Asian Standard (Leeds) 16 - 21 Nov 2021

Bringing some comfort to you this winter with Supreme Ingredients

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SHOWBIZ INSIDE >>> BILAL ASHRAF OPENS UP

Chicken Masala Pasta

ABOUT EK HAI NIGAR AND BEING CHOSEN BY MAHIRA KHAN FOR THE ROLE OF GENERAL JOHAR.

SEE PAGE 21 FOR FULL RECIPE

BY THE PUBLISHERS OF ASIAN SUNDAY

LEEDS / 15 - 21 NOVEMBER 2021 / FREE

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AZEEM RAFIQ’S LAWYER

SPEAKS OUT

ON RACISM AND SAYS IN CRICKET IT’S ALWAYS BEEN THERE WITH THE EARLIEST CALLOUTS OF RACISM, BEING FROM IMRAN KHAN, THE NOW PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN.”

Read more on pages 6 & 7

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FERRARI BR20: MARANELLO’S LATEST ONE-OFF REVEALED The Ferrari BR20, the latest addition to the Prancing Horse’s One-Off series, was unveiled recently and joins the most exclusive group in Maranello’s range: unique, absolutely bespoke cars crafted to the specifications of a client and designed as a clear expression of their own unique requirements.

cornerstones of the design process for this one-off was the radical modification made to the cabin volume. This in turn gave the design team, led by Flavio Manzoni, the freedom to conceive the innovative proportions that ultimately produced a powerful yet stylistically coherent exterior design theme.

The BR20 is a two-seater V12 coupé developed on the GTC4Lusso platform, which in terms of its philosophy and styling approach, cleverly references the magnificent Ferrari coupés of the 1950s and 60s, without the slightest hint of nostalgia.

Instead, it pulls off the challenging feat of marrying timeless elegance with muscular sportiness, effortlessly incorporating styling themes typical of some of the most iconic 12-cylinders in Ferrari history, including the 410 SA and 500 Superfast.

Designed for a longstanding client who was deeply involved in every step of its creation, the Ferrari BR20 represents a true interpretation of the traditional coachbuilder’s art, successfully transforming an existing model in a masterful and unique way taking inspiration from and paying homage to the company’s core values of innovation and passion.

The GTC4Lusso’s two rear seats have been removed to add extra dynamism to the BR20’s ultra-sleek fastback line. The new car is three inches longer than the original, thanks to a specific rear overhang treatment designed to create a silhouette that beautifully emphasises its proportions. One of the

Maranello’s Special Projects programme is aimed at creating unique Ferraris (the so-called “One-Offs”) characterised by an exclusive design crafted according to the requirements of the client, who thus becomes the owner of a one-of-a-kind model. Each project originates from an idea put forward by the client and developed with a team of designers from Ferrari’s

INSTAGRAM PAYING UP TO USD 10K BONUS TO CREATORS FOR POSTING REELS To attract more content creators, Metaowned photo-sharing platform Instagram is now paying bonuses of up to USD 10,000 to those who post videos on Reels.

According to 9To5Mac, creators will now have the chance to earn up to $10,000 by

posting these short videos called "Reels" as part of the Reels Play bonus programme.

However, the rules of the bonus programme are not clear to users, citing TechCrunch, the report said. A creator with more than 50,000 followers earned $1,000 in a month, but some

Ferrari-BR20 Styling Centre; after having defined the car’s proportion and forms, detailed design blueprints and a styling buck are produced before starting the manufacturing process of the new One-Off. The entire process lasts on average more than one year, during which

the client is closely involved in assessing the design and verification phases. The result?

A unique Ferrari, which sports the Prancing Horse logo and is engineered to the same levels of excellence which characterise every other Maranello production car.

people with more followers earned only $600. Other creators said they were offered $800 if they reached 1.7 million views on all Reels posted in a month.

According to Instagram, the bonus programme is being tested with a small number of creators, and users should "expect them to fluctuate while we're still getting started".

The company claims that bonuses will become more personalised in the future.

These bonuses are "rolling out slowly" and are not available to all users yet. To start, these bonuses are only available in the US.

Instagram

UNESCO CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY

CENTURIES FROM NOW, PEOPLE WILL BE BORN IN SPACE: BEZOS

World leaders, social activists, and artists marked the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at a special ceremony in UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on Friday 12 November

Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos has predicted that space will become humanity's home one day and that people will visit Earth on vacation.

Addressing the event, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said over the past 75 years, UNESCO has played a crucial role in connecting different cultures and nations, protecting the world, and promoting ambitious scientific innovations. These achievements are especially valuable when the world is facing a challenging era, he added. Aside from world leaders' congratulatory speeches, the ceremony featured performances

from artists from around the world, including Arab and Balkan countries and India. On Friday night, the Eiffel tower displayed the words "75 years" alongside the UNESCO logo for over three hours in celebration of the agency's anniversary

Bezos said that in centuries to come, people will be born in space and live in giant floating cylinders that could house up to a million people and re-create Earth's gravity and environment, with 'rivers, forests and wildlife' and regular Terran weather, Daily Mail reported. The tech titan said this at the Washington Cathedral as part of the 2021 Ignatius Forum in DC, hosted by Adi Ignatius, editor in chief of Harvard Business Review, this week. "Over centuries, many people will be born in space, it will be their first home," Bezos said. "They will be born on these colonies, live on these colonies, then they'll visit Earth the way you would visit, you know, Yellowstone National Park," he said. Bezos further noted that even his company's name, 'Blue Origin,'

was a nod to the idea of Earth as humanity's origin point, not its final destiny. Previously, Bezos talked up his idea about space habitats, and called them 'O'Neill colonies', after physicist Gerard O'Neill, who theorised other planets might not be the best place to house humans beyond Earth. AHe said own trip beyond Earth in July was even more transformational than he had imagined. "The magnitude of that experience was so much bigger than I could have ever anticipated," he told the audience. "It really is such a change in perspective that shows you in a very powerful and emotional way, just how fragile this Earth is. I wish everyone could have that perspective," he added. Bezos said his passion for space exploration started when he was 5 years old and Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon. "I've always had the dream of having a company like Blue Origin to build what I see as the road to space."

Jeff Bezos Bezos, 57, also confirmed he believed in extraterrestrial life. "How could there not be? There are so many stars, just in this galaxy. And then so many galaxies," he added.

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BORIS JOHNSON FACING LAWSUIT FOR PROTECTING PRITI PATEL Priti Patel, Home Secretary, has triggered a court case against Prime Minister Boris Johnsons decision last year not to dismiss her for alleged unacceptable behaviour with Philip Rutnam, a permanent secretary in the home office, who resigned on this issue.

Rutnam maintained he had been the target of "a vicious and orchestrated campaign against him", and that Patel had been behind it. On November 17 and 18, the high court in London will hear a petition filed by The Association of First Division Civil Servants (FDA), a trade union which seeks a judicial opinion on the legal validity or otherwise of the ministerial code. Johnson decreed Patel hadn't breached the ministerial code even after his independent adviser appointed for the purpose Alex Allan, following an investigation, found that the home secretary had "not consistently met the high standards expected of her". His conclusion was

she had violated the ministerial code, even if inadvertently.

Johnson, who is the final arbiter on the matter, however, refused to take the finding to a logical conclusion.

Doing so would have meant sacking Patel. The Guardian newspaper reported that the Prime Minister had texted a group urging them to "form a (protective) square around the Prittster (nickname for Priti)". Even in a recent cabinet reshuffle, when there was considerable speculation that she might be moved to a lesser portfolio, this did not happen. Allan resigned from his position after the bottom line of his probe wasn't acted upon by Johnson.

Furthermore, Rutnam had to be disbursed £340,000 as a settlement and another £30,000 as costs. This was not the first time that accusations of misconduct had been levelled against Patel and money to defuse the situation had had to be paid out by the British government. FDA General

Secretary Dave Penman was quoted as saying "The prime minister's decision, which he said reflected the Home Secretary's assertion that her actions were unintentional, also potentially allows ministers to avoid the consequences of their behaviour in future by pleading that it should be the intent of their actions which is important, not the consequences.

"The result is that civil servants' confidence in challenging unacceptable behaviour from ministers has been fatally damaged."

A recent poll of British civil servants discovered that 90 per cent of them had no faith in the ministerial code as a way of redressing grievances against errant ministers. Last week, an independent committee on Standards in Public Life emphasised "Meaningful independence is the benchmark for any effective form of standards regulation and current arrangements for the adviser still fall below this bar."

Boris Johnson

WHATSAPP WORKING ON LETTING USERS HIDE LAST SEEN STATUS FROM SPECIFIC PEOPLE One such feature, which is currently in the works, will let users hide their last seen status from specific people.

As per GSM Arena, the beta version of

Whats App Popular messaging application WhatsApp is constantly working to add new features to its platform.

WhatsApp for Android now has an option to hide your "last seen" status from specific people. The feature has been in active development for a few months at this point, and now it's finally live for a subset of those part of the beta program. This means it will soon hopefully make it to all the people using the beta, and then eventually to the version of WhatsApp everyone's using, but there's a caveat here, in that "soon" could mean "in a few months" if we're judging by some of WhatsApp's past rollouts of new features.

It's really among the most cautious companies when it comes to adding stuff to its stable app, that's for sure. At some point in the future, anyone using WhatsApp will be able to set their

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last seen status to be viewed by everyone, their contacts, their contacts except a blacklist of specific people, and nobody.

The other options were there already, what's new is the "My contacts except..."

one. When you select that, you can pick and choose who to disable last seen access for. As usual in WhatsApp-land, if you disable last seen for someone, you won't be able to see their last seen either.

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FORCES LAUNCHES SIKH ASSOCIATION FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND STAFF West Yorkshire Police has announced the launch of a new staff network to support its Sikh members of staff and police officers.

The West Yorkshire Police Sikh Association (WYPSA), which was launched on 3 November aims to act as a forum for the Force’s Sikh employees and as a conduit between the Force and the Sikh community of West Yorkshire.

