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MEET THE NEW METRO MAYOR FOR WEST YORKSHIRE BY RICHARD BEECHAM | LDRS Reporter
Following her thumping victory in the region’s first ever vote for a metro leader on Sunday 9 May, Tracy Brabin wasted no time and stepped into her new mayoral role the very next day. Ms Brabin insisted she would work co-operatively with the Government but would “stand up” for the region’s interests while also backing Keir Starmer as Labour leader following disappointing local election results nationally. She also spoke of how important it was to have role models from working class backgrounds in positions of power. Continue reading on pages 6 & 7
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NEWS IN BRIEF
The new Polo GTI in the starting blocks
Volkswagen is offering a first peek at the new Polo GTI. The compact sports car is based on the new Polo that was recently presented, and will become the premium version of the product line. This GTI model also represents pure dynamism and expressive design – the success factors of the GTI concept. The official world premiere of the new Polo GTI will take place at the end of June 2021. “Once a GTI, always a GTI” – that’s how fans of the sporty Volkswagen models with the “magic three letters” continually express their loyalty. GTI – pure fascination and excitement. The success story continues, with the new Polo GTI in the starting blocks. Traditionally, it is the sportiest model in the Polo series. With its hightorque front-wheel drive, dynamically tuned sports chassis and expressive design, it really stands out from the crowd. Moreover, it fulfils the promise of exceptional driving dynamics in combination with exceptional everyday usability. For more information about the annual event, see: https:// woertherseetreffen.at/.
MELINDA AND BILL GATES SET TO DIVORCE AFTER IT EMERGED BILL GATES MET JEFFREY EPSTEIN
Melinda Gates first met with divorce lawyers after her husband Bill’s links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were publicly revealed, it has been claimed. The estranged wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill, 65, reportedly began legal consultation about breaking up with her husband of 27 years in October 2019, according to The Wall Street Journal. That’s around the same time The New York Times revealed Bill had met with Epstein, who committed suicide in prison last year while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, a number of times. Citing sources who are familiar with the couple as well as documents obtained, The Journal claimed that Melinda, 56, has been working with lawyers from ‘several firms’ for more than 18 months. The revelation comes after Bill and Melinda announced on Twitter last Monday that they are getting divorced. The couple, who have three children together, said: ‘After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage.’
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KIRKLEES COUNCIL CELEBRATES FOSTER CARE FORTNIGHT Kirklees Council is celebrating Foster Care Fortnight by encouraging people from across the district to come forward and consider fostering. This year’s theme is #whywecare – keep an eye on the council’s social media accounts for special messages recorded by foster carers and the people who work to support them. Foster Care Fortnight is an annual event to thank the fostering community for their amazing work and to highlight the ways that caring for children can transform young lives. The council always need more people to foster children and young people in Kirklees. You can email fostering@kirklees.gov.uk or call 0800 389 0086 to have a friendly chat with the team. More
details can be found at www. kirklees.gov.uk/fostering Mel Meggs, Strategic Director for Children’s Services, said: “Fostering is immensely rewarding. Carers often say it’s
the best thing they’ve ever done. “Entering the care system can be an emotional and confusing time for children who, through no fault of their own, find themselves uprooted from everything they
know. They need the stability that only a loving foster family can provide, giving them the best start in life and helping them to fulfil their potential. “Foster carers are needed for children of all ages. There are different schemes to suit different circumstances and we’re looking for people who can offer short or long-term care, part-time care or who are able to support our care leavers to achieve independence. “What’s right for one child might not be right for another, so we are urging people from all walks of life to contact us and find out more. Becoming a foster carer is an incredible opportunity to change a young person’s life for ever.” National Foster Care Fortnight runs until May 23.
INFECTION RATE HAS FALLEN – PLEASE CONTINUE TO PLAY YOUR PART Kirklees’ Covid-19 infection rate has fallen by 23 per cent in the last week and the number of people in local hospitals with the virus is continuing to drop. However, the borough’s infection rate is still amongst the highest in the country and we all have a part to play in bringing it down further. 207,000 people in Kirklees have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 107,000 of those have had their second. Alongside the rollout of the vaccine, deaths and hospitalisations have been steadily falling and are remaining at a much lower level. There was one death in local hospitals related to Covid-19, down from four last week. The number of people being treated with the virus in those hospitals is 11, down from 16 last week. With 55 people per 100,000 in Kirklees testing positive for Covid-19 over the last seven days, the borough’s infection rate has dropped by 23 per cent since last week. There were 243 new confirmed positive cases in the last week in Kirklees, a decrease from last week when there were 316. The local authority are urging anyone aged 40 and over in Kirklees to book their vaccination now. Rachel Spencer-Henshall,
Strategic Director for Public Health at Kirklees Council, said: “The success the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine is having in Kirklees is fantastic and it’s thanks to the 207,000 of you who have had at least your first dose and of course, the remarkable health staff and volunteers who have made this possible. “We have started to see the number of people in local hospitals and deaths related to the virus drop and remain low since the beginning of the vaccine programme. This is really encouraging, but we need to make sure we don’t become complacent. “Our infection rate is still something we need to monitor closely because it is telling us that the virus is still spreading in our communities and more so in Kirklees than most other areas in England. As more and more restrictions are lifted, we have to make sure our infection rate does not increase and lead to more people being admitted to hospital or losing their lives. “Now is the worst possible time to think we’re out of the woods and we all have a crucial role to play in getting Kirklees through the roadmap out of lockdown safely. “There are some simple steps we can all take to make sure we build on the progress we’ve made
Rachel Spencer Henshall over the past few months and bring infections down further. There are three things I’m asking everyone to do over the next few weeks. Keeping doing the basics, stay safe outdoors and get vaccinated. “Keep doing the basics means; continue to wash your hands, wear a mask and make sure you’re social distancing when you’re out. Getting tested regularly, or if you have symptoms, is another
important way to keep our community safe. “It’s safer outdoors – we can now enjoy more freedoms, including meeting people outside our household. There’s much less chance of passing on the virus when you’re outside but please remember to stick to the public health advice. “When it’s your turn, please take the vaccine - if you’re over 40, you can book your appointment right now. The vaccine is safe, effective and protects both you and your community. Over 300,000 vaccinations have now been administered in Kirklees and the programme is successfully bringing down the number of people needing hospital treatment. “The vaccination programme benefits all age groups and it’s important for us all to take it when it’s our turn. It doesn’t matter how young or heathy you are, Covid-19 still presents a risk and the vaccine protects us all. “By working together, we can bring our infection rates down, ease pressure on our health services and finally get our lives back to normal. Thank you for playing your part.” If you’re vulnerable and need support, please visit Kirklees Council’s website or call 0800 4561114.
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TOURIST LEFT DANGLING 330FT IN THE AIR AFTER GLASS BRIDGE SMASHES A tourist was left stranded 330ft in the air after a bridge’s glass bottom shattered in high winds. Pictures posted on social media showed the man clinging to the guard rail of the walkway in the Piyan Mountain region, near the city of Longjing, China. Several glass panes were damaged in 90mph winds on Friday, raising more safety concerns about the country’s thousands of glass bridges and other structures. The man pictured was only trapped momentarily and managed to crawl to safety, guided by firefighters and park officials, according to reports. A statement posted to Longjing City’s official Weibo social media account blamed extreme weather for damaging the glass deck of the bridge in the area popular with tourists in China’s north-east. It said: ‘Our staff rushed to the scene with emergency equipment and successfully transferred the trapped person to safety. The incident caused no casualties. ‘The trapped person was taken to hospital for observation. He was discharged as his mental and physical condition were stable.’ The Piyan Mountain area has been closed off
DO YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE PHONE? THIS NEW FEATURE FROM WHATSAPP COULD BE A GAME-CHANGER FOR YOU According to reports Whatsapp users may soon benefit from multi-device syncing. At present, to migrate your WhatsApp chats, media and groups you need to back up and then restore when you swap to another device. But this addition would keep both your phones in perfect lockstep if WhatsApp is your main form of communication.
and officials are assessing the condition of some of the other park structures. Safety concerns have been raised about glass bridges in China in the past, and a number have been closed off to walkers. The world’s longest glass-bottomed bridge opened over the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon in China’s Yunan Province in 2016 but was forced to close temporarily 13 days later. The 1,400ft bridge was only designed to carry 8,000 people a day but had been receiving ten times that number of visitors due to its popularity.
