Asian Voice

British Punjabis FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE 2010 launch will be televised

by B4U music (SKY 781) on Sunday, 8th August 2010 @ 6.30pm, in

“The Talk of the Town”.

DONT’S MISS! VOL 39. ISSUE 14

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Pakistan Prez in UK on personal agenda?

Zardari to do some counter plain talking with Cameron

As British Prime minister David Cameron ruffled the feathers of Pakistani authorities during his visit to India last week, Asif Ali Zardari is in London to do some plain talk with

Cameron over his remarks on Pakistan exporting terrorism to Afghanistan, India and the world.

Officially, the aim of Zardari’s visit is to challenge Cameron on his

He will address a PPP rally in Birmingham on Saturday

Karachi in flames, 47 killed Violence after MQM leader shot dead Karachi, the port city of Pakistan plunged into violence after unknown gunmen shot dead MQM leader and member of the Sindh provincial assembly, Syed Raza Haider on Monday. 47 people were killed and more than 125 were injured in the riots. Protests engulfed the city late on Monday and Tuesday as infuriated mobs torched vehicles, shops and homes. The police and the paramilitary forces were struggling to bring the situation under control.

Continued on page 24

Asif Ali Zardari

Pakistan remarks. But his programme in UK includes addressing a rally in Birmingham. The aim is to launch his son Bilawal into politics. The 21 year

old Oxford University graduate is already the chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party.

Zardari is facing these allegations of a personal agenda as his detractors have claimed that even as Pakistan is reeling under the worst floods in a long time.

Continued on page 24

UK firm under scanner for dubious CWG deals AM Films provided services for the Baton relay without any contract After reports of alleged delays and poor quality of work at the stadiums in New Delhi where the Commonwealth Games are to be staged from October, irregularities have been reported involving a UK firm owned by person of Indian, Gujarati origin.

AM Films was made huge payments by the organising committee of the CWG. While IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi claimed that the firm was given the work on recommendation by the Indian High Commission in London, the High Commission has denied of any such recommendation.

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Later, as Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the OC produced an email by Ravi Sebastian, a junior official of the Indian High Commission, the mission said it will come out with details on the issue in due course.

AM Vehicle Hire Limited is the name registered with the ROC in UK and as per details available here, the company owes substantial dues to the UK government for VAT and other taxes. The company has also filed for bankruptcy last month, according to TIMES NOW, Indian TV news channel.

Continued on page 24

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Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

one to one Keith Vaz MP with

Helen Grant MP Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald Helen became the Member of Parliament for Maidstone and the Weald in the General Election of 2010, taking over from the Rt Hon Anne Widdecombe MP. Helen, a qualified solicitor, was elected by her peers as one of only five Conservative MPs to serve on the 12 member House of Commons Justice Select Committee, which scrutinises the policy, administration, and spending of the Ministry of Justice. Throughout her professional career Helen has also developed a deep knowledge of the issues surrounding domestic violence. It is an issue that is close to her heart, having spent many years protecting vulnerable women and children in her family law practice in Croydon. Helen is married to Simon, also a solicitor, and is a mother of two teenage boys.

1) What inspired you to follow a political career?

In 2004, having been a businesswoman and a Family Lawyer for 16 years I was ready for a new challenge. I wanted to continue helping other people both as individuals but also on a broader scale. Becoming an MP offered that possibility in a unique way.

2) What are your proudest achievements?

My family, my legal practice, becoming selected as PPC and then elected as MP for Maidstone & the Weald.

3) What advice would you give to some-

5) Who has been the biggest influence on

your career to date?

David Cameron, for inspiring me to join the Conservative Party in 2006 and seek election as an MP.

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The diverse nature of the work and the interaction I have with so many people from all walks of

Home Office row over terror aide A top civil servant has suffered the consequences of criticising the home secretary over the banning of a controversial Muslim preacher.

7) And the worst?

I am yet to understand the need for such late night voting. The cost to the tax payer seems so unnecessary and the cost to MPs family lives is potentially disastrous.

I would perhaps feel better if someone could offer a good reason for this arcane practice.

8) If you were Prime Minister, what one thing would you change?

I would seek to do more to enable individuals to achieve, progress and to reach their full potential whoever they are, and wherever they are from, if they choose to do so.

one wishing to pursue a career in politics today?

Generally I would say build on your strengths and identify and deal with your weaknesses. Always stay determined, don’t shy away from a challenge and don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.

4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?

The overall process of becoming an MP, following what was a late political awakening for me, has been a huge learning curve.

life. One day I might be dealing with individuals’ needs in the constituency, and another could be working on national policy ideas or holding a government department to account.

9) If you could invite anyone, dead or alive to a dinner party, who would you invite?

Benjamin Disraeli.

He was my most famous MP predecessor in Maidstone & the Weald and a man whose life I really enjoyed studying at school. I would love to ask him about his time in Maidstone, his spats with Gladstone and where some of his socially compassionate ideas sprang from.

A senior adviser to Theresa May, the home secretary, on Islamic extremism was suspended after criticising her for “a huge error of judgment” over her wish to bar radical preachers from Britain.

A disciplinary inquiry was launched after court papers showed Sabin Khan, the adviser, had allegedly let slip that she and another top aide were “gutted and mortified” by May’s (pictured) decision to ban a controversial Muslim preacher from Britain.

Khan, a key figure in the Office for Security and C o u n t e r - Te r r o r i s m (OSCT), was suspended after being challenged by officials about the documents, which suggested that she and Charles Farr, her boss, had privately criticised the ban. At issue is May’s decision in June to ban Zakir Naik, a controversial Indian-born preacher who appears on his satellite channel, Peace TV.

The bank that offers 'technology with human touch' launches online fixed rate bond

By Rupanjana Dutta The Bank of Baroda formally launched their new online Fixed Rate Bond "Baroda MAX" at a fantastic floating venue near Temple. On Monday 2nd August, at HQS Wellington, in presence of Mr M D Mallya, Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Baroda, Mr S S Mundra, Chief Executive (European Operations) and Mr Lamba, Chief Executive (US Operation) and many other creme de la creme of the society, the sleek online service was launched with ultimate style.

The evening started with a cocktail reception the meet and greet session on the upper deck, with a fantastic view of the city of London, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf on one side and the Houses of Parliament on the other.

After an hour of networking session, the crowd moved to the lower basement for the formal launch of 'Baroda MAX'.

with an introduction on the history of HQS Wellington by the ships captain Mr S S Mundra took upon the stage. As intelligent as he is, Mr Mundra explained how Bank of Baroda has gone through ups and downs in the current economic scenario, but proudly added how the team of Bank of Baroda has worked on its 4Ps- 'People, Products, Processes and Promotion' and excelled in making it a high street bank in the UK. Following Mr Mundra's speech, Mr M D Mallya said that the Bank of Baroda has grown from strength to strength in the last 102 years, with a team of 38000 people and customers in 26 countries.

He added that the Bank of Baroda in the UK has done exceedingly well under the able guidance of Mr S S Mundra. He congratulated the IT team of BoB for their brilliant service.

In the concluding speech Mr Mallya said, "BoB is offering technolo-

gy with human touch. We have attained the success in service industry by offering best to the customers, we have grown stronger on the relationship banking and we upheld our culture and traditions in a much larger way.

However, we have miles to go before a final success and we will attain it together."

Before the evening came to a close, Mr S S Mundra was given an informal farewell by the team. Mr Mundra who has been with the European operation for the last 2 and a half years is moving on (as the Executive Director of a public sector bank in India) and Mr Lamba was introduced as the future Chief Executive of the European Operation by Mr Mallya. This was followed by the launch of the chic online service for 'Baroda MAX'.

The evening ended with a lavish Indian dinner on the upper most deck of HQS Wellington.

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

COMMENT

Cameron's home truths augur well for UK's place in the world Prime Minister David Cameron's visit to India has been an outstanding success. His persuasive manner, coupled with the forceful message that Britain was open for business, that the country's relationship with India was high on his list of priorities went down well with his hosts. It is said friends are lost by calling too seldom or too often. India has long been taken for granted by the good and the great in Whitehall. Under New Labour's Gordon Brown-David Miliband dispensation, the Indo-British relationship was put into cold storage. Pakistan and China were high up their radar screen. Mr Cameron, within 10 weeks of taking office, promises to do things differently. Although the US and the EU will continue to occupy the heart of British foreign policy, there is to be a more nuanced approach to the subject, one that permits creative space for re-energised British ties with India.

Mr Cameron has clearly done his homework. While India is still on its developmental long march, there are robust signs of a future of increasing hope and allround prosperity. India is no longer simply a source of cheap call centres, but an unfolding high-tech source and manufacturing hub, of entrepreneurial skills and investment capabilities that are making an impact in Britain itself. This surely is a platform on which to build the 21st century Indo-British relationship. India has its myriad social problems, of which poverty is the most pressing. This cannot be alleviated as quickly as one would wish, but this isn't the whole India story.

The country is on a roll with a raft of exciting developments.

Mr Cameron's decision to visit India with senior cabinet colleagues and a large delegation of business executives is a sure sign of his desire to catch some of the favourable winds that are changing the face of the second most populous nation in the world. Speaking at the Infosys campus in Bangalore, the Prime Minister said: “There is an energy and passion about this place that I have to say I find completely aweinspiring....So why is your country important for Britain's future? The most obvious reason is economic...the Indian tiger has been uncaged and its power can be felt around the world. You feel it in the fantastic new airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad, in Mumbai's Bandra-Worli Sea Link, the Delhi metro, and in Delhi's stunning new airport terminal....”

The Sunday Times Focus page (August 1) gave pride of place to Business Secretary Vince Cable's visit to heart surgeon and philanthropist Devi Shetty's Bangalore-based Narayana Hrudalaya health complex.

“It is an assembly line for infant cardiac surgery: 40 surgeons operate on 30 hole-in-the-heart children a day, with plans to do 100. In American hospitals the procedure costs from $50,000 (£32,000), but here it is $1,600, and Shetty wants to make it $100,” explained the report.

Peering into her crystal ball, Kiran MazumdarShaw, the biotechnology tycoon, raised the bar: “I don't see why we can't have NHS accredited wards to

make it an option for British patients to come for treatment,” she said. Mr Shetty and his colleagues “have their eyes on the £100 billion a year Britain spends on its state health service.”

Vince Cable, after his visit, remarked: “We could learn a lot from them.”

All this was part of the latest British experience in India. The material advances the Prime Minister's party witnessed were impressive, “But,” said Mr Cameron, “this country matters to Britain for many reasons beyond your economy. With over 700 million voters and three million elected representatives at council level, your democracy is a beacon to our world.You have a wonderful tradition of democratic secularism, home to dozens of faiths and hundreds of languages, people are free to be Muslim, Hindu or Sikh and to speak Marathi, Punjabi or Tamil. But at the same time, and without any contradiction, they are all Indian too.”

Mr Cameron's allusion to the role of Pakistan groups playing it both ways and exporting terrorism to India, Britain and other countries near and far has provoked heated controversy in the UK and, of course, in Pakistan!

He has understood the essence of the threat to India and other democratic societies. The controllers of terror wish to destroy the fabric of democracy and the rule of law and replace this with a medievalist theocracy.

Engagement with Pakistan is necessary, as advocated by the Financial Times and other newspapers, but Islamabad and its administrative arms have an obligation to control these elements, which they have not done rigorously enough. The US and UK are Pakistan's largest aid-givers. They surely have a right to make known their concerns to the Pakistan's rulers when they feel this to be necessary. Keeping quiet is likely to send the wrong message. As British Prime Minister, Mr Cameron is expected to speak his mind in the national interest. International relations have to be governed by norms of transparency and frankness.

Mr Cameron has nothing to apologise about in his talks with Pakistani leaders. William Rees-Mogg, in his Times column, explains this well: “Pakistan is vital to the Afghanistan campaign, but this does not mean that David Cameron was wrong to speak frankly about the reliability of Pakistan as a partner in the war against terror....It is no use Pakistan taking offence at the Prime Minister pointing out what he and the [Pakistani] ISI know to be the truth. What Mr Cameron said was not an indiscretion or a 'gaffe'. It was part of a policy of telling the truth, as a calculated way of bringing awkward issues closer to the point of decision. Many people seem to believe that diplomats, including prime ministers, should in all circumstances avoid giving offence to other nations, even when there is an open sore in existing relations. Mr Cameron has taken the opposite line....”

He is proving to be a leader to the manner born.

Puzzling “Asian” reactions to Cameron statement David Cameron's critical remarks in India on the export of terrorism from Pakistan to India and beyond have clearly raised the hackles of a notable group of British Asians including Labour peer Lord Ahmed, Labour MP Khalid Mahmood, The Independent columnist Yasmin Alibhai Brown are furious that the Prime Ministers words were uttered on Indian soil. If he had spoken out in, say, the South Pole, before an audience of penguins, seals and polar bears, his speech would have passed with-

out too much fuss or bother. India lent an incendiary dimension to the affair. Their primordial outburst would be better understood in Pakistan, but these individuals claim to be British and hopefully appreciate that any occupant of 10 Downing Street must accord prime place to the British national interest. This applies equally to British Indians who cannot make politics in India their first priority in the UK. It's a point deserving of close critical scrutiny.

UK banks back in profit The latest balance-sheets of the top UK banks – HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, RBS and Northern Rock – are back in profit. Of these high street banks only HSBC, the bulk of whose profits originate in Asia, and Barclays too, didn't benefit from a government bailout. The others were beneficiaries of the British taxpayers' money. What passes understanding is why these banks continue to be so shy of lending to small and medium size businesses, even as bank bosses pay themselves huge bonuses.

However, certain overseas banks have been making waves. The Daily Telegraph's Emma Simon notes, “The providers are a curious mix of Indian banking giants, smaller independent banks, European conglomerates and specialist providers and venture capitalists. But all have the same aim: to grab a slice of the market by offering savers a decent return on their

money.”

The rates are attractive: Bank of Baroda is paying 4 pc on a five-year bond, both Aldermore and ICICI Bank are paying more than 4pc. However, some customers may be reluctant to tie up their money with institutions they have never previously heard of, which do not have a reassuring presence on every British high street. Bank of Baroda understands this well. It has launched a sleek online service earlier in the week at a prize location in London with a superb view of the City, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and the Houses of Parliament. Chairman and Managing Director, M.D. Mallya, Chief of Executive, European Operations, S.S.Mundra, introduced the bank and its work.They recognised the promise of the British market, but acknowledged that there was much more to be done.

www.abplgroup.com

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Thought for the Week Enthusiastic people are the ones who actually get things done in this world.

Enthusiasm is what turns any idea into reality. And enthusiasm is linked closely with happiness.

- Roy Sheppard (1998)

Sarah Teather MP Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East

Parties working together can bring real change for children With the parliamentary session drawing to a close and MPs returning to their constituencies, now is a good time to reflect on the first few months of the new coalition government. For me personally, as an education minister, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to implement some of the policies that I have spent years fighting for.

Education is the best way to help someone get on in life, get a good job, and learn about the world.

It is through education that we can best tackle the shameful gap between rich and poor that grew under Labour. As you may remember, I wrote in Asian Voice earlier this year about the Liberal Democrat plan to target extra schools money at the pupils who need it the most.

I was therefore really pleased to announce that, from next year, schools taking disadvantaged children will get the additional money they need to provide extra support. This money could be used to cut class sizes so that children get more individual attention; provide one to one tuition and classes in the evenings; and set teachers free to spend more time in the classroom.

Astonishingly, in our negotiations with Labour they refused to back this policy designed to support the most vulnerable in our society.

Under

Labour, our tax system took most from those who have the least; the best way to predict a child’s future was to look at their parent’s income and our civil liberties were attacked or swept aside.

Change was long overdue, and there are many Liberal Democrat ideas being introduced in government.

The Conservatives have accepted our plans to make the tax system fairer for ordinary people, by raising the income tax threshold.

There will be a referendum on a fairer voting system. ID cards have been abolished, children will no longer be held in detention centres, and pensions will finally rise in line with earnings.

Coalition does means that politicians in all parties will have to make compromises and will have to talk to each other and negotiate to get things done. But I believe this is a positive development. All too often politicians have retreated into party politics and refused to work with each other for the good of the country.

I have seen the benefits of working together in my own role in education. It’s only by working with other parties that Liberal Democrats really do have a chance to start turning around the life chances of disadvantaged children and making Britain a fairer place to live.

ASIAN VOICE is published by Asian Business Publications Ltd Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, (Off Coronet Street) London N1 6HW. Tel: 020 7749 4080 Fax: 020 7749 4081 Email: aveditorial@abplgroup.com www: abplgroup.com © Asian Business Publications

YOUR VOICE

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Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Lovely City of Birmingham Wish you all to know about our city of Birmingham.

Dear Mr Johnson Jubilee Line improvement works I am writing to you to express my continuing concern with the delay in completion for the upgrade works being carried out on the Jubilee Underground Line.

While everyone in Brent appreciates the need to upgrade the line, as you can imagine the weekend closures cause considerable disruption for local residents, especially when Jubilee Line closures are linked with Metropolitan Line closures.

Residents have watched with dismay as the completion date has been pushed further and further back. First from March 2009 to Easter 2010, then to October 2010 and now possibly beyond. Each time a further deadline is announced, local people know it will mean more rail replacement buses and more difficulties at weekends.

With this in mind and with the news that TfL are reviewing the timetable for works to gain a more accurate understanding of the likely timetable (beyond October 2010) and now that Tubelines has come in house and is under your direct control at TfL, I am writing to invite you to visit Brent on the weekend of 24th / 25th July when both Jubilee and Metropolitan Lines are closed to accompany me on a journey on the rail replacement bus service. I hope this experience would enable you to understand first-hand how local residents experience the works. My hope in making this invitation is that a more detailed understanding on your part will steel your resolve to ensure the upgrade works are not subject to further, unnecessary delay.

Birmingham, the heart of England is a real beauty. Elders of all ages and races talk in the parks. Children of all castes meet in Canon Hill Park. Teachers guard and guide them playing and enjoying.

Children help them and respect them, one and all. Even police watch and help all individuals and direct them inside the train which takes all kids on a big ride.

Markets and shops are full of novelties. Plants and flowers beautify the whole place. Baskets and plants beautify the city around. Vegetables, plants and flowers grow in all gardens. Dance halls, TV and videos make life amused a lot.

Parents sit and talk to children to show the interest. Holidays and Sundays proves picnics all over the garden.

Bungalows, flats and houses look all right everywhere. Barbers, shoemakers, laundries and saloons all over. Lights and decoration look attractive all night. Party halls and hotels and cinemas are full of balloons.

No underground trains, no long distance walks. Keeps the family united as forks. No drugs, not going alone at nights makes young, old and babies love to be in homes. Use bicycles in summer and winter and umbrellas in rain.

Moving fantastic without any more pains.

Come one, come all as now you know the city of Birmingham. We shall welcome you with love and smiles and wait for your visits. Please come – come soon, we shall wait for your visit.

I look forward to your positive response and to welcoming you to Brent.

Kavita Mehta Birmingham

Yours Sincerely

Praise for Swami Ramdev

Cllr Daniel Brown Liberal Democrat Councillor for Alperton Ward Spokesman for Highways and Transportation

Panellists gather for discussions Dr Maleeha Lodhi's comments on Kashmiri youths demonstrations, confirms as to who is responsible for having bruised, hurt and wounded the hearts of people of Kashmir, in the name of Islam.

Confidentially it affirms that while the Government of India offered favour, protection, and fairness with the rest of Indian citizens, Dr Maleeha Lodhi advertises how easy it is to subvert the innocent community of Kashmir, by intoxicating with falsehood and false-hopes, posting alcohol, drugs and blue movies to corrupt good morals and get them scattered like falling autumn leaves. Where is this practice approved in the Qur'an?

In the court of justice, India stands vindicated while the evil as a spanner in the stability of Kashmir as demonstrated

by Dr Maleeha Lodhi, vilified.

Democracy does not have the right to turn everything upside down. Rights and responsibility go hand in hand, as knowledge and experience.

Vithala London

FIRST & FOREMOST ASIAN WEEKLY IN EUROPE

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People to learn English I fully support that people who wish to settle in Britain should be able to speak and write English. But putting this condition only for people from non EU countries does not feel justified. Many Doctors come from EU countries and do not understand English, thus put the lives of British people under great risk.

Recently a person died due to this reason and may be more on the way. The lame excuse that we have treaty with Europeans countries does not mean any thing. People who wish to settle in any country should be able to communicate in local language.

But there should always be exceptions in law particularly for very old people. They may not be able to learn the local language due to their age. I hope our new young leaders are able to understand the situation. I would therefore request the government to take all considerations in account before they start making changes in rules.

Dharam Sahdev Ilford

Please detach the form and send it with your payment or credit card instructions to address below

Mr Mistry’s praise for Swami Ramdev is admirable. Pujya Randev is intellectual teacher-warrior prescribed by Swami Vivekananda.

Criticism of Hindu gurus is unfair.

Many countries clamour and invite educated Hindu gurus to teach Hinduism to youth distracted by glitter of other religions. We must appreciate global spread of Hinduism.

Many gurus provide free food, housing, health, educational and welfare services to poor peoples around their ashrams.

Gurus are spreading Yoga, meditation, ahimsa, ayurveda without begging from any charities and asking anyone to become Hindus. UNO has included Hindu gurus in its peace promoting forum.

Hindus should know about international scholars (gurus) of Hinduism viz David Frawley, Francois Gautier, Frank Morales, Conrad Elst, Stephen Knapp, Ching Hai of Taiwan, Bhagvan Gidwani etc.

To supplement such preachings of gurus, Hindus should read Gujarat Samachar, Asian Voice in the UK., and many similar publications in India and abroad. Parents must send their children to gurus to learn, discuss and implement Hindu values.

Ramesh Jhalla Via Email

UK EUROPE WORLD 1 Year £25 £55 £70 2 Years £45 £100 £125 £225 £300 *5 Years £110 £450 £550 *10 Years £200

MPs should be allowed to speak in Tamil in Parliament Union minister for chemical and fertilizers M.K. Alagiri has faced with a peculiar situation in Parliament owing to his inability to speak well in English and Hindi. The lack of facility for translation from Tamil to English had kept the minster from both the Lok sabha and Rajya Sabha during question time. The opposition parties including BJP had shown their ignorance by criticism and passing jibes at him for failing to turn up at the parliament to answer question as the fertilizer minster.

Tamil is spoken by more than 100 million people all over the world and more than 70 million Tamils live in Tamilnadu.

When MPs from Hindi speaking areas speak only in Hindi, there is no harm in allowing Chidambaram or Alagiri to speak in Tamil if they want to.

Sonia Gandhi who comes from Italy and also leader of the UPA government should know that in European parliament, members speak in German, English, French, Italian and so on and provided with simultaneous translation in different European languages. This is the case in International conferences held in Europe.

UPA government has failed to allocate few lakhs of rupees for translators for Tamil or any regional language for nonHindi speaking Lok Sabha members who want to speak in their mother tongue. I consider this is against Human Rights In Britain Asians who do not speak English are provided with translators in different languages in hospitals ,courts, schools and so on. It is time for the Indian government to wake up which boasts a country which has advanced IT technology and provide translators in different regional languages if the members want.

Arun Vaidyanathan Via Email

People to learn English I fully support that people who wish to settle in Britain should be able to speak and write English. But putting this condition only for people from non EU countries does not feel justified. Many Doctors come from EU countries and do not understand English, thus put the lives of British people under great risk.

Recently a person died due to this reason and may be more on the way. The lame excuse that we have treaty with Europeans countries does not mean any thing. People who wish to settle in any country should be able to communicate in local language.

But there should always be exceptions in law particularly for very old people. They may not be able to learn the local language due to their age. I hope our new young leaders are able to understand the situation. I would therefore request the government to take all considerations in account before they start making changes in rules.

Dharam Sahdev Ilford

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‘Smile Pinky’ too gets the Oscar Boyle says Mumbai dwarfed the statuette

!

(Off Coronet Street)

Cricket crazy Indians for the first time was seen so euphoric on Monday morning, as they expected a couple of Oscars. British Indians in the UK, Dharavi slums, the shanty township of Mumbai, a village in Uttar Pradesh and almost the entire Bollywood waited in expectation, glued to their TV sets. They burst into celebrations as one by one, their heroes, the actors of the British Indian film and the music maestro, A R Rahman bagged the top awards in the world of entertainment.

British actress Kate Winslett also won the Oscar after having missed it almost five times earlier.

‘Smile Pinki’, a short documentary on a cleft-lipped Indian girl in Uttar Pradesh directed

by American director Megan Mylan, won the Oscar for the Best Documentary (Short).

London N1 6HW

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Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

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UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Kapil’s

“Our London”

KHICHADI

CIIr Navin Shah AM London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow

by Kapil Dudakia - email: kapil@abplgroup.com

SAVE OUR SMALL SHOPS and bakeries.

Reasons for the scrutiny by the GLA were many fold in that there have been growing concerns about the viability of the local small shops confirmed by various analysis including the ‘All Parliamentary Small Shops Group’ report of 2006 indicating that small independent retailers could completely disappear from Britain’s streets by 2015. A report also suggests that the expansion of big stores has devastated small businesses. It’s been estimated that nationally between 1997 and 2002 independent stores were closing at the rate of 1 per day, and specialist stores at the rate of 50 per week.

The review conducted by the Planning and Housing Committee of the GLA started with the very fundamental question – what is the definition of small shop?

GLA Economics has suggested a small retailer is one that employs up to ten people but there are many other definitions and interpretations. Research by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea suggests a working definition should be floor space of less than 80m2 and this is the definition used in the work undertaken by our committee.

Our review has been to see what can be done through the planning systems operated both by the regional (strategic London wide) and local (Borough Council ) policies to support small, local and inde-

Feels quite strange writing this column on the importance of small shops and local high streets whilst holidaying in America - the land of ‘Wal-Mart’ and similar Hyper/Super Markets.

Its quite an experience going to the big Malls and Hyper Markets but if the local shops, local high streets and services are to be preserved it’s imperative that something is done soon otherwise there is a serious risk of our local streets becoming ghost towns particularly in the Outer London areas like Brent and Harrow.

Planning and Housing Committee of the London Assembly has scrutinised this matter and published a report examining both the way in which shopping patterns have radically changed in the last 40 or so years and made recommendations as to how the small local shops could be saved from total destruction.

With the advent of Super Markets the way we shop has been dramatically transformed. Weekend and late/all night shopping and reliance on car seems to have become a norm practically replacing the small corner shops. The emphasis has shifted from accessible local shopping parades to supermarkets located on the edge or out of town locations threatening the very existence of friendly ‘British’ shopping experience of local parades, within walking distance, with their distinctive character and a variety of shops like the butchers, green-grocers

David goes ‘Frank’ in India

pendent retailers and to regenerate local shopping parades. The approach also reflects Assembly Members’ and local councillors’ frustrations that the current planning policies do not give local elected representatives the tools they need to be able to support the viability of neighbourhood shops that serve the local communities.

In brief the report makes seven recommendation including the following 3 key recommendations: London boroughs should ensure their planning policies apply specifically to supporting small shops and neighbourhood shopping centres.

London’s Mayor during 2010 lobbies Government to amend the planning ‘Use Classes Order’ to sub divide the existing A1 Class to separate essential “retail” shop uses such as grocers, bakers, butchers, greengrocers and newsagents from other more “service” based uses in order that planning permission is required to change between them.

The Mayor in the London Plan should include guidance for local authorities to create a dedicated ‘town centre rejuvenation’ fund from Section 106 contributions they receive from large retail developments.