Chief Constable John Robins QPM attended the launch ceremony, along with T/ACC Kate Riley and other senior officers from across the Force. They were joined by colleagues from the West Midlands, Leicestershire and Derbyshire Police Forces.

They were pleased to welcome a number of partners from other agencies, local authorities, academia as well as families and friends at Prestige Hall in Bradford.

The WYPSA is open to all members of West Yorkshire Police (WYP)

Sikh police association and aims to provide support by signposting, listening and working

with relevant stakeholders to develop an effective network within

and outside of the Police family.

It will also work with other police

Forces across the UK to strengthen links between all Sikh police officers and staff.

The interim Chair is West Yorkshire Police staff member Jag Sohal and Interim Vice-Chair is Acting Sergeant Jas Rayatt.

Chief Constable John Robins QPM said: “I was delighted to be invited to the launch of the West Yorkshire Police Sikh Association. I am looking forward to working with its members to build upon our understanding of the Sikh faith and how we can better support Sikh officers and staff within West Yorkshire Police.

“West Yorkshire Police is committed to providing a workforce that represents the communities it serves, including the faiths within our communities. I believe the foundation of this network will improve still further the existing good links we have with members of our Sikh communities.”

THOUSANDS OF POUNDS WORTH OF HEROIN, COCAINE AND CASH SEIZED IN BRADFORD POLICE OPERATION

Police Northumbria

Police in Bradford have pledged to keep up the pressure on drug dealers after seizing large amounts of Class A drugs and thousands of pounds in cash in twin operations.

Officers from the Bradford South Neighbourhood Policing Team have said more raids are planned after executing two warrants in the Royds ward area.

The first warrant was executed on Wednesday, 10 November at a property on Lower School Street and resulted in officers locating 600 hundred packets of suspected cocaine and £15,000 cash.

A second raid in the same area on Friday evening (12 November) resulted in a large quantity of

suspected cocaine and heroin being seized as well as £2,000 in cash.

NPT officers arrested a man at each of the addresses on suspicion of drugs offences.

Sergeant Paul Wharton of the Bradford South NPT, said: “Drug dealing is an offence which has a terrible impact on communities and we remain determined to do all we can to take action against dealers operating in our neighbourhoods.

“This ongoing operation has resulted in significant amounts of cash and suspected Class A drugs being seized and the arrest of two men on suspected possession of Class A drugs offences.

“The male arrested on Wednesday has been released under investigation, and the man arrested on Friday remains in police custody.”

He added: “It is really important that we act upon residents’ concerns about drug dealing and we do encourage residents to report such incidents to us.

“They can made reports to us via 101, online at www. westyorkshire.police. uk/101livechat or anonymously to the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111 “I can promise all intelligence is recorded and investigated to help us take action against dealers and take drugs off our streets.”

Nominations Open For

Asian Standard' Most Influential

The Asian Standard annual search for the most influential South Asian of Leeds has begun.

Help us find the most influential people from the South Asian community in Leeds

Entries close

SUNDAY19 DECEMBER MIDNIGHT

Influential "Someone or something that has an impact on or shapes how people act or how things occur.

A person who convinces others to listen and do what he/she suggests."

If you think you fit this definition or know someone else who does, then we want to hear about you/ them to help compile our annual most influential list for 2021.

To nominate simply email influentiallist@asianstandard.co.uk with as much information as you can about yourself or your nominee. Don't forget to include your contact name and number so we can call you if we need further information.

If you prefer you can also write to us at Asian Standard Newspaper, 5 Green Street, Little Germany, Bradford, BD1 5HG Closing date for entries is 19th December 2021 midnight. No further entries will be accepted after this date and the Editor's decision will be final.

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AZEEM RAFIQ’S LAWYER SPEAKS OUT ON RACISM AND SAYS “IN CRICKET THE INITIAL CALLOUT CAME FROM IMRAN KHAN, THE NOW PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN IN 1990s.”

LEEDS BASED LAWYER ASMA IQBAL HAS SPOKEN ABOUT HER PASSION FOR JUSTICE, HOPE FOR A CHANGE IN YORKSHIRE’S SPORTS CULTURE, AND GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. BY: SHAWNA HEALEY Lawyer, Asma Iqbal, has been one of the driving forces behind Azeem Rafiq’s racism complaint against Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC).

Mrs Iqbal, a partner at Chadwick Lawrence law firm in Leeds, backed Mr Rafiq, with full support from the firm, to pursue his claim of institutional racism against YCCC after watching a TV interview where he discussed his abhorrent experiences with the club.

Speaking exclusively to Asian Standard, Mrs Iqbal has opened up about why she decided to challenge YCCC on behalf of Mr Rafiq and the impact this has had on her own mental wellbeing.

After completing her law degree at the University of Huddersfield in 1997, Mrs Iqbal began her career in law in Bradford before moving to a firm in Leeds and then joining Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors “In school, I liked being able to use my skills in advocacy to represent and fight for what I believed in.

I wanted to study law, so I went to the University of Huddersfield, completed my exams, and started my training contract with a firm in Bradford.”

With a career spanning over twenty years, Mrs Iqbal’s speciality is in insolvency – working with companies who are in financial difficulty, a far case from her work with Mr Rafiq.

Mrs Iqbal said: “I don’t often work on discrimination or racism cases as my area of expertise is in insolvency, but my firm has an excellent employment team, with whom I worked very closely with on Mr Rafiq’s case in the Employment Tribunal.”

Mrs Iqbal took on the case because of the investigation into YCCC and the unfairness that she spotted with Mr Rafiq’s attempts of reporting racism and bullying within the organisation.

She said: “My involvement was to support and help him with the investigation for institutional racism. The employment case came later.”

Revealing the allegations to

When I was doing my research, I went right back to the earliest callouts of racism and that was from Imran Khan, the now prime minister of Pakistan, in the 1990s.

Mrs Asma Iqbal

Mrs Asma Iqbal international and British media outlets in September 2020 and submitting a legal claim a few months later, it took a full year for the summary of the report made

by YCCC to be published and only a redacted version of the report was released following a Court Application. On Wednesday 10 November, The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee has confirmed that

they have received the full report from YCCC and that it has been shared with Mr Rafiq and his legal representatives. The parliamentary enquiry is set to take place on 16 November 2021. The process to get YCCC to take responsibility for its failings in dealing with racist and bullying behaviour was long, and Mrs Iqbal said that there “was no way of preparing for a case like this” and that it was a

“rollercoaster” for both herself and Mr Rafiq. Mrs Iqbal went on to say: “You can’t prepare yourself for a case like this. I know when people make allegations against any organisation for institutional racism, there is historically not many precedents of success, so I guess you go into such a process knowing that it is going to be tough and that there will be

challenges.

“When my client first made a disclosure alleging bullying and racism, My client he was not believed. This was therefore not the first time that Mr Rafiq had spoken out about the issue. This case was going to be a challenge, I was not reinventing something new, it was already there and had been reported by Azeem Rafiq through every channel that he could think of within the organisation I was now acting against.”

Bringing YCCC down was not something that Mr Rafiq and his legal team set out to achieve. Mr Rafiq opened up initially to change the way racism is dealt with within YCCC, as to which he was looking for a change in culture and to ensure this did not happen again to future generations. They decided to proceed with legal proceedings when YCCC refused to take responsibility.

Mrs Iqbal said: “I am a partner in a Yorkshire law firm, and we take pride in the fact that we are known as ‘Yorkshire’s legal people’ so dealing with a case like this in a dignified manner was at the forefront of my mind, it had to be – and I think we’ve done well in achieving that.”

She also added: It was never about me or us. It was about the bigger picture – achieving the culture change that we so desperately wanted to achieve.”

The case, which was settled out of tribunal, has set a precedent in Yorkshire, that sportsmen and women who come forward about their experiences of racism, abuse,

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and failings by the organisations that they play for, will be believed and their voices will be heard. “The issues weren’t limited to one county”, says Mrs Iqbal. “We have to recognise that the issues exist among other cricket clubs and counties, at whatever level.

“I am hoping that what we have achieved here sets a good platform for people to feel like they can come forward and speak about their experiences ”.

“I’m also hoping that organisations hold up their hands, take responsibility and fix the issues of racism as and when they are highlighted. Not accepting that racism exists in their organisation is what becomes the issue.”

Mrs Iqbal is open to representing other people who have gone through a similar horrific experience as Mr Rafiq. She said: “Of course, I’d be open to helping anyone who has experienced racism in an organisation.”

Lord Patel said that there will be an opportunity for people to come forward anonymously about their experiences at YCCC through a hotline that they are opening on Monday 15 November In a statement Lord Patel said: Setting up an independent whistleblowing hotline will allow there to be a safe space for people to come forward, secure in the knowledge that their complaint will be taken seriously, and I am happy to say that we have been able to put this in place within the week.”

On 30 September 2021, Mr Rafiq’s sister, Amna Rafiq has also made a complaint against YCCC. Not being able to speak on this specific issue, which has only recently come to light, Mrs Iqbal states that racism is prevalent in many sports. She said: “We’ve known about concerns of racism and how our players feel and how they have to cope with it in football for decades.”

“In cricket, it is a bit different. It has always been there, but it has not always been at the forefront of discussion. When I was doing my research, I went right back to the earliest callouts of racism and that was from Imran Khan, the now Prime Minister of Pakistan, in the 1990s.”

Mrs Iqbal comes from a workingclass family, where her dad was the sole breadwinner for her and her seven siblings and mother growing up. She said: “I don’t come from a privileged background so I know how hard parents work to support their children in sport and other areas at their own expense with limited resource.

Ultimately, when a child is not selected on grounds of merit it is demoralising for the child and their respective family..”

When working on Mr Rafiq’s case, Mrs Iqbal would receive multiple calls from parents whose children have been excluded from opportunities because of their background, which Mrs Iqbal describes as “heart-breaking”.

The solution to be inclusive and support

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Bringing Yorkshire down was not something that Mr Rafiq and his legal team set out to achieve.

