Asian Standard London Issue 7 - 13 May

London Roars: Sadiq Khan Secures Historic Third Term as Mayor Eyes Labour Victory Nationwide!

By David Bass

Historic third term for Sadiq Khan as he becomes Mayor of London with a total of 1,088,225 votes, beating Conservative challenger Susan Hall, who was awarded 812, 397 votes – a lead of 275, 828 votes.

This means that Mr Khan was voted for by 43.8% of Londoners that participated in the elections – almost half. Speaking after the result:

“The message from this election in London is that it is time for Rishi Sunak to call an election.”

This year’s election is noted as using a new first past the post system to elect the new Mayor of London, with Londoners casting a vote for a single candidate.

Mr Khan gave an impassioned speech after the result was announced, promising his commitment to Londoners:

Continued on page 6

EMBRACING UNITY: A WEEK OF RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS AND SOLIDARITY

As the month of Ramadan draws to a close, heralding the approach of Eid for the Muslim community and Vaisakhi for the Sikh community, a spirit of anticipation and celebration fills the air. These religious festivals not only mark significant occasions in their respective faiths but also serve as reminders of the values of unity, compassion, and understanding that bind us all together in humanity.

Throughout the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world have engaged in fasting, prayer, and reflection, deepening their spiritual connection and strengthening their sense of community. Now, as they eagerly await the sighting of the new moon, preparations for Eid al-Fitr are underway. Homes are adorned with decorations, special dishes are being prepared, and gifts are exchanged in anticipation of the joyous day that marks the end of fasting.

Simultaneously, the Sikh community is gearing up to celebrate Vaisakhi, a festival that holds immense cultural and religious significance. Vaisakhi commemorates the establishment of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699 and is celebrated with vibrant processions, music, and feasting. It is a time for Sikhs to come together, reaffirm their commitment to their faith, and rejoice in the blessings of life.

Amidst the jubilation of these festivities, our hearts are heavy with the ongoing turmoil in Gaza. The suffering endured by innocent civilians is a stark reminder of the fragility of peace and the importance of standing in solidarity with those in need. As we celebrate Eid and Vaisakhi, let us also remember those who are facing hardship and adversity, and let us reaffirm our commitment to promoting peace and justice for all.

In the spirit of unity and compassion, I urge you to read Rana's story and support her appeal to bring her family to safety. In times of crisis, it is our collective responsibility to offer support and assistance to those who are vulnerable and marginalised.

As we embrace the diversity of our communities and celebrate our shared values, may this week of religious festivals be a time of joy, reflection, and renewal for all. On behalf of all our readers, I extend warm wishes for a happy Eid and a joyous Vaisakhi. May the blessings of peace, love, and prosperity be with you and your loved ones now and always.

Fatima Patel

TRENDING NEWS STORIES

Groundbreaking: Water

batteries with double energy capacity than lithium

lithium made by China

In a groundbreaking leap forward, Chinese researchers have pioneered a water-based battery boasting double the energy density of conventional lithiumion cells, heralding a new era of safer and more efficient power for electric vehicles.

Unlike their lithium counterparts, notorious for fire hazards, these aqueous batteries leverage water as electrolytes, significantly enhancing safety standards.

The cutting-edge iteration, powered by iodide and bromide ions, has aced rigorous testing, demonstrating remarkable performance with a battery life extension of up to 1,000 cycles.

With the added allure of potential cost parity with lithium batteries, these aqueous marvels emerge as a frontrunner

not only for electric vehicles but also for grid-scale energy storage. This breakthrough in battery technology not only promises to revolutionise transportation but also holds the key to overcoming significant challenges in renewable energy integration, propelling us towards a greener, more sustainable future.

Fancy a human library where you can borrow a person instead of a book?

Originating from Denmark, the groundbreaking Human Library has become a global sensation, spanning across 80 countries. Offering a captivating platform, it invites individuals to share their life narratives in intimate 30-minute conversations with eager 'readers'. This innovative library isn't just about books; it's about breaking societal barriers and fostering empathy. Visitors are welcomed into a safe space where taboo topics like retirement, mental health, and trauma are openly discussed. Through these encounters with diverse 'living books', profound connections are forged, transforming mere conversations into powerful catalysts for understanding and unity.

Ground breaking water battery

T. rex dinosaur not as intelligent as monkeys, reveals study

Dinosaurs like T. rex, previously thought to be smart, were not as intelligent as monkeys, as per study.

A study, published last year, claimed that dinosaurs like T. rex had an exceptionally

Canada took a closer look at techniques used to predict both brain size and neuron numbers in dinosaur brains.

The findings, published in The Anatomical Record, showed that the dinosaur's brain size as well as neuron counts had been overestimated -- especially that

histology, the behaviour of living relatives, and trace fossils.

"The possibility that T. rex might have been as intelligent as a baboon is fascinating and terrifying, with the potential to reinvent our view of the past," said Dr Darren Naish from the University of Southampton.

Japanese airport not lost a single luggage bag in 30 year history

As Kansai International Airport, a vital nexus serving Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto, prepares to celebrate three decades of uninterrupted service, it flaunts a feat that many American airports can only dream of: an impeccable record of zero lost luggage since its inauguration.

Since its inauguration in September 1994, Kansai International Airport has consistently earned accolades for its operational excellence and meticulous management. Yet, it's the airport's unprecedented success in baggage handling that truly distinguishes it from its global counterparts, offering invaluable lessons for those grappling with baggage woes elsewhere.

First CNG bike to be launched by Indian automaker

In a groundbreaking announcement last week, Rajiv Bajaj, the Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, revealed plans for India's very first CNG-powered motorcycle, set to hit the market by June. This revolutionary two-wheeler, slated to belong to the 100-125cc segment, signals a bold step towards catering to eco-conscious riders while revolutionising the nation's transportation landscape.

Designed with mileage-savvy consumers in mind, this upcoming bike promises not just efficiency but also versatility, boasting a

tank to accommodate both fuels, the operational costs are projected to be a mere fraction compared to traditional petrolpowered counterparts in the same engine range.

Bajaj underscored the pivotal role of government initiatives in bolstering the CNG infrastructure, a move that aligns seamlessly with the increasing demand for CNG vehicles, particularly in regions with burgeoning fuel accessibility.

With this bold leap into the future of transportation, Bajaj Auto aims to drive

Kenji Takanishi, a spokesperson for the airport, demystifies their secret to this sterling performance. He asserts that the

ground handling staff at Kansai International Airport are not extraordinary individuals but rather implement a robust system of redundancies, ensuring the foolproof delivery of every piece of luggage to its rightful owner's hands. This steadfast commitment to efficiency and reliability has cemented Kansai International Airport's reputation as a paragon of air travel excellence.

Kansai International Airport KIA

Man arrested 24 hours after rape offence is jailed Can you identify two suspects following violent robbery in Wembley?

Detectives are appealing for information following a violent robbery at an ATM machine in Brent.

A man has been jailed for rape after officers identified and arrested him less than 24 hours after the offence was reported to police.

Michael Chand, 46 (10.02.78) was previously found guilty of three counts of rape and one count of assault following a trial at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, 16 February. He appeared at the same court on Wednesday, 24 April where he was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of ten years.

Chand initially claimed that the victim had instigated the contact between them and pursued his company. By analysing phone data, officers

proved that this was a lie and helped build their evidence against him.

Detective Constable Cameron Crighton, who led the investigation, said: “Chand is a sexual predator who subjected the victim in this case to horrendous sexual and physical abuse.

“The victim showed incredible bravery by coming forward to police, providing a full account of what had happened and then reliving this by giving evidence in court. She is central to this conviction and we do not underestimate the strength it has taken for her to do this.

“We take all reports of sexual assault extremely seriously and encourage anyone who has been subject to such offending to come forward and speak to us.”

On Friday, 18 August 2023, a woman called police to say she had been raped by a man she had recently met.

She told officers she had met Chand less than a week earlier and struck up a friendship.

On Wednesday, 16 August Chand called the victim to come to his address in Acacia Gardens, N22.

He asked her if she found him attractive and when she did not provide the answer he wanted, he became verbally

abusive and angry.

He told her she was not allowed to leave the house and began hitting her and threatening to be violent towards her and others she knew.

The victim repeatedly told Chand she did not want to have sex with him but he continued to physically assault her before raping her on three separate occasions.

Following her report to police, detectives began an immediate search for Chand, who had left London.

On his return later the same day, he was arrested and taken into custody before being charged.

On Sunday, 31 March police were called to Ealing Road, Wembley after a 70-year-old man was viciously attacked whilst withdrawing money from a cash machine.