BODY OF NEWBORN BABY FOUND IN LONDON CANAL A newborn baby has been found dead in a canal in north-west London. The infant’s body was pulled from the water at Grand Union Canal, near Old Oak Lane, shortly before 1.20pm on Sunday. The baby was pronounced dead at the scene. Ealing Police have since urged the baby’s mother to seek medical help. Officers are currently on the scene investigating the circumstances
around the baby’s death. Pictures taken near the canal show a fire engine and emergency service workers walking around the canal. A number of cordons are in place around the area and police said they could remain there for ‘hours’. ‘We urge the baby’s mother to seek medical assistance via 999,’ added police in a statement on Twitter. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We
were called at 1:35pm today to Old Oak Lane, NW10, to reports of a body of an infant found in the canal.
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According to WABetaInfo details of the feature have appeared in beta version 2.21.10.6. It explains that syncronization will mean deleting a specific message in a group will delete it from both devices. Similarly, pinning or starring a message will make it visible on both phones too. The feature will come from WhatsApp migrating chat history into the cloud – and therefore allowing it to be remotely accessed from different operating systems. There isn’t any further information on this new feature.
At the moment, if you sign in to your WhatsApp account on another phone, it will log you out of the first one as a security precaution. Which, if you regularly use two, can become a bit frustrating. This is great news, but of course there is still the issue of Whatsapp’s new privacy policy terms where initially, users were set to be blocked from the app (which is the most popular messaging app in the world) if they refused to agree by the 15 May deadline. That deadline has now been pushed back. Well let’s see what develops from Whatsapp over the next few weeks
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MORE THAN 20 KNIVES SEIZED AS PART OF NATIONAL OPERATION TO TARGET KNIFE CRIME More than 20 knives were seized by West Yorkshire Police last week as part of a national operation to target knife crime. The Force took part in Operation Sceptre, which focused on prevention, education and enforcement. Across the county officers carried out a total of 26 weapon sweeps, finding a number of knives and other weapons concealed in public areas. Officers also visited schools to educate and inform young people about the risks of carrying knives. Test purchase operations also took place to see if retailers
would sell knives to people under the legal age. Thankfully all the retailers passed by refusing to sell such items. Chief Inspector James Kitchen, who leads on West Yorkshire’s own violence and knife crime Operation Jemlock said; “Through Operation Jemlock we are making a real difference in the communities of West
Yorkshire. Operation Sceptre brought a nationwide focus to what we do every week to keep people safe. Enforcement work such as weapons sweeps is important. I am pleased that we removed a number of knives from West Yorkshire’s streets. These are potentially deadly weapons that
can no longer be used to harm others. We targeted our operational work in key areas, carrying out weapons sweeps in parks and open spaces to make them safer. Of equal importance however, was the educational work that took place. If young people know and understand the dangers of carrying a
knife or associating with people who do, then we can help to make a difference. I was particularly pleased to see that not a single retailer sold a knife to our under-age test purchasers.” Operation Jemlock started in April 2019. Officers have made over 5500 arrests and seized over 700 weapons. Knife crime is down 10% and robbery is down 20% in that time. There are around fifteen hundred fewer victims of robbery compared with the two years before that. In addition to the work of Jemlock, there is the Violence
Reduction Unit (VRU) in West Yorkshire, which takes a unique public health led approach. It funds various local projects and interventions across all Districts in the county to tackle and raise awareness about serious violent crime. It has a particular emphasis on collaboration, encouraging organisations to work together to prevent violence and reduce the harmful impacts by strengthening partnerships, working with communities and developing the understanding of the causes to make a lasting difference.
APPEAL: ATTACK ON CAR, WESTBOURNE ROAD, HUDDRERSFIELD Detectives are appealing for witnesses as investigations continue into a disorder incident in which a car was attacked in Huddersfield. Kirklees CID would like
were no serious injuries to the victims in the car. “Behaviour of the kind we saw is clearly not acceptable on our streets and I would
to speak to anyone who witnessed or has information about the incident on Westbourne Road in Huddersfield during the afternoon of Saturday May 8 which involved three males. Following a full examination of the scene and subsequent enquiries officers have now ruled out a suggestion that a firearm may have been
ask anyone who has information which could help us catch those responsible to contact Kirklees CID on 101 referencing police log 831 of May 8. “Information can also be given online at www.westyorkshire. police.uk.101livechat or anonymously to the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.”
discharged. Police were called to Westbourne Road at about 2.11pm to a report a group of three masked men had attacked a dark orange Peugeot 3008 with bladed weapons.
The car drove off from the scene and the suspects then fled, with two leaving on foot and one getting into a taxi. They were described as young males and
were masked and wearing dark clothing. Detective Inspector, Jeanette Yates of Kirklees CID, said: “This was clearly a serious incident and a full range of enquiries
have been ongoing by specialist officers. “We have now established that a gun was not fired in the incident itself and, following further enquiries, know there
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Meet the new Metro Mayor for West Yorkshire Continued from cover
Speaking to the Local
life and I hope I will be able
Democracy Reporting
to inspire others. It is really
Service, Ms Brabin said: “I
an historic moment to have
am humbled and excited by
the first ever woman metro
this opportunity. The way
mayor in the country, and I
we have had to pivot our
am proud it is a woman from
campaigning for online and
Yorkshire.”
on Zoom, it has been a very intense campaign.
Image: Facebook/TracyforMayor
Given the impressive majority of more than
being unfairly treated or
she said. “That is what
“Only in the last two weeks
100,000 votes after second
short-changed then I of
people have got behind,
have we been able to talk
preferences, the people of
course will be the strong
whether it is bus services
to people face to face. But I
West Yorkshire clearly have
working for people, not
faith that Ms Brabin will have
next few years ahead.”
the ear of Westmister. So
I am humbled and excited by this opportunity. The way we have had to pivot our campaigning for online and on Zoom, it has been a very intense campaign. Only in the last two weeks have we been able to talk to people face to face. But I am hugely excited about the next few years ahead.
voice for my community.”
am hugely excited about the
Tracy Brabin, First mayor of West Yorkshire
She used her victory speech to recall her own humble
how does she plan to work with the Government?
beginnings, being raised
“I have always been able to
in a council flat in Birstall,
work cross-party,” she said.
and being inspired into
“For me, it doesn’t matter as
showbusiness through
long as you are able to get
performances at the Batley
things done. I am hoping the
Variety club.
Government takes the same
So how important does she feel it is to have working class role models in seats of power? “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it,” she said. “I have been inspired by women in my
view, and that we can work together and really make West Yorkshire the best place to raise a family, start a business and grow old.
At this weekend’s local elections, Labour suffered some serious losses elsewhere in the country, but remained relatively stable in West Yorkshire, as
profit, whether it is young people who can’t get on the property ladder or families that can’t find social housing that works for them.
the party comfortably held
“The Mayor will have
onto overall control of the
chance to deliver on those
region’s five councils.
things.”
So what can the national
Labour’s lacklustre national
party learn from its
performance, as well as
performance in West
its crushing defeat at the
Yorkshire?
Hartlepool byelection,
“It’s an authentic campaign
“I am very happy to work
that understands local
with Westminster, but
people’s concerns and really
obviously if we feel we are
cares about local issues,”
seems to have reopened some of the party’s old wounds, with many supposedly to the left of leader Keir Starmer calling
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for a change in direction. But Ms Brabin insisted Mr Starmer has her full backing, adding: “Keir is the Labour leader, of course he is the right man for the job. I nominated Keir and (deputy leader) Angela (Rayner) for their roles, and going forward, we will listen, learn and build from what we have seen across the country. It has not all shaken down yet. “Had we seen (the Welsh Assembly results) first, it would have been a different narrative than Hartlepool, because in Wales, Labour in government have absolutely smashed it. “We have seen Labour mayors representing millions of people with a mandate of their own with extraordinary numbers.” Her election means she takes up the dual role of both mayor and police and crime commissioner, meaning she is no longer allowed to be an MP. Image: Facebook
This will trigger a byelection in the coming months, one which the Yorkshire Party, which polled at third place in the mayoral race, has already confirmed it will stand in. Bookmaker Ladbrokes makes the Tories oddson favourites to capture the seat for the first time since 1997. So, does Ms Brabin feel the party can hold onto her seat? “I am optimistic,” she said. “We will be fighting for every vote. A Labour member of Parliament for Batley and Spen, working with a Labour mayor, I think we can get some really exciting things done.”