Mr Rafiq opened up initially to change the way racism is dealt with within YCCC, as to which he was stonewalled. They decided to proceed with legal proceedings when they refused to take accountability. young people in cricket is to look at the selection process at the youth level.

“There is a lot of work to be done, but the grassroots level can create a level playing field and much work is needed in this area.”

Taking on this monumental case has not been easy on Mr Rafiq or his legal team. Mrs Iqbal said: “Balancing work and personal life has been difficult, even more so as a woman.”

“I know as women, we try to be the best lawyer, the best wife, the best mother but then you think I’m not getting any of that right, I’m my own self-critic. However, you’ve got to make and own the situation you are in and know that you are getting some of it right, you are not going to get it all right all the time.

“I couldn’t do my job without my husband’s support. Where I have had those moments of extreme stress and I have not been able to give home life that dedication that I would have liked, he has stepped in and taken that pressure away and I am so grateful for that support.”

When not working on legal cases, Mrs Iqbal dedicates a significant portion of her time to voluntary work which she believes is a “responsibility of each of us when we are blessed to be in fortunate positions, that we don’t forget our roots and give back to society.”

Mrs Iqbal has been part of an initiative created by The Prince’s Trust, The Mosaic Charity, to mentor school children, since 2015 and is also a corporate partner and ambassador for One in A Million Free School, supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Asma has also been part of the Covid Response Team and the Marcus Rashford Free School Meals Initiative and previously sat as a board member for Wakefield Bondholders, a non-profit organisation that supports local businesses in Wakefield and the five towns.

Asma also sits on the BAME Committee which is part of the WNY Chamber of Commerce.

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TOP COUNCILLOR SAYS YORKSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB HAS BEHAVED 'APALLINGLY'

Lord Kamlesh Patel

BY RICHARD BEECHAM

A top local Councillor said Yorkshire County Cricket Club has behaved “appallingly” in relation to the recent racism scandal, and urged them to work to build back the public’s trust.

There has been a huge backlash over claims of racism within the club, based at Headingley, after it emerged that a report into the issue described the use of a racial slur as “banter.”

At a meeting of Leeds City Council on Wednesday 10 November, one Councillor said it was “fundamentally wrong” that racism had been dismissed in such a way.

Councillor Salma Arif (Lab), Executive Member for Public Health and Active Lifestyles, was responding to questions about how the authority viewed the revelations of recent weeks.

The controversy began when former player Azeem Rafiq opened up about racism he experienced while at the club.

The club’s subsequent handling of the claims have led to the resignation of former club chairman Roger Hutton, announcements that a number of sponsors have stepped back from the club, and the England Cricket Board suspending the club from holding any international matches.

Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford has since been appointed chair and director of the club.

At a meeting of Leeds City Council this afternoon, the Council’s Executive was asked what its reaction to the scandal at Yorkshire County Cricket club was.

Cllr Arif (Lab) said: “Yorkshire County Cricket Club is an integral part of Leeds, hosting international matches and helping increase

participation in the game across the country.

“Cricket is a much loved game among the Pakistani, South Asian and Caribbean communities in Leeds.

“When younger I played cricket on the streets of Harehills, which might have led to a few broken windows.

“The events of the last two weeks have been disturbing for many, not just in our ethnic minority communities, but every cricket fan in this county.

“It is fundamentally wrong when racist terms are deemed good natured banter.

“Coming from a Pakistani heritage I can tell you that the word P*** is a racial slur, based on aggression and violence and meant to be demeaning.

“I support the bravery of Azeem Rafiq in sharing what he has.

“The club have conducted themselves appallingly and it is clear

Image: Anna Seweryn YP Photography

Salma Arif things at the club need to change and must address the culture that allows incidents like this to happen.

“I hope we can collaborate with the club to help build public trust once again.

“The club is important to the

city economy and we need to get to the place where everyone feels comfortable attending Headingley.

It needs to be open to everyone, no matter what their background.”

This article is by the local Democracy Reporting Service

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TOP AWARD FOR COUNCIL OFFICER AT THE EUROPEAN DIVERSITY AWARDS IN LONDON A Kirklees Council officer has been named HR Champion of the Year at the European Diversity Awards, which took place in London on 11 November.

‘inspirational leader’ and I speak for everyone at Kirklees Council when I say congratulations and very well deserved.”

Siraj Mayet, who is a HR Partner for apprenticeships, won the award for ensuring that the values of diversity and fairness are at the heart of Kirklees Council’s HR policies.

Kirklees had also been shortlisted in the category of ‘Community project of the year’ for their work on the Iroko project, which is an eightmonth community-led initiative seeking to uncover inequalities that the Black African & Caribbean community experiences in society.

Siraj has been described as an ‘unsung hero’ as he champions the importance of opportunities for those from all protected characteristics, recognising that different approaches are needed to reach a diverse range of residents.

The awards, were created in 2010, rewarding 16 categories including: Diversity in Tech, Campaigner, Charity, Community Project, Company, Diversity Champion, Diversity Team, Head of Diversity, Hero, Inspirational Role Model.

His initiatives have included organising and delivering programmes in community venues, especially in communities where ordinarily people may not believe a council apprenticeship is right for them.

Marketing Campaign, Media Diversity Champion, Outstanding Employee Network, Social Mobility Initiative, Supplier Diversity Programme, and HR Champion are the other categories featured.

Siraj Mayet with his award

Siraj is also a founding member of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employee network at Kirklees Council. Additionally, he was instrumental in the refresh of all the diversity networks, including the disabled employee, young employee, working carers, and LGBT+ networks.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council, said: “I’m so proud of Siraj for winning this prestigious award, Siraj makes a huge difference in all the work he does.

Siraj promotes inclusivity and diversity across all of the projects he works on and it is thanks to his passion that residents from disadvantaged groups have significantly more access to opportunities.

His team describe him as an

Other awards recipients included Asif Sadiq MBE, Senior Vice President of global entertainment powerhouse Warner Media who received the Head of Diversity prize.

The awards champion diversity and inclusion by recognising achievements across race, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and religion.

Linda Riley, European Diversity Awards founder, said: “These awards shine a light on those who have worked tirelessly to champion diversity and inclusion during what has been an extremely difficult 18 months with Covid-19.

“Every deserving winner has made real achievements in race, age, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or religious belief over the past year.”

Siraj Mayet with his award

Nominations open for Most Influential 2021

'S

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OPINION

Unfiltered with Aunty Razia Razia Bibi, aka Aunty Razia is our resident 80-year-old columnist. She wants to give a voice to a whole generation of women who feel their views are seldom heard.

Like so many first generation South Asian women of her era, Aunty Razia has a very powerful life story of her own. So many of these stories go untold and, as time goes by, there are fewer people around to ensure this part of history is kept alive. Aunty Razia, who lives in Bradford, speaks Punjabi, Urdu, Swahili, Gujarati and English and in her own style, every week will share her views on life. Sometimes you may not like her straight talk, but who said life was a bed of roses and our Aunty Razia's life most certainly wasn't. Over to you Aunty Razia.

A DISCOURSE ON DIVORCE

Maintaining the perfect, cereal packet family image was prioritised over the truth and by God did everybody suffer.

Divorce - a word as guarded and sworn into secrecy as my nani’s halwa recipes, the duosyllabic existence of it often dissolved into hushed whispers at glittering dawats and all this fuss led me to ponder one eve over a cup of chai; Why? Why do we not engage in conversations about divorce? Is that dirty of a word to be heard slipping out of a married individual’s lips?

Especially in the present era where divorce has become analogous to purchasing a tin of coconut biscuits and returning them after a few days because suddenly your palate dislikes the dry, sandy flavour.

This chatter prompts me to dip my finger into the crevasses of my mind and procure the memory of my street where a man shoved out his wife for no substantial reason apart from the fact that he disliked the way she kept her house. Logic seems

to sprout wings and fly out of the window on such instances.

The magazines I used to peruse in my youth were chock full of sizzling, scandalous stories where wives were divorced for wearing too much makeup and where women had lusted towards adultery as their husbands did not allure them anymore. Whatever the problem maybe I deduce that people have resorted to seeing divorce as an easy escape instead of persevering to keep the flames of matrimony burning longer.

But again, there are some bewakoofs that make it seem as if the devil had a free spin on the matchmaker however as prevalent as it is now divorce in my time was a vague concept as rare as hen’s teeth.

I married in Kenya and birthed five beautiful children. With a farm as our solitary source of income, my husband and I put in lots of spadework and whether it was the physical exertion or the stress that, with the passage of time led my husband to develop mental health issues.

After a diagnosis, the hospital concluded that he must be sectioned however with the stigma around mental health and the lack of quality content educating the masses, this conclusion was swiftly dissolved under the word of my in-laws. My mother-in-law refused to allow his sectioning and was adamant that I must take better care of him because obviously ‘log kya kahengey?’

Maintaining the perfect, cereal packet family image was prioritised over the truth and by God did everybody suffer. With the elbow grease needed on the farm, bringing up five children, ensuring they get adequate love while providing my husband with the gentle care he needed fragmented my existence into pieces. Just as the songbirds pecked at the ripe orange and took with them sweet slices, I too carved off slivers of myself and hand-fed it to those I loved for even fathoming a separation from my husband was impossible. I strived and the past bears a testimony to a future where I would’ve strived more had it not been my in-laws who threw me and my children out on the streets.

Every day was a war on the streets, it was only sheer commitment and my iron will that sealed my survival who kehte hain na jo dar gaya samjho mar gaya, I never let my fate scare me because after all, the lines delineating it were etched on my palms, the palms I would use to shape a better future and so I did.

We camped at an area near a petrol station as that guaranteed 24-hour lighting and the metaphysical darkness in our lives would never turn into tangible shadows. I then scouted a job and worked

countless hours to make ends meet and honestly I never minded the physical aches as much as the emotional jabs stung. As Manto once said “The barbs of society are always reserved for the women” and accusatory fingers always pointed to me instead of my inlaws and ex-husband.

All these shortcomings lay firmly on my shoulders however I rooted them deep somewhere in my subconscious and disallowed them to interfere with my life and soon I met my second husband.