The details of the review and its full findings can be seen on the GLA’s website or email me on navin.shah@london.gov.uk

It seems David Cameron must have read KK of 24/7 in which I exposed the lie that Pakistan is living when it comes to terrorism. It was good to see a British Prime Minister, in India, saying “We cannot tolerate in any sense the idea that this country (Pakistan) is allowed to look both ways and is able, in any way, to promote the export of terror whether to India, whether to Afghanistan or to anywhere else in the world."

As usual Pakistan huffed and puffed with outrage, what a pity that we don’t see the same level of outrage when those terrorists are allowed to train and commit murderous crimes from within its own border.

The Prime Minster has seized the moment in time and place. He has in one simple statement connected with India, but just as important, also with Indians living in the UK. For all intents and purposes he now has the gift to proceed in the way he has started, and if so, no doubt he will gain tremendously from support at home as well as that of the Indian Government. The error would be if he were to allow a ‘Miliband’ moment to occur that totally undermines all his hard work.

The Tory Party will have to decide as a whole how it sees India and Indians. An unfortunate lapse in tone, or the appeasement of the Pakistani Government in any way, will brand the Prime Minister and the Party as traitors to their word. This is now serious and the question is, when

17,000 immigrants won right to stay on appeal Thousands of rejected immigrants are being allowed to stay in the UK because the Home Office is not bothering to defend the decision in the appeal courts. Immigrants whose applications to stay in the UK have been rejected are routinely winning appeals against the decisions - simply because no Home Office official has turned up at court to defend the rejection. More than 17,000 won appeals in such cases - a figure which stood at less than 1,500 just five years ago. In some

instances the Home Office has later decided to counterappeal the decision - a procedure that comes at a significant cost to the taxpayer.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, told a daily newspaper: ‘This is a shocking state of affairs.

‘It represents a waste of money.

‘I think in some cases they cannot be bothered to turn up because they look at the papers and know they are not going to win.

‘In other cases it is sheer inefficiency. There seems to be an attitude that they do not even care what the result is going to be.’

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David is being ‘frank’ on such core issues – will he stick by what he says?

The Tory Party will need to reflect on how it sees India. There will need to be a paradigm shift that inculcates a vision for decades to come that would allow Britain to grow on the back of economic juggernaut that is India. Let us all be ‘frank’ also, we need India more than she needs us.

And the sooner this reality check hits the nation, the better placed will we be in maximising the advantage of history, cultural ties and language.

Foot in Mouth Disease In contrast David Miliband put his foot in it again, by appearing to appease to the Pakistani position when he said, "If you want to tell it how it is, you need to know how it is. The lesson for David Cameron is clear: opposition is about chasing headlines but government is about doing the right thing." Well Mr Miliband I believe it was high time that someone from the British Government had the guts to say it, as it is and by doing so, it does become the right thing to do.

Duplicitous behaviour of many western governments, and the last Labour Government, has got us in this mess. It seems Mr Miliband has still not learnt his lesson that chasing the votes of the Pakistani community in Britain should not dictate a good and reasoned foreign policy.

Those who offer advice to the senior parliamentarians in the Labour group might wish to have a quite word and tell them bluntly, unless they change their ways, and quickly, that the Indian community is now on the cusp of wholesale movement away from the Labour party. Sometimes one has to smell the coffee and know what to do, and not wait for things to hit the fan.

Veil of Silence There has been much debate about the wearing of the Burkha and the Niqab both here in the UK and of course in Europe. It is now very likely that France and several European countries will indeed ban the wearing of these types of veils in some specific places. Our own Government has indicated that it has no plans or intentions to follow suit, though when asked, the response from the public appears to be increasingly on the side of the Europeans on this matter.

So what is this all about?

Aliah University in Calcutta is the first Muslim university in the state of West Bengal. Students at this university have declared that ALL female lecturers will henceforth have to wear the full Burkha before they are allowed to teach. Sirin Middya was one lecturer who was not going to stand for such a dictate from these militant students and refused. It has now been months and she has not been allowed to teach. The management of the University are so inept that they described the situation as a "stray incident" and appear to be doing nothing to protect the rights of not just the individual, but the integrity of an educational institution.

It seems you don’t need the Taliban to be in power to see such compulsion being forced on women. The Indian Government will need to wake up and take control over those who undermine not only the constitution of India, but the very fabric of society itself. India is on the verge of a meteoric rise on the world stage, with such rapid advances it will have to put right the ills in her society first.

From poverty, illiteracy, hunger, health to those who thrive on the extreme edge of what can be considered as suitable behaviour of a citizen of the country.

Today you force teachers to wear a Burkha, where will that end in years to come?

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Jacqui Smith bids for a top BBC job

Presents

7

2010

The 10th ASIAN ACHIEVERS AWARDS (AAA) 30th September 2010 NOMINATION FORM Jacqui Smith Ms Bharucha

Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has sparked fury by bidding for a top BBC job less than three months after her political career ended in disgrace.

The ex-cabinet minister, who famously charged taxpayers for the cost of watching two pornographic films, is lobbying to become vice-chairman of the BBC Trust.

The plum position pays £77,000 a year for a two-and-a-half-day week and also offers generous perks.

Ms Smith is hoping to replace the current vicechairman, Chitra

Bharucha, who is stepping down at the end of October Last month Ms Bharucha, who is deputy to Chairman Sir Michael Lyons, was at the centre of her own expenses furore when it was revealed that she had claimed back the cost of a Sky TV subscription from the BBC. It was part of more than £60,000 of claims made by the 12 members of the trust in just six months.

The Government is likely to be alarmed by news of Ms Smith’s bid at a time of growing friction between ministers and the BBC.

Drunken school bus driver might face jail A drunken school bus driver who sliced the roof off his double-decker shortly after dropping off children is facing jail.

Gurdeep Singh Sagoo (pictured), 49, of Middlesex, was allegedly almost three times over the drink-drive limit when he drove into a low bridge.

He had been on an all-night bender with friends 15 hours earlier and had just dropped 46 pupils home from Chalfonts Community College in Bucks.

His bus was 15ft tall but Sagoo allegedly ignored signs warning the upcoming bridge was under 13ft.

Shards of metal and glass were sent flying and the roof of the green bus was ripped off.

The prestigious Asian Achievers Awards is hosted every year by UK’s leading news weeklies Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar to honour British Asians par excellence. If there is someone you know who has broken boundaries and deserves recognition for their unique contribution to the community and the nation then please nominate them for one of the awards listed below.

Make sure that you fill in this application form and send it before the 20th August 2010 by post, fax or email to Mr. L George, email: aaa@abplgroup.com, Tel: 020 7749 4013 fax 020 7749 4081. If you are sending it by post the address is Mr. L George, ABPL Group, Unit 2, Karma Yoga House, 12 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HW.

The theme for this year Asian Achievers Awards is “British Asians Turning ADVERSITY into OPPORTUNITY through RESILIENCE, SACRIFICE and DETERMINATION”

Award Categories ●

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AAA Platinum Award for Business Person of the Year A Business Person who is a success in every sense of the word and can demonstrate a gen uine passion for social issues.

AAA Gold Award for Professional of the Year Professionals in any field who have scaled the heights of their chosen profession.

AAA Gold Award for Woman of the Year In recognition and honour of a woman who has made a significant mark in any chosen field.

AAA Gold Award for Sports Personality of the Year Awarded for excellence in sports.

AAA Gold Award for Achievement in Community Service In recognition of any individual’s service to community

●

●

● ●

AAA Gold Award for Young Entrepreneur of the Year Young entrepreneur with a proven track record of soperating a successful business. Must be aged below 35 yrs.

AAA Gold Award for Achievement in Media, Arts and Culture Someone who has made a mark in print and broadcast media, cinema, art and culture.

AAA Gold Award for Business in Community A business house that has made a demonstrable contribution to community.

AAA Gold Award for Uniformed and Civil Services Outstanding achievement in uniformed or civil services or contribution to the community through any of the above services.

Application Form Name of nominee Award category nominated under Present occupation/profession

Contact details (address/tel/email/fax)

It said, he was found to have 97mg of alcohol in his system when he was breathalysed - nearly three times the legal limit.

No one was hurt in the incident on May 12 and no children were on board at the time.

Sagoo, who had been working as a bus driver for five years, apparently admitted dangerous driving and drink-driving at east Berkshire magis-

Your name and contact details

Please explain briefly why you wish to nominate this person.

(Use a separate sheet)

To nominate online please visit www.asianachieversawards.com NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS a This is a unique event where readers nominate and an dependent panel of judges comprising of eminent personalities selects the winner. a Judges’ decision is final. ABPL Group will not entertain any dialogue with members of the public regarding the judging process. a In order to ensure a high degree of transparency and fairness, the management and members of the staff of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar will play no role in the nomination or judging process. a You can nominate yourself if you wish to. a Nominations and entries must follow the prescribed format and bear the signature of the applicant.

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Sponsored Charity

The bus that was ripped apart by Sagoo

After he was arrested, Sagoo told police he had forgotten he was driving a two-tier bus and thought it was a single decker, a daily newspaper reported.

trates' court.

He was banned from driving until sentencing at Reading Crown Court, on a date yet to set, and released on unconditional bail.

Event Managed by

Official Caterers

a You may use an additional sheet if the space provided is insufficient. a The winners will be announced at the AAA Awards ceremony on 30th September 2010. a Asian Voice, Gujarat Samachar will publish the names of the short listed candidates and winners after the event. They will also appear in our e-edition www.abplgroup.com a All nomination forms must reach our offices on or before the 20th August 2010.

Note: Any changes to the above including changes to the categories will be published giving sufficient notice to respondents.

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Dee Katwa

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Midland Voice Contact: Dhiren on 07970 911 386 or dhiren.katwa@abplgroup.com

Welcome to Email, Goodbye to Letters This week news that two Gulf states is to ban key features, including sending emails, on BlackBerry smart phones amid security fears has opened up debate. Email, it seems, has hijacked, to some extent, the ancient skill of letter-writing.

There is a world of difference between receiving a proper letter in a proper envelope written by hand and getting yet another email. And that’s exactly why I was particularly surprised, but equally delighted, to recently receive a letter from Asoke Mukerjee, the outgoing Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK, enclosed with a signed copy his new book, Valour and Sacrifice. Also a few weeks back, another rare hand-written letter dropped on my doormat.

It was from a well-wisher, author Dr Kusoom Vadgama, aged 77, a trustee of The Asha Centre.

On average, I receive around 500 emails every week. And whilst I do find email the most convenient and preferred method of communication, it can be fatuous, impersonal and random.

Emails are the curse of

modern communications, some say. For every worthwhile missive received you get dozens which are, one way or another, dire, dangerous or downright loathsome.

“Friends” you have never met send you alleged jokes or roundrobin ramblings begging you to forward the document or face 10 years of bad luck and have a child’s death on your hands. Bosses, colleagues, clients and rivals add you to their electronic mailing lists so that one afternoon spent out of the office requires three hours of trawling through junk to discover if anything important has happened in your absence.

Then, if you should have missed the vital email, you will find yourself caught out months later when some grinning idiot replies to your incredu-

Waste disposal, boss faces jail Arshad Mehmood, the owner of Birmingham-based Britannia Biodiesel Oils, is facing time behind bars after admitting to disposing of waste oils in a manner likely to cause pollution to the environment, reports the Birmingham Mail. Mehmood, 43, of Hall Green, had been part of an “explosion” of people who had recently become involved in the business of making alternative energy sources.

However, he had not made any profit out of it and had subsequently sold his business. Judge Peter Carr, at Birmingham Crown Court, adjourned sentence so that Mehmood, pictured, who now works as a taxi driver, could produce proof of his financial position.

Green future for Uppal Father-of-three Paul Uppal, Tory MP for Wolverhampton South West, has been elected as the new chairman of the All Party Urban Development Group whose job it is to promote and drive forward urban renewal and sustainable development.

Danish lady sings in Punjabi Last Saturday, by chance, I bumped into Danish singer Anita Lerche in Victoria Square, central Birmingham. Resplendent in a pink sari, she was being filmed alongside Gurcharan Mall, the veteran local Bhangra maestro.

Passers-by watched in amazement as globe-trotter Anita, pictured, the first non-Asian woman from Europe to sing an release a solo album in Punjabi, danced to the energetic rhythm of one of her popular songs, Passport . To find out more visit www.anitalerche.com

lous plea of ignorance: “But I copied you into the email”. That email, copied to the world and his wife, apparently counts as information, consultation and conformation all rolled into one. So you have to read these messages from the ether, even when you know they are irrelevant. It’s no wonder that one survey reckons 57 per cent of middle managers’ time is now taken up with handling emails.

There are the emails you really don’t want, so-called snail mail.

The “busty babes”, the Viagra sellers and the bank scams. And there are the pleas for assistance from wellplaced individuals in Third World countries who seem to have access to millions of dollars in gold if I can scrape up the £30,000 they need.

When we receive a proper letter there is still an element of anticipation as we rip or slit open the envelope. Usually it’s a bill or just some more junk mail cleverly disguised as a personal letter. But just sometimes we still send each other real letters. Not many and not often. From time to time. And they mean so much more than an email. If someone takes the times and trouble to sit down with pen in hand to write a few lines, it means something. If they just whack off another email or – worse still – a text mes-

sage, it just means they’re bored. We don’t even send holiday postcards, as often we once used to. We just write “Wish you were here” on Facebook and post (in an electronic sense) a couple of happy snaps.

The advent of email, and texting, instant messaging, Skype, Twitter and the rest of it, has undoubtedly played much the biggest role in the fate of the letter, but the novelist AS Byatt traces its longterm decline a little further back. “I think the television has killed letter-writing just as much as email has,” she says. “In the Victorian era, letter-writing was what people did in their spare time, and then they read the letters to each other. In a way, it was the news, as much as anything. People would get these very long letters, and they’d know the writer expected the person to whom they had written to show it to the rest of the family. I don’t think that happens any more.” Some time ago, a poll carried out by the Department for Education found that a third of 16-to-19-year-old girls had never written a letter, while among boys, the figure was over a half. Let us try not to kill-off completely the ancient art of letter-writing and attempt to at least write a few letters, now and again, to our nearest and dearest. Can you remember when you last wrote a proper letter to a close friend or family member?

News in Brief Green Party conference Birmingham is set to host the Green Party’s autumn conference, which will bring in an estimated £500,000 to the city’s economy. The event, which will take place from 10-13 September, is the eighth political party conference to be hosted in Birmingham in the past five years.

RICS WM appoints new Chairman The West Midlands has a new regional chair of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Martin Perks, 46, pictured, a chartered quantity surveyor, begins his two-year post this month. RICS currently has 86,000 members and represents the work of property professionals in 146 countries.

Mental health symposium A three-day inaugural International Health Humanities Conference, themed Madness and Literature, at Nottingham University will end this Sunday (Aug 8). Event aim, to develop a more inclusive approach to how the arts and humanities disciplines can inform healthcare. One in four of us will develop a mental health problem at some point during our lives.

To find out more visit www.institutemh.org.uk

Stepping in the shoes of Ghanian children

Intruders attack family Knife-wielding attackers raided a family home in Edgbaston in Birmingham, leaving one man with serious stab wounds. Married fatherof-one Zahur Majid, pictured, was left injured when the raiders stormed his home in Selwyn Road. One of the thugs first attacked his 70-year-old father as he answered the door, before turning on his 55-year-old mother. Bank worker Mr Majid, 29, was attacked as he lay on his bed watching television. The gang stole his mobile phone, £50,000worth of gold jewellery and the keys to his Mercedes car in the raid at 10pm last Thursday.

Fear of Friday 13th Bosses at Alton Towers in Staffordshire will close their Th13teen ride down next Friday (Aug 13) for fear of bad luck. It is the first time an Alton Towers attraction has been closed on the traditionally unlucky date.

According to research, 62 per cent of Midlanders still fear bad luck on the 13th.

Unpaid work order for car clockers

Three Birmingham men who admitted selling imported cars which had been clocked have been given community orders. Mohsun Ahmed, 55, Mohammed Farooq, 34, and Kamran Tabassum, 38, were each ordered to undertake 250 hours’ unpaid work within 12 months. The trio pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to engaging in a misleading commercial practice in providing false information about the cars’ odometer readings.

Work has begun on a new timber-framed school for needy children in Kofi Nyina, a village in Ghana, thanks to a team of nine learners and five staff from West Nottinghamshire College. The volunteers, who flew out last Thursday, will construct the school, teach literacy and numeracy to children, engage them in crafts and outdoor sports and games and distribute teaching resources such as pens, crayons and books, during their two-week stay. The college has donated £5,000 towards the £17,000- trip, the rest was collected by students during the last year through sponsored bike rides, fashion shows and car boot sales.

College Principal Asha Khemka said she was “enormously proud” of the participating team. Photo: the team in Ghana last year.

Question Time with Cameron Citizens of Birmingham are being invited to put forward their questions to the British Premier David Cameron when he visits the West Midlands, as part of his national tour. The high-profile event has been organised by Downing Street in partnership with the Birmingham Mail. Full details of the venue and date of the meeting will not be announced until nearer the time, for security reasons. Readers wishing to take part should email jon_walker@mrn.co.uk

EDUCATION/COUNCIL

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Student visas policy reviewed to minimise abuse A review of student visas is to be held after the number of students coming to the UK rose by one third last year.

Home Office figures show the level of non-EU students coming to Britain increased by more than 75,000 to about 300,000 in the 12 months to March.

Immigration minister Damian Green said a "thorough evaluation" of the system would be held to try to minimise abuse.

Earlier this year the previous government introduced tougher student visa rules, following its own review.

According to current Home Office statistics, some 313,011 non-EU students were granted visas in the 12 months up to March, bringing with them 31,385 dependants.

The figure compares with 235,295 students and 24,780 dependants the previous year.

Mr Green said: "We are committed to attracting the brightest and the best to the UK, and welcome legitimate students coming here for study. However, in the past there has been significant abuse of the stu-

dent route, and we need to ensure that every student who comes to the UK is genuine. I am undertaking a thorough evaluation of the student system over the coming weeks and months and I will introduce new measures to minimise abuse and tighten the system further," he said.

In February the former Labour Home Secretary Alan Johnson announced new rules to try to stop people using the student visa system to remain illegally in the UK. Under the new system, applicants were required to speak English to nearGCSE level, and those on short courses were no longer allowed to bring dependants.

However, last month a number of English lan-

guage schools won a High Court battle over the language restrictions.

English UK, which represents 440 language schools, said it was "absurd" that students were being required to know English before they came to Britain to study it.

It argued in court that the Home Office should have brought the issue back to Parliament for proper debate, and the judge agreed.

Following the ruling the coalition government said it was reviewing English language requirements across the visa system.

Also this year, student visa applications from Nepal, northern India and Bangladesh were suspended amid a big rise in cases.

The Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (Acme) chair, Professor Dame Julia Higgins, warned making A-level maths harder could result in a drop in the number of students taking the subject.

Changes in 2000 led to a 19% drop in students taking maths.

Numbers took six years to recover after the qualification was modified again in 2004.

"We feel it is very important that we warn you that implementing such a policy runs a genuine risk of repeating the collapse in

the numbers studying Alevel mathematics," Professor Higgins wrote.

"We believe that it is very likely that we would again see university mathematics departments closing as a result of this fall in numbers."

Currently, sixth-formers usually take four or five AS-levels in the first year, before specialising in three for the second A-level year known as A2.

Professor Higgins said modular courses made learning more accessible to more students, and "almost all university courses" were now modular.

COUNCIL NEWS

Youth Awards 2010 Youth Awards 2010 is underway and it's a fantastic opportunity to recognise the achievements of young people from across the town.

Crawley Borough Council is now accepting nominations for the prestigious awards and it's urging people to highlight the amazing volunteering, caring, bravery and sheer hard work shown by many under-25s in Crawley.

20-year-old Luke May from West Green won the volunteer award for his work at Dormans Youth Centre at last year's event and was delighted to feel so appreciated for his efforts.

The Youth Awards are organised by Crawley

National Hindu Students Forum (UK)

By Miten Kana, NHSF Learning Team

Ayurveda – YOUR freedom, YOUR choice

A-level reforms 'could cause collapse in maths take-up' Plans to reform A-levels could trigger a "collapse" in maths student numbers and lead to university department closures, an academic body has warned.

Education Secretary Michael Gove wants to scrap modular A-levels in an attempt to "revive the art of deep thought".

But in a letter seen by the Times Educational Supplement, the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education said harder exams could put students off.

Last week Cambridge University also criticised the A-level proposals.

9

Borough Council, in partnership with, members of the community, West Sussex County Council Youth Service, Sussex Police, Crawley School Sports Partnership, West Sussex Council for Voluntary Youth Services, Crawley Wellbeing and Crawley Young Persons Council.

Anyone can nominate a young person and the only criteria for nominees are that they are under 25 years old and they reside in Crawley, or the reason for their nomination occurred within the town.

Those nominating young people under 16 must also get permission from the nominee's parents or guardians first.

There are 12 awards in four categories: Community Awards, Sports Awards, Arts Awards and Personal Achievement Awards.

For more information and to nominate online log onto www.crawley.gov.uk/yaa Or pick up a nomination form from schools, youth centres, the Town Hall, County Mall, K2 Crawley, The Hawth, Crawley Library, Arora Hotel (Southgate Avenue), Topsy Turvy (town centre hairdresser) and Connexions.

The deadline for nominations is October 2, 2010 and a ceremony will be held at The Hawth in November.

As Hindus, Ayurveda has become instrumental in every day living – often our elders produce a remedy consisting of perfectly natural ingredients and they work better than conventional Western medicine. Not limited to just medicine, Yoga constitutes a large part of Ayurveda too. Yoga is extremely beneficial for ones health, and has caught on massively in the West.

Why, therefore, should British Parliament plan to ban a system that has proved beneficial for thousands if not millions of people? The European Union has proposed a ban on all Ayurvedic herbal remedies which will come into effect in April 2011.

That’s 7 months from now! Ayurvedic remedies consist of nothing more than regular plants and herbs, which are often used in every day cooking. To ban it would be absolutely preposterous – surely that would mean a ban on Indian foods?

Suffice to say, many delicacies of Indian cuisine stem from Ayurvedic herbs and plants.

For many, conventional Western medicine is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Over the last 5 years, more ethical, traditional and dharmic practices are becoming the norm. Believe it or not, this practice is not something new to the world – in fact, it is regarded as one the oldest forms of healthcare, otherwise known as Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is a form of complementary and alternative medicine currently available in the UK. The word Ayurveda stems from the Sanskrit ‘ yus’ meaning ‘life’ and ‘veda’ meaning ‘knowledge’, thus signifying the science as ‘life knowledge’.

The origins of the medical practice come from the Charaka Samhita, which deals with internal medicine and Sushruta Samhita, which deals with the surgical aspect of medicine, both dating back 2000 years. The practice itself dates back at least 5000 years. In that time frame, the number of reported negative effects from Ayurvedic treatment is pretty close to zero.

Let’s investigate this further; Ayurveda seldom produces a negative reaction, and it most certainly isn’t the root cause of diseases. On the other hand, alcohol, cigarettes and meat are all known to cause death in one way, shape or form. Can the UK Government honestly justify banning Ayurvedic remedies, whilst allowing these death-inducing products to be readily available? This point was quite rightly made by HH Swami Ramdevji at a meeting held recently in London organised by Amarjeet S Bhamra of the Save Herbal Medicine National campaign.

Thankfully, a large number of established Ayurvedic practitioners and organisations have joined together to help stop this ban. You too can help by visiting h t t p : / / w w w. s a v e herbalmedicine.com and downloading a letter that you can post to your Member of Parliament.

Remember, it’s your freedom of choice to use Ayurveda – don’t let anyone stop you from receiving what is rightfully yours.

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UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

AS IT IS

Bank of Baroda makes waves The venue was beautiful. In a gorgeous evening, the HQS Wellington was caressed by the waves of the river Thames. All of us at the upper deck were celebrating the event with a drop of 'medication' in the stomach.

We were advised to “go to the courtroom” - the former engine room of the ship built in the preparation of the World War II. A gentleman, perhaps a representative of the ship's owners took us all (over 150 guests) through the history of the period and geography as well of the ship. He went on and on.

Mr S S Mudra, Chief Executive (European Operations), Mr M D Mallya, chairman and Managing Director, BoB and Mr K D Lamba, Chief Executive (US Operations)

Bankers and the businessmen (especially in the presence of top bankers) are a polite bunch inspite of some inebriation, though I could feel the unease with this long and slightly unconnected speech. If the speaker would have mentioned the contributions of the people of the undivided India in terms of blood, toil and sweat, perhaps it would have been more palatable. We were gathered at the formal launch of “Bank's new online Fixed Rate Bond Baroda MAX”.

But no!

The gentleman was followed by Mr S S Mundra, ever so polite, intelligent and with a refined and subtle sense of humour. His speech was brief and to the point and was very well received. It was partly because of the way Mr Mundra disarmed “the bowed” audience by saying “We have heard the graphic details about ship Wellington just now, a big brand, not particularly different from Bank of Baroda.

I can speak in some sentences about it, but will not take you through the graphic details.”

After Mr Mundra's 'soothing touch' it was all plain sailing. Chairman M D Mallya's words of wisdom and experience were very informative and inspiring. In the audience was an English man (Mr Bennett Birgbauer, Treasurer, Jaguar) whom I was watching very closely. I wonder what he was thinking, “Here is a home grown Indian banker with proven track record. We are all in the range of the City and look at the great strides Indian banking has taken without any oxygen of the tax payers' money.”

Mr Mallya after a very short speech, formally launched the online Fixed Rate Bond Baroda MAX. It made maximum waves and we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner thereafter on the uppermost deck.

- CB

A philanthropic pharmaceutical tycoon conferred honorary degree

by De Montfort University

By Rupanjana Dutta Vijay Patel, a British Gujarati pharmaceutical tycoon and one of the richest Britons of Indian origin, has been conferred an honorary degree by the De Montfort University in Leicester for his various achievements in business, community service and philanthropy, nationally and internationally on Thursday 22nd July 2010.

Vijay, who has been awarded an honorary degree in business administration said, "I had a dream to start my business when I was just 10 years old but I never dared to tell anyone. I never imagined this would happen, though, and I am so deeply humbled to be honoured by the university in this way."

The head of Waymade Healthcare, a global pharmaceuticals company is worth nearly £400 million- it had crossed the £500 million mark before the recession- and has featured in the Sunday Times Rich List for over decade now.

Vijay's journey to become what he is today is a very challenging one.

Born in Eldorer, a town in the western highlands of Kenya, Vijay attained his primary and secondary education there. He was brought up in one room with brother, Bhikhu.

Their father died when Patel was six and the boys were brought up by their mother- Shantabaa, who eked out a living as a school teacher.

"My mother was a very strong believer in the benefits of good education and was very keen that my brother (Bhikhu) and I

took at the time the giant step of moving to the UK to continue our education, " recalls Vijay in his interview with a local magazine.

T h u s Shantabaa struggled very hard and did her best to let her children feel the least impact of deprivation due to their father's absence. Patel, now 60, said childhood poverty was a big motivator.

To put himself through sixth form and university, Vijay worked as a dish water, waiter, grill chef, labourer and barman.

After graduating from the college of Pharmacy from De Montfort- then called Leicester Polytechnic- he set about trying to raise finance to open a chemist's shop. "I was Asian, I had no experience, I had no collateral and nobody wanted to give me money. This embarrassment was enough to shake up someone's confidence, but Vijay maintained his sangfroid and eventually an uncle came forward with avuncular affection, offering himself as a guarantor on a loan for £6000.

Vijay opened his first pharmacy in Leigh-onSea, Essex in 1975. By 1982, he owned six shops and the sales had doubled.

By that time his brother Bhikhu, an architect by training, had joined the company to give it some

Tory peer Baroness Warsi pelted with eggs for being Unislamic A Muslim Conservative peer was subjected to a string of verbal insults before being hit by an egg which broke on her face, a court heard recently.