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Vegetarians have healthier levels of disease markers than meat-eaters: Study STAFF REPORTER
Vegetarians appear to have a healthier biomarker profile than meat-eaters, and this applies to adults of any age and weight, and is also unaffected by smoking and alcohol consumption, according to a new study in over 166,000 UK adults, being presented at week's European Congress on Obesity (ECO), held online this year. Biomarkers can have bad and good health effects, promoting or preventing cancer, cardiovascular and agerelated diseases, and other chronic conditions, and have been widely used to assess the effect of diets on health. However, evidence of the metabolic benefits associated with being vegetarian is unclear. To understand whether dietary choice can make a difference to the levels of disease markers in blood and urine, researchers from the University of Glasgow did a cross-sectional study analysing data from 177,723 healthy participants (aged 37- 73 years) in the UK Biobank study, who reported no major changes in diet over the last five years. Participants were categorised as either vegetarian (do not eat red meat, poultry or fish; 4,111 participants) or meat-eaters (166,516 participants) according to their self-reported diet. The researchers examined the
association with 19 blood and urine biomarkers related to diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, liver, bone and joint health, and kidney function. Even after accounting for potentially influential factors including age, sex, education, ethnicity, obesity, smoking, and alcohol intake, the analysis found that compared to meat-eaters, vegetarians had significantly lower levels of 13 biomarkers, including Total cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol--the so-
called 'bad cholesterol; apolipoprotein A (linked to cardiovascular disease), apolipoprotein B (linked to cardiovascular disease); gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alanine aminotransferase (AST)--liver function markers indicating inflammation or damage to cells; insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1; a hormone that encourages the growth and proliferation of cancer cells); urate; total protein; and creatinine (a marker of worsening kidney function). However, vegetarians also had lower levels of beneficial biomarkers including high-density lipoprotein 'good' (HDL) cholesterol, and vitamin D and calcium (linked to bone and joint health). In addition, they had a significantly higher
level of fats (triglycerides) in the blood and cystatin-C (suggesting a poorer kidney condition). No link was found for blood sugar levels (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure, aspartate aminotransferase (AST; a marker of damage to liver cells) or C-reactive protein (CRP; inflammatory marker). "Our findings offer real food for thought", says Dr Carlos Celis-Morales from the University of Glasgow, UK, who led the research. "As well as not eating red and processed meat which have been linked to heart diseases and some cancers, people who follow a vegetarian diet tend to consume more vegetables, fruits, and nuts which contain more nutrients, fibre, and other potentially
beneficial compounds. These nutritional differences may help explain why vegetarians appear to have lower levels of disease biomarkers that can lead to cell damage and chronic disease." Although their study was large, the authors point out that it was observational, so no conclusions can be drawn about direct cause and effect. They also note several limitations they only tested biomarker samples once for each participant, and biomarkers might fluctuate depending on factors unrelated to diets, such as existing diseases and unmeasured lifestyle factors. They also note that were reliant on participants to report their dietary intake using food frequency questionnaires, which is not always reliable.
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Covid Lockdown Roadmap: New rules from May 17 In a Downing Street briefing on Monday, Boris Johnson hailed a "very considerable step on the road back to normality” as he has announced he will proceed with the return of indoor socialising and dining from May 17, The Prime Minister has confirmed that stage three of his ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown for England will go ahead as planned as the four tests for easing lockdown had been met and new data from Public Health England underscored that Covid-19 vaccines have been "highly effective". This means that from May 17 six people or two households will be able to mix indoors, pubs and restaurants can restart indoor dining, and overnight stays will be allowed. People will also be allowed
to hug each other once again, the ban on overseas holidays will lift for "green list" countries, face masks will no longer be needed in secondary school classrooms, university students will return to in-person teaching, and cinemas and theatres will be able to reopen. However, despite the good news, supported by medical and science chiefs Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance
Mr Johnson urged people to be cautious, saying the country must remain 'vigilant' about fuelling cases and the threat from variants. The Prime Minister also dismissed the idea that the next milestone of June 21 could be brought forward, he insisted it will take time to assess the impact of this wave of loosening. He did however hint that social distancing might be dropped altogether at that point, and the idea of Covid certificates might be abandoned. Mr Johnson thanked the public for their commitment as he said infections were now at the 'lowest level since last July'. 'The data now support moving to step three in England from next Monday 17th May,' he said. The positive news came as
the UK's Covid alert level was downgraded to three amid the success of the vaccination roll-out and dwindling case numbers. Health chiefs say infections, hospital admissions and deaths have 'fallen consistently' over the past few months, with social
ROADMAP STEP THREE FROM MAY 17 • Up to six people and two households may meet indoors. Overnight stays allowed • Up to 30 people may meet outdoors • Pubs, bars and restaurants can open indoors • Indoor entertainment (e.g. museums and cinemas) can resume • Outdoor events allowed up to the lower of 4,000 attendees, or 50% capacity • Social distancing and close physical contact with friends and family a matter of personal judgement • No limit to attendees at funerals • Up to thirty people can attend weddings and other life events • Care home residents are allowed up to five named visitors • Hotels, B&Bs, sport and gym classes may reopen •Overseas holidays permitted to green list countries • No face coverings required in secondary school classrooms •Universities: in-person teaching permitted
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distancing measures and the huge inoculation drive to thank. The decision by all four chief medical officers and a senior NHS official means coronavirus is now only in 'general circulation' and transmission is no longer 'high or rising exponentially'.
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OPINION
Don’t spend Eid talking to your phone. We used to ask each other within the neighbourhood, what have you cooked today, I have made this one would say and the other has made such and such and we used to all share the food with each other. There was so much food between us all, even though we didn’t have as much as we have now. Aunty Razia
I used to love Eid when we were
There was so much peace in
younger. My eldest daughter
our days, now things are so fast
was just saying the other day
paced, you have no value for
that ‘Mum we used to have lots
time.
of things in the house and we
Even things like ice you open the
used to be constantly cooking
fridge and it’s there. In my time,
in the lead up to Eid and sending
we used to go get big blocks
food out to our neighbours and
of ice from a factory. My mum
friends and relatives. It was so
used to us to go and buy four
lively.’
big blocks of ice for 1 penny and
She is right, in those days
bring them home. Mum used
there was so much we did in
to then use the ice to make
the days before Eid and now
sherbet and we used to give it
there is so less of that, in fact
out to the neighbourhood, we
people get tired so easily,
did so much and there was so
they prefer ordering frozen
much love.
samosas, whereas we used
We used to ask each other
to make them all including the
within the neighbourhood, what
pastry ourselves. That spirit is
have you cooked today, I have
missing of getting together and
made this one would say and
preparing for Eid.
the other has made such and
When I was younger, we used to
such and we used to all share
live in Kenya, and in Ramadhan
the food with each other. There
every time it was the time to
was so much food between us
open fast and the call for prayer,
all, even though we didn’t have
instead of the adhaan (call to
as much as we have now.
prayer), the dhol (drummers)
The days leading up to Eid used
used to come and play very
to be equally as exciting as Eid
loudly and tell us that it is now
itself. All the ladies in the local
time to open your fast and pray.
area used to gather and we
This was because there weren’t
used to have such fun in those
any speakers on the mosques in
days in preparing and deciding
those days, so we couldn’t hear
what we are all going to wear.
from far. So, the dhol players
We didn’t used to go out to posh
used to come out and tell
restaurants for Eid like most
people that the fast is open and
youngsters do now, we used to
come to pray.
cook food, get ready and then
Alas, times have changed so
all us close friends used to
much. Now everything is in your
take a thali full of food and visit
hand, yet still people get tired
each other’s houses with the
quickly.
food we have made. We used to
exchange gifts and have lunch
we had.
together. You felt it was Eid
In those days we all used to
as the atmosphere was great.
talk to each other in the same
Sometimes we used to have a
language, now in one household
picnic by the lake on Eid, but
there will be around three
the lifestyle and generations
languages, mother tongue,
started to change, and we
English, and the smartphone.
changed with them.
People are sat in one room but
Now people don’t even send
no one in that room is talking to
each other Eid cards. Thinking
each other. There is no love in
of Eid in Kenya has reminded
that.
me of a remarkably close friend I had called Zulekha. We went to school together and grew up together. She got married and then moved to Nairobi and
Especially now with Covid, people are more on their devices and that closeness is missing.
then we lost contact. She was
I know we can’t celebrate
such a lovely friend. I remember
fully this Eid due to Covid
many Eid celebrations with her.
restrictions, but at least you
I believe she is old now and lives
can with your immediate family.
somewhere in Bradford.
So, if you can do just one thing
Slowly life started becoming
this Eid, then I would say switch
different and our companions
off your devices and just talk to
drifted.
each other in your house. You
The life we led was difficult, but
will feel a completely different
the life of the generation today,
atmosphere for Eid.
is much easier, they have so many more comforts than what
Eid Mubarak to you all.
