Asian Sunday Newspaper, issue 16 by Asian Standard News

14 FEB 2016

Issue 16

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Britain’s FIRST FREE Sunday Newspaper

The future of 14

Cancer now affects 1 in 2 people aged 55

British Curry houses

under threat There’s a race problem in our mental health services.

China: The land of culture, heritage and opportunity

Read more on pages 6 & 7

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A WOMAN IN INDIA CUTS OF HER BROTHER IN LAW’S PENIS AS EVIDENCE TO POLICE ON CLAIMS HE RAPED HER According to a report in Times of India a 32-year-old Indian woman cut off her brother-in-law’s penis and handed it to police, claiming he had sexually assaulted her. Accompanied by her three children, the woman went to a police station in the Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh in central India, where she told officers her brother-in-law had raped her, the Times of India reported. Police attempted to send medical support to the man, but he was found to have committed suicide. His body was reportedly found

hanging from a tree near their house. The woman had been living with her brotherin-law because her husband worked more than 700 miles away, in Nashik, Maharashtra. She reportedly told police that she had used a sickle to cut off her

brother-in-law’s penis as it was the only way to stop him attacking her.

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Medieval Ship Raised From Dutch Riverbed Archaeologists have raised a medieval ship from a riverbed in The Netherlands, where it had rested for more than 500 years. The 15th-century “cog” was a trading vessel, used to sail the North and Baltic Seas. Construction workers stumbled upon it when they were preparing to excavate the port in the city of Kampen. Measuring 20 metres by eight, it had been buried beneath sand and silt. Experts say its metal joints make it sturdier than other vessels of the same era, meaning they were able to raise it without it falling apart. They say it is rare to find

such a well-preserved example. Its features include a brick-arched oven and glazed tiles on the rear deck. It has been called “Ijsselkogge” after the river delta it was found in. It emerged from the water in a specially constructed metal frame, with the straps around it controlled by a computer. Archaeologist Wouter Waldus said that after they weighed the 40-tonne ship, they knew the structure was stable, enabling them to continue the operation. The delicate vessel will be restored at the Nieuw Land Heritage Centre in Lelystad, where it will be kept wet at all times.

Chewing sugar-free gum could save NHS millions on dental treatment A study by Plymouth University’s Peninsula Dental School, helped by gum makers The Wrigely Company claim that if all 12-year-olds chewed one piece of gum per day the NHS could save up to £2.8million per school year The NHS could save as much as £41million on dental treatments if school children chewed more gum. The study comes after 35 per cent of 12-year-olds said they have been too embarrassed to smile or laugh due to the condition

of their teeth, according to Government figures last year. If all 12-year-olds chewed one piece of sugarfree gum per day the NHS could save up to £2.8million per school year, £3.3million for two pieces and £8.2million for three pieces, after each meal. That could add up to £41million across five school years to age 16. Sugar-free gum is said to combat decay because the mouth produces more saliva.

Guide LIFESTYLE Issue 16

TOP TIP FOR SKIN It’s not just women

men can also banish spots, signs of ageing and dry tight skin. The products we all shouldn’t go without

ASIAN SUNDAY | ISSUE 46

Your guide to the best eateries in Bradford & District

ASIAN SUNDAY by ZARA HASSAN

THREE FOODS TO TRY AN AVOID NEWS DURING FASTING

Through the decades, every era has had its own particular fashion trend focusing on prints and styles. We can now

If you’re planning on buying vintage I think you should always start small, shop with something in mind.

GSK fined after anti-depreSSant SaleS Bangladesh begins census of cleanser, a good face probe in Britain juices can cause problems around the waistline, which include, cranberry, apple and other fruit juices. w•asConcentrated h and anMyanmar’s exfoliorange ator. juice – Most concentrated Rohingya refugees world’s value transfers fine of 5,841,286 pounds ious elements outif of the fruit during the concentration process. You should also invest Buying vintage doesn’t mean designer labels but you’re into designer labels One lookof forthe Dior, from the 50’s orother Gucci and Three foods you’ve been item, told are ‘healthy’ that actually and can cause seriouspiece health in my opinion would be aincrease coat. It’sweight something small yet amore statement toproblems. introduce to your other clothes.

biggest pharmaceutical water. So contrary to what adverts say it is believed starting your day with a big glass of concentrated juicemillion is a totalling over $72

($8,478,042) was imposed

in an eye cream just to Bangladesh has started to conduct a Bangladesh, which is considered a barrier really bad decision. giants, GlaxoSmithKline to suppliers of generic on Merck KGaA (GUK’s brighten that area that census on Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees to resolving the problem. . of the drug. (GSK), has been fined versions former parent) and GUK. will be gentle to skin. • Margarine, is another fat storing but has more serious health risks. It canon cause you tostreet gain weight, wipe outmore yourpiece good cholesterol increase your bad cholesterol by living in the country’s southeastern A greatfood, modern fashion piece that we still see our high and is a timeless is leopard print. than £37million, A fine of 1,542,860 pounds Some 30,000 registered area saturated fat that your body can burn for fuel instead The CMA ruledup the building bordering up blockagesMyanmar in your arteries. Butter is a better alternative. Butter has fat inrefugees it too, but it’s of building blockages districts Britain’s Competition ($2,239,307) was imposed Imagestoas early as those from ancient Egypt show women rocking leopard spots. reportedly staying at two camps in payments and other in your arteries, transfigure. fats can do. determine theirlike exact PRODUCT and Markets Authority in respect of Alpharma’s Bangladesh, in addition to 300,000 value transfers were OF THE announced on Friday. infringement. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) to 500,000 more illegal Rohingya • At number three it’s whole wheat bread. Are you as shocked as we were? Bread is High in Carbs and Can Spike Blood Sugar Levels aimed at delaying WEEK has began the listing of households as immigrants in the country. Even whole grain bread usually isn’t made out of actual “whole” grains. GSK and other the potential entry of Seroxat was one of GSK’s part of primary task in six southeastern were fined a generic competitors into best-selling medicines Leopard prints always represent power and uppledged girls like Marilyn companies Monroe celebrated glamour and sexualThe government offemininity, Myanmarpin has districts - Chittagong, Bazar, The starches in bread getCox’s broken down quickly in the to digestive tract and enter bloodstream as glucose. This causes rapid spike in blood andBritish insulin market levels. for totalaof £44.7million by sugarthe and was used to treat, take back these itstheundocumented ity in this way too. Rangamati, Even whole Khagrachhari, wheat bread spikesBandarban blood sugar faster than many chocolate bars. the authority for antiparoxetine. among other conditions, nationals after verification of their In his Little Dictionary Fashion Christian Dior spike said “But wearand leopard must have kindtoofthefemininity is a little Most breads are made of pulverized wheat. They areofeasily digested and rapidly bloodtosugar insulin you levels, which canalead notorious which blood sugar “roller and Patuakhali, Xinhua reported. competitive conduct and depression and anxiety origin, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry The CMA imposed fine coaster” and stimulate overeating. Well, you’re probably allfair thinking the main Pre-Dawn Meal). bit sophisticated. If you are and those sweet,aredon’t wearfoods it...” you eat for Suhoor (The agreements in relation disorders. The listing of Rohingya households will statement had earlier said. of 37,606,275 pounds Be to choose yourself something leopard print from the rails next time you’re onsupply the high street, to the of an anti-add a bit of glam into Here are tips17, for asure healthy Suhoor continue tillsome February according ($54,581,747) on GSK. A wardrobe with a leopard print dress, a shirt, a cardigan and even some trousers (if you’re depressant drug, daring Xinhuaenough). Have fun to Md Emdadul Huq, jointyour director (The Pre-Dawn Meal) reported. with it and of Suhoor Chittagong Divisional Office of remember always try it on before you buy. For suhoor, it is imperative to drink plenty of water, eat a good blend of protein, carbohydrates, and essential fat. That’s right, “good fats” have many fat-burning and muscle-building properties, and their imporBBS. After completion of listing of The CMA said its decision tance is eventhe greater during Ramadan. Some good suhoor foods include: households, census will begin by the Simple Kind to Eyes relates to conduct and end of the next month. • Protein shake • Raisins or dates Olive oil – preferably extra virgin (which means it’s cold processed and the Soothing Cream, agreements •between

• Egg whites (1 yolk)

• Cinnamon £3.99 from Boots. • Chicken breast Officials said the census aimed at ending • Bananas • Oatmeal about the exact number confusion of • Raw, dark Honey Use all these productsliving in Bangladesh. • Cream ofpeople wheat Rohingya daily or as advised

Currently were various figures and you’ll bethere amazed coming outyour from to how great skinvarious ways on the number Rohingya people in looks and feels.ofAlso,

WEIGHT LOSS REVIEW- WAZN

remember to drink lots of water!

Bradford man sets on a mission to help Bradford become more health aware. “I am a big fan of Dr Qazi’s work and that’s why I want to introduce his non-surgical solutions manto sets on a mission to helplocal BradBradford”, explained ford businessman become more health Yasseraware. Khan, and “I am a big fan of Dr Qazi’s work and that’sBeauty why I want to introduce his Doctor range of treatments, which includes ‘WAZN’ non-surgical solutions to Bradford”, Dr Daud is a medical pracexplained localQazi businessman Yasser titioner with licence to practise in UK, Europe, Middle and famous Beauty Doctor rangeEast of treatAsia including Pakistan. HisDaud ments, which includes ‘Wazn’ Dr interest in medical research Qazi is a medical practitioner with has enabled him to latest state licence to practise in bring UK, Europe, Midof art technologies. dle East and Asia including Pakistan. Working and living in UK, he His interest in medical research has observed the need for Non-Surenabled him to bring latest state of gical procedures to improve the art technologies. Working livhealth and well beingand of patients ing inespecially UK, he observed the need Asian populationfor as Non-Surgical procedures to improve they are more vulnerable to the health beingillnesses of patients acute and and well chronic than especially Asian population as they are their counterpart White populamoretion. vulnerable to acute and chronic illnesses thanistheir counterpart White Dr Qazi amongst the pioneers who introduced latest technolopopulation. giesisofamongst IPL andthe Radio FrequenDr Qazi pioneers who cy andlatest Ultrasound integrations introduced technologies of IPL into UK and especially in Asian and Radio Frequency and Ultrasound community. His quest for knowlintegrations into UK and especially edge and research furthered in Asian community. His quest for him to and launch his own health knowledge research furthered & Beauty product range. This him to launch his own health & Beauty includes Dietary supplements, product range. This includes Dietary Vitamins & Minerals, Skin & Hair

• Fibrous vegetables –This will help in- 2001 and 2004 essential fatty acids are preserved) in which crease the feeling of fullness as well. • Plenty of GSK, the supplier of water • All natural peanut butter branded paroxetine • Flax seed oil – (an anti-depressant medicine), agreed to It is important to take a solid multi-vitamin, multi-mineral supplement with suhoor as well to make sure daily minimum requirements of key make payments and gravies, high sodium bread products, and canned meats. Of course nutrients are met. Avoid high sodium foods like soups, sauces, condiments, eating fried foods and heavy oil items can cause heartburn and problems for you all day so it is best to avoid those if possible!