A man approached the victim from behind as he withdrew cash, assaulted him and knocked him to the ground leaving him unconscious. As the victim lay motionless, a woman stole his cash from the ATM before both suspects fled.

Police and the London Ambulance Service attended the scene, and the victim was taken to hospital where he was treated for his injuries, which included a fracture to the skull.

He has lost hearing in one ear as a result of the attack, and now has mobility issues which means he has had to stop work.

Detective Sergeant Muhamed

Ahmed from the Priority Crime Unit which covers Wembley said: “We have searched through many hours of CCTV and we believe we know who we are looking for - a woman can be seen in a fur hoodie with camouflage trousers hovering around the area where the ATM machine is. The same woman can then be seen speaking with another suspect, a man with a dark beard wearing a jacket with the hood up. The CCTV then later shows them both running away after the robbery.

“I am appealing to the public for help - if you know or recognise either of the suspects then please come forward to police. This was a premeditated attack which left an elderly man injured. I ask you to come forward by calling 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD5682/31MAR24. You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Robbery suspects

Michael Chand

Met Police

Met Police

MEET YOUR

London Roars: Sadiq Khan Secures Historic Third

Continued from cover

“It is the honour of my life to serve the city that I love, and I am beyond humbled right now. I would like to express my deep gratitude to my fellow Londoners, and I give my pledge to you by working tirelessly to deliver the fairer, safer, and greener London that you deserve.”

Mr Khan went on to describe the difficult times on the run up to the elections, where he faced adversity and Islamophobia:

“We answered fearmongering with facts, hate with hope, and attempts to divide with efforts to unite.”

Many are seeing his decisive victory in London, along with a strong showing across the country in the nationwide Mayoral elections, as a sure sign of a Labour government at the next general election this year.

Labour won all of the Mayoralties across England, with the notable exception of Tees Valley, which saw a win from Conservative Ben Houchen, who had received strong backing from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Mr Khan also spoke of his hopes of working with a Labour Government, and issued a challenge to the PM:

“It is time for Rishi Sunak to give the public a choice. It will not just pave the path to a new direction for our country, it will make the bold action people want to see a reality.”

Conservative candidate Susan Hall came in second. Making a speech following Mr Khan at the official vote result event, she commented:

“I have loved speaking to Londoners about the things that matter to them.

What matters to me is reforming the met and making London safe again.”

She continued:

“I will continue to hold Sadiq to account, to stand up for hard working family’s motorists and for women. I love London, and I urge Sadiq to try harder to make it better for all our sakes.”

The results also saw success for the Liberal Democrats. Coming in third place was Liberal Democrat candidate, Rob Blackie, who notably won their first constituency. He commented:

“We are absolutely delighted it’s the first time we have ever won a London constituency, we have won the Southwest constituency which covers Richmond, Kingston and Hounslow, there has been a big upsurge of votes in those areas.”

Despite her loss, Susan Hall also gained significant support from areas such as Bexley and Bromley, where she gained 111,216 votes.

Sadiq Khan will now embark on a historic third term in office and says that he looks forward to working under an impending Labour government.

Mr Khan’s decisive victory in London can

be put down to a range of factors – he is a strongly identifiable candidate in an election that suffered from voter apathy, along with London having traditional support for Labour – it is widely seen as a ‘Labour Town.’

I think it’s up to the politicians to inspire people to vote, by doing a good job, by being positive.

Rob

His campaign was also strongly backed by the Labour Party, and was effective in targeting vital issues, such as better public transport, clean air, and social cohesion. His personal ethnic diversity also reflects the proud diversity of the London community, which might boost his election appeal.

Despite strong support for Mr Khan, there was a consistent low turnout across all constituencies – averaging around 40.50%. This reflects the ‘voter

apathy’ which seems to prevail across the UK currently, the sense of being disillusioned with the Tories but without a credible alternative.

In one constituency for example, City and East, the turnout was 31.16%meaning that the vast majority of people didn’t vote at all.

Talking to Asian Standard, Liberal Democrat Rob Blackie gave his view that politicians need to do more to tackle this apathy and get people voting:

“I think it’s up to the politicians to inspire people to vote, by doing a good job, by being positive.”

Despite the lack of voters turning out for the election, many smaller parties did see an increased vote, and saw the

election as a success in building their support – demonstrating that there are many issues not represented by larger parties that still matter to Londoners. Zoe Garbett of the Green party also saw her votes as a success, talking with The Asian Standard, she commented: “I’m really positive about the 145,000 that came out and voted Green. People are responding to the positive vision that we are putting forward. I feel that we have really built connections with all communities around London, really listened to what people need, and I’m really excited to continue that work with people.”

One policy that seemed popular was her policies on public toilets:

SADIQ KHAN LABOUR

SUSAN HALL CONSERVATIVE PARTY

ROB BLACKIE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

Blackie, Liberal Democrat

YOUR MAYOR

Term as Mayor, Eyes Labour Victory Nationwide!

“Yes absolutely, and I think from being out myself everyone has a story about why they think they need public toilets on the tube, and I think that really resonated.”

I asked if she thought people are becoming more environmentally aware, reflected in the voting for the Green Party:

“I think that people want green policies. What we have been saying is that we can tackle the climate crises alongside the cost-of-living crisis, things like insulating people’s homes. I think that people want more green policies and that is what needs to be delivered by the Mayor of London.” Reform UK, campaigning under the slogan, “London deserves better” also did well, with candidate Howard Cox gaining 78,865 votes.

Talking with The Asian Standard, Mr Cox commented on Mr Khan’s win: “I’m disappointed, but I’m not surprised. What I’m campaigning for is to get as many people as possible from Reform UK onto the London Assembly. We need to challenge Sadiq Khan. He needs to be held to account. For the last eight years the Tories have had the chance to do that, allowing him to ruin London economically and to let knife crime rocket up under his tenure.

I don’t understand why people have voted for Sadiq Khan, making London congested, making it unsafe and not building affordable homes.”

The Social Democratic Party also saw an increase in voter support. The SDP lead a campaign focusing on an anti –woke agenda, with a strong stance on better policing, abolishing the ULEZ

and better housing. I talked to their candidate, Amy Gallagher:

“It’s a really positive result for the Social Democratic Party, we got many more votes than we did last time. I’m saddened that we have got four more years of Sadiq Khan, I hope Susan holds him to account through the London Assembly. But I think it’s a great day for democracy and I am really glad to have taken part.”

Femi Amin, of the Animal Welfare Party talked about the growth of her organisation:

“We had 29,280 and a higher percentage this year from the previous elections. That just shows that people care about animal welfare issues and that they care about biodiversity.”

Also, part of the voting system was the chance to vote for London Assembly members.

Someone who saw considerable success was Leonie Cooper, Labour London Assembly member for Merton –Wandsworth.

Ms Cooper commented:

“I’m absolutely delighted. We all stood as the Labour team with Sadiq Khan on a really strong platform of things that we presented to Londoners, particularly free school meals which don’t just help families which struggle to eat now, but they also address health issues. Long – term into the future, we talked about sustainable jobs, which helps families to have that life, we talked about addressing the climate emergency.”

Another notable factor in the elections has been the rise of the popularity of independent candidates, reflecting many people’s feelings of

disillusionment.

One leading independent candidate, finance expert Mr Tarun Ghulati, commented on his view of the system, which he feels is biased against independent candidates in favour of the main two parties.

“The voting system is a little unfair, skewed against independents. From the very start, I was on the ballot from March 29. It took nearly a month to get the 32 broughs to sign. That took a lot of time.

“From day one this was called a two-horse race. They only called four candidates onto the stage for any hustings, they did not call the independent candidates.

It’s very unfair, because unless they get to know you, they don’t always choose the best candidate.”

I also asked him for his view on voter apathy.

“People feel let down. They have been voting in the past, and change hasn’t happened.”

Another figure running as an independent candidate was Andreas Michli, who demonstrated the new ideas that independent candidates can bring.

He explained his stance on getting the capital’s population fit, to prevent health problems before they start and to relieve the NHS:

“I want to empower people to take

control of their own health, that’s something that I have done pretty much my whole life. It’s something I’m very passionate about. The way we are heading it to a state where people concentrate more on health care than actual health itself. We need to take a preventative approach rather than treatment after the fact.”

Finally, the legend that is Count Binface commented on his results – an amazing 24,260 votes.

“I personally am over the moon and several planets, because in the first past the post-election, I the earth capital, an alien has gained over 24,000 votes, and in the process, I have defeated Britain first!”

ZOE GARBETT GREEN PARTY

HOWARD COX REFORM UK

COUNT BINFACE INDEPENDANT

The Liberal Democrats have claimed third place in the London mayoral election, achieving their best result in 16 years

By Noah Vickers

The Liberal Democrats have claimed third place in the London mayoral election, achieving their best result in 16 years.