10 - 16 MAY 2021
AMITABH BACHCHAN REQUESTS PEOPLE GLOBALLY TO HELP INDIA FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 LADY GAGA WRAPS UP SHOOTING FOR 'HOUSE OF GUCCI' KAREENA SHARES PICTURE OF YOUNGER SON WITH TAIMUR, CALLS THEM 'HER HOPE'
A Spotlight on Selfless
SONU SOOD
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MICHAEL B. JORDAN: 'CREED III' SHOOT TO START 'PROBABLY MID-NOVEMBER'
ing d that the shoot of his much-hyped upcom Hollywood star Michael B. Jordan has share as stars who n, Jorda year. later this boxing drama "Creed III" is scheduled to start ise, makes his directorial debut with the third champion boxer Adonis Creed in the franch as the protagonist. "Probably before the end film in the series besides continuing to star after this one (Tom Clanc y's 'Without Right so. or ber of the year, probably mid-Novem on "The Jess Cagle Podcast With Julia Remorse'), I'm in full prep mode ," Jordan said "Creed" film opened in 2015, followed first The . co.uk Cunningham", repor ts femalefirst. lly successful. The franchise is a spin-off of by "Creed II" in 2018. Both films were globa ster Stallone as the fictional boxing ace Sylve g starrin the iconic "Rocky" series of films Weathers playing Balboa's friend and fellow Rocky Balboa. The "Rocky" films had had Carl is the son of Apollo Creed, and carries the Creed is Adon American pugilist Apollo Creed. lore forward.
HUMA QURESHI'S 'MAHARANI' TO PREMIERE ON MAY 28
Actress Huma Qureshi took to social media to share the trailer of her upcoming web series Maharani. The series will start streaming from May 28. The actress says that the character is special to her as it helped her explore herself as an artist. "It's not often that one gets to play a character where you traverse in extremes as an artist. Rani Bharti, has been one such role that got me to explore things that I have never done before and yet made her look extremely grounded and relatable," she says. The actress is confident that the audience will like the series. "Her's is a journey of rarity and grit which will surely strike a chord with the audience. I'm super excited and can't wait for the show to launch soon." The show's story revolves around how the current Chief Minister disrupts the state's political machinery. It has been directed by Karan Sharma and also features features Sohum Shah, Amit Sial and Vineet Kumar. The series will stream on SonyLIV.
KAREENA SHARES PICTURE OF YOUNGER SON WITH TAIMUR, CALLS THEM 'HER HOPE' Celebrating Mother's Day with her little munchkins Taimur and her newborn baby, Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan recently shared an adorable picture of the brother-duo with a hardhitting caption on social media on the occasion of Mother's Day. Kareena took to her Instagram handle and shared a monochrome picture which sees Taimur holding his little brother in his lap while posing for the camera. Giving a shoutout to all the mothers on Mother's Day, the actor penned a message alongside the snap where she expressed how her two sons keep her hopes alive in these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Aaj ummeed pe poori duniya kaayam hai, (Today the whole world rests on hope) and these two give me hope... for a better tomorrow. Happy Mother's Day to all you beautiful, strong mothers out there... Keep the faith..." she wrote. Celebrity followers including Kareena's sisters Karisma Kapoor, Riddhima Sahni Kapoor and more than one lakh followers liked the post on the photosharing platform within a few minutes of it being posted. Kareena and Saif welcomed their second child, a baby boy on February 21 this year. The duo dated for a few years before tying the knot in October 2012.
The couple welcomed their first child Taimur four years later on December 20, 2016. On the work front, Kareena, whose last movie was 'Angrezi Medium', will next be seen in 'Laal Singh Chadha', opposite Aamir Khan. Helmed by Advait Chandan, the Bollywood flick is a remake of the Hollywood classic 'Forrest Gump'. Apart from 'Laal Singh Chaddha', Kareena is also a part of ace filmmaker Karan Johar's period epic 'Takht'.
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AMITABH BACHCHAN JAY-Z TO START HIS REQUESTS PEOPLE GLOBALLY PRODUCTION COMPANY, TO HELP INDIA FIGHT FILES FOR TRADEMARK AGAINST COVID-19
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has shared a mini glimpse from the Vax Live event on his social media where he could be seen requesting the world to help India in fighting the deadly wave of coronavirus. The 78-year-actor was part of the Vax Live global event which was all about the coronavirus. In the video, which he shared on his Twitter handle, the veteran actor urged global citizens to rise and help India in fighting the deadly second wave of COVID-19. The event also emphasised the importance of vaccination. Along with sharing the video, Bachchan also tweeted
"Privileged to be a part of the concert .. and the fight for India .." The second wave of coronavirus has infected many people, and the number of COVID-19 positive cases has been rapidly rising. In Bollywood also an array of celebrities like Kangana Ranaut, Arjun Rampal, Manish Malhotra among others got infected within a span of a few weeks. With a total of 4,03,738 new COVID-19 cases being recorded in the last 24 hours as of Sunday 9 May, India again reported its highest single-day spike on the second consecutive day. With this,
the cumulative national tally of the infection went up to 2,22,96,414, the union health ministry informed on Sunday morning. 4,092 deaths related deaths were also registered in the last 24 hours, taking the total COVID related death toll to 2,42,362. At present, India has 37,36,648 active coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, on the work front, Amitabh Bachchan was recently cast for the Indian adaptation of 'The Intern' opposite Deepika Padukone. Apart from that, he has films like 'Jhund', 'Brahmastra', 'Goodbye', 'May Day' and several others in the pipeline.
ANGELINA JOLIE: I AM VERY WARM AND GENTLE WITH MY CHILDREN. Actress Angelina Jolie said that she makes sure to always be very warm and gentle when it comes to her kids. She added that this is something that she has learnt from her late mother Marcheline Bertrand, reports femalefirst.co.uk. In an interview with Australia's Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, she said "My mother was very gentle. I can be many things in my work and in my life, but I am very warm and gentle with my children. That kindness and warmth is a foundation that's unbelievably important."
She added that she hopes she has made her children comfortable. "I hope that I've been able to be that (for my own children), that I'm that warm, safe place. Because - and it's maybe a funny thing to say - but considering what my different jobs are, or what people think they know of you, or what you feel you have to be in the world, in truth none of those things are what you really are. Who you are to your children is everything." The actress shares Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14 and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12, with ex-husband Brad Pitt.
American rapper and music producer Jay-Z appears to be ramping up his own production company as his company had filed a trademark application for the same. According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Hova's company, S. Carter Enterprises, filed to trademark '2/J' on May 3 for "entertainment services in the nature of creation, development, and production" of television programming, TV series, movies and similar projects. The same indicates that Jay has laid the groundwork to start a production company with the business mogul after making his fortune in the streaming service 'Tidal' and, not to forget
his massively successful entertainment firm, 'Roc Nation'. He also launched his own premium cannabis brand, 'Monogram', last year. Jay-Z would be the latest addition to the celebrities from the entertainment industry who have started their own production houses like American film director Spike Lee's '40 Acres', American actor Adam Sandler's 'Happy Madison Productions' and American professional basketball player LeBron James' 'SpringHill Company', which reportedly has already amassed an impressive portfolio of deals and partnerships in the media world, according to TMZ.
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SHILPA SHETTY’S FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDING HUSBAND RAJ KUNDRA AND KIDS TEST COVID-19 POSITIVE; ACTRESS TESTS NEGATIVE
Shilpa Shetty last Friday took to her social media handle to reveal that the last 10 days have been difficult for her family members. She revealed that her parents-in-law, her mother, husband Raj Kundra and kids Samisha and Viaan tested positive for the virus. However, the actress herself tested negative. Shilpa took to her Instagram handle and shared a note which read, “The last 10 days have been difficult for us as a family. My parents-in-law tested positive for COVID-19, followed by Samisha, Viaan-Raj, my mom, and lastly, Raj. They've all been in isolation in their rooms at home as per the official guidelines and have been following the doctor's advice. Two of our in-house staff members have also tested positive and they are being treated at a medical facility. By God's grace, everyone is on the road to recovery. My tests came back negative.” “All safety measures have been followed as per protocol, and we're grateful to the BMC & authorities for their prompt help and response. Thank you for all your love & support. Please continue to keep all of us in your prayers. Please mask up, sanitise, stay safe, ad whether COVID positive or not...STILL stay POSITIVE, MENTALLY,” she added. Meanwhile, Shilpa Shetty has been actively spreading awareness about COVID through her social media handles. While Shilpa stays in isolation with family, her judging duties on the show Super Dancer 3, will be covered by Malaika Arora Khan and Terence Lewis.