I was fortunate enough to have found a soul as gentle as his; he loved me and my five children as his own and brought me with him to the UK where I have rebuilt my life for the past three decades.

He is no longer alive, and I never remarried but I am deeply grateful for the blessed life I live.

Separation impacts couples devastatingly and more so if they have children that are forever lost wondering where they belong. The single parent is weighed down with dual duties that may have a significantly negative impact on the child’s development and despite everything I firmly believe divorce is never the answer. If there is even a sliver of love and compassion, you rekindle the spark that once ignited in your hearts, work on communication and solutions because frankly the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and divorce comes with its fair share of problems.

However, if it is the last resort then proceed with caution and mutual satisfaction. It is easy to suggest these solutions as you munch on samosas but at the end of the day only the couple knows what is ideal for them and their fate rests in their very own hands.

15 - 21 november 2021

SHILPA SHETTY CLEARS THE AIR ON FIR FILED AGAINST RAJ KUNDRA AND HER 'THE ARCHIES' IS ZOYA AKHTAR AND REEMA KAGTI'S FIRST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION. DISNEY PLUS ANNOUNCES FASHION BIOPIC 'BALENCIAGA' AS FIRST ORIGINAL SPANISH SERIES

BILAL ASHRAF

OPENS UP ABOUT EK HAI NIGAR AND BEING CHOSEN BY MAHIRA KHAN FOR THE ROLE OF GENERAL JOHAR.

TWO

FILM FASHION BEAUTY

SHILPA SHETTY CLEARS THE AIR ON FIR FILED AGAINST RAJ KUNDRA AND HER Troubles refuse to cease for Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty.

The husband-wife duo have been named in an FIR with regards to financial discrepancy in a fitness venture started by them. The complainant alleged that the couple took money from investors across India for their pan-India enterprise and when he demanded the reversal of a payment of Rs 1.5 crore, he was threatened by them.

Taking notice of this, Shilpa has issued a clarification with regards to the FIR and made a public appeal for safeguarding her civil rights well within the framework of law. The actress shared a note on her social media where she presented her side of the story.

She wrote, "Woke up to an FIR registered in Raj and my name! Shocked!! To set the record

BHUMI PEDNEKAR: LUCKY TO HAVE FOUND SCRIPTS THAT ARE DISTINCT FROM MY DEBUT

straight, SFL Fitness, a venture run by Kashiff Khan (sic)."

She adds, "He had taken naming rights of brand SFL Fitness to open SFL Fitness gyms around the country. All deals were struck by him, and he was signatory in banking and dayto-day affairs. We are not aware of any of his transactions, nor have we received a single rupee from him for the same."

"All franchisees dealt directly with Kashiff.

The company closed in 2014 and was entirely handled by Kashiff Khan. I have worked very hard over the last 28 years. And it pains me to see that my name and replication is getting damaged and dragged so loosely. To get eyeballs. My rights as a law-abiding proud citizen in India should be protected. With gratitude Shilpa Shetty Kundra," she concluded.

Young Bollywood star Bhumi Pednekar is on a roll with a line-up of films such as 'Bheed', 'Badhaai Do', 'Govinda Naam Mera' and 'Raksha Bandhan', calls herself lucky to find scripts that are distinct right from her debut in 2015 with 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha'.

Bhumi said "My slate of films will give audiences a unique theatric al experience with every project. I will have five releases on the big screen next year and all of them are super diverse and different from each other.

"I have been lucky to have always found scripts that are distinct right from my debut and next year I will be able to give audiences five very different sides to my personality through the characters that I'm playing on screen."

She added that she is really excited about these films. Bhumi is happy that the theatres are bouncing back to business.

"This is the best news for the industry that has suffered a lot because of Covid-19.

People want to see good cinema and the success of 'Sooryavanshi' proves just that. I was always confident that people will return to the theatres and people are feeling safe to do so now.

"They will keep coming in to see good cinema and want to relive the theatrical experience. I’m fortunate that I have some really quality films under my belt to give to audiences next year," she added.

RANI MUKERJI COMPLETES 25 YEARS IN B'WOOD, SAYS VIMMY HER FAVOURITE CHARACTER It's been 25 years for Rani Mukerji in the movies.

Along the course of her journey, the actress has played many a character, but, for her, Vimmy from the 'Bunty Aur Babli' franchise is one who's closest to her heart. In a conversation with IANS, Rani said, "It's special that I have completed 25 years in cinema with the character that is probably closest to my heart. I feel I was born to play Vimmy. I remember I was blown away by her when 'Bunty Aur Babli' was first narrated to me.

Her energy, even from the pages of the script, was very infectious and I'm fortunate that I have her in my filmography."

The actress is reprising Vimmy's character in 'Bunty Aur Babli 2' "10 years from the time we left her in the first". Turning the pages of time, Rani said "Looking back at my journey in films, I feel blessed that I did the films that I worked in, and in a way, they're all special. I'm fortunate that I got

a chance to collaborate creatively with some of the finest actors and technicians that the industry has ever seen. I'm proud that I've witnessed them and their work at such close proximity, learnt from them, and tried to be better with each passing film of mine, which I till date do."

About her journey in the industry, Rani told IANS "I started when I was 16, I was really young then, I didn't think that I would be an actor, but it was my mum's insistence that made me one, or rather made me take the plunge in the movie business. Thank God for my mum that she recognised my passion earlier than I did."

Explaining how times have changed since the time she made her debut in films, Rani said "Going into films today for a lot of youngsters is looked upon as very cool. During the time I was growing up, and the time when I came into films, it wasn't a choice or a career option for most youngsters." She added.

"I think it was looked upon more as a profession to be taken up by people who came from a film background or by those whose parents were actors or film producers/directors.

For someone like me, who is from the industry, it was still difficult because we were not really brought up in a filmy atmosphere." Mentioning her idols, the actress said: "When I was growing up, I idolised Sridevi and Madhuri in films, for they came across

as screen goddesses, and then to actually imagine me as an actress was tough because I really did not think I had the qualities that made for an Indian movie star."

On a thankful note, she added "With changing times, movies change, and audiences accepted someone like me, who had a distinct voice and was short, compared to the standards which people used to judge Indian actresses. I am fortunate that my

audiences have kept me going for the last 25 years." Rani said her "loyal fans" had kept her relevant even today.

"I think their love gives me the energy to keep going back on to the sets and giving my best," she said.

"Even at a time when I was having my baby, and I was not sure about going back to the arclights, it was my husband (Yash Raj Films boss Aditya Chopra) who reminded me of the fan following that I have and that I needed to go back again and face the camera because I am no longer Rani Mukerji the person, but Rani Mukerji the star that my fans have created," Rani said, signing off.

Rani will be seen with Saif Ali Khan in the soon-to-be-released 'Bunty Aur Babli 2'. The two will be chasing a con-artist duo, the new Bunty and Babli, played by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Sharvari, respectively. The film, directed by debutant Varun V. Sharma, is due for a theatrical release on November 19.

FILM FASHION BEAUTY

'THE ARCHIES' IS ZOYA AKHTAR AND REEMA KAGTI'S FIRST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION.

THREE

ALIA BHATT'S CRYPTIC ANSWER ABOUT HER MARRIAGE PLANS WITH RANBIR

Alia Bhatt put all rumours to rest with regard to her relationship with Ranbir Kapoor, when she posted an adorable picture of herself with Ranbir on Diwali.

After leaving fans excited with the picture, Alia left them with a cryptic answer pertaining to her marriage plans with Ranbir. The actress recently uploaded a video on her YouTube channel which docume nts a normal day in her life. The video starts off with the actress driving to a studio for an advertisement shoot with her best friend Akansha Ranjan Kapoor. Alia answers the fan questions throughout the course of the video. At one instance, a social media user inquired about her screensaver to which the actress replied by turning the phone screen towards the camera to show a glimpse of her picture with Ranbir.

While she answered questions with regards to her inspiration, the experience of the shoot and how she deals with trolls, there was one question which was being asked over and over again; as to when she will tie the knot. Alia took the names of a select few users who asked the question and without giving a concrete answer to the question , the actress simply shrugged, leaving it to the people's imagination.

Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti recently announced their next venture 'The Archies', a live-action musical, produced by their joint banner Tiger Baby productions.

The film marks Tiger Baby's first solo production. Earlier, the production house gave hits like Ranveer Singh-starrer 'Gully Boy' and also the Prime Video drama 'Made in Heaven'. However, they were Tiger Baby's co-productions

with Excel Entertainment.

With Zoya and Reema's production house flying solo, it'll be a treat for cinephiles. Talking about the venture, producer Reema Kagti said, "Zoya and I both grew up reading the Archies, so we have a massive connection to the characters. I'm stoked to reboot them in a live-action musical in 1960s India. It's also Tiger Baby's first solo project so that makes this

SHAHID KAPOOR STARTS SHOOTING FOR ALI ABBAS ZAFAR'S UNTITLED NEXT Actor Shahid Kapoor has kickstarted shooting for ace filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar's upcoming untitled action drama.

Taking to his Instagram Story, Shahid announced the news by sharing a candid picture with the director and wrote, "Day 1. Blood...

Crime...And Lots of action. Here we go.. @aliabbaszafar better get your game face on.."

Ali also shared the news on his Instagram handle and called the movie a "mad ride of guns and gangs".

"Lets get this started @ shahidkapoor are you ready for a crazy, quirky, mad ride of guns and

gangs," he wrote.

This movie will mark the first collaboration of the "Kabir Singh" actor and 'Bharat' director. Reportedly, the film is an adaptation of the 2011 French film, "Nuit Blanche", which has already been remade in Tamil and Telugu as "Thoongaa Vanam" and "Cheekati Rajyam" starring Kamal Hassan in the lead role.

If the reports are true, Shahid will play the role of a cop chasing drug dealers. Apart from this, Shahid will also be seen in highly-anticipated movies like "Bull" and "Jersey". He also has Raj and DK's untitled quirky drama thriller project co-starring Raashii Khanna.

all the more special."