Baroness Warsi, now chairwoman of the Conservative Party, was confronted by a group who shouted abuse i n c l u d i n g 'Cameron's b****' before being targeted with eggs, one of which smashed, soiling her hair and jacket, City of Westminster Magistrates' Court was told.

The then shadow minister for community cohesion and social action was visiting Luton

on November 30 last year when the attack happened.

Baroness Warsi, who became minister without portfolio in May and is

the first female Muslim Cabinet minister, was accompanying Nigel Huddleston, the Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate for Luton South and other business represen-

tatives on a tour of the Bury Park area.

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff said: 'The Baroness's group was confronted by a group of Muslim men. The Crown suggest the confrontation was planned and deliberate. The men shouted abuse calling her 'Cameron's b****', 'supporters of murderers' and 'unIslamic'.

'Two or three eggs were thrown at the Baroness.

One was thrown a short distance and broke on her face.'

Mr Ratliff said the aim of the confrontation was to 'humiliate and ridicule' the Baroness.

Gavin Reid, 23, of Green Close, Luton, denies a charge under the Public Order Act, of intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress. Shaven headed Reid sat in the dock in a grey tracksuit.

The court was told that Reid was arrested 15 days after the attack and gave no comment during his police interview before being charged.

Mr Ratliff said photographs and video footage of the events showed the eggs were thrown 'with force and at close range', hitting Baroness Warsi in the face.

He added that the incident was 'unprovoked and unexpected from a hostile crowd'.

Vijay Patel

financial discipline. In 1984 they founded Waymade Healthcare and sold all but three of their pharmacies to focus on turning Waymade into a global venture.

Vijay has also accomplished a number of philanthropic projects in Kenya as well as India, the countries that are very close to his heart. All of the projects are channelled through 'Shanta Foundation', a charitable foundation established in honour of Vijay's mother.

His devotion especially to the acts of educational upliftment amongst the poor and less privileged children is of sterling worth. As the thrust of the Shanta Foundation has mainly been on education and healthcare, the funds provided by this foundation naturally go for important causes. In Kenya they funded a new school in Eldoret and it was inaugurated by

Shantabaa.

In India, they have supported the Waymade College of Education in Vallabh Vidyanagar, a part of Sardar Patel University, Gujarat.

Shanta Foundation also supports several healthcare projects. Amongst the most important initiatives there are 'Water Well Projects', every year they organise a medical camp especially 'eye camps' and 'polio camps'.

Vijay with such a busy schedule also tries and spends whatever time possible with his family.

Though he agrees that nowadays, the businessmen are unable to spend sufficient time with their family due to their busy commitments.

As it is rightly said that "behind every successful man there is a successful woman”- his wife Smita is fabulous homemaker. Besides being a home maker, she is also a practising pharmacist.

They have two sons- Amit and Dipen, both married.

Amit is a doctor and has joined the business, whereas Dipen is a Chartered Accountant, an associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, currently working in Merrell Lynch.

One can be a popular with lot of fame, acclamation and material success.

But Vijay's progress is marked by the kind hearted and philanthropic entrepreneur he has been.

Vijay is an inspiration to those who have struggled in the past to attain all their wishes or the ones who are waiting to go up the ladders of their dreams and expectations.

Two jailed for a £7 million "boiler room" fraud Two men were sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court for running an illegal high pressure, share-pushing operation from call centres in Spain.

Around 1,250 investors in the UK were persuaded to buy over £7 million worth of shares.

Using their "Gordon Gekko" contract notes to complete the transactions, the fraudsters siphoned off around 80% of the invested funds.

David Arthur V i d g e o n ( D O B 02/01/1980), a UK national resident in Spain was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Rahul Natwar Patel (DOB 09/09/1975), a UK national resident in Spain was sentenced to seven

years imprisonment.

They were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Common Law, on 15 July. Three other defendants, Baldur Sigurdsson, Roland Pibworth (tried in absentia) and Craig John Clark were acquitted.

SFO Director Richard Alderman said: "A boiler room is a predatory and orchestrated 'attack' on private investors so it's very satisfying to see justice delivered for such callous dishonesty. I hope that publicity of today's outcome will serve as a warning for people to think twice when hard-sell investment offers, usually unsolicited, appear tempting. 'No' is the right answer".

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Seven year old makes £150,000 in thirty minutes by selling his paintings Child prodigy Kieron Williamson, has sold his latest collection of paintings for £150,000 at the weekend. All thirty-three works were sold in just thirty minutes, which attracted buyers from as far as Arizona, New York and South Africa.

The seven year olds paintings featured Norfolk landscapes or coastal scenes, and his latest exhibition included views of City Temple in Holborn, Central London, and a painting of Hong Kong.

The biggest sellers were a 20in by 30in oil painting called Sunrise at

In demand: Art world prodigy Kieron Wiliamson makes £150,000 from his paintings

Morston, which went for £7,995, and a 19in by 25in

pastel called Marsh at Sunset, which fetched

£6,750.

Reported in a national daily, Kieron said: “I normally paint in the morning and I am up at 6am and then after school - but with the school holidays at the moment, I am painting all the time.”

Painting up to six works of art a week, with 700 people registered on a waiting list for an original, Kieron certainly has his hands full.

Kieron's parents Keith, forty-four, and Michelle, thirty-seven plan to buy him a house with his earnings and invest the rest for him until he is twenty-five.

Two arrested after parcel bomb sent to MI6 HQ Two men are being questioned after a parcel bomb was sent to MI6's headquarters, with a second intercepted at a postal sorting office.

The suspects, aged 52 and 21, were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences on Friday morning at separate addresses in Caernarfon, North Wales.

According to a national daily, Police were called at approximately 12.40pm on Wednesday after a suspicious package was found at the MI6 building in Vauxhall, South London.

A suspected package parcel bomb was sent to MI6 HQ

The second suspected parcel bomb was found at a postal sorting office in

Mobile phone MP faces driving ban Bolton MP Yasmin Qureshi faces losing her driving licence, after being caught allegedly using her mobile phone behind the wheel.

Just days after being elected as MP for Bolton South East, Qureshi, aged forty-six, was stopped by officers in Wigan Road, Bolton on May 10th 2010.

Whilst she did not attend Bolton Magistrates’ Court, she sent a guilty plea in her absence to driving while using a handheld mobile phone.

The magistrates decided to adjourn the case to August 19th for sentencing, so Qureshi can attend and have the opportunity to make a plea to keep her licence.

Qureshi became one of the first female Muslim MPs to be elected in May, and as reported by The Bolton News, she said: “I

Yasmin Qureshi faces driving ban after using mobile phone behind the wheel

think it would be inappropriate to make any comment at this stage as the case is still ongoing and the court has not heard the full circumstances, but when the case is concluded I will make a full statement.”

She pleaded not guilty to a further charge of driving without insurance.

South London at around 4.30am on Thursday.

However, police have

refused to comment on its intended destination, amid press speculation it was addressed to 10 Downing street.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “The Metropolitan Police Service is investigating two suspect packages addressed to premises in Central London.

Both packages have been recovered by police.”

No details have been released about the two men who are being held, however, Wales on Sunday reports that they are father and son of Asian origin.

Andy Burnham attacks Miliband brothers in Labour leadership battle Andy Burnham has made a statement on the Labour leadership battle, saying David and Ed Miliband are "elite" and lack real life experience, reports a national daily.

Burnham makes the accusation in an interview in The Sunday Telegraph, in which he warns his party that it must reconnect with ordinary people.

The former health secretary also attacked Ed Balls, the other main contender, for indulging in "depressing" and "demoralising" in-fighting.

In a verdict on New Labour, he says his party was often "arrogant" and too fond of courting the elite. “At its worst, it was self indulgent, arrogant, elitist, London-centric

As reported in a national daily, Mr Peres's office said that the president viewed Israeli relations with Britain as “of the greatest importance”, and insisted that his comments were driven by dismay that some in Britain did not understand the reality of living under the threat of terrorism.

Mr Peres said the Labour party

I_TZ DOHK Z[H]_IVOP FVIW DOH

“IF YOU THINK EDUCATION IS EXPENSIVE TRY IGNORANCE” I wish I’d come up with that quote but it was actually Derek Bok, former President of Harvard University who said it but it absolutely encapsulates my own feelings about the importance of education in our children’s futures.

We read today that for every graduate position advertised there are nearly 70 appliPankaj Vekria cants. Those graduates who are coming out of university this year are not only facing competition from the class of 2010, but also from those who left in 2009 who simply have not been able to find a suitable position to date. No matter what your views about this state of affairs, it is clear that only the best and brightest students are going to find good opportunities for the foreseeable future.

Sad to say, the current education system appears to be failing an unacceptable number of our children despite having had an immense amount of investment showered on it over the past decade. While exam passes may have risen year on year, employers simply don’t trust these results. Universities have to put some first year students through crash courses in English and Maths and large employers such as supermarkets and fast food chains have set up their own educational facilities to upgrade the skills of their employees. Frankly, state education appears to be a bit of a shambles currently. I’m not denying that there are good schools out there but there are far too many poor performers as well.

But if you cannot get the right education from the state system, then you can at least supplement it through judicious use of a tutoring service and this has to be one of the best investments that you will ever make for your child’s future. I have a lot of respect for what the coalition government are trying to do to improve education in the UK, but like all change in state enterprises, it will take a huge amount of energy and more importantly elapsed time before you begin to notice changes in the culture and practices of schools. A whole generation of students may have passed through the education system before a school is sufficiently improved and that generation may include your children.

My own company, eTutors, provides online tuition and this is now generally accepted as a very cost effective method of supplementing a child’s education but of course you can find a local tutor to help your child instead. Whatever you do it is imperative that you ask yourself whether or not your child is being stretched sufficiently not just to pass his or her exams, but also to achieve the success that you want for him or her in facing the prospects of finding that first job.

For more information on this article please speak to 0845 004 7633

=/I'K /Q, 6-&+Q-+ 5H&I&PQ Andy Burnham at the Labour Party leadership hustings in Manchester

and all of that has to change. It looked hollow and rootless at times.”

Mr Burnham also adds: "I didn't have well connected parents. People are looking for politicians who have real life experience." He argues that Labour should not be ruled by "whispers on the dinner party circuit".

Shimon Peres denies calling British 'anti-Semites' President Shimon Peres has been forced to deny he had branded the British people “anti-Semites” during an interview in which he attacked Britain for being “pro-Arab” and “anti-Israel”.

Peres's comments were published in the Tablet journal last week, in an interview with Benny Morris, an Israeli historian.

#VR^#OZ

11

had failed to give Israel support in the wake of the country’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. He said Whitehall had failed to recognise the huge sacrifice the Jewish state had made to pull back.

To make matters worse, David Cameron caused a uproar in Israel last week by describing Gaza as an open prison camp.

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12

MEDIA WATCH

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Scrutator’s The high profile visit to India by UK Prime Minister David Cameron and his senior cabinet colleagues together with a party of the country's top business executives has been an unqualified success. Lord Karan Billimoria, speaking to Channel 4 Television, said its scope and the response of the hosts outdid all such ventures during Labour's period in office.

He should know, since he was part of those delegations too.

Commerce was at the heart of Mr Cameron's endeavours. With India's booming economy, this was only natural. Access to the Indian market and the contra-flow of Indian investment into Britain were high on the British Prime Minister's agenda; these goals, it is hoped, will materialise over time. Mr Cameron also touched upon the vexed subject of terrorism and the role played by Pakistani terror groups in exporting their wares to other countries. This has provoked a storm in Islamabad, Cameron in a friendly exchange with some of India’s future generation with sections of the British media also questioning his judgement in ruffling the feathers of Josh Halliday again: “Past than 35,000 people this year to a close military ally. Jeremy Page in The Times low-cost technologies produced sustain double-digit growth.”

(July 29) was one such voice. Whilst accepting Said Mohandas Pai, the by the country include the Tata that the recent WikiLeek revelations had Infosys chief of human Nano car and a mobile phone resources: “We think attrition costing less than £11. The iPad referred to Pakistan's part in playing it both will stabilise and come down in retails at about £429 in the UK – ways, Mr Page wrote: “Pakistan is still considthe next few quarters.” sustain 18 times the cost of the Indian ered the source of the majority of terrorist double-digit growth. laptop. The tablet, developed by plots in Britain, and security services have no researchers at the Indian Meanwhile, another FT alternative but to rely on the ISI to identify, Institutes of Technology in Delhi report by James Lamont on the monitor or arrest people in Pakistan who repand the Indian Institute of same page told how TCS resent potential threats. Pakistan, he averred, Science in Bangalore, will evenplanned to expand its workforce was also the main transit route to Afghanistan. tually be available to the pubby 25 per cent, thanks to its penPrime Ministers David Cameron and Manmohan singh He ended with this warning: “But if India lic....The device forms part of the etration of the Latin American tive of LeT, al Qaeda, ISI and the does not respond [to Mr Cameron's overtures] by investing more in Indian government's commitmarket. siren calls to mollify Pakistan. ment to cut across-the-country Britain or allowing greater access to its markets, the danger is that Mr BBC online (July 24) reported satisfactory standard of educaCameron will have damaged one important relationship, without Osborne rings gong the unveiling of a prototype $35 tion by 2010.” achieving any tangible gains in the other.” Shades of New Labour and touch-screen computer by the Erika Kinetz (Chicago Reporting from Mumbai for The David Miliband, neither of whom have been enthused by India or the country's Human Resource Tribune, July 24) commented: Daily Telegrap (July 29), James Indo-UK relationship. (See comment page 3) Minister Kapil Sibal. Mr Sibal “The project is part of an ambiHall described UK Chancellor said a manufacturer was being tious education technology iniGeorge Osborne's presence at sought for the gadget, which was influx of fighters into eastern tiative by the Indian governCameron clarity the Bombay Stock Exchange, developed by India's top IT instiAfghanistan.” ment, which also aims to bring where he struck the gong sigtutes.

Ms Lamb continued: “ In broadband connectivity to The Daily Telegraph (July 29) nalling the start of business for The device has no hard disk, Delhi last Thursday [July 22], India's 25,000 colleges and 504 leader - “Candid Cameron brings the day. “The relationship is a using a memory card instead, Richard Holbrooke, the US speuniversities and make study clarity to foreign affairs” good one, a historic one, but I like a mobile phone, and can run cial envoy for Afghanistan, materials available online.” stressed that what were Mr believe it can be stronger still,” on solar power.

The plan was to described the group as a 'coCameron's 'gaffes' to some were he said. James Hall again: “The drop the price to $20 and ultiequal threat as the Taliban and 'bold truths' to others. His Chancellor's welcome in IT keeps growing mately $15.

Al-Qaeda'.....American officials straight taking in America conMumbai was as warm as the The Guardian online (July are concerned the LeT has trasted with Tony Blair's 'obsemonsoon humidity engulfing the James Fontenella-Khan 23) published a more detailed expanded its focus to quiousness'. Apropos of the city. The Indian business com(Financial Times July 28) writes report by Josh Halliday.

It said: Afghanistan and now has a more Indian visit, “he pleased the munity appeared thrilled that that the “stellar growth of the IT “India has developed the world's global agenda.”

Indian government by warning such a large effort is being made industry remains the most excitcheapest laptop – a touchscreen Pakistan against international just 10 weeks into the new goving business story in modern device which resembles Apple's double-dealing and temptation Death for 'blasphemy' ernment's life. 'It's like hitting a India. Generating revenues of wildly popular iPad but will cost to promote the export of terror.” six on the first ball of a test $60 billion-plus annually, India's just £23. The device - designed A pattern is emerging: “Mr Pakistani sympathisers in the match,' remarked one Indian information technology and outto bridge the digital divide and Cameron's utterances are bang British media may have missed sourcing industry has been the businessman. It is little wonder boost India's economy – will in line with British foreign polithe following item from Lahore driver of the country's economic that the UK is to hitch itself to become available to students in cy. His language may be shorn of in the Islamabad-based Daily ascent....Despite challenges both India's growth. If you invested higher education.” diplomatic niceties....[but] What Times (July 20): “Two Christian £100 in the is striking is the openness and brothers accused of writing a Bombay Stock brio with which Mr Cameron blasphemous pamphlet were Exchange five approaches difficult issues....As shot dead outside a court in years ago it would for Pakistan, the links between Faislabad. Gunmen shot dead now be worth its Inter-Services Intelligence Pastor Rashid Emmanuel, 32, £253. The same agency and the Taliban are an and his brother Sajjad...The amount invested in open secret.” brothers were arrested on July 2, London's FTSE with their supporters, claiming would be worth the charges against them were £102,” Mr Hall Mumbai butchers trumped up. James Aftab, a senconcluded. Which ior church official in Faislabad is all that needs to Christine Lamb's Sunday Times said the men 'implicated in a fake be said for the report from Islamabad (July 25) case,' while Asif Jamil Pagaan, a present.

– “Butchers of Mumbai join spokesman for the Pakistan An FT report Afghan battle” - was equally Minorities Democratic (July 31) by Alex blunt: “The militant group Foundation, also said the men Barker in London and James at home and behind the massacre of 173 peohad been set up.”

Lamont in New Delhi referred to abroad, the outple in India is now targeting Kapil Sibal with India’s new marv0el Earlier, a Muslim mob went look for the industhe possibility that Richard western troops. Nato commandto a Christian-populated slum try remains posiLambert, the retiring director of ers are convinced that the area of the city, demanding the tive.” the Confederation of British Pakistani militant group behind Minister Sibal said: “The death penalty for the accused Despite the global downturn Industry (CBI) will be appointthe Mumbai massacre has joined solutions for tomorrow will men. Rough justice indeed. ed high commissioner to India. and its affect on the domestic forces with the Taliban in a new come from India. We have In which case he would “become industry, India's IT big hitters alliance to kill western soldiers reached a stage today, the moththe first business leader to turn Tata Consultancy Services in Afghanistan. In the past few Innovative India erboard, its chip, the processing his hand to diplomacy.”

(TCS), Infosys and Wipro do not weeks Nato chiefs have accused connectivity, all of them cumulaA new era for the Indoseem too worried. Moreover Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) of being India is pressing ahead with tively cost $35, including memoBritish relationship beckons. each is planning to hire more behind a string of attacks and an technology innovation, irrespecry, display, everything.”

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Alpesh Patel’s Political Sketchbook:

Why Cameron was right to say what he did Leave aside whether what the David Cameron said in India about Pakistan and terror is accurate or not – only Pakistan seems to be disputing that it is not true and that the CIA, US, Interpol, MI6, MI5, Raw, Intelligence Bureau, are all misperceiving the role of ISI and Pakistan.

Let’s instead focus on the other part of the attack by some journalists on Cameron’s ‘honest and blunt diplomacy’ style. As I will show, each of the arguments against David Cameron’s style are either misguided, disingenuous or simply erroneous and irrational.

The first objection is the ‘don’t upset the ally’ argument. This goes, ‘Pakistan is an ally in the war on terror and therefore they should not be upset or publicly humiliated by the kind of comments David Cameron made.’ The problems with this line of reasoning is that, as with friends, they should be told the way it is, not the way they would like to hear it. If you can’t tell an ally, who can you tell?

If they don’t listen, you have to up the volume.

The second objection is the ‘okay, say it but keep it private’ argument. The problem with this argument is that Britain has been saying it in private. So has the

CIA. It doesn’t work. It has to be done publicly to get a result. British lives are being lost and they are more important to a British PM than the emotional sensibilities of foreign nationals.

The third objection is the ‘not in India’ argument.

This goes, ‘Cameron can say what he said publicly, but just not in India’. The argument fails simply because the truth is the truth wherever it is spoken. The fact of the matter is this particular truth is heard more vocally when spoken by the PM in India. If the truth is worth telling it is worth telling with a megaphone.

The fourth objection is ‘but you didn’t tell Pakistan how good they’ve been’. The problem with this argument is its immaturity. Okay, the PM could have tapped them on their head, but I think the billions in aid they get from the West is head-tapping enough.

The fifth objection is ‘Britain is being partial between its two former colonies’. The rebuttal to this is obvious. Britain is right to be partial to any member of the Commonwealth. It is partial against Zimbabwe. All nations have partialities and besides, it’s a long time since 1947.

The sixth objection is

the ‘not in our national interests’ argument. This goes, ‘the loss to British security of losing shared intelligence with Pakistan is greater than the gain from trade with India’. The problem with this argument is simple: if Pakistan is truly an ally, truly wants to defeat the Taliban and not simply use them to gain more funds for itself, the way the Russians proved a useful foil for the ISI to receive money from the CIA in the 80s – then these words will not desist them from assisting Britain as surely British interests are Pakistani interests? Or are they?

The seventh objection is ‘not how a PM should behave’ argument. Well, it’s front page news that Britain’s got a PM with backbone and the UK is not a meek also ran partner. What Britain says matters, not because it has a nuclear arsenal, but because it’s willing to speak the truth in its national interest as it sees it. Now that’s a distinctive and clear voice. And surely you can’t get more British than a PM from Eton and Oxford. He defines and embodies what is British.

Finally, is the objection, ‘it’s not how the diplomatic service does things’. Well, you’ve got a new sheriff in town now boys – get used to it.

Maria Fernandes

maria@abplgroup.com

Compulsory English tests for family members The UK Border Agency has announced that from 29 November 2010 migrants who want to enter or remain in the UK as the partner of a British citizen or a person settled here will need to show that they can speak and understand English, by taking an English language test with one of UKBA’s approved test providers. This list is not yet available The new rules will apply to anyone applying as the husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner, same-sex partner, fiance(e) or proposed civil partner of a British citizen or a person settled in this country.

The tests will be compulsory for those applying from within the UK as well as visa applicants from overseas.

Certificate of approval to marry to be abolished The government has announced its intention to abolish the Certificate of approval scheme after a number of successful legal challenges. A Remedial Order under the Human Rights Act 1998 has been laid in Parliament to achieve this aim.

At present, any migrant who is already in the UK and is subject to immigration control must apply for a certificate of approval before they can get married or register a civil partnership in this country (unless they are getting married within the Anglican Church).

The government is now seeking to remedy the declaration by the UK courts that the scheme is incompatible with Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (read with Article 12).

The scheme will remain however in place until it is abolished. This is likely to be in late 2010 or early 2001.

Settlement Checking Service pilot The UK Border Agency have started a pilot with some local authorities to see if it is viable to have a settement checking service like the Nationality checking service currently being offered. The service will involve a trained local authority officer in checking the application , copying and sending original passports by post and submitting the rest of the application via secure mail.

The service will not include advice, casework or decision making.

The list of Local Authorities invited to participate in the pilot scheme is as follows: l London Borough of Brent l Cambridgeshire County Council l London Borough of Barnet l Manchester City Council l Oxfordshire County Council l Liverpool City Council l Leeds City Council l Cardiff City Council l South Lanarkshire County Council l Newcastle City Council l Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council l Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Maria Fernandes has been in practice exclusively in immigration for the past 25 years and is accredited in Immigration Law by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Fernandes Vaz is based at 87 Wembley Hill Road Wembley in Wembley and can be contacted by telephone on 02087330123, by email on info@fernandesvaz.com.

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The Big Society is a step in the right direction, says head of Britain's Catholics chance to rebuild In the lead up to next communities based on month's Papal visit, mutual support and Archbishop Vincent genuine care.

Nichols expresses his While the Catholic sense of rejuvenation Church is already under the Coalition, playing an increasingreports a national daily. ly active part in socieListening to David ty, especially through Cameron's first speech at its schools, the Downing Street, Archbishop warns Archbishop Vincent that it could be generNichols says he was taken ations before the aback at the Prime Muslim community is Minister's pledge to work properly integrated for "the common good". into British life.

His surprise was in that "It will take time only a few weeks earlier, for a small mosque in Catholic bishops had pubBirmingham that is lished a document offering basically a replica of a election advice called Archbishop Vincent Nichols: village in Pakistan to "Choosing the Common “The last government was too Good". overarching. It ended up losing touch grow in confidence.

Lourdes, the leader with the people it was trying to serve”. It could take generaof the Church in tions for them to In particular, he is supEngland and Wales is become integrated. This is portive of the opportuniencouraged at the sentian opportunity to move ties offered by Mr ments of Catholic teaching away from seeing faith as a Cameron's call for a Big reflected in the language problem and seeing it as a Society. The Archbishop of the new Coalition resource to be discovered believes that it offers the Government. afresh”.

13

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14

ART & CULTURE

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Volunteering for Oxfam

By Spriha Srivastava

Balancing art and administration The last ten to twelve days at the Nehru Centre have been extremely colourful. The time you step into the gallery of the Indian cultural centre, located in the posh Mayfair neighbourhood, you are surrounded by the enigma of womanhood and a glimpse of the beautiful state of Rajasthan. Titled as, “The Great Indian Desert” the art work displayed magnificent paintings drawn from the daily lives of the people of Rajasthan.

Brought to London

by Kiran Soni Gupta, who apart from being a fabulous artist; is also an activist administrator.

Currently she is Divisional Commissioner of Jaipur and also the Vice Chancellor of JRR Sanskrit University in Rajasthan.

Inaugurated by Lord Swaraj Paul, the exhibition showcased 70 of her artworks executed in different styles and themes.

She also launched her art portfolio “God’s Finest Creation” based on women in art. Along with this, the artist showcased a copy of her book “Kiran’s Art Renderings” brought out by Times of India. The book is a wonderful collection of exquisite artworks of the artist who seem to have permanently etched a place for artwork in the world of renowned artists.

But the question is how she strikes a chord with her busy role as an administrator in the Indian government. To this she says; “For me art and administration go together.

The greatest need in administration is to humanise it and build in human perspectives in finding solutions to multiple problems. The greatest asset for any administrator is empathy and sensitivity. I think these again are the qualities needed to be a creative artist. Lots of themes I draw from the administrative situations I work and in return when I get back to art after doing work, I feel double enthusiastic and refreshed. For both are supplementary. I would love as an administrator to make a “difference in the lives of others" and

Inaugurated by Lord Swaraj Paul

also as an artist to take contemporary Indian art to greater heights.”

From sketches, pen and ink works to mixed media, Kiran has given new dimensions to art forms - both traditional and modern. Creativity with colours and experimentation has given her work depth as well as impact. Diverse assignments have provided her opportunities to travel and also, to stay with amidst nature as different as the tropical forests and beaches of Kerala and the desert scrublands of Rajasthan. This exposure finds expression in her landscapes in oil, water colours and also mixed media.

The exhibition brought to light many aspects of the daily lives of people in Rajasthan. It also displayed the many different roles of a woman. However the

most striking was a painting highlighting child labour and the national rural employment guarantee act (NREGA). It was these two paintings that caught my attention to the fact that Kiran’s role as an administrator influences her work in so many ways. Kiran brought out on canvas the many evils of society that she wit-

nesses and handles on a regular basis.

Kiran believes that art plays a dominant role in this modern era, especially in bringing about social change, both across borders and minds. “Art as such is the domain of the dialogue between civilizations and cultures; it can speak in loud and penetrating voice. Therefore, the pivot of dialogue is the society’s artists and thinkers. The language of painting and many arts is expressive indeed by which an immediate relationship is established.”

Kiran has been honoured with a number of prestigious awards for her contribution to the world of art. She just successfully completed the most coveted art residency at Centrum at Port Townsend in US. The most recent being the “Artist of the year-2009” She was also conferred “Achiever of the Year-2009” and ‘Kala Shiromani’ award in 2008. Her painting on ‘Famine’ depicting its impact on women and children in India was one of the greatest achievements that won her the National Award in 2003. Kiran also won honours for her artwork "Matters of Heart- 2004” in the All India Fine Arts Exhibition.

With uncountable number of achievements and exhibitions in her pockets, Kiran, true to her name, is spreading the rays of power packed authority and public service with beautiful strokes of art.