RADHE: SALMAN KHAN REACTS TO SEETI MAAR’S RECORD-BREAKING 100 MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE
Rockstar DSP ’ is thrilled that his composition ‘Seeti Maar’ has yet again broken the records. Seeti Maar’, the first track of Radh e: Your Most Wanted Bhai has beco me the fastest song to gain over 100 million views on YouT ube. The music composer of the song , Devi Sri Prasad who is popularly known as the ‘Rockstar DSP ’ is thrilled that his composition ‘Seeti Maar’ has yet again broken the records. The music composer, singer & perfo rmer DSP took to his social media to share a special video with BTS images from the shoot of Radhe’s ‘Seeti Maar’. Staying true to the title of the ‘Rockstar’ the video also showcases DSP ’s danc ing skills which is from an exclusive footage of his earlier stage performance of the original. Talking about the composition in the BTS video Salman Khan said, “Devi Prasad has done the track and he is Outstanding.” Happy with the immense love the track has gone to receive, DSP shar ed, “I am elated with the response the audience has show ered for ‘Seeti Maar’. I am grateful to Salman Bhai and Prabhu Deva Master for trusting me with it. I am glad that ‘Seeti Maar’ crea ted the magic yet again.” Rockstar DSP, apart from Radhe, is also working on Allu Arjun’s Push pa, PSPK 28 with Pawan Kalyan, Khiladi with Ravi Teja, Dag gubati Venkatesh’s F3, Ram Poth ineni’s upcoming film tentatively referred to as RAPO19, and other Bollywood projects in the pipeline.
LADY GAGA WRAPS UP SHOOTING FOR 'HOUSE OF GUCCI' Hollywood singer-actor Lady Gaga has announced the wrap-up for her upcoming biographical crime drama 'House Of Gucci'. The Grammy-winning star took to her Instagram handle and shared a snap from the sets of 'House of Gucci' that sees her pounding fists with the film's director Ridley Scott. "That's a wrap, Rid," Gaga wrote in the caption, adding the hashtag, "#HouseOfGucci."
The first looks of Gaga and Adam Driver (lead hero) from the movie were unveiled on March 10, 2021, by Gaga and the makers of the film on their Instagram handles. As per People magazine, 'House of Gucci' is based on the popular book 'The House of Gucci A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed' by Sara Gay Forden. The upcoming movie follows the story of Maurizio Gucci (Driver), the head of the Gucci fashion house, and his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani (Gaga) and the aftermath of his death after Patrizia hired a hitman to kill him in 1995. Maurizio and Patrizia married in 1973 and in May 1985, the businessman left his wife for a younger woman after 12 years of marriage. Their divorce was
finalised in 1991. In 1995, Maurizio was shot and killed by a hitman Patrizia hired on the steps outside his office in Milan. Patrizia was convicted of arranging her husband's murder in 1998 and sentenced to 29 years in prison. Their daughters, Alessandra and Allegra, asked that her conviction be overturned, claiming her brain tumour had affected her ability to reason. The two were successful and in 2000 an appeals court in Italy reduced Patrizia's sentence to 26 years. She was released in October 2016 after serving 18 years in prison due to good behaviour. The upcoming film is being helmed by Ridley Scott and also stars Al Pacino, Jared Leto, Jack Huston, Reeve Carney, and Jeremy Irons. Written by Roberto Bentivegna, the film went on floors in Rome last month. The star cast has been in Italy for a couple of weeks now, prepping and shooting 'House of Gucci'. Both Gaga and Driver are Oscar-nominated actors. Gaga's first acting endeavour after her 2018 blockbuster 'A Star Is Born' co-stars Bradley Cooper. On the other hand, Driver was last seen in the 2019 Netflix film 'Marriage Story', co-starring Scarlett Johansson. 'House of Gucci' is set for the big screens on November 24, 2021.
REVIEW
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99 SONGS - A MUSICAL JOURNEY WORTH LISTENING TO 99 Songs is music Maestro AR Rahman first major foray into film production. Rahman has also co-written the film and naturally helmed the entire music album. So, it’s only natural the music should take centre stage in this romantic production. 99 Songs follows the stereotypical musical route where there's young lovebirds irrevocably enamoured by each other, but a stern father plays spoilsport in their magical love story. Jay (newcomer Ehan Bhatt), is riddled with his tragic past as his father was staunchly against the very idea of music while navigating his way through the treacherous world in a truthful manner. While Jay is the personification of the art of music, Sophie (Edilsy Vargas) is the very embodiment of visual art, through her paintings and as a fashion designer. But when his artistic aspirations get in the way of Jay’s relationship with Sophie, Jay finds himself faced with the toughest test of his life yet. What follows is a journey of heartbreak and redemption, of loss and faith. and an ode to the timeless power of love and music. Credit is to be given to both the talented lead
pair as they breathe life into Rahman and director Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy's ambitious outlook. Being summoned off with
the challenge of writing 100 songs to win Sophie's heart and more importantly, her dad's approval, Jay travels to
Shillong with his college friend (Tenzin Dalha) and trouble quickly follows. Bhat is truly a revelation as most of the acting heavy lifting lies on his shoulders and he does so with utmost grace. As Jay's voice, Sashwat Singh is the perfect counterpart to Ehan's heartfelt performance. On the other hand, Edilsy makes an honest effort in relaying Sophie's handicap and changing emotions through her facial expressions and movement alone. Bhat and Vargas' chemistry is especially effervescent and smooth on the eyes. Tenzin is also a knockout in the supporting role and adds a quirky flavour to the larger than life visual palette. While Lisa Ray is tailor-made for her role as a jazz singer who encounters Jay, Manisha Koirala makes a brief but poignant appearance as well.
The cinematography of Tanay Satam and James Cowley and the production design by Aparna Raina are aesthetically in tune with Rahman's soundtrack and are right up your street if you are an old romantic. The story line isn’t new, but the music lingers with you as does the film’s concept and that’s what makes this a musical journey to be attempted at least once, especially if you are a Rahman fan.
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A SPOTLIGHT ON SELFLESS SONU SOOD.
Image: Pallav Paliwal
India is going through a crisis as Covid cases are hitting world records. It only seems like yesterday when we saw the heart-wrenching visuals from the first lockdown in India of desperate migrant workers leaving their city jobs, in a desperate attempt to get to their hometowns on foot. Fast forward and we are witnessing India’s second lockdown where crematoriums are full and hospitals are extending out into carparks and streets. The stories and death rates coming out of the second largest populated country in the world is truly heartbreaking. However, there has been an outpouring of support from across the globe, whether that’s oxygen supplies, food supplies or prayers, the world has stepped in to join hands with India to fight the deadly coronavirus. In all this global attention and celebrities coming out in force to show their solidarity in full force, we wanted to ensure the work of one man isn’t forgotten.
To ensure the spotlight doesn’t fade on him, not that he wants it on him, we feel this week our special feature deserves to be none other than Sonu Sood. Despite some minor trolling Sood has been a selfless messiah to the needs of the poor in India. Be it transport, rations and medical facilities among many other ways Sood has helped thousands in need. With his generosity, it appeared that this silver screen action hero transitioned into a real one. During the first lockdown he took to the streets and
set up a dedicated team. He began his ‘Ghar Bhejo’ programme, carried out like a humanitarian mission. There were chartered flights, buses and trains paid for and distress calls by the needy were answered. It was very soon that the movement snowballed into a campaign for providing jobs, medical facilities and educational aid to workers. The actor touched many lives. Sood said at the time: “While 2020 has been a challenging year in many ways, it has offered me an
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opportunity to reach out to millions of people directly. During the course of this journey, I have learnt and gained a lot from them.”
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Now since the second lockdown, Sood has stepped up once again and proven he is truly a hero. If you go through Sood’s social media, there are trails and trails of responses to people in need. You will really be surprised when you learn how Sood is funding all this. All along people thought Sonu Sood’s vast and rapidly-growing charity work was being supported by his entrepreneurial friends. It now turns out that Sood’s charitable work is supported by no one else. A recent report about the actor-activistphilanthropist mortgaging his properties to raise funds to the tune of Rs 10 crores had me agog. Bollywood journalist Subhash K Jha had asked Sonu about it, he replied, “I am not very comfortable talking about it.”
Image: Pallav Paliwal
Sonu Sood in his selfless mission.
But the fact is, Sood is paying from his own pocket for all charitable work that he is doing. A friend of the
actor has said, “Who is funding Sood’s dreams? No one. He is doing it all by himself. The fact that he wants to help as many as he can is his passion in life. All the money that he has earned as an actor during the past twenty years are going into funding his dream. Sood isn’t getting any help from any agency organisation or industrial house in this astonishing endeavour.” This kind of single-minded devotion to a cause bolstered by one determined individual is unheard of. And there is no full stop to his charitable work.