The party’s candidate Rob Blackie took the third place crown by a wafer thin margin from the Green Party – who had come third in the last three contests.

Mr Blackie received 145,184 votes – just 70 more than the 145,114 received by Green candidate Zoe Garbett.

Both parties were left with about 5.8 per cent of the vote, meaning that they both kept their £10,000 deposits. The Lib Dems had lost their deposit in the last three mayoral elections.

Labour mayor Sadiq Khan won with 43.8 per cent, while Tory candidate Susan Hall came second with 32.7 per cent.

Mr Blackie said: “I’m very pleased to have retained our deposit. We’ve increased our vote everywhere in London and [are pleased] to have got into third place for the first time in a long time.”

He admitted that Mr Khan’s repeated claim that the

Sadiq

election was a “two-horse race” seemed to have worked in winning over voters from smaller parties “to some degree”.

He said: “Sometimes people listen to that, because they were scared of the Conservative candidate, but people were also disappointed

Khan left his

in the mayor.”

The Green vote-share went down by two percentage points, as 2021 candidate Sian Berry previously received 7.8 per cent of first preference votes under the supplementary vote system. For this election and others going forward, the system was changed by the

Government to first past the post.

Green candidate Zoe Garbett said: “I think what we’ve seen is an impact of the first past the post system, but I’m really positive about the vision we were putting forward and how many people came out and voted.

“Sadiq Khan built his campaign around squeezing the Green vote, and I think he needs to listen to that, and the policies we were putting forward about addressing inequality, about the climate crisis, about addressing the cost of living crisis, need to be a priority.”

Tory opponent Susan

Hall

‘hanging’ on stage, after she tried to congratulate him on his re-election by shaking his hand

By Noah Vickers

Sadiq Khan left his Tory opponent Susan Hall ‘hanging’ on stage, after she tried to congratulate him on his reelection by shaking his hand.

Ms Hall, who lost out to the Labour mayor by over 275,000 votes, extended her arm after it was formally confirmed that he had defeated her.

But Mr Khan did not seem to see her at first, as he stared ahead at the crowd

of journalists and party campaigners who had come to watch the result declaration.

The Conservative candidate appeared to twice tell him “well done”, before he turned and shook her hand.

In his victory speech, the mayor did not pay tribute to Ms Hall or thank her in any way.

He did say however: “We faced a campaign of non-stop negativity. But I couldn’t be more proud that we answered fearmongering with facts, hate with

hope and attempts to divide with efforts to unite.”

He suggested that the Tory campaign consisted of “righthard-wing populism”.

Ms Hall could be seen shaking her head as Mr Khan promised to “always be a mayor for all Londoners”.

In her concession speech, Ms Hall congratulated the mayor on his victory, before saying that she hopes he will make tackling crime his “top priority”.

“He owes it to the families of

those thousand people who have lost [their] lives to knife crime, under his mayoralty,” she said.

She added: “I will continue to hold Sadiq to account, to stand up for hard-working families, for motorists and for women.

“I love London, and I urge Sadiq to try harder to make it better, for all our sakes.”

In percentage terms, Mr Khan received 43.8 per cent to Ms Hall’s 32.7 per cent. He is the first London mayor to win a third term.

Sadiq Khan

Green candidate Zoe Garbett, joined by assembly candidates at the launch of her mayoral campaign

Lib Dem mayoral candidate Rob Blackie

Noah Vickers-Local Democracy Reporting Service

Andrew King Photography

Wikipedia

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE 2024 LONDON ELECTION

Remembering Altab Ali: 46 Years On, His Legacy Still Fights Racism

By Iqra Ahmed

As the 46th anniversary of the tragic murder of garment worker Altab Ali approached on May 4th, his memory stands as a poignant reminder of the enduring struggle against racism and bigotry. In 1978, a 25-year-old Bangladeshi Sylheti textile worker, Altab Ali, fell victim to a racially motivated attack while walking home from work in East London. His death was not an isolated incident; it was part of a wave of violence targeting minority communities in the area.

Just weeks before Altab Ali's murder, 10-year-old Kennith Singh was fatally stabbed by racists in Canning Town. Tragically, the violence didn't end there.

Two months later, in June 1978, Ishaque Ali succumbed to heart failure after a brutal assault by racists in Hackney. These incidents underscored the pervasive racism faced by South Asian and Black communities in 1970s London.

To commemorate Altab Ali's memory and the struggle against racism, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets established an annual Altab Ali commemoration day on May 4th, starting in 2015. This initiative serves as a vital reminder of the importance of community cohesion and solidarity in combating racism.

In addition to formal commemorations, Altab Ali's legacy lives on through various educational initiatives and cultural tributes. "The Fight for

Equality," an innovative online education resource, and the short film "Altab Ali and the Battle of Brick Lane" pay homage to his role as a symbol of resistance against racism.

In recognition of his contribution to the fight for equality, St. Mary's Park in Whitechapel was renamed Altab Ali Park in 1998, alongside other

local landmarks bearing his name. However, the struggle against racism persists, with recent months witnessing a disturbing surge in racist hate crimes.

In response to this alarming trend, Tower Hamlets Council is organizing a series of workshops to combat fascism and honor the legacy of Altab Ali. These initiatives aim to

empower communities to stand united against racism and bigotry, echoing the grassroots mobilization that followed Altab Ali's murder.

Despite the progress made over the decades, the spectre of racism continues to loom large, with far-right groups targeting East London and the broader British Asian community. However,

as history has shown, the legacy of Altab Ali serves as a beacon of hope, inspiring defiance and unity in the face of adversity. Through collective action and unwavering solidarity, we can honour his memory by continuing the fight for a more just and inclusive society.

Visit here to find out more: http://bit.ly/44uEcm6

Altab Ali

Defiance Fighting the Far Right

Tower Hamlets community came together to pay tribute to Altab Ali

CLICK HERE TO SEE AN ALIENS VIEW ON THE 2024 ELECTION

Dua Lipa recalls how she went through '2 years of humiliation' over her dancing

Big B reunites with Rajinikanth for 'Vettaiyan': 'Honoured to be with the Thala'

MADHURI DIXIT'S

Celebrating the Eternal Reign of Bollywood's Dancing Queen

VIJAY DEVERAKONDA to star in RAVI KIRAN KOLA'S next

After 'Family Star', actor Vijay Deverakonda is all set to team up with producer Dil Raju for a new project.

On Saturday, director Ravi Kiran Kola took to his X handle and dropped a picture featuring himself, Vijay Deverakonda and Dil Raju.

The picture captured Vijay posing with Ravi Kiran Kola and Dil Raju.

Along with the picture, Ravi Kiran Kola captioned the post, "It's time for our Vicious Dynamite to be lit. It's time now, to make our vision a reality. @ TheDevarakonda. Let's wreck havoc, you and I. @SVC_official#DilRaju garu #Sirish garu . #SVC59 Together we WILL deliver a promising film. See you on 9th. Until next time.

KAREENA

The yet-to-be-titled film will mark the first collaboration between Vijay Deverakonda and Ravi Kiran Kola.

Meanwhile, Vijay Deverakonda is currently receiving appreciation for 'Family Star'.

Directed by Parasuram Petla, 'Family Star' marks the first collaboration between Vijay Deverakonda and Mrunal Thakur.

The film revolves around Govardhan (played by Vijay Deverakonda), a middle-class man devoted to his family's happiness.

Produced by Dil Raju, this multilingual release (Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi) was released in theatres on 5 April, 2024.

KAPOOR

KHLOE KARDASHIAN reveals that

she's

open to dating women

Actor Vidya Balan is currently enjoying success with her latest film 'Do Aur Do Pyaar'. On receiving praise from the audience over her role in the film, Vidya took to Instagram and expressed gratitude.

"I am really excited by all the love we have been receiving for 'Do Aur Do Pyaar'. Thank you so much. My heart is full of love, joy gratitude and smiles. Please spread the word.. please come and watch the film," she said in a video.

Directed by Shirsha Guha Thakurta and presented by Applause Entertainment and Ellipsis Entertainment, 'Do Aur Do Pyaar' was released on 19 April.

The movie, which also stars Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D'Cruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy, explores the intricacies of modern relationships.

In an exclusive conversation with ANI, the 'Parineeta' actress spoke about the importance of open communication in relationships.

"I believe every couple has their own unique mantra, but in my opinion, if we openly communicate with each other about everything, it can be very helpful," the actress said.

Discussing her relationship with her husband Siddharth Roy Kapur, Vidya Balan shared, "Siddharth and I discuss everything, if someone feels bad or gets angry, or if there's love, we express it honestly to each other, which is very important. Sharing everything is crucial for a couple. And spending a lot of time together, especially enjoying biryani together, is very important."