“The greatest source of inspiration and motivation is the continuous process of discovering oneself. Believing in self and realizing my hidden potential is the driving force of my life,” tells Kiran.

Let us know what you think.

Email Spriha at spriha@abplgroup.com

People are inspired and motivated to volunteer for Oxfam for many different reasons. Many who have a few hours to spare each week are getting involved in any way they can.

Students look to get work experience and placements, people between jobs get involved, as well as retired individuals making good use of years of expertise.

Although Oxfam don’t send people overseas to volunteer, there are plenty of opportunities in the UK, such as working in the Oxfam shops, interns, festival stewards, in Oxfam offices and at events.

Sarla Shah was born in Kenya and came to the UK almost 30 years ago.

She has been working in various places during that time and worked most recently in a GP’s office where she was doing administrative work and looking after patients. She also teaches yoga which she has been doing for almost 20 years.

Sarla first heard about Oxfam when she was in Kenya and knew that it was an organisation that was involved helping people during emergencies.

When she arrived in the UK her first encounter with the charity was through the many shops she saw on the high streets. It was the curiosity to find out more that led her to go into an Oxfam shop and talk to some of the staff there to find out more about what the organisation did and how it was making a difference.

She discovered that the work of Oxfam covered a lot more than responding to emergencies. Oxfam also works with poor communities worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty including building schools, providing clean water or helping people make a living. It is an organisation that pushes

for change; lobbying governments and individuals to radically improve the situation of people living in poverty. It mobilises people to come together to demand change from their leaders to help those in suffering and supports women and men living in poverty to stand up for their rights.

One of the things that touched Sarla the most was the way the organisation responded to natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes.

“When I saw the devastation caused by the Haiti earthquake I was deeply moved, I saw how Oxfam were responding on the news and it made me want to do something more for the organisation,“ she said.

Sarla Shah

After experience working in a library – she has a great passion and love for books -she decided to volunteer for an Oxfam bookshop. She started volunteering once a week for about half a day, and loved the experience. She found it interesting to see how busy the shop would get, especially during lunchtimes and how much people were able to find old books they had been looking for elsewhere for a long time.

Just knowing that being in the shop was helping to raise money for others who were suffering elsewhere in the world, made her feel that the experience was extremely worthwhile. It was a

Jonaid Jilani

tremendous sense of job satisfaction, going into work and feeling that a difference was being made. Sarla found that although she was not being paid, she was being paid in the form of a great inner feeling of helping others. ”Working in the shop has opened up so much for me, I have gained experience and it’s a nice balance to the yoga that I do and teach during the week.” she said.

She also had the opportunity to meet the Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan when he came down to an Oxfam shop in Notting Hill to do some promotion work. Sarla found him to be charming, helpful and very modest.

The experience of working in the shop has made Sarla want to achieve a life long ambition; as the lack of literacy in India is a huge problem she has been inspired to travel to the Indian state of Gujarat, where her ancestors came from, to teach English. Her longterm ambition is to work as an Oxfam staff member for education projects to help children.

Sarla is now encouraging others to get involved, “There is so much that Oxfam is doing, it’s not just responding to disasters, its long-term development, health, education, campaigning for change. This organisation has been making a real difference to people’s lives for many years and I am extremely proud to be part of it.” she said.

For more information about Oxfam and its India project or to donate please call 0300 200 1242

High spirits despite movie flop Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel has emerged seemingly unscathed from the lead role of one of the worst reviewed blockbusters of recent years.

Despite grossing more than £96.6 million, M. Night Shyamalan's movie The Last Airbender has been described as the worst movie epic ever.

Despite obvious disappointment he remains practical and says in an interview with The Times, “You can't lie and say that every single review written about the film is wrong.”

Nevertheless, Patel has been recognised by Variety for being “the best thing about the film,” and

Mr nice guy turned bad: Dev Patel in The Last Airbender

although he admits he is nothing like the scarred villain he plays, he says he was attracted to the role as an opportunity to “reinvent himself.”

Looking to the future, he is itching to tell the

world of his next venture which he says is big news.

“I've been begging my agent to let me talk about it, because there are some great names attached to it, but I can't right now,” says Patel.

For now, he will have to settle for sharing this with his family, who he still lives with in Harrow.

But regardless of the bad press of his latest movie, he is still enjoying the perks of stardom.

As reported in The Times, he used a chunk of his latest earnings to refurbish his parents house, and for himself, he hopes for more movie roles and possibly a flat of his own.

UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Honour killing gang jailed for murder of wrong couple An 'honour killing' gang who murdered a married couple in their home have been jailed for life, reports a national daily.

Hisamuddin Ibrahim, 21, wanted to punish a man who was having an affair with his married sister and ordered three men to start the blaze in the early hours and kill him while he was asleep.

However, they targeted the wrong house in Blackburn, Lancashire, and instead murdered Abdullah Mohammed, 41, and his wife, Aysha, 39.

Petrol was poured through their letterbox and set alight. Their fourteen year old son and nine year old daughter survived the fire on October 21 last year.

The intended victim, Mo Ibrahim, who is no relation to the convicted man, lived at 135 London Road in Blackburn, while the Mohammed family were at 175 London Road.

Ibrahim was said to be enraged when he discovered his sister, Hafija Gorji, 22, was committing adultery with Mo Ibrahim whom she met at a wedding in Manchester. Ms Gorji has since started divorce proceedings and

Life style

write t om amta@ abplgroup.com

By Mamta Bhatia, Psychologist

Learning to love who you are

The house in Blackburn that was wrongly firebombed in the attack

during the trial said her relationship with Mr Mo was still ongoing.

Ibrahim, 21, was jailed for a minimum of 28 years at Preston Crown Court.

His accomplices - Habib

Iqbal, 25, Sadek Miah, 23, and Mohammed Miah, 19, were sentenced to no less than 19 years' jail. All four were convicted of the double murders on Monday.

Men jailed for stealing thousands of pounds Luton Crown Anthony Currant, 65, Court heard that and Abul Hussain, 30, bags were then sent were jailed for stealing out to arrivals thousands of pounds carousels, where worth of goods from passengers would travellers at the airport. pick them up not They were caprealising their goods tured by covert police had been stolen. cameras over a period After searching of six weeks helping the thieves’ homes themselves to cigain Luton, police rettes, jewellery and found more than electrical goods. £32,000 in cash, as The footage shows well as 16,800 cigathe thieves patting rettes, 210 packs of down luggage for tobacco, electrical items and jewellery. tobacco cartons or Thefts from lugiPods before snatching gage at the airport the contents and closMark Griffiths, Property Officer at Luton fell by 77 per cent ing the bag.

Police caught the Police Station, shows off some of the after the men were seized items from the cleaners caught on Feb 3. thieves after passengers Currant was senreported an alarming airport cleaners were tenced to six months’ jail, number of goods going diverting bags from while Hussain received a missing from their lugarrivals into a small area three-month term. gage. where they could rifle They found the two through them at leisure.

The return of the East India Company Indian entrepreneur Sanjiv Mehta is due to relaunch the historic business of the East India Company as a consumer brand, starting with a luxury food shop in London, reports the Financial Times.

The original East India Company which was abolished in 1874, boasted its own army

Any ques tions

15

and currency as a powerful agent of British mercantilism.

From 1757 it governed large parts of India where its activities remain controversial.

Initially the business's empire will consist of a 2,000 sq ft store in Mayfair selling foodstuffs, with plans to expand.

Mehta, 48, has struck a deal to supply a Japanese retail chain with some of its products and hopes to sell through upmarket US and UK stores too.

He has invested about £12m in the business, which employs 35 people and aims to turn over about £6m in its first year of trading.

This article is the last in the series on how you can start being your own best friend and not your own worst enemy. The discussion has been focused on how you can change your attitude towards yourself so that you can start to embrace life and who you are.

Creating this choice for you enables you to have more control so that can become incredibly proactive and self directed rather then negative and down on yourself. A fundamental learning is that when you are consumed, self deprecating and reactive, you limit your growth and any potential for happiness.

Take note of the remaining points so that you can start to get close to what you want and begin to very quickly love, accept and enjoy who you are.

Firstly, Let go of worrying as it often makes things worse, The more you think about something bad and negative the more likely it is to happen. When you constantly meditate on unconstructive thoughts you send out these vibrations and energy.

Remember like attracts like and you naturally invite trouble into your life if you dwell on the negative’s. Also, stop confirming the unknown truth to yourself and others. Often individuals feel as though they can predict the ‘worse to come’ and share this with those near and dear.

Remember there is no such thing as ‘truth’ it is purely subjective perception. When you worry ask yourself if your thoughts are unhelpful or helpful, then decide whether you want to encourage this sort of thinking of stop it immediately. You have the control to do this; it is a choice that you can make.

Secondly, you should not cross bridges before you get to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this. Deal with each challenge at a time and embrace it as an opportunity to grow and become stronger.

Sometimes it is easy to worry yourself into paralysis, where you find that it is difficult to manoeuvre anywhere because of the anxiety created.

Know that nothing in life is certain and as much as you panic about potential problems you cannot predict them and do anything to prevent them from coming. So be open and positively progressive for this will give you the motivation to keep striving onwards and upwards. Choosing your attitude around how you see things will help you to be optimistic rather than pessimistic.

Apparently optimists live longer. Remember you do have a choice.

Lastly, you should not borrow other people’s problems. They can take better care of them then you can. There are

numerous problems beyond one’s expectations and understandings. Learn to tackle your own challenges before giving a hand to others. Conserve your energy and know giving too much energy to others can drain yours, so be selective and give energy to yourself, for if you are strong, you may inspire others to be strong too. If you constantly lift others they may feel that it is acceptable to constantly rely on you for support and this may lead them to never take the action to help themselves.

Ultimately, you should respect yourself and your feelings.

Remember that all is within your control and if you want to learn how you can achieve this confidence sign up to the Think Spa London website and follow think spa London on twitter for additional support. Time is ticking by and all you have is yourself, so be kind and ensure you do what you can to live happily. Thinking time, meditation and reflection enables you to create a positive way forward; you are the only one that can help yourself change your life and circumstances for the better.

Finally, I would like to hear your suggestions for upcoming articles. If you would like me to cover anything in particular, please contact me on: mamta@thinkspalondon.com I send you energy and peace always.

Tamasha 21 and The House of Bilquis Bibi

By Ramesh K Vala O.B.E. Commercial Director, Tamasha Twenty-three years ago, Kristine LandonSmith and Sudha Bhuchar were both cast in “The Broken Thigh”, a Tara Arts show. A few weeks later, the two of them decided to start their own theatre company.

Twenty-one years, nineteen productions, four international tours and sell-out runs later, Tamasha will come of age this year.

This year’s showcase production is the House of Bilquis Bibi, co-artistic director Sudha Bhuchar’s adaptation of Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. Lorca’s play was set in the days

Tamasha theatre company presents The House of Bilquis Bibi

of 1936 Spain.

The play portrayed an antiquated, quasi-feudal matriarchal order.

Sudha’s version is located in contemporary Jhang in central Pakistan but feels poised between two worlds.

The play demonstrates that in today’s Pakistan, entire families

of daughters are being denied a future of personal fulfilment and restricted because they are unmarried.

The House of Bilquis Bibi is playing at Hampstead Theatre, Swiss Cottage until 14 August 2010 when it will embark on a national tour.

Bollywood

16 Asian Voice Saturday 7th August 2010

Anjali’s star value on the rise Anjali who made a modest entry with the critically acclaimed film ‘Kattrathu Thamizh’ opposite Jeeva became a star after ‘Angadi Theru’.

But in the very beginning it was Mu. Kalanjiam who spotted Anjali even before ‘Kattrathu Thamizh’ and all set to launch the terrific actress with a film titled ‘Sathamintri Muthamidu’. Kalanjiam had also given a new name Sundari.

But later ‘Sathamintri Muthamidu’ was shelved and with a new name Anjali moved on to do ‘Kattrathu Thamizh’ and the rest is history. But Kalanjiam had signed Anjali for four films before the turn of fortunes happened with ‘Angadi Theru’.

Now with Anjali’s star value on the rise, Mu. Kalanjiam has decided to revive his projects. At first he will launch ‘Karungali. In which he is also launching himself as the hero. Kalanjiam hopes the presence of Anjali will give his career also a boost to take up his other films.

‘Manmadhan Ambu’is 65% over ‘Manmadhan Ambu’, the Kamal HaasanMadhavan-TrishaSangeetha starer, is no doubt one of the much awaited projects of Kollywood currently.

“About 65 per cent of the movie was shot in the first schedule itself, which took place for more than a month on a star cruiser in Europe. After a break, we will be shooting for the second schedule,” says a source, who is a vital part of the film. The source added: “The unit is currently busy zeroing in on locations and getting permission to hold shooting. The process is expected to be over in another 20 days. We are looking forward to work together again.” Directed by K S Ravikumar and produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin of Red Giant Movies, ‘Manmadhan Ambu’ is expected to be a romantic laugh riot. Story, screenplay and dialogues are by Kamal Haasan while music is by Devi Sri Prasad.

Hansika – the next big thing in Kollywood Hansika Motwani is being touted as the next big thing in the Kollywood industry. She is yet to have her first movie in Tamil; however the girl has already grabbed several big budget movies. Hansika has had acting experience before in a few Hindi, Kannada and Telugu films. She has also won the Filmfare Best Female Debut (South) for the Telugu fim, Desamuduru. So far, the cine industry has been good to her.

She signed her first film in Tamil opposite young and bright actor Dhanush, which is titled as “Mappillai” and directed by Suraj.

She is also doing Prabhu Deva’s “Itch” opposite Jayam Ravi.

Hansika has several other big offers coming her way. She created quite a buzz, after Vijay proclaimed that Hansika reminded him of the younger self of the famous heroine Khushboo. He said this at the Velayudham launch function.

Even though several big banners want to sign her up, Hansika is choosy in her roles, she is waiting for the audience’s reaction to her first Tamil film.

Priyanka has just returned from shooting stunts in Bangkok, and she's super-excited. “I rode a dirt bike. I shot with an alligator and a bull. It was fun.”

Now she's looking forward to providing a huge distraction to the contestants on Fear Factor. “That's what my intention is. To make them so distracted they won't be able to do their stunts.”

After a rejuvenating birthday holiday in Phuket, Priyanka Chopra flew to Bangkok to shoot the promotional video for “Khatron Ke Khiladi” (Fear Factor).

About the holiday Priyanka says, “Apart from the mishap that happened when I dropped my phone in the water and couldn't receive any birthday greetings I had a fun time.

Like I had told you before I left I was generally not recognized. But even if I was I did-

on screen. Not Neil. He first suggested a peck. But was finally persuaded to do a long torrid smooch comparable in intensity and duration with Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor's kiss in R a j a Hindustani.”

When contracted Neil said, “I can't talk about this. But yes we've gone completely by the requirements of the script. And Lafange Parinde is my first love story.”

n't mind. Being recognized is part and parcel of what I do.” Priyanka feels a change within herself. “I feel I've become reclusive. I like to be within myself.”

The stunts involved a motorbike race where Priyanka challenged a group of punks to a race through a terrain that would scare even a Grand Prix winner. Priyanka had to ride through some of the most impossiblyrugged terrain.

According to crew members who had gathered to shoot the video, the male mo'bike members used for the film were all professional riders used to riding at high speed through the most rugged hinterland.

Priyanka not only had to ride with these experts she had to look better than them on camera. She had been secretly practising for the heart-inthe-mouth mo'bike

Hot Mallika replaces Vidya in ‘Dhamaal 2’ Buzz is that Mallika Sherawat has replaced Vidya Balan in “Dhamaal 2.”

The “Paa” and “Ishqiya” star asked for an astronomical amount which director Indra Kumar was willing to negotiate on but refused to go beyond a certain amount.

In the end, things did not work out. Madam M was then approached who took on the offer at a fee that was favourable to both.

With Mallika on board, the makers feel the comedy is now laced with oomph.

And at less cost!

not only had to do two versions of the music in Hindi and Tamil, but director Mani Ratnam also asked him to give 3-4 tunes for every lyric before one was selected. The music of

‘Raavan’ took more time than Rahman could afford, with the result that other Indian assignments primarily Abbas Tyrewala’s untitled John Abraham-Pakhi starrer got left behind.”

At the moment Rahman is back again in Chennai for mixing the music of Abbas’ film. But the background score of the film which releases in October is still be done.

No one is admitting it, but one of the primary reasons why Tyrewala’s film got delayed is the music score which Rahman has been serving up piecemeal,

for no fault of his , since the composer was committed to be out of the country for half the year for his world concerts.

Says the source, “Rahman had to continuously keep breaking his international tours and other projects to be home for various reasons, like the music release of Raavan and other things. He has begun to feel that his international career would never take off if he has to keep returning home.”

In the, meanwhile, Rahman has not signed a single new assignment in Mumbai or Chennai in the last few months.

After completing Abbas Tyrewala’s music Rahman will now focus on consolidating his career abroad.

Anil Kapoor is desperate to ‘move on’ Bollywood star Anil Kapoor says he is tired of his association with multiple Oscar-winning film 'Slumdog Millionaire', insisting he's desperate to "move on" from the role.

The 50-year-old actor, who played game show host Prem Kumar in Danny Boyle's Mumbai potboiler in 2008, admits on Britain's GMTV that he still fields questions about the box office hit two years later. Kapoor went on to land a role on hit US drama 24 after his international fame but now urging fans and friends to stop asking him about his Slumdog success.

"It was such a long time (ago).

Very nostalgic, but I want to get over it. I want to forget about it but people won't let me forget about it.

I just want to move on. Please, let's move on," Kapoor told the channel.

stunts for weeks. The channel had offered to get a body-double to do the really intricate portions in the shooting. But Priyanka insisted on doing the entire mo'bike stunt-stint on her own.

So excited and charged did she get that she shot for a full 20 hours on the first of the two days of shooting in Bangkok.

Says Priyanka, “There is no challenge in half-measures. You either do the whole thing or don't do it at all. I've always been fascinated by mo'bikes. I love mo'bike stunts. When I had seen Tom Cruise do the mo'bike stunts first thought was, 'Gawd if only I could get to do that.' I guess my wish came true.”

The ride was not all fun and games.

Priyanka has returned to Mumbai with quite a number of bruises. “But the pain was worth it. You can't be one of the boys on the bike and not get your share of bruises.”

She intends to wrap up all her assignments by October before heading for the shooting of “Don 2” in Berlin.

Amrita Rao goes for a hot makeover

Rahman to focus more on international career now!

A R Rahman’s international career which has taken off in a big way after “Slumdog Millionaire,” keeps encountering snags, thanks to long-pending assignments back home.

According to sources, Rahman has to keep interrupting his international plans to be home for various pending assignments.

The harried composer is now seriously thinking of putting all home-made assignments on hold to concentrate on building his career abroad, or else he feels he would lose the international advantage he obtained after “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Says a friend of Rahman, “The Indian assignments after ‘Slumdog Millioniare’ have been very time-consuming, especially ‘Raavan’ where Rahman

17

I’ve become a recluse, says bruised Priyanka

Deepika breaks Neil’s smoochcelibacy vow Deepika Padukone has kissed Saif Ali Khan on screen. But her new co-star Neil Nitin Mukesh was a virgin kisser on camera.

Neil had no choice but to succumb to a torrid kissing sequence with Deepika.

Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh have one thing in common. They both follow a no-kiss clause.

Katrina broke her self imposed bow of smoochcelibacy in “New York.”

Now the conservative Neil Nitin Mukesh has pulled out the plug on his no-kissing clause. For Yashraj Films “Lafange Parindey” Neil was virtually forced to do a long lingering kissing scene with Deepika Padukone.

Director Pradeep Sarkar and Deepika had to use every possible power of persuasion before Neil abandoned his chastity vow.

Says a source very close to the project, “At first Neil was totally against the kiss with Deepika. Barring Katrina in “New York” with whom he had no opportunity for a kiss, Neil has refused to kiss in all his films.

In fact his first director Sriram Raghavan threw a fit when Neil refused to kiss Rimi Sen. In his second film “Tera Kya Hoga Johnny” director Sudhir Mishra insisted Neil kiss Shahana Goswami. Neil refused.

Even in “Jail” where there was a love-making scene with Mugda Godse Neil refused to kiss.”

Conservative to the core, Neil plunged into his first kiss only after the director assured him that the romantic relationship needed a culmination. Says the source, “Pradeep persuaded Neil and he finally saw his director's point of view. But Neil was nervous.

Deepika had kissed before

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Amrita Rao donning a bold avatar in the Bollywood movie “Short Kut” had astounded many.

However the actress, who is best recognized for portraying the image of a traditional Indian girl on the silver screen, claims that she is not going for a complete change.

The 29year old actress says that she has no uncertainties in portraying characters that have a variety of shades

and her celluloid-image depends on the type of roles that she bags.

She rubbished the claims of many who said that she donned her 'bold' image in order to get roles.

She said that her image has got nothing to do with her getting roles, since she's comfortable with her own style.

She adds that her every approach is from the same spirit that truly represents the diverse avatars of the standard Indian girl. She also says that she never had any formal training in acting and she has put in her heart and soul in every role she has got so far.

She says that as an actress she needs to believe in herself immensely in order to make the audience realize her acting potentials.

Shahid’s scared of papa!

Shahid Kapoor, who is shooting with his dad Pankaj Kapur for “Mausam” in Edinburgh, is mortified of his father.

It is said that before the unit left for UK, Shahid was already getting addicted to the songs of the film. The young actor apparently loved one of the songs so much that he kept blasting it in his home before he left for the outdoor schedule. His father, who lives just a floor below, heard the strains of the song playing continuously from his son’s home and he quickly admonished Shahid for two things. It is said Pankaj didn’t want Shahid to disturb the peace of the neighbour-

hood with his loud music and two, he didn’t want the song of Mausam to be leaked out so early.

So what did Shahid do? Being the good son that he is, he took papa’s instructions well. Next he was grooving to the same number, but this time with his headphones on.

Aisha

A Romantic comedy from Anil Kapoor Film Company and PVR Pictures, Aisha a story of a girl who loves to get involved with everybody’s life she knows while there is a boy interested in her, who thinks Aisha should keep away from that.

Directed by Rajshri Ojha, the film is produced by Anil Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor, Ajay Bijli and Sanjeev K. Bijli.

Devika Bhagat has penned the screenplay, while she shares the credits for the dialogues with Manu Rishi and Ritu Bhatia.

Caught in the Delhi upper class world with its own set of social rules, Aisha navigates her world with a great sense of style and even greater optimism. Caught in her web are her best friend Pinky, the small town girl Shefali, the west Delhi boy Randhir and the hunk Dhruv. Aisha will make sure everyone dances to her tune. And all Arjun wants to do is disentangle that web and get Aisha out of an impending sticky mess.

The lead cast is made up of Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, Ira Dubey, Arunoday Singh, Cyrus Shahukar , Lisa Haydon, Amrita Puri, Anand Tiwari, Vidhushi Mehra , Sameer Malhotra, Anooradha Patel, Yuri, M. K. Raina and Masood Akhtar. Lyrics of the film are by Javed Akhtar, while Amit Trivedi has scored the tunes.

Amit Trivedi, Anushka Manchanda, Neuman Pinto, Nikhil D'Souza, Raman Mahadevan, Samrat Kaushal, Anusha Mani and Tochi Raina have rendered the playback.

New Hindi movies releasing this week Aisha

Top 5 Bollywood movies for the week No. 1 2 3 4 5

Film Khatta Meetha Tere Bin Laden Lamhaa Udaan I Hate Luv Storys

Last Week Total Weeks New 1 2 2 1 2 3 2 5 4

Soha is all set to be Mrs Khemu Putting all rumors to rest, Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu have actually gone ahead and confirmed about their status as B-town's newest couple.

The couple was noticed at the Delhi Fashion Week, and they didn't seem to hide anything pertaining to their relationship.

Khemu said that the two were never hiding anything regarding their relationship from anyone, but declared about it after they both became sure about the feelings for each other.

Khemu also said that previously they have done films together, however during that time they weren't in a relationship.

The couple says that they like to give each other space and work things out, since the whole concept of a relationship is pretty complex.

Seemingly, Soha and Kunal are pretty serious about the relationship.

In fact, Kunal has already met the

Khan Khaandhaan twice.

He proclaims that he's a big fan of both Sharmila Tagoreji and Pataudi Saab, Soha's parents. He believes that they symbolize the summit of the two religions of the nation: cinema and cricket. Almost to show that she's not far behind, Soha has also gone ahead and met his beau's parents.

18

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Alpesh Patel Consultant Editor Financial Voice Dear Financial Voice Reader, It was a busy media week last week with some five BBC interviews, ranging from newspaper review discussing Pakistan to the markets from the BBC studio at the London Stock Exchange to BP from BBC Bush House for radio – for which my looks are well suited.

As I write July was the best performing month for the US markets in a year. So is the worst over? Case for saying the worst is over: First, 65% of all companies reporting earnings in the ‘MISCI World Index’ have exceeded expectations. This has come as a welcome surprise to an overly pessimistic market.

Second, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is not overvalued as calculated by the price the shares that make up the index are trading at relative to the good profits they are generating. For the technically minded it is trading at a price earnings multiple of 14.

Third, banks are making profits – big profits. Take HSBC which has more than doubled it’s pre-tax profit to $11billion in the first half of the year. So much for credit crunch and bank collapses. # Fourth, as confidence builds, gold, copper and oil are also therefore rallying too – reinforcing the positive global message.

But, but but. There is a case for saying we are getting overoptimistic. First, Europe is suffering – and it is as large as the US in terms of economic size. Spanish consumer confidence for instance is falling, and the austerity measures which initially boosted confidence such as tax hikes and spending cuts, will as they are implemented actually hurt confidence as they hit the real economy and the pocket.

Second, the US is running a budget deficit of 10%, and the UK at 11.5%. Even India is borrowing money and running a deficit. Third, growth. Eurozone growth is around 0.6%. That’s a big drag on the world economy. Fourth, Chinese manufacturing faces a slowdown. Their July figures were the weakest in a year.

So where does that leave the world on balance?

After recent sharp rallies I prefer to hedge my bets more than simply be an out and out bull on the markets. When I look at the technical charts I see the possibility of a slight dip too which depending on what happens thereafter will dictate sharper falls or sharp rally. I think we are as likely by the end of the year to go up a further 1000 points on the Dow as we are to be down 1000 points. Indeed – both things may happen one after the other.

One thing is for sure. This is not end of the world scenario with collapsing banks as we feared two years ago, but also it is not an easy market either when you consider massive public sector spending cuts. Now, those have the advantage of increasing the size of the private sector and that is no bad thing. Indeed the rebalancing of the economy from more private sector from public sector is one reason for increased earnings growth.

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ArcelorMittal back to profits with US$1.7 bn in Q2 ArcelorMittal, the largest producer of steel globally is back to profits. After improved demand in steel, the company owned by L N Mittal, the India born UK entrepreneur reported a net profit of US$1.7 bn for the April – June 2010 quarter. In 2009, the group had losses of US$1.7 bn for the same quarter.

Sales recorded a 43 per cent growth, going to US$21.65 bn from the previous year same quarter figures of US$ 15.17 bn.

Chairman and CEO of the group, Lakshmi Nivas Mittal said in a statement that “The improved performance in the second quarter is in line with our expectations and reflects the continued slow and progressive recovery.”

During the quarter,

overall steel shipments rose to 22.8 million metric tonnes from 17 million metric tonnes for the three months ended June 30,

2009.

Looking ahead, steel giant is expecting to post an earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation (EBITDA) in the range of USD 2.1 billion to USD 2.5 billion in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, the company also said that it was considering spinning off its stainless steel division.

During the quarter, EBITDA from Asia Africa and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) regions jumped 77 per cent to USD 483 million and sales climbed 50 per cent to USD 2.56 billion.