certain ailments and diseases of body. His unique formulations GMP approved laboratories in USA and has made him pioneer Skin & Hair care products and products products around the globe. for certain ailments and diseases "WAZN" weight loss manage- of body. programme His unique formulations has been ment is the start of products list. laboratories in many USA and has made him “There are so health products and diet plans on the market where you have productstoday, around the globe. "WAZN" to make major lifestyle changes, Each capsule helps: programme Each Weight loss management capsule helps: such drinking shakes *Burn is theas start of products list.etc” *burn fat, fat *Boost metabolism, said Yasser “There are so many health products *boost metabolism, * Increases your energy “People simply haven’t got the energy and diet plans on the market today, * increases your level time these days, so in my opinwhere you have to make major lifestylelevel * Improves digestion ion WAZN is the answer. changes, such as drinking shakes etc”* Improves digestion * Prevents weight gain. “People like my mum won’t go to weight gain. said Yasser. “People simply haven’t got* Prevents However, WAZN is not the gym, so that’s why Dr Qazi However, WAZN is not prethe time these days, so in my opinion prescribed as an off the produced WAZN, it was created scribed as an off the counter Wazn the answer. “People like my counter weight loss prodto helpistackle obesity, without weight loss product, but mum won’t go lifestyle to the gym, so that’s uct, but more as a weight making major changes more as a weight managemanagement programme, why Dr is Qazi produced WAZN, it was WAZN a 100% natural veggie ment programme, which which works for almost created towhich help tackle obesity, without capsule, contains Raspworks for almost everyone, everyone, young, old, making major lifestyle berry Ketone, African changes Mango, WAZN young, old, male orThe female. male or female. prodis a 100% natural veggie Green Coffee Extract (allcapsule, of Theuct product is used to bewhen used is to be which contains Raspberry Ketone, which are known to release when your index is your BMIBMI index is greater enzymes that break fat). African Mango, Greendown Coffee Extract greater than 25 as it helps than 25 as it helps you It(all also contains of which are Hoodia known toAcai release youmaintain maintainananideal idealvalue value of (known have properties to kill enzymestothat break down fat). of 25 or less. 25 or less. off cancer), Green Tea Acai extract,( It also contains Hoodia (known teamhere here at at which twenty plus to havehas properties to killamino off cancer), WellWell ourour team Asian Sunday will be acids), Apple cider vinegar and Asian Sunday will be Green Tea extract,( which has twenty putting the capsule to the Panax Ginseng. capsules plus amino acids),The Apple cider vinegar putting the capsule to the test....keep posted as we claim to be Alcohol, Hormones test....keep posted as we and Panax Ginseng. The capsules will post results in the and Gelatine free, with no side will post results in the claim to be Alcohol, Hormones and coming editions. effects.

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

NEWS

Independent and Independent on Sunday to cease as print edition The Independent and Independent on Sunday newspapers are to cease print editions in March, leaving only an online edition, the owner has said.

ESI has also confirmed it will sell its sister title, i newspaper, to Johnston Press, for an expected £24m, subject to approval from Johnston’s shareholders.

Independent hit around 428,000 copies a day. Twenty-five years later, the number of copies being sold on a weekday in newsagents is more close to 28,000.

Announcing the “digital-only” move, ESI Media said “some redundancies among editorial employees” would be made.

The last print edition of the Independent will be published on Saturday 26 March, while the last Independent on Sunday will be on 20 March.

This is an announcement that has been long awaited. The problem about switching to digital is that the big British print newspapers bring in revenues in hundreds of

But it said there would also be 25 new “digital-content roles”.

At its peak sales The

millions of pounds while even the best digital products make only tens of millions. The long decline in print readership has led to many declarations that print will be dead in a few years’ time, but until a way is found to make more money out of digital, they will hang on to their print readers to the very end.

Independent’s print editions will have “no bearing on the status” of the London Evening Standard - also owned by ESI the company told the BBC The Independent’s editor Amol Rajan tweeted: “Impossible to over-state how proud I am of the most dedicated, clever, industrious and brave staff in the history of Fleet St.”

The closure of the

Woman who ripped pages from her passport to use as loo roll cost her entry into Thailand. A woman has been refused entry to Thailand after ripping pages from a passport to use instead of toilet roll. The British traveller was turned

back by border officers after they found missing pages, which she said she had used as toilet paper when drunk.

Faye Wilson was escorted back to the UK when guards found the missing pages and she had tried to claim she had “lost” them. Wilson told ITV: “We were walking from one bar to the next and we must have been desperate for a wee and obviously didn’t have any toilet roll. “It was maybe two or three pages. I was a bit drunk so didn’t even think about the consequences. Wilson has now returned to her home in the Lake District, and was planning on spending a month in Thailand before working in Australia for a year. “Thai immigration just opened my passport and started looking

through it, and asked ‘what’s happened here’? “I just said that I had lost the pages because I was too embarrassed to explain the real reason. Before I could explain more, they had

deported me back to Dubai and then to Glasgow and confiscated my documents.” She will now apply for an emergency passport to continue the trip.

IGZQQI

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Wishing all our traders & customers a prosperous New Year Simes Street, Bradford, BD1 3RB. Find us on facebook

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Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

COVER STORY

The future of British Curry houses under threat by ITRAT BASHIR The future of British curry houses, which has become a part of British food heritage, looks gloomy and the trade body of 12,000 curry houses warns of more closure of these restaurants. A sector with a turnover of annual 4.2 billion pounds and employing over 80,000 people faces the challenges of tough immigration law and rising cost of doing business. According to one estimate, popularly quoted by Indian restaurant owners, 2000 Indian restaurants have closed down in the UK in the last five years, which are almost two curry houses in a single day. Bangladesh Caters Association UK president Pasha Kandaker being passionate about his business felt insecure and cheated by the government. He said the British curry houses are suffering for over a decade; aging chefs and tight immigration rules have created an acute shortage of staff. This is not helped by the fact that the new Asian generation is least interested in adopting a career in Indian

curry dishes

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

COVER STORY Our children refuse to join the family business and opt for lucrative jobs after leaving universities. And now with the inflexible immigration rule, where are we supposed to get the staff from. Pasha Kandekar, President BCA

catering due to odd hours and unattractive pay. The immigration rule is tough on the migration of skilled workers from outside the European Union; restaurants must offer a salary of at least 29,750 pounds in order for their employees to get UK visa, which the owners feel is not financially viable for them to offer such salaries. Being critical of the government’s tough stance on their nonEuropean Union (EU) employees, Pasha said the rising cost of food ingredients, high local rates and taxes, and low profits do not give them the margin to offer such a salary. “A small percentage of the restaurants that are bigger will absorb high salaries, but most of the small curry houses will go out of business,” he added. He himself being an owner of many Indian restaurants in Kent faces the same problem. He believed that after failing to cope with the migration from the EU countries, Prime Minister David Cameron has come hard on non-EU. “We are being victimised,” he said. “Our children refuse to join the family business and opt for lucrative jobs after leaving universities. And now with the inflexible immigration rule, where are we supposed to get the staff

from,” he said. “The government has to intervene to save this industry; it needs to take steps to ensure availability of homegrown talent for the curry houses,” he added. Muhammad Salique, who runs Diwana Bhel Poori House in London, also had similar apprehensions in his mind. Although he is lucky to have a chef as his partner, but he also worries about the scarcity of staff trained in Indian cooking. “Availability of staff, especially chefs, is a big issue for us. Unsocial hours and low pays have made this job unpopular among the local people, but high salaries are not sustainable for us due to the high cost of doing business and low profit margins,” he said. He agreed that tight immigration rule has played a big part in the shortage, which has made it almost impossible for curry houses to employ non-EU staff. He said that on average chefs earn between 20,000 and 25,000 pounds per annum and the Indian restauranteurs are not in a position to meet the salary cap set the government for employing non-EU staff. “The government did try to fill the gap through training the European

Union immigrants in the art of Indian cooking, but they could not come up to the expectation,” he added. In response to the national curry crisis, a Bangladeshi community TV channel has set up a media platform entitled ‘Catering Circle’ in a move to bring together the business owners of the curry industry and seek about addressing the issues they are facing. Ahmed Us-Samad Chowdhury, chief advisor to the Catering Circle, Chairman of Channel S TV and one time owner of 10 restaurants, disclosed that there is no doubt that curry houses in the UK are facing tough time and it is particularly hit hard by tough immigration rules. “There is a lot of uneasiness among the owners of curry houses and fear the possibility of going out of business.” He sees no support from the government for this curry industry, which he claimed to be one of the top five industries in the UK. “There are no training institutes to nurture local talent in the art of Indian cooking and there are no government incentives to attract local people to this industry. Curry houses are ready to absorb a large number of people with the right skills,” he added.

Availability of staff, especially chefs, is a big issue for us. Unsocial hours and low pays have made this job unpopular among the local people, but high salaries are not sustainable for us due to the high cost of doing business and low profit margins. Muhammad Salique, owner Diwana Bhel Poori House

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

NEWS

Music shop boss murder probe: Man and woman arrested after dead body found in boot of car. A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murdering Smethwick music shop owner Tanveer Iqbal, whose body was found in his car boot. A 36-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man were held at an address in Birmingham by detectives last night. Mr Iqbal, 33, was found in the boot of his Renault Clio in Portland Road, Edgbaston, on

February 1. Officers have yet to reveal how Mr Iqbal, who ran Hi-Tech music on Shireland Road, died. Det Insp Paul Joyce, who is leading on the investigation, said in a statement: “Investigations into the death are ongoing; we are still appealing for anyone with information that will assist our enquiries to get in touch. “I am particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have seen

Mr Iqbal between closing his shop, Hi-Tech Music in Shireland Road, Smethwick on Sunday 31 January and the time he was discovered on Monday 1 February. I also want to speak to anyone who had any contact with Mr Iqbal on Sunday 31 January” Mr Iqbal’s family continue to be supported by specialist officers. Call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Tanveer Iqbal Hi-Tech music

Shocking footage emerges showing a Tesco employee apparently attacking a customer The incident occurred at a Tesco Express in Goodmayes, Dagenham, East London and was filmed by Wasiq Hussaini. Wasiq claims he ended up in A&E as a result of the altercation with the Tesco worker. The business student says the altercation was sparked when he took out his phone to take a picture of a ‘mispriced item on the shelf’.

The footage shows a Tesco security guard intervening between the staff member and a man, believed to be Wasiq’s friend. The worker shouts ‘this guy’ before he lunges forward towards the camera and apparently tries to throw the phone out of Wasiq’s hand. He also appears to punch Wasiq’s friend.

A Tesco spokeswoman said: ‘As soon as this incident occurred we took immediate action to apologise to the customers involved and an internal investigation is now underway. ‘We work hard to ensure our colleagues deliver the best possible service for our customers and any actions which are not in line with this policy will not be tolerated.’

Wasiq has said that he will be ‘pushing for legal action’.

Wan ted: Goo d co o A k p s p cook . l y s@a n ow sian su nda

y.co .u

The Desi Kitchenâ&#x20AC;Ś coming to a screen soon.

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

NEWS

Fresh appeal from teenage daughter for dad who went missing nine years ago The teenage daughter of a Bradford businessman, who is feared to have been murdered, has for the first time joined an appeal for information about what happened to her dad, when he disappeared nine years ago. Father-of-three Sajid Saddique failed to return home from a business meeting on Valentine’s Day in 2007. Mr Siddique’s family and a businessman have put up rewards totalling £150,000 for information leading to a conviction. His teenage daughter, Neha, now 15 was aged only six when her dad disappeared. In a brave bid she appealed to a room full of media for information that may help solve the mystery of what happened to her dad. Along with her mum, Asma Siddique the family are now desperate for answers. In 2014, a murder investigation was started by West Yorkshire Police where two men were arrested on suspicion of his murder but released without charge after the Crown Prosecution Service ruled there was insufficient evidence against them. Mr Saddique was last seen in the Asda car park in Manor Road, Shipley, at about 10:00 GMT on 14

Fresh appeal for murder enquiry of dad Sajid Siddique February 2007. Neha said: “We have never given up hope that we will find out the truth.” She added: “My father was a kind man who loved his family dearly and there is no way that he would have just gone and left us. “His loss hit us all very hard and we are desperate to find some answers as to why he suddenly disappeared.” Det Supt Simon Atkinson, said: “No matter how small or insignificant this information may seem in isolation, it could be the missing piece of the jigsaw.” He added that this case will never be closed till we get some answers.