Vidya Balan and Siddharth Roy Kapur got married in Mumbai on 14 December 2012, following a few years of courtship.

appointed National Ambassador by UNICEF India; says children need a voice, like to be heard

Kareena Kapoor Khan is among the most popular names in Bollywood. Apart from being a reputed actor, she has also worked for social causes. Today, UNICEF India appointed her as its National Ambassador.

Kareena Kapoor has been associated with UNICEF India since 2014 and has worked on issues such as girls' education, gender equality, foundational learning, immunization and breastfeeding.

During the event, she talked about child care, the rights of children and nurturing their confidence.

"Every child deserves a right a right to safety, a right to gender equality, a right to education, safe environments, health and nutrition."

She said her being appointed as UNICEF India's National Ambassador, is a very special moment for her.

"I'm very honoured and very humbled to take on this position. I've worked tirelessly and worked very hard with all my heart. And now, finally, I'm joining them as a national ambassador. But of course, with that comes a huge responsibility which I accept with all my heart to ensure that every child through the corners of India, however vulnerable, wherever he is, whoever she is...I must include when I say every single child, I do not specify gender, I do not want to, voice or no voice, abled or disabled...I specify every single child I will work towards to give them their fundamental right...," she said.

"Every child deserves a fair chance to life, the first five years of their life being their foundation. Every child deserves

a childhood, the first five years, once again I repeat, being the most important and formative years. They deserve a right - a right to safety, a right to gender equality, a right to education, primary education, safe environments, health and nutrition. They basically deserve a fair chance at life itself."...

Kareena shared that being a mother of two sons, Taimur and Jeh, she has realized that every child "needs a voice"

"Of course, this role is most important, but the most important role I play in my life is being a mother to my two boys. And I always feel that children need a voice. They like to be heard. Whatever it is, whichever environment they're in, whether it's talking to their parents, talking to their peers, or talking to their teachers, they want to be heard. They want to feel like someone's listening to whatever they're saying, at whatever age, they just want to be heard. And that is something that I make a conscious effort of with my children is if they have a voice, we must, must hear them clearly," she shared.

The 'Crew' star emphasised the need to develop the child's confidence so that they can innovate new ideas and dream big in life.

"And nurturing their confidence. Because confidence gives them the ability to dream, ability to fly, ability to have ideas, to innovate, which they need because children are, they are the future. They are the future of our nation. So to have that, we must build their confidence. So that is also a fundamental right, which we have to do," she said.

"And by that, I mean engaging them in sports, drama,

painting, arts, reading, things like that, which we plan to do. And that's what I want. These two things are, I think, the most important thing in the formative years of a child, which I'm quite sure we're going to do in the coming years. And of course, I would like to say that it's been an absolutely tremendous journey, a decade together with UNICEF India," she added.

On the movie front, Kareena is currently basking in the success of 'Crew', in which she shared screen space with Kriti Sanon and Tabu.

Helmed by Rajesh A Krishnan, 'Crew' revolves around the journey of three working women set against the backdrop of the aviation industry.

The film also stars Diljit Dosanjh, Kapil Sharma, Saswata Chatterjee, Rajesh Sharma and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. In the coming months, she will be seen headlining Hansal Mehta's 'The Buckingham Murders'. She also has Rohit Shetty's 'Singham Again' in her kitty.

BIG B reunites with Rajinikanth for 'VETTAIYAN':

'Honoured to be with the Thala'

Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan and Tamil cinema’s iconic star Rajinikanth have reunited for the upcoming film 'Vettaiyan'. The shooting of the film is underway in Mumbai.

Big B took to his Instagram and shared a picture with Rajini as he expressed his delight in working with him again.

In the picture, shared by Big B, both actors can be seen dressed in sleek and stylish suits as they share a warm hug.

Big B penned a heartfelt note in the caption as he wrote: "I ’ m honoured and privileged to be with the Thala the Great Rajni again. He hasn’ t changed at all, the same simple humble down to earth friend despite his stratospheric greatness (sic)."

'Vettaiyan', which marks the reunion of the two of the biggest stars of Indian cinema after 33 years, was tentatively titled 'Thalaivar 170'. Big B and Thalaivar last

DUA LIPA recalls how

she

went through 'TWO YEARS OF HUMILIATION' OVER HER DANCING

Singer Dua Lipa has opened up about enduring "two years of humiliation" following criticism of her dancing and revealed that it wasn’t until her comeback with 'Future Nostalgia' that she regained her confidence.

The singer told the Guardian: "When people took that snippet of me dancing online and just turned it into a meme, and then when I won the best new artist Grammy and people were like, she’s not deserving of it, she’s got no stage presence, she’s not going to stick around. Those things were hurtful. It was humiliating. I had to take myself off Twitter."

She further explained, "The thing that made me the happiest -- performing and writing songs -- was also making me really upset because people were picking everything apart that I’d been working on, and I had to learn all that in front of everyone."

"In the public eye, I was figuring out who I was as an artist, as a performer. All that was happening while I was 22- 23 years old and still growing up. You have to build tough skin. You have to be resilient."

Lipa reflected on the duration of her struggle, stating, "(The humiliation lasted) until I finished writing 'Future Nostalgia' and did my first performance of 'Don’t Start Now', at the MTV Europe Music Awards. I want to say -- gosh, I don’t know -- two years."

"It never was like I couldn’t get out of bed because of what I thought people thought of me. I didn’t care to that degree. But that’s when it was most heightened for me."

Meanwhile, Lipa has released her third studio album titled 'Radical Optimism' and is set to headline Glastonbury later this summer.

Despite her success, she stated that she is "not surprised" because of her hard work, expressing more excitement about reaching such heights, according to media reports.

worked together in the Hindi film 'Hum', directed by Mukul Anand which was released in 1991. 'Hum' was a massive rage in the 1990s and a huge success. The film also starred Govinda, Anupam Kher, Kimi Katkar, Deepa Sahi, Shilpa Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa, and Kader Khan in pivotal roles. It is also remembered for its song 'Jumma Chumma De De'.

VARUN, JANHVI reunite with Shashank Khaitan as ‘SUNNY

SANSKARI KI TULSI KUMARI’ goes to floor

Bollywood stars Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor have started shooting for their upcoming film 'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari'.

Recently director-producer Shashank Khaitan took to the Stories section of his Instagram and shared a picture of the clapboard notifying his followers about the film’s shoot.

He wrote on the picture: "Day 1, Sincere gratitude."

Varun also shared the picture posted by his director on his Instagram

Even Karan Johar shared the picture, saying, "Only love for you, go make the best movie Shash."

'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari' marks Varun’s third collaboration with Shashank after seven years. It also marks the second collaboration between Shashank and Janhvi after her debut film 'Dhadak'.

Produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Shashank Khaitan, the film also stars Rohit Saraf, Sanya Malhotra, and Akshay Oberoi in key roles.

'Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari' is set to release in theatres on 18 April, 2025.

MADHURI DIXIT

Birthday special

From dancing queen to timeless icon: Celebrating Madhuri Dixit's legendary journey in Bollywood

By Milan Balu

In a realm where stars rise and fade with the flick of a spotlight, Madhuri Dixit stands as a timeless beacon of grace, talent, and enduring charm. As the world gears up to celebrate her birthday on May 15th, the air is filled with whispers of her illustrious journey, even though she may not be gracing the screens of ‘Heeramandi’ despite the recent buzz surrounding her rumoured (but ultimately false) appearance. Madhuri Dixit’s absence does little to dim the radiance of her legacy as Bollywood royalty.

Decades after her debut in an industry where trends change like the seasons, Madhuri Dixit continues

to hold a unique position in Indian cinema, captivating audiences with her grace, talent, and undeniable star power. Unlike many of her contemporaries, whose fame flickered and faded, Madhuri left a permanent mark in the hearts of audiences worldwide. Her ability to connect transcends generations, making her as relevant today as she was during her prime. This enduring presence begs the question: what sets Madhuri Dixit apart?

One key factor is her ability to maintain a strong fan following compared to many of her contemporaries. The 90s witnessed a constellation of talented actresses, but Madhuri Dixit carved a niche for herself. Her charm wasn’t limited to fleeting trends; it resonated with

audiences on a deeper level. Perhaps it was her infectious smile, her captivating screen presence, or the effortless way she embodied a variety of characters. Whatever the reason, her connection with the public transcended generations. However, to truly understand Madhuri Dixit’s legacy, one cannot ignore her prowess as a dancer. To witness Madhuri’s dance is to witness poetry in motion. Her fluid movements, expressive eyes, and impeccable grace have earned her the title of Bollywood’s Dancing Queen. From the sensuous ‘Dhak Dhak’ in ‘Beta’ to the mesmerising ‘Ek Do Teen’ in ‘Tezaab’. Her dance numbers have become iconic, etching themselves into the annals of cinematic history.