"Sales improved primarily due to higher average steel selling prices and higher steel shipments," the company noted.

Vietnam supports India for BP stake bid British firm holds 35 per cent in the joint venture As the troubled British Petroleum is looking to sell of assets to manage the huge costs of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, one of the countries identified is Vietnam. India is keen to buy out the Vietnam assets and as per reports, even Vietnam is in favour of India getting the preference.

Vietnam and India are partners of BP in offshore gas fields. The two appeared cozying up for splitting the British firm's stake between them after a meeting between India's Oil Minister Murli Deora and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas investment arm of State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), already has 45

per cent stake in the offshore gas fields where BP has 35 per cent and the balance 20 per cent is with Vietnam's national oil firm PetroVietnam.

Both OVL and PetroVietnam are keen to acquire BP's stake in the fields that currently produce about 14 million standard cubic meters per day of gas.

Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Huu Hao earlier said BP must give priority to its partners in sales of stakes in Vietnam assets before making offers to outside parties. In all likelyhood, OVL and PetroVietnam may arrive at an understanding to divide the BP's stake between them.

BP also has 32.33 per cent stake in a 371-km

pipeline, built at a cost of $ 565 million, that ships the gas produced from the fields to onshore power plants.

India is also keen to take BP’s stake in the pipeline project and the power plant.

OVL had sold stake in the Lan Tay field in the block 06.1 in Vietnam to BP after winning the exploration license for the area in 1988.

Mr. Deora flew into the Vietmease capital Hanoi recently and held discussions with top officials of Petrovietnam.

“The gas fields were originally allocated to us but due to foreign exchange crisis of 1990s, we had to give away some stake to BP. We will like to get back that stake," Mr. Deora said.

China's CNOOC and Sinopec as well as Thailand's PTTEP may also be interested in BP's stake in the Vietnam project.

Oil Secretary S. Sundareshan said India is interested in taking over Bk's stake in all the segments of the Nam Con Son project - the gas fields, pipeline and the power plant.

While OVL along with State-owned Oil India Ltd may takeover BP stake in the gas fields, gas utility GAIL India was interested in the British energy giant's stake in the pipeline. GAIL and refiner Indian Oil Corp (IOC) can together manage the power plants.

OVL also has two other exploration blocks 127 and 128 in Vietnam.

Ashok Leyland of India buys stake in UK bus maker Optare Ashok Leyland Limited (ALL), the Indian auto major producing trucks and buses has bought a 26% stake in Optare, a bus manufacturer in UK. The Hinduja family, Indian origin business magnates based in UK own key stake and control ALL, the Indian company.

The stake in Optare is a long term strategic deal.

Negotiations were on for a year for the stake between the two companines. The deal will help ALL’s efforts to accelerate technology, new product development and address new markets.

Optare is founded in 1985 and specialises in low-floor, mid-sized buses as well as modern range of city buses.

Having operations at Leeds and Blackburn, Optare has close to 34% market share in the UK, where it competes with players such as WrightBus and Alexander Dennis.

This strategic alliance will be a critical part of ALL’s global bus programme that is currently under development, ALL MD R Seshasayee said.

Optare pioneered the low-floor, double-decker

in the UK and its new electric bus product has already fetched orders, with more countries in the Europe promoting cleaner and greener mobility. The Optare Solo is a leader in the midibus sector and over 4,000 units have been sold so far. It operates in the UK, Continental Europe and North America.

ALL will have access to Optare’s technology, including a modern range of mid-size and full-size city buses, which will appeal to several global markets, Hinduja

Automotive executive vice-chairman V Sumantran said.

The two companies will also share components in various areas like those related to climate control or drive train systems as both seek to leverage on common design elements.

ALL has the option of raising its stake in Optare in the future.

A part of the investment will be used immediately to service Optare’s debt, with whom ALL has an exclusive manufacturing agreement.

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FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

19

Property Focus Suresh Vagjiani Managing Director of Sow & Reap, a Property Investment & Financing company.

Distance is no barrier We provide our clients with a full turnkey solution to property investment. There is something for all budgets and all types of clients. We will look not just at your financial situation but will understand your comfort levels and establish a common ground to work. This is how we operate and if this suits you, then you can call us and let us see if we can grow together.

This week we look at a family who have their roots in UK but have emigrated to Perth. They have been there for over six years. Having established a base in the UK they now felt it is time to enjoy a better lifestyle, spend more time with their children. Even though they were well settled financially in the UK, they decided to take the plunge and move to Australia.

Whilst in the UK they had their own family home and an investment flat in the popular area of Hatch End. Wisely, they had decided to keep one property in the UK whilst opting to sell their family home so that they could build their dream family home in Perth.

Kishor Patel is a qualified quantity surveyor and so building the home was in his stride. He now does the same for many others who are looking to make Perth their new home.

Their flat has grown in value over the years and is currently over £100k of equity in the property. There has never been an issue in renting the property and so it has always provided an income for them.

BTL is not really a done thing in Perth. The rental yields are very poor due to the lack of demand. Most demand comes from families, who tend to move around less because this is the nature of a family unit. This is in struck contrast to the UK where job mobility, divorce rates and migration all contribute to a healthy demand for rental properties especially in central London where all these factors are increased.

This is not to say the properties have poor growth in Perth, on the contrary, demand for residential plots of land and completed properties have been very high and though the market has been sluggish – as has the rest of the world-, things are heating up again. One major factor to watch out for is the tight (and recently implemented) immigration policy of Australia. It has recently turned the heat down and made it difficult to gain residency in to the country. This will have reduced the demand for residential properties and therefore the price rise Perth has seen in former years will not be replicated until the fundamental pull factor is

again opened up. Australia, and specifically Perth, is fast becoming a country of residence especially for second generation Indians who now not only have more lucrative income but also want a more leisurely lifestyle to go with it. Though the demand for this country exists, especially amongst of the NRI, in the UK, the immi-

gration authorities want to control the inflow into the country. This level of control is no doubt, why the country has become appealing as a place to settle, especially in contrast to the immigration policies of the UK. The population of Australia is 22.5m and the country is 31 times the size of the UK. The UK has nearly 3 times the population of Australia.

Testimony to Perth being the new place to settle is the new $70million dollar mansion being built by an Indian couple who have made Perth their hoem for the last 6 years. The home will perhaps be the most expensive in Australia.

The two-storey home will have six bedrooms, an observatory with a revolving roof and a garage to fit up to 16 cars. A separate temple and gymnasium will be built beside the main house.

The home will overlook tennis courts and the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club.

The location was carefully selected for its Vaastu principles. Vaastu is a Hindu canon of architecture, planning and design in harmony with physical and spiritual forces. Local Indian architects met the family's guru and learned the spiritual secrets of home design.

Back to the more humble Patel family who, with advice from Sow and Reap, felt it was time to invest in the UK. This was done for several reasons; first, they know they can rely on Sow & Reap to take care of

the process from beginning to end. The other major considerations were the value of the pound as it has dropped against the Australian dollar. This coupled with recovering property market to give the right timing for the family to decide to invest.

This is the very reason why agents have reported massive interest from overseas buyers. There seems to be no shortage of money and interest as the recent scheme in Hyde Park shows.

Over half of the 77 flats have already been sold. Eleven flats were confirmed to having been sold at the end of June at an average price of £10million each, prices had increased by 15% over the last 4 months. This means an increase of 45% per annum.

A recent report by the BPF declared foreign investors would continue to take advantage of the "favourable conditions" in the London property market. According to the British Property Federation, many overseas buyers are looking to capitalise on the weakening pound, cheap debt and lower interest rates.

Andrew Teacher, media manager at the BPF, explained that interest rates are unlikely to remain at their current low level forever and many investors will be looking to enter the market before the bank is forced to push them up. "Clearly opportunistic investors will make use of favourable conditions in the market," he said.

However, the property expert believes that prime properties in the capital will continue to be popular among buyers once the market recovers fully.

Research recently carried out by Savills revealed that 55% of all real estate transactions that took place in London

last year came by foreign buyers. The organisation put the popularity of the market down to the weakness of sterling and the strong purchasing power of foreign currency buyers.

Below is a graph showing how the pound has depreciated in value against the Australian dollar over the last few years They will not be putting any money into the deal. The initial funds will be coming by way of remortgaging their current BTL property. This will release the deposit required for the purchase.

The rental of the property being purchased will be enough to cover the deposit monies raised from the first property and the mortgage of the second property and there will be an income from this.

Although there is potential for capital growth in the Perth property market, it does not have the yield and the stability of the central London UK Property market.

This market also offers transparency and a robust legal system that removes many variables existing in less mature economies.

The aim is to purchase a 2-bedroom property in central London, in the Paddington or Notting Hill areas up to the £325,000 mark. The rental of this property will generate £480 per week giving an income of £25,000 per annum.

Assuming a mortgage interest rate of 5%, the mortgage cost will only be £16,250 so the property will generate surplus income.

Remember that this is in addition to the capital growth The actual rate we are able to secure for overseas residents is actually much lower than this. The rates we can currently get are around 3.5% per annum.

It is in our interest to ensure the property is bought well and benefits from strong capital growth as then we will be able to remortgage and do the same again. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that an Australian family use Sow and Reap to invest. This is truly a full turnkey solution we offer, all you need to do is to decide and we take care of the rest. We finance, source and rent your property. We are a one-stop shop for UK property investment.

We offer the highest level of service, in all areas and aim to build long term relationships with all our clients. All services are independent the financing, rental and sourcing, because we want you to use us only if your are happy with our service.

n Mortgages n Commercial Finance n Property Sourcing n Gujarat Properties - Sale & Resale T: 0207 706 0187 F: 0203 014 8484

E: info@sowandreap.co.uk W: www.sowandreap.co.uk

31 Southwick Street, Paddington, W2 1JQ Registered in England No. 05083823

20

finanCial voice

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

£3bn of UK tax refunds in a mess at HM Revenue and Customs Households may have to wait for up to 4 years due to a huge backlog disaster. Of these, nine million records are under investigation to look for any undercharges or overcharges.

The National Audit Office has laid bare the situation in a damning report and also warned that clearing the huge backlog remains a very significant.

UK taxman owes billions of pounds to households, but an extraordinary logjam at the HM Revenue and Customs is likely to delay the refunds for up to 4 years. More than 18 million tax records involving 15.4 million people remain unresolved as a merger of databases resulted into a

The Government is thought to owe taxpayers more than £3billion in overpayments. But at the same time, £1.4billion is yet to be collected in underpaid bills.

The NAO warns that the backlog of overpayments will not be resolved for another four years.

Volvo is now a Chinese auto major Geely Holdings group’s acquisition is complete Volvo, the Swedish auto major is now a Chinese company, though it will continue the independent identity and remain headquartered at Gothenburg in Sweden. Regulators in the European Union, the US and China approved the takeover deal by Geely Holdings Group recently and that followed a ceremony in London, where Ford delivered the entire Volvo assets to the Chinese company.

According to Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Group and Volvo Car Corporation, both the companies will con-

Li Shufu

tinue to go ahead with their independent identities; it will be a brotherhood relationship between the two. The Chinese company completed the deal for a consideration of US$ 1.8 billion.

Li Shufu also said

restoring Volvo’s position in the global luxury auto market is his aim. “Volvo should enjoy a much better position in the global market given its quality, technology, research and development abilities and its brand value,” he added.

He also said Volvo management will have the autonomy to execute its own business plan. As part of its business plans, Volvo will strengthen its presence in Europe and North America while also taking advantage of growth opportunities in China.

Leadership Matters

Remember Not to Forget A short time ago I wrote about Tony Hayward, the now ‘ex-CEO’ of BP, and how his comments had hurt the company. The true extent of the damage was made apparent only last week when it was announced that he would be stepping down from his position, no doubt with a nudge from the Board. In addition to the point about thinking before speaking, this episode also highlighted another more subtle pitfall that leaders are susceptible to suffering – ‘memory loss’.

Leaders get to the top because of their ability, dedication and skill (and in some cases, their contacts). On their way up the ladder, while they learn many things, they are also prone to forget just as much. Many leaders lose sight of basic concepts of successful leadership such as employee engagement or communication. It may seem far fetched, but looking back at some of the mistakes made by leaders, the cause can often be a small oversight on their part – as Tony

AR Rahman collaborates with Lebara for exclusive ringtone Celebrities Join Musical Legend to Celebrate the First Play of the Official Lebara Tune self.

The announcement was made by CEO Ratheesh Yoganathan and AR Rahman at the Lebara VIP after party at the IndigO2, following the maestro’s hugely successful concert at the O2.

Amongst the guests who walked the ‘Lebara Blue Carpet’ to join in the celebrations were Laila Rouass (Footballers Wives, Strictly Come Dancing), Nitin Ganatra (Eastenders), Nina Wadia (Eastenders), Himesh Patel (Eastenders), Bollywood star Dalip Tahil (Bombay Dreams, Evita), Ray Panthaki (It’s A Wonderful Afterlife) Jan Uddin (Shank) and Kiss FM’s DJ Neev.

Lebara has partnered with leading mobile music and technology provider, IMImobile, to offer customers an impressive portfolio of music to UK audiences that includes more than 40,000 ringtones and

Lebara, the global leader in providing high quality, low-cost international mobile services, launched its new mobile portal, Lebara Music at a starstudded celebrity bash with musical legend, AR Rahman and a host of celebrities. The event took place on Saturday 24th July 2010, following the Lebara Jai Ho AR Rahman: ‘The Journey Home’ Tour 2010.

Lebara Music adds a new layer of personalisation to the company’s recently launched mobile portal, which currently provides regional news for the Nigerian, Indian, Pakistani, Arabic, Filipino and Polish communities.

Lebara also announced an exciting three-year collaboration with Oscar-winning composer, AR Rahman, which kicked off with the release of the official ‘Lebara Tune’, an exclusive ringtone composed by the legend him-

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over two million full tracks from Universal Music UK, EMI, Warner, Sony Music, Ministry of Sound and [PIAS].

The exclusive AR Rahman composition is the latest addition to a rich selection of wellknown regional artists that includes Piolo Pascual (Phillipines), 2Face Ibidia (Nigeria), Atif Aslam (Pakistan), Iwona Wegrowska (Poland), as well as songs from major Bollywood movies including Raavan, 3Idiots, Khatta Meetha and Kites to name but a few.

In addition, the partnership with AR Rahman will allow customers access to over 150 songs and tones of the artist’s greatest hits including Tere Bina, Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha and the global smash hit Jai Ho! from the Oscar-laden movie Slumdog Millionaire.

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Talking about the Lebara Tune, AR Rahman said: “I’m proud to be working with Lebara and hope customers enjoy it. I look forward to creating more music for the company over the next three years.”

This year Lebara has solidified its presence in the music space with its exclusive sponsorship of the UK Asian Music Awards and the prestigious MOBO Awards, as well as sponsorship of Rahman’s UK Tour.

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By Amit Patel

revealed that Winston Churchill had his dentures made to a specific design so as to preserve his lisp because he felt that should this lisp be lost, people may become discomforted by the change in his voice and this could in turn change the mood of the country!

This may seem farfetched, but it illustrates how good leaders recognise and utilise their strengths to achieve their aims. “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom.”

We learn just as much about ourselves as we forget; which is why it is important to remember not to forget.

(Amit Patel has over 15 years experience in the field of Leadership and Human Resource Management).

A chilly winter helped British Gas with cool profits heating as also an addition of 223,000 new customers this year. The company had cut gas prices in February 2010, helping in bringing the new customers.

Profits for British Gas would not be better in the second half, as rising wholesale gas prices squeeze margins through the rest of 2010. Pressure will build for a hike in household bills if the upward trend persists.

British Gas, the largest energy firm in UK pocketed cool profits, thanks to the chilly winter that the country experienced earlier this year. In fact, the company recorded almost double profits as compared to a year before.

The residential arm of British Gas saw their profits going up to £585 mn, a rise of 98 per cent over the same period a year ago.

Shivering cold led to households using more

Adani Enterprises bags OZ coal mines deal with Linc Energy utive Peter Bond.

The deal comprises A$500 million in cash and royalty @ A$2 per tonne for the first 20 years.

More Indian investments are likely to follow into Australia, as forecasts say India would be facing acute shortage of coal.

Earlier, Linc tried to sell of the Theresa coal tenements in Queensland to Chinese firms, but that fell through.

In one of the biggest Indian investments in Australian coal mines sector, Gujarat based Adani Enterprises has signed a deal with Linc Energy for their Galilee coal tenement. The deal is worth A$2.7 billion.

Adani Enterprises has already secured the approval of the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) for the deal according Linc Chief exec-

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Hayward will tell you.

Why do leaders make such mistakes? There are many stories about business people and politicians who came from humble beginnings only to forget where they came from or how they got there. Power can indeed be heady intoxication.

Not wishing to upset any political sentiments I will not name the Gujarati politician who, when refused a ministerial portfolio, dumped his party, joined the opposition and fought against the very policies he himself stood for a few days earlier - obviously a man of ‘many’ principles. He simply, or rather conveniently, ‘forgot’ what got he stood for.

It is one thing to get to the top, it is another to actually stay there.

Success brings with it many things; new friends, new possessions, new status; ‘rewards’ which can easily make a person forget some of their more basic abilities.

Yet to disregard these simple skills can be critical. How critical? A recent BBC web article

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FINANCIAL VOICE

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

21

Foreign Exchange Rajesh Agrawal is the Chairman & CEO of RationalFX, Currency Specialists.

For any further information call 020 7220 8181 or e-mail info@rationalfx.com

More than Cricket and Curry ‘‘The relationship is a good one, a historic one, but I believe it can be made stronger still,’’ said the Chancellor, George Osborne, speaking from the central hall of the Mumbai Stock Exchange.

Mr. Osborne is part of the huge British Government delegation to India, led by Prime Minister David Cameron, which includes senior politicians, leading industrialists and Olympic sports stars.

It is little wonder that Britain wants to cling on to India’s economic coat tails: while the UK, along with most of the economically recognised world, limps out of recession, India’s economy races forward at an impressive 8.5% a year.

As well as building new business relationships and re-enforcing existing ones, the UK believes it can start exporting education to India – in fact, the vice-chancellor of Cambridge University is part of this considerable delegation. Furthermore, a mutual belief exists that Britain can involve herself in vast Indian infrastructure projects, such as the modernisation of roads, bridges, airports and the railway systems, which will turn India from an emerging to a fully formed super-power.

George Osborne has also

called for India to possess greater influence over major international institutions, such as the IMF. The Chancellor is thereby emphasising that Britain is “open for business” and is insistent that in recent years the UK has been losing its share of India’s booming economy.

Many British companies have already benefited from this government trade delegation, including Smiths Detection, which has won the security contract for the up-and-coming Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

There has also been an agree-

ment between BAE systems, Rolls Royce, and India’s leading aerospace company, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, which is said to be worth around £700 million.

Business secretary Vince Cable believes strongly that the UK Government will allow the export of British civil nuclear technology to India for the first time, which will hopefully encourage the exchange of trade and technology between the two historic trading partners. These and many more incentives on both sides are being highlighted

by David Cameron’s reiteration that the UK must become the partner of choice for India.

On all sides of this relationship, business and governments alike, there seems to be a sense of genuine excitement over what can be achieved by working more closely together – indeed, last week’s party in India included David Cameron showing off his batting skills and talking of renewed partnerships. This agreement, however, would only be the beginning of what is potentially a one-sided relationship, with India holding some (if not all) of the cards that could result in Britain’s economic revival. India has the whole world beating a path to their door, hoping for a slice of eastern promise and trade agreements galore.

David Cameron has described his recent mission as the largest UK trade delegation in living memory. This renewal of cultural links and trade agreements with India must be maintained and established associations between the two countries must be strengthened.

Britain must prove to India that it has more than one ‘‘special relationship’’ and that her relationship with India stands for more than cricket and curry.

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22

INDIA

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Indian investments important for UK, says Cameron There was a spontaneous round of applause in Delhi when David Cameron said that the UK's new commitment to build a "special relationship" with India was included in the Queen's Speech.

The British Prime Minister said Britain should not mind bending down on the knees to secure a special relationship with India, as the former colony is a strong and young economy. UK needs Indian business and investments.

For a country that broke free from the shackles of British rule just 60 years ago, India still holds certain associations with the UK dear, and Her Majesty is one of them.

The Prime Minister used a so-called 'Davosstyle' forum in front of hundreds of UK and Indian businessmen to spell out exactly how the two countries can forge closer business links. In a high-profile finale to the Coalition Government's three-day trade and political mission to India, Mr Cameron shared the stage with George Osborne, the Chancellor, Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, and three of India's senior finance ministers.

Former PR man Cameron certainly had his marketing cap on. In what he admitted was a "twominute advertisement" for the UK he listed why Indian companies should invest in the country.

"We have some of the best universities in the

world, we have one of the strongest science bases in the world, we have got excellent civil nuclear power, we are a very strong defence industry, and we have a strong financial, insurance and banking services industry.

These are things we can share with you."

That wasn't all. "We have the English language, we have a time-zone between America and Asia, we have access to European markets and we have highly a trained workforce. We are one of the most open and welcome economies.

Investing in Britain is extremely straight-forward."

If the Coalition should fail, at least Mr Cameron will be welcomed back to his old profession with open arms.

But how realistic is it that this new spirit of cooperation will actually work? Many sectors of the Indian economy have stringent restrictions on foreign investment while the UK's new government has set a cap on non-EU immigration. It is not exactly the recipe for smooth two-way trade.

The Prime Minister admitted that sorting out differences will take years rather than months.

India's semi-closed industries – such as the insurance, legal and retail sectors – were "one of the things that we are here to discuss", Mr Cameron said to a ripple of laughter from attendees who appreciated just how entrenched those

British Prime Minister David Cameron and Indian Counterpart Manmohan Singh address members of the media during a joint press conference at Hyderabad House on July 29 in Delhi

restrictions are.

However the Prime Minister pointedly said that creating a good working relationship will mean "difficult decisions" and "taking on vested interests".

Anand Sharma, India's Commerce Minister, denied that India's restrictions on so-called Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) have prevented UK companies from operating in India.

"I don't think that is correct at all. These are business decisions. It is a welcoming environment," he said.

He said that India has seen plentiful investment from foreign companies despite its restrictions: "We have Vodafone here, Cairn Energy, British Petroleum, construction companies, and British

entities in the financial services sector. I don't agree when people say we are reasonably closed. Of course not."

He went on to say that some 50pc of all the foreign banks that are present in India are from the UK. He added that bilateral trade would double and take the relationship "to new heights".

Mr Cable gave a historical perspective on the two countries' business relationship. "There was a certain amount of complacency on our side in the past.

There was a belief that sentiment was enough. It isn't enough. We need to work much harder," he said.

Mr Cable said that he had watched India's economic growth with awe over the years. "I first came to this country 45

years ago and I have been every few years. Every time I come there has been a quantum leap. I came before the green revolution. I came before the information revolution.

"A generation of British politicians and business people have got to engage with the modern India and recognise that Britain has got to provide investment, technology and exports which meet India's current expectations, which are very high.

We have got to up our game."

On the issue of immigration both Mr Cameron and Mr Cable denied that the Coalition's cap will stop investment by Indian companies.

Mr Cable said: "We want to do this in a way that makes it absolutely clear that Britain is open

for business. And we welcome investments from India and elsewhere. We are an open economy and we recognise as part of that that there have to be inter-company transfers, there has to be staff coming and going and this has got to happen in a smooth and flexible way."

So it is hoped that the respective thorns in India and the UK's sides – investment caps for us and immigration for them – can be resolved.

Businessmen present were hopeful. Ian Cheshire, the chief executive of B&Qowner Kingfisher, said that India's retail sector would benefit greatly from opening up to foreign companies.

Although Kingfisher has no plans to open stores in India at present, Mr Cheshire said that he was "taking the temperature" and did not rule it out in the long term.

Lord Patten of Barnes, the chairman of the UK India Roundtable business group and the last Governor of Hong Kong, told The Daily Telegraph that the whole point of the visit is that it goes beyond a mere talking shop.

"Sometimes in foreign economic policy people think that issues are simply transactional. With India it is such an important partner that we are here to really work with them in building and developing a relationship," he said.

Sentiments that no doubt would have resulted in another round of applause.

Immigration cap brings Osborne meets Tata group, Godrej top brass, Ambanis UK Chancellor of Exchequer also visited Bombay Stock Exchange UK coalition under strain Cameron, Vince Cable clash over the issue during India visit In their attempt to woo Indian investment and opportunities for British businesses in India, Prime Minister David Cameron and his business secretary, Lib Dam minister Vince Cable almost clashed publicly over the cap on immigration.

Prime Minister and Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, effectively agreed to disagree over what had been a key policy for the Conservatives during the general election, but which was opposed vociferously by the Lib Dems.

Mr Cable, who was in the party, warned that the mission would be futile unless the Government scrapped the proposed annual limit on immigration from outside the European Union. The Confederation of Indian Business and some British financial leaders have expressed concern that it would prevent entrepreneurs from coming to Britain. Mr Cable, speak-

ing to an Indian daily said he would fight to have the cap scrapped, saying he wanted as "liberal an immigration policy as it’s possible to have".

"We are arguing, within government, about how we create the most flexible regime we can possibly have, but in a way that reassures the British public," he added.

After hearing of Mr Cable’s remarks, Mr Cameron was understood to have ruled out any watering down of the policy, which was contained in the Coalition agreement. He rejected suggestions that the cap could be eased for highly skilled workers. A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Cable was not disputing that there would be a cap on immigration. He added that the Business Secretary and Mr Cameron would both be discussing with the Indian government how the limit could be introduced without damaging enterprise.

The United Kingdom’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne held a closeddoor meeting with the top brass of Tata Group during his visit to India.

The meeting coincided with a news by Bloomberg that companies, including Tata Steel, may leave the UK as climate-protection policies boost electricity and natural-gas costs.

Quoting a report of the London-based EnergyIntensive Users Group and Britain’s Trades Union Congress, Bloomberg said factories would pay 18 per

cent to 141 per cent more for gas, electricity and carbon-reduction programmes by 2020, adding about £7 million ($11 million) to the bill for a typical large energy consumer.

“Many of the taxes and

costs identified in this report are UK-specific and will reduce the competitiveness of Corus’ British operations,” Kirby Adams , managing director and chief executive officer of Tata Steel Europe, said in an emailed statement.

Corus, Britain’s largest steel manufacturer, is part of Tata Steel Group. Tata Group’s plan for the two British brands — Jaguar and Land Rover — was reportedly discussed during the meeting. The UK Consulate

confirmed that Osborne met top management officials of Tata Group.

Sources at Tata Group declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Osborne launched Vodafone’s new solar-powered mobile handset and later attended a dinner hosted by Godrej Group. He also met Anil Ambani. Osborne rang the opening bell at the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The visiting UK Chancellor had a one-toone meeting with Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani.

Economic nationalism could derail world economy Vince Cable says opening of Indian – UK economies in mutual interest British Business Secretary warns India and other countries that 'economic nationalism' could derail world economy. Speaking to politicians and businessmen in Delhi, Mr Cable said that the "opening up" of the Indian and UK's economies is in both countries' "mutual interest".

The Business Secretary said that in the past, nationalistic policies have

led to trade warfare. His comments injected a dose of reality into a three-day Coalition delegation to India that has majored on the future business opportunities that exist between the two countries.

In what he called a "general point", Mr Cable said: "We are looking at this quite sensibly in a bilateral context. There is always a danger of the world econo-

my sliding back into economic nationalism.

Historically we have had bouts in the past where national policies have led to trade warfare.

"So while we talk about good things and cooperation this is not just a financial matter, it is making contributions to the world economy. And it could become derailed very soon if we go back to economic

nationalism. We mustn't let that happen." George Osborne, the Chancellor, said that negotiations are currently underway between the EU and India to complete a long-delayed free trade agreement. If successful the talks could ease the flow of goods between European countries and the subcontinent and dilute the need for any form of protectionism.