Jail for factory owner for using ‘slave workforce’ themselves in shared, cramped and squalid conditions. Rafiq’s multi-million pound firm - which he KozeeSleeps boss Mohammed Rafiq had built up over 33 years since arriving in the UK from Pakistan when he A factory owner who used a was 20 - manufactured beds Hungarian “slave workforce” to and mattresses for high-profile supply beds to big-name retailers retailers including John Lewis like John Lewis and Dunelm Mill and Dunelm Mill. has been jailed. The companies required workers Mohammed Rafiq - once heralded to be paid the minimum wage, as a “pillar of the community” have contracts, not to be has been sentenced to 27 months overworked and have holiday in prison for people trafficking. entitlement. The 60-year-old is believed to be the first company boss to be convicted for human trafficking offences in the UK.

But Rafiq ignored these requirements and the companies’ ethical audits failed to spot what was happening.

Rafiq’s multi-million pound firm - which he had built up over 33 years since arriving in the UK from Pakistan when he was 20 - manufactured beds and mattresses for high-profile retailers including John Lewis and Dunelm Mill.

Rafiq entered into agreement with a “ruthless Hungarian

gangmaster” and was complicit in the “hideous exploitation” of the workers. “You knew that they had been trafficked into this country, you yourself intended to exploit them.” Detective Chief Inspector Warren Stevenson, from West Yorkshire Police, said he hoped the case sends a strong message to those complicit in the trafficking of people into the UK. Human trafficking has no place in our communities and we would urge anyone with concerns to please report them to the police so that they can be acted upon. We hope that today’s sentencing provides some closure for them as they continue to rebuild their lives both here in the UK and back in Hungary.

The companies required workers to be paid the minimum wage, have contracts, not to be overworked and have holiday entitlement. But Rafiq ignored these requirements and the companies’ ethical audits failed to spot what was happening.

Hungarians worked 16 hour shifts and then lived in tight spaces.

Rafiq knowingly accepted workers trafficked into the UK by Hungarian nationals Janos Orsos and Ferenc Illes. The men worked 16-hour days at his bed-making factory Kozee Sleep in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire for as little as £10 per week. They were promised good wages, housing and food if they travelled to the UK but instead they found

The house where Hungarians found themselves living.

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

NEWS

Thousands back Petitions Backing Junior Doctors announced he would force through changes to pay and conditions have said they did not agree with the contract being forced on medics. They include at least one who said she was unaware that her name was on the letter until it was actually published. Claire Murdoch, chief executive of the Central and North West London NHS FT, told Sky News: “I became aware that my name was on the letter at the point at which it was published.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt More than 120,000 people have signed petitions backing junior doctors after Jeremy Hunt announced he would impose a new contract on them. The health secretary faces a battle over his decision after the British Medical Association (BMA) vowed to fight on against “a contract that is bad for the future of patient care, the profession and the NHS”. Meanwhile, a number of NHS trust chief executives who had supported the new contract and urged an end to the uncertainty, insisted they did not back its imposition. One petition set up on the government website on Thursday calling on Mr Hunt to restart “meaningful negotiations” with the BMA had attracted almost 60,000 signatures by Friday morning. A second petition calling for a vote of no confidence in the health secretary had been signed by more than 60,000 people. The Government responds to all petitions that get 10,000 signatures and reaching 100,000 supporters means a debate in Parliament would be considered. Around half the NHS bosses whose support was cited when Mr Hunt

“When I contacted Sir David Dalton he had it removed immediately, which is reflective of the straightforward way he has sought to deal with a very challenging negotiation.” Andrew Foster, chief executive of the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (FT), also told Sky News the letter he and 19 other NHS leaders backed was not the one that advised the Government to do “whatever it deems necessary” to break the deadlock. Mr Foster said he had “not supported contract imposition. I have supported the view that the offer made is reasonable”. Sir David denied that the chief executives listed on the letter had been asked to give their support to imposed contracts. Dr Faraaz Bhatti, a junior doctor who specialises as a registrar in Emergency Medicine, told Asian Sunday: “The latest announcement that the government is imposing a contract on junior doctors is the sign of a government far removed from the people. Doctors in this country dedicate their careers to a health service free at the point of care. We aim to deliver a high quality service that always puts patients first.

“Jeremy Hunt is a politician and what we have seen today is political spin at its best. Doctors have seen through this from the very beginning, as have other healthcare professionals and we are fortunate to have the majority of the public behind us. “By enforcing a contract Jeremy Hunt has lost all credibility. The British Medical Association and the NHS will be present long after his

political career ends and history will judge him as the Tory MP who led to an unsafe and uncertain health service. His failure to remain apolitical in a debate about a public service only shows that Jeremy Hunt’s primary concerns are his Party’s wider ambitions. Junior doctors work full-time with the people, and provide 24/7 care. Jeremy Hunt works for a political party and does not dedicate his life

to a greater and stronger NHS. So you decide who is right: is it over 60, 000 doctors across England or is it Mr Hunt? “We now look forward to an era of uncertainty as the BMA rightly rejects the contract in their reaction to the imposition. Mr Hunt has safely ensured that an unfair contract on doctors will indeed be unsafe for patients. The NHS and its future are now uncertain.

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

Opinion

The Battle of the Mums by Ayesha Babar

While browsing through my Facebook timeline a few days ago, I came across a friend’s post. Having worked towards a career in banking for the better part of a decade, she had finally taken a break a year ago following the birth of her baby girl. Through her post, she wanted to share with her friends, her decision to put her career on hold and become a full-time stay-at-home mother. What ensued was probably not what she had expected while putting up that post. Differing views kept coming in, ranging across the spectrum – while some of her friends were supportive of her decision, others started lecturing on the impact of working mother on their children’s growth and development. The debate on whether women should give up careers after embracing motherhood versus balancing work and family has been going on for many, many decades now. Ever since the second World War broke out when women were initially forced to join the mainstream workforce, there has been a huge number of women who have preferred to continue working even after starting a family. Supporters of this notion believe that a woman should not stop focussing on her career just because she has children to look after. With UK maternity laws being some of the most gracious in the world, women have a decent amount of time to spend with the baby for about a year before they are required to get back to their previous employer. It is also argued that toddlers and young children who have been made to attend

nurseries and day care centres develop more refined social skills than their peers who have spent their time at home. These kids learn much from the interaction with others of the same age and among other advantages become faster learners. Amongst this group of working mothers there is even a sense that women who choose to become stay-at-home moms are privileged and go for the easier option. When I raised this point with another friend of mine who

did quit her banking job for a life of domestic bliss, she was less than impressed. ‘There is this sense that because we are opting to leave our fulltime employment, we end up becoming ladies of leisure. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth! I think parenting is equally stressful both ways. Plus, it also greatly depends on the culture you come from. As an Asian woman, it was always somehow expected that I would be leaving my job after the baby. It was almost like the suggestion that I would want to do otherwise

should not even ever cross my mind in the first place,” she shared. The stay at home parenting camp, however, argues that this exposure to their peers can still happen through supervised play-dates which are now quite common especially within the natal groups formed by NHS. This group believes that children derive much comfort and confidence from proximity with a mother in the first few years of life and it is this that subconsciously stays with the child even during later years.

All these points and many others were also made on my friend’s post that day. It is a debate that will continue into the future. What is most important is, however, that women are given the freedom to choose whichever path they would be comfortable with. Parenting is an extremely subjective area and a deeply personal decision and each set of parents should take a call depending on their circumstances, preferences and on what they think would be best for the child’s future.

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Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

HEALTH

Cancer now affects 1 in 2 people aged over 55: Cut your risk by leading a healthier lifestyle by Alison Bellamy

The devastating consequences of diagnosis and gruelling treatment for a loved one, whether successful or not, can leave whole families shattered. One in two people born after 1960 in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime. So the chances of it happening to you or someone close to you, such as a partner or family member, are relatively high.

Sir Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK We all know someone who is or has been affected by cancer.

The good news is that cancer death rates in the UK have fallen by nearly 10 per cent over 10 years, according to the latest analysis by Cancer Research UK. This boost is largely due to improvements in detection, diagnosis and treatments. Without these research-led advances, the rate of cancer deaths would undoubtedly have risen.

Around 50 per cent of people now survive cancer for 10 or more years. Early detection is key to fighting the disease. So if you have any concerns or nagging doubts about your health, or any changes occur however small, it is vital that you visit your GP. Asian Sunday is backing annual World Cancer Day, which was held recently. It is organised to raise awareness about the things which can be done at an individual, community and government level, to bring about solutions and create positive change. Globally, there are an estimated 8.2 million deaths from cancer – 4.7 million in men and 3.5 million in women. Sir Harpal Kumar, Cancer

Research UK’s chief executive, said: “Today, one in two of all people diagnosed with cancer survive their disease for at least 10 years. Our ambition is to accelerate progress so that three in four survive cancer by 2034. It’s important to remember that even though the death rates are falling, the overall number of people dying from cancer is expected to increase. This is because the population is growing and living longer. Too many people are still being diagnosed with and dying from cancer, not just here in the UK but around the world. “We’re increasing our efforts into key areas of research such as how to achieve earlier diagnosis, and how best to manage cancers which are currently hard to treat. Our scientists are developing new tests, surgical and radiotherapy

techniques, and drugs. It’s important to celebrate how much things have improved, but also to renew our commitment to saving more lives. Together we can all do something to reduce the impact of this devastating disease.” The main causes of cancer are: smoking, alcohol, diet, obesity, sunshine and UV rays, according to Cancer Research UK. Lifestyle choices or simple changes can help reduce risk factors, especially through eating healthily, not smoking and taking exercise. Some people inherit damaged DNA from their parents, which can give them a higher risk of certain cancers. For example the BRCA genes are linked with breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancers. But the proportion of cancers caused by inherited faulty genes is small.

Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health and your pocket

A 20 a day cigarette habit is £50 a week, or £200 a month.

Smoking is one area that doctors wish to highlight. In England, one in every five deaths in adults over 35 is caused by smoking.

Smoking rates are higher among Bangladeshi men (40 %) and Pakistani men (29%) than in the general population (21%). Indian men and south Asian women are less likely to smoke.

Tobacco is one of the most addictive substances on the planet. Stopping smoking or other forms or tobacco intake, such as chewing betel quid, paan or gutkha, or shisha smoking by water pipe, is one of the best things you can do for your health – and your pocket.

Smoking increases your risk of cancer, heart disease and respiratory (breathing) disease. This is true whether you smoke bidi (thin cigarettes of tobacco wrapped in brown tendu leaf), cigarettes or shisha.

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ASIAN SUNDAY

HEALTH

Bhaniben Mistry, aged 82, breast cancer survivor from Leicester Hemant Mistry’s mother Bhaniben was diagnosed with breast cancer at 81. Hemant and his wife Sheila know all too well the importance of early diagnosis and are glad that their mum didn’t delay going to see her doctor, when she noticed changes to her breast.

He said: “My mum noticed a lump in her left breast and went to see her doctor immediately. She was referred to Glenfield hospital in Leicester for tests and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. We didn’t even know she had gone to the doctor but when we found out we realised it was the best thing she had ever done”. “When you get told your mother has cancer it doesn’t matter how tough

you are, you just go numb. Her mental toughness got her through, I went to pieces but my mum was the opposite, she just said ‘I am going to fight it’. Her mantra was that if you react positively then your body reacts positively”. Bhaniben was successfully treated; she had the lump removed as well as the lymph nodes near her armpit.

Bhaniben Mistry

Do you know a loved one that needs palliative care?