Madhuri's Anthem: A 90’s Icon Reborn

Released in 1993, "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" became an instant sensation. Its playful yet bold lyrics, defying societal norms and embracing female desire, resonated with the burgeoning youth culture fueled by MTV India. Madhuri’s dynamic dance performance further cemented the song’s iconic status. The song’s impact transcended controversy. It remains a Bollywood staple, even inspiring a 2024 remix by Diljit Dosanjh in the film ‘Crew’. Furthermore, the song’s portrayal of female sexuality continues to spark discussions, as seen in Karan Johar’s 2023 film ‘Rocky Aur Rani’. "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" stands

as a landmark for 90s Bollywood, perfectly capturing the era’s music, dance, and cultural shifts. Madhuri’s anthem continues to be a powerful symbol of female empowerment and a testament to the enduring power of great music.

Madhuri’s Iconic Courtesan Role

Madhuri Dixit has played several memorable roles throughout her career, but one that stands out is her illustration of courtesans. Her portrayal of Chandramukhi in ‘Devdas’ (1997) was a defining moment. Legendary choreographer Saroj Khan challenged her to express deep emotions in the iconic song “Maar Dala” showcasing her

acting alongside her dancing. Her subtle movements and expressive face perfectly capture pain, love, and longing. Elevated by Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s signature her performance was critically acclaimed and is considered one of her defining roles. This legacy continued in films like ‘Kalank’ (2019) where she echoed a similar sentiment in “Tabaah Ho Gaye”.

Aaja Nachle: Her Triumphant Return

After a five-year hiatus, Madhuri’s 2008 film Aaja Nachle was a dazzling return. Not only did it reintroduce her to a younger generation (Gen Z), but it solidified her status as a timeless icon. The film’s focus on dance, a longtime strength for Madhuri, provided the perfect platform for her to shine. While the movie itself received mixed reviews, critics universally praised Madhuri’s performance. Her captivating portrayal even earned her a Best Actress nomination, a testament to her continued growth as an actress.

Beyond her dancing prowess, Madhuri’s versatility as an actress is unparalleled. She effortlessly breathes life into every character she portrays. She brought warmth and vulnerability to romantic comedies like ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’ and ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’. She showcased her dramatic chops in films like ‘Mr. Majnu’ and even ventured into action with films like ‘Khal Nayak’, proving her willingness to challenge

herself. Her adaptability to seamlessly transition between genres showcases her depth as an artist and keeps audiences captivated, movie after movie. Despite being a global icon she remains grounded as a wife and mother. Madhuri has cultivated a reputation for having a stable personal life. Her marriage to Dr. Shriram Nene, a cardiovascular surgeon in 1999 was a

testament to her commitment to her family and her priorities beyond the silver screen. Ultimately, keeping her private life largely out of the limelight, has only added to her mystique and garnered respect from fans.

Today, at 57 Madhuri Dixit’s legacy only grows more profound. She is not merely an actress but a cultural icon, a symbol of timeless beauty, talent, and grace. Her influence extends far beyond the realm of cinema, shaping perceptions of

beauty, femininity, and success.

Whether it’s her iconic dance moves, memorable dialogues, or unforgettable performances, Madhuri Dixit’s imprint on Bollywood is indelible, her aura eternal.

Laapataa Ladies a nuanced portrayal that celebrates female empowerment without diminishing the potential for healthy partnerships.

Cast: Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Srivastav, Ravi Kishan, Chhaya Kadam and Satendra Soni

Director: Kiran Rao

Now showing on Netflix

Laapataa Ladies taps into a universal truth: the yearning for equality and independence that burns brightly within many women. The delightful feminist film directed by Kiran Rao, beautifully encapsulates this struggle. Set in the fictional rural Nirmal Pradesh in 2001, the film unfolds as a heartwarming journey of self-discovery for Phool and Jaya, two brides whose lives take an unexpected turn.

A chaotic train mix-up, fueled by the sheer number of couples marrying on an auspicious day, separates Phool (Nitanshi Goel) and Jaya (Pratibha Ranta) from their husbands. Their identical wedding veils conceal their face and identity, metaphorically and literally trapping them and only add to the confusion. Beneath the comedy of errors lies a deeper message as both women grapple with newfound independence, raised with the singular purpose of marriage and to serve their husbands.

This unexpected turn of events becomes a catalyst for change as they embark on a journey of self-discovery, searching for a new meaning in life beyond societal expectations.

Phool, innocent and trusting, and Jaya, street-smart and resourceful form an unlikely yet heartwarming alliance despite never meeting. As they navigate unfamiliar territory, they shed

there is strength in being alone, championing a newfound sense of independence. This journey becomes a subtle defiance against patriarchal norms that often define women's worth solely through marriage.

Rao doesn't shy away from critiquing the overemphasis on male validation and subtly sparks conversations about the importance of female autonomy, while also acknowledging the existence of genuine love between Deepak (Sparsh Shrivastav) and Phool. This creates a nuanced portrayal that celebrates female empowerment without diminishing the potential for healthy partnerships.

Laapataa Ladies is a film that stays with you long after the

the limitations society has placed upon them, their journey a testament to the resilience of the female spirit. This comedic twist of fate reminds us that strength can ignite in the most unexpected places.

The film transcends a simple feel-good narrative, celebrating the hidden talents and capabilities women possess. Through meaningful dialogue and inspiring characters like Manju Mai (Chhaya Kadam), who takes Phool under her wing, the film showcases that

credits roll and successfully delivers on its promise of a heartwarming and empowering story. The film's central question, “Whether Phool and Jaya find their way back to their husbands' ' becomes secondary to their journey of self-discovery. It leaves you reconsidering societal expectations and celebrating the power of female independence.

https://www.youtube.com/

FATTOUSH SALAD

Salads don’t have to be boring and we’re sure you will agree when you try out this Fattoush Salad recipe from Supreme. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

4 pita breads

60g rocket leaves

200g shredded romaine lettuce

15-20 radishes, sliced

1 small bunch of spring onions, finely sliced

½ cucumber, cut in half and sliced

2 large vine tomatoes, sliced

1 cup mint, chopped

1 cup parsley, chopped

Dressing:

¾ cup Zaytuna Olive Oil

¼ cup pomegranate molasses

2 tbsp sumac

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Salt to taste

½ tsp Supreme Coarse Black Pepper

½ tsp Supreme Chilli Flakes

Preheat the oven to 180°c. Spilt open pita breads so you have 2 ‘sheets’ per pita. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool then break into large bite size pieces. Add all the ingredients for the dressing into a jar. Close the lid and shake well. Add remaining salad ingredients onto a serving platter including the crisp pittas. Shake the dressing again and pour generously over the salad. Toss well so everything is coated well in the dressing and serve immediately.

Cyberflashing is now a criminal offence

By Professors Jessica Ringrose and Kaitlyn Regehr

In March 2024, a 39-year-old man became the first person in England and Wales to be convicted of the new offence of cyberflashing, part of the Online Safety Act. He had sent unsolicited photos of his genitals to a 15-year-old girl and a woman. Cyberflashing now being a criminal offence is a welcome change, and the creation of this offence was informed by our research.

But as researchers of young people’s use of social media, we have concerns that this is not enough to counter the widespread normalisation of image-based sexual harassment and abuse, including digital flashing, in youth culture. A significant problem is that young people rarely report that they have encountered this – and without reports, no convictions can take place.

In 2019, we researched cyberflashing interviewing 144 teens about their experiences of non-consensual sexual images on social media platforms. We followed this research up with a survey of 336 young people, carried out during the pandemic lockdown of spring and summer 2020.

Together, the interviews and survey data present a compelling picture of how widespread cyberflashing is among young people.

We found that 75% of girls from our qualitative interviews had received some form of unwanted male genital images or videos. One 14-year-old girl said: There was this guy on Snapchat, I didn’t know him but I thought my friend knew him, so I accepted this follow request and then on his story it was like who wants to see my big… you know, and then I saw like a text from him, because you know you do so I thought it was like a streak [an ongoing chat conversation], so when I pressed on it and it was a picture of his like dick […] I blocked him.

In our survey, we found that 37% of girls had been sent an

unwanted sexual image and of these 80% said it left them feeling “disgusted”.

The survey also found that young people rarely reported their experiences. Only 17% of the young people in our survey reported cyberflashing to social media platforms, 5% told their parents and just 2% reported it to school.