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

INDIA

23

Rahul Mahajan’s marriage saved for now

In divine light

Wife Dimpy walked out, returned after a compromise Reality TV star and son of former BJP leader, Rahul Mahajan’s second marriage is save for now, as his wife Dimpy Ganguly returned after a compromise. Last week, she accused him of physical abuse and has walked out on him just months after their high-profile wedding on a TV show. The couple, after Dimpy’s return to her marital home also visited the famous Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Mumbai.

Earlier, Dimpy claimed that Rahul hit her after being unable to read a message on her phone but Rahul has denied all these allegations. Interestingly, Rahul's first marriage to his childhood friend Shweta Singh had also ended on similar grounds.

Samudra Manthan

Rahul Mahan and his wife Dimpy Mahajan

Mahajan, had a troubled past with drug abuse charges and an acrimonious marriage and divorce from childhood friend Shweta Singh.

Mahajan chose 21-

year-old Dimpy, a model and dancer, over Nikunj Malik, 25, and Harpreet Chhabra, 20, on reality TV show Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega broadcast by NDTV Imagine.

Tharoor - Sunanda to tie the knot

Ludhiana gets a Kingfisher flight for Delhi

Marriage on Friday in Thiruvananthapuram

Kingfisher, the leading private airline in India, lauched a daily direct flight between New Delhi and Ludhiana in Punjab on Sunday, 01 August.

The new service would be operated by Kingfisher Red, the budget arm of the airline, according to a company media release.

Kingfisher is currently the only private airline to offer services to Ludhiana.

Kingfisher Airlines’ flight IT-4361 will depart from New Delhi at 1.45 pm and arrive at Ludhiana at 2.45 pm while the return flight IT4362 will take-off from Ludhiana at 3.15 pm and arrive at 4.15 pm in New Delhi, the release said.

He lost his ministerial job trying to help his would be wife. But now, Shashi Tharoor is reportedly set to tie the knot with her, this week itself.

The former UN official recently did visit two of India’s most sought after temples to seek the divine blessings too.

Former minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor, according to media reports in Kerala, is set to marry his long-time companion Sunanda Pushkar on Friday, the 6th of August.

He has officially divorced his Canadian wife Christa Giles, as indicat-

ed by his status in Parliament record. The Malayalam media is full of details about the impending marriage of the former UN diplomat to the Dubai-based businesswoman. TharoorPushkar marriage will be solemnised in an auditorium in the premises of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, built by the royal family of Travancore. Recently, Tharoor visited Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur temples in Maharashtra with Sunanda to offer prayers, he even tweeted about his visit.

Punjab, Maharashtra, Bengal lead in curbing birth rate Silently, and without much sarkari fanfare, dramatic changes are taking place in the population indicators of some states that you won't see reflected in country-level data.

Crude birth rate, that is, the number of live births per 1,000 population dipped from 26.4 to 22.8 for the whole country between 1998 and 2008. That's a 14% decline. But in eight major states, the decline was much more. In Punjab, birth rate fell by a whopping 23%, followed by Kerala and Maharashtra (both 20%) and West Bengal (18%).

Countrywide, the crude death rate, that is, the number of deaths per 1,000 population, came down by 18% in a decade.

Again, there were surprises in the toppers' list.

Both Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan saw a 23%

By Rajen Vakil

dip in death rates, closely followed by Bihar (22%) and UP (20%).

Subtracting deaths from births gives the natural growth rate of the population. For India, this key indicator declined by 11%, but in Kerala and Punjab, the rate of population growth slowed down by as much as 32%. In Maharashtra, it was down by 23% and in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, by about 18%.

These astonishing figures are computed from the annual Sample Registration System (SRS) survey done by the government's Census office for the years 1998 and 2008. The survey for 2008, which is the latest available, covered a sample of 7.1 million people spread across the country.

There has been a significant decline in the

infant mortality rate (number of babies up to one year of age dying per 1,000 live births) in India from 72 in 1998 to 53 in 2008. Although more than 5% of babies dying in the first year of birth is still shocking, there is a decline of 26% over the past decade.

But many states are way ahead in the fight to bring down baby deaths.

Tamil Nadu has slashed infant mortality by an incredible 42%, West Bengal by 34%, Maharashtra by 33% and Orissa by 30%. A few smaller states have actually shown increases in infant mortality rates.

These include Delhi (13%), J&K, Mizoram and Meghalaya.

However, SRS data for smaller states needs to be seen with caution because of the small sample sizes.

On the journey of inner self-observation, the biggest obstacle is negative emotions. They hypnotise one to the sleep of life and disturb the state of consciousness or awakening. These negative emotions cannot be suppressed but have to be dealt with in a very tactful manner. Because truth is poorn (whole), the positive and negative are both a part of the truth. The negative emotions have to be consciously used to extract amrita (the energy of essence of consciousness), the bridge to the inner divinity.

Negative energies (demons) are of four types: 1. Asura comes from the root ‘as’ and ‘un’, meaning to throw or to cast; it is that negativity which fragments our energy.

2. Daitya comes from the root ‘do’ and ‘tin’, meaning to cut, split, or divide; it is that negativity which divides and fragments our attention and does not allow it to be one-pointed.

3. Rakshasa comes from the root ‘rakhsa’, meaning protected; it is that negativity which steals the very vital energy that protects us and looks after our wellbeing. This is done through seduction of attention by attacking the sex centre or through day-dreaming about sex.

4. Danava comes from the root ‘danu’ or ‘daana’, meaning to share.

Danava is the opposite of these – that is to forcibly separate. This is negativity that separates one from the facts of life and manifests as moods that bring about illusory phases such as depression and loneliness.

In the Mahabharata, there is the story of the churning of the oceans, where the devas (or gods/conscious energy) on one side, and the asuras, daityas, rakshasas, and danavas (or demons/negativity) on the other, churn the oceans to extract amrita, which would give them eternal life. Eternal life does not mean to live on forever but to free oneself from the cycle of birth and death.

They cut Mount Meru and put it on the oceanbed to be used as the churning rod and wrapped the serpent Vasuki as the churning rope. The devas tactfully held the tail while the demons held the head. Once the churning started, the poor demons started suffocating

This sculpture of Horus and Seth, from Egypt, too represents a similar struggle between negativity and consciousness. Stories similar to the Samudra Manthan find their place in other cultures too.

because of the poisonous fumes that came out of the serpent’s head.

Before they could go any further, Mount Meru got covered by water and was drowned in the oceans.

The Devas and Demons were at a loss of what to do. They went to Lord Vishnu begging for help, who took the incarnation of tortoise (Kurma) and went into the oceans and lifted Mount Meru on his shell. Again, the churning began in right earnest and many things came out of the oceans, the last being Amrita, the nectar of life.

This ancient mythological story is in reality an explanation of a secret yogic exercise called Gold Nugget. The floor of the oceans is the perineum.

Mount Meru depicts the Sushumna Nadi (backbone). Lord Vishnu as a tortoise (Kurma) represents our tortoise shell shaped diaphragm. The Devas is the positive side within us and the Asuras the negative. The holding of breath, the pulling in of the perineum and a constant pressure brings about tremendous pressure between the diaphragm and perineum, making an inner circuit that connects them to a centre in the brain called the 'silent area'. Then, begins the shallow breath (churning) through the two nostrils i.e. the 'Ida' and the 'Pingla', the two ends of Vasuki Naga. Initially, lot of negativities pour out and as we continue practice over a period of time, the silent area gets activated. This results in, from a trickle to a flow of tremendous spiritual energy.

To a seeker on the path, apart from the yogic practices, one must practice the Samudra Manthan in one’s everyday living. The question in any disciple’s mind is how to work in a situation where negativity manifests and takes control.

Let us take the instance of the most common nega-

tivity – anger or rage. In such a situation, one should pause and not express the anger. The minute one does this, the anger tries to seduce one’s attention and hypnotise one with the event that caused the anger but the consciousness works in an opposite manner by trying to free one of this negative emotion of anger. Both work in opposite directions, that is they are churning the ocean of our mind, with the consciousness (or devas) on one hand and the negativity (or demons) on the other. If this churning is done in a balanced-manner, that is the consciousness balances its pull to match that of the negativity, then at one point both the negativity and the controlling function of the consciousness vanish and free consciousness without the attitude of control prevails, bringing about a balance and awakening of the body-brain system, which is amrita.

One day, the Taoist master Lieh Tzu went fishing for the first time. He took a rod, lined a worm, and sank the hook.

Immediately, a fish came and bit the bait. Lieh Tzu was so excited that he pulled on the rod in a flash, but the fish ate a part of the worm and ran away. He then repeated this process, this time around thinking that he had pulled too quickly the first time, he waited a little longer. The fish ate the whole worm to its fill leaving Lieh Tzu standing there holding the rod. He then decided to take a different approach and every time the fish pulled on the bait a little, he matched the fish’s pull, neither more nor less. Eventually, the fish was trapped in the hook. That day, Leih Tzu went to his disciples and told them that he had learnt a new law of life – when any negativity pulls you, allow your consciousness to pull only that much so as to match the pull of negativity. If one allowed the consciousness to overpower the anger, the anger would be suppressed one would not be free of it. Also, if anger was allowed to overpower consciousness, then one would again be hypnotised with the event.

(Edited by Chintu Gandhi.) The author is in the U.K. to provide practical yoga (through rhythmic breathing) sessions and talks up to the 19th of August. These will be free to attend. For details, please email 3srb@live.com or call Chintu on 079 04981705.

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Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Kolkata teacher refuses to wear burqa under pressure The students of Aliah Muslim university have demanded that teachers should wear burqa if they wanted to teach them, even though the rule book did not say so.

While seven women teachers succumbed to the pressure, one did not.

Twenty four-year-old Shirin Niddya has been shifted to another university campus for fear that her presence might cause trouble.

Just two weeks after she started teaching Bengali literature at Aliah University's Kolkata campus, students union there demanded all women lecturers would have to wear burqas.

"During mid-April, the students union called us and told all eight women

teachers to wear burqa.

Students union said don't discuss this with authorities, just follow our order.

We have forced students to wear burqas, if you don't you will have to leave the job," said Shirin.

The students union denies strong arm tactics but admits that they suggested that in keeping with the tradition of the Calcutta High Madrassah where the Aliah University has a campus, the burqa would be most suitable.

"We had told the

French grandmother Serena, 48, has come with her eight-year-old granddaughter Tilli to Anand to become a mother again!

Serena has married for the second time and wants to start her family with her second husband Terry.

Surrogacy and IVF specialist Dr Naina Patel said it was an uncommon case where a grandmother wanted to become a mother of her own child.

There have been three cases in Anand, all of NRIs where local grandmothers opted to become surrogates to carry the children of their daughters

since they were not medically fit to carry the pregnancy to full-term. This was mostly to gift motherhood to their daughters.

Serena’s case however is unique. Serena first got married when she was just 18 years and became mother of three daughters aged 29, 25 and 25.

Apart from Tilli, she also has a four-year- old grandson.

After her first marriage broke apart, she met Terry and lived with him for 10 years. They later formalised the relationship and got married. It has been ten years since their

authorities that this is a madrassah. The way she used to dress, it was an eyesore for us. The university doesn't have a dress code but that doesn't mean you can violate the madrassah's tradition. We felt bad. So we objected," said Md. Atiqur Rehman, General Secretary of Kolkata Madrassah Students Union.

Worried about trouble breaking out, the university shifted Shirin Middya to its Salt Lake campus where she has been for the last three months. She has written to the government about her predicament and has been promised action.

"This is a one-off incident, but the issue is serious. I have told the vice chancellor to look into it

and give me a report. If someone is guilty, take action against them. This should not happen, this is against human rights," said Abdus Sattar, Minister for Minority Development.

While Shirin awaits government action, her resolve to stick to her point remains unshaken.

"If anyone wants to wear a burqa freely, that is fine. But force is not necessary, it is not good," said Shirin.

Shirin knows she has an uphill battle ahead of her. But she is ready to fight.

What bothers her is not the personal onslaught, but the principle. She will wear a burqa when she wants to. No one can force her into it.

marriage and all through, she has been trying to become a mother.

“She had got her tubes tied after the birth of her three daughters. She underwent two operations to get the tubes untied but the procedures were not successful.

She was advised surrogacy but since laws relating to surrogacy are very stringent in their country, she has opted to get a donor egg and try pregnancy through IVF”, said Patel.

“My wife has been very insistent that we have a child together. I do not have a child of my own

and she always says I do not know what I have been missing. She wants us to have a child together to experience the joys of parenthood”, the husband said.

The couple even tried adoption but it was not easy in their country. “The grandmother’s desire to bear of a child for her husband is too strong. It is amazing. We will perform embryo transfer in two days. Since she has had three caesarean sections, we will transfer only one embryo to ensure her uterus is not harmed”, said Patel.

French grandma wants to be mom again, visits Anand

Kashmir valley on the boil, violence toll mounts to 25 Two persons were killed and five others were injured on Tuesday in clashes with security forces who opened fire in Srinagar and Budgam districts of Kashmir Valley.

Defying curfew, residents of Qamarwari in Srinagar earlier in the day took to the streets and held demonstrations.

In Budgam, locals held demonstrations and refused to disperse following which security forces opened fire. Two persons were injured in the firing and have been hospitalised, police said.

With Tuesday's deaths, a total of 25 people have been killed in incidents of violence in the Valley since Friday.

Meanwhile, the Central government has decided to send nearly 2,000 paramilitary force personnel to the Valley while another 3,200, currently based in the state, will be redeployed in trouble-torn areas. The additional forces are being sent following a request from Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to the Centre to help tackle the situation in the Valley.

Karachi in flames, 47 killed Continued from page 1 Haider had gone to a mosque to attend a funeral when 4 gunmen opened fire on him. His bodyguard and an MQM worker were also killed.

Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Haider had received threats from the Sipah-eSahaba, a banned antiShia group. He said the killing would be probed jointly by police and intelligence agencies.

Police officials today said they had detained about 20 members of banned groups. “There have been regular firing incidents in different areas as supporters and activists of the MQM have reacted strongly to the assassination of their leader,” one police officer said.

The MQM leadership has directly blamed the Awami National Party which represents the Pakhtoons for Haider’s killing.

World Bank picks Ahmedabad as likely model for Tanzania city Ahmedabad's 'inclusive' growth where planners have kept in mind the needs of ordinary residents has come in for special praise by the World Bank. The bank has chosen Ahmedabad over other Indian cities for consideration as a model metropolis whose planned growth can be replicated in Dar es Salam, the largest city of Tanzania. Now, the bank has to take a final decision between Ahmedabad and another city chosen from China.

A presentation on the Gujarati city's roads, traffic management, solid waste collection and disposal system, measures to enhance municipal revenue, community infrastructure and upgrading of slums, was made at a conference in Dar-es-Salam.

Ahmedabad's practices in these areas are believed to be among the best in the world.

The theme of the conference, which started on May 3, was: 'Dar es Salam Metropolitan Development: Focus on action and partnership'.

It was organised in collaboration with the World Bank, United Nations Human Settlements Program, the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and Cities Alliance.

Cept associate direc-

tor Shivanand Swamy, represented Ahmedabad at the conference. He said the city's inclusive approach to planning was praised the most.

"Dar es Salam is already following Ahmedabad's model for its BRTS," Swamy said. "When I made the presentation, the delegates were impressed by the city's overall development and particularly by housing schemes for the urban poor, and measures for revenue generation for the AMC." Swamy said that the state government had started detailed planning for the city in 2006.

"Around pound 1.31 billion is to be spent over a period of seven years on Ahmedabad planned growth," he said. "But the important thing is that the results are already showing."

Municipal commissioner IP Gautam said it all started last year when they made a presentation on Ahmedabad's development before World Bank officials. "The officials were really impressed," he said. "They felt one city in southern Africa could be developed on the lines of Ahmedabad. So they called for a presentation on Ahmedabad's planning at Dar es Salam, too, so that the officials there could have an idea of Ahmedabad's development."

Pakistan Prez in UK on personal agenda?

Continued from page 1 Before coming to UK, Asif Ali Zardari visited France and met President Nicolas Sarkozy.

A Pakistan spokesman added: "He said that Cameron's uncalled for remarks and the fact that these were made in India had disappointed the people of Pakistan and it was all the more important that the president's visit to the UK went ahead as planned to raise this and other issues with the British prime minister."

"David Cameron has been doing some plain talking. Now Zardari will be doing the plain talking," an official told British daily ‘The Guardian’.

Khalid Mahmood, the Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Bar, suggested that Mr Zardari was visiting Britain for “political reasons” involving his son’s career, and called on him to cancel the trip.

Imran Khan, the former cricketer and leader of a political party in Pakistan, joined the growing chorus of voices

demanding that Mr Zardari return to Pakistan to take charge of the response to floods that have killed 1,500 and left millions homeless.

However, critics claim that the visit was never in doubt because Mr Zardari is desperate to win over British Pakistanis who could make or break his son’s career.

Mr Zardari will address 3,000 members of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) from behind a bulletproof screen at the Birmingham International

Convention Centre on Saturday to launch his son’s active political career. The trip has caused further controversy in Pakistan after it emerged that the cost of the rally, estimated at £60,000, will be paid out of Pakistani state funds, as it is being described as a “presidential” function.

Mr Mahmood and a Labour peer, Lord Ahmed, have turned down an invitation to meet Mr Zardari on Thursday as part of a group of British politicians of Pakistani origin.

UK firm under scanner for dubious CWG deals Continued from page 1 An Australian company is also under scanner.

The firm had been contracted for the opening and closing ceremonies.

The CWG OC reportedly purchased video equipment from AM Films for a consideration of £250,000 while the firm claims to have provided services for cars hire, mobile toilets, barriers and electricity. AM Films was given certain jobs without following certain norms and formalities. Kalmadi

did agree that no agreement was signed with AM Films. The firm also continued to receive regular payments and the total amount involved is about £450,000.

Though it appears unlikely that the government will proceed with the investigations now, with barely anytime left for the Games, certain senior functionaries of the Organising Committee (OC) are also reportedly under scrutiny. Sources said that the e-mail accounts of some OC

functionaries and their family members are likely to be scrutinized.

Sources said there are several complaints of alleged corruption involving the OC and some foreign firms that have bagged contracts.

The UK-based AM Films has, meanwhile, admitted that it did not have a contract with the Organising Committee of the Games, but denied allegations of irregular financial transactions with them. The company’s proprietor, Ashish Patel,

reportedly said that the money was transferred by the Organising Committee in lieu of services obtained during the Queen’s Baton Relay function held in London last October.

The alleged scandal came to light when the OC asked for a VAT refund of £14,000 in March for payments made to the British company. Allegations of substantial amounts being transferred on a regular basis to AM Films also emerged when the British government raised doubts about the deal recently.

World

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

25

The Hindu Experience 25th July 2010 - An experience like no other !

THE Vision Eighteen months ago a pioneering idea was initiated. We asked the questions; when was the last time the whole Hindu samaj came together and worked together? What contribution is our culture making to the wider community? How can we showcase, Practice, Promote, Protect and Preserve our diverse rich culture for the generation to come? Various brain storms and thought showers led to evolution of The Hindu Experience.

Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah – Protect our Dhrama and Dharma will protect us!

THE Challenge How will we bring the different strands of our samaj together, work together all under one unified banner ‘The Hindu Experience’? It was an enlightening experience and to no surprise the vision we set out with was evolving. This I think was due to the inherent spirit of ‘Sanghathan’ within us all.

Stop not till the goal is reached – Swami Vivekananda THE Samaj We have so much to offer as individuals, families and a community. We have excelled in various fields such as education, culture, business and as individual organised communities doing profound work in service to others, volunteering and outreach. We have achieved great heights living in the UK for many generations’ in terms of our religious institutions, com-

Hindu leader J F Patel and Pravin Shah, Narendra Thakrar (Wembley Vallabhnidhi Temple), Dhirajbhai Shah (HSS Sangh leader), George, Business Development Mananger Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar and CB Patel, Publisher/Editor Asian Voice & Gujarat Samachar and Harshaben Pota

munity based organisations and impact in the social and political environments. One of the aims of THE, was to do something as a collective effort and showcase our vibrant community.

Having over 25 organisations involved from the start and over 40 supporting the event, it felt like a huge family organising a wedding !. We all took on different roles, utilising the vast available talent and skills, enabling us to organise and plan THE effectively and with shear enthusiasm and pride.

V a s u d h a i v a h Kutumbhakum – The whole world is one big family THE Volunteering Our culture, sanskriti and family values teach us to always think of others first. ‘Atithi Devo bhava! Give our guests the same

respect as God! All our community organisations are managed by volunteers. This Sewa bhaav (spirit of selfless service) was the corner stone in building the infrastructure of this noble project. 450 ‘sevaks’ (volunteers), registered and dedicated their time and energy in making THE happen and in the process made new friends, built new teams and opened up new networks.

Service to humanity is service to the God THE Achievements Over 5000 people attended with over 25 organisations came forward and worked together, with various strands (Jain, Sikh, Buddhist) of the Hindu samaj participating in THE, various languages represented such as Hindi, Sanskrit, Nepalese, Marathi, Gujarati and Tamil,

over 450 volunteers gave their time and energy enthusiastically to do Sewa, it took 30000 people hours, 200 meetings and 10,000 emails to organise and execute the event.

THE’s carbon footprint will be offset by planting trees by Kingsbury High School’s children, all materials and waste were recycled, volunteers shared cars or used public transport to save fuel and carbon emission and THE Portal will continue to connect all of us and our activities. Also the launch of the first online Hindu Business Directory, which will provide a platform to network and support the community.

Coming together is the beginning | Staying together is progress | Working together is success. ~ Henry Ford THE Future Having achieved such a landmark event, The Hindu

Experience has definitely paved the way for a more energised, cooperative and united Hindu samaj.

We certainly hope this is a start to something special, but more importantly, everlasting mutual respect and support for each other, as individuals, family and strong Hindu community.

This journey has been enlightening and invigorating, a learning journey, an inspirational journey and a journey which will have a permanent positive imprint on the minds of all involved.

THE Team would like to thank all involved in this inspiring project and making it a phenomenal success. We hope you had an amazing Hindu Experience!

Nilesh Solanki Project Coordinator www.thehinduexperience.org info@thehinduexperience.org

The Hindu leaders doing prayer and yajna

Gopio appeals Vayalar Ravi to sort out the remaining issues of passport surrender New York: The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) along with the National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) and the Federation of Indian Associations of NY/NJ/CT (FIA) and other community groups from the New York Metro Area organized a dinner reception and interactive session with Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Mr Vayalar Ravi at the Golden Terrace Banquet Hall in Richmond Hill, New York City on July 8th. Over 100 Indian American community representatives attended the meeting.

Dr. Thomas Abraham, the immediate past chairman and the founder president of the GOPIO gave a brief outline of the activities of the organisation.

The hot topic, of course, was the outstanding issues relating to Passport Surrender Rules and on another note, Mr Ravi spoke on future MOIA programs.

Consul General of India in New York, Mr. Prabhu Dayal, in his remarks said that GOPIO's proposals would be seriously considered by Govt. of India and the Consulate would work closely with GOPIO and other community organizations to sort out any community issues with Govt. of India.

Since Passport Surrender was a major issue of the community, Mr. Dayal was accompanied by Mr Pramod Bajaj, Consul for OCI Card and Dr

ports issued before 2000 are expired and are no more valid travel documents.

GOPIO also requested that Government of India should relax the current rigid requirements for those whose passports have been misplaced or lost.

GOPIO also brought some other issues to the attention of Mr Ravi.

These included, pasPhoto clockwise from top left - Dr. Thomas Abraham presenting a memorandum to sage of voting rights Minister Vayalar Ravi; Vayalar Ravi speaking at GOPIO's community interactive session act for Indian citiin New York on July 8, From L. to R.: GOPIO Upper-New York President Satruhan Sukdeo, zens living outside Health Council Chairperson Sangeeta Ahuja, Founder President Dr. Thomas Abraham, India in the Consul General Prabhu Dayal, New York President Lal Motwani, FIA President Nirav PIO Mehta and GOPIO-Connecticut President Shailesh Naik; Community representatives at Parliament, Cards even to the the meeting with Minister Ravi.

4th generation of security concerns raised by Anju Kumar, Consul for Visa & PIOs, if they can provide affiHome Ministry. Gopio suggestPassport at the program. davit of their roots in India and ed that India should reduce the Dr. Abraham addressed professional licensing in India passport surrender fee of $175 some of the concerns (on behalf for OCI professionals. GOPIO of the community at large), on from those who became naturalalso appealed for more educathe remaining issues of Indian ized citizens after June 1, 2010 tional opportunities for Passport Surrender by naturalto $20 and give 3 months for NRI/PIO students, completion ized citizens. Since the new surrender and if not surrenof PIO University and complerules were implemented by the dered, charge a fee of $175. tion of Pravasi Bhavan in New government due to the security There is still some confusion Delhi. concerns at the borders. For the after MOIA Secretary had sent Mr Ravi in his address past several months, GOPIO a note to GOPIO and others thanked the NRIs/PIOs for the saying that those who became has taken up the issue of help they rendered to the govt naturalized citizens before 2005 Passport Surrender and voiced of India and sought continued need not submit their old passconcern in support of the overhelp from them. He said that his ports and need not obtain the whelming opposition by those visit helped him to hear "you" surrender certificates. However, affected. GOPIO presented an better and understand from appeal written by GOPIO it has not become rule yet since "you" better. He stated that Chairman Inder Singh to Mr the Home Ministry officials are apparently, the mechanisms Ravi on the Passport Surrender still resisting. GOPIO suggested were there to accommodate the rules which should be changed a compromise to go back on the Passport Surrender; however, without compromising on the date to year 2000 since all pass-

the problem might have been that it was not implemented forcefully before.

To OCI card holders, Minister suggested to staple or clip, the old passport which has the permanent visa stamp with the new passport.

After someone complained about the necessity (due to cost and inconvenience) of getting an entry visa if they currently had a tourist visa, Mr. Vayalar Ravi stated emphatically that a tourist visa cannot be converted to an entry visa.

With regard to the surrender certificate, one can apply for the surrender certificate by mail only. With regards to OCI Card, applications are accepted only by mail. Cards can be collected in person or by mail. Information and forms are also available at the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs. (http://www.mha.nic.in) Other questions were about the validity of Pravasi Awards and how the winners were chosen. Mr Dayal stated that it was a very stringent and strict process. On the question of lost passport, Mr. Dayal said, "If you have lost your passport, we will try to help, however, you must prove you were Indian citizen prior to gaining citizenship of another country."

Mr. Ravi emphatically concluded, "The ministry is available to everyone." He stated that he would take up their concerns with Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs on his return.

26

Pakistan

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Over 1,500 die in worst floods 3 mn affected, says UN Children’s Fund Islamabad: Floods have affected more than 3 million people in north-western Pakistan and the possible outbreak of waterborne diseases among the survivors was a major source of concern, the UN Children's Fund said on Tuesday. UNICEF said that the death toll in the floods, the region's worst in the last 81 years, had risen to more than 1,500.

'The devastation is massive. Some 3 million affected people, including an estimated 1 million children among them, are in urgent need of food, drinking water and medicines,' said Martin Mogwanja, the UNICEF representative in Pakistan.

The worst-affected area in the province of

A man carries belonging on his shoulder while wading through receding flood waters in Nowshera on August 2

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is the mountainous Swat valley, where many villages and dozens of bridges were washed away and roads blocked by landslides.

Damage to the infrastructure was making it difficult for tens of thousands of troops and volunteers to provide relief

to survivors.

