way it turned out ”

The film also stars Travis Fimmel, Ali Fazal, Tom Rhye Harries, Farhad Bageri, Olivia-Mai Barret and Navid Nagahban

Ali Fazal's entry shot for 'Kandahar' was one of his 'most difficult scenes ’

Upasana reveals husband Ram

Charan’s reaction to her pregnancy

Ram

Charan and his wife Upasana are gearing up to become parents as they await the arrival of their first baby In a recent interview, she opened up about Ram’s reaction when she first told him about their baby Recalling the Telugu actor’s ‘calm’ response to the exciting news, she said Ram only celebrated after her pregnancy was confirmed with multiple “repeated tests ”

She said, “When I told him that I think I am pregnant, he said, ‘Don’t get too excited, calm down ’ Once we repeated the tests and we knew that all the tests are fine, that’s when he celebrated That is what I admire the most about Ram, he’s the calming factor in my life, while I am the more excited one I love to express my feelings; he does it calmly in his own way ”

When asked about the excitement levels at home as she is close to delivering the baby, Upasana said, “We are all very excited, nervous and a bit anxious too Ram is my go-to

man, when I am hyper or havin anxiety attacks He calmly sits me down and says, ‘Okay, let’s figure it out ’ I am sure Ram will take a n a c t i v e p a r t i n p a r e n t i n g ” C u r r e n t l y i n h e r t h i r d t r i m e s t e r , U p a s a n a h a d revealed in April that she is “due in July ”

Upasana and Ram tied the knot on June 14, 2012 After b e i n g m a r r i e d f o r a d e c a d e , Ram and Upasana announced the news of expecting their first child together on December 12, 2 0 2 2 T h e c o u p l e c e l e b r a t e d their 11th wedding anniversary recently

Allu Arjun gets mobbed by fans at AAA Cinemas launch

Actor Allu Arjun was mobbed by a sea of fans who had gathered to get a glimpse of the star as he arrived for the inaugural ceremony of his new theatre venture AAA Cinemas. Hundreds of fans had assembled outside of the venue to meet the actor Producer Sreenivasa Kumar aka SKN took to Twitter and shared a video in which hundreds of fans are seen surrounding Arjun’s car as it reached the event Arjun came out of the sunroof once the car came to a halt and stood inside his car

AAA Cinemas is Asian Cinema’s second theatre venture in collaboration with a Telugu star They collaborated with actor Mahesh Babu to start AMB Cinemas previously, which has been successfully operating for a new months now

On the career front, Arjun is expected to resume filming of ‘Pushpa 2 ’ in a few days The project went on the floors last November The second part will focus on the face-off between Allu Arjun and Fahadh Faasil, who was introduced as the prime antagonist towards the end of the first part The film also stars Rashmika Mandanna, who plays the character Srivalli

The first part saw Arjun play the role of a lorry driver who smuggles red sandalwood and eventually becomes a key player in the syndicate

Malayalam actor

Poojappura Ravi

passes away at 82

Veteran Malayalam actor Poojappura

Ravi breathed his l daughter’s residence in Marayur, Idukki district body was brought to Thiruvananthapuram where the funeral was held. He is survived by two children.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers condoled the death of the actor The CM said said Ravi had conquered the minds of people through theatre "He later became popular through the comedy roles he played in the movies His demise is loss to the art and cul landscape of the state said in a statement

AR Rahman’s daughter turns music composer for Tamil film

Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman’s daughter Khatija Rahman is set to make her debut as a music composer for upcoming Tamil film ‘Minmini.’ Director Halitha Shameem took to Twitter to share the news and also share a picture from a composing session. She called her an exceptional talent.

State Minister for Culture Saji alled the popular thee's long career during he has acted in around 0 plays and nearly 800 vies Ravi is known or his characters in Kallan Kappalil thanne', 'Rowdi Ramu', 'Ormakal Marikkumo', 'Ammini Mammavan', 'Mutharamkunnu P O', and 'Mazha Peyyunnu Maddhalam Kottunnu' among others

Ravi was born as M Raveendran Nair in ojappura, uvananthapuram He ed his stage name e influence of Krishnan Nair, a re figure