Perhaps we can help. Asian Sunday spoke to a specialist carer from Sova Healthcare, who has been working in the care industry for many years. The organisation offers palliative care in the home as well as many other services. Estelle Heath who works as a Deputy Manager for Sova healthcare, told us how important palliative care had become, especially for someone who is during the last stages of their cancer treatment.

Estelle Heath Deputy Manager at Sova Healthcare

One of the key values of palliative care is to enable people to choose where to be cared for at the end of life. When asked for their preferences, around two thirds of people choose to die at home. As part of one of many trained carers working for Sova Healthcare, Estelle has cared for many people during their last moments after a long and hard battle with cancer. Estelle shares with us that it’s important when caring to ensure you keep your

patients dignity at all times. Estelle recalls caring for a 63-year old patient who had cervical cancer. The patient lived alone with her husband. Estelle would visit the house twice a day to ensure her patient was given personal care, such as keeping her clean, ensuring she had no bed sores, and preparing and feeding her, her meals. Estelle told us that it’s very important to gain the trust of not just the patient but the family you are caring for, as this helps hugely in enabling you to deliver the best care possible. “I always treat each patient like my own family and therefore sometimes it can be difficult for you too when the patient dies in your presence” She recalls the day very well, she went in to carry out her care duties. The second carer hadn’t come in that day. I was early and husband said she wasn’t well, Estelle recalled. “As I went to her she looked at me and smiled” Said Estelle

“At that moment yellow bile had come out and she had passed away. She was holding my hand and her husband’s hand. I cleaned her and covered her face, then left the husband alone in the room with her, whilst I called the son and daughter and the undertakers and CHT nurses. I stayed with the husband offering cups of tea until the son arrived and then left. I couldn’t help but have a little cry in my car, but then moved on to my next job. “I am very passionate about my job and so it’s quiet easy to get attached to your patient, but in the end you harden up. I am glad she had a good life and isn’t suffering anymore. That’s the way you have to see it and move on. “The most important thing for me as a carer is to ensure my patient maintains their dignity at all times. I would always help them and never hurt them. It’s important to try and be as friendly as possible.”

To find out more contact us now and discover the difference we • Sova Healthcare specialises in offering palliative care in can make to your life. the home • Our healthcare programmes are designed with the client Sova Healthcare Sova Healthcare Sova Healthcare in mind. Leicester Bradford Birmingham • We are able to accommodate special requirements and Tel: 0116 2709807 Tel: 01274 309543 Tel: 0121 537 4645 personal needs that other care providers perhaps cannot. Email: enquiries@sovahealthcare.co.uk

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

EVENTS

The 18 London Asian Film Festival 2016 opens with ground breaking film: th

‘I am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced”. London Asian Film Festival (LAFF) have announced the full roster of films and special events for this year - Europe’s oldest showcase for South Asian cinema. The Festival takes place across London from 4 March to 13 March and features a string of exciting and acclaimed independent feature films, master-classes, special screenings, debates and the Festival’s celebrated short films

competition. This year’s Festival, which Asian Sunday are proud to be supporting as official media partners opens with critically acclaimed I am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced from Yemen with the screening being supported by Oxfam. Other highlights of the festival include Pakistani film Manto, Indian films Chauranga and Aligarh, Australian film UnIndian and a Red Carpet

World Premiere of British film Feast of Varanasi being screened on Saturday March 5. The 18th edition London Asian Film Festival is once again organised by Tongues on Fire, which has built an unparalleled reputation for promoting independent cinema as well as providing a showcase for female filmmakers… In keeping with that ethos, LAFF 2016 celebrates ‘The Power of Women’,

Whilst all the films lined up for this year’s festival are

a theme that is reflected in this year’s roster of special guests who include such filmmakers and actors as Khadija Al Salami, Tannishtha Chatterjee and our very own British Asian director Anu Menon. Chetan Bhagat, cited as India’s biggest author by New York Times will be in attendance at the British Library to discuss his celebrated books and screenplays

great we’ve picked our top three that are a MUST watch.

I am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced The LAFF’s opening film “I am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced” is produced by Khadija Al Salami, Yemen’s first female filmmaker and producer. The film tells the story of a young girl’s plight to be rescued out of her ill-formed fate: being forced to marry a man 20 years her senior. Ten-year-old Nojoom was forced to marry a 30-year-old man. The dowry offered the family a small income and ‘one less mouth to feed’. Nojoom discovers that her life will take a turn for the worse. Her husband is indifferent to her age. Every day after she is wedded, the child works under harsh conditions and every night, the child-bride is raped by a man 20 years older than her. A legitimate and acceptable arrangement for all, except for Nojoom.

The festival’s closing night film at BAFTA, Waiting, produced by an all women crew is set in the beautiful landscape of Cochlin, India. It follows a retired professor whose wife has been in a coma for eight months and his meeting with a terrified young wife whose husband has slipped into coma after a sudden accident. Will grief drive them both insane, or can two lonely strangers support each other?

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

EVENTS Britain’s FIRST FREE Sunday Newspaper

are proud to be the official print media partner for the

www.asiansunday.co.uk

Not to be missed!! For more information keep visiting @ cometoLAFF & @AsianSundayNews For more information on the London Asian Film Festival which is presented by Tongues on Fire www.tonguesonfire.com call 0208 961 8908 OR E MAIL:info@tonguesonfires.com

Manto

Aligarh

Manto is a 2015 Pakistani biographical drama film based on the life of Pakistani short-story writer Sadat Hassan Manto.

The British Film Institute, in its ‘Whats On’ review of Aligarh called it ‘Probably the best film yet on the Indian gay male experience, Hansal Mehta directs a riveting and nuanced tale that is as touching as it is powerful.

The film is a story of a 20th-century writer “Manto” (Sarmad Khoosat), who grew-up in the showbiz industry of Bombay (now Mumbai) and Lahore. It focuses on the last seven years of writers life during which he wrote some of his most controversial stories, such as Thanda Gosht, Toba Tek Singh, License, Upar, Neechay aur Darmiyan and Peshawar Se Lahore. For which Manto had to face charges of obscenity thrice. It stars Sarmad Sultan Khoosat in the title role and is Directed by Khoosat himself while produced by Babar Javed and written by Shahid Nadeem, whose screenplay was adapted from Manto’s short stories particularly Thanda Gosht, Madari, License, Hatak and Peshawar Se Lahore and depicts his relationship with singer-actress Noor Jehan. It was released on September 11, 2015, after sixty years of Manto’s death.

Screen International in its review called it a “A subtle, sensitive take on a controversial real-life court case involving the victimization of a gay college professor, Aligarh underscores the growing strength and diversity of Indian independent cinema” The main protagonist in the film is played by Manoj Bajpai and the film is set in the city of Uttar Pradesh. The film is based on true events, revolving around Dr Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras who taught Marathi at Aligarh Muslim University. He was sacked from his position of Reader and Chair of Modern Indian Languages, on charges of homosexuality. A sting operation was conducted by a TV channel which showed him in an embrace with a rickshaw puller, at his house inside the campus.

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY 18

PROPERTY

New home and renovation predictions for 2016

With construction output anticipated to grow by 3.6% in 2016 there will be an increase in people looking to update existing properties on a grand scale and build homes to exacting specifications. However, as buyers become more discerning and demand higher quality workmanship what are the predictions for residential renovations and bespoke homes projects this year? Jon Over from Goldstone Homes specialises in renovation and new build homes for the residential sector. He provides his forecast for what is likely to be popular in

the world of home updates and new builds during 2016. Wood: we are going to be seeing much more use of quality wood in internal spaces for both structural and decorative purposes. Luxury materials such as oak provide the simultaneous benefits of being hard wearing and aesthetically pleasing and work equally as well in traditional and modern settings. Decorative wooden beams, sash style windows and ornamental staircases will all be popular. Open plan: how we live continues to influence our choice in floorplan

design. Providing spacious and airy living spaces will remain high on the agenda of many renovation and restoration projects. There will be a lean towards opening up bedroom suites, for example with frosted glass, to provide more fluidity between the sleeping area and bathroom as well as larger storage areas that fit discreetly into and become one with the overall design. Balconies: adding outdoor space is moving upwards as balconies become increasingly popular as part of a trend towards updating the fascias of existing properties and increasing the value and appeal

of new builds. The addition of a balcony to uninspiring or bland box shaped properties creates interest and delivers curb appeal to what was previously a flat and dull exterior. Glass: bi-folding doors and glass walls will feature strongly as occupants look for ways to create a harmonious connection between internal living spaces and the outdoors. In addition to achieving the illusion of extra space and letting in light, the combination of glass with brick or wood adds a stylish touch to any property.

Building techniques: Ecofriendly building techniques, such as Passivhaus, will continue to rise in popularity. Reducing the ecological footprint of a building, increasing energy efficiency and sustainability, and cutting household overheads will all play a pivotal role in the design, style and building methods used on new build and retrofit projects and the desire of occupants to live in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;healthierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; homes. For more information about Goldstone Homes, please visit www. goldstonehomes.co.uk

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ASIAN SUNDAY

OPINION

do we place three substances together and believe that they may alleviate stomach pain? As I questioned this remedy more and more, I didn’t find an exact answer, however there was a belief system that ‘a lot that modern medicine can’t fix, old remedies can.’ What do you think? So it’s my third article already in a wonderful health series by the Asian Sunday. The idea of these columns is to explore topics, start a conversation and touch on real life issues that affect us all. This article is not designed to take the place of medical advice and if you do have any medical concerns then you should, as always seek advice from your doctor. Herbal medicine – how much of it do we use at home? And do we use it in addition to what our doctor prescribes? I have explored this by asking various members of the Asian community in particular. The reason is that when I last visited Pakistan, I found many people relying on herbal remedies passed down from generation to generation. So much value do these remedies hold to some that they are the first port-of-call for relief, opposed to modern medicine. But why? My purpose is not to discredit herbal medicine, or indeed people’s values or culture – but to ask us all to question what benefits and indeed detrimental effects they can have especially in conjunction with prescribed medicine. So what I found was that some people visit their family doctor for a stomach ache, and they may or may not leave with a prescription. They may turn to herbal remedies such as ‘ajwain’ (carom seed with salty water). This is of course a home-made treatment, with no package insert, and no documented potential adverse effects that one may have from them. So why

So whether it is ‘haldi’ (turmeric) or ‘long’ (clove) that some turn to when modern medicine isn’t quite fixing the problem – why do they assume it will work? Before antibiotics were introduced, prior to modern medicine and treatments that have gone through rigorous clinical trials – people relied on herbal remedies. Through stories and hear-say they managed to find a suitable remedy which ‘seemed’ to work for the majority. If it made someone feel better, whether or not that was as a result of natural resolution of the illness, it was thought that the remedy had done the job! Is this still the case today? Going back to Pakistan, what I found was that the rich and poor divide was so vast and healthcare was hit-and-miss where many could not receive even the most basic medical care. Those that could afford it indeed received it, whilst many others had either very limited access, or only access to ‘non-medical practitioners’. Otherwise, many still rely on old herbal remedies that have been passed down from one generation to the next. Without criticising these treatments, as a doctor I must emphasise that when one takes a medicine they should be aware of what they are taking, including their ingredients and side-effects. For example, I am more likely to accept penicillin for a skin infection than I will accept a spoonful of haldi oil to rub on my skin! So whilst I am not starting a debate on the rights and wrongs of such treatments, I think caution should be advised and any queries should be discussed with your doctor. Medicine in the modern world should hold all the

answers – but unfortunately it doesn’t. Whilst some people in the United Kingdom do revert to old remedies from centuries past, hundreds and thousands more do so in the Indian subcontinent. It highlights some very important issues, including access to proper healthcare for people for example in Pakistan, and better education about how we should use medicines appropriately. As a patient, we should always know what we are receiving – and the package insert which many of us ignore, should be read for all medications as believe it or not even paracetamol could potentially have sideeffects! As for medicines that are made up in people’s own kitchens, it’s vital that we don’t forget that the majority are not chemists and cannot create a medicine assuming it is free from sideeffects. Whether it is haldi, long, ajwain or anything else – there will be potential adverse effects from them. At this point I would like to emphasise what I have done in the previous two, one person’s medicine is another’s poison. This also holds true for herbal and homemade solutions to medical problems for which there may be a better medical answer. Always consult your doctor, err on the side of caution and be responsible for what you take as a ‘medicine’ asking yourself – ‘if I don’t know what I am taking, should I take it?’ I hope that leaves you with some questions, and if any concerns do arise from this or you are worried about what you are taking – discuss this with your doctor. You can follow my Twitter feed on @Faraaz_Bhatti and let’s talk about important health issues. If you would like me to discuss any specific issue or get a conversation going then feel free to let me know.