A 15-year-old girl explained in an interview that normalisation and acceptance of the issues plays a role in lack of reporting: [Young people] they think it’s normal … yeah, it’s normal, or they didn’t do anything, and that is sexual assault, but most teenagers don’t know that, so they don’t do anything about it, and they just leave it.

In our interviews, girls explained that while images from strangers were often upsetting, they felt better able to ignore or block such images than when they came from boys they knew. It was much worse for victims if the sender was in their immediate peer group at school. A 13-year-old said: “Yeah, if they go to the same school as you then you see them

every day, and it just reminds you of like what they did.”

In some cases, the harassment comes from boys the girls are close to. A 14-year-old said: I had a friend, yeah, and her boyfriend must have sent her a dick pic, and then he carried on trying to pressure her to send one, I feel that’s what happens the most, these boys try and pressure them like into sending it back, because oh I send, or oh if you love me you’ll send it back to me.

These “transactional dick pics” are a doubled form of harassment: girls are being cyberflashed accompanied by requests to send sexual content back. Our survey found that girls felt much more pressure to send nudes (44%) than boys (15%).

A new criminal offence is a good step, but it doesn’t sufficiently address the culture shift that is so desperately needed.

Recommended changes

More extensive privacy settings for social media sites would be a start, given our research

showed incidents of image-based sexual harassment and abuse from unknown adults as well as peers.

Sex education at school should also give young people the tools to understand harassment online and digital consent. The current updated government guidance on education regarding sharing nudes and semi nudes does include a footnote to our own online sexual harassment guidance. But the government document still does not adequately cover basic elements of image-based sexual harassment and abuse including cyberflashing, upskirting and AI deepfakes.

Parents and adults in the wider community need resources to help them understand and respond to tech facilitated abuse, including how to talk to young people about these issues.

We have produced lesson plans and resources for schools. In the evaluation report of these resources, young people, school staff and

parents had vastly improved their understandings of digital sexual violence and bystander interventions.

Schools need to take an approach that builds in understanding of the impact of trauma on young people. It’s also vitally important that boys are included in this discussion. Excluding boys and boys’ voices may push them deeper into misogynistic ideologies. Creating peer mentorship programmes and setting up youth discussion groups within schools around issues of digital consent are effective ways to shift attitudes.

A focus on education will help young people know their rights and give them the tools they need to stay safe.

This article originally appeared in The Conversation, contributed by Professor Jessica Ringrose of the Sociology of gender and Education at the Institute of Education, UCL and Associate Professor Kaitlyn Regehr in the Department of Information Studies at UCL

BURNOUT HITS PEOPLE WITH CREATIVE JOBS TOOHERE’S HOW TO AVOID IT

By Agata Lulkowska

Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion, usually related to your work situation. Paradoxically, the more passionate and responsible you are, the more likely you are to burn out since you’ll be unwilling to stop at times of being overwhelmed, not wanting to make others pick up the slack.

Ninety-three per cent of adults in the UK have symptoms of burnout, according to a mental health charity. It is a relatively recent standard of contemporary lives to spend most of our days working, not to mention commuting, raising children and taking care of your health, house, pets and belongings.

We’re also expected to have healthy and meaningful personal relationships that include family, friends and other acquaintances. And on top of that to be successful, mindful and find time for rest and hobbies. Not to mention getting eight hours of good sleep, while you exercise regularly and cook nutritious meals.

It’s a lot. And yet, we all constantly strive to keep up and improve, and many of us manage to do it for prolonged periods. But stability is a rare commodity, and once you reach the point where you seemingly get it all under control, something unexpected happens and you have to start over.

Some jobs escape the typical nine-to-five routine, such as artistic, creative or research careers that never reach the point where you can say you’ve done all you needed for the day. There is always another article to write, a film to make, a book to read, or a painting to paint. You simply don’t switch off at 5pm on Friday. Instead, you carry ideas and to-do lists with you even when you’re seemingly out of work. This can be exciting and rewarding, but it also requires a lot of energy and stamina. Creative jobs also carry a sense of uncertainty

about whether you will satisfy the expectations and deliver on time, and they often include a component of chance.

Managing that can be very energy consuming. But, according to psychologist Gloria Mark, the author of Attenion Span, there is only so much focus you can have at a given time. And creative jobs cannot be done on auto-pilot. It’s necessary to replenish your energy to be able to keep going and remain creative.

Recovering from burnout

While the reasons for burnout are pretty universal, recovery is more nuanced. What happens if there is an overlap between what pushed you towards burnout and what relaxes you? What if writing or producing video content is part of your job, but it is also what you love doing for fun? How can you reconcile the two and find the right balance?

There is no doubt the same

activity can be both a daunting chore and an effective therapy. What makes it different is the heaviness of responsibility and the fact that you “must” versus the lightness and enjoyment of the possibility of what you “can”. It is also to do with your personal versus societal expectations. Whenever possible, we should be doing things because we truly enjoy them, driven by intrinsic motivation rather than societal expectations and external promises.

It often boils down to affording yourself the comfort of slowing down, a rare commodity in our busy professional lives. Writing about overworking and “underliving”, journalist Celeste Headlee attests to the damage the “cult of efficiency” has done to our wellbeing, replacing the joy of play with a frantic race of neverending productivity.

In her revealing book Do

Nothing, Headle offers a refreshing alternative to the tyranny of business, inviting readers to reassess our priorities and reminding us that sometimes we can accomplish more by doing less. By investing in leisure and nurturing genuine human connection, by savouring your time rather than mindlessly chasing the impossible standards of hyper-productivity, we replenish our energy and get better at doing things more meaningfully.

The psychology of flow, conceived by psychologist Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi, also stresses the importance of unstructured and often unplanned events that inspire creativity and leaves you in a state of uninterrupted focus and enjoyment. But this cannot be forced and it’s not always attainable.

The bottom line is: listen to your body and mind and don’t

ignore the warning signs. If you feel constantly stressed and exhausted, it’s better to stop before it’s too late. A short break might be all you need to replenish your energy and motivation. Mindlessly pushing ahead because you “have to” is very shortsighted and will inevitably backfire.

Disconnect and do things you enjoy without the goal of achieving anything. Don’t expect any results and don’t be bothered by any expectations. Simply enjoy the pleasure of doing things for its own sake. Life gets so much lighter and more meaningful this way.

This article originally appeared in The Conversation, contributed by Agata Lulkowska

A senior lecturer in Film Directing and Producing at Staffordshire University

93% of adults in the UK have symptoms of burnout

South Asian Women from prejudice to

By David Bass

In the political landscape of the modern UK, diversity is not just reflected but embraced. Figures from 2023, show 66 ethnic minority Members of Parliament, 23 Conservative, 41 Labour and 2 Liberal Democrat. Their contribution is seen as vital to the UK in shaping policy and advocating for their communities.

However, this wasn’t always the case. It has taken years of campaigning and hard work to get to the current situation. One of the most difficult, yet inspiring of these stories of battling prejudice and outdated attitudes has been the journey of South Asian Women in UK politics.

Their journey is one of struggle against not just racism but also a range of obstacles: gender barriers, cultural traditions, a lack of role models and Party dynamics. To put things in perspective: the first male ethnic minority MP was elected in 1767, but it wasn’t until 2010 that Rushanara Ali and Priti Patel became the first South Asian women to hold elected office in the UK.

At this point it is important to mention a South Asian woman who, although not elected, was a trailblazer in their struggle for recognition: Pramila Le Hunte. 1983 was a difficult time for ethnic minorities in the UK. Margaret Thatcher was vocal with anti – immigration policies and rhetoric. The National Front was active with anti – immigrant stance. Some even still agreed with Conservative MP Enoch Powell’s infamous Rivers of Blood Speech.

At a time when most British Asians voted Labour, Pramila Le Hunt decided to run for office as a Conservative MP. This was unusual as at the time - Pramila explains: “Because who gave them independence? Clement Attlee (the Labour Prime Minister) who was against us? Winton Churchill. So Labour were deified from day one.”

However, Pramila saw things differently. “I joined the Conservative party in 1976 because I felt very strongly about my children’s future, and from very early on I decided to take on a political role rather than research or committee work.

She continues: "I think the first generation of Asian immigrants to

this country should also be settled well here in terms of pension, welfare and health care, for after all they were asked to come to Britain by employers looking for cheap labour. It is better to have an Asian voice persuading from within than protesting voices from outside," she added.

Although she did not get elected, her campaign generated a huge amount of media attention, which itself helped change attitudes and preconceptions of South Asian women.

Although Pramila certainly paved the way, it was not until 2010 that South Asian women were elected. What can account for this?