All set to stream on Netflix, 'The Archies' will introduce globally loved Archie Comics characters to a new generation. In addition to 'The Archies', the production house has an exciting slate including 'Made in Heaven 2', 'Jee Le Zara', 'Kho Gaye Hum Kahan', and 'Dahaad', in association with Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment.

FOUR GRAMMY NOMINATION FOR KASHMIRI SINGERMUSICIAN QAISAR NIZAM FILM FASHION BEAUTY

Noted Kashmiri singer and musician Qaisar Nizami has been nominated for the prestigious Grammy award for his collaborative song 'Nazninay' (O Beauty), which forms a part of US-based music composer and santoor player Ehsaan Matoori's multinational 'The Voice and Bridges' project.

The nominations for the 2002 Grammys (or the 64th Grammy Awards) will be formally announced at a livestreamed event on November 23. Nizami's nomination statement reads "It is a matter of joy that the famous composer Ehsaan Matoori in collaboration with the greatest musicians of the world brought out an album in which many countries lend their voices and the voice of Qaisar Nizami, the legendary singer of the Valley, also is included in the album titled 'The Voices and Bridges', which speaks in itself about the music and poetry." It is for the first time in Grammy history that a Kashmiri singer has found a place in the list of nominations. The first-round voting for the nominations ended on November 5. The next round will take place between December 6, 2021, and January 5, 2022, in time for the event slated for January 31, 2022.

"Never before has any singer of the Valley had the privilege of having had any of his songs chosen for the Grammy Awards," Nizami said, urging all Kashmiri music lovers to participate in the online voting process. According to previously published media reports, Nizami was connected with Matoori when he found himself stranded in the U.S. as a result of the first Covid-19 lockdown in India. Nizami had gone to the U.S. to perform in a concert at the University of North Texas College of Music, Denton, Texas, when

the lockdown was announced, resulting in the suspension of all international flights.

That was when a professor at the university, Sadaf Munshi, introduced him to Matoori, who was working on 'The Voice and Bridges' project since 2019 to explore the musical traditions of different cultures.

'Nazninay' has Kashmiri and Farsi lyrics -- Kashmiri poet Ibrahim Miskeen's 'Pur Mah' (Full Moon) in Kashmiri and the late Iranian poet Fereydoon Moshiri's 'Beneshin Mara' (Stay With Me) -- alternating with each other.

JACKIE CHAN'S UPCOMING COMEDY 'RIDE ON' SHOOT COMPLETED

Actor Jackie Chan's upcoming martial arts comedy titled 'Ride On' has wrapped up the production.

Variety obtained inside pictures of the wrap-up party where a teary-eyed Chan could be seen congratulating the crew on the successful production holding a bouquet of pink and orange flowers from director Larry Yang Zi. The team wrapped up the production with a huge cake with a large carrot sticking up from it for Chan's horse co-star, as per the reports from the outlet.

'Ride On' will see Chan playing a washed-up martial artist named Lao Luo who is devoted to his old stunt horse Chitu, though Chitu suddenly may be taken away from him because of debt troubles.

A heart-warming road trip then ensues when he asks his daughte r (Liu Haocun) and her boyfriend (Guo Qilin) for help. The story will be centred on Chan's fatherly affection for his horse. As per Variety, the last day of the shooting took place at the Hailian Equestrian Center in Jiangsu province.

Alibaba Pictures, Beijing Hairun Pictures, and Zhejiang's HG Enterta inment have bankrolled the movie that is slated to release next year.

DISNEY PLUS ANNOUNCES FASHION BIOPIC 'BALENCIAGA' AS FIRST ORIGINAL SPANISH SERIES Disney Plus has announced today that its first original scripted Spanish series will be a fashion biopic of celebrated designer Balenciaga.

According to Variety, the drama, created by Lourdes Iglesias and 12-time Goya Award-winners Jose Mari Goenaga, Jon Garano and Aitor Arregi ('The Endless Trench'), narrates the story of how Balenciaga, the son of a seamstress and a fisherman, defied societal expectations to become one of the most coveted designers in the world. Disney Plus has said 'Balenciaga' will be the start of an original commissioning pipeline in the territory as it aims to reach a slate of 60 original series by 2024.

So far, they have already announced 16 scripted and five unscripted projects from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. Among the already announced titles are romantic action-comedy thriller 'Wedding Season' and 'Nautilus', a re-telling of Jules Verne's '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' directed

by Michael Matthews and starring Shazad Latif. The streamer will also be adding dozens of original series to its platform next year, including 'Pam and Tommy' starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan, Danny Boyle's Sex Pistols biopic 'Pistol' and soccer-themed docuseries 'Welcome to Wrexham' featuring Wrexham AFC owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

As per Variety, the streamer has also committed to debuting a new show or movie every week throughout November and December with titles including Niccolo Ammaniti's 'Anna', Marvel's 'Hawkeye', Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel', animation 'Encanto' and National Geographic's 'The Rescue' as well as 'The Big Leap' starring Scott Foley and Piper Perabo, 'The Wonder Years', and 'Derek Delgaudio's In and Of Itself'.

4

FILM REVIEW

King Richard Review:

FILM FASHION BEAUTY

FIVE

‘THE MOST DANGEROUS CREATURE ON THIS EARTH IS A WOMAN WHO KNOWS HOW TO THINK’ Starring: Will Smith, Jon Bernthal, Demi Singleton, Saniyya Sidney and Aunjanue Ellis Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green Producer: Warner Bros Release date: 18 November Armed with a clear vision and a 78-page plan, Richard Williams is determined to write his daughters, Venus and Serena, into history.

Training on Compton, California's neglected tennis courts rain or shine the girls are shaped by their father's unyielding commitment and their mother's balanced perspective and keen intuition, defying the seemingly insurmountable odds and prevailing expectations laid before them. Based on the true story that will inspire the world, "King Richard" follows the uplifting journey of a family whose unwavering resolve and unconditional belief ultimately delivers two of the world's greatest sports legends.

A towering turn from Will Smith, his best since Aladdin and one of the year's great screen performances, defines nearly every frame of this film. He is a genius and as always, the humour was weaved in and out of the film.

I was glued to my seat just hearing this, I knew this is going to be one powerful movie and throughout I was completely engaged. It was amazing, a real story highlighting something which is so important…diversity in sport. This really resonated with me as a young girl growing up and having a dream and having that vision and the drive and support from my parents was what made it so special.

The story is a truly heart-warming one of Richard Williams’ (played by Will Smith) whose journey unfolds as the determined father who wants to make his daughters fulfil their dream as tennis players. Credit to the writers and the performances of the cast who have you attached to every emotion.

I particularly related to the stubborn father who wanted to do things his way without consulting his wife, or

Venus, which was hard to watch at times as many of us coloured women have been in a similar situation, and we can understand the way fathers can dominate and take control of decisions. I really felt Venus’ pain when she really wanted to play the world’s best tennis player and felt she was ready, but her father didn’t feel she was and made that decision for her. The family set up having five daughters and the relationship between the sisters and parents was just wonderful.

To know that others didn’t believe in the dream that these girls could be champions in tennis, was just making me whisper to myself, keep going girls, you can do it. My emotions were deeply invested in the film from start to finish.

All I could feel inside was this warm feeling in my gut, it was straight from the heart, it’s hugely touching, and it left me with tears of happiness in my eyes.

An entirely rousing crowd-pleaser that will leave you feeling so damn good, it may not be the most revolutionary of biopics, but it's certainly one of the most enjoyable.

The one line that stuck with me is ‘be humble’ when Venus was getting a lot of attention and people noticed

her talent, the bus journey on the way home, where Richard was telling his daughters to not boast that Venus has won the game, but instead to always remain humble was such a powerful point.

The whole film taught me something about myself, not to give up, as an Asian woman visualise that dream and believe I can do it. That’s exactly what Venus did, her dream came true and her perseverance, and support from the family is what made it even more enjoyable to watch. I would watch this again, it’s such a feel-good film and so needed right now. A story that ticks all the boxes: diversity, unrepresented community and women’s voices being heard.

Bravo to the cast, they did a fantastic job and it made my birthday extra special because this film shows the way things should be, equality and diversity is so important.

A Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, A Star Thrower Entertainment Production, A Westbrook Production, A Keepin’ It Reel Production, “King Richard” is slated for international theatrical release beginning 18 November 2021.

SIX

FILM FASHION BEAUTY

BILAL ASHRAF

opens up about Ek Hai Nigar and being chosen by Mahira Khan for the role of General Johar

Bilal Ashraf is perhaps one of the most sought after, actors in the Pakistan film industry right now After starring in Superstar with Mahira Khan, Bilal is back with his first telefilm, again alongside Mahira Khan.

During his visit to London, our Editor caught up with Bilal to find out, how he feels about being chosen by Mahira for Ek Hai Nigar and what has the response to his first telefilm, been like.

Ek Hai Nigar is available to watch on You Tube and has been produced by Mahira Khan, Directed by Adnan Sarwar and written by Umera Ahmend. The telefilm is based on the life and career of Pakistan Army's first female Three Star General Lieutenant General Nigar Johar

BY FATIMA PATEL

After working with Mahira Khan in Superstar; there’s been a bit of a gap till we’re now seeing you in Ek Hai Nigar, of

but I was tired, and I was like I need a break and wanted four to five months off. Unfortunately, the whole world went on a

course there has been the global lockdown. What have you been up to in this time?

break, and I got a call from Mahira’s production partner Mira, she said there’s a script. I said I don’t care about the script – where’s Mahira? Tell her to give me a call. So, she calls me, and I say to Mahira, why me? She says well ‘I feel this will be a good role for you. I just think you will fit really well’. I hadn’t read the script, so I said to her look ‘shall I trust you?’ She said, is that even a question? And I said yes to her, so it was just pure out of friendship. I said OK, I am there I am in.

After Superstar I genuinely wanted to take a break, because it took everything out of me. Just the whole physical transformation – it was just tough! We all were extremely tired, because I remember promoting, shooting and dubbing all in one day, which is unheard of – don’t ask who what why! (smiles). Yes it’s happened. It was a lot of fun. I was satisfied,

Presuming you’ve watched the telefilm how do you feel now that it is out, and people are also watching it?