“ This is something I’d like to keep doing forever,” says Sood. Does he realize that this kind of devotion to a cause is unheard of in India? Sood gets deeply embarrassed, “I don’t know how to react to this. I miss my parents more than ever. I wish they were here to see what their son is doing. I know they are the ones who made it possible.” Well we wish you much more success Mr Sood.
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‘Apartheid’ claim, Israel and the verdict of international law Rights Watch conducted a similar study to the Israeli case and defined the abuses committed against ethnic minorities by the Myanmar government as crimes of apartheid.
BY LEONIE FLEISCHMANN | Lecturer in International Politics, City, University of London
Discrimination against Palestinians by Israeli laws and policies amount to the crime of apartheid, according to a recent report from Human Rights Watch. The 213-page report, released on April 27, accuses Israel of operating a system of apartheid in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It concludes that “in certain areas … they amount to the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution”. This is not the first time the term “apartheid” has been applied to the case of Israel and Palestine. Palestinians have described their daily experience in this way since at least the mid-1960s. But the report from the international human rights organisation has brought the term into mainstream public debate. Language plays an important role in the rhetoric on Israel and Palestine, as I explain in my book on Israeli anti-occupation and human rights activism. Referring to the “IsraeliPalestinian conflict”, “Israeli military occupation”, “Israeli settler-colonialism” or “Israeli apartheid” reflect different ideological perspectives. Beyond the level of rhetoric, these terms also signify different legal frameworks and therefore differing obligations for Israelis and Palestinians. While it is important to determine the accuracy of the report, equally important is understanding the term “apartheid” and the implications of defining the situation as such. Origin of the term ‘apartheid’ The word “apartheid” first
Does terminology matter?
gained currency as an ideology and political tool promoted by the National Party government in South Africa, under which they won the 1948 general election. The term is translated from Afrikaans, meaning “apartness”. It promoted the separation of different racial groups. Apartheid initially purported to “enable the equal development and freedom of cultural expression” and allow the groups to “run their own affairs”. But in practice the system privileged the white minority and discriminated against Native (Black), Coloured and Indian people. Apartheid was based on Afrikaner fear that their way of life would be threatened by the “rising tide of colour”. The system aimed at reducing the power of non-whites by separating them from each other and dividing the Black population along tribal lines. Legislation imposing racial segregation had been enforced since the mid-1850s. But the overt ideology of the National Party was not enforced until 1950. This was when the Population Registration Act detailed the basic framework for apartheid by classifying all South Africans by race. Until the end of apartheid in the early 1990s,
a system of laws ensured the separation of the races and the discrimination of nonwhites. An international crime Since 1962, the UN general assembly annually condemned South African apartheid as contrary to the UN charter. But it was not until 1973 that the UN declared acts of apartheid as constituting a crime under international law, through the Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid. In 2002, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court included the crime of apartheid as a “crime against humanity”. This is understood as comprising “inhumane acts … committed in the context of an institutionalised regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group”. So, although the term “apartheid” originated in South Africa and the international legislation was first formulated in response to the situation in South Africa, the crime detailed under international law is intended to apply to other situations. Other countries have thus been accused of employing practices that amount to the crime of apartheid, including China and Saudi Arabia. Human
Despite apartheid becoming a universal legal term, discussions arising from the Human Rights Watch report and earlier accusations of Israeli apartheid often centre on whether the term is relevant beyond the case of South Africa. Those who apply the term often cite similarities to South African apartheid and those who reject the term highlight the differences. In many cases, the term is used as a rhetorical tool to emphasise the severity of abuses committed, and to rouse opposition to emulate that of the anti-apartheid movement. Others reject such accusations and use the term “Israeli-Palestinian conflict”. This implies there is a twosided conflict that can only be resolved through negotiations between both parties. In South Africa, the issue was not about denying whether there was a policy or system of apartheid. The debate focused on whether those who were racially different should have the same rights. The terminology used is not only a matter of rhetoric, it determines the legal framework governing the situation. Under current International Law, the West Bank, Golan Heights and East Jerusalem are defined as Occupied Territories, under Israeli military occupation following the war in 1967. Laws of occupation are drawn from the law of international armed
conflict. This legal framework seeks to balance the security interests of the occupying power with the interests of the local population until a solution is reached. The consequences, as explained by legal scholar Eyal Benvenisti, are that “at the heart of all occupations exists a potential – if not inherent – conflict of interest between occupant and occupied”. It is the occupying forces, however, that have the power to decide where the balance lies. Hence, much of the opposition to military occupation is about redressing the balance and protecting the rights of the occupied population. Other considerations and issues arise if the framework is defined differently. Defining the situation using the legal term of “apartheid” points the finger solely in one direction, accusing one party of not only being unlawful but of committing a crime against humanity. It removes the symmetry stemming from the term “conflict” and the justifications of “reasonable” or “proportional” acts that stem from the legal framework of occupation. Terminology matters. And yet, does terminology matter to those who face discrimination and daily abuses of their rights? Whether apartheid, occupation or conflict, unless concrete action is taken to resolve the situation, it seems the question still remains that of who deserves rights, who does not, and who gets to decide. This article originally appeared in The Conversation
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Ravensthorpe Community Centre are Community Champions Ravensthorpe Community Centre (RCC) was set up in 2000 by Mr Abdul Aslam, as an independent charity to run a community facility. Since then it has gone from strength to strength by expanding the space available for activities and delivering its own services. Our services are divided into 4 segments, childcare and parents, adults, health and wellbeing, and general community projects which promote cohesion and civic action. We deliver a culturally appropriate service mainly but not solely for Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people and those with learning disabilities. Our service takes into account these cultural needs such as dietary requirements, language issues and understanding of learning disabilities in the local community. We operate a selfsustaining community café which offers affordable healthy cooked meals and awareness around healthy lifestyles to combat high rates of obesity and coronary heart illnesses. Community Champions Ravensthorpe Community Centre has secured funding to become Community Champions. We want to increase outreach, engagement and communication with residents who are more at risk of COVID-19. Working with trusted local voices we
Zahraa Ahmad, Community Champion coordinator at Ravensthorpe Community Centre
want to build confidence in community testing, the free vaccination programme and help our communities better understand and address vaccine hesitancy with a collaborative and community-based approach. We have employed 9 Community Champions, to work within the Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe, Saville Town and West Town areas. Our volunteers are from a diverse cultural background, namely Kurdish, Pakistani, Romanian, Hungarian and Afghani, thus ensuring the information about the importance of Covid vaccinations can be interpreted into different languages. The aims of the Community Champions are to: l Talk to people within the community, about the covid vaccine and address hesitancy and misinformation.
l The Community Champions will share relevant information with target groups through appropriate communication channels such as leaflets, posters, social media and in person. l The Champions will try new approaches and make recommendations to encourage uptake of the covid vaccine and community testing.
There has been a lot of information in regards to the vaccines as to whether they are permissible from a religious context. These issues have been addressed by the Imam of the Leeds Grand Mosque, and other religious scholars, who have confirmed that the covid vaccine is permissible and beneficial to aid recovery and as protection from infection. Other concerns have included, the side effects of
the vaccine, concerns around infertility, and the overall safety of the vaccine. Our Community Champions are on hand to listen to concerns and provide helpful guidance and information to those who need it. Abdul Aslam, Chief Executive of Ravensthorpe Community Centre, said; “I’m so pleased that we’ve been able to take on this vitally important piece of work which aims to increase vaccine take up and ultimately protect our communities. Our Champions are working extremely hard to make sure that everyone has the correct information about COVID-19 and the vaccine programme. “With over 200,000 people having taken the vaccine in Kirklees it really shows just how well it is being received. I hope our work will help increase that number over the coming weeks and months.
“If you need further information about the vaccination programme or if you think you can help us spread the message then please do get in touch.” Dr Muhammad Javed Khan who is a GP and partner at Mount Pleasant Medical Centre, Batley and Earlsheaton Medical Centre Dewsbury states that, “These are challenging and unprecedented times and we have been overwhelmed by the response from our patients in booking vaccinations promptly. The vaccine is important in saving lives and I strongly urge those in need to consider the free vaccination. It is the only way our society can get back to normal.” To contact Ravensthorpe Community Centre about the work of the Community Champions please contact info@rccl. org / 01924 510030.