One person’s medicine is another’s poison. This also holds true for herbal and homemade solutions to medical problems for which there may be a better medical answer.

ASIAN SUNDAY

OPINION

Visit My Mosque day opens doors to another world With a large headscarf packed in my handbag and some colourful socks on, my Catholic family and I set off for our first ever visit to a mosque, as part of the nationwide #VisitMyMosque day . When the event appeared on my Facebook news feed, I thought I would attend and take the kids along. There were no regulations outlined on the advert, so we turned up, not really sure what to expect, but were looking forward to the promise of refreshments after the tour. My husband’s only visit to a mosque was when he helped to build an £8m extension on one in Halifax, as he works in construction. He marvelled about the marble interior and said it was one of the plushest builds he had ever worked on.

I was surprised to see there was barely any furniture in the building as pupils sit on the floor and use a small bench to lean their books on.

One child moaned and groaned, but she does about everything, and the other was immediately excited to find out about this other world, the one we live so close to but somehow feel quite separated from. On arrival at the Madina Majid in Batley, a crowd was gathering in the bustling reception area. We were met by a friendly volunteer from the local Islamic Trust, who patiently explained that we must take our shoes off. This caused much excitement for our daughters who giggled uncontrollably before I warned them to behave. I asked if anyone had ever stolen any shoes, as expensive trainers and leather boots piled up. The volunteer laughed and said never. I asked our guide to explain why people had to take their shoes off. ‘Well,’ he smiled, ‘It is because of the luxury carpets, but also as a symbol of cleanliness, we do not want to bring anything unclean into the mosque’. He then showed us the washrooms where the men must wash their hands, arms, head, face, neck and feet, at least once a day, and usually more if they attend further prayer times. We didn’t have to get washed. I noticed that the other women visitors were taking delight in the novelty of covering their heads.

He then showed us the microphone where the call to prayer is made. He explained that they could not make the call out loud in the community for fear of disturbing the neighbours; therefore many Muslims have a domestic receiver in their homes. A group of about 30 visitors sat at the back of the mosque as the 1pm prayer started. It was fascinating to watch the men bowing down, kneeling and even a tiny boy toddler joined in. It was a regimented routine which lasted 15 minutes. Each person had their own prayer space on the carpet, and then they all moved forward to the first few rows, for the official praying. We were then shown round the huge neighbouring Madressah Islamiyyah, with room for 800 pupils. I was pleased to hear there was space for girls here. This is where young Muslims attend, some for two hours before school and usually two hours after school. It seems like a lot of hard work for the youngsters. We heard that the main aim is to learn Arabic and the Quran. Some pupils will go on to become scholars who learn by heart the teachings of the Quran. We heard some young boys reciting passages and were also told how they enter competitions nationally to compete for prize money, as they are tested to recall certain verses. I was surprised to see there was barely any furniture in the building as pupils sit on the floor and use a small bench to lean their books on. It was genuinely fascinating. During our visit, I scanned the other people in our group and saw a few peace loving, probably left-wing families with kids, two vicars, a Police Community Support Officer, complete with bright stripy socks, some councillor types and a few interested people who looked like they enjoyed museums. Afterwards, we indulged a feast of tasty Asian food and mingled as people asked if we had any questions, as they had done throughout the tour. I did ask where the women prayed but our guide said unfortunately there was no space for women at this particular mosque, but there were rooms at other mosques.

The importance of community cohesion was mentioned too and I think this day has helped towards making a positive start. I also spoke to a woman wearing a niqab, with only a tiny slit showing her beautiful eyes. She assured me it was her choice to wear it and without prompting said that ‘no man had forced her to put it on,’ she said she had only been wearing it for a few months. I felt glad it was her own choice and would have liked to talk to her for longer about her life. It was overall a positive, successful experience. The tireless work, which goes on within the Muslim community, is just astounding. I felt I had received a privileged glimpse into another world. Our daughters agreed that it seems like a lot of learning work for the youngsters and were talking lots about the carpets and how funny it had been to hear the little boys reciting Arabic. They tried to copy what they had heard and were wondering about how the short letters could last for such a long time and why they boys sung them with such a tune. At the end our guide said that we were welcome anytime, not just on an open day, to call in and look around. There are dozens of mosques in the former West Yorkshire mill town where I live. I’ve walked past them countless times, and often wondered what happens inside. It was an amazing insight into what happens behind those walls. They don’t have to remain a secret, but I think much work needs to be done by many to get to know and make friends with their neighbours, whatever their faith, politics, or skin colour might be.

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

FEATURE

There’s a race problem in our mental health services by Maya Goodfellow On 7 November 2014, Faiza Ahmed told staff at the job centre that she was three days late to sign on because she had been trying to commit suicide. Then she went home and rang the ambulance service. Police and an ambulance crew paid her a home visit and decided she wasn’t an immediate risk to herself – she was left alone and took her own life 40 minutes later. The day before her death, Faiza reported an alleged sexual assault to the police. But under new guidelines, the officers who attended to her case weren’t required to send in a specialist. Faiza had a history of depression. In 2010 she was diagnosed with personality disorder. The next year she was sectioned. In 2013 and 2014 she had expressed suicidal thoughts. But when she reached out to three separate bodies in the last days of her life, she was let down by each of them. The prejudices were stacked against her: she was a black woman, a Muslim and living in a poor area. These factors, her family say, all contributed to the institutional neglect that, arguably, played a part in her death. Faiza’s death should provoke a long-neglected debate about the colossal failings of the police, who have a history of failing victims of sexual assault and mistreating people of colour, the Department for Work and Pensions, which appears to have virtually no safeguards in place to help vulnerable people who come

through its doors on a regular basis, and the Ambulance Service. Behind the lethal inadequacy of these three bodies lies another issue: the availability and effectiveness of mental health services for ethnic minorities. Mental health issues affect people of all colours but evidence suggests ethnic minority groups are 60 per cent more likely to suffer from depression. Despite this people of colour, in particular black people, have an experience unique in its negativity if they encounter services supposedly designed to help. Mental health charities often make it clear there’s never one cause of suicide, but there are a plethora of identifiable reasons that mean ethnic minorities are one of the groups most likely to fall through the huge cracks in our mental health services. The scant research on this subject makes for extremely worrying reading. Black, Asian and minority ethnic people (BAME) have a harder time accessing mental health services than their white counterparts. Thanks to the government’s swingeing cuts it’s hard enough to get mental health treatment in the UK but social stigma and distrust of institutions that have a history of discriminating against people from minority ethnic communities act as barriers to mental health services. When people of colour overcome these obstacles – if they experience them to begin with – there’s a chance they won’t be treated

with anything that resembles dignity. A 2002 report by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health found that black people “generally have an overwhelming negative experience of mental health services”. Damning evidence found “inhumane, unhelpful and inappropriate” treatment in overwhelmingly white mainstream services; black services users weren’t treated respectfully and their voices weren’t heard. Fourteen years on and what’s changed? Not enough. A 2013 survey found BAME people are likely to experience two counts of discrimination: the first because of their race, the second due to their mental ill health. Discrimination on the grounds of their illness didn’t just come from wider society, 49 per cent of people asked said they experience discrimination from staff. Add to this a 2013 MIND report that found despite some good experiences, people

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

FEATURE of colour said staff weren’t diverse enough. There’s a race problem in our mental health services. In addition to this, there’s an almost complete absence of understanding of the affects racism, in all of its pernicious forms, can have on mental ill health. The drip of evidence in recent years shows there’s widespread racism in the

workplace, that our law enforcement has problems with institutional racism, that unemployment rates for people of colour are more than twice as high for white people, that minority ethnic people are more likely to live in poor households and in deprived neighbourhoods, and that black people are more disproportionately represented in

Mental health issues affect people of all colours but evidence suggests ethnic minority groups are 60 per cent more likely to suffer from depression.

prison here than in the US. Mental health issues aren’t just caused by racism, but for some it certainly plays a role. Throw into this toxic mix microagressions. The everyday slights people of colour have to endure are thought to have an impact on mental health. Exhaustion, exclusion, wall-towall racism and the constant battle of trying to be heard take its toll. These insidious forms of racism and their impacts barely even register among some mental health practitioners; if anything it can be replicated by the system. But help is out there. Organisations like the Black and Asian Therapist Network and Recovr cater to the particular needs of BAME people who are experiencing mental health issues. Yet the Conservative government have created an economy that makes it increasingly difficult for vital services like these to survive. At a time when budgets are being cut to the bone, it’s the marginalised who bleed the most.

Campaigns to take the stigma out of talking about mental health and to improve services, need to pay attention to the ways communities of colour are let down by the system. Racism, stigma, poverty, cuts a lack of nuance in understanding mental health and a dearth When Faiza Ahmed reached out to three of diversity in separate bodies in the last days of her life, mainstream she was let down by each of them. The institutions are prejudices were stacked against her: she factors that make was a black woman, a Muslim and living in life harder and a poor area. These factors, her family say, mental health all contributed to the institutional neglect services more that, arguably, played a part in her death. difficult to access. Faiza Ahmed should never have been left to suffer in her vulnerable act as a warning: we need change to stop people like Faiza falling state alone. The tragic events over through the cracks – because the years before her death should suicide is avoidable.

This article was originally published by mediadiversified.org. All work published is the intellectual property of the writers of Media Diversified. Please do not, reproduce, republish or repost any content without express written permission from Media Diversified

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

Poli MP’s hit out at NAO report on the Government’s record on initial teacher training. A recently published National Audit Office (NAO) report on the Government’s record on initial teacher training found: The Government has missed its trainee teacher recruitment targets for the last four years in a row. Between 2011 and 2014 the number of teachers leaving the profession increased by 11 per cent, and the proportion of those who chose to leave the profession ahead of retirement increased from 64 per cent to 75 per cent.

the Euro and fair treatment for our currency in Europe; and

The Department for Education has a weak understanding of the extent of local teacher supply shortages and whether they are being locally resolved. The NAO’s own research found that more than half leaders in schools with large proportions of disadvantaged pupils saying attracting and keeping good teachers was a major problem. Labour MP’s hit out at the report and said that the government had failed on teacher recruitment and retention.

•

Secretary, yet year after year she has failed to attract and retain enough teachers in our schools. This record of failure is threatening school standards and the future success of the next generation.”

There are growing teacher shortages, with vacancy rates doubling and more classes in secondary schools taught by teachers without a relevant post-A level qualification in their subject. Over a quarter of physics classes are now taught by a teacher without such a qualification. The Government cannot recruit enough trainees in the majority of secondary subjects: 14 out of 17 secondary subjects had unfilled training places in 2015/16, compared with two subjects with unfilled places in 2010/11. In subjects with hard-tofill places, providers are more likely to accept trainees with lower degree classifications.

Should Britain stay with the EU or should we opt out?