There are several factors: Legal Barriers: It must be

remembered that until the relentless efforts by the suffragette movement that women finally gained political representation and voting rights in the UK. Following women getting the vote in 1918, a separate law, ‘The Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act’ was passed allowing women to stand as candidates and be elected as MPs.

Cultural and gender roles are also a contributing factor. The dedication and focus that a political career demand has been a problem for all women: often facing the choice of sacrificing a family life for their chosen career. More traditional expectations of women in Asian culture to marry and have a family, to take on roles of caregivers and homemakers

has meant this decision is more difficult.

Another factor is the nature of traditional South Asian societies.

In past times they have been heavily patriarchal: they have been very male dominated with restrictive attitudes to women’s educational, employment and how they are represented politically.

Party dynamics has played a role: although women gained political rights in 1918, party selection processes meant that the number of women grew slowly.

In fact, it took 79 years before real progress was made – in the form of all women shortlists. To rectify the situation of low levels of elected female MPs, in 1997 Labour made the bold move of using all women shortlists for

candidate selection.

Although controversial, the policy worked – a total of 120 women MPs were elected in 1997, making up 18.2% of all MPs.

Although women were starting to really make progress in politics, it wasn’t until 2010 that the real breakthrough came in the struggle for female South Asians.

In 2010, Rushanara Ali and Priti Patel became the first South Asian women to hold elected office in the UK.

Rushanara Ali was the first British Bangladeshi to be elected to Parliament, elected to be the MP for Bethnal Green and Bow. She was the first of her family to go to university, gaining the honour of attending Oxford University where she

Pramila Le Hunt

Shutterstock

Women in Politics –to power

studied Philosophy, politics and economics.

Her political career saw her working on human rights issues at the Foreign Office and anti – discrimination issues at the Institute of Public Policy Research, and she also worked in the community cohesion unit at The Home Office. She also managed to be listed by The Guardian as one of the most powerful women in Britain in 2009.

Rushanara currently holds the role of Shadow Minister for investment and small business.

Her career demonstrates a commitment to human rights, progress and the benefits of diversity.

Priti Patel, a member of the Conservative Party, has been the Member of Parliament for Witham since 2010. She has risen to a high level in politics, serving as Home Secretary from 2019 to 2022.

Born in London to a Ugandan – Indian family, she went on to study at Keele University and Essex University. She says that she entered politics after being inspired by Margaret Thatcher.

Priti has also served as

Exchequer, Secretary to the Treasury and later as Minister of State for Employment. Her political career shows how a person of diverse background can rise to the highest levels of government and have an impact on national policies.

Today there is a range of South Asian females in politics, following the work of these inspiring South Asian women. Their contribution to the political landscape makes the UK a more diverse, inclusive place, that better reflects and serves its communities.

Priti Patel Rushanara Ali MP

Wikipedia Wikipedia

Political Profile: Dadabhai Naoroji –The Grand Old Man of India

By David Bass

Dadabhai Naoroji was the first South Asian Member of Parliament in the UK and is widely considered to be a trailblazer for both the plight of India under colonial rule and the representation of ethnic minorities in the House of Commons.

A political leader, scholar and writer, he produced groundbreaking literature on Indian issues of his time, and his election marked a milestone for diversity in British politics. He also an important figure in the Indian independence movement and a social justice pioneer.

His contribution to the representation of the plight of the people of India was even recognised by Mahatma Gandhi, who wrote to him Saying: “The Indians look up to you as children to the father. Such is really the feeling here.”

He was further honoured in 2014 when Nick Clegg, the then Deputy Prime Minister, inaugurated the Dadabhai Naoroji Awards for services to UK – India relations.

Although there had previously been an MP of Indian descent, David Ochterlony Dyce Sombre, Naoroji was born in India, and his impact has been far more profound. (David was removed from office due to allegations of bribery in the elections)

Born in Navsari, a southeastern Gujarat state in west – central India, to a Parsi Zoroastrian family on the 4 September 1825. Zoroastrianism is an ancient preIslamic religion originating from Iran.

His first political appointment was as the Dewan (Minister) to the Maharaja in 1874. He also published the newspaper, “The Voice of India”.

Naoroji came to London in 1855 establishing the first Indian company established in Britain. He went on to start several important organisations to represent and help the Indian people, including the London Indian Society, the East Indian Association. His main aim was to communicate Indian concerns to the British public, and to combat racist theories prevalent at the time.

Naoroji became Prime Minister of Baroda in 1874. Baroda, now commonly known as Vadodara, was at the time one of India’s richest states, with trade in diamonds and cotton.

British Political career

In the 1892 General Election, Naoroji made history with his appointment when he was elected for the Finsbury Central, marking him as the very first British Indian MP. He quickly became prominent providing a voice for the Indian people, and focused his efforts on improving their situation under

British rule.

Upon his election, his very first speech questioned Britain’s role in India.

Drain Theory

An important part of his legacy is, ‘Drain Theory’. Showing his deep understanding of economics and the plight of the Indian people, he highlighted the way in which British rule was draining money out of India, and the effect that colonial rule was having in terms of resources.

Key points of his argument were that India was India bearing the burden of empire building, and that India was effectively paying for both Britain’s Civil administration in India and the Indian army.

These ideas were illustrated in his book, ‘Poverty and Un – British Rule in India’, which is credited as influencing Mahatma Ghandi.

His Legacy

Naoroji is now often referred to as the “Grand Old Man of Indian Nationalism”, and his ideas are considered vital to the birth of Indian independence.

After his role as an MP, he went on to being elected as president of the Indian National Congress. He died in Bombay in 1917 at the age of 91. He is honoured with both a plaque commemorating him outside Finsbury Town Hall and an English Heritage blue plaque at his home in Bromley.

Dadabhai Naoroji was the first Indian born South Asian Member of British Parliament

Historic : Naoroji was elected as MP in the 1892 General Election for Finsbury Central

David Ochterlony was removed as MP for allegations of bribery during elections

Dyce Sombre - MP of Indian descent before Naoroji but not Indian born

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

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Across 1 Cuts the grass (4) 3 Italian bread (8) 9 Toy bears (7)

Automaton (5)

US cattle farm (5) 12 Educational establishment (6)

Reddish-brown hair colour (6)

Homicide (6) 19 Citrus (anag.) (6) 21 Conked out (5) 24 Reversal of direction (1-4) 25 Utter fluently (4,3) 26 Blood vessels (8) 27 Perceive bv touch (4)

Down 1 Fabric (8)

2 Make broader (5)

4 Be adama nt (6)

5 Accommodation on ship (5)

6 Popular newspaper size (7)

7 Busy little insects (4)

8 Shilly-shally (6)

13 Veracious (8)

15 Bunch of flowers (7)

17 Maintenance (6)

18 In short supply (6)

20 Male si n g ing voice (5)

22 Lying face downwards (5) 23 Castro's land (4)

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Premier League: Haaland scores four as Man City close gap with leaders Arsenal

Erling Haaland struck four goals in a sensational performance to lead Manchester City to a defining 5-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium, moving within one point of the Premier League summit.

The Norwegian was at his unstoppable best as he converted two penalties and an incredible header to seal a ninth City hat-trick before the half-time whistle was blown.

He then added the fourth eight minutes into the second period to restore City's three-goal advantage just moments after Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan had scored, reports the Manchester City website. Late substitute Julian Alvarez - making his 100th City appearanceadded further gloss to the scoreline with a fifth in the closing stages.

Pep

Guardiolaâ's side have now gone 20 league matches without defeat and, with a game in hand on leaders Arsenal, are just three victories from a record fourth successive top-flight title.

Earlier on Saturday, Arsenal registered a comprehensive 3-0 triumph over AFC Bournemouth at Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta's side temporarily moved four points clear at the top but Man City returned the gap to one point by beating Wolves 5-1 later in the day and have a match in hand.

After bossing the first half, Arsenal broke the deadlock on 44 minutes when Bukayo Saka netted his 20th goal of the campaign via the penalty spot after Mark Travers felled Kai Havertz. After the break, Leandro Trossard doubled the advantage to put Gunners firmly in control.

VAR was kept busy throughout and would disallow further efforts from Antoine Semenyo and Gabriel before Declan Rice added a late third to seal a fourth consecutive victory.

LaLiga: REAL MADRID assure title, Girona secure Champions League berth

Real Madrid confirmed as La Liga champions with four games left to play after they won 3-0 at home to Cadiz, while FC Barcelona lost 4-2 away to Girona.

Cadiz had slightly the better of a dull first half in the Santiago Bernabeu, but everything changed after the break.