I have watched it, and this is the first project, which I hadn’t seen before release. I have watched it with everyone. It’s a different feeling. It’s a great feeling also, to be sharing it with everyone and at the same time, being one of the viewers. I feel truly humbled with the kind of love and response it’s been getting from everyone. I feel extremely honoured that people have appreciated all the hard work. At the end of the day, I think doesn’t matter how hard the actor works for the role, once

FILM FASHION BEAUTY

you’re appreciated that’s all that counts.

SEVEN

How do you manage to frame yourself as a star who had an equal role in the film Superstar with Mahira, to now being the second lead in the Telefilm Ek Hai Nigar?

Of course, when I read the script, I immediately knew that Sir Johar is the heart of the film and it’s a very important role. Also, I wanted to break away from this entire idea of a support, or a second lead because at the end of the day, especially now with the OTT platform and how the world is progressing, it’s all about the character, it’s all about the acting, it’s all about the craft rather than lead role or supporting role. I don’t think that matters anymore. I think it’s all about being that particular character. If you do a good job, you will be appreciated regardless of the length of the role. You might even get more appreciation than playing a lead role. That’s what acting is all about.

And I feel it’s a very important role, so not even a second had crossed my mind that this is a second lead. In fact, I did feel that I was going to be part of something historic – I will be playing the first lady General’s husband. Of course, a lot of nerves because more than

Bilal Ashraf with Fatima Patel anything else it was A) a huge responsibility because of what Mahira had put on me and B) an even bigger responsibility of playing her husband, someone who is so dear to her and a very sensitive topic. So, it could

have easily gone either way and again a serving general. A lot of red tape. What should be shown, what shouldn’t be shown. Hats off to Pakistan army for letting us show this.

You can watch the full interview on Asian Sunday Online Youtube channel at the link: https://youtu.be/QbRVCQxMzWM

Bilal Ashraf sir Johar

Bilal Ashraf 07

Bilal Ashraf as General Johar

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WINTER VACCINES: WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW Let’s reduce the spread of viruses and protect each other’s friends and family This winter there are two essential vaccines you’ll need to protect yourself and your loved ones – the flu and COVID-19.

Due to the lack of social mixing last winter, our immunity to winter flu may be lower than before the pandemic and therefore could increase the flu surge that coincides with continuing or rising COVID-19 cases. Colder weather and earlier sunsets will mean people are more likely to socialise indoors where it is less well ventilated which will increase transmission. Lower immunity to flu is also expected due to lower levels in circulation last winter.

With less Covid-19 restrictions in place we are mixing more in winter, spending more time together indoors, which creates more chances of breathing infectious coronavirus particles and that’s why it is more important than ever to get vaccinated this winter.

Vaccines are the best protection we have against life-threatening viruses like flu and COVID-19. Aneela Ahmed who is an emergency medical dispatcher for the Yorkshire Ambulance service and an elected councillor for the City Ward area of Bradford, was one of the first to get a Covid booster jab.

She told Asian Standard: “As a public servant and a councillor representing more than 25,000 people I want to lead by example. There are many who are still fearful of the vaccine, and I feel one way to break down that fear is to lead by example. I trust that vaccines are the best way to protect us from both covid and flu this winter and that’s why when it was available to me, I immediately had myself jabbed. I also encouraged my family to get the vaccinations and pleased to say we have all been jabbed.

The 56-year-old is a long-term sufferer of fibromyalgia and as a result of her health vulnerabilities, she wasn’t going to take any risks and keep herself and her family safe.

“I am glad to have put my name forward for the initial Covid booster

If you get flu and COVID-19 at the same time, research shows you’re more likely to be seriously ill.

Which is why people are being encouraged to getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 as it will provide protection for you and those around you for both these serious illnesses.

Bradford West Councillor and Emergency dispatch officer for West Yorkshire Ambulance Service Aneela Ahmed vaccine trials and pleased to say I had no symptoms from the booster jab.

Although I did get some symptoms from my first Covid vaccine jab in January, it lasted 36 hours and months on, I am fit as a fiddle.

“Our communities need to remember that you can still catch Covid-19 if you’ve been vaccinated and pass it on to others. So, the booster vaccine is a dose that will help improve the protection you have from your first two doses of the vaccine. It helps give you longer-term protection against getting seriously ill from COVID-19.”

NHS deputy vaccination programme lead Dr Nikki Kanani wants to encourage people to get vaccinated against the flu and take up the booster vaccine when offered. She said: “The NHS COVID-19 vaccine programme, the largest and most successful in NHS history, has protected millions of people and saved around 130,000 lives.

“Flu and COVID-19 both cost lives and the increased threat from the two deadly viruses this winter makes it even more important for people to continue sticking to good habits like washing their hands regularly.

"It's important anyone eligible comes forward for a flu vaccine as soon as possible and books in their booster when they are invited – the vaccines are safe, effective and the best thing you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones this winter.”

Having had her Covid booster jab, the local councillor is now keen to get herself protected from the flu and has already booked in an appointment for the flu vaccine.

“We are entering the season where colds and flus are going to be common.

The flu is as much a threat as Covid and once again to keep myself safe, I will be looking to get my flu vaccine” The flu virus kills almost 11,000 people and hospitalises tens of thousands more in England in an average year. Routine flu vaccinations are continuing as normal.

Dr Nikki Kanani

TO HELP GET YOU THE BEST ADVICE HERE ARE SOME OF YOUR MOST COMMON QUESTIONS AROUND COVID BOOSTER PROGRAMME AND FLU VACCINE ANSWERED: COVID-19 booster programme Why is the COVID-19 booster programme needed?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has reviewed available data and provided advice that COVID-19 boosters are offered to the most vulnerable to maintain protection from COVID-19 throughout the Winter months, and to protect the NHS.

employed by: ○ a registered residential care/ nursing home ○ registered domiciliary care provider ○ a voluntary managed hospice provider ○ Direct Payment (personal budgets) and/or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants.

All frontline health and social care workers are also expected to have influenza vaccination to protect those they care for.

How soon after a second dose will a booster be offered?

Where to get the flu vaccine?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advises that you’ll be offered your booster vaccine no earlier than six months (182 days) after your second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. People with certain health conditions may be offered the Covid-19 booster earlier.

I’ve tested positive for COVID-19, can I still get a booster vaccine?

If you have recently tested positive for COVID-19, you should wait 4 weeks (28 days) before booking, starting from the date you had the test.

FLU

• Your GP Surgery • A pharmacy offering the service • Your midwife service if you're pregnant • A hospital appointment • School children will be offered a flu vaccination in school. If youre child hasn't started school yet or is within a high risk group they can get a flu jab at their GP. How effective is the flu vaccine?

The flu immunisation gives the best protection against the flu. Flu immunisations help protect against the main types of flu viruses, although there’s still a chance you Who is eligible this season? might get flu. If you do get the flu after vaccination, it’s likely to be Those eligible for NHS influenza milder and not last as long. Having vaccination in 2021/22 are: the flu vaccine will also stop you • those in secondary school from spreading the flu to other years 7-11 people. It can take 10 to 14 days for • all children in primary school the flu vaccine to work. and • those aged six months to under Are there any side effects?

Side effects of the nasal vaccine 50 years in clinical risk groups • pregnant women – at any stage may commonly include a runny or blocked nose, headache, tiredness, in their pregnancy and some loss of appetite. Those • those aged 50 years and over having the injected vaccine may • those in long-stay residential get a sore arm at the site of the care homes injection, a low-grade fever, and • carers aching muscles for a day or two • close contacts of after the vaccination. Serious side immunocompromised effects with either the nasal spray individuals or injection are extremely rare.

• health and social care staff

To check your eligibility for the flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster vaccine or to find a service visit nhs.uk/wintervaccinations

15

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MECHANIC TEAMS UP WITH HIS CUSTOMER TO OPEN BRADFORD’S FIRST MINIGOLF PLACE “We have sunk everything into this business. We didn’t use any money from grants or the government.”

BY SHAWNA HEALEY Opened in the middle of September, business is booming for this mechanic’s first entertainment venture.

Awais Yasin, 28, from Bradford, teamed up with one of his customers, Norris Royal, 48, originally from Jamaica, to create Bradford’s first and only minigolf course and arcade-style café, Looney Golf.

Looney Golf, which is found at the top of the town, at 33 North Parade, took over the building premise a few months ago after department store Boyes moved locations from the street to inside Kirkgate Shopping Centre.

The business is open from Wednesday to Sunday with two exciting courses, the Neon Jungle, and the Dump Yard. Prices vary depending on peak and off-peak times, but adults can expect to pay between £8.50 and £10 with children’s tickets costing between £7 and £8.50, with concessions made for students, NHS staff, and seniors.

Opening a new business is always risky, with 20% of businesses going bust within one year, and 60% closing within three, but creating one during a global pandemic is even harder.

Despite both Mr Yasin and Mr Royal passionately believing that their idea would work, they still had concerns about launching Looney Golf when there is still Coronavirus cases in Bradford.

Mr Yasin said: “We have sunk everything into this business. We didn’t use any money from grants or the government. Since signing the lease six

Business partners Mr Yasin and Mr Norris or seven months ago, we put our heart and soul into Looney Golf to make sure that it would be a success. We created everything in the building, from designing and assembling the courses, to building the café area.

“Covid-19 was our biggest worry since we didn’t know what to expect or

It was important to the owners to represent Bradford

The café serves a range of hot and cold food, snacks and beverages

whether we would even be able to open.

“We started this business during lockdown in early 2021. It was scary to invest a stupid amount of money that comes from your own back pocket into a new business.

“Your nerves go everywhere when you fork out that kind of money, but we wanted to do it all ourselves. Every day was tough. We used to start work at 10am and finish the next day at two or three in the morning, go home for a quick nap, and then come back for ten – it was extremely exhausting.