“This NAO report should be a further wake up call for the Government who have been in denial and neglectful about teacher shortages. The teacher recruitment and retention crisis is serious and growing, with schools struggling to get teachers with the right qualifications in front of classes in subjects vital to our country’s economic success, such as maths, science, English and modern foreign languages. “Having enough high-quality teachers is the first job of any Education

Mr Cameron went on to say that if the British government do not secure the changes that Britain needs, then he will rule nothing out.

Prime Minister David Cameron

Lucy Poweel MP, Labour Shadow Seceretary of State for Education Lucy Powell MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Education, responding to the National Audit Office report said:

Britain out of ‘ever closer union’ so we do not become part of a European Superstate

BRADFORD East MP Imran Hussain also called on the government to do more to tackle the widespread national problem of new teacher recruitment he claims is holding back education in Bradford, which is currently one of the cities in the amongst the bottom of education league tables. The Mr Hussain went on to say that figures released by the National Audit Office (NAO) show that despite spending £700 million a year on recruiting and training new teachers, the government has missed their recruitment targets for the fourth year in a row.

Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this month released the government’s draft new deal for Britain in Europe, in short it said that Britain needed: •

A ‘red card’ system for national parliaments to block unwanted EU laws

•

An end to something for nothing welfare for EU migrants

•

No more British taxpayers’ money being used to bail out the Eurozone

•

An agreement that we will keep the Pound, never join

Respect Party, George Galloway The EU debate has caused a rift in the Labour party. One person who is particularly unhappy with the Labour leader’s views on the EU debate is former Bradford West MP, George Galloway.

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ASIAN SUNDAY

itics Galloway, who is running to be London Mayor, has said that the UK should vote Leave in the upcoming referendum, mainly due to the way the Germandominated EU “crushed” the anti-austerity government in Greece. He was quoted by the Huffington Post as saying “The Greece debacle, where a left wing government resisting austerity and the ruin of working people and their families in Greece, were elected and then crushed by the overwhelming power of a German-dominated European Central Bank and other financial instruments and organs of the EU and no matter that they voted and they voted again and they voted again they are crushed by that same austerity. “If the European Union could be reformed that would be one thing, but it structurally, architecturally, is designed in a way that it cannot be reformed. “There is no democracy in the European Union, the European Parliament is a joke.

committing the Labour party in to campaigning to stay in the EU in the forthcoming referendum on the UK’s membership.

Liberal Democrat Leader, Tim Farron The Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, seems to be with Corbyn. He has suggested that The NHS could be put under further pressure if the UK broke away from the EU. The Liberal Democrat warned that elderly expats, forced to return to Britain after a split from Brussels, would place a significant strain on public services.

60 seconds with

Natalie

Bennet Natalie Bennett replaced the party’s most high-profile figure, Caroline Lucas - who became the first Green MP in 2010.

Born in Australia Natalie was a former journalist and had written for a number of publications, starting out as a journalist on two provincial Australian newspapers.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn It has been said that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, declared that his Party would campaign for the UK to stay in the EU regardless of the outcome of the prime minister’s attempts to renegotiate the terms of the UK’s membership. Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of abandoning his “natural and historic” position over Europe by

Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett The Green Party, also feel that Britain should remain part of the EU because they believe ‘countries and people flourish when we work together on the shared challenges we face.’ What are your views? Should we remain as part of the EU or not? Drop us a line to newsdesk@ asiansunday.co.uk

She has written for The Independent, The Times in London and the Bangkok Post and is a former editor of Guardian Weekly, which she left to concentrate more on writing and politics. Before getting interested in green politics and the environment Ms Bennet is a self-declared feminist and founded Green Party Women and is a trustee of the equality campaign group the Fawcett Society. She has been quoted as saying that her first politics was feminism which started when, at the age of five, she was told she wasn’t allowed a bicycle because it wasn’t “ladylike”. Much later she did a

degree in agricultural science, although she didn’t join the Green Party until 2006.

We caught up with the 50-year old Green Party Leader for a rapid fire round of questions on what she thinks if education, economy and of the brown vote. Here’s what she told us during her visit to Bradford You’re here visiting Bradford today, a city where education is at the bottom of the table. If the Green Party was in power how would you turn things around? Well it’s about the inequality, such as minimum wage, having decent benefits. If parents weren’t worried about zero hours they can then support their children better. We need to tackle inequality and discrimination. What do you think of Islamaphobia? Does it exist? We are trying to create statements and policy performance. We have seen statements on immigration, to Muslim women should learn

English why single out one community. The Tories slashed Esol funding in 2011 and now their blaming the people. We have seen a lot of anti-Islam attacks, that is being empowered and encouraged by mainstream politicians blaming immigrants, blaming housing, blaming crowded schools. This is not immigrants but failed Government policy. Can the Green Party be taken seriously, a Party other than being labelled ‘tree huggers’? What we saw last year was an amazing growth. It was the Green surge and it was a huge step forward for us. Now we want to turn our Green surge into Green seats. I think we need to recognise that politics is changing fast. For example, look at the SNP in Scotland and then Jeremy Corbyn’s landslide win. Just because Tory and Labour have been leading, it doesn’t mean that’s what people want. People are desperate for new ideas. People want change and the Greens can be that change.

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Buisness

MP Keith Vaz: Figures show that there are people out there who draw no satisfaction from working in big companies and would rather start their own ventures.

by ITRAT BASHIR Keith Vaz, a Labour Party MP from Leicester, reflected on the success of British entrepreneurship while addressing the inaugural lecture at the Dr Rami Ranger CBE Enterprise Centre at the London South Bank University. The lecture was a part of the annual Dr Rami Ranger CBE Enterprise Lecture that was organized by the University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute and supported by the Dr Rami Ranger CBE Fund for Enterprise Excellence. A large number of students, university staff and entrepreneurs attended the lecture. Addressing the audience, Mr Vaz disclosed that the UK is seeing an

Rami Ranger Lecture

unprecedented number of business start-up’s today; 581,000 new enterprises came in to existence in 2015 and this figure is expected to cross over 600,000 figure in 2016. “In 2011, annual start up figures stood at 440,600 and since then we have made significant progress,’ he added. He also touched on the annual start up figures of big cities. In 2015, Greater London stood at the top of the UK chart for recording the highest number of new enterprises with the figure of 184,671, whereas the figure for Birmingham was 18,000, Manchester 13,000, Glasgow 8000 and for his hometown Leicester it was 6000. “These figures show that there are people out there who draw no satisfaction from working in big

companies and would rather start their own ventures. A large increase in the number of enterprises in the UK is testimony to the fact that entrepreneurial spirit is still alive with us and this augurs well for the future of enterprise,” he said. Keith observed that in today’s world finance is a critical aspect of new enterprises and no more are the days when one could set up a new venture with a few pounds in their pocket. He admitted that the present banking system has made it difficult to get access to finances: “The bank managers will turn down a loan request if you fail to provide any kind of asset or guarantor, especially in the current economic scenario.” However, he encouraged the youth present to bring forward innovative ideas and be creative in their approach towards entrepreneurship. He also stressed the importance of leadership skills and initiative for successful entrepreneurial action. Earlier, in his address Dr Rami Ranger CBE motivated the students by reflecting on his success story. He told the aspirant students to adopt five principals that will bring success to them: self-respect, work ethic, commitment, vision and empathy. “These very principles transformed me from an ordinary person with humble background to a successful entrepreneur,’ he said.

India Outperforms Neighbouring rival China by ITRAT BASHIR India has outrun its regional rival China by becoming the fastest growing economy of the world, registering 7.3 percent GDP growth by the end of third quarter of financial year 2015-2016. The report released for October-December 2015 by the Indian Central Statistics Office on February 8 confirmed the much anticipated growth of the Indian economy. The Office also showed optimism for more growth in 2016. As per its projection, the Indian GDP growth is expected to hit the figure of 7.6 percent for the full year, which is the highest for five years. This is showing that the Indian economy is becoming a dominant force in the region if not in the world. In comparison, China registered 6.9 percent GDP growth for the same period. While the Chinese economy, like other major global economies, is showing slowdown, the Indians are on a high note. Financial experts believe that combination of drop in the oil

prices and prudent reforms carried out by the Indian government has put the national economy on the path of recovery. Ajay Marwaha, Director of Investments at Sun Global Investments, an international financial services firm based in London, said that despite the recent volatility in the emerging markets, India remains a bright spot. “Helped by low oil prices, the Indian government has made significant reforms to bring down the deficit and manage inflation. This combined with the government’s ambition to make India the world’s preferred destination for investment through the opening up of the bond market, has created optimism around India’s growth trajectory.” He also observed that higher disposable incomes, increased government consumption and a marginal pickup in investments via capital expenditure give them reason enough to believe that a gradual growth recovery is underway and he expect India’s growth rate to straddle eight percent in 2016.

ASIAN SUNDAY 27

Issue 16

Finance India’s Yes Bank Signs Mou With London Stock Exchange Group To Collaborate On Debt And Equity Issuance • YES BANK aims to list up to $500m Green Bond on London Stock Exchange in 2016 • YES BANK to potentially raise equity capital through global depository receipt listing basis market conditions • Collaboration confirms London’s position as leading international green finance centre by ITRAT BASHIR YES BANK, India’s fifth largest private bank, recently formalised and signed the Memorandum of Understanding with The London Stock Exchange during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s UK visit in November 2015, to develop bond and equity issuance, with particular focus on the relatively untapped sector of Green Infrastructure Finance. YES BANK was the first issuer of the Green Infrastructure Bonds in India. As a catalyst for Green Infrastructure finance, allowing investors to facilitate funding towards renewable and clean projects in India, YES BANK is also the first Indian Bank to have made a commitment to funding 5000 MW of renewable energy. As part of the agreement with LSEG, YES BANK confirmed that it plans to list a Green Bond of up to $500m on London Stock Exchange by December 2016. YES BANK will also evaluate the possibility of raising further capital in London, potentially through the listing of Global Depository Receipts (GDR) as part of its overall $1bn of equity capital raising plans, basis market

conditions. The agreement, signed by Mr. Rana Kapoor, Founder, Managing Director & CEO of YES BANK and Nikhil Rathi, CEO, LSE Plc will help strengthen the increasingly vibrant economic and financial ties between the UK and India. Given the Indian Government’s focus on renewable energy with a target of 175 GW of additional capacity installation by 2022, it is estimated that the renewable energy sector will require significant and structured financing. At the moment, sector limits, high street interest rates and asset-liability mismatch are the main challenges faced by the existing financing mechanisms. Therefore, a need for innovative financing mechanisms to finance projects in renewable energy and energy efficiency space has risen. Speaking about the collaboration, Rana Kapoor, Founder, Managing Director & CEO, YES BANK said: “Following the historic visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UK, the YES BANK – LSEG strategic MoU presents an incredible opportunity to create mutually beneficial partnerships. YES BANK will strive to improve

the access to long term overseas funds for corporations in India, through capital markets in the UK particularly towards Green Infrastructure Financing, which is high on India’s agenda. We also look forward to working with LSE in establishing London as the leading instrument for raising rupee denominated offshore

capital via ‘Masala bonds’.” Nikhil Rathi, CEO, London Stock Exchange plc & Director of International Development, LSEG said: “London is the world’s most international financial market and has a long history working with partners in India. London Stock Exchange is a natural partner for YES BANK for their significant

debt and equity issuances and as a partner for their clients. YES BANK is a leader in sustainable finance in India. Today we are honoured to welcome Mr. Rana Kapoor and his team from YES BANK to sign this important MoU which demonstrates our commitment to supporting the raising of green capital for India.”

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ASIAN SUNDAY

BUSINESS

The common misconceptions of pensions Over the last few years the government has done a fair amount to give low and middle income earners access to pensions. This is mostly through workplace pensions, but they have also made it far easier to get private pensions for those that are self employed. All employers will be required to provide staff members a work place pension by 2018. There is no exception, and if you contribute so does your employer.