Thibaut Courtois kept the score 0-0 after he denied Chris Ramos when the Cadiz striker was clean through on goal early in the second half, and almost immediately afterwards, Brahim Diaz put Madrid ahead. The attacking midfielder looked to be well-marked, but found space to control Luka Modric's pass and score in the bottom corner, reports Xinhua.

Diaz turned provider to set Jude Bellingham up for Real Madrid's second in the 68th minute and Joselu added a third with a tap-in in injury time.

That result left FC Barcelona needing to win away to third place Girona to delay Madrid's title celebrations, but Girona won 4-2 with a stunning second half display.

Barcelona got a perfect start

when Andres Christensen fired them ahead from outside of the penalty ahead in the third minute, but Girona equalized immediately when Ivan Martin crossed for Artem Dovbyk to head in his 20th goal of the season.

Xavi Hernandez's side retook the lead in first half injury time after the referee checked with the VAR to see if Lamine Yamal had been caught inside or outside of the Girona penalty area. The foul was on the line and Robert Lewandowski made no mistake from the spot.

Portu came on as a second half substitute and had been on the pitch for just two minutes when he equalised after an error from Sergi Roberto in the 65th minute.

Miguel Gutierrez's deflected shot two minutes later put Girona ahead and Portu then scored another wonderful volley in the 75th minute to give his side a win that lifts them up to second and assures them a place in next season's Champions League.

Rodrigo Riquelme's fourth minute goal gave Atletico Madrid a vital win away to Mallorca that preserves their six-point cushion

in fourth place and leaves Mallorca with work to do to ensure their top-flight survival.

In other matches, Real Sociedad assured they will remain in sixth place with a 2-0 win at home to Las Palmas, who have now lost their last seven matches.

Alex Suarez put Real Sociedad ahead in the 34th minute when he put Sheraldo Becker's cross into his own net and Becker doubled the lead with a 45th minute thunderbolt that went in off the woodwork.

On Friday night, fifth place Athletic Club Bilbao held on with 10 men for the last half hour and with just nine for 20 minutes to win 2-0 away to Getafe.

Two goals from Inaki Williams had set them on the way to what looked like a comfortable win, but red cards for central defenders, Yeray Alvarez and Aitor Paredes, left them defending deep as Getafe looked to level.

Unai Simon made several key saves, including a penalty from Mason Greenwood to maintain their cushion in the fifth place.

Women's T20 WC: India to open campaign against NZ on Oct 4; to face Pakistan on Oct 6

India will be opening its 2024 Women's T20 World Cup campaign against New Zealand on 4 October in Sylhet, said the International Cricket Council (ICC) while releasing the tournament schedule

India's highly anticipated match against Pakistan will be held on 6 October in Sylhet. India are in Group A alongside New Zealand, Pakistan, Qualifier 1 and Australia, who they will face on 13 October in Sylhet.

"I'm thrilled at the prospect of competing in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year. The growth of women's cricket over the past few years and especially Women's World Cups have been incredible. I am sure this event will be no different with competitive and high energy cricket to entertain the world," said Harmanpreet Kaur, India captain, in an ICC statement.

Group B comprises of hosts Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies and Qualifier 2. The 2024 Women's T20 World Cup will be held from October 3-20 in Bangladesh, the second time it is hosting the tournament after 2014.

Ten teams will play 23 matches over 18 days, at two venues - the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka and the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet. 2023 World Cup runners up South Africa will play England in the opening match of the tournament. It is followed by hosts Bangladesh facing Qualifier 2 in the evening match in Dhaka. Australia, the defending champions and the most successful team in the event's history, will start their campaign on 4 October 4 in Sylhet against Qualifier 1.

Top two teams from Group A and Group B will qualify for the semifinals, scheduled for 17 October in Sylhet, and 18 October in Dhaka. The T20 World Cup champions will be crowned at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on 20 October.

"We are thrilled at the announcement of the fixture schedule for the ninth ICC Women's T20 World Cup. For the country, it's an honour to host such a prestigious event, where our passionate fans can experience the best of international women's cricket firsthand.

"The event has the potential to galvanise the women's game not only in Bangladesh but also across the world. Our team has worked hard to improve, and playing in home conditions adds to our determination. We urge our fans to support us; their motivation fuels our performance," added Nigar Sultana, Bangladesh captain.

There will be 10 warm-up matches from 27 September to 1 October, all taking place at BKSP

in Dhaka. Qualifiers 1 and 2 for the mega event will emerge from the ongoing ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with the final being played on 7 May.

The winners of semifinal matches in the qualifiers between Sri Lanka, UAE, Ireland and Scotland will claim the last spots for the Women's T20 World Cup 2024. "We are thrilled to announce the fixture schedule for the ninth ICC Women's T20 World Cup. It will be great to have an ICC World Cup back in Bangladesh, a country with such a large and passionate fan base who will be able to enjoy an ICC event first-hand.

"We have seen the impact and success of each of the Women's World Cups over the last few years, building significant momentum for women's sport. This Women's T20 World Cup has the potential to transform women's cricket in Bangladesh, whilst creating a new generation of fans and participants across the globe. As a strategic priority, we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on and off the field in South Asia and across the world," concluded Geoff Allardice, ICC CEO.

Formula 1: Verstappen charges to Sprint race win over Leclerc, Perez in Miami

Defending champion Max Verstappen converted his pole position into victory during Saturday's Sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez at the end of an action-packed encounter.

The 26-year-old Dutch driver, Verstappen defended his lead at the start and overcame an early Safety Car before building up a comfortable lead at the head of the field, with Leclerc settling for second and Perez fighting with Daniel Ricciardo for the third spot.

Ricciardo brilliantly fended off the other Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri who was the sole McLaren finisher after Lando Norris retired on the first lap to take fourth, with Haas's Nico Hulkenberg seventh and RB's Yuki Tsunoda scoring the final point

that saw several drivers struggle to get a strong lap out of their mandated soft tyres.

A couple of changes to the starting order because of penalties saw Valtteri Bottas shifted to the very back of the grid thanks to a three-place grid penalty for impeding Piastri during qualifying, and Alex Albon moved to the pit lane due to suspension changes under Parc Ferme conditions.

Then, before the grid formed, Leclerc and Esteban Ocon were involved in an unusual incident as they left the pit lane, with the Alpine driver who was released into the Ferraria's path forced to take on a new front wing and soon being given a 10-second time penalty.

When the tyre blankets came off all 20 cars, it was revealed that the vast majority of drivers would

Sargeant, back in 18th, doing something different by opting for softs.

At the eagerly anticipated start, pole-sitter Verstappen immediately moved to the righthand side of the track to defend his lead from Leclerc into Turn 1, where a bold Perez lunge around the outside saw him run wide and allow Ricciardo through for third.

Further back, Norris got caught up in drama for the second Sprint start in succession, having been tipped into a spin at the first corner and left with terminal damage after contact between Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in the bottleneck sent the latter's Aston Martin into the McLaren.

There was a gap on the inside, so I went for it, Hamilton commented over the radio afterwards, with Alonso arguing

arrived like a bull, only for the stewards to look into the incident

Magnussen, who had benefitted from the drama to turn 14th into

SPORTS

PREMIER LEAGUE: HAALAND SCORES

FOUR AS MAN CITY

CLOSE GAP WITH LEADERS ARSENAL

22

WOMEN'S T20 WC: INDIA TO OPEN CAMPAIGN AGAINST NZ ON OCT 4; TO FACE PAKISTAN ON OCT 6 Page 23

Bengal Pro T20 League: Look

at IPL, you'll realise how

important T20 cricket is, says Sourav Ganguly

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has highlighted how the Indian Premier League (IPL) has made an impact on the careers of the young budding cricketers in the country. Many players have been selected for the national team based on their performance in the IPL. Recently, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Shivam Dube was named in India's squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup following his exploits in the 2023 and the ongoing editions of IPL.

Sourav Ganguly, while speaking at the unveiling of the Bengal Pro T20 League trophy here in Kolkata, said the upcoming T20 League is an important opportunity for the young players to shine.

The Bengal Pro T20 League trophy was unveiled in the presence of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Snehasish Ganguly, Sourav and former woman cricketer Jhulan Goswami.

"It is an opportunity for all the young players to showcase their talent on the big stage. That's how careers start and you take it as it goes. Look at the impact, IPL has and when you see a young player play for the country,

you realise how important T20 cricket is. I thank all the franchise owners, who have showcased their interest in the sport," Sourav Ganguly was quoted as saying in a release on Saturday.

Bengal Pro T20 League is the official franchise-based T20 league of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

Speaking about the same to the media, Sourav said, "It 's (T20 Leagues) happening in every state. We are probably 5-6 years late on this. Any way of playing the sport will always be very helpful. T20 is an important part of cricket these days and this will be a huge opportunity for everyone to perform."