These are challenging and unprecedented times and we have been overwhelmed by the response from our patients in booking vaccinations promptly. The vaccine is important in saving lives and I strongly urge those in need to consider the free vaccination. It is the only way our society can get back to normal
DR MUHAMMAD JAVED KHAN GP AND PARTNER AT MOUNT PLEASANT MEDICAL CENTRE, BATLEY AND EARLSHEATON MEDICAL CENTRE DEWSBURY STATES
Ravensthorpe Community Centre info@rccl.org 01924 510030. Ravensthorpe Community Centre Ltd
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Labour remains in no overall control BY TONY EARNSHAW | LDRS Reporter
Ramsay polled 2,259 votes to secure the ward for Labour following the de-selection of Cllr Gulfam Asif.
Kirklees Council is still under no overall control after Labour failed to gain enough seats to build an outright majority. The balance of power is now Labour (33), Conservatives (19), Liberal Democrats (9), Greens (3) and Independents (5). It followed 72 hours of voting, verification and counting during which 118 candidates contested 25 seats across 23 wards.
In Almondbury Conservative Bernard McGuin saw off a challenge from the Lib Dems with a majority that leapt from just 60 to 1,363. He said he fought the election on multiple local issues including concerns about losing green belt to housing, the controversial closure of Almondbury Community School and the ongoing furore about Castle Hill.
Huddersfield Town Hall
There were some surprises during the course of Saturday’s count. Labour group leader Shabir Pandor – who also leads Kirklees Council – retained his seat as did Green group leader Andrew Cooper and Independent group leader Charles Greaves. But senior Labour councillor Graham Turner, a member of the decision-making Cabinet, lost his Denby Dale seat to Tory challenger Tim Bamford. Cllr Pandor said he was ”really gutted” to lose a colleague with the experience and status of Cllr Turner but that he was not overly disappointed with the overall result. “We have lost a councillor and gained two others. However, our votes have gone down. “Locally we have a very clear plan and manifesto in Kirklees, and we are investing hugely. “The question is now what is the national focus?” Cllr John Taylor for the Conservatives said the result in the district showed that the public wants “change in Kirklees.” He added: “We are really pleased that we have increased the number of Conservative councillors and that the Conservative vote
Independent group leader Charles Greaves kept his seat in Holme Valley North with a majority of just 113 votes. He thanked voters for “putting their trust in me” and said there were some exciting projects “in the pipeline”.
Andrew Cooper Mayor
Clr Charles Greaves
Cllr Shabir Pandor
was up to 38 per cent across the borough against Labour’s 35 per cent.
respectful way of working among the parties.
forward to rolling up my sleeves and working with our local MP Jason McCartney to tackle local priorities.”
“I’m looking forward to working with other parties in changing Kirklees.” With Labour lacking an overall majority the Greens’ Andrew Cooper said it was time to begin a conversation with other parties. He said: “They have to ask themselves serious questions about their leadership and about how they can work in a constructive manner with other parties. “They have to learn to listen, not just to other parties, but more generally to the public.” Those comments were echoed by Lib Dem group leader John Lawson, who said: “Before Labour had a majority Kirklees had been in no overall control for some years and there had been a
“It’s up to Labour, having lost their majority, to approach the other parties and find a way of working together for the benefit of the residents of Kirklees.” He added: “I would hope that now would be the time to improve transparency in the running of the council.”
There were some big majorities for Labour. In Greenhead Sheikh Ullah polled 3,003 votes and in Crosland Moor and Netherton Manisha Kaushik took 2,490. In Dewsbury South Jackie
He added: “It’s good to win but clearly we need to get out and convince those other residents that independents are the right choice. We need to prove ourselves.” With Tracy Brabin resigning as MP for Batley and Spen and winning her seat for West Yorkshire Mayor the election period isn’t over for Kirklees as there will soon be a by-election for the position of MP for Batley and Spen. Watch this space.
Tory newcomers to the council chamber include Adam Gregg, who took Lindley from the Lib Dems’ Richard Eastwood, and Melanie Stephen, who held the safe seat of Liversedge and Gomersal after party colleague Michelle GraingerMead stepped down. Mr Gregg, an assistant to Dewsbury MP Mark Eastwood, said he was “absolutely honoured and delighted” to be elected and thanked his local team for their support. He added: “I am looking
Kirklees election 2021 Vote verification Cathedral House image LDRS wide
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ASIAN STANDARD / KIRKLEES
Winner of our Ramadan
@ASIANSTANDARD
&
PUZZLES Crosswords CROSSWORD Across 1 Scorch (4) 3 Ball from spin-bowler (3-5) 9 Ignorant, non-cognisant (7) 10 Place of burial (5) 11 Hearten (5) 12 Artificial waterways (6) 14 Be ready for (6) 16 Chillier (6) 19 Agree (6) 21 Attendants (5) 24 Hire agreement (5) 25 European language (7) 26 One of the Channel Islands (8) 27 Rip (4)
Penny the prayer bear competition. We set a competition during the month of Ramadan for our little ones to write in to us with their experiences of Ramadan during Covid. Twelve-year-old Hina Hussain wrote in and has won our hearts with this lovely account of her Ramadan experience. Congratulations on winning our competition Hina and we hope you and your family have a lovely Eid. RAMADAN IN COVID
Spot the
5
Down 1 Place for worship (8) 2 Proverb (5) 4 Violent (6) 5 Start (5) 6 Made possible (7) 7 Leg joint (4) 8 Material (6) 13 Captive (8) 15 Desecrate (7) 17 A child who has lost both parents (6) 18 Sea trip (6) 20 Unsoiled (5) 22 Artfulness (5) 23 Work hard (4)
differences
My experience of Ramadan in covid has been different and unusual. It’s hard to pass time when you’re stuck at home! Inshallah may Allah make it easy for us all. At school we social distance and wear masks. Because of corona virus some people have to eat in our classroom, which makes it harder to fast! The last hour till iftaar is always the hardest, and the time goes sooo slow! We can’t invite our friends or family over for iftaar. I just cannot wait for Eid when we can all eat together and have fun! Now, to finish it off I have made a poem ... I wake up for sehri to keep my fast, And I eagerly wait for Iftaar to open it at last! Then I wake up at 7:00 to go to school and study hard, At lunchtimes I sit in the class and make my Eid card. It’s a pain to social distance, May Allah give us all guidance. Everyday we read salah at home, Sometimes it’s nice to reflect and be alone! Ramadan is a time to focus on your prayers and Quran, Special time to concentrate and earn rewards as much as you can! ANSWERS SPOT THE 5 DIFFERENCES 5. The net on the plane. 4. The wheel of the plane. 3. The logo on the sneakers. 2. The press card on his chest. 1. The buttons on the coat.
By Hina Hussain Age:12 West Yorkshire
CROSSWORD ANSWER
21
ASIAN STANDARD / KIRKLEES
@ASIANSTANDARD
RECIPE
PATELI KE KABAB INGREDIENTS
METHOD
800 gm. boneless mutton cut in half inch bits 200 gm. kidney and liver cut in half inch bits 50 gm. ginger garlic paste 150 gm. raw papaya paste 100 gm. white onion paste 100 gm. brown onion paste 150 gm. desi ghee 25 gm. yellow chili powder 25 gm. coriander powder Salt to taste salt 25 gm. garam masala 10 gm. black pepper powder 50gm roasted Chana powder 100 gm. curd 1 gm. saffron 30 gm. poppy seeds paste 10 gm. cashew paste 10 gm. chiroli paste 10 gm desiccated coconut powder 2 ml kewra 4 pcs clove 6 pcs green cardamom
1.Take a wide bowl, put washed mutton, kidney and liver cubes add ginger garlic paste, raw papaya paste, white onion paste, curd, coriander powder, yellow chili powder, gram masala, black peeper powder, salt and brown onion. 2. Blend well with the help of both hands, keep in a cool place for 2 hours. 3. Take a pateli(lagan), put on heat add ghee, then clove and cardamom, after roasting put the entire marinated mutton, add some amount of water, roasted Chana powder and stir vigorously. Put on medium flame, cover it for almost 15 minutes. 4. After 15 minutes, remove lid when the mutton is almost done. Now add cashew, almond, chironji paste, desiccated coconut powder, and poppy paste. Again blend it with a ladle and cook (bhuno) until oil come. 5. Now add saffron water and kewra water, stir 2-3 times and close the lid and remove from the flame immediately. 6. Garnish with coriander leaves. Have with romali roti or paratha.