The government will help me – The state pension is designed to be minimal, and usually will not cover all your bills. I see many clients that are using savings, downsizing, or struggling significantly in retirement because they just have the state pension. Imagine paying all your bills, costs etc. on circa £150 per week. Could you live at the moment on c.£600 a month? If the answer is no, then you know you need to do something.

So coming to our title, some common misconceptions include:

People have lost money in pensions – Yes this has happened, and there are several examples of companies that have been simply unethical, however now there are many rules and regulations to ensure that this cannot happen. The key is not to be taken in, and always take advice before you make large decisions relating to large pension pots.

When I die my pension dies with me – This is strictly not true as if you do die, you will have a pot of money which can be transferred to your loved ones, or those that you chose. The government has relaxed the previous tax penalties that existed previously so not only will your pension not die with you, it will not be taxed to same extent. It is too difficult to set up – Not anymore, as your employer now has to set the pension up for you. In fact they have to actually auto enrol you, and then you need to choose if you want to keep the pension, or you want to come out of it. If you want a simple private pension for yourself they are easy to set up, but if you want something a bit better with handpicked funds, be prepared to stump up a few hundred pounds as advice fees. My house is my pension – This is very all well and good, but if at retirement you are going to sell up to make ends meet, then where are you going to live? Your house also does not have any tax advantage i.e. a pension payment of £80.00 a month is actually a £100 as the government rewards for investing in a pension.

Our columnist Mr Money Bags, who has decades of experience in finance, an MBA, an advanced diploma in financial planning and not to mention his super business skills each edition will give you, our lovely readers some valuable tips and advice on money and business matters. He is forthright and can sometimes be stern when it comes to your cash, but when it comes to finance he really is the expert. Read on for your business and finance advice.

Mr Money Bags

I am too old – You are never too old to save in a pension! With the new changes leading to liberation of pensions, saving for even a few years could mean you are far better off. I am too young – Ask an older person how soon years fly by. The younger you start, the more time your monies have to grow i.e. £1000 today invested will have more time to grow than £1000 invested in 10 years, when you retire in 30 years. Overall, put simply we all need to invest into pensions. I do not wish to rely on state benefits because the way things are going, the state will have less and less to give out in the form of benefits; therefore I strongly believe people need to fund their own retirement. I am doing the same, and honestly it’s the best investment I have ever made, as I cannot touch it until I am 55, and it is there to protect me in old age.

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TRAVEL

China the land of culture, heritage and opportunity

by Raheema Khan China is a fascinating country with hundreds of places to visit, depending on your interests. If you have some travel preferences, such as history and food, or small villages and rural culture, or world-class landscapes and national parks, on your itinerary then you’re in luck, because this is the country that has it all. There is so much to do in China, from the majesty of mountain peaks and pale pastels of ponds in Jiuzhaigou National Park to the bustling city of Beijing. We took a 15day tour package, which covered Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Guilin, Longsheng, Suzhou, Tongli, Shanghai I was keen to explore all the usual tourist places, such as walking along the Great Wall; tour the mystic Forbidden City; discover the old, narrow streets of Beijing to mingling with the locals and exploring the old ancient Chinese culture. If you love city travelling, you will love the rickshaw ride along the narrow streets of

Great wall of China Beijing. Reminds me a little of Pakistan, manoeuvring around tight spaces. There are endless treasures to unfold in China’s proud capital city and you can clearly see technology is at the heart of the city’s growth and structure.

If the hustle bustle of the streets in Beijing don’t get you then the serenity of walking along the Great Wall will most certainly leave you breathless. I loved spending time there. It’s an awesome place and very convenient to get there from Beijing.

Take a train from Beijing north railway station and you will arrive in an hour. Costs 15rmb, around £1.60. This place definitely deserves at least half a day. You do need to go prepared with lots of warm clothing and a hat or scarf to keep your ears

protected from the wind. Beware some parts are very steep and so the more you go the weather does get to you, so be prepared. Our next journey was on to Xian in central China. Here the stunning temples and the marvellous 6,000 life-sized

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ASIAN SUNDAY

TRAVEL warriors in the Terra-cotta Legion, just put you in awe of the amazing rich heritage that China boasts. I enjoyed the stage show which is performed in memory of the great Tang Dynasty as we went to visit the Wild Goose Pagoda, truly mesmerising architecture.

Shanghai world circus

Shanghai acrobatic show

Shanghai wheel of destiny - World circus

Lady Street, Beijing China

I must say my highlight of the trip was in Shanghai, where we went to the Shanghai world circus. I am not much of a circus fan and the last time I went was when I was 7, which was far too many decades ago for me to disclose on here. Anywhere, we met up with a friend who was a local there and he highly recommended it. Apparently tickets are difficult to get, but he managed to get us a couple of reservations, which cost us 300 rmb (around £30) The £30 was most definitely well spent, as the circus acts were truly spectacular, from the acrobatics, to the motorcycles, bit creeped up with the snake performance, but if you’re into that kind of thing you will love it. On the whole, China has so much to offer, from food to shopping to culture to sightseeing and if you have an eye for business, it’s a great land of opportunities. Do visit.

The Guangxi mountains in China

Visitors are advised to always carry changes of clothing due to the large variations in temperature between day and night. The climate is relatively dry, so drinking more water, protecting oneself from strong UV radiation at high altitude, and protecting oneself from altitude sickness are all recommended. To lessen the effects of altitude sickness, avoid strenuous exercise and have plenty of rest.

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mOTORInG

THE NEW LIMITED EDITION BMW i8 PROTONIC RED First showcased as the Vision EfficentDynamics concept at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, the production ready BMW i8 has gone from strength to strength with over 5,400 units sold in 2015 alone. With its clever hybrid drivetrain, the i8 boasts an output of 362hp and can also cover close to 22 miles in electric only mode. It also takes BMW’s EfficientDynamics philosophy to a new high, posting emissions of just 59g/km and a combined consumption figure of 113mpg in the process. Available for a limited period only, the new special edition BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition puts a new angle on the immediately recognisable BMW i model. The paintwork, created exclusively for this sports car comes in a Protonic

Red finish with Frozen Grey metallic accents. The colour scheme is complemented by BMW W-spoke 470 light-alloy wheels painted in Orbit Grey metallic with hubs painted in Aluminium matt and mixedsize tyres (front: 215 R20, rear: 245/40). On the interior, the special edition i8 comes with highclass red double-stitching and exclusive carbon fibre and ceramic trims. The exterior and interior design of the i8 are heavily influenced by its LifeDrive architecture and pioneering BMW eDrive system, however its reinterpretation of established design features ensures it’s still recognisable as a BMW. The BMW i8 was purposefullydesigned as a plug-inhybrid sports car offering agile performance, near

50:50 weight distribution and outstanding efficiency. It starts with an exceptionally lightweight and aerodynamically optimised body – including a passenger cell made from CFRP. It includes an advanced BMW eDrive drive system technology, a compact, highly turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and intelligent energy management to all come together to create an overall package that represents a new landmark in the EfficientDynamics development strategy. The BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition will be produced at BMW Plant Leipzig from July onwards and will officially be on sale from September, 2016 priced at £112,535 OTR.

Model

Price OTR

Power Hp

Torque Nm

0 – 62mph Seconds

Top Speed Mph

CO2 Emissions g/km

BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition

£112,535

362*

570*

4.4

155**

*Combined system output

** Electronically-limited

Last ‘True’ Lamborghini For Auction A special 1999 Lamborghini Diablo SV, believed to be the very last Lamborghini to leave the Sant’Agata factory before Volkswagen took full ownership, will be auctioned at Silverstone Auctions’ sale at the Practical Classics Restoration and Classic Car Show. An important piece of Lamborghini history, the car is also believed to be the last Diablo imported into the UK as well as the last Diablo SV off the production line. It is estimated at between £150,000 and £170,000 and will be offered in the sale taking place at the NEC, Birmingham on 6th March. ‘V12 SVR’ left the factory on the 21st of December in 1999 immediately before Lamborghini shut down for the Christmas break and their celebrations to mark the end of the Century. For the previous few months the Volkswagen Group had been in financial control of the company but the end of that year marked a turning point. From the beginning of 2000 Teutonic efficiency began to replace the magic of Italy in terms of the bloodline, style

and general madness of the Italian supercars. Speaking ahead of the sale of the car, managing director of Silverstone Auctions, Nick Whale, said: ”It’s a delight to be able to offer this fantastic part of Lamborghini history in the year of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the company’s founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini. The Diablo is a wonderful car that truly represents everything the marque is famous for.”

This right-hand drive example has covered just over 32,000 miles from new and is finished in what Silverstone Auctions believe may be a one-off colour of Pearl Red/Orange combined with a grey/black leather/ alcantara interior. This wonderful Diablo is still very much original. The original Lamborghini tool roll with its appropriate tools is present with the original tyre inflator and a very

luxurious, custom-made, fleecelined indoor car cover in red with an embroidered Lamborghini logo. The condition of the car is amazing for the year and it drives superbly, particularly after a chassis and suspension restoration in 2013 at a cost of over £10,000. A full geometry set-up was carried out by Grimaldi Engineering in 2013 and in January 2016 the car was serviced and MoT’d.

Nick added: ”Owning a Diablo SV is a dream for most people, however if purchasing one is an option for you, then the appeal of this Lamborghini ‘Devil’ may be too much to resist.” For more information on the car and Silverstone Auctions’ sale at the Practical Classics Restoration and Classic Car Show please visit https:// www.silverstoneauctions.com/1999lamborghini-diablo-sv-6817.

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ASIAN SUNDAY

MOTORING Opel Group Announces Game-Changing Ampera-E Battery Electric Car Opel Group will launch a revolutionary new battery electric car next year, as the company continues the biggest, most far-reaching model offensive in its history with 29 new models between 2016 and 2020. The new five-door, five seat will be called “Ampera-e”. It will not only have a longer range on a full charge than most electric cars, it will also be affordably priced. Building on the electrification expertise established

with the original Ampera, which set the benchmark for modern electric cars in 2011, the new Ampera-e combines innovative electric-mobility with state-of-theart connectivity and exciting driving dynamics. Announcing the Ampera-e today at the CAR Symposium in Bochum, Germany, GM Chairman & CEO Mary Barra said: “GM and Opel have always been convinced that electric cars will play a defining

role in future mobility. The game-changing technology of the Ampera-e is a significant step toward realizing that vision. Our new battery electric car is also another boost for Opel’s reputation for making innovative engineering widely accessible.”

to make a significant contribution to climate protection and emissions reduction”, says Opel group CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann. “The new Ampera-e will open the road to electric mobility by breaking down the barriers of high price and short driving range.”

Trends like urbanization and protecting the environment also call for new kinds of mobility and alternative propulsion systems. “Electric vehicles have the potential

The unique, compact proportions of the Ampera-e are driven by the flat battery pack mounted underneath the interior floor. The efficient packaging of the battery

also enables a roomy interior providing comfortable seating for five passengers and trunk space comparable with that of a car in the compact class. The Ampera-e will also offer the award-winning personal connectivity and service assistant, OnStar and connectivity and infotainment technologies that will integrate smartphones and other electronic devices seamlessly into the vehicle.

The New Porsche 718 Boxster: The Definitive Mid-Engined Roadster

The New Seat Ateca – Style, Dynamics And Utility For The Urban Adventure SEAT unveiled its first SUV in Barcelona. The new Ateca is a unique combination of distinctive design, dynamic driving fun, urban versatility and compelling utility. First-class connectivity, innovative assistance systems and highly efficient engines are among its technology highlights ensuring Ateca will be one of the most innovative SUVs in the segment. Outstanding quality, precision production and attractive value-formoney combine to make it a true SEAT. Key to its appeal however, is its agile and precise handling – the Ateca makes every day and every mile that little bit more rewarding.