Sharing the news about roping in Khatija, she wrote, “So happy to be working with this exceptional talent, Khatija Rahman for Minmini The euphonious singer is a brilliant music composer too Some great music underway ” Several people expressed their excitement over Khatija’s new avatar One Twitter user wrote, “How exciting!!! I love Khatjia’s singing and now we get to hear her composing new music too!! Fantastic! All the best Khatija and team!! Also waiting for her independent tribute project “Kuhu Kuhu ”

In a recent interview, Khatija had revealed that she wasn’t sure about turning composer till last year She had said, “Last year, I was figuring out what I wanted to do Also, I was singing and doing so many things at that point I felt there was too much on my plate But later, there was another project - also by a female director that came to me So, I called Halitha ma ’ am and told her things had changed, and asked if she still wanted me I played her my independent track After hearing that, she said, ‘This is exactly my vibe I like your voice I like your thinking So, I want to work with you I feel you can add value to the film ’ We decided to give it a try and take it forward ”

Gearing up for release later this year, ‘Minmini’ stars Esther Anil, Gaurav Kalai and Pravin Kishore as lead actors

Alia Bhatt addresses reactions to her 'short screen time' in ‘Heart of Stone’ trailer

Thetrailer of Alia Bhatt’s Hollywood debut movie, ‘Heart of Stone’ was unveiled over the weekend The actor was joined by co-stars Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan as they showed the trailer to the audience at Netflix’s annual Tudum event in Sao Paulo While many were impressed to see the actress play the main villain in the film, others were disappointed with her short screen time Ahead of the trailer release, Alia spoke to the media at the event's red carpet In an interview, she was asked what she would say if people found her portion in the trailer too short She said, “Woh toh hoga hi (That's bound t o h a p p e n ) B u t I ' m a l s o n o t t o o worried about that because I feel at the end of the day you have to get sense of what the story is about and how the story leads you to the final film That's all that matters ”

‘Heart of Stone' is set to premiere on August 11 on Netflix It is directed by Tom Harper from a script penned by Greg Rucka and Allison Schroeder

A c c o r d i n g t o N e t f l i x , t h e f i l m i s headlined by Gadot's Rachel Stone, who appears to be an inexperienced tech, on an elite MI6 unit headed up by lead agent Parker (Dornan)

Shah Rukh sends best wishes to 'baby' Suhana after ‘The Archies’ trailer release

Shah Rukh Khan sent good wishes for daughter Suhana’s upcoming Bollywood debut She is set to feature for the first time in Zoya Akhtar’s ‘The Archies ’ The movie teaser was unveiled at the Netflix Tudum event in Sao Paulo

Sharing his wishes, Shah Rukh wrote, “On Father’s Day - here’s wishing the best to my baby all the babies and Tiger Baby for #TheArchies!” He also shared the teaser T h e a c t o r ' s f a n s l o v e d h i s s w e e t g e s t u r e

“#HappyFathersDay @iamsrk sir

Thank u for being the best father in the world for ur childern &

Aman Maheshwari shares glimpse of his international web show

"What her MI6 team doesn't know is that Stone actually works for the C h a r t e r - - a c o v e r t p e a c e k e e p i n g organisation, secret even from other s p i e s , w h i c h u s e s c u t t i n g - e d g e technology to neutralise global threats

"Rachel has been trained to be the c o n s u m m a t e p r o f e s s i o n a l : a phenomenal field agent who sticks to the mission, follows the numbers, and trusts no one," said Netflix in a press release

In an interview with Variety, Alia h a d e a r l i e r s a i d , “ I t w a s m y f i r s t H o l l y w o o d b i g E n g l i s h p i c t u r e experience and I had quite a task at hand because I was shooting for the first time an action movie But I'm also pregnant so there were so many layers for me to deal with But they made it so s e a m l e s s a n d s o e a s y a n d s o comfortable for me It's something that I will never forget because of how b e a u t i f u l l y a n d h o w w e l l I w a s treated ”

Zoya Akhtar’s ‘The Archies’ cast perform in Brazil

The cast of filmmaker Zoya Akhtar’s ‘The Archies’ was in Sao Paulo, Brazil for the teaser launch at the Netflix Tudum event The main gang of seven including Agastya Nanda, Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Aditi Dot, Mihir Ahuja, Vedang Raina, and Yuvraj Menda, took to the stage to perform the song ‘Sunoh ’ Netflix shared a video of their stage performance on social media.