Military helicopters carried out dozens of sorties to airdrop packets of food and medicine. But the country has few helicopters at its disposal to deliver aid. The authorities were planning to make requests to friendly countries and the UN to provide more helicopters.

'Around 30,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed and tens of thousands of people are living in the open sky,' said Latifur Rehman, a spokesman of Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

'Many of the areas are still inaccessible by roads because the floods have destroyed over 100 bridges,' Rehman added.

The United Nations, the European Union and various countries, including the US, have announced aid to help the flood victims. Workers involved in the relief operation said they fear the death toll might be much higher than confirmed so far with some putting it at up to 3,000.

Kayani wants India’s Afghan mission closed Toronto: The Pakistan Army under General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is sponsoring a large-scale guerrilla war through Afghan proxies to keep India out of Afghanistan, according to a Canadian diplomat and former deputy head of the UN mission in Kabul.

Chris Alexander, who was Canada's ambassador in Kabul from 2003 to 2005 and later deputy of the UN mission until 2009, said Gen. Kayani is calling the shots on Afghanistan and prepared to support suicide attacks in Afghanistan's cities.

The Pakistani General has even told President Hamid Karzai that he can broker a peace deal with the Taliban - only if Indian

Ashfaq Parvez Kayani

consulates in Afghanistan are closed.

Writing in the Globe and Mail under the title 'The huge scale of Pakistan's complicity,' Alexander said, "The Pakistan Army under Gen. Kayani is sponsoring a large-scale, covert guerrilla war through Afghan

Majority of Pakistanis see India as a threat Washington: Though terror groups continue to strike in their country, a majority of Pakistanis still consider India as a major threat, view America as an enemy and are far less concerned about Taliban and al-Qaida.

While Pakistanis express serious concerns about the US, they have also deep worries about neighbour and long-time rival India than extremist groups within Pakistan, according to the prestigious Pew Research Centre opinion poll carried out in Pakistan.

"When asked which is the greatest threat to their country - India, the Taliban or al-Qaida slightly more than half of Pakistanis (53 per cent) choose India, compared with 23 per cent for Taliban and just 3 per cent for al-Qaida," it said.

However, despite the deep-seated tensions between India and Pakistan, most Pakistanis

want better ties with India.

Roughly seven-in-ten (72 per cent ) wanted better relations with India and about three-quarters support increased trade with India and further talks between the two rivals, it said.

In spite of pumping in billions of dollars in economic and military aid, the US image in Pakistan was at its lowest ever among the 22 nations included in the poll. Fiftynine per cent of the respondents described America as an enemy and only eight per cent trusted President Barack Obama.

The Pakistanis saw little threat from Taliban and al-Qaida and only 25 per cent of the people said it would be bad for Islamabad if Taliban takes over again Afghanistan.

While 18 per cent said it would be good for Pakistan 57 per cent were not concerned.

proxies - whose strongholds in Balochistan and Waziristan are flourishing.

Their mission in Afghanistan is to keep Pashtun nationalism down, India out and Mr. Karzai weak.

"The principal drivers of violence are no longer, if they ever were, inside Afghanistan... ISI is the main driver of the conflict... Gen. Kayani and others will deny complicity. But as the WikiLeaks material demonstrates, their heavy-handed involvement is now obvious at all levels,'' the Canadian diplomat said.

Because of this policy, he said "reconciliation has failed to get off the ground: the Pakistanbased Islamic Emirate of

Afghanistan - the official name for the Taliban and its allies - clearly prefer to fight.'' Without Pakistani military support, "the Islamic Emirate's combat units would collapse like a house of cards. Peace and reconciliation would prosper,'' he said.

Giving many examples of how Gen Kayani controls the principle drivers of the Afghan violence, the Canadian diplomat said, "First, in February, Pakistan's security forces began arresting a dozen or so Taliban leaders -whose presence on their soil they had always noisily denied presumably because these insurgent commanders had shown genuine, independent interest in reconciliation.

Stricter provisions proposed in new anti-terror bill Islamabad: Amid a wave of terror strikes across the country that have killed thousands, the Pakistan government last week sought to amend the AntiTerrorism Act of 1997, including stricter provisions for the prosecution and punishment of persons found involved in such acts.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik moved the A n t i -Te r r o r i s m (Amendment) Bill 2010 in the Senate or upper house of parliament.

He asked the House to suspend rules to immediately take up the bill as there was an urgent need to amend the law.

Under the amendments proposed in the bill, a person arrested on suspicion of links to terrorism can be detained without charge for 90 days.

Causing damage to government and private property by force and operating illegal FM radio stations will be considered

acts of terrorism under the proposed changes.

The detention of persons under the amended law cannot be challenged in any court and their trial will be conducted behind closed doors, the bill stated. The minimum punishment for persons convicted under the act will be 10 years in prison, the bill further stated.

The bill stated that the growing menace of terrorism and attacks on armed forces, law enforcement agencies and government offices have adversely affected the security situation.

The "extraordinary circumstances demand more stringent laws to curb the terrorist violence and to punish those found involved with a view to create adequate deterrence," it said.

Malik said loopholes in the existing act had allowed perpetrators of major attacks to go scotfree.

In focus Zardari seeks N-deal with France Paris: France sees Pakistan as a reliable friend, Pakistan president Ali Asif Zardari said on Monday after meeting his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. He said Islamabad is keen on a "serious and substantive engagement" with France in civil nuclear cooperation. Zardari also called for the early establishment of a framework for a strategic dialogue between the two sides for the nuclear cooperation, an official statement said. Zardari is on his second visit to France in 14 months and had raised the issue of civil nuclear cooperation during his last visit too.

Referring to Pakistan's campaign against militancy, Zardari said his government "had built political consensus and given ownership to the war against terror" even as the country paid a "huge cost in terms of human and material losses". It was "unfortunate if some people continued to express doubts and misgivings about our will and determination to fight the militants to the finish", Zardari said.

152 killed in plane crash Islamabad: A Pakistani aircraft with 152 people on board crashed into the Margalla Hills skirting the capital in the north last week; leaving no survivors and an entire hillside charred. Though hopes of survivors were kept alive for some hours after the crash, the government announced six hours later that all on board were dead. The Airblue flight ED 202 was flying in from Karachi to Islamabad and had been asked to await landing clearance at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport. While circling through heavy rain, it flew very low over the capital before it headed off towards the thickly wooded Margalla Hills which, according to Interior Minister Rehman Malik, is a “no fly zone”.Eye-witnesses claimed to have seen the aircraft fly very low over Blue Area - the commercial quarters of the capital - and from all accounts, the Airbus 321 had its landing gear down. According to a statement put out by Airblue, the flight crashed due to poor weather and thick fog.The plane lost contact with the control tower shortly before the crash. An inquiry has been ordered into the crash and the government announced a day of mourning for the victims of what is being billed as one of the worst tragedies in Pakistan's aviation history.

I never ordered killing of Indians, says former ISI chief Islamabad: Former head of Pak's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) Gen Hamid Gul has described the 91,000 leaked US military documents, which allege close connections between Pak and Taliban militants, as "fictional". Gul, DG of ISI from 1987 to 1989, said there was "much bashing of the ISI and of the army indirectly in this case, and they feel that I am probably a convenient whipping boy".

Instead, Gul has blamed General Ashfaq Kayani, Pak’s present army chief. Gul, who headed ISI when Pakistan and the US were supporting Islamist militants in their fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan, is mentioned a number of times throughout the leaked intelligence reports. In one report, Gul, who has been an outspoken supporter of the Taliban, is alleged to have dispatched three men in Dec 2006 to carry out attacks in Afghanistan's capital. However, in an interview in Rawalpindi, Gul said that it was "fictional" and went on to say that "it only depicts the intelligence failure on the part of US and whoever else, but much of it, I think, has been contributed by Afghan intelligence".

57 students deported from various countries since 2003, says Qureshi Islamabad: Fifty-seven Pakistani students were deported from various countries over alleged involvement in terrorism and other illegal activities in the last seven years, said Pak foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. During a Senate question hour, Qureshi said that among the 57 deported Pakistani students, 27 were deported from China, 17 from Cuba, one from Switzerland, one from Serbia, one from Netherlands and 10 from the United Kingdom.

The charges against these students include suspected involvement in terrorist plots, being threats to the UK national security, breaking the university and local laws, not paying tuition fee, poor discipline and assault on police officers. The minister also informed that Pakistani embassies provided all possible assistance to those students during their study program, before and after their expulsion. He also said that the government has taken every possible measure to request the host governments to revise their decisions regarding the expulsion of these students.

To another question, Qureshi said that as many as 19 Pakistanis are being currently detained at the US detention facility in Bagram, Afghanistan.

East Africa

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

27

Stiff opposition to Kenya anti-gay bill Opponents describe the law as ‘draconian’ Nairobi: Almost half a million people have petitioned Parliament to drop debate on the AntiHomosexuality Bill.

Religious leaders and HIV/Aids activists handed a copy of the petition with signatures, collected mainly through the Internet from all over the world, including Uganda, to Speaker Edward Ssekandi last week.

Canon Gideon Byamugisha, the first practicing African religious leader to declare he was living with HIV, and a prominent campaigner against the disease, hand-

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ed over the petition.

Retired Anglican Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo accompanied him and the two men described the law as "draconian" and demanded for its withdrawal. "In the interests of safer, healthier, more peaceful, and more prosperous lives for all Ugandans; we as Aids Service Providers, pastors and spiritual mentors of all Ugandans are calling for the withdrawal of this Bill from Parliament," the petition read in part.

Other key activists in the delegation included, HIV/Aids campaigner

Maj. (rtd) Rubaramira Ruranga and Ms Noerine Kareeba, founder of the Aids Support Organisation.

Homosexuality is already a criminal offence in Uganda but the private member's Bill brought by MP David Bahati proposes the death penalty for gay rape and defilement, as well as stiff penalties for those who do not report gay acts.

Supporters of the Bill say it will uphold "family values" in the country but critics say it is discriminatory, erodes civil liberties, and will make it harder

for gay people to access health care.

Before the activists had walked out of Parliament, Pastor Martin Ssempa, one of the leading supporters of the Bill, wrote to the Speaker asking him to reject their petition.

Donors threaten The latest opposition to the AntiHomosexuality Bill comes after the US government threatened to expel Uganda from the African Growth and Opportunities Act trade arrangement if the Bill became law.

Rapid HIV tests giving faulty results in Kenya, Uganda

Ex-President Moi told to respect Kibaki in Kenya vote Nairobi: Kenya's ex-President Daniel arap Moi has been told to respect his successor by a body set up to promote peace, after the two men exchanged insults during a referendum campaign. President Mwai Kibaki wants Kenyans to approve a new constitution, while Mr Moi is leading the "no" campaign. But the body set up to enhance national integration said the personal row was undermining its efforts. The body was set up after deadly violence following the 2007 election. Mr Moi, who lead Kenya for 24 years, said Mr Kibaki should not criticise him for opposing the draft constitution, as he had broken his promise to change the constitution within 100 days of being elected in 2002. He also rejected suggestions he should take a rest and said he had the right to take part in the campaign like any other Kenyan.

UN urges Saudi Arabia to stop expelling Somalis United Nations: The UN refugee agency has urged Saudi Arabia to stop deporting Somalis, saying 2,000 people have recently been sent to Mogadishu. The UNHCR says those forced back to the Somali capital are at risk. There is almost daily fighting there between Islamist militants and government troops backed by African Union peacekeepers. The UNHCR has asked all countries not to deport people to south and central Somalia. Most of this region is under the control of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group and its allies. The government only runs a few parts of the capital. "Given the deadly violence in Mogadishu, UNHCR is urging the Saudi authorities to refrain from future deportations on humanitarian grounds," said the agency's spokeswoman Melissa Fleming. Many Somalis escape the conflict at home by paying people-smugglers to take them across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen. Some then enter Saudi Arabia.

Mogadishu fighting kills 17 civilians Mogadishu: Clashes in Mogadishu pitting Islamist insurgents against Somali government troops backed

by African Union forces have killed at least 17 civilians, medics said. "The ambulance servicemen collected 10 civilian bodies and 46 others who were injured in the clashes last week," Ali Musa, the head of Mogadishu's ambulance services, said. Seven others died of their injuries while undergoing treatment at the city's Madina hospital, officials said. The fighting erupted as African Union leaders agreed to boost the bloc's force in Somalia by 4,000 to counter the Islamist insurgents waging a deadly battle to oust the country's transitional government.

The decision came in response to the devastating bomb attacks in Kampala that killed 76 people and claimed by Somalia's Al Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels two weeks ahead of the AU summit in the Ugandan capital.

Nairobi: Hundreds or even thousands of Kenyans and Ugandans may have been told that they are infected with HIV when they are not, thanks to faulty rapid, 15-minute tests administered at VCT centres.

Many others may have wrongly been declared negative, clearing them for unprotected sex, when they actually are HIV-positive.

That is the worrying conclusion of a study involving 6,255 people carried out in Uganda and Kenya, which bluntly says that the misuse of rapid tests at most VCT centres makes them fraught with error and that they cannot by themselves alone determine whether one is HIVpositive or not.

The three HIV rapid tests which were evaluated in the study, the findings of which appear in a

recent issue of the East African Medical Journal, were Determine by Abbott Laboratories, Uni-Gold by Trinity Biotech of Ireland and Capillus, also by Trinity Biotech.

The tests are widely used in poor countries because they are cheap. Each HIV screening with the tests costs about one dollar, compared with about $40 using the much more reliable PCR test, which is considered the gold standard.

The East African Medical Journal is published by the Kenya Medical Association.

In Kenya, according to Dr Peter Cherutich, Assistant Director of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health and

head of HIV prevention at NASCOP, the National Aids/STI Control Council, the three most used rapid tests are Determine, Bioline from SD Bioline of South Korea and Uni-Gold.

The first two are usually used as first-line tests while Uni-Gold is confirmatory.

The risk of HIV misdiagnosis using the rapid tests rises substantially when they are used once, without the benefit of a confirmatory test.

This practice is thought to be rampant, especially at VCT sites outside medical facilities, which are usually manned by non-medical staff.

In Kenya, according to Dr Cherutich, the require-

ment for one to work at a VCT site is a secondary education and three weeks’ training in the administration of the tests.

Results from the Kenya-Ugandan study, which involved men aged between 18 and 60 seeking VCT services from a rural village in Masaka and the Kakira sugar plantation, both in Uganda, as well as a coastal village in Kilifi, and the Nairobi slum of Kangemi, confirm that there are important issues of quality assurance and dependability of results obtained using the rapid tests.

When used as a single test in Masaka, for example, Determine was able to correctly identify only 45.70 per cent of those infected with HIV as carrying the virus.

UN blocks change in Somalia peacekeeping mandate Kampala: The African Union summit recently bowed to pressure from the United Nations and turned down a request that it support a change in the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in wartorn Somalia.

After three days of deliberations, the AU summit, however, closed with a promise of more troops from more African countries to join Uganda and Burundi, which together currently have their soldiers serving under the African peacekeeping mission in Somalia (Amisom).

Pre-emptive strikes It was also agreed that Amisom, which has until now been hobbled by a mandate which

restricts its troops to firing back only when attacked, now enjoy a change in rules of engagement - meaning they are free to carry out pre-emptive strikes against the al Shabaab radical Islamist militants.

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Somalia Augustine Mahiga had on Monday delivered the message to a meeting attended by the presidents of Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Djibouti, Tanzania, prime minister of Ethiopia and other foreign ministers that there is no need to change the current mandate.

Mr Johnnie Carson, the US assistant secretary of State for African

Affairs quoted Mr Mahiga as telling a closed door meeting also attended by three of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council; United States, France and Britain, that: "It was his view that under the existing mandate, the forces on the ground could act in a more responsible but robust fashion."

Uganda and the Somali Transitional Federal Government had prevailed on the regional Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to call for a change of mandate saying the situation in Somalia warrants peace enforcement and not peacekeeping. With Uganda putting 2,000

additional soldiers at the ready, the number of Amisom troops headed for Somalia, could still top the 20,000 mark that leaders of IGAD want.

Quoting Mr Mahiga, Mr Carson told a press conference in Kampala that Chapter 7 of the UN Charter gives the 6,300 Amisom force in Mogadishu "precisely what they need to undertake the kinds of operations that are required".

That provision signed in San Francisco, California on June 26, 1945, authorises the world body's Security Council to determine military and non-military responses to threats to peace or any act of aggression.

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UK

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

This week CB Patel will talk to Surendrabhai Patel (Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan) about ‘PM David Cameron’s visit to India’.

Phone lines will be open for the viewers for any comment or questions.

Sneh Joshi - 020 8518 5500

If you do not have a tv, go to www.tvunetworks.com and watch CB Live on TVU Player Channel 75203

To ask questions please call on: 020 8963 1001

Don't miss !!!

For more information e-mail: cblive_matv@yahoo.co.uk

Only on CB Live - MATV Sky 793 - Thursday 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Coming Events l Thu 12 August 6.30 pm, Swarnim Gujarat Celebration, Launch: The Gujarati Diaspora Writings in Britain. This evening the nine books edited by Prof Balvant Shantilal Jani on prominent British Gujarati authors including Balvant Nayak, Dahyabhai Patel, Jagdish Dave, Rajnikant Mehta, Vallabh Nadha, Pankaj Vora, Dipak Bardolikar, Adam Tankarvi and others will be launched. Professor & Head of Dept of Gujarati Language & Literature; Dean, Arts Faculty, Saurashtra University, Rajkot; Balvant Shantilal Jani is a well-known Gujarati scholar in oral and medieval literature and Chairman of several government committees. Dr Jani has published more than 50 books and delivered lectures in international universities.

Presidential address: Kamlesh Joshipura, Vice chancellor, Saurashtra University, Chair: Prof Jagdish Dave, MBE, Diaspora writer and researcher; Hon Project Director, Gujarati Teaching Worldwide, Chandaria Foundation, Chief Guest: CB Patel, Publisher/Editor of Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice.

In association with Dr Govind Desai, Principal, Birmingham College l The Wanza Samaj UK presents a hilarious comedy natak- 'Dhama dham Mast Kalander', Sunday 8th August 4pm, Winston Churchill Hall, Ruislip, Middsx HA4 7QL. Contact: Sharad Vaghela- 020 8904 4930 l Samakti Mission, Pujyashree Bhupendrabhai Pandya, Ram Katha, Aug 7th and 8th, 1:30-6pm, Byron Hall, Harrow Leisure Centre, Middsx HA3 5BD. Contact: Paresh Pandya 07590060300, l Sunday 8th August, 2010 from 3.00pm Bhajans by Shree Budhdevbhai, Shree Manubhai and many other Artists, thereafter Arti and Maha prasad for all - sponsored by Paresh Lodhia and family, Adhya Shakti Mataji Temple, Cowley, Middlesex UB8 2DX. Tel: 07882 253 540 l Jalaram Bhajans by Jalaram Jyot and Rabheru Parivar at Jalaram Jyot (Lohana Mahajanwasi/LMT Lounge). Repton Avenue, Sudbury, Wembley, Middx HA0 3DW on Thursday 12th August, 7.00-10.00PM Contact: Ramniklal Jivraj Rabheru- 020 8394 3573 l India: The Past is Present and the Present is the Past, Monday 9th Aug to 20th Aug (excluding 14th and 15th Aug), Nehru Centre, London W1K 1HF, Contact: Philip_McCormick_India@hotmail.com l Freedom Run- 5 km run, Sunday 15 August 2010, Old Deer Park, Richmond, London TW9 2AZ 9.30am (please arrive 15 mins before the start time), Contact: Freedom Run Team on 07506678084 Editor: CB Patel Associate Editor: Anne Hoose Deputy Editor: Rupanjana Dutta Tel: 020 7749 4098 - Email: rupanjana.dutta@abplgroup.com Senior News Editor: Dhiren Katwa Chief Financial Officer: Surendra Patel Tel: 020 7749 4093 - Mobile: 07875 229 220 Email: surendra.patel@abplgroup.com Accounts Executive: Akshay Desai Tel: 020 7749 4087 Email:accounts@abplgroup.com Advertising Managers: Alka Shah Tel: 020 7749 4002 - Mobile: 07944 151 893 Email: alka.shah@abplgroup.com Kishor Parmar Tel: 020 7749 4095 - Mobile: 07875 229 088 Email: kishor.parmar@abplgroup.com Advertising Sales Executive: Rovin John Goerge - Email: rovin.george@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4097 - Mobile: 07875 229 219 Nikhil Gor - Email: nikhil.gor@abplgroup.com Tel: 020 7749 4009 - Mobile: 07875 229 200 Business Development Managers: Urja Patel - Email: urja.patel@abplgroup.com Liji George Tel: 020 7749 4013 - Email: george@abplgroup.com Design and Layout: Harish Dahya & Ajay Kumar Tel: 020 7749 4086 Email: graphics@abplgroup.com Customer Service: Saroj Patel Tel: 020 7749 4080 - Email: support@abplgroup.com (BPO) AB Publication (India) Pvt. Ltd. 207 Shalibhadra Complex, Opp. Jain Derasar, Nr. Nehru Nagar Circle, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad Tel: +9179 2646 Fax: +9179 6061

The planetary activity in your chart signals a time of mixed emotions as well as personal issues to be dealt with.

The accent’s very much on relationships. The outlook remains optimistic, so don't be afraid to act if your instinct tells you it's time for change. Professional and financial pressures will begin to ease.

ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 20

London Mela is back with something for everyone The 02 London Mela – Europe’s largest outdoor Asian festival, which last year attracted a recordbreaking 83,000 people – is again set to transform Gunnersbury Park, Ealing, on Sunday 8 August with seven zones of urban, classical and experimental music, DJs, dance, visual arts, children’s activities and food.

Free and familyfriendly, the 02 London Mela is produced by Ealing Council and supported by the Mayor of London and London Borough of Hounslow, with BBC Asian Network programming the main stage. The festival features some of the best homegrown and international artists, offering something for all generations of every community to enjoy.

Highlights on the Main Stage – pro-

grammed by BBC Asian Network and hosted by the station’s Tommy Sandhu, Sonia Deol, Noreen Khan and Murtz – include this year’s only UK mela performances by Indian-American music star, and Bally Sagoo protégée, Gunjan, with hits such as Noorie and Kawan; and Bollywood favourite Javed Ali of Ranjha Ranjha fame, and films Delhi 6 and Bunty Aur Babli. Rishi Rich, H Dhami and Mumzy will also exclusively perform tracks from their new albums. For children and the young at heart there will be Magic Mela – in association with Emergency Exit Arts – a delightful, interactive space where visitors can experience the magic of stories, dance and creative play, and a giant funfair. All this plus food, crafts and cultural stalls.

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21 You need to pay more attention than usual to your everyday work dairy.

Meetings, work hours and organised breaks could play havoc, unless you're prepared to re-group on the spur of the moment. Try to be meticulous but flexible about your schedule. Play your cards right and you can pull strings in you favour.

GEMINI May 22 - June 22 Relationships are complex in the best of times, but Saturn's motion can make things even more complicated now. Misunderstandings can plague partnerships or potential romances - be more careful and forgiving. A good time for completing unfinished business and reassessing your future projects.

CANCER Jun 22 - Jul 22 At home, be at your diplomatic best and try not to tread on anyone's toes.

Passions will run from hot to cold, and relationships may suffer. Even the most strong-willed Cancerians will be more open to compromise to keep the peace. All things considered, your health should be robust.

LEO Jul 23 - Aug 23 You will feel energetic and confident as the week begins. Your thinking is inspired, so listen to your thoughts. This may be a time of expansion and improved opportunity and it would be unwise to let yourself become complacent. A good time for restructuring and rethinking your aims and interests. Affairs of the heart are likely to flourish.

VIRGO Aug 24 - Sep 23

This week you will make your best progress by focusing your mental and physical energies on what you want to achieve. The underlying trend seems to be pulling you into a much wider social circle now. This is bound to enrich your life and give you a deeper sense of purpose. Many opportunities ahead, take advantage.

LIBRA Sep 24 - Oct 23 You will continue to be in a restless mood for some time to come. This makes you impatient with restrictions and even more determined to cut your own path. Do not get over-anxious if everything seems to be in slow motion - it is time to pull a few strings.

You are likely to experience some tension in close relationships.

SCORPIO Oct 24- Nov 22 The pattern of significant relationships in your life will continue to favour you.

It seems that a great deal of mutual benefit will accrue because of various interactions. The underlying trend indicates that deep creative energies are stirring within you and that seemingly insignificant events will play a vital role in the future enrichment of life.

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Asian Voice switchboard: 020 7749 4000 Gujarat Samachar switchboard: 020 7749 4080 Sales: 020 7749 4085

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 - Dec 21 Either you or your partner have been going through a phase of inner doubts and uncertainties, and perhaps the main source of tension has simply been the need for breathing space in your relationship and a need to look at things more objectively. Wait before going full steam ahead with grand actions and gestures.

The powerful combination of planets in your chart throws a significant light on material concerns. The cash situation continues to be rather erratic.

However, there are indications of favourable changes and developments in the areas of career and employment. Keep away from any emotional tensions with your partner.

CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 20

AQUARIUS Jan 21 - Feb 19 Decision making will prove to be a bit of a bind because of your wavering mind - seek professional advice and then steam ahead.

Be careful with your expenditure as you have a tendency to be extravagant. In relationships, sometimes it is a good idea to stand back and get a more objective view of the pattern of your life.

PISCES Feb 20 - Mar 20 It would be unwise to take any risks, particularly in regard to joint interests and investments. So be extra careful if you need to deal with complex legal matters and necessary red tape. If love has left you feeling rather dejected or cynical, it looks as though soon events will pull you out of this mood of despondency.

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Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

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23 Ground-nesting Old world bird 25 Amble 26 Qus. response 27 Of armorial bearings 30 Came up 33 Noah of “E.R.” 34 Cosmonaut Gagarin 35 Shown the way 36 Peculiar Parodist 39 Hip dude 40 Family men

Across

____Paulo With 64A, Wild Sioux Golden-touch king Wdding vow Actress Anouk Ill-chosen Screwball pticher Crime group Bigfoot’s shoe size Pic blowup Gabfest

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Balin can claire Hoosegow Conventional Elec. Switch in a car Rabbits’ kin Hidden away Cigar fan Gumshoe Continental cash Actress Veronica Millinery fruitcake Bradley and Epps

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D A H O E C O R A R L E E D O O R O N S E P E E E R R S N O B I T S V E E N D E N S U E C A M E I M A M L E N S

WHATZIT? - 99

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7 Solution of - 98: Live for today

Solution of sudoku-98 HOW TO PLAY Each row, column and square 3x3 box is a sub-grid of 9 cells. Fill in the grid so that each subgrid contains the digits 1 to 9. Every puzzle has one solution.

E S H S T A T E V E R O A F E C T O R A Y C T O R E L L A K N E N S I R O E R G Y C I A O T A R N

Find the familiar phrase, saying or name in this arrangement of letters.

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P M E A R S S E E E F I E I O F V I H E A H D E F M I E E N R N E T

If 70 percent of the population have defective eyesight, 75 percent are hard of hearing, 80 percent have sinus trouble and 85 percent suffer from allergies, what percentage (at a minimum) suffer from all four ailments?

Solution of 98 : Rites - Writes Pray - Prey Whey- Way

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28 “Dies__”(day of wrath) 29 Charlotte or Gary, e.g.

30 Ray of “Battle Cry” 31 Backdoor 32 Kook of Koontz 33 Sots 37 Downy duck 38 Org. of Gulbis and Creamer 41 Movers’ partners 44 Beginning 46 End ofa threat 47 Restless desires 49 Passover meal 50 Rabbit residence 51 Standing tall 52 Lessing or Day 53 Seek bargains 54 Baby’s call 55 Cocoyam 58 Speed stat 59 Dijon donkey

MINDBENDER-99

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Back a tape So long, mon ami Seeps Small, low islet Passengers Imporve Fervor Desire Champagne cocktail Without sense Touched toon Samoa’s capital Wild guess Greek letters Chick of jazz Over again Card displays Little wellfurred routund

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Fifth of MV No longer in See 4A Elevs.