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‘DELICATE NEGOTIATIONS' ON TO MOVE CL FINAL TO BRITAIN "Delicate negotiations" are taking place about moving the Champions League final to Britain, government minister Michael Gove has said. Premier League sides Manchester City and Chelsea are scheduled to face off in the showpiece fixture on May 29, with Istanbul the destination for the match. However, doubts about the Turkish city's ability to host the game were left in serious doubt after the British government placed the nation on its country's travel "red list", reports DPA. This week, UEFA said it remained committed to staging the game in Istanbul, despite the country being under coronavirus lockdown until May 17. UEFA also said it intended to operate with reduced fans in attendance at the Ataturk Stadium, but the new British government
rules mean City and Chelsea fans travelling for the game would have to quarantine in government-approved hotels when returning home. There had been suggestions that Britain was ready to step in to play host, although with Wembley also currently scheduled to hold the Championship play-off final the same day it remains to be seen if the national stadium is a viable alternative. However, reports suggested the English football league (EFL) is open to moving all three of its playoff finals to allow Wembley to host the Champions League final Gove confirmed plans are being discussed over moving the destination of the game, telling Sky News "There are delicate negotiations that are going on at the moment. "My friend, my colleague, the culture secretary Oliver Dowden, is talking to people about
this at the moment, and so I don't want to cut across that." Turkey's red list status, which is effective from May 17
HAPPY TO SCORE GOAL AGAINST MAN CITY, IT HAS BEEN TOUGH SEASON: ALONSO Chelsea's wingback Marcos Alonso has said that he is happy to score against Manchester City in the Premier League as it has been a tough season for him. Alonso scored the game sealing goal against Manchester City on Saturday as the Blues registered a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium. "I'm very happy, especially because it's been a tough season. I do my best every time I play to put pressure on the manager and try to play more. That's what I want and I think every time I play I've done well so that's what I need to keep doing," Alonso told the club's official website. "With the goal, it was very emotional and I'm very happy for that," he added. In the match between Manchester City and
Chelsea, Raheem Sterling opened the scoring for Pep Guardiola's side but Hakim Ziyech and Alonso helped Chelsea register a 2-1 victory. Alonso has made an appearance in 16 games
across all competitions for Chelsea and he now has two goals to his credit. Chelsea is currently at the third place in Premier League standings with 64 points from 35 games.
and will not be reviewed for three weeks, would also add significant complications for players returning to Britain
before linking up with their national teams for Euro 2020 and the Copa America, unless exemptions can be
secured. Both international tournaments begin on June 11, 13 days after the Champions League final.
REGISTERING FOUR WINS WILL BE ENOUGH FOR US TO SECURE UCL SPOT: KLOPP Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes that if his side manages to win its remaining four matches in the Premier League, then they will be able to secure a spot in the Champions League. Klopp's remarks came as Liverpool defeated Southampton 2-0 on Saturday. The Reds are currently at the sixth spot in the standings with 57 points from 34 games. "Yes. If we do that, I think it will be enough. But that is a big if. We play on Thursday, Manchester United. I know they play Tuesday and Thursday and have a busy schedule, but they have a squad they can make changes," Klopp told Sky Sports. The top four sides in the Premier League standings attain qualification for the Champions League and Liverpool faces an uphill task to finish in the top four. "It is not good for them to play three games in a week. It is crazy. And all the other games we will see. If West Brom are still fighting, Burnley maybe. All teams have targets and if they
don't have them any more as they have reached them, they can play with freedom and that is not nice as well," said Klopp. "We will have pressure as long as we win," he added. Liverpool are currently six points behind Leicester in fourth with a game in hand, and wins over
Manchester United, West Brom, Burnley and Crystal Palace will help Liverpool present a case to finish in the top four. Liverpool's next three games are away at United, West Brom and Burnley and they will finish their season at home against Crystal Palace.
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WORLD ATHLETICS CHIEF COE BELIEVES OLYMPICS WILL BE HELD World Athletics (WA) president Sebastian Coe said here on Sunday that the Tokyo Olympics will be held as "a beacon of hope and optimism" despite the worsening Covid-19 situation in the host nation. "I think that it will also act as a beacon of hope and optimism in a world that I hope is soon moving back to some type of normalcy," said the Brit, who arrived here five days ago for his second visit to Tokyo in six months. "I think that these Games will leave a strong lasting legacy, not just for Japan but at a time when the world is coming to terms with some pretty difficult and harrowing months.” Coe, who was the president of the London 2012 Organising Committee, held a press conference at the Olympic Stadium in central Tokyo before watching the athletics test event at the venue. The event, the last
track and field event that will be held at the Olympic Stadium before the Games open on July 23, was held without spectators and featured 420 athletes. And only nine of them were travelling from overseas, including American sprinter Justin Gatlin, who won the men's 100 metres gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the silver in the same event in Rio five years ago. The Japanese government on Friday extended the state of emergency over Covid-19 in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and
Kyoto until the end of May while expanding it to Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures. But Coe was optimistic about the success of the
HAMILTON OVERHAULS VERSTAPPEN IN RACE-LONG BATTLE An incredible, tense race-long battle between Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton saw the latter triumph on Sunday for his sixth Spanish Grand Prix win. The reigning world champion brilliantly executed a two-stop strategy to claim his third win in four races this season, as Verstappen finished ahead of the second Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas. Verstappen led the majority of the race after brilliantly snatching the lead from Hamilton into Turn 1 at the start, with Red Bull then committing to a one-stop strategy around the Circuit de BarcelonaCatalunya, as Hamilton opted for two. But with six laps to go, Hamilton used the superior performance of his newer tyres to pass the Dutchman into Turn 1 and check out for his 98th victory, and fifth straight win at the circuit - Verstappen ultimately deciding to pit for softs once Hamilton
was past and go for a consolation fastest lap, which he duly got. With Hamilton and Verstappen having been in a class of their own in Spain, Bottas came home a distant third after his own race-long battle with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who overcame Ferrari's 2021 race pace woes to take an excellent fourth, while Red Bull's Sergio Perez put in a solid recovery drive from P8 on the grid to take fifth. McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo drove arguably his strongest race of the year to take sixth, ahead of home hero Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari. Lando Norris in the second McLaren had an off-key afternoon but still managed P8 - the first time he's finished outside of the top five this season - with Alpine's Esteban Ocon and AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly rounding out the final points-paying positions. But after his 100th pole position on Saturday, it was Hamilton who once again demonstrated his class in Catalunya to deny Verstappen once again, and moves 14 points clear at the top of the drivers' standings.
Games, saying that athletes are all looking forward to competing in Tokyo. "I speak to the athletes all the time. I am consistently bowled over
by the way they are dealing with, by the day, some of these restrictions and some of these added challenges. The vast majority of athletes
I speak to wanting to get into the Games understand that it will not be the type of games they've experienced before."
10 - 16 MAY 2021
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‘DELICATE NEGOTIATIONS' ON TO MOVE CL FINAL TO BRITAIN
WORLD ATHLETICS CHIEF COE BELIEVES OLYMPICS WILL BE HELD
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PUREWAL TWINS: PUNJABI PRIDE OF THE NORTH EAST
Image: PA
Amar and Arjun Purewal have become the first British South Asians to face each other at Wembley for north-east rivals Hebburn Town and Consett AFC in the recent FA Vase final. The 31-year-olds are well known in the region having played at the likes of Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Blyth Spartans, Whitby Town and Durham City between them. It was a moment to savour for the Sunderland twins with centre-back Arjun leading his side out at the home of English football as Consett captain. Consett took a deserved 18th-minute lead through Ali Alshabeeb before an unforgettable moment for Amar, who calmly slotted home an equaliser for the Hornets. Arjun was seen slapping the
Purewal twins as kids
pitch in frustration after seeing his twin brother score. Hebburn went 2-1 down, but levelled a few minutes shy of half-time before Oliver Martin completed the comeback with a dramatic 83rd-minute winner for the South Tyneside club. Speaking to Sky Sports News after the game, Amar said: "To play at Wembley and win, and to be going home with the trophy is an absolute
dream come true, and this has been one of the best weeks of my life. "Of course, it's a little bittersweet because I'm gutted for my brother. But I'm proud to score at Wembley, not many South Asians let alone Sikh boys have done that. It's a moment I will never forget. "It's also really devastating situation in India right now because of the pandemic, which is also really affecting people in this country who have family there. I hope what Arjun and I have done offers a
little bit of comfort, hope and inspiration for the future." Consett captain Arjun added: "Playing at was a fantastic occasion for us because we're not only brothers, we are best friends. Naturally, I'm disappointed not to be coming away with a winner's medal but I am really happy for my twin brother. "There is a much bigger picture here and that's giving and showing kids - particularly British South Asian kids belief that they can also make it in football.
"We need better representation at every level of the game. Amar and I are determined to play a more important part in this push, starting at home in the beautiful North East." Amar and Arjun were dubbed the 'Punjabi Pride of the North East' when they first made history as teenagers back in 2008 after becoming the first twins ever to score in the same FA Cup tie, netting for Bishop Auckland in a 3-2 Extra Preliminary Round win over Darlington RA.