‘Anupamaa’ actor Aman Maheshwari is currently working on his international web series ‘Postcards ’ The actor has revealed that he was chosen as the producers were looking for an “Indian person who had a really good command of the English language ” He also shared several pictures from the sets this week

giving them all the love & being thier biggest inspiration U r not the only the biggest megastar but also the biggest superhero in ur c h i l d e r n ’ s l i f e L O V E U G O D

SRK,” wrote one “Happy Father’s Day sweet dad Love to you and your family,” commented another

‘The Archies’ is a coming-ofage, live-action musical based on t h e c h a r a c t e r s o f t h e p o p u l a r A m e r i c a n c o m i c s o f t h e s a m e

is billed as a coming-of-age story that will introduce the teenagers o f R i v e r d a l e , a f i c t i o n a l h i l l station, to a new generation in India, the streamer said

The 1 16 minute trailer was released at Netflix's live global event Tudum with an audience of over 10,000 cheering on ground i n S a o P a u l o , B r a z i l , o n l a t e S a t u r d a y n i g h t A f t e r t h e f i r s t look, the lead cast was introduced o n s t a g e b y M a i t r e y i Ramakrishnan from the popular Netflix series ‘Never Have I Ever ’

T h e c a s t i n c l u d e s A d i t i D o t ,

Agastya Nanda, Khushi Kapoor, M i h i r A b u j a , S u h a n a K h a n ,

V e d a n t a R a i n a , a n d Y u v r a j

Menda

Akhtar shared the trailer on h e r o f f i c i a l I n s t a g r a m a c c o u n t with a caption that said, “Are you r e a d y t o g o b a c k i n t i m e ?

The video shows Khushi in an o r a n g e a n d w h i t e k n e e - l e n g t h dress, Suhana in a printed white shirt worn with a short brown dress and black tights, Agastya in a striped white T-shirt, grey pants and dark grey jacket, Aditi in a skirt-top and a half sweater while Mihir is in a printed white shirt, black trousers with suspenders and a golf cap Netflix shared the video with the caption: “The Archies ka pehla (first) performance!! We have no words because they stole ‘ em all ” Reacting to it, a fan wrote, “I'm telling you these kids could be the next popular gang after Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na ” Another said, “The song, the dance and this gang!!”

O n e m o r e s a i d , “ W h a t a p e r f o r m a n c e ” “ I j u s t h a v e t o o many expectations from the tiger baby gang!!! Aaaah! Can’t wait,” r e a d y e t a n o t h e r c o m m e n t A p e r s o n a l s o c o m m e n t e d , “ T h i s song is literally the music version of (flower) emoji ” S o m e p e o p l e h o w e v e r a l s o s l a m m e d t h e v i d e o f o r t h e presence of star kids and called the f i l m f o r ‘ n e p o t i s m ’ S o m e a l s o c a l l e d i t a “ s c h o o l a n n u a l d a y dance”

Shweta Bachchan shared the video on her Instagram Stories and w r o t e , “ T h e c u t e s t g a n g ” w i t h h e a r t e m o t i c o n s H e r d a u g h t e r

Navya Nanda shared a video of A g a s t y a t h a n k i n g t h e a u d i e n c e a f t e r t h e p e r f o r m a n c e a n d captioned it, “Junior” with a heart and emotional face emoji

J a n h v i K a p o o r t o o k t o Instagram Stories to react to the teaser She wrote, “This looks so exciting! I can't wait What a fun world you guys have created, it's going to be magic And my baby Khushi Kapoor I love you can I bite your cheeks I miss you ”

‘The Archies’ teaser has been received well by the audience and is all about rock n roll, friendship, l o v e , f r e e d o m , h e a r t b r e a k a n d rebellion Set in the year 1964, it is a coming-of-age musical following the lives of Riverdale's favourite set of teenagers, seen through the lens o f t h e u n i q u e A n g l o - I n d i a n community

S h a r i n g t h e p i c t u r e s o n Instagram, he wrote, "Bts from the s e r i e s # p o s t c a r d s W i t h t h e l e g e n d s @ h a m i s h a d a r y a n i a h u j a @mofedamijo #webseries #netflix # a c t o r s # a m a n m a h e s h w a r i #international #shooting #africa # i n d i a " H e i s s e e n p o s i n g f o r some pictures with Richard MofeDamijo behind the camera He is also seen giving a few shots with him and other co-stars Talking about how he landed a role in ‘Postcards,' Aman said in an interview, "They were looking for an Indian person who had a really g o o d c o m m a n d o f t h e E n g l i s h language, and one of the celebrity s t y l i s t s w h o s a l s o m y f r i e n d recommended my name to the makers, and that's how I bagged this project ”