“I don’t regret it, though. We thought if we were going to open the business we may as well dedicate all of our time to it, and I’d like to say that hard work pays off.”

Mr Yasin who splits his time between his car garage and Looney Golf said that he “didn’t know how the community would respond” in his first month of business. He said: “This was a new venture for all of us but the community in Bradford has supported us so much, it has been better than expected.

“We have had so many positive comments on social media from customers. We aim to keep all of our customers happy.”

Initial support came from Mr Yasin’s tyre customers as they were the ones who gave him the confidence to try something new. Mr Norris, who has dabbled in the entertainment industry previously, mentioned to Mr Yasin that he wanted to create a new business in Bradford. After talking about it for a few years, they took the plunge and joined forces earlier in the year.

However, the plan wasn’t always minigolf, in fact, they didn’t know what type of business to go into. “We didn’t plan what business we wanted to open, it was more ‘what can we do?’ in terms of budget and experience and that’s how

we landed on minigolf.

“Before the pandemic, both myself and Mr Royal would go on work and business trips and end up playing minigolf, which is another reason why we chose it.”

The business has created more than

half a dozen jobs for people in Bradford, with both full-time and part-time staff.

“We have provided jobs for six or seven people and we are still looking to hire more. We are trying to make Looney Golf work for everybody, for us, for our staff, and the community.”

The number of people going through their doors varies. “The beginning of the week will be quieter”, Mr Yasin says, but on average fifty to sixty people a day play on the courses.

October half-term saw more families through the door as children get to relax and play after their first term back this school year.

“It was really busy through the whole week. We had a half-term discount of 25% for anyone who wanted to play, as well as a Halloween competition where the person who submitted the best picture of their Halloween costume would win a £50 Amazon voucher.”

The business also gives back to the community, offering charities reduced prices for group bookings as well as VIP treatment with the entire venue booked out so that they can play in their bubble.

Improving Bradford’s high street by increasing footfall and attractiveness to the area was also important for Mr Yasin and Mr Norris. Before landing this prime building, they toured several other properties in the city centre. “We thought about opening right in the middle of town, but we decided to opt for the location we are in now because it is not only perfect for us, but we want to make the area vibrant.”

Each course has nine holes with an extra bonus hole to win a free game

There are two courses to choose from, the Neon Jungle or Dump Yard

Wedding | Corporate | Event Catering

Simply fantastic food As decided by our customers

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WORLD DIABETES DAY 2021: FOODS AND DRINKS THAT HELP MANAGE BLOOD SUGAR According to Diabetes UK, more people than ever have diabetes.

More people than ever are at risk of type 2 diabetes and the charity says if nothing changes, they predict that 5.5 million people will have diabetes in the UK by 2030.

Diabetes is a medical condition, which happens due to insufficient production and secretion of insulin, responsible for controlling glucose levels in the blood, from the pancreas. The disease can be controlled at the initial level by making lifestyle changes but cannot be cured completely and lasts a lifetime.

With World Diabetes Day on 14 November, here at Asian Standard we thought we would continue creating awareness around this illness.

When you have prediabetes or diabetes, it can be tricky to know which foods and drinks are the best choices, but here we have listed a few picks that can help keep your numbers in check.

Medical experts claim people do not realise the high sugar levels or constant sugar fluctuations on

means that their carbohydrates are gradually released so they're less likely to cause blood sugar spikes.

They're so beneficial that a recent study found that eating a daily cup of beans for three months as part of a low-glycemic diet lowered (hemoglobin A1c) HbA1c level by half a percentage point. Try it. Swap in your regular dal for rajma (kidney) in your next meal from time to time Apples. You might think that there's no room in a diabetic meal plan for fruits, but apples are also low glycemic. Aiming for foods that

are low or medium on the glycemic index is one way to manage blood sugar levels. Eating an apple, a day has its benefits - they are high in fiber, vitamin C, and fatfree! Not to mention a portable and easy snack option. Try it - toss an apple in your lunch bag or grab one between meals. Try baking them with a hint of cinnamon for warm treats when you crave deserts.

Almonds These crunchy nuts are rich in magnesium, a mineral that may help your body use its own insulin more effectively. Try adding more almonds into your diet to have your daily dose of this blood sugar-balancing mineral.

Plus, nuts like almonds are high in monounsaturated fatty acids, protein, and fibre, which makes

Image: Pixabay

account of the disease taking a toll on their body by inviting serious comorbidities of the heart, kidney, and liver, besides sapping their energy levels.

So, it is vital we keep a check on what we are eating which can help keep sugar levels under control to

an extent.

Here are some foods and drinks advised by experts that may help manage blood sugar levels.

Beans (Of Any Kind!) Lentils, kidney, black, or chickpea beans are a low glycemic index food. It

Image: Pixabay

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ASIAN STANDARD / LEEDS

Blueberries. Another fruit option the evidence of the health benefits of eating blueberries is pretty compelling. Blueberries contain compounds that have been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease and help improve how your body uses insulin. One study showed that eating the equivalent of about 2 cups of blueberries daily improved insulin sensitivity in overweight people with insulin resistance. They're also a great source of fibre and other nutrients such as vitamin C and antioxidants.

Try it - take a half-cup of fresh blueberries (or defrosted, frozen blueberries) and spoon over plain, unsweetened yogurt. Or add a cup of blueberries to your smoothie.

Image: Freepik

Oatmeal. Oatmeal isn't just good for your heart. It can benefit your blood sugar too. Just like apples, steel-cut, and rolled oats have a low glycemic index. Just keep in mind that while steel-cut and rolled oats are great picks, highly processed instant and quick oats tend to be higher on the glycemic index so they're not as blood sugar-friendly.

Try it - opt for steel or rolled oats cooked oatmeal with masala as a savoury option and with blueberries for a sweet option and enjoy a hearty, hot breakfast.

Image: Pixabay

them a great way to help manage blood glucose levels. Try it for healthy snacking on the go, pack 30g portions of almonds into singleserve containers.

Spinach This leafy green vegetable has just 21 calories per cooked cup and is filled with blood

sugar-friendly magnesium and fibre.

Additionally, you can enjoy spinach raw, sauteed with olive oil, in your favourite palak paneer, or even blended making it a versatile choice too! Try it - toss a heaping handful of baby spinach into your next smoothie or use it in place of lettuce in a salad.

Chia Seeds You might have heard that losing or managing weight is one of the best things you can do to improve your blood sugar.

Chia seeds can help with that. In one study people with diabetes who added about an ounce of chia seeds to a calorie-controlled diet for six months shed four pounds and trimmed an inch-and-a-half from their waistlines. Aside from being packed with fibre, these gems also contain protein and provide 18 percent of your recommended daily intake of calcium. Try it - combine a quarter-cup of chia seeds with one cup of 1 percent or non-fat milk and one-half cup of diced fruit.

Refrigerate overnight and enjoy breakfast the next morning.

Turmeric (Haldi) This golden spice contains curcumin, a substance that may keep your pancreas healthy and prevent prediabetes from turning into Type 2 diabetes. Try it - add turmeric to

your daily cooking and be sure not to miss your daily dose of turmeric.

Chamomile Tea. Chamomile tea has long been used for a variety of ailments. Existing research shows that it has antioxidant and anticancer properties, and a recent study has found that it may help you manage your blood sugar levels as well. When participants in the study drank one cup of chamomile tea after meals three times per day for six weeks, they showed a reduction in blood sugar levels, insulin, and insulin resistance. Try it Replace an after-dinner cocktail with a freshly brewed cup of chamomile tea. Try adding a slice of lemon for flavour and an extra dose of vitamin C.

19

CROSSWORDS AND PUZZLES

CROSSWORD Across 1. Indian dress (4) 3. Over the moon (8) 9. Set free (7) 10. Pong (5) 11. Wild West show (5) 12. Detective (6) 14. Sunglasses, colloquially (6) 16. Slumbering (6) 19. Affair (anag.) (6) 21. Confess (5) 24. TV, newspapers, etc (5) 25. Devilish (7) 26. Government department (8) 27. Affirmative votes (4)

Spot the

5

differences

Down 1. Something unexpected (8) 2. Annoyed (5) 4. Cheddar, for example (6) 5. Flavour (5) 6. Scottish emblem (7) 7. "Let them eat --" (4) 8. Coax (6) 13. Move away without warning (2,6) 15. Pantomime (7) 17. Sailors' song (6) 18. German rifle (6) 20. Young horses (5) 22. Virile (5) 23. Leader on a mosque (4)

CODEWORD

Image: Pallav Paliwal

ANSWERS CODEWORD ANSWERS

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

21

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RECIPE

CHICKEN MASALA PASTA As the days get smaller and colder, our craving for comfort food grows and there is nothing better than this fabulous favourite from Supreme Ingredients – Chicken Masala Pasta Try it, you might just like it!

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

¹/₃ cup oil

Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken

500g chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces

and ginger garlic paste. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add

1 tbsp Supreme Ginger & Garlic Paste

in spice mix, stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in

¼ cup hot/ mild Supreme Chicken Masala Spice Mix

chopped tomato tin and onions then over and reduce

1 Supreme Chopped Tomato Tin

heat to low and simmer until the oil separates. Increase

1 medium onion, chopped

the heat to medium and stir in the cream. Bring to a gentle

1 cup double cream

simmer then add boiled pasta and toss well to evenly coat

400g pasta, boiled until Al dente

in the sauce. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve

Chopped coriander

immediately.

Recipe in partnership with Supreme ingredients.

For more recipes visit www.supreme-ingredients.com

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SPORTS

@ASIANSTANDARD

ABU DHABI T10 CAN BE A SPRINGBOARD FOR PLAYING IN BIG GLOBAL LEAGUES: ABHIMANYU MITHUN Former India pace bowler Abhimanyu Mithun wants to use the fifth season of Abu Dhabi T10, beginning on November 19, as a springboard to further his T20 career and play in the various lucrative league across the world.