“The SEAT Ateca is perfect for an urban lifestyle. It possesses stunning design and dynamics, and boasts compelling quality and utility. But above all, the Ateca exudes unmistakable character,” says Luca de Meo, President of SEAT, S.A. “Our first SUV marks the start of a new era for SEAT. The Ateca is a clear development of the Leon DNA and will drive forward the success of the range. SEAT is a brand on the move.” At UK launch this September, Ateca will be available in a wide range of variants. The choice of powerful turbocharged TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines spans from 115 PS to

190 PS, with either front-wheel or all-wheel-drive, mated to manual or dual-clutch DSG transmissions. The extensive array of technology options extends from full-LED headlights through a broad portfolio of assistance systems, including some of the very latest Group technology, such as Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist, right through to a package of high-end infotainment systems with eightinch touchscreens and Full Link connectivity. Three trim levels will offer colours and top-quality materials to suit every taste, with the top-of-the-range being the Ateca XCELLENCE.

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ASIAN SUNDAY

puzzles & CROSSWORD

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ku at www.PrintMySudoku.com

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ASIAN SUNDAY

Issue16

JOBS

Reporters/Journalists wanted

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Hours of Work: Flexible Salary: £40k OTE (basic, plus car and expenses) Are you a self starter, ambitious, self motivator, have the hunger to achieve and increase earning potential? Then

our Managers at Asian Sunday want to hear from you

communication skills and be educated to a minimum of 5 GCSE’s at grade C or above and have a can do attitude. You will be required to travel nationally and with positions in London and Yorkshire. For the right candidate full training will be given

To apply or for more information email Two positions has become available for a covering letter with your CV to jobs@ Business development Manager to help asiansunday.co.uk with Sales Executive sell our services to Business clients. in the subject field or post to: Asian Sunday Newspaper 18 East You must have a minimum of one Parade, Bradford, BD1 5EE year’s experience selling to B2B customers. You must possess excellent T. 0333 577 0046

Asian Sunday is expanding nationally and therefore is looking for journalists or reporters. We have a cracking news patch here and we want enthusiastic reporters who will get out and about bringing in exclusive stories and getting into the heart of our communities. You will have all your preliminary qualifications, including 100 wpm shorthand. The ideal candidates will have knowledge of Asian Communities living in the UK along with business and lifestyle. We are an equal opportunities employer and therefore accept

applications from all backgrounds. Flexible working hours. Pay scale according to NUJ guidelines and based on experience. To apply send your CV with a covering letter to editor@ asiansunday.co.uk or post to: Asian Sunday Newspaper 18 East Parade, Bradford, BD1 5EE T. 0333 577 0046

DISTRIBUTORS wanted Asian Sunday is expanding and therefore are looking for more distributors. Asian Sunday is now approaching its fourth year and has now launched nationally. Therefore, we are looking for distributors in London, Leicester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Lancashire and Manchester. If you want to earn some extra cash and have a few spare hours over the weekend to deliver the Asian Sunday newspaper to businesses, then we want to hear from you.

You must have your own van or car. Pay: Full car allowance and salary will be paid to the ideal candidates. Hours: Flexible In the first instance please apply with a letter of interest to jobs@asiansunday. co.uk with Distribution as your subject or post letter of interest to: Asian Sunday Newspaper 18 East Parade, Bradford, BD1 5EE T. 0333 577 0046

(Please note we do not require applicants from Yorkshire)

Non-Executive Member wanted

– Inspirational Women Foundation

Inspirational Women Foundation is a not for profit organisation established to support, empower and inspire women of any age, any back-ground, whether in the home, at work, in the community or in business.

join the organisation and help make decisions which lead to equality for women locally, nationally and internationally.

Inspirational Women Foundation is looking for like minded individuals who have a passion for community and want to assist in building networks to help support and inspire women locally, nationally and internationally.

4 year appointment, approximately 12 days per year.

Inspirational Women Foundation is currently funded by the proceeds of the Bradford’s Inspirational Women Awards, (now in its fifth successful year) and various funding activities across the country. The foundation is now looking for Non-Executive Board members to

Non-Executive Member

Pay: Voluntary first year. Thereafter £150 per day plus expenses Number of positions: 6 The appointed candidate(s) will be expected to contribute to the strategic development and direction of the IWF, oversee the development and review of key performance targets, ensure the foundation complies with its statutory requirements and ensure that a high standard of corporate governance

Hiring?

are observed at all times. Candidates who are able to offer advice to senior management on a range of general management issues, such as HR matters and management best practice would be advantageous. We are looking for candidates with a background in business, HR, finance, law, training above all with the ability to perform at Board level. Candidates must also be able to demonstrate: integrity and a commitment to transparency of decision-making; effective communication, influencing and inter-personal skills; high level of analytical ability; and the capacity and temperament to work in an open, inclusive and collaborative environment. Previous experience as a Non-

Executive Director is not essential but an aptitude for strategic thinking, the ability to work as part of a team and a commitment to IWF’s objectives are. Applications are welcome from individuals of any background, gender and disabled people who are able to make a real contribution to this organisation. Members are expected to attend quarterly board meetings and to participate in additional meetings, conference calls and sit on ad hoc committees from time to time. Most meetings take place in the evening. Interested candidates should submit a CV to founder@ inspirationalwomenawards.org.uk with a covering letter explaining why you believe you are suitable for the role.

Advertise your jobs for FREE. Help us get Britain working. Send your job adverts to jobs@asiansunday.co.uk Please make sure you include details of who to contact for any queries

ASIAN SUNDAY 37

Issue 16

MATRIMONIALs

Single?

Find your perfect match with AS matchmaker To reply to any of the adverts listed below simply email matchmaker@asiansunday.co.uk with your details and box no and we will be sure to get a message back to you. All the best in your journey of finding that perfect partner.

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Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

Sports

Image credit: Getty Images

Khan Looking To KO Canelo

by Ayyaz Malik They say every cloud has a silver lining and in Amir Khan’s case, this has certainly turned out to be the case. Following several rejections from boxing greats Floyd Mayweather and Manny

Pacquiao, the 29-year-old Bolton fighter now has the chance to face Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez for the WBC Middleweight title on 7th May in Las Vegas. Alvarez, aged just 25, has managed to fight 46 times in his professional career, which is

impressive for a fighter so young. What’s even more impressive is that out of those 46 fights, Saul Alvarez has only lost once. The fight between the two men has been set at a catchweight of 155lb. To place this into perspective, Amir’s win over

Chris Algeri took place with the British fighter weighing in at 147b. This fight will therefore also see the 29-year old jump up two weight divisions. Amir Khan taking this glamour fight in Las Vegas means that a chance for an all-British

showdown with Sheffield fighter Kell Brook will have to wait. Khan’s fight with Saul Alvarez will no doubt be his toughest test to date, but typical of Amir’s character he never dodges a challenge.

Issue 16

ASIAN SUNDAY

Sports

AC Milan opportunity For Khalsa Football Academy students by Ayyaz Malik The Khalsa Football Academy (KFA) kicked off 2016 with a talent identification initiative. This new scheme will provide an opportunity for KFA students to fly out to AC Milan, in a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop their skills further and showcase their talent. Bal Singh and Kevin Ramasamy worked alongside coaches of the world renowned A.C. Milan during the summer of 2015. The Italian club have won European Champions Trophy seven times and are one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. The initiative with AC Milan was organised by Bal, Kevin, and The Khalsa Football Academy FA CDC international co-ordinator Gary Wilson. The project saw weeks of workshops and coaching, followed by the official launch of the FA CDC North Herts lead by Bal Singh.

The FA Community Development Centre (The FA CDC) is a sustainable platform for young and old footballers to showcase their skills and coaches to develop their knowledge and experience from different styles and culture of coaching. The FA CDC aims are to implement programs to increase the number of Asian boys and girls playing football. The programs are aimed at Asian women, girls, men and boys, and are delivered through Community Development Centres (CDCs) alongside County Football Associations (CFAs). The lucky students were selected by Gary Wilson and AC Milan representatives following a Futsal technical skills masterclass at the regular KFA FA CDC classes. Over the next few months, KFA will be hosting a new set of development programs with numerous International clubs as part of a KFA Futsal Fusion program.

KFA’s FA CDC students continue development working with AC Milan

A regular set of Futsal initiatives have also been planned for the local community and wider community

clubs and individuals wishing to participate in the programs, backed by North Hertfordshire District

Council. The program aims to attract new participants to KFA initiatives and clubs.

by Ayyaz Malik They say good things come to those who wait, and such a statement couldn’t be truer for Leeds boxer Tasif Khan who recently became the World Super Flyweight Champion. Khan, who has had to endure the frustration of seeing his world title fight with Isaac Quaye rescheduled on two occasions, finally got his hands on the Ghanian and won the match! Quaye missed his flight the

first time that this match was scheduled, and must have known that he was going to be up against a noisy home crowd. So it proved as British fighter Tasif Khan secured both the World Boxing Union (WBU) and Global Boxing Union (GBU) World Super Flyweight Championships at the Cedar Court Hotel in his hometown of Bradford in the United Kingdom. After a slow start, Tasif Khan came into his own from the

second round onwards as Ghanian Quaye had no answer to a fired up Khan, who was fighting in front of his home crowd. Isaac Quaye was eventually shown mercy by the referee in the sixth round, who stopped the fight. Victorious Tasif said after the fight: “This is the greatest day of my life, it’s a dream come true and to be crowned World Champion in front of my home crowd really is the cherry on top”.

Image credit: Getty Images

Tas The Season To Be Jolly

40 ASIAN SUNDAY

Issue 16

Sports

It’s Better Than an English Summer!

IPL T20 Chennai vs Kolkata

by Ayyaz Malik For the cricket fans amongst you, it’s fair to say you will be in for a treat. The cricketing calendar is going to be a busy one for the next few months and if you’re a cricket fanatic like I am, then that’s great! First serving of our cricketing feast, the starter if you will, is the Pakistan Super League, which is Pakistan’s answer to the extremely successful Indian Premier League. After that, we have the ‘main course’ -the T20 cricket World Cup- and as a nice dessert to top

off your lovely cricketing ‘feast’, we have the Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL for many years has been considered as the flag bearer of the T20 game for many years. The Indian Premier League tournament lasts for approximately 6 weeks (9th April - 29th May). Despite the scandal that the IPL has attracted in the wake of matchfixing claims against two Premier League giants Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, the tournament will consist of eight teams as normal.

As a consequence of Rajasthan and Chennai’s bans, two new franchises have been formed as result, Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Super Giants. The two new teams contain a mixture of those players who were subsequent without a team after the exclusion of CSK and RR.

international Kevin Pieterson.

Players such as Suresh Raina and Brendan McCullum formerly of CSK are in the Gujarat Lions squad. As for Pune, they include Indian one-day international captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravi Ashwin and former England

Sadly though as far as Pakistani and Bangladeshi players are concerned, there are very few representatives of those respected countries if any. Regardless of that fact, the IPL promises to be a great tournament.

This year’s tournament on the whole sees an increased English presence, with wicket-keeper batsmen Josh Buttler and Sam Billings expected to turn out for the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils respectably.

Published by RF Publishing Ltd, 1 Edmund Street, Bradford, BD5 1HA Company Reg No. 9615401

It won’t be too long until the Indian Premier League rivals the English football Premier League in terms of global appeal. The amount of money that teams are changing is increasing by each tournament. The world’s best T20 players who are at the peak of their powers now want to ply their trade in India. As good as the other global T20 tournaments have been, India’s Premier League has already shown (even before the tournament has started!) that their domestic league is still the best.