The actor said the project was a “ c o l l a b o r a t i o n o f I n d i a n a n d A f r i c a n v a l u e s ” S h a r i n g h i s e x p e r i e n c e o f w o r k i n g o n t h e show, he said, "The cast is huge and includes some of the bestknown names in world cinema A n d m y b o n d i n g b e c a m e v e r y amazing with the entire star cast and I have made a strong bond with each one of them but the one w i t h w h o m I e n j o y e d a l o t w o r k i n g w i t h i s M o f e - D a m i j o The makers and especially our director Hamisha Daryani Ahuja, are very chilled out, as they let me be free to perform and didn't force anything on me, due to which I have given only one take for each of shot, for which I was praised a lot by the directors As a result, this was a plus for me ”

Aman recently joined the cast of ‘Anupamaa ’ He plays a dancer in Gurukul run by Apara Mehta's Malti and portrays grey shades

Historic doubles title for Satwik and Chirag

I nd i a ’ s d yn a m i c du o of Sa tw i k s ai r a j R a n ki r e dd y a n d Chirag Shetty scripted history by winning the men ’ s doubles titl e at the In done si a Ope n, becoming the first pai r from the c ountry to claim a Super 1000 event in Jakarta

The Indians outwitted the M a l a y s i a n w o r l d c h a m p i o n duo of Aaron Chia and Soh W o o i Y i k 2 1 - 1 7 , 2 1 - 1 8 i n a n intense contest that lasted 43 minutes

“We had prepared very well for this event We knew the crowd will be supporting us T h e y h a v e s u p p o r t e d u s a l l week This has been amazing week for us We played amazing b a d m i n t o n t o d a y W e d i d n ’ t have good head-to-head record against them, so wanted to play

o n e p o i n t a t a t i m e a n d i t fetched the result for us, ” said Satwiksairaj after the match S a t w i k s a i r a j a n d C h i r a g g a i n e d i n i t i a t i v e m i d w a y t h r o u g h t h e f i r s t g a m e a n d they never really gave a sniff to their fancied opponents since then

In the second game as well, the Indian pair did not allow their opponents to break free and a four-point streak kept them ahead of the curve

The Indians seemed to be in for a facile victory when the M a l a y s i a n s n u l l i f i e d f o u r match points to come within s n i f f i n g d i s t a n c e o f t h e i r opponents

However, Satwiksairaj and Chirag, the world No 6 pair, who won a gold medal at the

AUSTRALIA WIN FIRST ASHES TEST IN THRILLING FINALE

B i r m i n g h a m C o m m o n w e a l t h Games and bronze at the world championships last year, could not be denied when the score read 20-18 in their favour, and this time they converted the m a t c h p o i n t

5 0 0 , S 7 5 0 a n d S 1 0 0 0 events from the country

Archery WC: Abhishek wins gold

Abhishe k Ve rma a dde d a g old m e d a l t o In d i a ’ s t a l l y b y cli nchi ng the to p prize i n the m e n ’ s co m p o u n d i n d i v i d u a l f inal at th e W orld Cup Stag e 3 a t Me de llin, Colombia The 33y ea r-o ld Abh ishek, wi nner of t he comp ound te am gold and a n indi vi dua l silv er at the 2014 I nc h e o n A si a n G a m e s , d ef ea ted James L utz of USA 14 8-14 6 A b h i s h e k , t h e m u l t i p l e

World Cup gold medallist, who is making a comeback after missing the first two stages of