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SPELLATHON - 99 Today’s Ratings: 02-average |03-good |04-outstanding How many words of four or more letters can you make from the letters shown in today’s puzzle? In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each word must contain the central letter.

There should be at least one seven-letter word. Plurals, foreign words and proper S names are not allowed. British English S E Dictionary is used as reference.

M I I

KAKURO - 99

Solution of KAKURO - 98 20 12

Solution of Spellathon - 98

C

The numbers in the pink squares refer

Example to the sums of the digits that you must fill into the empty spaces directly below or to the right of the pink square containing the number. For instance, in the given example, the 2 boxes below 12 must contain 2 digits that add upto 12, whereas for 20, the 3 boxes places horizontally next to it must add upto 20. No zeroes are used here, only the digits one through nine.

Note: A digit cannot appear more than once in any particular digit combination.

For instance in the example, we cannot have the combination of 8+4+8 for 20.

DEFROCK, force, forced, ford, fore, fork, forked, frock, FROCKED

By Dr Anil Mehta

Stirling Castle : The key to Scotland Scotland is home to a host of spectacular castles famous for their beautiful surroundings and remarkable history.

The mighty Stirling Castle is no e x c e p t i o n . Palace (left), entrance to the castle Rising majestilargest building in the cascally on a high volcanic tle richly decorated with rock at the centre of sculptures, tapestries and Stirling, and overlooking furnishings. The exterior of miles in every direction, it the palace has large rechas dominated the tangular windows alternatScottish history for cening with statues carved on turies. In medieval times it the walls. (Palace is under controlled the route to the renovation and closed until Highlands and was called 2011). the key to Scotland. Its Great Hall with its possession has been bitimpressive hammer-beam terly contested many times timber ceiling is the largest over in Scotland’s turbuhall in Scotland now fully lent past. Two key battles restored to its former glory. for Scotland’s independOriginally it was used for ence from ‘Auld Enemy’ grand celebrations and England were fought state occasions. Chapel under its shadows. Battle Royal built by James IV of Stirling Bridge (1297), was refurbished by James and of Bannockburn VI for the baptism of his first (1314) both won by the son Prince Henry. It’s a Scots. large rectangular building Stirling Castle is an decorated with beautiful imposing building. It was tapestries. The King’s Old favoured royal residence Building now houses the of Scottish kings of Stewart regimental museum of (English Stuart) dynasty Argyll and Sutherland from 1370 to 1603 (this Highlanders which tells the includes James I to James history of VI, and the regiment Queen from 1794 to Mary of the present.

Scots).

Displays However, include uninone of f o r m s , the presmedals, ent buildpaintings ings preand other The Great Hall dates the relics. Castle 15th century. Much of what also has its own fascinating you see today belongs to exhibition which narrates it the period between the own story with the aid of 15th and the 18th cenbeautiful pictures, models, turies. Built in many levels, and memorabilia. the main buildings are When James VI interspersed with delightful became James I of gardens, battlements, and England in 1603 (he inhercannon ports making the ited the English throne castle thoroughly enjoybecause Queen Elizabeth I able. The castle esplanade left no heir), he and his near the entrance which court moved south bringing has a grand statue of King glory days of the castle to Robert the Bruce, provides an abrupt end. Later it was superb views of Stirling used as a barracks and including William Wallace other military purposes.

Monument in the distance.

Stirling Castle has witThe Stuart Kings nessed many events in James IV, V, and VI all left Scottish history – fights, behind great architectural sieges, assassinations, legacy with the result the imprisonments, and plenty castle complex has many of political intrigue. Birth of splendid buildings such as James II, crowning of the palace, Great Hall, Queen Mary of Scots, and Chapel Royal, King’s Old baptism of her son Prince Building and so on. The James (later James VI) spectacular palace with took place here. Also King’s and Queen’s Queen Mary of Scots and James VI spent some years here. Its location, architecture, and historical significance make it one of Scotland’s grandest landmarks. It’s certainly as atmospheric (you can almost smell hisand enjoyAuthor ‘arrested’ by castle guards tory!), able, as Edinburgh Chambers was built by Castle (open daily, James V in 1540. It is the entrance by ticket).

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healTh WATCH

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Trick the brain to shed weight Treating BP through diet and yoga Hypertension, which is also known as high blood pressure, is a disease that affects one-third of adults in the United States. If left untreated, it may cause a person to have a stroke or heart attack due to the pressure placed on the arteries. Statistics show that over 75 million people in the United States have high blood pressure according to the American Heart Association. Most physicians prescribe different medicines in order to treat high blood pressure.

However, there are several ways to treat high blood pressure naturally.

Treating High Blood Pressure Naturally Through Diet Changes One of the top ways to treat high blood pressure naturally is to change a person’s diet.

Food portions should be reduced in order to lose weight. Since high salt intake is often the one of the causes of high blood pressure, no more than 2,300 mg of sodium should be included in a diet per day. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is often recommended to high blood pressure patients by their physicians. This diet adds healthier food selections such as vegetables, fish and whole grains to the patient’s diet.

Yogic ways to treat BP This is one of the classic Meditative Poses and position and is usually performed after doing the Corpse Pose. The

Easy Pose helps in straightening the spine, slowing down metabolism, promoting inner tranquility, and keeping your mind still. The Easy Pose or Sukhasana is a relaxation pose intended for Meditation. It promotes inner calm, opens the hips, relieves tired-

nessand and straightens the spine. As the name suggests, this pose is very easy to proform. In this section, learn how to do the Easy Pose.

1 First Sit down on the floor or a Yoga Mat. 2 Cross your legs, placing your feet below your knees.

3 Clasp your hands around your knees.

4 Keep your body and head straight.

Shoulder Stretches Shoulder Stretches are great in relieving stress and tension on your shoulders and your entire upper back.

Practice them daily for several weeks and notice the changes in high blood pressure. Learn some basic stretches for the shoulders in this article.

You will need a long strap for this one. Sit in any comfortably erect position. Hold the strap and straighten your arms in

forward position. As you inhale, move your arms up until they are overhead, and exhale as you bring them down behind you.You must Coordinate this movement with your breathing, making the movement smooth. Make sure the strap is long enough and your hands sufficiently far apart, so that you can keep your arms straight. If you cannot keep your arms straight, better to lengthen the strap.The basic idea is to circumscribe as large a circle as possible with your hands as they go up and over.

Therefore, at every given moment you are stretching outward through your arms in the direction they are pointing.

Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold This is another yoga pose for high blood pressure. Practicing the Standing Spread Leg Forward Fold can strengthen and stretch your inner and back legs and your spine. If you have back pain or lumber region problem, then you should avoid doing the full forward bend. For beginners, you may use props like a folding chair to support your forearms.

Practicing the Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold can strengthen and stretch your inner and back legs and your spine.

It is also good for toning the abdominal organs and calming the brain.

Doing this pose can relieve mild headaches and give great comfort.

Potato in Curd Gravy Ingredients: • 3 medium. pota toe s boiled and peeled • 1 cup curd or yogurt beaten • 1 tsp. red chilli powder • 1 tsp. salt • 1/2 tsp. dhania powder • 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder • 1/4 tsp. garam masala • 2 pinches asafoetida • 1 stalk curry leaves • 1 tbsp. coriander leaves chopped • 1 1/4 cup water • 1/2 tsp. each ginger, garlic grated • 2 green chillies slit • 1 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds • 1/4 tsp. wheat flour • 1 tbsp. oil Method: • Cut potatoes into big

• •

• •

pieces.

Mash 3-4 pieces fine with hand.

Keep both aside.

Mix all the dry masala in 1/4 cup water.

Heat oil. Add the seeds (cumin and mustard).

When they splutter, add ginger-garlic, chilli and curry leaves.

Add the masala mixture and fry for 2 minutes.

Add beaten curd and fry for 5 minutes or till the curd loses its whiteness. Stir continuously after adding curd.

• Add the remaining water and all the potato and flour. Stir well.

• Boil and simmer for 10 minutes or till gravy thickens • Garnish with chopped coriander.

• Serve hot with thin wheat chappaties and rice.

Making time: 30 min.

Makes for: 5 Shelf life: Best fresh

Being a little smart may help you lose weight! The brain can be tricked into shedding weight by eating high satiety, low-calorie foods like apples, bananas and grapes.

For instance, eating an apple before your meal can make you feel more satisfied from your food, says a Daily Mail report.

Apples are about 25 percent air and, as they're digested, they produce the hormone GLP-1, which sends satiety signals to the brain. Fruits and vegetables contain a lot of water, air and fibre which pack your gut, producing 'filling' signals in the small intestine.

Protein is the most satiating of the three food groups, compared with carbohydrates and fats.

So what makes protein so filling? It triggers the production of PYY hormone in the brain, which makes one feel satiated and sparks the release of glucose in the small intestine both send out satiety signals.

Present someone with a

plate of food and they may be hungry three hours later; pulp the same ingredients into soup and the 'satiety' period lengthens, despite the decrease in the volume of food you're eating, says Robert Welch, professor of Food Science and Nutrition at Ulster University, Britain.

Studies have shown that we eat up to 70 percent more when distracted from our food, such as when watching TV. We also eat more when among friends or family - it increases consumption by around 70 percent. Eat

alone and you tend to eat less.

Last month, a trial found that inulin - a type of fibre found in artichokes, asparagus, onions, garlic, raisins and bananas quelled hunger more effectively than the standard pharmaceutical appetite suppressant sibutramine.

The trick is to eat highsatiety foods like apples, grapes and bananas at the beginning of a meal. "They get you to feel fuller early on and the evidence shows you don't compensate for this later by eating more," says Welch.

The key to happiness is to keep yourself busy in various activities, say experts.

Even doing meaningless or unnecessary tasks makes you feel better than just sitting round getting bored, reports express.co.uk.

Being forced to wait for a quarter of an hour in the airport luggage lounge, for instance, leaves many of us feeling miserable. But if it was placed further away and we had to spend the same time walking there we would be much happier about it.

Unfortunately, our

instinct is to be lazy because unless we have a reason for being active we choose to stare blankly into space - an evolutionary development that ensures we conserve energy.

Behavioural scientist professor Christopher Hsee, of the University of Chicago, asked students to complete a questionnaire and then wait 15 minutes.

They could drop off the completed survey nearby and wait out the remaining time or leave it at a place further away, where walking back and forth would

keep them busy.

Afterwards the students who decided to walk reported feeling significantly happier than the idle ones. Professor Hsee believes it may be possible to use this principle to benefit society.

"If we can devise a mechanism for idle people to engage in activity that is at least not harmful, I think it is better than destructive idleness. Governments may increase the happiness of idle citizens by having them build bridges that are actually useless," said Hsee.

Be busy to be happy, says study

Scientists identify cell believed to be cause of prostate cancer A cell that could be the 'mother' of all prostate tumours has been identified by scientists.

Samples of the 'basal' cells taken from healthy human prostate tissue triggered cancer in mice with suppressed immune systems.

The finding suggests that these cells may be the true culprits behind the disease which kills around 10,000 men a year in the UK. Previously it was thought that a different type of immature cell, known as a luminal cell, lay at the root of prostate cancer.

Experts hope the discovery, reported today in the journal Science, will lead to better diagnostic tools and more effective treatments for the disease.

The US team began by extracting both luminal and basal cells from noncancerous human prostate tissue samples.

First, the cells were altered by inserting defec-

tive genes into them known to trigger cancer.

Then they were implanted into susceptible mice with impaired immune systems.

The results showed that it was basal rather than luminal cells that initiated prostate cancer in the animals.

Dr Owen Witte, from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the study's senior authors, said: 'Certainly the dominant thought is that human prostate cancer arose from the luminal cells because the cancers had more features resembling luminal cells. But we were able to start with a basal cell and induce human prostate cancer and now, as we go forward, this gives us a place to look in understanding the sequence of genetic events that initiates prostate cancer and defining the cell signalling pathways that may be at work fuelling the malignancy, helping us to

potentially uncover new targets for therapy.'

One lesson from the research was that cancer studies based solely on 'malignant' cells can be misleading, said the scientists.

Co-author Andrew Goldstein, a UCLA research student, said: 'We know those cells are malignant, but we don't know how they got there.

By starting with healthy cells and turning them into cancer, we can study the cancer development process. If we understand where the cancer comes from, we may be able to develop better predictive and diagnostic tools. If we had better predictive tools, we could look earlier in the process of cancer development and find markers that are better than the current PSA test at catching disease early, when it is more treatable.'

Each year around 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK.

Sport world

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Pakistan fall back on Mohammad Yousuf The batsman gets a call to play in England after 1st test rout Nottingham: Four months after being banned for damaging team morale, Mohammad Yousuf was recalled to a Pakistan side simply desperate for his experience and batting prowess.

Without Yousuf or Younis Khan in their lineup, the Pakistanis were bowled out for 80 by Emgland to slump to a crushing 354-run defeat on Sunday in the first Test of a four-match series.

It exposed the inability of Pakistan`s raw batting line-up to cope with the swinging ball in overcast English conditions and hours after the match ended Yousuf was recalled from the international wilderness.

Yousuf and Younis, Pakistan`s two most experienced batsmen, were each given indefinite bans this year for their part in

Mohammad Yousuf

alleged infighting within the team.

Younis had his ban overturned on appeal and made himself available for the tour but was overlooked. Yousuf, who has scored 7,431 runs in 88 Tests including 24 centuries, did not challenge his ban and retired, but he has since changed his mind. New Pakistan captain Salman Butt could do little more than reiterate his faith in the young players after the chastening defeat by England but he

Mumbai school girl wins a swimathon in USA A class seven student from Mumbai, Swapnali Yadav won the Kingdom Aquafest opening swimming competition on the shores of Lake Memphremagog at Newport Vermont, USA recently. For the eleven year old, this not the first competition at this level, as she had previously took part at similar competitions in Greece and Bermuda.

Swapnali was competiting in the under-18 section for the 10 mile event.

She finished first with an impressive time of 6 hours, 23 minutes and 13 seconds. She was the youngest and the only Indian in the competition.

Swapnali had caught the eye of the organisers by becoming the youngest-

must be delighted by the recall of Yousuf.

"Under my captaincy we have won one, lost one," Butt said. "I can`t be that impatient. What do you expect from (the youngsters) -- win every game? That will not happen. "This is the time when you back your players. It is just a matter of putting up a performance, whether it is bowling, fielding, batting. I know they can make a comeback."

Coach Waqar Younis offered a similar upbeat assessment.

"What I have seen over the last two or three months is a big improvement (in the team) Waqar told reporters. "I want to make a good unit out of them. It might take a few more losses, though."

Matches against South Africa later this year on the featherbed pitches of

Abu Dhabi would be better venues for the development of the youngsters.

For now, Pakistan are crying out for Yousuf, who showed on the 2006 England tour that the swinging ball was not to be feared but could be countered through hard work and application.

Butt pointed out that in 2006 Pakistan did not win a Test when Yousuf and Younis were in the team along with the great Inzamam-ul-Haq but they did not then possess such a strong bowling attack.

Mohammad Asif, 18year-old Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul form a formidable seam unit and with Yousuf back to provide backbone for the batting order, England should face a much sterner Test in the next match in Birmingham starting on Friday.

Alan Isaac will be the new ICC vice-president Chairman of Cricket New Zealand welcomed by all

Swapnali Yadav

ever participant in the 2007 Open World Swimming Marathon and the 30km Messinikos Gulf Swim in 2008-09, both in Greece, and the 2009 Bermuda Round the Sound Open Swimathon.

She is a student of the Bombay Cambridge High School in Andheri.

The knot has finally been untied over the candidature of John Howard as vice president of ICC. Alan Isaac, Chairman of New Zealand Cricket has been nominated by Australia and New Zealand. He is already a director at the ICC and his nomination has been welcomed by those members of the ICC who had opposed Howard.

Alan Isaac will become vice-president of the global governing body from 2010-2012 and thereafter will go on to become the ICC President.

Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket put forward Isaac after their previous nominee, former Australia Prime Minister John Howard, failed to get

sufficient backing from the ICC board for a post which will eventually see the holder become president of the body. Isaac, an experienced cricket administrator and former captain of Wellington's 2nd XI, has been the chairman of New Zealand Cricket since 2008. He is an accountant by profession.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: “I am grateful to both Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket for their joint nomination of Isaac as the ICC vice-president.”

Rejection of Howard, Australian Prime Minister from 1996 to 2007, is believed to have stemmed from his very public opposition to Robert Mugabe's government in Zimbabwe.

FTP should have a window for IPL, says Isaac ICC vice president designate says on issues with Indian officials Cricket New Zealand chief and the man tipped to be ICC vice president, Alan Isaac has favoured a window for IPL in the FTP. The ICC had earlier ruled out accommodating lucrative T20 leagues in the already cramped international calendar, but Isaac said that was likely to change as the ICC's sub-committee is working on remodelling the FTP. ''The Future Tours Program has to allow the IPL, because unless it is accommodated we will end up with more chal-

lenges,'' Isaac told an Australian newspaper. ''There will be more pressure put around the scheduling of ICC events such as World Cups and the Champions Trophy, and those ICC events are so critical to members because of the revenue generated.

"It has to be worked into the Future Tours Program because there is a demand and an interest.

The players seem to like it, and there is more money coming into the game. 'The sub-committee work is being done on that basis that the IPL

will be part of the FTP.'' Isaac conceded that the ICC has had its share of criticism on the way it works and how certain powerful members like India have got their way.

He said India have a very significant role to play in the game's governing body in terms of the revenue they generate. ''I think one of the most important things is that we work to enhance the reputation of the ICC,'' Isaac said. ''The media are quite critical of it, sometimes justifiably, and lots of decisions it makes get

criticised. Each member around the table has got their own issues and agendas, I understand that, it is about leading everyone in a common direction. ''There is no doubt India are powerful, that is a matter of fact. When the ICC sells its commercial rights a lot of that comes from India, that is the commercial reality and we have got to recognise that. The Indian officials I have dealt with in my 20 months at the ICC have been really good to work with, there are no issues at all.''

31

Argentina relieves Maradona as team coach Diego Maradona is being relieved as the coach of the Argentina Football team, as his condition of keeping intact his entire staff was not acceptable to the Argentine Football Association. His 21 month job as Diego Maradona incharge of the national team thus comes to an end.

Maradona had been offered a further 4 year contract to see through the team to 2014 World Cup, but AFA did not want many, including Alejandro Mancuso, one of the assistants and Maradona’s close friend.

Bug trouble for Norwich City fans Black bugs, also know as Meligethes aeneus get after football fans of the Norwich City club as the team changed their shirts to bright yellow this season.

Fans walking home from a recent pre-season friendly were engulfed by the black bugs, who were looking for pollen. An expert said the supporters would have to wear another colour if they wanted to deter the tiny pollen beetles.

Flintoff not to play the entire season England allrounder yet to recover from the knee injury The knee injury that sidelined England allrounder Andrew last year is still nagging. He is yet to recover fully and has been ruled out from playing for the entire season this year.

“Whist Andrew has made significant progress, the combined opinion is that he is not quite ready Andrew Flintoff for a return to cricket,” Mike Watkinson, Lancashire's cricket director, said.

Flintoff will not be able to play even in the Champions League T20 in South Africa during September after he'd been named in Chennai Super Kings' provisional squad for the tournament. There must also be serious doubts over his winter plans which had been expected to included T20 spells in Australia and New Zealand before next year's IPL. Flintoff underwent knee surgery two days after England regained the Ashes last August and initially aimed to be ready for the start of the season. That soon became unrealistic and he required a further operation to clean up the knee earlier this year which put his recovery back another six months.

Throughout his rehabilitation, Flintoff said he is determined to win back his England one-day place and had even set his sights on next year's World Cup in India. That chance now appears to have vanished although there was already a growing feeling that Andy Flower had moved on without Flintoff.

Ross Fisher bags Irish Open Ross Fisher of England held off his local opponent Padraig Harrington’s spirited challenge on Sunday to win the title of the Irish Open golf.

The 29-year-old, four time European Tour title winner carded a six-under-par 65 to end the tournament on 18 under par, two shots ahead of Harrington, who carded a final round 64, and four ahead of England's Chris Wood and Spain's Gonzalo Fdez-Castano.

Victory gives Fisher a massive boost in his quest for Ryder Cup selection but the majority of the spectators were left disappointed that Harrington could not claim the 500,000 euro prize.

"It feels really good," Fisher said. "This is what we play for. I knew it was going to be tough but I just hung in there and stayed patient.

Fisher now moves into an automatic Ryder Cup selection spot, and sent a message to European captain Colin Montgomerie.

32

Asian Voice - Saturday 7th August 2010

Pakistan demolished in Trent Bridge Test Visitors collapse to Anderson’s swing

By Premen Addy Pakistan were destroyed in the opening Test of a 4-match series against England at Trent Bridge. The scale of their defeat by a massive 354-run margin before lunch on the penultimate day told a dismal tale. Under leaden skies and a slowish wicket responding generously to seam, the greenhorns of Pakistan were bewitched, bothered and bewildered as they surrendered their collective ghost for a derisory 80 runs in their second innings, chasing an unlikely victory target of 435 runs. No team in the game's history has reached this total in the fourth innings of a Test, and only a handful have crossed the magic 400 mark to claim victory. In its way, the feat would involve transcending dangers normally associated with the Bermuda Triangle in the waters off the Caribbean.

Truth is that the visitors boast three superlative purveyors of swing and seam in Mohammed Aamar, Mohammed Asif and Umar Gul, who under these conditions would test the skill and resolve of the best sides in the world.

The problem is that they lack support from the Pakistan batsmen; Pakistan's catching was as fickle as the weather: brilliant one moment, woeful the next. In a low scoring match, consistency is key, and here the visitors were found wanting. They had England reeling at 118 fo 4 on the first afternoon, but left them off the hook with dropped chances, which

Paul Collingwood (82) and Test debutant Eoin Morgan (134) exploited to the full. All credit to the Pakistanis for coming back to reduce England's 324 for 4 to 354 all out.

It now needed the

Pakistan batsmen to step up to the plate, but they ended the day at 147 for 9.

The next morning Umar Gul wielded the long handle to good effect, enabling Pakistan to save the follow-on with a total of 182, Gul unbeaten with a swashbuckling 65. Back came the Pakistan trio; England faltered, but cometh the hour, cometh the man. Wicketkeeper Matt Prior laid about him with a will, reaching a magnificent 103 not out at the 262 for 9 declaration.

The game was over bar the shouting as Pakistan were blown away for 80.

The England pace quartet of James Anderson (6 for 17 and 11 for 71 for the match), Stuart Broad and

Danish Kaneria picked up his first wicket of the innings when an lbw decision against Graeme Swann was referred at Trent Bridge on July 31

newcomer Finn proved more lethal than their Pakistani counterparts.

Anything you can do, we can do better, they seemed to say.

In the end, Pakistan were an embarrassing sight. Captain Salman Butt and coach Waqar Younis declined to appear for the post-match media interview. Two former England stalwarts, Geoff Boycott and Michael Vaughan filled the breach. Their autopsy was grim. Pakistan, on a wing and a prayer, were as good as finished for the rest of the season. Apart from three world-class seamers, their locker was bare.

The Pakistan-born captain of England's Under-19 cricket team has been suspended for making abusive comments on twitter. He had been deprived of his captaincy for violating team discipline for gambling at a night club. {Brief scores: England 354 (Morgan 130, Collingwood 82, Asif 577) and 262 for 9 dec (Prior 102*, Gul 3-41) beat Pakistan 182 (Gul 65*, Anderson 5-54) and 80 (Anderson 6-17) by 354 runs}.

India – Lanka 2nd test a tame draw Sachin’s double, Raina’s debut ton help India pile up 707 After a stunning 10 wicket defeat at Galle, India did well to counter the Sri Lankan bowlers at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo to respond well to the imposing.

Sri Lankan first innings score of 4 for 642 declared. India replied to a double and two centuries of the home team with Tendulkar scoring his 5th double century and Suresh Raina scoring a century on his test debut, while Virender Sehwag just missed the ton by a whisker. The match ended

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in a tame draw on Friday.

Indian bowlers however did well in the Lankan second innings, sending three Lankan batsmen back before the match was called off as a draw with half of the 20 mandatory overs to be bowled.

Sri Lanka had piled up a huge score of 654 for 4 declared in the first innings, with skipper Kumar Sangakkara scoring a double century, while Mahela Jayawardene and Paranvitana being the two other centurians. Dilshan, the only other batsman who lost his wicket scored

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54.

Sangakkara persisted with spin for the first hour on the final day and the batsmen survived a few close shaves. But Ishant and Ojha were largely comfortable, firm in defence, adept at picking Ajantha Mendis' variations on a slow pitch and committed to delaying the Sri Lankan second innings. Runs came at a trickle, and the highlight for each batsman was an elegant cover drive for four.

Amid the suffering, Sri Lanka edged the contest

between the two weakened bowling line-ups.

The three-wicket burst on the third morning by Mendis and Suraj Randiv had given the visitors a genuine scare, and it could have got worse had Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina not had their moments of fortune. {Brief scores: SL 642 for 4 dec (Sangakkara 219, Jayawardene 174, Paranavitana 100) and 129 for 3 dec (Sangakkara 42*, Paranavitana 34) drew with India 707 (Tendulkar 203, Raina 120, Mendis 4-172)}.

Indian women strike bronze at Asian CT hockey China stunned 1 – 2 at Busan, South Korea crowned first champs Leaving the controversy over sexual harassment by coach M K Kaushik behind, Indian women’s hockey team beat China 2 – 1 at Busan in South Korea to bag the bronze medal at the inaugural Asian Women Champions Trophy hockey tournament on Saturday. Later on Sunday, hosts South Korea beat Japan 2 – 1 in the title clash to take the first title.

The Indian eves came back from behind as their skipper Surinder Kaur led from the front to beat the higher ranked opponents for the play-off encounter.

While China took the lead in the 16th minute with a goal by Wang Mengyu, Saba Anjum equalised in the 24th minute. Skipper Surinder sounded the winner after the break, in the 63rd minute.

China, ranked world number three found it hard to penetrate the Indian defence while the ultimate winners produced their best game with good attacking combinations. It was one of the most dramatic turnaround as India had lost all their three preliminary games to China, Japan and South Korea.

Saina to be rewarded with Khel Ratna award

Ace Indian shuttler is delighted by the honour Saina Nehwal, the Indian sensation in badminton is to be recognised for her outstanding performance on the court with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the highest recognition for a sports person in India.

The Hyderabadi lass, reacting to the announcement said she was delighted to get the award. “It’s a pleasant surprise for me after becoming world number two”, Saina said.

After being named for the highest award, Saina is not only content but determined to achieve more for India. “I will work hard to bring more laurels to India,” she said.

Her coach and former all England badminton Champion Pullela

Saina Nehwal

Gopichand said that Saina deserves the award after achieving so much for India. “She deserves the award. It’s her determination and hard work that brought the highest sporting award for her,” he said.

Earlier in July, the ace shuttler became World No 2 in the world badminton rankings.

Sachin, Bhajji rested; Yuvi gets a call for the tri-series India – SL – NZ play from 10 to 25 August India’s bowling woes continue as Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth both are yet to recover and have not been considered for the tri-series with Lanka and NZ to be played from next week in Sri Lanka.

Selectors have also decided to rest their key players – Tendulkar and Bhajjie, while Yuvraj Singh, fighting poor form has been

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given an opportunity to get his rhythm back.

The team: MS Dhoni (C), Sehwag (VC), Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Abhimanyu Mithun, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha and Saurab Tiwary.

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