The 32-year-old Mithun, who has built his cricketing career playing Ranji Trophy for Karnataka, besides playing in the Indian Premier League -Royal Challengers Bangalore (2009), Mumbai Indians (2015) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016-18) -- has so far taken 69 wickets in 74 Twenty20 games. Speaking about competing in the Abu Dhabi T10, Mithun, who also played four Tests, said on Monday that he will take confidence from his recent performances to do well in the tournament.

“This (Abu Dhabi T10) is the fastest format, and I was really excited when I got an opportunity to play in this tournament. There are a lot of good international cricketers who play in the competition. So, I thought it will be a good opportunity for me to attain the experience of playing on the big stage. If I do well

then, I can play in leagues all around the world,” said Mithun.

On his approach to the Abu Dhabi T10, the pace bowler said, “I have to be clear in mind when I am bowling in the matches as I have just 12 deliveries to bowl. I have to be clear about what I have to execute in a given situation. I have to plan the 12 balls according to my strengths. After every ball I bowl, I will know exactly what I need to do.

“I have been doing well in the matches that I have been playing in India. I have improved my game in the last few years and I am going to take confidence from my recent performances when I play in the Abu Dhabi T10. I am really excited to showcase my talent in this tournament,” said Mithun, whose 47 wickets in the 2009-10 Ranji Trophy season had powered Karnataka to their first final in more than a decade.

Mithun said that the Indian cricket team, which could not proceed beyond the ‘Super 12’ group stage in the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE should not be criticised, adding that

Image: Twitter

Abhimanyu Mithun

the boys will come back stronger from the debacle. “The Indian players who played in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup have done so much for Indian cricket in the past decade.

They have done so well for the country consistently and we need to stand by them. I feel the Indian team will come back stronger. There’s another T20 World Cup coming

up next year so the team will be prepared for that.”

The Abu Dhabi T10 will be played at the Zayed Cricket Stadium from November 19 to December 4

DRESSING ROOM TURMOIL A THING OF THE PAST, INDICATES FINCH AFTER T20 WORLD CUP WIN

Image: Twitter

Aaron Finch

The Australian dressing room turmoil, which had forced Cricket Australia (CA) to hold a firefighting session a little over two months back, seems to be a thing of the past with the Aaron Finchled side having emerged stronger from the ordeal to deservedly win the ICC T20 World Cup here, defeating Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the final. Australian coach Justin Langer was caught in the middle of a storm when he was under hotel quarantine in Adelaide with the Australian team.

Tensions had flared up between the 46-year-old Langer and the cricketers, and CA had to do a lot of fire-fighting, holding an emergency Zoom meeting in August where CA chairman Earl Eddings, CEO Hockley, Test skipper Tim Paine, limited-overs captain Aaron Finch, and Pat Cummins were present. Langer

had come under intense scrutiny after returning from Australia’s 4-1 T20I series losses to West Indies and Bangladesh.

There were reports of discontent between him and the players apart from alleged heated argument with a CA staffer in Dhaka. However, Finch said during the post-match press conference on Sunday that the vibe around the group had been unbelievable, indicating the patch-up between the players and coach Langer was complete.

Asked about the events that unfolded two months back, Finch said, “Yeah, he’s (Langer) been great. The vibe around the group has been unbelievable. Just how well everyone is getting along, like I said earlier, there’s a lot of time spent in each other’s rooms and the team room and just chilling out at lunches, dinners and breakfast and everything has had all together. Yeah, I think that

just adds to the environment.

“So yeah, JL (Justin Langer) has played a part in that as well, and yeah, that’s a great reward for him as well as the players,” added Finch. Asked pointedly how he had been able to check the “tension and awkwardness” in the camp before the T20 World Cup campaign, the Aussie limited-overs skipper said that honest conversations helped allay misconceptions.

“There’s been no tension or awkwardness whatsoever.

It’s about having honest conversations and being really up front and being really honest. The only time there’s awkwardness is when things are happening behind the scenes and you’re trying to work things out or you’re trying to pull things under or pull the wool over someone’s eyes. No, there’s none of that whatsoever. It’s been a great campaign.”

SPORTS

BRILLIANT HAMILTON SURGES TO VICTORY FROM 10TH-PLACE START Defending Formula 1 drivers’ champion Lewis Hamilton kept on the heels of championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull and cut down the lead with a brilliant victory in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, surging ahead from a 10thplace start on the grid to the first position with a scintillating drive last Sunday.

Hamilton won the race after a sensational battle with his rival Verstappen in an enthralling return to Brazil for F1. Verstappen finished runner-up ahead of pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas. Hamilton got off to a terrific start from 10th position on the grid and was clearly on the charge. His teammate Bottas -- who lost the lead to Verstappen at the first turn -- letting him by for the fifth position on Lap 5. Hamilton then surged to the second position, getting the better of Sergio Perez in a duel that began on Lap 17 and culminated in a Lap 19 pass at Turn 4. The first pit stops took place around Lap 25, but the action built up to a crescendo after Verstappen took a second stop on Lap 41, followed by Hamilton on Lap 44. The Mercedes driver bore down on Verstappen and despite being shoved wide at Turn 1 -- the stewards noting but not investigating -- on Lap 48, the British driver didn’t give up, trying it again on Lap 58 only to meet a stubborn defence. A lap later came the winning pass with DRS on the runup to Turn 4, this time Verstappen having no choice but to concede. Hamilton ended up 10.4 seconds up the road in first place at the flag, cutting Vers’appen’s championship lead

from 21 points to 14. Bottas, who took an opportunistic stop during the Virtual Safety Car period on Lap 30 and another on Lap 41, finished third ahead of Perez, who started fourth, was up to second, but lost places to the two Mercedes.

The Mexican, however, took the fastest lap at the expense of Hamilton, on the final tour of the circuit having pitted for softs on Lap 70. According to a report on the Formula 1

website, The Ferraris pulled off a two-stop strategy to see Charles Leclerc home in fifth and Carlos Sainz - - who lost three places amid contact with Lando Norris (P10) at the start -- in sixth. Pierre Gasly picked off the Alpines after pitting twice, his Lap 50 change to hard tyres helping him pass Esteban Ocon (P9) and Fernando Alonso (P8). Norris picked up a puncture on Lap 1 after Sainz nicked his

rear-left tyre, but recovered from there to take the final point, his pit stop during a Lap 7 VSC leaving him on hard compounds right until the finish. Sebastian Vettel missed out on points by a second to Norris ahead, and finished 11th having started P9, his Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll eventually retiring - ‘s did McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo. But it was Hamilton who stole the show here

in Brazil -- recovering from his disqualification from qualifying on Friday and clawing his way back up to the fifth position from dead last in Saturday’s Sprint, before he took another grid penalty for an engine change on race day. From P10 he put in the drive of his life -- and pulled off an impressive move on his title rival Verstappen to seal the victory.

Image: Wikipedia

Lewis Hamilton

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SPORTS

15 - 21 NOVEMBER 2021

BRILLIANT HAMILTON SURGES TO VICTORY FROM 10TH-PLACE START

ABU DHABI T10 CAN BE A SPRINGBOARD FOR PLAYING IN BIG GLOBAL LEAGUES: ABHIMANYU MITHUN

Page 24

Page 23

ANTHONY JOSHUA VS. OLEKSANDR USYK REMATCH IN MARCH OR APRIL 2022, POSSIBLY LONDON SAYS EDDIE HEARN According to Boxing News, Eddie Hearn says he’s planning on bringing the Anthony Joshua vs. Oleksandr Usyk rematch back to the UK in London at either Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium or Wembley in March or April.

Hearn is said to have told Boxing news, he’ll be meeting with IBF/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk this week to discuss the location for the fight with Krassyuk wanting to stage the rematch in Ukraine, the UK, or the Middle East.

Hearn, however, is keen for Joshua to win the rematch and thus isn’t interested

in those places as Joshua doesn’t fight well outside of the UK And Joshua can’t afford to be spaced out walking into the ring to face Usyk in Ukraine or the Middle East, as we saw in his loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in New York in 2019.

Usyk beat Joshua by a 12 round unanimous decision last September at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium.

Hearn is hoping the World Boxing Council orders WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to face Dillian Whyte next.

The winner, which Hearn admits that

he’s hoping will be his fighter Whyte (28-2, 19 KOs), will then face the Joshua vs. Usyk winner for the undisputed championship. Hearn says his ideal scenario would be for Joshua to beat Usyk and Whyte to defeat Fury.

That would be two of Hearn’s Matchroom fighters in Joshua and Whyte squaring off for the undisputed heavyweight championship. It would only be Hearn’s hands on the gearshift of the promotion for a Whyte vs.

Joshua 2 rematch.

“I think it’ll be in the UK really. The last time out at Tottenham was a stunning event, and I think that I’d like to do that again. I’d like to bring it to Wembley or Tottenham again,” said Eddie Hearn to Boxing Social about the location for the AJ vs. Usyk rematch.

“We’ll definitely talk to him [Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk] about Ukraine and the Middle East, of course,” said Hearn. “We’ll be aggressive for that fight.

“I don’t think AJ really minds where that fight takes place, but we will start those discussions shortly. We’ve got a mad run coming up, but we’ll get together me and Alex and start planning the fight.

Oleksandr Usyk

Image: Twitter

“It’ll be twice the size, but we didn’t expect it to go around like that,” said

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Nominate now at influentiallist@asianstandard.co.uk.

Nominations close Sunday 19 December Midnight

Image: Shutterstock

Anthony Joshua Hearn when asked about how big a fight between Joshua and Tyson Fury will be if AJ defeats Usyk in the rematch.

“Dillian is a very live dog against Tyson Fury, and hopefully the WBC orders that next week. I believe Joshua can beat Usyk. Listen, it’s a funny old game the way things come around in circles, but, of course, if that were the

situation, it would be a huge fight.

“But Dillian against Anthony Joshua for the undisputed. The rematch is also a massive fight, and obviously, that’s a scenario we prefer,” said Hearn.

Whyte is too basic for him to be counted on to defeat Fury, and his style is a duplicate of Dereck Chisora. We saw what Fury did to Chisora in their two fights