Bhavani wins historic bronze in Asian fencing

Indian fencin g ’ s torch-b eare r CA

B havani D evi made history on Monday , ba gging the country ’ s f ir s t -e v e r me d a l a t t h e A s ia n F e n ci n g C h a mp io n sh ip s T he Chen nai Olympian won a b ronze a t th e pr e sti gio us to urn a me nt b eing held in Wux i, China this y ear Bhava ni stunned Wor ld No 1 Misaki Emur a of Ja pa n 15 -10 in t he women ’ s sabre q ua rter final s t o g ua r a n t e e I n di a ’ s m a id e n meda l at the eve nt T h e 2 9 - y e a r - o l d B h a v a n i e d g e d p a s t D o s p a y K a r i n a o f Kazakhstan 15-13 in the round of 32 before getting the better of World No 40 and third seed Seri Ozaki of Japan 15-11 in the prequarterfinal match-up She went one step ahead and b e a t t h e r e i g n i n g w o r l d

c h a m p i o n M i s a k i i n t h e quarterfinals - her first win over the Japanese in four meetingsbefore suffering a narrow 15-14 l o s s t o U z b e k i s t a n ’ s Z a y n a b

Deyibekova Talking about her s u c c e s s f u l r u n , B h a v a n i s a i d : “ S o m e t i m e s w e f o r g e t t h e rankings of the opponents and look at them simply as fencers I knew my match against Misaki w o u l d b e t o u g h , b u t I w a s desperate to fight and reach the podium For that I changed my s t r a t e g y a n d f o u n d t h e r i g h t distance, timing and movement

A l l t h a t w o r k e d r e a l l y w e l l ”

Bhavani was expecting to make t h e f i n a l , b u t f e l l a g o n i z i n g l y

close But this bronze will boost her confidence to bring laurels to the country

t h e W o r l d C u p , h a d earlier stunned world No 1 a n d t o p s e e d M i k e S c h l o e s s e r o f t h e Netherlands 148-148 (10*10) in a thrilling shoot off t o a d v a n c e t o t h e individual semifinal T h e e i g h t h - s e e d e d V e r m a t h e n d e f e a t e d

Luccas Abreu of Brazil in t h e l a s t - f o u r c l a s h , w h i c h helped him secure a place in

the final This is Abhishek’s t h i r d i n d i v i d u a l W o r l d C u p gold, and his first since the 2021 Paris leg He had won his maiden individual World Cup gold in Wroclaw (Poland) in 2015 He also has two silver and a b r o n z e i n t h e i n d i v i d u a l section of the World Cup W i t h t h i s p e r f o r m a n c e , A b h i s h e k j o i n s P r a t h a m e s h J a w k a r a t t h e S e p t e m b e r ’ s finals in Mexico

Chopra to compete in Lausanne leg of Diamond League

World No 1 j avel in throwe r Ne e r a j C h op r a , w h o i s r e co v e r i n g f r o m a mu s c l e s tra in , i s lik e ly to re tur n to action for the si xth stage of the W a n d a D i a m o n d L e a g u e i n Laus ann e on Jun e 30 Ther e h a s b e e n n o o f f i c i a l co n f i rm a t i o n f r o m t h e reig nin g Olympic cha mpi on as yet, b ut the off icial w ebs ite of t h e co m pe t i t i on s a i d t h e In dian w ill be see n in action in the month -en d meet “I n the j a v e l i n , C h o p r a w i l l b e cha llenge d by the C ze ch Jakub Va d le j ch a n d Ge rma n Jul i an Webe r, ” the w ebs ite has sta ted Chopra had announced on Twitter last month that he had

sustained a muscle strain during h i s t r a i n i n g a n d , a s a precautionary measure, he had pulled out of the FBK Games in the Netherlands (June 4) and the Paavo Nurmi meet in Finland (June 13) The 25-year-old is also out of action in the ongoing N a t i o n a l I n t e r - S t a t e S e n i o r

A t h l e t i c s C h a m p i o n s h i p s i n Bhubaneswar H e a l s o h a s a s c h e d u l e d tournament at the Golden Spike Ostrava in the Czech Republic

o n J u n e 2 7 b u t a n o f f i c i a l announcement is awaited The 25-year-old had won the Doha Diamond League on May 5 with a throw of 88 67m, capping off a perfect start to the season

Delhi cops charge ex-WFI chief with molestation and stalking

Delhi Police c harge d former W re stling F ederation of India p r e s id e nt B ri j B h u s h a n Sh aran Singh with m olestat i o n, s t a l k i ng , a n d s e x u a l h a ra s s m e n t c h a r g e s Al o ng with a llegations of a batem ent a nd c ri m i na l i nt i m i d a t i o n, V inod Tomar, Singh 's ass ocia te a nd th e suspe nd ed WFI a ssis ta nt s ecretary , has also been cha rg ed by the police with ide ntica l offence s

The six accusations made by the wrestlers were combined into a single FIR by the

police, but their chargesheet, according to sources, outlines t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n a n d s u pporting evidence in each case s e p a r a t e l y I n a d d i t i o n t o some photographic evidence, c o r r o b o r a t i n g s t a t e m e n t s , and technical proof in one or t w o s i t u a t i o n s , t h e chargesheet was filed P o l i c e f i l e d t h e i r f i n a l r e p o r t r u n n i n g i n t o 1 , 5 0 0 p a g e s b e f o r e t h e c o u r t o f additional chief metropolitan magistrate Deepak Kumar at the Rouse Avenue court last

week The court will take up the matter for consideration on June 22

The charges against Singh carry a maximum five-year sentence, which is one of the r e a s o n s t h e p o l i c e c l a i m e d they did not arrest him

An investigator said, “The c h a r g e s h e e t a g a i n s t B r i j Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar has been filed without their arrest according to the guidelines issued b y t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t i n ‘Arnesh Kumar versus State

Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon produced a heroic rearguard action with the bat to deny England s late charge and win the first Ashes Test for Australia on a rain-hit final day at Edgbaston The final day s play did not get under way until 2 15 pm due to early rain and a wet outfield When play began, Stuart Broad removed the nightwatchman, Scott Boland, and Moeen Ali defied a painful blister to conjure the wicket of Travis Head for 16 The wind was initially with the hosts, but they could not find a way to disrupt Usman Khawaja’s concentration as he led Cameron Green in an unbroken stand worth 40 Australia reached the tea break at 183 for five, needing 98 more runs for victory After the resumption, the duo at the crease continued to frustrate England before Ollie Robinson struck to remove Green for 28 Australia whittled down their target to 72 before Ben Stokes removed Khawaja for 65 the captain s leg-cutter forcing his previously immovable opponent to drag on to his stumps The home crowd sensed the game shifting with Alex Carey surviving an lbw review and an admittedly tough dropped catch from Joe Root in the same over Root made amends soon after, this time holding on to Carey s drive off his own bowling Two more wickets were needed, but with Stokes refusing the second new ball Cummins struck a pair of sixes to bring the target down to 30 runs England then took the new ball but Cummins and Lyon kept the scoreboard moving with bold shots and decision-making Broad came within a whisker of finding Cummins’ outside edge –drawing an appreciative smile from the Australia captain – but Lyon then clipped Broad to the boundary, bringing the target to single figures Victory was sealed when Cummins (44 not out) flicked Robinson away for another four runs sparking wild celebrations among the tourists

INDIA, PAKISTAN TO CLASH AT SAFF CHAMPIONSHIP

of Bihar’ judgment wherein the SC has laid down the law regarding the arrest of the accused, more particularly in o f f e n c e s p u n i s h a b l e u p t o seven years ”

“Also, the accused joined the probe and cooperated in the investigation Further, no recovery or discovery of facts was to be made from them or a t t h e i r i n s t a n c e T h e i r a d d r e s s e s a r e a l s o v e r i f i e d and there was no likelihood of them escaping the trial,” the official added

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Local Organising Committee (LOC) have received confirmation from the Pakistan Football Federation that India and Pakistan will play in a highly anticipated match at the SAFF Championship here on June 21 in Bengaluru “The team is expected to travel from Mauritius and will land in India on June 18 From Mumbai the team will take a connecting flight to Bengaluru and is expected to reach here on Sunday night,” SAFF project director and KSFA general secretary M Satyanarayan told the media With Pakistan’s late confirmation, the stage is set for full-fledged action as AIFF hadn’t planned on a replacement “Football fans are eagerly looking forward to the action at the Kanteerava and tickets sales which began a few days back are on ” the official said adding: “Nepal and Bangladesh are arriving on soon ” After much difficulty Pakistan s participation in the South Asian tournament was finally allowed after the squad received approval from the foreign and interior ministries of Pakistan, who had already approved their journey for the four-nation cup in Mauritius The Indian government had previously been cited in the media as having approved inviting Pakistan Pakistan who is in Group A, will play Kuwait on June 24 and Nepal on June 27 following their match against India on June 21 In order to assure proper security, the tournament organisers announced they would meet with Bengaluru police

Abhishek Verma

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy